The FA Cup

First topic message reminder :

Well, nothing on here much for discussion so thought this could begin.

At the moment Westisbest is probably pulling his hair out, whilst Wigan are marching on towards there second FA Cup in a row.

I thought that, up to just before half time, Blackburn made a fair fist of trying to contain City, probably in the hope of maybe pinching a breakaway goal and giving themselves something to hang on to.

After the first City goal though, the final outcome was inevitable.

It's good to see, in Manchester City, a team that plays 4-4-2 in the proper way, which has allowed a good old fashioned "striking partnership" to develop. Such things used to be quite commonplace, you know. Now you hardly ever see them at all.

Dzeko and Negredo have forged an on-field bond that makes them an almost irresistible force. Modern defences are just no longer accustomed to dealing with more than one out-and-out striker, and with such a high quality pairing as these two it's not surprising that they're scoring goals for jolly.

Now that Aguero's back from injury, City's range of available firepower has moved up from "outstanding" to "exceptional". If I were Pellegrini, I would want to stick with this current striking combination as much as possible (allowing only for necessary squad rotation).

Scoring at the rate they are, he'd be tempting fate to break that partnership up.

Scoring at the rate they are, he'd be tempting fate to break that partnership up.

Aye, I wouldn't want that liability Aguero stuffing up my team either! I though Sergio would at least have the decency to mis-control a pass first but oh no, two touches and the ball's in the back of the net. Sometimes, he makes it so easy to dislike him.

The Fourth Lion wrote:I thought that, up to just before half time, Blackburn made a fair fist of trying to contain City, probably in the hope of maybe pinching a breakaway goal  and giving themselves something to hang on to.

After the first City goal though, the final outcome was inevitable.

It's good to see, in Manchester City, a team that plays 4-4-2 in the proper way, which has allowed a good old fashioned "striking partnership" to develop.  Such things used to be quite commonplace, you know.  Now you hardly ever see them at all.  

Dzeko and Negredo have forged an on-field bond that makes them an almost irresistible force.  Modern defences are just no longer accustomed to dealing with more than one out-and-out striker, and with such a high quality pairing as these two it's not surprising that they're scoring goals for jolly.

Now that Aguero's back from injury, City's range of available firepower has moved up from "outstanding" to "exceptional".  If I were Pellegrini, I would want to stick with this current striking combination as much as possible (allowing only for necessary squad rotation).  

Scoring at the rate they are, he'd be tempting fate to break that partnership up.

Yeah you think about the best player in the PL this season(and possibly the world in Suarez)

BUt I cant see how he is needed at citeh.

They function so well anyway.

City's pick of fowards is just ridiculous.
In Aguero, you've got one of the very top fowards in the world and probably the second best in the league.
Negrado has been one of the buys of the season. Quick, clever and powerful with a lethal left foot.
Then there's Dzeko. He can feel a tad unluckly that despite the fact he's easily one of the top 10 fowards in the PL, he's only 3rd choice at City due to the quality of the 2 ahead of him.
City have still got Jovetic to return as well. He is a classy player when fully fit.

J.Benson II wrote:City's pick of fowards is just ridiculous.
In Aguero, you've got one of the very top fowards in the world and probably the second best in the league.
Negrado has been one of the buys of the season. Quick, clever and powerful with a lethal left foot.
Then there's Dzeko. He can feel a tad unluckly that despite the fact he's easily one of the top 10 fowards in the PL, he's only 3rd choice at City due to the quality of the 2 ahead of him.
City have still got Jovetic to return as well. He is a classy player when fully fit.

An embarrassment of riches indeed.

Of course, none of their abilities would be able to flourish if they didn't have a supply line from midfield. Yaya Toure and David Silva are just as priceless in their way, and Pablo Zabaletta galloping up the wing must also send shivers down the spines of defenders.

City are a very, very good team, all round.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain starting tonight.

Arsenal: Fabianski, Jenkinson, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Gibbs, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Wilshere, Gnabry, Ozil, Podolski, Bendtner. Subs: Sagna, Giroud, Viviano, Monreal, Cazorla, Flamini, Zelalem.

