Posts Categorized: FA Cup

Brian McDermott’s employers should not act rashly, Macclesfield’s failure to sell out speaks volumes and other matters arising

1) Reading’s win could be a significant moment in the life of Brian

A comfortable 3-1 victory against League One opposition is still a comfortable 3-1 victory and, if there is anything more to be gleaned from Reading’s simple act of third round banana-skin avoidance, it is perhaps just a reminder of the basic virtues of the current team. Brian McDermott likes nothing more than soft-pedalling any notions of over-reaction and was close to inaudible at his post-match press conference, so even was his keel, so cooled were his boots. But this could still be a quietly significant moment for Reading, who were 1-0 down to Crawley after 14 seconds but refused to panic, instead quietly and attractively asserting their superior attacking play and looking here like what they are: a spirited, well-drilled team that is just a little short of the highest quality.

There has been some suggestion Reading’s owners might make a desperate grope for the instant returns of another season at Premier League level by replacing McDermott, rather than taking the longer view that, if Reading are relegated, he is still the best man to take them back up. But at the Broadfield Stadium, and against lesser opposition, the suggestion was the armature of the promotion team remains intact, as does its basic morale. If McDermott learnt anything more here, it might be that Adam Le Fondre, who scored twice and was a constant threat with his movement, perhaps deserves a little more game time. Barney Ronay

2) The end of Macclesfield’s 139-year quest was not worth the price of admission for some

Those at Moss Rose will long speak of how they witnessed the end of a 139-year quest to reach the FA Cup fourth round after Macclesfield Town’s late, late show took them from 1-0 down to knock out Cardiff City 2-1. On a cold evening the voltage with which the home crowd rent the Cheshire air as Matthew Barnes-Homer’s two strikes won the tie tingled the senses, so it was a shame the tiny ground was not a sell-out, despite this being a classic Cup encounter between the Championship leaders and a non-league side who are 11th. In straitened times perhaps clubs should again consider the price of admission. Jamie Jackson

3) Arsène Wenger bitten by the bargain bin

Arsène Wenger loves a bargain and will reflect on the eye-catching presence in Sunday’s Swansea team of Michel Vorm, Kyle Bartley and Michu, who together cost the Welsh club £5m. All three could get into the present Arsenal squad. Vorm is a better goalkeeper than any at the Emirates. Michu, a snip at £2m, is outscoring Lukas Podolski, Olivier Giroud and Theo Walcott (combined fees in excess of £25m) and, most embarrassing of all for the Gunners, was the contrast between Germany’s Per Mertesacker, for whom they paid £7m, and young Bartley, whom they sold to Swansea in the summer for a knockdown £1m. Bartley was probably the man of the match in only his second appearance as stand-in for Ashley Williams while Mertesacker’s was a four out of 10 performance. Joe Lovejoy

4) A policy of honesty

“It’s not his job to own up,” Brendan Rodgers said. The Liverpool manager had just been asked whether Luis Suárez should have admitted knocking the ball down with his hand to score the goal that put them in the FA Cup fourth round. He had a point, too. Robbie Fowler, in fairness, once tried (unsuccessfully) to get a penalty overturned, admitting he had not been fouled, but we remember that because it was the exception rather than the norm. Otherwise it’s difficult to think there has ever been a striker who has put up his hand and asked, in the interests of sportsmanship, for his goal to be ruled out. Sorry, it just doesn’t happen, whether we like it or not. Mansfield were entitled to be aggrieved but here’s the thing: would they have accepted it at the other end? Their manager, Paul Cox, said he would. “I can’t be two-faced.” Daniel Taylor

5) Forget Torres and Ba – Mata is the key for Chelsea

Having seen Demba Ba make a stunning start to his life at Chelsea by scoring twice in their 5-1 victory over Southampton on Saturday, Rafael Benítez, the club’s first-team interim manager, claimed that the Senegal striker could play up front with Fernando Torres. It was a diplomatic gesture from the Spaniard, aimed at assuring his compatriot that he remains a pivotal part of his plans, but as he sat on the substitutes’ bench at St Mary’s, Torres must have been fearing the worst.

