FA Cup Semi Final Draw

First topic message reminder :

Crystal Palace vs Watford
Everton vs Man Utd or West Ham

Crimey wrote:

GSC wrote:He hasn't had a preseason because he keeps getting injured. Evidently he doesn't even need to be playing to get injured. The chances to prove he can regain fitness at this point are fast running short.

Yes but he keeps getting injured because he's thrown back into playing without having the opportunity to get fit again. Hence the point of allowing him to do that mid-season so as to not have a reoccurrence of the same pattern.

I agree, but this is a totally new method and I'm willing to give it a shot, as most teams would for their star player.

He's picking up injuries whilst he training to get fit. Without training he'll pick up injuries easily and WITH training he's picking up injuries. Perhaps he should change his squad number to 22 to denote the f*cking situation we find ourselves in with him.

As far as we know, since he's been training away from the team, so since around December, he hasn't been injured at all. He's simply building fitness.

I agree that it might not work and I haven't said it will work, but I don't understand the harm in trying.

Yeah but what's he actually doing. Low intensity fitness stuff is unlikely to aggravate anything.

GSC wrote:Yeah but what's he actually doing. Low intensity fitness stuff is unlikely to aggravate anything.

I'm not saying it's an achievement, just refuting Dave's claims that he's been injured in training.

I think it was more he has been injured while training in the past.

Which comes down the very same thing, which is he's being thrown into the first team too fast after injuries. At the moment he's training alone and gradually getting more intense in training, which should be a much better route back to full fitness than being thrown straight back into full training.

Great strike from Rooney.

Carson looks fat though

George Thorne is a great player.

But what a goal by Rooney though! Form is temporary, class is permanent

It was a very good strike.

But I think Carson was the only person who didnt see that shot coming about 5 seconds before it did.

Robbie savage looks like a fecking German shepherd

I do sometimes wonder why hes employed as a pundit. he really offers nothing of interest.

Indeed, however his hair is pretty cool.

2-1. Blind.

This has been pretty so so. Varela looks a useful player though. Martial is a handful.

United are just far too static through the middle though.

Having watched Cyrus Christie quite a few times, I'm really not sure what he does well.

Certainly not defending...

3-1 lovely goal. Sadly no cup upset in this one

Pretty routine win for United, welcome relief for LVG even if it is lower league opposition.

Derby just never really went for it.

GSC wrote:I do sometimes wonder why hes employed as a pundit. he really offers nothing of interest.

The biggest tw@t on TV, and that's saying something.

Was a crap player as well.

Agree 100% Freek

FreekShow wrote:

GSC wrote:I do sometimes wonder why hes employed as a pundit. he really offers nothing of interest.

The biggest tw@t on TV, and that's saying something.

Was a crap player as well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_uELY85zLo

World-class!

He's fantastic on 606, really come round to him. He's not a Neville, but he's no wimp with his opinions and has a more interesting footballing experience than Carragher or Neville.

Also a player who eeked out every last drop of his ability and made himself a decent career, mostly at the top level. People talk about wanting passion and commitment, Savage gave it all for the clubs he played for.

GSC wrote:Pretty routine win for United, welcome relief for LVG even if it is lower league opposition.

Derby just never really went for it.

They're just a very placid team Derby - feel they lack big game players

There are some proper morons that dial into 606, so Savage is in his element

Olly wrote:

GSC wrote:Pretty routine win for United, welcome relief for LVG even if it is lower league opposition.

Derby just never really went for it.

They're just a very placid team Derby - feel they lack big game players

Delicate is the word I'd use. They can play teams off the park, but they're useless if the other team draws them into a scrap.

Duty281 wrote:

FreekShow wrote:

GSC wrote:I do sometimes wonder why hes employed as a pundit. he really offers nothing of interest.

The biggest tw@t on TV, and that's saying something.

Was a crap player as well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_uELY85zLo

World-class!

I'm not one to talk bad about people, but Savage is hard not to.

Dublin didn't head butt him hard enough in the villa blues game.

What a to55er.
World class, ok Robbie.

I do get why Robbie would be in his element in 606 where he can be as combative as he likes.

But on national TV, flanked by 2 PL legends and an England legend, hes out of his depth as a pundit.

He's fairly down to earth for a pl player and think that's a large part of his appeal to the average fan.

Shearer and schmeichael aren't the best pundits and lineker is just the presenter - wouldn't say he's anyway out of his depth.

He's not a tv natural, there's no time and it's all too clean cut. I feel for all the bbc guys, Murphy and Keown in particular have sharp minds for it but no time

I thought Murphy was poor on comms. Didn't feel like he actually did any research pregame.