Coventry: Murphy, Christie, Conor Thomas, Webster, Adams, Fleck, Baker, Seaborne, Daniels, Moussa, Leon Clarke. Subs: Slager, Burge, Barton, Phillips, Willis, Jordan Clarke, Haynes.

Arsenal 1-0 Coventry - Podolski

Ridiculous this game being on a Friday night.

Ridiculous also that it's being televised at all. In no way is this a competitive fixture.

Arsenal 2-0 Coventry - Podolski x2

Like Crystal Palace dicking on Brighton all over again   

FreekShow wrote:Ridiculous also that it's being televised at all. In no way is this a competitive fixture.

Isn't games like this the whole point of the fa cuop? lower league teams facing premier league teams? It is the magic of the FA cup.

And it's all over.

Champagne_Socialist wrote:

FreekShow wrote:Ridiculous also that it's being televised at all. In no way is this a competitive fixture.

Isn't games like this the whole point of the fa cuop? lower league teams facing premier league teams? It is the magic of the FA cup.

Yeah I can see why it would be televised had it been at Sixfields but at the Emirates?

Who want's to watch a practice session tonight bar Arsenal fans?

Fernando wrote:Arsenal 2-0 Coventry - Podolski x2

Like Crystal Palace dicking on Brighton all over again   

    

Gedion Zelalem is on

16 year old German/Ethiopian

That's the best kind of hybrid

German precision & Ethiopian running   

FreekShow wrote:

Champagne_Socialist wrote:

FreekShow wrote:Ridiculous also that it's being televised at all. In no way is this a competitive fixture.

Isn't games like this the whole point of the fa cuop? lower league teams facing premier league teams? It is the magic of the FA cup.

Yeah I can see why it would be televised had it been at Sixfields but at the Emirates?

Who want's to watch a practice session tonight bar Arsenal fans?

What other fixtures are there this round for them to show instead?

Arsenal 4-0 Coventry

Giroud & Cazorla have scored

FT Arsenal 4-0 Coventry

I hate the FA Cup, I've maintained that everyone should start on equal footing to everyone in from round 1.

Champagne_Socialist wrote:

FreekShow wrote:

Champagne_Socialist wrote:

FreekShow wrote:Ridiculous also that it's being televised at all. In no way is this a competitive fixture.

Isn't games like this the whole point of the fa cuop? lower league teams facing premier league teams? It is the magic of the FA cup.

Yeah I can see why it would be televised had it been at Sixfields but at the Emirates?

Who want's to watch a practice session tonight bar Arsenal fans?

What other fixtures are there this round for them to show instead?

Well Wigan (the defending champions) v C Palace (a PL team) for one.

Birmingham v Swansea - potential banana skin.

Southend v Hull, Bolton v Cardiff and Sheff Utd v Fulham, ditto.

The older posters on these boards will remember the days when these types of ties were broadcast live ahead of home bankers.

Edit: Although the Sheff Utd game is on at 1pm Sunday so may be live. Haven't checked.

Southend vs Hull should 100% be on TV.

Chelsea vs Stoke is just stupid.

Standard win for Arsenal tonight, full credit to the 6000 Coventry fans that made the trip. Have to feel for them that there big cup final got moved from a Saturday daytime to a Friday night.

Probably the worst result Nottingham Forest could of got tonight. Another game they could of done without, a midweek trip to Preston and a game they could well lose. Worst possible result for them tonight.

NickisBHAFC wrote:Southend vs Hull should 100% be on TV.

Chelsea vs Stoke is just stupid.

Agree. Another expected cakewalk.

Indeed. But id rather Arsenal vs Coventry, at least its a big cup final for them. Chelsea vs Stoke should just be a boring 3pm saturday kick off.

Wigan palace is the most even and includes the current champs. So obviously would have had my vote!!

FreekShow wrote:Ridiculous also that it's being televised at all. In no way is this a competitive fixture.

I find that a tad patronising.   OK, so Arsenal won 4 - 0 in the end, but the scoreline does Coventry no justice at all for their second half performance.

