The 2008-09 FA Cup Thread

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

Chelsea are gonna win at least 2 of the League, FA Cup and Europe. If I were a betting man I'd put money on it.

[Pesci]

Never cheered for Everton so much in my life, I feel pretty dirty.

Here's hoping Chelsea win the final by about 6 clear goals now (Y)

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

Great game, was nervous for a good hour and thought somebody would snatch it at the end. Both teams worked their asses off. Vidic was immense today and it would have been a different game without him. Welbeck penalty was a blatant penalty, but I'm not going to bitch and moan, it didn't get given and we have to accept that. That said, I thought Welbeck should have been the one going off, thought he was very average today. Anderson had buckets of energy again and I thought he was fantastic in midfield.

Surprised Ferdinand ever wanted to take that penalty. As soon as he stepped up I could feel he was going to miss. And Berbatov looked like he had no care when taking his penalty. Great effort from both teams, great atmosphere.

I'll without a doubt be cheering on Chelsea in the final though (Y)

[METALMAN]

An FA Cup Winners medal will set David Moyes up nicely for becoming Scotland manager.

One can dream...

And I love this picture:

Edited April 19, 2009 by aluminiumman!

[The Quasi Juice]

Hiddink is really living up to the expectations.

[stokeriño]

Hiddink is really living up to the expectations.

I'm enjoying it as much as I can now, before we get his replacement (maybe Ancelotti, maybe not) whose CV will invariably be all about experience in the Italian leagues. He'll sign a couple more aging stars to add to our already-getting-on-a-bit squad and then act all befuddled when the Premier League requires a different approach to Serie A.

[The Quasi Juice]

Hiddink is really living up to the expectations.

I'm enjoying it as much as I can now, before we get his replacement (maybe Ancelotti, maybe not) whose CV will invariably be all about experience in the Italian leagues. He'll sign a couple more aging stars to add to our already-getting-on-a-bit squad and then act all befuddled when the Premier League requires a different approach to Serie A.

Funny thing is Hiddink hasn't made many changes to the team. This might have to do with the fact that he took over after the transfer window closed, but he puts faith in the boys and lets Drogba do what he's good at. You can see that the players have respect for him, for example when he took off Kalou before half time against Liverpool Kalou didn't complain, he knew he wasn't playing well and he respected Hiddink's decision.

I don't see why coaches like Ancelotti keep getting named. Just because he has done fairly well in the Serie A, he must be the key to succes for a team in a totally different culture with a totally different philosophy....Ancelotti will fail, because he doesn't speak English and he's used to Italian-style play. Hiddink succeeds because like most Dutchies he is able to speak English and he knows how to adapt to different cultures. Dutch coaches > Italian coaches in different countries than their own. I don't know what I'm going at, but yeah....hire Rijkaard as your next manager plix, thanks.

[-A-]

Ancelotti hasn't even done at all well in Serie A. One Scudetto in 8 years? Not great for a club like Milan. The two CL titles are the reason they'd be hiring him.

I absolutely love Hiddink, I think he's an incredible coach and a pretty likeable guy.

[Adam]

YES!!!! YES YES YES YES YES!!!!

I've not been through that much of a whole load of emotions and nerves in one game since last years Play-Off Final, absolutely delighted with that result, terrific. My Dad, a diehard Everton fan for over 30 years, was adamant that Man Utd would win throughout the whole game, right up until the final penalty kick. Brilliant.

[stokeriño]

The main thing Hiddink's given the Chelsea squad is he's got them working hard (both on the pitch and in training) and can get them fired up if necessary. True, it seems in recent games like we need to concede a goal to start playing at all (), but at least we've turned those ones around. Scolari seemed a bit too laid back in his approach to training and to motivation, perhaps a by-product of his primarily national-level experience.

I'd take Rijkaard over any of the other names that generally get thrown around in relation to the Chelsea job, but I can only see him rejecting it again.

Even if it's a year or two from now when he leaves the Russia job - I'd very much like to see Hiddink come back to Chelsea in the future.

[The Quasi Juice]

The main thing Hiddink's given the Chelsea squad is he's got them working hard (both on the pitch and in training) and can get them fired up if necessary. True, it seems in recent games like we need to concede a goal to start playing at all (), but at least we've turned those ones around. Scolari seemed a bit too laid back in his approach to training and to motivation, perhaps a by-product of his primarily national-level experience.

I'd take Rijkaard over any of the other names that generally get thrown around in relation to the Chelsea job, but I can only see him rejecting it again.

Even if it's a year or two from now when he leaves the Russia job - I'd very much like to see Hiddink come back to Chelsea in the future.

It would be best if he stays now though, because he now knows the squad enough to know where to make changes in the summer. There have been rumors that Hiddink has already suggested buying Van der Vaart next season and sell Deco, because the squad is getting too old. Also, -A-, you're right, I never got the Ancelotti hype because he has done pretty shit with a very good team for years and has been close to getting fired a couple of times now.

[stokeriño]

Oh yeah, I'd love for him to continue his dual Chelsea/Russia shtick. Seems unlikely to me, though.

[CFDunk]

I just read a post about the Wellbeck penalty situation, he was not even touched. I could not believe how mad Fergie was over it, but I support LFC and I was cheering the Blues on even though they are constantly bitter towards us. I cannot see Everton beating Chelsea though, hope they do but cant see it. Chelsea will throw a full team out unlike Man U today.

Edited April 19, 2009 by CFDunk

[therockbox]

Hiddink hasn't really done anything to the team, he's just got them playing in the same formation and the same way that Mourinho used. It's also helped that Drogba is going through one of his badge thumping periods (although as always a strop is just round the corner), and was also fortunate that his arrival coincided with the return of the most complete midfielder in the world from injury.

[stokeriño]

It really isn't just Drogba and Essien, though. I sat through a couple of months of watching the whole team shuffle about like a bunch of confused newborn puppies. They've actually started playing like they give a shit again.

[The Quasi Juice]

Hiddink hasn't really done anything to the team, he's just got them playing in the same formation and the same way that Mourinho used. It's also helped that Drogba is going through one of his badge thumping periods (although as always a strop is just round the corner), and was also fortunate that his arrival coincided with the return of the most complete midfielder in the world from injury.

So you're basically saying someone like Tony Mowbray would have had the same succes?

[-A-]

He's got Malouda playing pretty well, the man's a magician.

[therockbox]

Hiddink hasn't really done anything to the team, he's just got them playing in the same formation and the same way that Mourinho used. It's also helped that Drogba is going through one of his badge thumping periods (although as always a strop is just round the corner), and was also fortunate that his arrival coincided with the return of the most complete midfielder in the world from injury.

So you're basically saying someone like Tony Mowbray would have had the same succes?

It really isn't just Drogba and Essien, though. I sat through a couple of months of watching the whole team shuffle about like a bunch of confused newborn puppies. They've actually started playing like they give a shit again.

Don't you find that a bit worrying, though? Your teams success is basically reliant on a handful of the other senior players not falling out with the manager.

[stokeriño]

It really isn't just Drogba and Essien, though. I sat through a couple of months of watching the whole team shuffle about like a bunch of confused newborn puppies. They've actually started playing like they give a shit again.

Don't you find that a bit worrying, though? Your teams success is basically reliant on a handful of the other senior players not falling out with the manager.

The question you have to ask yourself is whether that's a better or worse reason than why the prior two managers were sacked.

And no, there is no correct answer.

Edited April 19, 2009 by stokeriño

[Thomas]

yessssssss