Semi Final

[mhead]

A great draw ...Arsenal not on good form and the only tie that should be logically at The Millennium.

[modes98]

Quite happy with the draw. Never expected to be in the semi-final so will go and enjoy the occassion. Also think that Arsenal will struggle against our style of play.

When we play them at ewood on saturday we will have a good chance to try a few approaches at them. As i think everybody in the footballing world knows they are very weak on defending set pieces and crosses, so maybe we should get MGP and Emmo working on them all week. We need to take a bolton like approach to it.

This is possibly one of the best draws for us, if we can gain the psycological edge by beating them at ewood and then shut up those stupid gooners. Just need to get a ticket and i'm away

[Ajay]

Well its Arsenal then. I am sure we'll have agood day out in Cardiff and hopefully win it! I pray that none of the following referees are chosen for our game:

Neil Barry, Mike Riley, Alan Wiley, Dermot Gallagher.

[moerpho]

Great draw! And I can see Rovers punching through to the final after a nailbiting penalty-shootout since we are unable to score while playing but don't concede many either. Here's hoping for ManUre in the final - that would mean UEFA-cup next year and a BIG feather in Mark Hughes' hat (and hopefully more dosh to use on players come summer!). This season is slowly turning memorable.....

[millionpints]

So the BBC are definitely showing the Sat game, and get first pick??

Got to be us on Sunday then.

Going to be nice and cosey on the train to/from London

Can anybody find a link with confirmation of which game is on which date yet???

Or do you know when this is likely to be announced?

[herbergeehh]

Glad to get Arsenal, not United- a scrap win against Arsenal looks far more likely than against United nowadays, IMO.

United will get to the final, I don't know why I'm so sure about that, but I do think they're looking good at the moment.

We've beaten Arsenal before, and we can do it again.

[Flopsy]

Well its Arsenal then. I am sure we'll have agood day out in Cardiff and hopefully win it! I pray that none of the following referees are chosen for our game:

Neil Barry, Mike Riley, Alan Wiley, Dermot Gallagher.

or D'Urso.

I wouldnt mind Clattenberg

[Hughesy]

Oooooh do we get the lucky dressing room???

[herbergeehh]

D'Urso

Clattenburg seems like a good ref, and he hasn't been reffing us under Souness either. (which obviously is a good thing)

[Jan]

Well, refs don't seem to hate us any more. We've had LOADS of penaties since we got a manager who doesn't put the FA's back up. Not all of them 100% deserved allegedly!!

[American]

Glad to get Arsenal, not United- a scrap win against Arsenal looks far more likely than against United nowadays, IMO.

United will get to the final, I don't know why I'm so sure about that, but I do think they're looking good at the moment.

We've beaten Arsenal before, and we can do it again.

You're right, United will get into the final. Now the question is which United?

[Rovermatt]

There's no reason we can't go to the final. In spite of my post-match comments yesterday, I'm now pretty sure we got the best of the draw. While Arsenal are a fantastic team, they are also a bunch of lily-livered surrender jockeys who will disintegrate if we defend well and stick the boot in. Although saying that, if we decide to get physical they are chock full of players who are up for a squabble.

On the other hand, we could get stuffed if they're all up for it.

Edited March 14, 2005 by Rovermatt

[Duff's Minder]

think we stood a chance against anyone in the draw but I have to say that I was hoping for Newcastle.

Henry going one on one with Lucas Neill scares me a bit - hopefully Moko, Savage & Todd can kick Arsenal out of it early doors - they are no good once theyve lost their rag. If we go a goal down early it could get messy though...

[Hughesy]

I think cup finals should be done by foreign refs who have not any previous part of the fa cup or league.

Collina springs to mind. He would stop the likes of Reyes falling over every 2 minutes

[Laurence]

bit convienient that arsenal and man utd are kept apart in the only compeition they have a chance of silverware.

warm balls...?

not that I'd suggest any foul play, unofficial seeding etc...

[bellamy11]

bit convienient that arsenal and man utd are kept apart in the only compeition they have a chance of silverware.

warm balls...?

not that I'd suggest any foul play, unofficial seeding etc...

Arsenal only had a 33% chance of drawing Man United.

