Archive for the ‘The FA Cup’ Category

Can Manchester United Overcome The London Bias To Beat Tottenham And What Chance Southampton Against Chelsea?

Posted: March 20, 2018 in Arsenal, Chelsea, Football, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Opinion, The FA Cup, Tottenham Hotspur
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It’s that time again folks! Yes, it’s approaching FA Cup semi-finals day, so we now have to rant on for a while about how unfair life is when you’re just a poor little northern team having to play one of those rich teams from that big place, in that big place, at their home big place!

The draw for the semi-finals of the FA Cup has been made and the two London clubs have been kept apart. No real surprise there! Do they have any other advantages over their opponents which would make them favourites to progress to the final? (more…)

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Can Manchester United Salvage Something From Their Season Or Will The FA Cup Stay In London?

Posted: March 18, 2018 in Arsenal, Chelsea, Football, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Opinion, The FA Cup, Tottenham Hotspur
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The headline assumes, rather arrogantly from the point of view of the clubs concerned, that only Chelsea, United and Tottenham Hotspur have a chance of winning it.

It is safe to say that Brighton, Leicester City, Southampton, Swansea City and Wigan will all have fancied their chances before the quarter finals kicked off.

Here we take a brief look at the ties, both played and unplayed, in reverse chronological order. (more…)

Has Manchester United’s Victory Over Liverpool Actually Helped The Chasing Pack?

Posted: March 11, 2018 in Arsenal, Chelsea, Football, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Premier League, Sir Alex Ferguson, The FA Cup, Tottenham Hotspur
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Following on from our article of yesterday in which we suggested that a draw between Manchester United and Liverpool would be the favoured result for Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur Hotspur, as they would all be able to gain two points on both teams, providing they win, of course.

There is another train of thought which suggests that the actual result of 2-1 to United gives the three a better chance of fighting for the top four as they can now gain THREE points on Liverpool. Providing they win, of course.

After a tactical battle at Old Trafford in which Liverpool had, by far, the majority of possession it was, as we mentioned, Manchester United who came out on top. (more…)

Who Are The Favourites To Progress To The FA Cup Semi-Finals?

Posted: February 20, 2018 in Arsenal, Chelsea, Football, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Opinion, The FA Cup, Tottenham Hotspur
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Three of the Premier League’s top six remain in this year’s competition as we reach the quarter final stage.

In what can only be described as a crazily premature draw, as it was made before the fifth round was complete, the big three were kept apart with Manchester United given a home draw whilst the two London clubs received away ties, although Spurs are yet to overcome Rochdale to officially book their place.

Sheffield Wednesday and Rochdale will still feel as though they have a chance of progressing but that chance is now very remote. Having both managed to draw their home games they are now favourites to exit the competition in the replays away from home. (more…)

Would Winning The FA Cup And A Top Four Finish Represent An Improvement Over Last Season For Manchester United?

Posted: February 18, 2018 in Arsenal, Chelsea, Football, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Opinion, Premier League, The FA Cup, Tottenham Hotspur
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On one hand, yes. On the other hand, no. If we had a third hand we would also plump for not knowing whether or not those two accomplishments would be deemed an improvement over last season’s three trophies.

In the league table, it has to be admitted, that any finish above sixth would be seen as an improvement but it must also be remembered that the final few games of last season’s Premier League campaign were deemed less important than usual due to United’s intent on winning the Europa League.

Winning the FA Cup would, of course, be an upgrade on winning the Carabao Cup as it is the major domestic knock-out cup in England. It requires, however, a favourable draw at some stage of the competition so United will be hoping for this in the coming rounds. (more…)

The Draw For The FA Cup Fifth Round Should See All Four Favourites Progress

Posted: February 13, 2018 in Arsenal, Chelsea, Football, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Opinion, The FA Cup, Tottenham Hotspur
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Antonio Conte v Nigel Adkins

In a draw which has been uncommonly kind to the remaining four clubs from England’s big six, the only difficulty any of them should encounter is the travelling conditions as, of the four, only Chelsea have been drawn at home.

They are set to face Hull City in a tie which has grown in importance over the last couple of weeks as the cup now represents their best, and possibly, only chance of silverware. (They face Barcelona in the Champion’s League and are unlikely to pass that test).

Tepid defeats at home to Bournemouth 0-3, followed by Watford away 4-1 have made the result of this cup game less predictable than it should have been.

Chelsea, despite their recent woes, should still be too good for Hull and we expect them to go through without the need for a replay. (more…)

FA Cup: And Then There Were Four! Which Of The Top Six Joined Arsenal As Spectators For The Rest Of The Competition?

Posted: January 29, 2018 in Arsenal, Chelsea, Football, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Opinion, The FA Cup, Tottenham Hotspur, Transfers
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Manchester City beat Cardiff City without their new signings Fred and Aymeric Laporte mainly because they are not yet their new signings.

Laporte is expected to be announced on Tuesday because the weather will be nice in Manchester and there are no direct flights from Bilbao on Monday evening since easyJet cancelled their service. So he will have to fly with TAP which stops off in Lisbon on the way!

Either that or they could splash out on a private jet but, given that Pep Guardiola has been at pains to point out how poor City really are, that is unlikely. (more…)

Has The World’s Oldest Cup Competition Lost All Of It’s Magic?

Posted: January 6, 2018 in Arsenal, Champions League, Chelsea, Football, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Opinion, The FA Cup, Tottenham Hotspur
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FA Cup 1904

 (The nearest there was to an interactive wall-chart in 1904! The numbers on the colours correspond to the number of the team wearing them and there are some interesting names amongst the previous winners. The winners that year were…..Manchester City!)

The FA Cup may not be quite as glamorous as it used to be but it is still a trophy that the top clubs want to win.

An appearance at Wembley nowadays is no reward for reaching the final. After all, drawing Tottenham Hotspur away will have the same outcome this season, as will reaching the semi-final and it is this devaluation of the national stadium which has been a major contributor to the FA Cup losing much of it’s gloss. (more…)

Can Manchester City Be The Next “Invincibles”? If Not, Are Manchester United Good Enough To Catch Them?

Posted: October 30, 2017 in Arsenal, Chelsea, European Football, Football, Manchester City, Manchester United, Opinion, Premier League, Religion, The FA Cup
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Back in 2003, when stubborn old man was quite a good manager, his team managed to go through an entire season without losing a single game in the Premier League.

Back in the 1880’s, when stubborn old man was just a small garçon in Strasbourg, Preston North End managed to go through an entire season without losing a single game in both the league and the cup. In doing so they were, and still are, the only one of the seven double winners to achieve the task without losing a game. They also won the cup without conceding a goal.

There is a slight chance that the Arsenal achievement could be matched by Manchester City this season. There is a much slighter chance that the Preston achievement could be matched but City’s defence probably isn’t good enough for that one. (more…)

The Manchester Derby Only City Can Afford To Lose And An FA Cup Final Of No Interest To Anybody Outside London

Posted: April 26, 2017 in Arsenal, Chelsea, European Football, Football, Manchester City, Manchester United, Opinion, Premier League, The FA Cup
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It is now Wednesday, 26th May. Manchester City are two points behind Liverpool with two games in hand and an inferior goal difference.

Manchester United are three points behind Liverpool with two games in hand and a vastly inferior goal difference.

The upshot of all this is the following: If Thursday’s derby game is a draw, both Manchester clubs gain a point on Liverpool and both will overtake Liverpool should they win their other game in hand. (more…)

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