How to win the cup ?

[Badgerbitesme]

I'm trying a new tactic this year, buy 2 norgens each season, I will then have the resources to train them (if they're any good) to 8*, maybe even 9*. They will then be in my team for at least 6 seasons, as I will sell them as a 2*. This way I should have enough quality to put out a good squad against tough teams and still have a lower quality average. Also I think having a couple of outstanding players can be better than having a team of 4-5 stars, but we will find out

[kynan]

I've completed 34 seasons so far.

I have 27 league wins, 5 runners up spots, then finished 3rd the other two times.
I have won the Champions League 16 times, been a finalist 21 times, out of 33 seasons (As you don't play CL first season)

In contrast, I have won the Cup just 3 times, been a finalist 5 times. The 3 cup wins all came between levels 2-5, with my finalist showings being last season and in season 9.

That to me just shows how stupid the Cup is. I always have a strong competitive team, but I am almost ALWAYS out of the Cup in the first or second set of games as I am ALWAYS up against teams 2/3/4 levels above me. Its simply impossible to be competitive in the Cup unless you destroy your teams every season, then build them back up. My League and CL record proves to me that in my opinion I have a strong team and know what I'm doing, so its not bad management - its a case that the Cup is fundamentally unfair on teams that are strong.

I don't and have never spent money on this game - and the Cup is a strong reason why. It punishes those that invest time and effort into it by giving them impossible cup draws, whilst those that sign in every now and then are given easier draws and more chance of taking the Cup. I won't destroy my teams each year for a kinder cup draw as I like continuity in my teams and to develop players over time. Its a massive Nordeus own goal.

[gogs67]

I've completed 34 seasons so far.

I have 27 league wins, 5 runners up spots, then finished 3rd the other two times.
I have won the Champions League 16 times, been a finalist 21 times, out of 33 seasons (As you don't play CL first season)

In contrast, I have won the Cup just 3 times, been a finalist 5 times. The 3 cup wins all came between levels 2-5, with my finalist showings being last season and in season 9.

That to me just shows how stupid the Cup is. I always have a strong competitive team, but I am almost ALWAYS out of the Cup in the first or second set of games as I am ALWAYS up against teams 2/3/4 levels above me. Its simply impossible to be competitive in the Cup unless you destroy your teams every season, then build them back up. My League and CL record proves to me that in my opinion I have a strong team and know what I'm doing, so its not bad management - its a case that the Cup is fundamentally unfair on teams that are strong.

I don't and have never spent money on this game - and the Cup is a strong reason why. It punishes those that invest time and effort into it by giving them impossible cup draws, whilst those that sign in every now and then are given easier draws and more chance of taking the Cup. I won't destroy my teams each year for a kinder cup draw as I like continuity in my teams and to develop players over time. Its a massive Nordeus own goal.

This just shows how much luck is part of this game.
Your career almost echo's mine, except you have been more successful. I've been playing for 32 seasons, and in the first 30 had only 2 cup wins from 3 finals, it really annoyed me constantly coming up against teams 2 or 3 levels above me season after season.
But, two seasons ago, without changing anything, and still coming up against teams higher than me I won another cup. And I did it again last season as well.
Did nothing different, just the T11 luck shone through.
I destroyed my team (sold most of them) for the first time ever a couple of days ago to see what would happen, and now, looking through the other cup teams, for the first time ever I've got teams levels below me. Won the first leg today 3-0 so hopefully will get through tomorrow and can hit the transfer market the day after and hammer all these 'lesser' teams for a change!

[Amane Ito]

The number of CUP Trophies = The number of CL Trophies...

So the number of people winning the CUP = The number of people winning the CL...

So probability of winning the CUP is = to the probability of winning the CL...

So the conclusion is :

Difficulty level of CUP = the difficulty level of CL.........

As explained before,
Cup winner is one out of 128 while CL winner is one out of 112
so cup is in fact slightly more difficult to win.
The numbers don't reflect this difficulty though.

But in reality, cup is more luck-based due to the high variation of team quality and is prone to abuse,
such that it is difficult to win it without sacrificing performance in other competitions.

Against teams that focused all resources on the cup and neglect other competitions, your odds of winning won't be good enough to win it consistantly if you don't do that too, even if your entire team is 9*.

[khris]

My opinion has been shared before many times lol but just to repeat,,,, cup is the most unfair and nonsense competition because create a "need" to try to have a team with low Q. to do not have a problem as I have every season facing +3 +4 levels......... So cup, do not have any value for me, because is a tournament made, for lower Q. teams of better levels than me that are often 5th-6-7-8th in it's league..... only is fair in the top server when there are many leagues in the top.... and .... thats all.
Basically the sistem creates a "legal empty" that forces players to change hard their squads many times.

[talisman]

As explained before,
Cup winner is one out of 128 while CL winner is one out of 112
so cup is in fact slightly more difficult to win.
The numbers don't reflect this difficulty though.

But in reality, cup is more luck-based due to the high variation of team quality and is prone to abuse,
such that it is difficult to win it without sacrificing performance in other competitions.

Against teams that focused all resources on the cup and neglect other competitions, your odds of winning won't be good enough to win it consistantly if you don't do that too, even if your entire team is 9*.

CL is competition for 32 teams (8 groups of 4 teams, then knockout for 16 top/2nd teams).

[Killroy]

Cup games tend to be the most annoying ones. Just had one where my opponent got an early red card. I dominated the game like mad (double shots and double the shots on target) against this team that is 2 levels higher. He gets to overtime and beats me at penalties 4-2 where my defender is taking penalties instead of the strikers I put up for taking penalties. Grmbllll.

The winning of the cup might be harder, because of the setup. That is a simple fact. However surviving the first three rounds with a good team that is in form is almost an achievement in my book. I have won lots of league and CL titles but not once a cup title.

[gizzmo]

I won it 3 times and lost my first final last season. Drove me mad as it costed me the treeble. So, I switched to the "tactics" reported here several times: keep your top 7-8 players, sell others, buy the crapest you can get and pray.
And it seemed to be working: the draw I got was the easiest by miles I saw in 12 seasons. I am the huge favourite now.
But to me, this is cheating and I am not proud of myself.
The price to pay is the terrible waste of money when selling your players the last 2 days of the season. And having hard times buying new ones early in the next (when usually I try to avoid transfer market in the first 3-4 days).

[nikolgiorgos]

But to me, this is cheating and I am not proud of myself.

why ?
If the game trolls you (in the cup), then you troll the game
lol

[Sully]

I won the cup with one account the past season and found it easier after trying to tank 2 seasons in a row and being unsucessful at it for some reason. Seriously. I was down to 2 and 3 * players after coming in 7th and 8th and being promoted. I tried to tank both seasons and had issues with winning even with moronic formations and playing with my worst players.

It seems that the lower quality of your team ensures greater success. If you win leagues, you get harder opposition. I prefer that theory over the others.