[Archived] Future Fa Cup Draws

[1864roverite]

Just thought that I would bring this hot topic that we have previosuly discussed over the years, and in particular when Rovers have made the semi finals and the draw had never seemed to favour us !

I watched the scottish Cup semi final draw and compared it to ours.

The SFA use the "ball" with the names inside it on paper and hence removing any possible favouring in the draw by the "drawers of the balls".

The EFA always use the numbered ball system and from the sceptics point of view, this system "potentially allows" a favoured draw.

Anyone else in for the Scottish way of drawing the ties in future ?

[Stuart]

Didn't see the SFA draw but surely they could still heat the balls? (The long held conspiracy theory).

I did notice (and predicted earlier in the day) that United and Chelsea were drawn apart though...

[robbojohnno]

Surely a national lottery esque system would be the way forward?

[Anti-Dingle-Brigade]

Yes, the balls would still be heated. A lotto style one would be better, but even then, it could be rigged. Magnetism or weighing of balls isn't the hardest of things to do.

[Ossydave]

Oh come on as if they heat the bloody balls, most ridiculous anti-united story ever.

[Stuart]

Surely a national lottery esque system would be the way forward?

No, I think they should go for something more high-tech like the machine that makes the half time draw on the big screen at Ewood.

Oh come on as if they heat the bloody balls, most ridiculous anti-united story ever.

[Wolverine]

I think they should use some sort of 'Mousetrap' style contraption.

[Presty On Tour]

Other theories include the balls being different weights or different textures.

[broadsword]

They could pick members of the audience who are wearing boxer shorts with numbers on. When they are selected they have to drop their trousers (or raise their skirt) thus revealing the number

[Amo]

I think whatever method they choose, it'll always be a "fix" if the Big Four escape one another.

[Hughesy]

Lotto way for me every time. By the actual national lottery machines, with the same official balls they use on there!

That way if the FA cheat, then so do the lotto.

[tony gale's mic]

There's pretty much a 50/50 split on big clubs being drawn apart these last few years...well this draw might tip the balance slightly the other way, but in any case it's still a ridiculous theory.

[Grabbi Graeme]

The Johnstone Paint Trophy is drawn on Soccer A.M using large play your cards right type cards.

[modes98]

Get Brucey on it!

or we could have a blind date style where the different teams describe themselves and then you have to pick one!

[broadsword]

You were right to go lower!

You get nothing for drawing Man Utd, not in this game!

[MCMC1875]

They could pick members of the audience who are wearing boxer shorts with numbers on. When they are selected they have to drop their trousers (or raise their skirt) thus revealing the number

Wouldn't that favour Arsenal?

[LeChuck]

I think whatever method they choose, it'll always be a "fix" if the Big Four escape one another.

It'll always be a fix despite the odds being against that happening?

The stats don't even back it up. If you look back through the recent semi-final history in years where there was a 'big two' and a 'little two', it certainly isn't the case that the big two were drawn together. Source here.

2007 (Chelsea & Man U): Apart

2006 (Liverpool & Chelsea): Together

2005 (Arsenal & Man U): Apart

2004 (Man U & Arsenal): Together

2002 (Arsenal & Chelsea): Apart

2001 (Arsenal & Liverpool): Apart

1999 (Man Utd & Arsenal): Together

Looks really fixed, doesn't it?

[thenodrog]

Who cares about fixing the draw when you can just as effectively fix the match. Mission accomplished by Mike Riley and his assisitant down at the Emirates last night. Arsenals winner was offside all bloody day long! Talk about MGP cheating now it's Arsenal and the FA doing it! Hull have been cheated out of the semi's plain and simple and thats that. Obviously no one in the money grabbing FA swirl wants a repeat of last year s semi's and final.

[roversmum]

To be honest there was no question what would happen. My view is that 99 per cent of the refs are skewed against teams like Hull and ourselves. I can tell you before a match what is likely to happen when I see the name of the referee and I'm not often wrong. Write to the FA citing certain happenings and they send some pre-formatted reply of excuses. It's pretty obvious to me if refs meet so often for training etc they are going to gossip, it's human nature. What comes of that is not for me to say, plus the fear of every ref that they will be taken off the cream games (and you can't in a way blame them for wanting the so-called 'big' games) - and we all know they are scared stiff of the likes of Fergie and Arse Whinger.

The whole system needs to be looked at long and hard but it won't of course.

[John Howarth]

To be honest there was no question what would happen. My view is that 99 per cent of the refs are skewed against teams like Hull and ourselves. I can tell you before a match what is likely to happen when I see the name of the referee and I'm not often wrong. Write to the FA citing certain happenings and they send some pre-formatted reply of excuses. It's pretty obvious to me if refs meet so often for training etc they are going to gossip, it's human nature. What comes of that is not for me to say, plus the fear of every ref that they will be taken off the cream games (and you can't in a way blame them for wanting the so-called 'big' games) - and we all know they are scared stiff of the likes of Fergie and Arse Whinger.

The whole system needs to be looked at long and hard but it won't of course.

Refereeing is as you are aware all about opinions, and in my opinion the standard of refereeing now in the Premiership is better than it has ever been. With all the television replays shown, only a tiny percentage of decisions made by the referees and their assistants are proved to be incorrect

[Hughesy]

While people are talking refs - did anyone see the news that Sutty has been in trouble for going onto the pitch to complain during a kids game.

[92er]

While people are talking refs - did anyone see the news that Sutty has been in trouble for going onto the pitch to complain during a kids game.

It's mentioned in an article in today's Daily Telegraph by Jim White.

[cn174]

While people are talking refs - did anyone see the news that Sutty has been in trouble for going onto the pitch to complain during a kids game.

Good!

Did anyone see this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1lvMdT2GHk on Soccer AM at the weekend?

[1864roverite]

Hopefully, if Ray ventures north to Ewood, he can leave his big southern tunnel wide open as Rovers score 3

[colin]

A trained chimpanzee, and all the balls in a bucket of warm opaque liquid.

"Take one ball out Dubya"

"Number 7 - Chelsea"

"Here's your piece of fruit Dubya."

"Take another ball out Dubya"

"Will play number 666 - Manchester United"

Simple low-tech, cheap and foolproof.