I don't think a persons playing career therefore justifies how great they are as a pundit, sure it helps, but an ability to talk in a clear and engaging manner is far more important which a lot of tv companies completely forget about nowadays when you have the likes of Carragher, Shearer etc droning on.
Dolphin mentions Keown and he's very astute, often shuffled onto Football Focus but he's articulate and really drills down to the issue, I'd like to see him moved onto the A team of the pundits. Savage I do think is a grade A c0ckwomble, but he does offer an opinion and has a personality, I'd prefer 1 of him to 10 of the likes of Owen, Hargreaves and Henry.

No, but the credibility thing doesn't help. Lineker tends to be the only host that doesn't allow the "who shouts loudest gets air time" style of delivery, and both Shearer and Schmeichel tend to be quieter guys. Next to them, he looked out of place.

West Brom can rot in hell - Shrewsbury scored in the 97th minute if bloomin Pulis could've just got a win against a league 1 side at home I'd have won 240 quid

I needed Stoke, swindon to score for £730.
Just needed Ipswich last week for £530.

This betting lark.

Hero wrote:I don't think a persons playing career therefore justifies how great they are as a pundit, sure it helps, but an ability to talk in a clear and engaging manner is far more important which a lot of tv companies completely forget about nowadays when you have the likes of Carragher, Shearer etc droning on.
Dolphin mentions Keown and he's very astute, often shuffled onto  Football Focus but he's articulate and really drills down to the issue, I'd like to see him moved onto the A team of the pundits. Savage I do think is a grade A c0ckwomble, but he does offer an opinion and has a personality, I'd prefer 1 of him to 10 of the likes of Owen, Hargreaves and Henry.

I used to like Keown, until I actually started to listen to what he says. I think he comes across more respected because he has a nice, almost posh, speaking voice, but what he's actually saying is very generic.

westisbest wrote:I needed Stoke, swindon to score for £730.
Just needed Ipswich last week for £530.

This betting lark.

It's the hope that kills ya westi

Lovren should be off there

This is just awful

Odd game to show.

Poor result. Should have had this game put too bed.

Should have won that, definitely didn't need a replay. The kids played well though and I'd put a very similar team out next time.

Texeira is flashy but he doesn't have a quick enough brain.

Hero wrote:I don't think a persons playing career therefore justifies how great they are as a pundit, sure it helps, but an ability to talk in a clear and engaging manner is far more important which a lot of tv companies completely forget about nowadays when you have the likes of Carragher, Shearer etc droning on.
Dolphin mentions Keown and he's very astute, often shuffled onto  Football Focus but he's articulate and really drills down to the issue, I'd like to see him moved onto the A team of the pundits. Savage I do think is a grade A c0ckwomble, but he does offer an opinion and has a personality, I'd prefer 1 of him to 10 of the likes of Owen, Hargreaves and Henry.

A pundit's ability as a player doesn't make or break them but Savage is far too loud and opinionated to be taken seriously because he just wasn't that good, far easier to take someone like that seriously if they could back it up.

Teixeira is decent but at 23 you would think it is a bit late to just be breaking into the second team as it is? Like brannigan though looks a good player and puts our first team corner/free kick takers to shame.

What a dull game. We seemed disinterested and lost a lot of flow with the injuries. Game was easy until Kouyate went off. Hopefully have Lanzini and a striker back (or new in) for the replay. Still, should have had a pen and Liverpool had one chance so cant complain. Especially since Atkinson was wearing a Liverpool shirt under his ref clobber.

Appears dolph watched a different game to the rest of us

(Although it was dull)

Tell me why sire

Not entirely sure how Atkinson was biased towards Liverpool, and thought they had some good chances beyond the Benteke one second half (Randolph my MOTM)

He just gave every last little decision to them, it was infuriating how much he got wrong. Lovren could have gone, missed the penalty, missed the blatant back pass.

Other than that Benteke flurry I wouldnt say they had anything clear cut. Both teams should have finished a couple snapshots better, but it was just a dull game with no intensity. I can't see us allowing them the time and space we did when we play at home.

Good game yesterday, both teams had chances to win it, they took one of theirs and we didn't. Shows the value of having goalscorers like Deeney and Ighalo in your squad, being clinical has been our Achilles heel this year

Shame for Carlisle today. Would of loved them to have a cup run after the tragedy they've had this winter.

Chelsea 1-0 up. Gonna be a long afternoon this.

Or not