Had they not been so inhibited in the first half, the match could have been a lot closer and the example set by Coventry in the second half should be a spur to other lower league teams against more illustrious opponents:  Come out and have a go.   What have you got to lose..?

The foreign superstars of the top flight teams can be intimidated if you get stuck into them (the British players less so, but they still don't like it up 'em, Captain Mainwaring..!!).  Any team challenging for a CL place doesn't want to lose players to injuries inflicted at Puddleditch Lane Albion in a cup competition that they don't really care about anyway.  To non-leaguers and tier three and four sides I say:  Sod their reputation.  Give 'em hell.  That's what cup football is all about.

Having said that, it is true that genuine cup "shocks" are rare.  The last defeat of a top tier club by a non league team was Coventry themselves being beaten by Sutton United back in the 80's.  But that doesn't mean it can't happen again, and if only more non league teams would get properly stuck in instead of only turning up for the payday and the occasion, and being overawed by their surroundings and the superstar status of their opponents, it might happen more often.

F'rinstance, I seem to remember third tier Oldham Athletic making monkeys of a certain team of "giants" who play in red only last season, eh, Freek.?  I enjoyed watching that on a live televised match which it is possible some fans of other major clubs may have also said was a non event. 

I can appreciate fans of the big clubs thinking that football is all about them.  They're fawned over by the TV companies to such an extent that it's only human nature to forget that there is a wider footballing world out there, and that even minnows have supporters who want to see their team. 

They pay subscriptions to Sky and BT too, you know.

Hopefully the cherries can upset the Pool.

UTCIAD

The Fourth Lion wrote:

FreekShow wrote:Ridiculous also that it's being televised at all. In no way is this a competitive fixture.

I find that a tad patronising.   OK, so Arsenal won 4 - 0 in the end, but the scoreline does Coventry no justice at all for their second half performance.

Had they not been so inhibited in the first half, the match could have been a lot closer and the example set by Coventry in the second half should be a spur to other lower league teams against more illustrious opponents:  Come out and have a go.   What have you got to lose..?

The foreign superstars of the top flight teams can be intimidated if you get stuck into them (the British players less so, but they still don't like it up 'em, Captain Mainwaring..!!).  Any team challenging for a CL place doesn't want to lose players to injuries inflicted at Puddleditch Lane Albion in a cup competition that they don't really care about anyway.  To non-leaguers and tier three and four sides I say:  Sod their reputation.  Give 'em hell.  That's what cup football is all about.

Having said that, it is true that genuine cup "shocks" are rare.  The last defeat of a top tier club by a non league team was Coventry themselves being beaten by Sutton United back in the 80's.  But that doesn't mean it can't happen again, and if only more non league teams would get properly stuck in instead of only turning up for the payday and the occasion, and being overawed by their surroundings and the superstar status of their opponents, it might happen more often.

F'rinstance, I seem to remember third tier Oldham Athletic making monkeys of a certain team of "giants" who play in red only last season, eh, Freek.?  I enjoyed watching that on a live televised match which it is possible some fans of other major clubs may have also said was a non event. 

I can appreciate fans of the big clubs thinking that football is all about them.  They're fawned over by the TV companies to such an extent that it's only human nature to forget that there is a wider footballing world out there, and that even minnows have supporters who want to see their team. 

They pay subscriptions to Sky and BT too, you know.

 
Luton beat Norwich last season/season before, can't remember exactly.

westisbest wrote:

The Fourth Lion wrote:

FreekShow wrote:Ridiculous also that it's being televised at all. In no way is this a competitive fixture.

I find that a tad patronising.   OK, so Arsenal won 4 - 0 in the end, but the scoreline does Coventry no justice at all for their second half performance.

Had they not been so inhibited in the first half, the match could have been a lot closer and the example set by Coventry in the second half should be a spur to other lower league teams against more illustrious opponents:  Come out and have a go.   What have you got to lose..?

The foreign superstars of the top flight teams can be intimidated if you get stuck into them (the British players less so, but they still don't like it up 'em, Captain Mainwaring..!!).  Any team challenging for a CL place doesn't want to lose players to injuries inflicted at Puddleditch Lane Albion in a cup competition that they don't really care about anyway.  To non-leaguers and tier three and four sides I say:  Sod their reputation.  Give 'em hell.  That's what cup football is all about.

