It's lovely to read such interest and, dare I say it, optimism, about this cup run.
We've deserved what we've got, we've beaten three teams who were, on paper, supposedly better than us. Tactically we were sound as a pound, our attacking threat was immense, and for me this was as important as anything, defensively we looked very solid. Of course there have been blips, we're no different to football supporters everywhere, we pick at errors. We dissect and sometimes criticise deservedly, but at times needlessly (I know that won't go down well with some on here), but let's be right about this, what young Mr Clough has done for us is give us back a little pride. I know what's coming my way - the league, the league, will be what I'll be reminded of, but I'm in complete agreement chaps.
Of course the league is THE fundamental issue for SUFC to concentrate on. The pragmatic part of me says bollocks to the cup if it means survival in this poxy division. But the benefits I do see of this cup run is that we've shown that in raising our standard for the cup games that it's no fluke. A one-off cup win I could rationalise as united being up for a particular occasion, but we've done this on three separate occasions now - Villa, Fulham, and Forest - and there are factors that have coincided with this. The arrival of new players whose attacking potential has lifted the other players. Before anyone says anything, I know they weren't here for the Villa match, but what they've done is enhance our chances of staying in the cup, and most importantly, this division. The players ought to recognise what they're capable of. We've looked a well oiled unit. We've shown determination in abundance, and the icing on the cake has been that attacking threat. Imagine what we could do if we had those forwards who would compliment what we're capable of?
I love this cup run. How can anyone suggest that the scenes we witnessed yesterday, mindless episodes apart, don't make you feel that life is worth living? It was the flipside of that typical supporter's coin. We've had plenty of despair, I've followed united for over 40 years, and the heartache attached to this part of my life has been immense. But yesterday.....well what can I say other than we were MAGNIFICENT. We fought toe to toe, gave as good, if not better, than we got, and we bettered a supposedly ambitious side who are rightly fighting for a place in the Premiership.
If Nigel can keep us up, we've a lot to look forward to. Yes, if this cup run continues we'll all celebrate, but we know what matters, the league. But you can just hear the likes of Clough, Garner, and Morgan, reminding the players of this fact. They'll tell the guys that one simple truth over and over. The cup will be secondary all the while we're in a place that threatens our Division 1 survival. But when that next cup game comes around we'll all be talking about it as we have every other cup game this season. It'll raise everyone's spirits, and by then I have my finger's crossed that we'll have collected those vital league points and we'll be looking down on those clubs below us. COYRAWW!
