FA Cup 2012 -2013

[blue05]

putting away chances is Evertons problem too, read some stat over the weekend from opta or the like that in the top 5 leagues in Europe Everton have created the most chances this season to date....just we cannot bloody score

[blue05]

Liverpool out, that has made my FA Cup weekend, just waiting on the draw now, pretty sure we will not get an easy one

[caller]

I'm certainly happy to settle for the draw. Great performance by the Bees, the pitch helped them but we were so lethargic in the 1st half but should have wrapped it up in the 2nd. The last minute penalty we should have been awarded would have been harsh on Brentford for their efforts today - and good to see JT get a much needed game under his belt.

So, Spuds out, The Pool out and all the big boys avoid each other. Its warming up nicely!

[Zidane]

Rodgers is saying that the youngsters let him down.....kids like Skrtel,Suarez and Sturridge.
And Torres rescued Chelsea with a late equaliser.....maybe the lad is finding his level at League 1 ?
Benitez was the subject of hateful abuse before,during and after the game.....and I'm not just talking about caller here !
Decent enough draw for the Manchester clubs and Arsenal......Everton will have to be wary of Oldham,blue !

[blue05]

I would have taken Oldham away before the draw, lets see how we do

[caller]

Benitez was the subject of hateful abuse before,during and after the game.....and I'm not just talking about caller here !

Well, lets be honest about things, Chelsea were woeful in the 1st half. But irrespective of how Benetiz sets up the team to play, which often puzzles (Bertrand midfield?), the lethargy is down to the players. But I condemn the abuse and would like to see it stop.

But even the press questioned Benitez's first substitute, although I could sort of get where he was coming from, in that replacing Ivanovic with Azpilicueta did provide more momentum on the right, but I could think of other more obvious changes to make, like getting Ba on the pitch asap!

And when the change that saw Ba on did belatedly happen, it was his efforts that won the ball for Torres to fire home, albeit with an excellent finish. And its that physical effort that is missing from Torres' game that so often sees him falling short, to be blunt, playing as a lone front man, often with his back to the ball ain't his game! RDM's tactics with the Oscar/Mata/Hazard trio was to get Torres possession to finish, bit the sad fact appears increasingly obvious that Torres simply doesn't have it any more at the level expected.

The simple reason Chelsea ultimately succeeded last season after AVB's departure is that RDM saw the plain truth that we didn't have the players in place to service Torres, so he went back to what was a perfectly functioning tried and tested formation, albeit for one last glorious time.

A big problem at Chelsea is behind the scenes and whoever appoints there? Why this person who now holds the senior position of Technical Director, which is a big post at Chelsea, got to where he is, is an absolute mystery:

http://www.chelseafc.com/chelsea-articl ... l-director

And we have to face facts about Torres. Just my humble opinion of course.

[dtaai-maai]

The simple reason Chelsea ultimately succeeded last season after AVB's departure is that RDM saw the plain truth that we didn't have the players in place to service Torres, so he went back to what was a perfectly functioning tried and tested formation, albeit for one last glorious time.

I assume you're referring to the fact that you managed to survive those 2 games against Barca and Bayern, thus becoming European champions? Please tell me you're not putting that down to tactical brilliance on the part of RDM? It was a piece of extreme good fortune and no more.

A big problem at Chelsea is behind the scenes and whoever appoints there? Why this person who now holds the senior position of Technical Director, which is a big post at Chelsea, got to where he is, is an absolute mystery:

Chelsea's biggest problem is pretty obvious to an outsider, but is also your major asset, without whom you'd still be the average team you were 10 years ago.

[caller]

you'd still be the average team you were 10 years ago.

That would be the season we finished 4th then, 6 places above Spurs?

Football isn't about rocket science, its about using the pleyers available to you effectivelly. AVB failed, RDM didn't. We still had to get to The CL semi-final and he took over facing a 3-1 defecit against Napoli which was overturned. AVB's last game was the 1-1 home draw against Brum in the FA Cup, under RDM we went on to win it! Simple.

Talking of players, tactics and things, Rodgers came out with an odd comment after being beaten yesterday when he said this, “this was a trophy that we put focus on to go far and now we are out of it.' So why the frigging hell select a team full of kids and then moan about them afterwards? Full story here - comments are fun.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/footba ... rrard.html

[dtaai-maai]

you'd still be the average team you were 10 years ago.

That would be the season we finished 4th then, 6 places above Spurs?

Good God, man, please don't tell me you checked old premiership tables just so you could make that little put down!

[caller]

Actually, I did look, as I thought it Ranieri's last in charge, but I was wrong, that was the following season when we finished 2nd and the Spuds finished, well best not to mention really...........

[dtaai-maai]

Just had a look myself, and I hadn't realised that Chelsea had regularly finished in the top 4-6 spots since about 97.
How time flies when you're stuck in mid-table... Hopefully Spurs have now made a permanent step up from there!

[Arcadian]

All that possession and one flukey goal against them. Serves Arsenal right for strolling about for the first hour as if it were a Sunday morning kickabout. Perhaps the arm around the shoulder telling them they are "quality" style of management needs to change. A few kicks up the backside "Fergiestyle" would be more productice.

[Bamboo Grove]

Methinks, Martin has it about right:

Martin Keown, BBC SportArsenal 0-1 Blackburn

"Arsene Wenger trusts every single member of his squad, but his players did not get into the speed of the past quick enough. The game just drifted past and they missed chance after chance. There was a lack of ruthlessness in front of goal. Blackburn were allowed to wriggle free and in the end they got the luck. That's what can happen in football.

"There will be a serious examination now. The manager always looks at himself first. He is fiercely demanding and if his players are not good enough he will make some changes."

[Bamboo Grove]

and another good one, mind you, I maybe just looking for stories to make me feel be'er.

"In 1996 Everton and Arsenal finished 5th and 6th. Similar situations - a great history, a few league wins in the 80s, little money and no great prospects. 17 years later, Everton, with no trophies and no Champions League appearances in that time, are seen as a success story, their manager a genius. Arsenal, with 3 leagues, 4 cups, 16 CL appearances and a 1 final, are seen as a failures, their manager a joke. Victims of success."

[caller]

Sadly for Arsenal BG, all that success is in the distant past and Arsenal are a very wealthy club. Everton aren't.

The brutal truth is that the FA cup was your best chance of winning something in what, 8 years? So why doesn't the manager play his strongest team and try and wrap the game up and then withdraw the best players? These guys aren't old and they'll need no motivation for the game against Bayern that a 'rest' will add to.

I haven't seen the game, but I understand the boos echoed around the Emirates at the end.

Its becoming increasingly clear that the fans are losing patience and I don't know what the answer is. To be blunt, you should be doing much, much better.