FA Cup 2019: Third Round onwards

[philipl]

22 minutes ago, dingles staying down 4ever said:

Round 3 is alphabetical order but I think subsequent rounds are in the order they were drawn in the previous round, ie the winner of the first match drawn in round 3 is no.1 in round 4 draw.

I believe that is right. We are usually number 5 when done alphabetically.

I know I predicted 14 v 10 but 14 v 6 would be a hoot.

 

Back to the third round and I am as much a traditionalist as anyone  but essentially breaking the 32 ties into four groups of 8 has been a fantastic success and has massively increased interest in following the ties. Previously with 32 kicking off at the same time, more than half got completely ignored. 

[arbitro]

1 hour ago, philipl said:

I believe that is right. We are usually number 5 when done alphabetically.

I know I predicted 14 v 10 but 14 v 6 would be a hoot.

 

Back to the third round and I am as much a traditionalist as anyone  but essentially breaking the 32 ties into four groups of 8 has been a fantastic success and has massively increased interest in following the ties. Previously with 32 kicking off at the same time, more than half got completely ignored. 

I think that might be true for the TV audience but there has been lots of inconvenience for the fans who watch the games live. Early and late kick off times are one of the bane of the travelling supporters life.

A few years ago I'm sure the FA said they were going back to the old traditions which people of a certain generation would remember well. The draw for each round would be 12.30 on the Monday after the previous round they said, the majority of games would be played at 3.00 on Saturdays they said, replays would be the following week they said and there were other things. Now the FA Cup has been devalued by the suits at the FA who have really sold its soul for commercial gain. Still they had to pay for Wembley somehow.

Custodians of the game my arse.

[Exiled in Toronto]

Watching City demolish Rotherham; the sooner the top 6 eff off into a Super League, the better for everyone. 

[Proudtobeblue&white]

See that Oldham beat Fulham, Barnet won at Sheff Utd, and Donny did the Nobbers, happy days!

[Stuart]

Well done Newport!

[Husky]

Lower 4th division team knocks out recent Premier League Champions.

The 2nd half was like watching Rovers post 80mins. Defending far too deep, no forward outlet...it was amazing how they managed to win - especially after their keeper chocolate handed the equaliser.

Football psychology as clear as ever. After Leicester equalised Newport started playing properly again for the first time in the half by going forward again.

[Sparks Rover]

7 minutes ago, Stuart said:

Well done Newport!

Their left winger on loan from west ham was useful.  Would be ideal for us 

[Oldgregg86]

Is it me or has there been more cup shocks/exits this year than before.

Has the competition been devalued so much that teams aren't even trying. Quite a bold claim I know but when you look at Huddersfield, Cardiff Fulham all involved in a relegation battle out. Leeds, Sheffield united looking for promotion out. As well as a few others i.e Leicester and Newcastle ? the way rafa spoke about a reply like an irritation and how general attitude to the cup,  sure other managers are the same and it reflects in the scores

With not much to play for this season and teams not taking it seriously/dropping like flies maybe, just maybe if we take it seriously and have Abit of luck along the way we could get a day at wembley. 

It's a sad state of affairs that the prestige of this wonderful cup has been diminshed and the soul sold to the highest bidder but we should be ready to capitalize 

Edited January 6, 2019 by Oldgregg86

[Proudtobeblue&white]

1 minute ago, Oldgregg86 said:

Is it me or has there been more cup shocks/exits this year than before.

Has the competition been devalued so much that teams aren't even trying. Quite a bold claim I know but when you look at Huddersfield, Cardiff Fulham all involved in a relegation battle out. Leeds, Sheffield united looking for promotion out. As well as a few others i.e Leicester and Newcastle ? the way rafa spoke about a reply like an irritation and how general attitude to the cup,  sure other managers are the same and it reflects in the scores

With not much to play for this season and teams not taking it seriously/dropping like flies maybe, just maybe if we take it seriously and have Abit of luck along the way we could get a day at wembley. 

It's a sad state of affairs that the prestige of this wonderful cup has been diminshed and the soul sold to the highest bidder but we should be ready to capitalize 

Agree totally.

[JacknOry]

Seems to be the case these days, anyone fighting for promotion or trying to avoid relegation are not interested in the extra games. We were the same last season and our strong lineup against Newcastle has to be simply because we're midtable and unlikely to go down or go up. 

[AllRoverAsia]

9 hours ago, Oldgregg86 said:

Is it me or has there been more cup shocks/exits this year than before.

Has the competition been devalued so much that teams aren't even trying. Quite a bold claim I know but when you look at Huddersfield, Cardiff Fulham all involved in a relegation battle out. Leeds, Sheffield united looking for promotion out. As well as a few others i.e Leicester and Newcastle ? the way rafa spoke about a reply like an irritation and how general attitude to the cup,  sure other managers are the same and it reflects in the scores

With not much to play for this season and teams not taking it seriously/dropping like flies maybe, just maybe if we take it seriously and have Abit of luck along the way we could get a day at wembley. 

It's a sad state of affairs that the prestige of this wonderful cup has been diminshed and the soul sold to the highest bidder but we should be ready to capitalize 

Pep wants to win this years FA Cup so we had better avoid Citeh in the draw, until the Final anyway.

