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The Magic of the FA Cup!!

FA Cup 3rd round week is, for me, one of the most boring weeks in the football calendar. The apathy for International breaks others have is what I have for this and the 4th round. Premier League clubs fielding reserves and youth players and beating lower league clubs in one sided affairs

Liverpool beat Accrington Stanley 5-0, Man City stuffed Salford 8-0, Chelsea put 5 past the second worst team in the league structure without reply. Even struggling Leicester smashed 6 in against a much rotated Championship side. Of the 13 Premier League teams to play so far, only 2 have been eliminated. West Ham in an all PL affair against Villa and a much rotated Brentford side beaten by a Julio Pleguezuelo inspired Plymouth XI.
Today will probably see Spurs win by at least 5 against non-league Tamworth, Newcastle putting out a second string and comfortably beating 3rd round first timers Bromley, and even Palace and Ipswich should win with ease. Southampton, against Swansea, look the most likely victims of a "shock".

However, there is always at least one big game thrown up by the random ball draw. And this year it is Arsenal vs Manchester United. Both teams are likely to make changes to their last line up - Arsenal due to the hectic schedule with a League Cup semi final and a NLD sandwiching this tie, and United because Amorim is still experimenting.

The last time we met in the cup was the 2019 4th round. I made the mistake of taking a Man Utd supporting mate to the Emirates for the game and had to suffer him throughout a 3-1 away win. We tend to meet every few years, with an Arsenal 2-1 win at Old Trafford in 2015, a 2-0 defeat at the same venue in 2011, 4-0 away in 2008, the FA Cup Final penalty shoot-out win in 2005 - revenge for a 1-0 semi defeat in 2004. We also won 2-0 at Old Trafford in 2003 meaning a record of Played 7, won 3, lost 4 this century.

Arsenal have won the last 4 meetings between the clubs, including a 2-0 win at the Emirates last month. That FA Cup win in 2019 was the last time United beat us in our own stadium.


I expect the Arsenal XI to be freshened up after the EFL Cup semi final first leg defeat. Calafiori, Merino and Jesus are expected to come in, with Sterling a possibility too. It remains to be seen how much rotating will be done, and if Neto will finally get a debut.

posted 7 hours, 32 minutes ago

Yeah, well done Exeter on beating a club who was in the same division as them last season and will be again next season - oh and pretty much a complete reserve Oxford team too

posted 7 hours, 29 minutes ago

I think DJ is preparing himself mentally for a defeat.

posted 7 hours, 28 minutes ago

Nah, we should beat United. Doesn't mean the 5 days of football has been awfully boring. Give me Netherlands vs Germany or France vs Italy over this every day of the year.

posted 7 hours, 15 minutes ago

Well written article.

I don’t agree, I still think international football is bottom of the list, but you put the point across well.

I watched the Leicester v QPR game and it reminded me why I like football. Not always the best quality but was end to end for a while and the teams weren’t concentrating on keep ball so much.

comment by Neo (U9135)

posted 6 hours, 43 minutes ago

It’s been a bit dull but the Arsenal United game later will be decent.

The fixtures being seriously diluted across a number of days, including starting on Thursday doesn’t help. Of course there would always be a couple of televised games on Saturday and Sunday but all the other games would always used to be a Saturday 3pm kick off which made fa cup 3rd round weekend more special. Shame that’s not the case anymore.

posted 6 hours, 22 minutes ago

Another thing is the football being on free-to-view TV.

posted 6 hours, 21 minutes ago

comment by Neo (U9135)
posted 20 minutes ago
It’s been a bit dull but the Arsenal United game later will be decent.

The fixtures being seriously diluted across a number of days, including starting on Thursday doesn’t help. Of course there would always be a couple of televised games on Saturday and Sunday but all the other games would always used to be a Saturday 3pm kick off which made fa cup 3rd round weekend more special. Shame that’s not the case anymore.
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I think I like that aspect more. Same with CL fixtures being split over numerous weeks.

comment by Neo (U9135)

posted 6 hours, 16 minutes ago

comment by Shinjury list (U1700)
posted 3 minutes ago
comment by Neo (U9135)
posted 20 minutes ago
It’s been a bit dull but the Arsenal United game later will be decent.

The fixtures being seriously diluted across a number of days, including starting on Thursday doesn’t help. Of course there would always be a couple of televised games on Saturday and Sunday but all the other games would always used to be a Saturday 3pm kick off which made fa cup 3rd round weekend more special. Shame that’s not the case anymore.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

I think I like that aspect more. Same with CL fixtures being split over numerous weeks.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I probably agree on the CL to be fair. Having Real v City as the same kickoff time as Bayern v Arsenal last season was an absolute piisstake.

posted 5 hours, 18 minutes ago

comment by Neo (U9135)
posted 57 minutes ago
comment by Shinjury list (U1700)
posted 3 minutes ago
comment by Neo (U9135)
posted 20 minutes ago
It’s been a bit dull but the Arsenal United game later will be decent.

The fixtures being seriously diluted across a number of days, including starting on Thursday doesn’t help. Of course there would always be a couple of televised games on Saturday and Sunday but all the other games would always used to be a Saturday 3pm kick off which made fa cup 3rd round weekend more special. Shame that’s not the case anymore.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

I think I like that aspect more. Same with CL fixtures being split over numerous weeks.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I probably agree on the CL to be fair. Having Real v City as the same kickoff time as Bayern v Arsenal last season was an absolute piisstake.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Yeah definitely. I suppose the FA Cup is a bit different.

Good for betting if they all start at 3pm

posted 5 hours, 18 minutes ago

63 team accumulator

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