The Emirates FA Cup 2020/21

[Bobfoc]

Good to see that there will definitely be non-league representation in the third round. It's sad that any potential away ties at big clubs will have to be without fans, though.

[The Lusophone]

Lincoln at home is a nice draw.

[Chris2K]

Always fun when someone throws a strop because they want to take a penalty, they get their own way, then miss it.

Even better that someone else scored the next one.

[Lineker]

Quote

The FA is to fast track trials of concussion substitutes in this season’s FA Cup, following their approval by an expert International FA Board panel.

An Ifab committee has given its assent to the use of additional permanent substitutes in the event of a player being concussed during a match. The recommendation will go before Ifab chiefs at their annual business meeting next month.

It is expected that trials will be approved without reservation and the English FA, which holds a seat on the Ifab board, quickly revealed its support for the plans. A spokesperson said: “The FA will support the proposal at the meeting on 16 December with a view to implementing the trials at the earliest possible stages of the FA Cup and Women’s FA Cup.”

Trials of concussion substitutes had been expected to be implemented last season but the Covid-19 pandemic caused a suspension of the plans.

There remain some doubts as to whether the Premier League, alongside other major European domestic leagues, will agree to trials this season. Competitions are understood to be waiting for further details before taking action, with concerns remaining over the legal ramifications should the trials go wrong.

The FA has taken a more proactive approach and it follows an interventionthis year to ban players under the age of 12 from heading the ball in training. Further changes for youngsters seem likely and the FA has also committed greater funding to research into the links between heading the ball and neurodegenerative conditions.

Concussion substitutes would not relate specifically to heading but to head injuries more broadly. The specific scheme recommended by Ifab would see an extra permanent substitute granted to a team who had assessed a player to be at risk of concussion.

An alternative to the permanent substitution would be a temporary one, as practised in rugby union. It is understood Ifab rejected this option, believing that because a number of concussion symptoms do not emerge until at least half an hour after an incident doctors may decide a player is fit to return to play and run the risk of a potentially highly damaging repeat injury to the head.

 

[Lineker]

Tranmere vs. Brackley is on BBC Two this evening. 

[Lineker]

Chorley cupset Posh, live on the telly!

[Bobfoc]

Marine are through as well. It'd be just their luck if they got an away game against a big club at a time when crowds weren't allowed in.

[Lineker]

11 hours ago, Bobfoc said:

Marine are through as well. It'd be just their luck if they got an away game against a big club at a time when crowds weren't allowed in.

 

Third round draw is on BBC One tonight.

[Lineker]

Marine away!

[Chris2K]

Amazing, couldn't script it.

I will now spend a significant amount of time worrying we could be on the end of the biggest upset in footballing history.

[Colly]

That would be a historic upset.

[Bobfoc]

Blackburn and Doncaster in an EWB derby.

[Kyle]

Of course Villa drew Liverpool.

[Bobfoc]

Easy draw for Villa.

[Lineker]

Quote

Huddersfield v Plymouth
Southampton v Shrewsbury
Chorley v Derby County
Marine v Tottenham Hotspur
Wolves v Crystal Palace
Stockport County v West Ham
Oldham Athletic v AFC Bournemouth
Manchester United v Watford
Stevenage v Swansea City
Everton v Rotherham
Nottingham Forest v Cardiff
Arsenal v Newcastle
Barnsley v Tranmere Rovers
Bristol Rovers v Sheffield United
Canvey Island or Boreham Wood v Millwall
Blackburn Rovers v Doncaster Rovers
Stoke City v Leicester City
Wycombe Wanderers v Preston North End
Crawley Town v Leeds United
Burnley v MK Dons
Bristol City v Portsmouth
QPR v Fulham
Aston Villa v Liverpool
Brentford v Middlesbrough
Manchester City v Birmingham City
Luton Town v Reading
Chelsea v Morecambe
Exeter City v Sheff Wed
Norwich City v Coventry City
Blackpool v West Brom
Newport County v Brighton
Cheltenham Town v Mansfield Town

 

[DavidMarrio]

13 minutes ago, Bobfoc said:

Easy draw for Villa.

Gonna be embarrassing for them if they're on the wrong end of a cupset...

[The Lusophone]

Huddersfield away for Plymouth. Difficult but doable.

[Adam]

1 hour ago, Bobfoc said:

Blackburn and Doncaster in an EWB derby.

Rematch from the Carabao earlier this season and all.

In truth a horrid tie for us. Likely to lose and no way of making any money from it, which is crucial this season. At least we got this far!

[hugobomb]

Man City away, that takes care of any thought of a cup run this season

[Lineker]