Dec 03
The draw for the third round of the FA Cup took place yesterday, and Arsenal were drawn away to Burnley. The Championship side are currently 9th in the table, and will host the Gunners the weekend of January 5/6.
UPDATE - The match is now scheduled for 9 AM ET on Sunday the 6th. The BBC will be showing it on BBC1 in the UK, so my guess is that it’ll be on PPV here in the States.
21 Responses to “FA Cup 3rd Round Draw”
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December 3rd, 2007 at 11:22 am
Play the kids in the FA Cup. We need to concentrate on the league and CL.
December 3rd, 2007 at 12:10 pm
Agree we should play the kids. Teams like Burnley, their fans, and the whole footballing world will think that because they are the underdog, they have devine right to try and break Hleb and Rosicky’s legs at every turn.
December 3rd, 2007 at 1:41 pm
OT:
“Jose Mourinho’s assistant says the former Chelsea boss would consider becoming the new England manager.” BBC SPORT
Just when we thought we’d seen the last of the Special One guess whose back like a loved out whore. I’m Dutch so I sure hope he gets the job :)~
December 3rd, 2007 at 1:59 pm
i think he may do a good job with England. not exactly winning the WC or something, yet like Big Mac’s parting words - the only way for England now is UP. things can’t possibly be any worse, can it?
but i dont think Mourinho will take the job. He’s probably using England to get the big clubs to sign him. Bottom line is - the man wants to be “SPECIAL”. And he got a bigger ego than probably anyone else in the game. Yet at the same time he’s not stupid that’s for sure.
With England, he can’t buy players. He can’t sign Drogba to play for England. And regardless of what he told the press, he can’t possibly not aware of how much QUALITY this current England side got.
Like he said it himself before “u can’t make scamble eggs without eggs”. With club football, u can go out and buy the eggs if u r short of them. With international football, u r stuck with what u got.
He would probably look AVERAGE should he ever take over England. And he’s too smart a man not to aware of that. but of course money talks. if FA offers an offer he can’t resist, that’s another matter.
December 3rd, 2007 at 2:09 pm
I sometimes think..how can players who are very good for their clubs be so bad internationally? Is it unbelievable overhype and pressure? But the if that is pressure — what do Brazil and Argentina go through each time?
And yeah play the kids..they’ll win. Oh BTW on Google and my my new found England Map it says Burnley is 19 miles east of Preston which is in North England..which means another trip to the North. So play the kids…Anyone else want directions to some place in ENgland … I love that map
December 3rd, 2007 at 3:07 pm
“He would probably look AVERAGE should he ever take over England. And he’s too smart a man not to aware of that.” #4
Yeah, they’re probably wondering how to get Sven back because he’s not looking so average over at Man City. Heaven’s they’re probably wondering how to get Jol back at Spuds. Funny thing the coaching game.
December 3rd, 2007 at 3:47 pm
yup, the kids all the way. no hleb, rosicky, fabregas, toure, gallas, clichy, sagna, ade or RvP. for either league cup and uptill quarterfinal in the FA cup.
the two cups are 100% bonuses. nothing more.
ps: if Man U draw today and we win 2moro we could go 8 points clear!
December 3rd, 2007 at 4:27 pm
Effing ManUre - 1-0 up after barely 10mins. And guess who scored - winking, slimy, hair-gelled drenched, hooker-hiring Iberian pretty boy.
December 3rd, 2007 at 5:38 pm
so there goes my hopes for a Man U draw then….ah well.
i hope we can win the newcastle game to go 6 points clear and also sack allardyce….lol.
December 3rd, 2007 at 5:42 pm
Wenger usually puts out a fairly strong side in the FA Cup, save for one or two reserve player, so I think he will do the same again.
Although unlikely, slipping up on a rotten banana in the FA Cup is a lot more embarrassing than in the Carling Cup, which nobody cares about full stop. He knows the fans give high regard to the competition, so I think he’ll play a strong team.
December 3rd, 2007 at 7:42 pm
Yeah, Wenger has put out strong though not quite the preferred starting XI for the FA Cup. I thought after the 2 week period when we got knocked out of the Carling Cup, FA Cup, and Champion’s League that he indicated he’d rest the starter more around this time.
I expect players like Gilberto, Diarra, Hoyte, Senderos, Bendtner, Diaby, etc. to start with some stronger players on the bench in case they are needed. We just delivered a result w/o Fabregas and van Persie against AV, these players should deliver. The timing is just after the festive season so everyone will be playing a lot too…
It is the January and February schedule that persuades me that Gilberto will not be sold in January unless he requests it.
