FA Cup Third Round recap
by Paul O'Donnell
The flurry of the Holiday blitz of games is history. The Barons begin their 2008 campaign with the first of their open tryout dates this weekend. And, the magic of the FA Cup enters the 3rd Round and takes center stage.
The EPL goes into a near hibernation as with only 17 games to finish the season it takes them over 5 months to get that done with the international breaks and so on. The league season goes through what seems like a period of fits and starts while other competitions dilute the talent pool, such as the African Cup of Nations. For now it is FA Cup that has the focus of the fans and for good reason.
The world's largest open cup competition enters the 3rd round this weekend. The run to the cup began this time around with 731 organized teams in the chase. The early rounds, as usual, have produced a few shockers but it is the 3rd round where the top level clubs get involved and the focus steps up a level of intensity and interest.
Where will the surprises come from this year? The last run to the cup saw 7 EPL sides bounced out by lower division opponents in the 3rd and 4th rounds and several of the very elite clubs forced to replays in this knockout competition.
EPL leaders Arsenal face Burnley which is a match with more than just a little history going back to the days of the old First Division in particular. Liverpool travels to Luton and Manchester United faces EPL rival Aston Villa in some of the highlight matches of the round.
Candidates for surprises include Championship clubs against minnows that have already raised eyebrows by defeating higher level opponents such as the match with non-league Chasetown V Cardiff City (currently 11th in the League Championship--isn't this silly? So much easier to just say Division I).
Several EPL clubs also face challenges by lower level teams such as: Bolton V Sheffield United, Blackburn V Coventry City, Bristol City V M'Boro, Huddersfield V Birmingham, Everton V Oldham, Ipswich Town V Portsmouth, Fulham V Bristol Rovers, Derby V Sheffield Wednesday, Burnley V Arsenal and Liverpool V Luton. It is certain that among these games will be those forced to a replay and EPL sides getting bounced out as well.
A lower level team to watch this year? Huddersfield, a team with a long pedigree in the UK and formerly a part of the top flight itself, now find themselves only 14th in League One. They could be one team from that division (I still want to call it Division III) that advances at least one more step in the competition.
Oldham is another, but this rounds competition with Everton is likely to be the end of the line for their run in the Cup. I say 'likely' but in this open competition surprises are the order of the day, year in, year out and that is a big part of the attraction and the magic of the FA Cup.
Bolton 0:1 Sheffield United
The first loss on their home ground for newly appointed manager Gary Megson as they are bounced out by Championship side United.
Blackburn 1:4 Coventry City
A shellacking by the Sky Blues as another EPL side is bounced out of the competition with little more than a whimper.
Bristol City 1:2 M'Boro
It wasn't easy for Boro but they overcame the stiff resistance to win on the road.
Huddersfield 2:1 Birmingham City
Huddersfield defeated Birmingham City on Saturday with a convincing display for a team that is ranked 40 places below City as another EPL side bites the dust.
Everton 0:1 Oldham
Despite the match being played at Everton's Goodison Park Oldham was the victor and according to the pundits it wasn't really as close as the scoreline. Everton's David Moyes was forced to bring on several of his top choice team but that wasn't enough to change the outcome as the high flying EPL side goes out.
Ipswich Town 0:1 Portsmouth
The Tractor Boys made it tough on Harry Redknapp's guys despite losing a man to a red card (undeserved). Pompey's goal came via David Nugent, their summer signing from Preston who now has 3 for the club but has yet to score in an EPL match. Nugent is sure to get more playing time soon as Pompey will be losing several players to the ANC competition.
Burnley 0:2 Arsenal
The EPL leaders Arsenal coasted to a win at Turfmoor over 10 man Burnley on goals from Eduardo (his 6th in four games) and Dutch teenager Niklas Bendtner.
Fulham 2:2 Bristol Rovers
Fulham had to come from behind twice to earn a replay; the final leveler coming via Danny Murphy in the 73rd minute despite generating 3 times the goal attempts of Rovers.
Derby 2:2 Sheffield Wednesday
The Rams also had to fight back to earn a replay against the Championship side; in this case from a 2-0 deficit with all the goals coming in the first half.
