FA CUP REVIEW: Man shouts at Child
It’s 9:29pm. I’m currently sat in a hotel room in Hampshire. I’m away with work this week so have just had time to sit down and write my thoughts on the FA Cup action over the weekend.
We were treated to three brilliant Quarter finals, with drama and close contests across the board. Over the past few years, the rhetoric has always been that teams don’t care about idea of winning silver wear, and instead the money that comes with qualifying for Europe is more of a pull. Over the weekend however, this didn’t seem to apply.
All 6 teams left in the old cup, could argue that they had bigger fish to fry in their respected domestic competitions, but instead they all played out proper footy matches.
It started, with plucky Coventry in a midlands derby of some sorts, against Wolves. It was a right barmy of a match, with Coventry scoring two goals in injury time to win the tie. The magic of the cup was well and truly alive, shown beautifully by Mark Robins screaming at a young wolves ball boys face.
Mark Robins celebrates Coventry’s winner the only way he knows how…
It was in parts a beautiful symbol of the game. The championship ride howling at the Premier League outfit. It was a great game and a deserved win for Robins men. On a personal level having studied at university in Coventry, and have two best mate supporters, it means that I’m going to get a chance to watch Coventry at Wembley for the third time. Twice more than my own team Ipswich.
It was followed on Saturday evening by the most regulation of the weekends Quarter Final’s.
Thankfully for me, I was out for dinner when this game was on. Me and the girlfriend have decided to make the most of our last few months in London, by visiting various special restaurants on our list, which is a long way of saying ‘Date Night’. This time around we headed up to Dalston to give Mangal II a whirl. The meal was delicious, even if I barely knew what half of the ingredients of each dish were. I do now know that I like Pirzola, Sivri Biber and Cull Yaw.
Man City scored two deflected first goals to seal a place in the semi finals against a Newcastle side unable to to break through City’s defence. The back to back treble is still on for Pep’s side, and you really wouldn’t bet against them completing an unthinkable achievement.
Sunday began with another fantastic tie at Stamford Bridge. Having been at Chelsea’s previous round game against Leeds, I fancied Leicester to cause them problems. They did just that, fighting their way down from 2-0 to get back to level terms, before Liam Doyles red card swung the tie in Chelsea’s favour. The came up 4-2 winners, but the Champ outfit will feel that they can give it a good go in the top flight next season, if they manage to get promoted.
The weekend was finished off with an utter humdinger between two old rivals in Manchester United and Liverpool. Klopps farewell tour hit a snag, it will be no Wembley fairytale for him, as United came up trumps 4-3 AET. A wonderful match against two sides playing aggressive, brave football. Something that has been missing from United this season.
A lot has been said about the FA in the last few years, not least by the likes of Jurgen Klopp. Criticising replays and the amount of games etc. But these four ties, just went and showed that the cup is special. One off ties, allow teams to be outlandish and throw everything at it. United’s insane 5-0-5 formation would never be seen in the League. This year has given the opportunity for Coventry to mix it with the big guns in the FA Cup Semi Finals. Memories that will stay with their fans for a lifetime, much more than finishing 8th in the Championship ever would.
I think its a shame that mid and lower Premier League sides don’t want to take these games more seriously. They would argue that just staying in the Prem/ qualifying for Europe is more important, but look at what you’re missing out on…there manager could too, be shouting in a child’s face on route to Wembley. “The Glamour of the Cup”.