December 3rd, 2007 at 11:13 pm
Burnley are bottlers
December 3rd, 2007 at 11:29 pm
lol lol lol @BrendanK
December 4th, 2007 at 8:03 am
It will be a watered down side made up mostly of the kids, but I’m looking forward to seeing Fabio in goal, even though he probably won’t have much to do. As far as Jo Mo possibly managing England, I think he defensive philosophy would keep games close for England, and get them several draws, but I don’t know if that style will set well with Englands fans, especially those that pull for Arsenal, Pool, and ManUre on the club level.
December 4th, 2007 at 9:05 am
Date and time now set for Sunday, January 6 at 9 a.m. Eastern. No word on TV here (probably not).
December 4th, 2007 at 10:25 am
brendank @12
Come to think of it… I do miss Jose. Mazza sounded like him in that last thread about bottles and ifs.
But for the fact that Jose will be too willing to take a swipe at Arsene by reminding the world that Arsenal has no first team english players, I think he is a good choice for England. I hope that, IF he is given the job, he’ll BOTTLE it like Sam’s doing at NewCastle.
December 4th, 2007 at 12:13 pm
Bad news for tomorrow’s game. Hleb and Flamini are also out in addition to Cesc and RvP. That leaves 2 of Gilberto, Diarra and Denilson in CM with Rosicky asked to shoulder the playmaking role.
December 4th, 2007 at 12:16 pm
So now then….the million dollar question remains…Will Rosicky bottle it??
December 4th, 2007 at 12:30 pm
Repost of what I commented earlier today on in the last thread (and I personally think Rosicky will step up) — here’s the comments I made:
“Well, we are missing Hleb, Flamini, Fabregas, Diaby, and of course RvP for the Newcastle match.
Now, back in the summer if I recall correctly, some of you gents (& ladies?) heavily criticized AW for the large numbers of midfielders he kept while not buying enough defensive cover…I think I also recall talk of not enough strikers? Well, we need all those midfielders this month, eh?
Our probable lineup options on Wednesday:
Almunia
Sagna Toure Gallas Clichy
Eboue Diarra Gilberto/Denilson Rosicky
Bendtner/Eduardo/Walcott Ade
Now that’s a pretty good side. BUT while Diarra’s work rate and ability to turn on the ball is promising, his passing was sorely lacking Saturday. Denilson, whom I bet gets the start over Gilberto, has possession issues as well. They are more comfortable as holding midfielders, and letting players like Cesc, Hleb, and Flamini create space with runs and creative passes. I think the more experienced players imply make them look good - these two benefit from our Untouchables, as some here have called them.
We could struggle in this match, I think…we will hold much of the possession but I worry we will give away careless passes.
My preferred XI:
Almunia (unfortunately)
Sagna Toure Gallas Clichy
Eboue Gilberto Rosicky Walcott
Bendtner Ade
Put Rosicky in the creative role in central midfield. He is the captain of his national side, no? Let him lead. He naturally drives to the middle on his runs right?…Clichy and Walcott give us UNBELIEVABLE pace up the left side…Sagna’s exceptional ability to cross the ball gives us ample opportunities for headers with the big Dane and African up front. If Bendtner struggles, bring Eduardo on to scamper around the box and look for that poacher’s goal. If Gilberto struggles or disappears, THEN bring Diarra on.
Just some thoughts - I hope for the 1-0 win to the Arsenal.”
December 4th, 2007 at 12:45 pm
I think Wenger will go with Gilberto partnered with Diarra in the center with Rosicky playing behind Ade in a 4-5-1. Whatever lineup and formation we put out there, we will need to grab control of the game from the start. With all the rumors that Big Sam will be run if Newcastle lose, I don’t want us to have them hanging around playing for their manager. Arsenal 2 - Newcastle 0 (Ade and Gilberto).
December 4th, 2007 at 1:41 pm
I think this is a real 50/50 game. Newcastle are under a lot of pressure and I don’t think the second half at Villa helped Arsenal as no doubt the Newcastle players will employ the same tactics. They will scream into every tackle right from the start.
With no Hleb, Van Persie and Fabregas, we are badly short of creativity, but maybe we don’t need much creativity to break down Newcastle - their defending is often laughable.
To play Walcott would be a bad idea, especially in midfield. He is too physically weak and would just keep losing the ball all the time.
On the positive side, defensively we are pretty strong and Arsenal know they will be in for a big battle from the start, whereas they were undoubtedly caught by surprise by Villa’s pressing game in the second half.
I’m almost certain Wenger will play 4-5-1, it will be.
Almunia
Sagna Toure Gallas Clichy
Gilberto
Eboue, Diarra, Denilson, Rosicky
Adebayor
It will be a close game, because we haven’t the players to score many goals. Hopefully, we’ll sneak it - and not bottle it