Having said that, it is true that genuine cup "shocks" are rare.  The last defeat of a top tier club by a non league team was Coventry themselves being beaten by Sutton United back in the 80's.  But that doesn't mean it can't happen again, and if only more non league teams would get properly stuck in instead of only turning up for the payday and the occasion, and being overawed by their surroundings and the superstar status of their opponents, it might happen more often.

F'rinstance, I seem to remember third tier Oldham Athletic making monkeys of a certain team of "giants" who play in red only last season, eh, Freek.?  I enjoyed watching that on a live televised match which it is possible some fans of other major clubs may have also said was a non event. 

I can appreciate fans of the big clubs thinking that football is all about them.  They're fawned over by the TV companies to such an extent that it's only human nature to forget that there is a wider footballing world out there, and that even minnows have supporters who want to see their team. 

They pay subscriptions to Sky and BT too, you know.

 
Luton beat Norwich last season/season before, can't remember exactly.

That never happened.  

I like that it was televised, got a lot more of my twitter feed talking about the ridiculous treatment of their fans, but its awful that it was Friday night.

Bournemouth 0-1 Liverpool

Victor Moses. Undeserved. Bournemouth look the better team. Andrew Surman having the game of his life atm!

The Fourth Lion wrote:

FreekShow wrote:Ridiculous also that it's being televised at all. In no way is this a competitive fixture.

F'rinstance, I seem to remember third tier Oldham Athletic making monkeys of a certain team of "giants" who play in red only last season, eh, Freek.?  I enjoyed watching that on a live televised match which it is possible some fans of other major clubs may have also said was a non event. 

No need to get personal Lion   

Yeah it should always be lower league teams at home to the big teams. That's what the fa cup is all about. I love those games on the telly.

I heard in the copa Italia the top 8 teams go straight into the final 16 and that all the top teams get home games!!

Half time

Been very impressed by Bournemouth. There playing really well.

You still in it Nick?

I should probably mention the last time Chelsea played Stoke we lost 3-2 with the winner being a late screamer.

That was at the Britannia and not in Chelsea's comfort zone of the bridge. 

And yes Mysti. Away at Port Vale today. As we Brighton fans know, Micky Adams is a superb manager, so it will be a tough game, easily can see a potential cup upset there, especially if we give the fringe/young players ago.

Can't get over how bad Matt Ritchie's barnet is!

Bournemouth all over Liverpool!

2-0 and it should be game over. ITV keep showing replays of Kelly holding the guys shirt which while I agree is awful, show us a replay of the offside because be looked about 5 yards off.

Just reading the BBC page. It says that this game is all over. It hasn't been a classic by any means but Bournemouth have given it a go and have undoubtedly been the better side this afternoon. We have 25 minutes just under still to play, plenty of time for 2 goals. As long as they can get 1 within the next 10 minutes or maybe even 15 minutes, this game is very much still alive for Bournemouth. But don't expect Liverpool to throw this away. But, the saying goes 'what goes around comes around' so lasts week's game vs Villa for Liverpool might restore a little bit of hope into Bournemouth's fans' superstitious minds. But all credit the Cherries, done really well.

Harsh harsh scoreline on Bournemouth. Been decent today.

My pick of the upsets is STevenage to draw v everton

They are "favourites"   

Cardiff are 2/1, Charlton are 3/1. Did a double for the laff

I backed my draw at 5's

and doubled it with palace as we were 5/2.

I shouldn't touch palace but at them odds i thought sod it, we are not favs for this clash

Workman like display really. Credit to Bournemouth, they played some tidy stuff.

Is it me or does Eddie Howe look like a younger blonder Steve Martin?

He looks like the man I want to be our next manager

City 0-1 Watford!

Watford playing like Brazil apparently! 2-0 up and flying.

City 0-2 Watford, although brilliant its screwing up my accumy!!!

Port Vale 0-1 Brighton. Rohan Ince with the goal!!!! Take him to the world cup woy.

Yes! Go onnnnnnnnnnnn Watford!