Whether there was foul play or not, I think everybody knew deep down that we wouldn't get Newcastle. As I'd rather play Arsenal than Man Utd I think the draw is all we could have hoped for.

Not so sure why people are saying Newcastle are more dangerous. A month is more than enough time for form to collapse. Shearer will be on fire, I've no doubts about that, but their defence is still decidedly average and I think we could have taken them if we'd been drawn with them.

[American]

Yes, the FA so wants a Manure-Arsenal final that they have drawn them against each other before the final in the 2 years before this...

I still don't see why everyone is scared of Manure, as we've beaten them the last 3 seasons (we beat them this season, that handball goal in the "Ferguson minute" didn't happen, I tell you).

[USABlue]

Does it bother anyone else that we have to play Arsenal before the semi. For some reason it does me, perhaps I feel it will give them a better chance of sussing us out.

We need a totally different game plan for each game, let's lock up shop for the Leaue game then go for the jugular in the semi. That will confuse 'em.

Not as scary as they were but still very very good on their day They did struggle against notlob and Sheff U some perhaps we can get some joy from this. Still vehemently opposed to both the Semi and Final being played in Cardiff.

[philipl]

I am with you on that one USA- mind we have to play Man U as well before the semi so there was a 67% chance of the opposition having first hand experience of The Axe before Cardiff.

I cannot see us getting two results against Arsenal and rate our chances very low for the semi final.

[Anti Euro Smiths Fan]

Well,

I've done my bit for what its worth - just mailed the FA

"FA CUP SEMI FINALS  16/17 APRIL 2005 - CARDIFF MILLENIUM STADIUM.

And here's the reply the FA would give if they were actually being honest...

Dear CAPTAIN KAYOS,

Thank you very much for your e-mail. You are absolutely right that consideration for the supporters is the last thing in on our mind.

Why should the supporters be a priority?

We have taken the decision after it became clear that 75,000 fans at the Millenium Stadium would bring in significantly more revenue for us. The four clubs take 65% of the money, and the FA takes a large chunk of the rest.

To hold the Newcastle/Manchester United game at the City Of Manchester Stadium, for example, which holds 48,000, and the Rovers/Arsenal game at Villa Park - which holds 42,000 and is a more central location between Blackburn and Arsenal - would not have brought us enough revenue.

You're absolutely right that playing the games in Cardiff will lead to increased congestion and strains on the public transport system. But we don't really care about that. It's not our problem.

You're right as well that we can change kick-off times, venues and dates whenever it suits us. We usually do that with little consideration for the supporters. On this occasion, it suits the FA to hold both games in the Millenium Stadium.

We couldn't care less about FA Cup tradition and the fact that semi-finals should be held on a neutral English venue which is different from the final.

Our only consideration is ourselves.

I'm sure you'll be aware that the FA has a large amount of expenditure. There's Sven's £4m a year wages. Brain Barwick, the FA Chief Executive also earns a lucrative salary.

Then there's the hospitality, champagne and smoked salmon sandwiches that we require for dining guests in London and the luxury first class air travel that we need for foreign trips abroad. (Usually staying at five star hotels.)

I'm sure you'll appreciate CAPTAIN KAYOS that all this costs money. The fact that we can boost our coffers by holding the semi-finals at Cardiff suits the FA perfectly.

We don't give a damn about supporters. But thank you for your e-mail anyway.

Yours,

THE FA.

[Dan Furness]

How many tickets we expected to receive?

Going to have to wait for the ST holders to get theirs first, will be interesting to see if we sell lots/not lots

personally cant see it selling out, dont think Arsenal will either

[LDRover]

Just checked UEFA website and noticed that should Newcastle get to the last 8 (which they surely will) the second leg of their UEFA cup quarter final will be played on 14th April (Thursday).

Surely this will mean that their semi will have to be on the Sunday.

[Hughesy]

The letter will probably say stop fookin moaning, your in a semi final, now support your team

[1864roverite]

not necessarily are they not playing their second leg on Wednesday this time ?

[Paul]

Mark Bowen on the s/f draw:

"We've never felt so wanted as we have in the last 24 hours," he said.

"Everybody wanted us, but we're going to show everybody that if Arsenal take us lightly then we're well prepared and they'll come a cropper.

"We're delighted with the draw and delighted to be in the semi-final with three of the biggest clubs in Europe."

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