Five Things We Learned From the FA Cup 4th Round

By: Daryl | January 28th, 2008

FA Cup image Whatever Dave Kitson says, the FA Cup is always good value. The final 32 teams were reduced to 16 (no replays) over a weekend of cup action that really delivered. Especially if you paid a visit to the away dressing room at Bramall Lane on Sunday afternoon. Here are five things we learned from the FA Cup 4th Round.

1. There’s still magic in that there FA Cup
Without getting too sentimental Liverpool’s 5-2 win against little Havant & Waterlooville was FA Cup perfection. The non-leaguers got a big day out, scored – twice – at Anfield and left as heroes, while Liverpool still managed to win so there was no disaster. In short, everyone’s happy. And that’s magic.

2. Though Manchester City probably aren’t feeling it
You wouldn’t either if you’d just lost to a team managed by Bryan Robson (including a goal that was partially due to on-field balloons) and then returned to the dressing to room to find your wallets and mobile phones had been robbbed.

3. If David Beckham wants his 100th England cap, he may have to break Aaron Lennon’s legs
The little Tottenham winger looked unstoppable down Spurs right wing, and Man Utd’s Patrice Evra is probably still muttering to himself this morning. Not FA Cup related, but Becks might have to get Ashley Young too. The Aston Villa man can play on the right or left, and must have impressed Fabio Capello with this Beckham-esque free-kick in the 1-1 Premier League draw with Blackburn.

4. There was only ever one winner in the Emmanuel Adebayor vs Nicklas Bendtner scrap
If you’re going to pick a fight with someone at your club, don’t do it with someone who is 1) Your club’s most in-form player and 2) Someone you need to play alongside. Despite Adebayor being the one who did the hitting, Bendnter had to watch from the bench as the big Togolese striker scored two in the 3-0 FA Cup win over Newcastle.

5. Some goals are meant to be
It almost seems like Grzegorz Rasiak was trying hard not to score this penalty for ~~Sheffield United~~ ~~Sunderland~~ ~~Stoke~~, Southampton but it went in anyway.

Did you learn anything?

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Category: England, World Football

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Jim

Andre Marriner is the bastard lovechild of Harry Redknapp and if he ever sets foot in Plymouth again will have his eviscerated guts draped around Devonport Dockyard.
J

i think the tournament this year has made it clear that people with a similar mentality to kitson won't get very far, and that they are actually pretty misguided. the teams that have made an effort, like havant and waterlooville or bristol rovers, have been pretty well rewarded this season.

i wrote an article about kitson and his comments here for anyone interested: http://www.just-football.com/2...
cfc069

And there is an Offside story for you: name every team in red and white, then blue and white etc etc etc... I knew you would get there in the end after all its what The Offside is all about!!

KTBFFH
Daryl

Thanks cfc.

Maybe I'll go through every red and white stripey team in England beginning with the letter "S" before I get it right.
cfc069

LOL Daryl, try SOUTHAMPTON - Wigan knocked out Sunderland in the 3rd round at the Stadium of Light 3-0, then CHELSEA knocked out Wigan 2-1 at the JJB and talking of Wigan fans they must have developed the Dave Kitson mentality - well they didn't turn up. Thank God for Chelsea's travelling 4,000 to create an atmosphere - otherswise the JJB would have been like a funeral home as you yanks would say.

KTBFFH
Johnny on the Spot

I learned that Spurs defenders are afraid to get in front of the ball, unless they can catch it :(
cfc069

Daryl I did learn something and hate to correct u but the penalty was Southampton's and not Sheff Utd. Sheff Utd got the balloon fortune - but don't expose the Man City fan who organised those balloons.

Give credit to the Bury goalkeeper who saved the penalty and saved the follow-up and tried in vain to save the final attempt. Where was his defence, no wonder he went mad!!!

KTBFFH