For starters Benítez likes to put out sides that play with a single striker in a 4-2-3-1 formation and that means that when it really matters he is likely to pick either Torres or Ba. More importantly, however, switching to a two-man attack would almost certainly negate the influence of Juan Mata, who once again delivered a superb display for Chelsea in a roaming role just behind the lone striker. He, far more than Torres, is Stamford Bridge’s key Spanish performer and Benítez would be foolish to do anything that sidelined his influence on the team. Mata, quite literally, is central to Chelsea’s chances of success. Sachin Nakrani

6) The Crouch-Owen axis is unlikely to feature in Roy Hodgson’s thoughts

The former England strike partnership of Michael Owen and Peter Crouch scored 16 goals in 16 games when they played together at international level. Crouch claimed in September that the pair could still be a force for England but on this evidence he is wide of the mark. Save for a flick on from Owen and a spurned effort from Crouch in the first half, they hardly threatened the Palace goal. Owen started his first game for Stoke and played 53 minutes, as many as he had managed in the entire season before Saturday. James Riach

7) West Ham should not feel too disheartened by Manchester United’s late equaliser

To paraphrase the captain Kevin Nolan, Saturday’s 2-2 draw at home to Manchester United felt like a defeat, so sickening was the visitors’ injury-time equaliser, but the overall picture for West Ham looks brighter than it did during a gloomy December. Injuries are clearing, with Alou Diarra making his long-awaited return against United, Jack Collison and Ricardo Vaz Tê already back, and Andy Carroll and Mohamed Diamé, according to Sam Allardyce, expected to be “very close” for next week’s replay. Throw in the signings of Joe Cole and Marouane Chamakh, players with points to prove, and the squad looks deeper and primed for the battles ahead. David Hytner

8) Poyet’s gamble provides balletic bang for the buck of Brighton fans

“Sometimes,” said Gus Poyet, “you buy a ticket for a football game and it’s horrendous.” With that in mind, the Brighton manager told his players to give their supporters something to remember against Newcastle. His message certainly got through to Andrea Orlandi, whose balletic finish, flicking the ball with the outside of his left foot past Rob Elliot despite having his back to goal, set Brighton on their way to another win over Alan Pardew’s side. It was a touch of class one might not have expected from a Championship player but that is the Poyet way. The Uruguayan was very pleased with himself, too, for picking the Spaniard. “He was 50-50 to play,” Poyet said. “We took a risk. A nice one! Good decision!” Brighton fans would agree it more than justified the price of their ticket. Jacob Steinberg

9) Manchester City’s centre-back pairing looked shaky against pace

Gianfranco Zola was not strictly correct in observing that his side had faced City’s strongest XI minus Joe Hart. Sergio Agüero was also missing, and Roberto Mancini rested Matija Nastasic to give Joleon Lescott a rare start at centre-back. Neither he nor Vincent Kompany had a comfortable experience against the pace and direct running of Matej Vydra, who proved too quick for both the home centre-backs in the first half-hour. No great harm came of it but, coupled with the two occasions when City’s high defensive line was caught out to let Watford players one on one with the goalkeeper, it was not the most impressive defensive performance against a Championship side by a club that wants to measure itself against the best in Europe. With more finishing composure, Watford could have run City close. Paul Wilson

10) AVB treats the FA Cup with some much-needed TLC

If only all managers prized the FA Cup as much as André Villas-Boas, the competition might regain its former lustre. Finals were once the pinnacle of the season for players, managers and fans – unmissable events lavished with drama. Unanimous hunger for the big-eared trophy was the driving force. AVB made seven changes to his line-up to play the League One side Coventry but still selected a side of such quality and experience that it showed he, at least, has that hunger, regardless of Tottenham’s other commitments. It gave some pride back to the world’s oldest knockout competition – and gave the Sky Blues a hiding too. Jonny Weeks