FA Cup Watch

[Robbie]

Four Matches tonight.

Spurs v Man City

Bristol C v Forest

Chelsea v A Villa

Sheff Weds v Coventry 

I'm going for Spurs, Bristol C, Coventry and Villa to go through.

I hope Spurs go through, 

[Robbie]

Half Time

Bristol C 0 v Forest 0

Chelsea 0 v A Villa 0

Sheff Weds 0 v Coventry 1

Latest score

Spurs 0 v Man C 0

[Robbie]

Full times.

Bristol C 0 v Forest 0

Chelsea 0 v A Villa 0

Sheff Weds 1 v Coventry 1

Spurs 0 v Man C 1

More controversy with VAR as it is involved in a dubious decision again, near the end of the match, where the Spurs keeper is clearly impeded but VAR allows the goal. The question can be asked once again. What's the point of VAR. I think we know what the point is 

[Robbie]

Maidstone stun Ipswich and win their 4th round tie. Scenes.

 

[super_ram]

Enjoyable game to watch as a neutral.Ipswich hit the woodwork twice and created numerous chances bit didn't put them away.Well played Maidstone.

[Robbie]

FA Cup fifth round draw made today.

FA Cup fifth-round draw

Blackburn or Wrexham vs Newcastle

Chelsea or Aston Villa vs Leeds or Plymouth

Bournemouth vs Leicester

Liverpool vs Watford or Southampton

Bristol City or Nottingham Forest vs Newport or Manchester United

Wolves vs Brighton

Sheffield Wednesday or Coventry vs Maidstone United

Luton Town vs Manchester City

Maidstone would have wished for a more lucrative draw but they have a chance of reaching the FA Cup quarter final

[liampie]

wrexham could have a massive home game if they beat blackburn. maidstone would probably fair better against coventry. but despite luton being in the premier league how good of a draw have they got?

imagine if they managed to upset them and win.  

[Chris]

I used to love the FA Cup as a kid, @super_ram would watch the weekend games show on TV and I would sit and watch them too. A lot of the games I remember were of Spurs or Arsenal. Every year, we would do this and then eagerly await the draw of the FA Cup.

The magic of it has faded with me though; I no longer feel excited and the games I have tried to watch just make me feel uninterested.

I tried watching the Fulham vs. Newcastle game, but I couldn't get into it.

I mean Fulham looked bright until they were on goal, Newcastle also played okay, but I am just not excited about the Premier League. I would much prefer to watch a League One or Two game.

[KB1862]

2 hours ago, Chris said:

The magic of it has faded with me though; I no longer feel excited and the games I have tried to watch just make me feel uninterested.

I agree with this. The FA Cup still has a bit of magic left in it and there is still cupsets but they don't seem to happen as much as they did. They don't feel the same anymore.

[Robbie]

@KB1862 & @Chris Just look who's in the Final of the League Cup this year Chelsea and Liverpool, two of the top six and it will probably be two of the top six in the FA Cup final again and four of the top six will be in the Champions league again this year. Football at the top in this Country is just getting boring.

I don't watch match of the day unless it's the FA Cup, not involving Premier league sides.

A solution might be that

1. All clubs have to field their strongest side available at every Cup match.

2. Abolish replays and have penalty shootouts if the scores are level after 90 minutes.

3. Have all league sides including Premier league sides enter the FA Cup at the first round stage, this would increase revenue for non league and lower leagues Clubs.

4. If Clubs field weakened sides for no good reason, they forfit the match and get fined.

If the top six sides complain, then tough. If they prioritise European Competition, then they should withdraw from the Cup Competitions. If they do withdraw from the Cups, the FA should fine them for lost revenue.

 

 

[KB1862]

1 hour ago, Robbie said:

1. All clubs have to field their strongest side available at every Cup match.

2. Abolish replays and have penalty shootouts if the scores are level after 90 minutes.

3. Have all league sides including Premier league sides enter the FA Cup at the first round stage, this would increase revenue for non league and lower leagues Clubs.

4. If Clubs field weakened sides for no good reason, they forfit the match and get fined.

Agree with all these points except number 2. Replays are what lesser teams love and what can keep them going. Say a team from National League North draw a Premier League team like Manchester City and manage to get a replay. Whether it be at their ground where their fans can see these top level players play or having the opportunity to go play at the Etihad. It's a thing that makes the FA Cup what it is the Magic. The fact that minnows can play teams that in their wildest dreams wouldn't have ever thought possible. Plus the cash they get from having a replay home or away could be what sustains the club for another year.

I wouldn't say it's boring at the top as it's always been this way where the same teams come out on top season after season. Only difference is the gap is getting bigger. Despite the same teams coming out on top teams would surprise others by getting top 4 or in to Europe. It's still a case of anyone can beat anyone but, league and cup alike, it's becoming less frequent.

As for the first point you made, same principal applies to the Carabao Cup. Every year teams like Arsenal, Man City etc field fringe/young players until they get to the latter stages. Teams should field their strongest sides possible or have majority of strong team out on the field with a few tweaks ie youngsters they want to give game time too.

[Robbie]

@KB1862 I get your point about replays.

The reason I proposed no replays was due to my proposal for Premier League clubs to enter in the first round. That would give lower clubs an opportunity to make more revenue. Having a replay always benefits the bigger clubs too.

If we can make the Cups more  exciting by making a tie sudden death it makes for more chance of a shock if it comes to a penalty shootout for example.

Also, there is always the option for the non league club or lower league club to change venue, if they are drawn at home, to the bigger club's ground, to increase their revenue if they choose.

As for Clubs fielding weaker teams, I believe that it is not in the spirit of the competition, it devalues the competition, and is frankly disrespectful to the lower league side.

[KB1862]

@Robbie I see your point about sudden death, they've adapted the Carabao Cup to that. Removed extra time in favour of a straight penalty shootout. 

Problem is PL clubs will then complain that entering competitions earlier would mean more fixture congestion which I find bizarre considering there are teams who play more league and cup games with lesser squad depth. 

It could make it more exciting as there's more of a chance at a cupset. I just think the FA Cup is such a historical competition and a pride of our game that it should remain untouched to preserve it rather than adapting it another way.

Clubs fielding weaker teams does devalue the competition and it's not fair on fans of say a lesser team having their team drawn against a PL team with stars only for the game to arrive and they've not got any of the stars on the pitch they were hoping to see. 

[Robbie]

@KB1862 Your right with the fielding of weaker teams and cheating fans of lesser clubs from seeing them in action, also the price to watch remains the same or even increased, so fans suffer both ways.

When it comes down to it, every football match is a test of strength, guile, determination, staying power, and skill. If Clubs field weakened teams then it's not a true test of those values.

[Robbie]

So Blackburn beat Wrexham tonight 4:1 after being one down after a few minutes.

So now we have 5 replays to decide who will compete in the 5th round.

Tues 6th Feb

Southampton v Watford

Coventry v Sheff Weds

Plymouth v Leeds

Weds 7th Feb

Forest v Bristol C

A Villa v Chelsea.