Plenty of suprise results already. All credit to Newport but Leicester were pants, never really got out of second gear. The players just seeemed to have no real desire to progress in the Cup.

I love the FA Cup and delighted that TM is taking this years competition seriously. Luck in the draw can take any ambitious side a long way, but we have to get past the Toon first and I can't see their second eleven being so crap in the replay. Still, I do fancy us to progress, if we are up for it as much as we were at Cashley's Cash & Carry Warehouse

Edited January 7, 2019 by AllRoverAsia

[AllRoverAsia]

Tom Cairney, words almost fail me. He doesn't even dive this time,  he slowly sits down in stages in the penalty area and VAR awards a penalty. Thank God Fulham missed it and justice served. ok maybe there was the faintest of contact but never ever enough for a penalty. It's become a game for "x", ... 

A major problem with VAR is that humans are still involved on the decision making process.

Well done Oldham on giving another over arrogant PL club a blackeye.

[Oldgregg86]

31 minutes ago, AllRoverAsia said:

Tom Cairney, words almost fail me. He doesn't even dive this time,  he slowly sits down in stages in the penalty area and VAR awards a penalty. Thank God Fulham missed it and justice served. ok maybe there was the faintest of contact but never ever enough for a penalty. It's become a game for "x", ... 

A major problem with VAR is that humans are still involved on the decision making process.

Well done Oldham on giving another over arrogant PL club a blackeye.

If the ref, linesman and var all see the cairney melt down as a penalty the games is finished

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

2 hours ago, Oldgregg86 said:

If the ref, linesman and var all see the cairney melt down as a penalty the games is finished

The officials in our game have made a rod for their own backs. Sometimes I wonder if they've ever played the game. At the moment it seems that every coming together, no matter how insignificant, in the penalty area is either a free kick to the defence or a penalty to the attacking team.

Edited January 7, 2019 by Tyrone Shoelaces

[The Fish]

17 hours ago, Oldgregg86 said:

Is it me or has there been more cup shocks/exits this year than before.

Has the competition been devalued so much that teams aren't even trying. Quite a bold claim I know but when you look at Huddersfield, Cardiff Fulham all involved in a relegation battle out. Leeds, Sheffield united looking for promotion out. As well as a few others i.e Leicester and Newcastle ? the way rafa spoke about a reply like an irritation and how general attitude to the cup,  sure other managers are the same and it reflects in the scores

With not much to play for this season and teams not taking it seriously/dropping like flies maybe, just maybe if we take it seriously and have Abit of luck along the way we could get a day at wembley. 

It's a sad state of affairs that the prestige of this wonderful cup has been diminshed and the soul sold to the highest bidder but we should be ready to capitalize 

The cost of relegation is perceived to be so great by owners (and subsequently managers) that survival has to be the priority. That the Premier League has become a microcosm of English football, in terms of the haves and have-nots, is why you're seeing so few top flight teams take the competition seriously. It doesn't help that the prize of European football in the UEFA cup (or whatever it's called now), is viewed as an unwanted distraction by the same teams. 

The FA Cup should be a crown jewel in domestic football. The prize should be big enough to encourage all teams to take it seriously. Not necessarily money and a european spot, but what about money, Europe + bonus points for the following season? I dunno, but to be honest, the Premier League clubs who've been dumped out deserve that "embarrassment" because they've not taken it seriously. 

I think there should also be some kind of limit on the rotation, to prevent clubs who've stockpiled players fielding an array of bench-warming internationals to put away less fortunate opposition.

Edited January 7, 2019 by The Fish

[JHRover]

The 4th Champions League slot should be awarded to the FA Cup winners. Simple. 4th place in the league doesn't deserve to participate in the Champions League, the winner of the prestigious domestic cup does. I suspect the likes of Newcastle, Leicester and co. would start taking it a bit more seriously if there was the prospect of a trophy win, mega money windfall and the possibility of playing Barcelona next season.

Won't happen because the big boys wouldn't like it and the Premier League call the shots rather than the FA.

Nobody really wants the Europa League. For the likes of Arsenal and Chelsea at least they have a chance of winning it and getting back into the Champions League through that route if they don't make the top 4, but for others like Everton, Leicester etc. it is just an inconvenient distraction with minimal benefit other than the supporters get a few nice trips.

Edited January 7, 2019 by JHRover

[Oldgregg86]

10 minutes ago, The Fish said:

The cost of relegation is perceived to be so great by owners (and subsequently managers) that survival has to be the priority. That the Premier League has become a microcosm of English football, in terms of the haves and have-nots, is why you're seeing so few top flight teams take the competition seriously. It doesn't help that the prize of European football in the UEFA cup (or whatever it's called now), is viewed as an unwanted distraction by the same teams. 

The FA Cup should be a crown jewel in domestic football. The prize should be big enough to encourage all teams to take it seriously. Not necessarily money and a european spot, but what about money, Europe + bonus points for the following season? I dunno, but to be honest, the Premier League clubs who've been dumped out deserve that "embarrassment" because they've not taken it seriously. 

