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| Rafa logic: Keep most experienced defender on bench. Await praise. |
The weekend may be done and dusted, but with far too much time on my hands, I thought maybe we should re-visit some of the action together. It was of course the perfect storm of just enough FA cup fixtures to mess your fantasy teams right up. And to get yourselves a enough Andy Townsend on a weekend to drive you to drink - more than you usually do you absolute lushes!
Saturday’s FA Cup action saw 8 goals and two actual winners through to Wembley. Sunday could really have learned something from Saturday. Sure there were 4 goals (in only one of the games), but it’s replays a plenty and at least a week of managers moaning about fixture congestion.
Millwall v Blackburn
Unlikely anyone was going to watch this for ‘footballing reasons’. To say this match was going to be physical on the pitch - and more than likely in the stands - would be an understatement. If you’re feeling you’ve missed out on some 6Nations nonsense, be sure to catch the replay. Brilliantly, Millwall supporters thought David Bentley deserved booing. He assumes for his skills on the pitch, I assume for his dedication to hair gel and crimes against facial hair.
Also not exactly the glamour fixture that ITV was looking for and could put Townsend’s insight to use, but nevermind. Within the first 33 minutes, Wigan found themselves 3 goals up against a team that has clearly imploded under the watchful eye of United’s next manager. With Fellaini underperforming since Everton failed to cash in on his ridiculous hair, he was deservedly booed off the pitch. It should be noted that those fans were not criticised for their sound efforts at attempting to boo him back to Belgium. And were effective enough that his appearance for an autograph signing at the club shop has mysteriously been cancelled.
Manchester United v Chelsea
If you want more on this fixture - I can assure you, there’s definitely more on this coming. But for now, you can whet your appetites with this .... it did not take long for this game to look like it was going to be a very long day for the 4000 who made their way from London. (Obviously the number is much, much higher with home and away support travelling to Old Trafford, but for purposes of this, we’ll just acknowledge the supporters who support a London based club). The lineup selected certainly didn’t help matters - for Chelsea. With the chopping a changing of a back four every week, the captain and most experienced defender sat watching, and a top defensive midfielder cuddled up beside him - 2 goals down inside of 11 minutes, not a great way to start. Of course, when Benitez brought on a couple of players that should have started, Chelsea took charge and were unlucky not to have won in the end. Ridiculous talking points of course were the supporters being discussed ad nauseum. Those 4000 outsung the rest of the ground from beginning to end, so should be chuffed.
But beyond that, were then heavily criticised for letting Benitez know that he doesn’t know what he’s doing. When you’re chasing a game and take off your lone threat on goal it doesn’t seem like a very sound move. Following that, the papers lauded Benitez for his master class at substitutions. Since when has righting a massive wrong really be tactical genius? Hazard and Mikel should have started. Everyone who read the lineup knew it. It took him 2 goals against and nearly an hour into the game to realise it. So, those travelling supporters may just have something when reminding the interim one that he does not in fact know what he’s doing. Let’s all be pleased though that now, in March, months into his tenure, he’s finally figured out if something is not working he might want to make a substitution ahead of the 80 minute mark.
Of course that wasn’t the only unusual observation stemming from this match, Ferguson blamed the stamina of his players on their minor implosion at the back. Sure, they must have been exhausted having only played on Thursday all the way in Romania .... oh...
Relegation ahoy!
Billed the relegation derby, Reading hosted Villa in a match I’m sure you’re all gutted to have missed thanks to all this FA Cup action. I don’t want to ruin it for you, but with Brian McDermott summarily dismissed yesterday, we all know the result. Villa somehow managed to pull one out, and keep Lambert in a job just a little bit longer. And just for a laugh, Paolo Di Canio was seen loitering about the Mad Stad - there couldn’t be a more perfect ground.
Elsewhere around the bottom of the table, QPR somehow managed another win after Dubai piss up (did they or didn’t they - the mystery continues). Chelsea can feel good about themselves that they’re not the only ones to have given a ridiculous amount of points to their neighbours. I’d bang on about the ‘arry effect, but with the number of teams he’s taken down, we all know that’s not a real thing. It’s a myth like unicorns, rainbows, and Rio Ferdinand’s ability to defend.
Liverpool v Tottenham
Oh Spurs, did you ever wonder what it feels like to be Arsenal? You had a taste last season, and it’s starting to look like that again this season. Sure Liverpool are ‘playing better’, but you did in fact allow Stewart Downing to scoring. Stewart Downing! FFS. It was a perfect storm of Lloris + Walker + LOLZ. Of course all eyes were on who would win the diving competition. There was only ever going to be one winner there wasn’t there? Luis Suarez can feel chuffed with himself for spectacularly outdoing himself to win a completely unwarranted penalty and ensure Spurs end the weekend with absolutely nothing to show for themselves. Well done.
Roll on the weekend - or European action if you fancy it
jb x
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