Two matches that will surely get a lot of coverage regardless of the outcome and for quite different reasons; Chelsea V Queens Park Rangers and Stoke V Newcastle. The Chelsea-QPR match is another London derby but it also has two of the world's wealthiest soccer clubs facing off. Believe it or not QPR is now owned by someone with more cash in his pockets than Chelsea's owner Roman Abramowich.
Chelsea 1:0 QPR
Chelsea defeated their richer neighbors at Stamford Bridge on an OG by QPR's keeper of all things. The ball deflected off the post striking the keeper in the back and twisting over the line.
The Stoke-Newcastle match is all about Big Sam and his survival as the boss at St James' Park and a poor showing here could be the last straw with some fans clamoring for his head already.
Stoke 0:0 Newcastle
Stoke earns a replay at St James' Park by holding Newcastle. Actually, it is more accurate to say that Newcastle was fortunate to get the replay as the best of the chances went to Stoke. Michael Owen had a few good chances that on a better day he would have converted. He's just not back to being the prolific goal scorer he used to be or the man that Newcastle thought they got when they lured him away from Real either.
My favorite contests of the FA Cup are those that match the part-timers, the cab drivers, electricians and plumbers against the professionals. It is always a thrill to see them produce the game of their lives and challenge, and sometimes defeat the teams that many of them cheer for in the EPL or the lower divisions of the pro ranks. That in a nut shell is the real attraction for many of the FA Cup. It is the very essence of the competition.
Chasetown had already surprised in this years early rounds. Can they do it again in their match with Cardiff City of the League Championship? Non-league Chasetown is the lowest ranked team to make it to the 3rd round.
Chasetown 1:3 Cardiff City
The answer we got was no, as Chasetown (sponsored, staffed and populated mostly by employees of a regional gas company in the British midlands) lost to Cardiff. It was not all that easy for Cardiff however as the part-timers scored first and it wasn't until the 60th minute that Cardiff took the lead.
Will the on-again, off again Liverpool face a stalwart Luton (currently 21st in League One which has them ranked 60 spots below the Reds this season)?
Luton 1:1 Liverpool
Luton wins a big payday in forcing a replay at Anfield by holding the Reds to a draw. Crouch scored a classy goal for Liverpool in the 73rd and not to be outdone John Arne Riise scored in the 76th, but unfortunately for him and his mates it was into his own net (OG).
It may sound far fetched but you know what? It happens every year. Just ask SAF about his experience in the FA Cup 3rd Round last year where he faced non-league Exeter and was forced to a replay where he had to play much of his first choice team to ensure victory. If I remember correctly, Exeter was considered to be ranked 104 places below United in the soccer hierarchy.
The FA Cup truly is the real life version of David versus Goliath and the giant often falls with a thud from one well placed shot. EPL sides Bolton, Blackburn, Everton and Birmingham all got bounced out on Saturday proving again the dream lives on for many of the "minnows" and the attraction of the FA Cup is alive and well.
In recent years there has been a campaign from some quarters to radically change the competition, the grandest, largest and most popular of its kind around the world. The "big clubs" simply don't want to be bothered with it because the financial reward is not substantial enough for them so they often play their 2nd or 3rd choice sides unless they have been fortunate enough to reach the semi's or final itself. For those "big clubs" the money reward for just reaching the knockout round of either the Champions League or UEFA Cup is so large many of them choose to pursue that competition rather than the title of the world's best league. For some of them, the FA Cup is an annoyance more than a competition worthy of their attention and frankly that attitude really turns off a lot of fans.
That attitude is understandable even if it is distasteful. The thought that many of those "big clubs" would shun this competition and attempt to discredit it as they do by not playing their best really makes me cheer for the little guys every time. And it puts a big smile on my face to see them bounced out by those they consider not worthy opponents for their clubs. To see them pay the piper for their approach is just reward.
You gotta love it when the likes of Bolton, Blackburn, Everton and Birmingham taste defeat because of that attitude towards the FA Cup, the world's best, largest and longest running open cup chase. Most such competitions around the world attempt to emulate the FA Cup and by doing so acknowledge its prominence and appeal. As if to add insult to injury 3 of the 4 EPL sides to lose to lower level teams on Saturday did so on their own home ground in front of their own fans. Both Fulham and Derby had to mount fight backs to earn replays against lower division teams.
Paybacks are hell as the saying goes but it is fun isn't it?
