The Budweiser FA Cup

[Gazz]

Sian Massey always seems to get everything right, then again, that might be just because the coverage focuses on her 3000 times more than any other assistant.

[Matt]

Wasn't there a report fairly recently saying that referees get something like 95+% of decisions correct (might have been specifically looking at linesmen, can't remember)? People will always moan, but yeah, I can't see many of those moaning who'd do a better job.

Surely how good that is is only dependent on what we're calling a decision, are we talking every foul, every corner/goal kick, every throw in? Or are we just talking about disputable decisions? Or are we talking about disputable big decisions?

[Cymbols]

To be fair, I know from experience how hard it is to stop things like blocking and shirt pulling in the box just because it's often so crowded that you can't see everyone and everything thats happening.

I think that the 95% stat thing is all decisions, not just major ones.

[lanky316]

Nicely worked there and good finish. 2-1 Liverpool.

[Lineker]

Downing with the goal there.

[Matt]

Downing and Torres both score, makes me wish we'd played Billy Paynter yessterday.

[Adam]

Nice finish by Downing, good of him not to give up and he did very well. In short spells he is starting to show why Liverpool signed him.

And I heard that stat too Liam, it sounds right and it is fair, I usually am one to give officials the benefit of the doubt but recently I've been baffled by a lot of really poor calls mainly by linesmen giving things the wrong way when it's right in front of them. I know they have a very difficult job.

[MDK]

Officials having a 'mare here, nothing new. I would LOVE to have a sit down chat with the people who deem a lot of these referees/assistants good enough to officiate at the top levels, I really would.

What's the alternative? Having tossers like Nigel Miller refereeing in the top flight? Complain about the Premier League refs all you want, you know as well as I do that the Football League ones are much worse.

Fair point, although today's ref Friend is one of the greatest examples of the poor ones we've had.

And MDK, don't worry, I'm in the process of trying to become one. Not that I ever buy into the "you can't do it any better so don't say anything" argument anyway.

Good for you, I hope one day you officiate an Orient match and maybe send a few favours our way

I'm not saying 'Why don't you do it if you think you can do better', I'm saying that they are the ones that do a hard job and without them we wouldn't have a game. And everyone makes mistakes.

[The Lusophone]

And everyone makes mistakes.

So much this.

Refs get an incredible amount of stick if they make a single mistake, whereas you have certain managers and players making a huge number of mistakes with usually little to nothing said about it.

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

Overall a fantastic day of football outside of Liverpool winning.

Should be some tasty semi finals here. Chelsea/Liverpool would probably make a very good final, though I wouldn't mind seeing them meet in the semis, which could give a chance of another tasty final in Spurs/Chelsea. Shaping up quite nicely.

[MDK]

And everyone makes mistakes.

So much this.

Refs get an incredible amount of stick if they make a single mistake, whereas you have certain managers and players making a huge number of mistakes with usually little to nothing said about it.

Of course, my opinion changes dramatically during Orient or England games

[Lineker]

Is the draw tonight?

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

It's in a minute on ITV.

[Lineker]

FA Cup semi final draw:


Tottenham/Bolton vs. Chelsea

Liverpool vs. Everton/Sunderland[/code]

[MDK]

Spurs vs Chelsea

'pool vs Everton

That is how the semi final should be.

[stokeriño]

Am I correct in thinking that ITV are showing no FA Cup highlights program of any kind?

[Lineker]

Not tonight afaik.

[DavidMarrio]

Hard fought win that for us today, thought we played well but second half we were alot better than the first as we seemed to play the ball more and pressure Stoke when they had the ball. Good goals from Suarez and Downing as well will help boost their confidences and we are going to Wembley again, hopefully against Everton (Would rather face Everton in the final if we got to it but at least we avoided the possibility of Spurs or Chelsea.

Also Kevin Friend is awful.

[DavidMarrio]

The FA have confirmed that we will be playing Everton/Sunderland on the Saturday 14th April so that the game won't clash with the Hillsborough memorial on the Sunday.

[Adam]

Really hope it isn't a lunchtime kick-off, I hated having to listen to the second half of the Everton game on 5Live this weekend due to the Rovers game.