I think there should also be some kind of limit on the rotation, to prevent clubs who've stockpiled players fielding an array of bench-warming internationals to put away less fortunate opposition.

Good post and I agree. The sad thing is I don't think any of the clubs have been embarrassed. 

One time fans would be embarrassed as would the players and manager. Now you hear fans saying the league is what matters echoing the managers, and players no one has ever heard of playing in the first teams. Accy stanley where favourites with the bookies to beat Ipswich. 

The most galling thing of all is, come may, it will be city/Liverpool/Chelsea in the final after playing second string teams til the last 4 such is the wealth and gulf in class. 

"Shocks" all round this weekend as teams fight to cling to the premier league gravy train instead of trying to win something. 

The whole point of football is to win trophies. To bring the cup home to the people and fans of that town and share pride in your achievements. If money is the only thing that matters, even at the expense of attempting to win silverware then I'm really struggling to see what the point is. The premier league is guaranteed to an elite side and if the cups mean nothing because no one is taking them serious then why do we get so worked up over watching businesses operating.

[The Fish]

1 minute ago, Oldgregg86 said:

Good post and I agree. The sad thing is I don't think any of the clubs have been embarrassed. 

One time fans would be embarrassed as would the players and manager. Now you hear fans saying the league is what matters echoing the managers, and players no one has ever heard of playing in the first teams. Accy stanley where favourites with the bookies to beat Ipswich. 

The most galling thing of all is, come may, it will be city/Liverpool/Chelsea in the final after playing second string teams til the last 4 such is the wealth and gulf in class. 

"Shocks" all round this weekend as teams fight to cling to the premier league gravy train instead of trying to win something. 

The whole point of football is to win trophies. To bring the cup home to the people and fans of that town and share pride in your achievements. If money is the only thing that matters, even at the expense of attempting to win silverware then I'm really struggling to see what the point is. The premier league is guaranteed to an elite side and if the cups mean nothing because no one is taking them serious then why do we get so worked up over watching businesses operating.

This is the crux of it for me, I'm a 37yr old Geordie and have never seen my club lift anything more impressive than the Intertoto Cup certificate.

Now, that's fine if you're ultimately not good enough, but I've watched some genuinely good sides pull on the black and white shirt. It's criminal that Shearer won nowt at St James'. Dalglish ripped that title chasing side apart, Gullit doubled down on that, Robson had us dreaming of silverware again, but then came Souness, Roeder, Allardyce and so on. 

The best nights are the cup nights, domestic or European. And to win something, anything? That's why we do this to ourselves. So when the mouthpiece of the owner comes up with some made up factoid that teams that go for it in the cup get relegated, it just makes you wonder what's the point? We're never going to win the league, we should be able to establish ourselves as a top flight team, so with all that resolved, what's the fucking point? I've mates who can't afford it but get a season ticket every year, and for the past decade we haven't even tried to end the trophy drought. Why're they wasting their money?

 

My club aside, fans of teams outside the elite clamour for that one day when they can celebrate a reward for their team's endeavour. Staying up is a relief, promotion is exciting, but a cup? That's manna from heaven.

[SBlue]

9/10 of the last FA Cups have been won by either Man Utd, Citeh, Chelsea or Arsenal so I’m not sure if it is “devalued”.

It’s the bottom 10 or so teams in the PL that’s the problem. The PL in general. 

Long live the Championship.

[jodrell]

1 minute ago, S8 & Blue said:

9/10 of the last FA Cups have been won by either Man Utd, Citeh, Chelsea or Arsenal so I’m not sure if it is “devalued”.

It’s the bottom 10 or so teams in the PL that’s the problem. The PL in general. 

Long live the Championship.

the problem is though that those second string teams would get into most of the rest of the prem teams first teams,

[SBlue]

Just now, jodrell said:

the problem is though that those second string teams would get into most of the rest of the prem teams first teams,

Yep. It’s a shit state.

Clubs paying 100s of millions just to get there and hundred more just to nearly compete in the “park the bus and get 40 points” league.

The FA Cup is alive and kicking for me - and some of this weekends results prove it. I’m sure Newport etc are fine with “big clubs” playing second strings.

Edited January 7, 2019 by S8 & Blue

[Mattyblue]

1 hour ago, S8 & Blue said:

9/10 of the last FA Cups have been won by either Man Utd, Citeh, Chelsea or Arsenal so I’m not sure if it is “devalued”.

 

That stat is exactly what has ruined it for me. Not the FA Cup’s fault, just the modern English game in a nutshell.

Compare to the 1950s to 1980s in which club after club won it, club’s full of tradition that make up the fabric of a fantastic football country.

Now the ‘big 6’ take turns, horrible.

 

Edited January 7, 2019 by Mattyblue

[Proudtobeblue&white]

Red Scouse out.

[Waggy76]

5 minutes ago, Proudtobeblue&white said:

Red Scouse out.

Get what you deserve , messing around with the team !!!

He has too win something been there 3 years !!

Edited January 7, 2019 by Waggy76

[RevidgeBlue]

Not bad, home draw against Premier League opposition again.