2014-15 FA Cup

[UnitedWarrior93]

You'd kill for some of our players though. Namely blokes like Sturridge, Sterling, Coutinho, Can, Skrtel, Henderson, Sakho, Moreno, Markovic, Lucas, Mignolet, Jones, Ibe, Toure, Manquillo, Enrique, Johnson, Lovren, Balotelli, Lambert, Borini etc

Out of that i'd only take Sturridge, sterling and Coutinho.

 

[Zidane98]

Out of that i'd only take Sturridge, sterling and Coutinho.

You'd be crazy not to take Can. He's an absolute beast.

 

[Indie_]

Ahh yes. This old rabbit hole.

 

[jod23]

Out of that i'd only take Sturridge, sterling and Coutinho.

Lol.

 

[jod23]

Makes me wonder, if one did a combined United/Arsenal/Liverpool side + bench, then did a reserves team.
What would be the split in players.

Hmm... if you stick with the true and tested 4-4-2.

First team.

----------------DeGea
Debuchy--Koscielny--Sakho--Gibbs
Sterling--Lucas--Cazorla--Di Maria
---------Sturridge--Sanchez

Reserve team.

------------Mignolet
Rafael--Skrtel--Mertesacker--Shaw
Mata--Henderson--Blind--Coutinho
--------Van Persie--Rooney

Arsenal - 6
Man United - 8
Liverpool - 8

I hate the 4-4-2 formation but I guess for the purpose of the exercise that is the standard formation. I think it points to weaknesses in all three squads at Full Back. Gibbs, Shaw and Debuchy are so-so. Rafael is decent but hasnt played much. Says a lot about Liverpool's FB's that none of them can get in before those 4.

Enrique has hardly played, Johnson has turned to s**t. Flanagan injured, Manquillo an average loan. It's only Moreno who is good and has a big future but is young and hasnt put it together yet.

Interesting that I ended up with more United and Liverpool players in both teams but 5 of the 6 Arsenal players are in the first team whereas 6 of the 8 United players are in the reserve team.

Central midfield was hard because in a 4-4-2 you need a DM who can screen the back 4 so your wingers can get forward or the full backs can overlap. Arsenal dont have any DM's and United dont have any standout DM's either. So I had to turn to Lucas. You need somone creative next to Lucas so I went with Cazorla who has been good all year but that midfield is light cos you need someone to carry the water, a box to box type and Cazorla really isnt that player, but again I hate 4-4-2.

No room for Ozil who hasnt set the world alight. Ramsey has been poor and injured. Theo only just coming back. Ox you could maybe have in for Mata who is mishandled at United, just like he was at Chelsea.

Interesting that I could only get one United defender in, because they are all pretty average. Even Rafael has barely played but RB is a black hole for all three squads. We go so far to play wingbacks and then play AM's at RWB in Markovic, Ibe and Sterling.

Can unlucky as he hasnt fully developed his impending beastmode.

 

[Bojan KantKick]

Hmm... if you stick with the true and tested 4-4-2.

First team.

----------------DeGea
Debuchy--Koscielny--Sakho--Gibbs
Sterling--Lucas--Cazorla--Di Maria
---------Sturridge--Sanchez

Reserve team.

------------Mignolet
Rafael--Skrtel--Mertesacker--Shaw
Mata--Henderson--Blind--Coutinho
--------Van Persie--Rooney

Arsenal - 6
Man United - 8
Liverpool - 8

I hate the 4-4-2 formation but I guess for the purpose of the exercise that is the standard formation. I think it points to weaknesses in all three squads at Full Back. Gibbs, Shaw and Debuchy are so-so. Rafael is decent but hasnt played much. Says a lot about Liverpool's FB's that none of them can get in before those 4.

Enrique has hardly played, Johnson has turned to s**t. Flanagan injured, Manquillo an average loan. It's only Moreno who is good and has a big future but is young and hasnt put it together yet.

Interesting that I ended up with more United and Liverpool players in both teams but 5 of the 6 Arsenal players are in the first team whereas 6 of the 8 United players are in the reserve team.

Central midfield was hard because in a 4-4-2 you need a DM who can screen the back 4 so your wingers can get forward or the full backs can overlap. Arsenal dont have any DM's and United dont have any standout DM's either. So I had to turn to Lucas. You need somone creative next to Lucas so I went with Cazorla who has been good all year but that midfield is light cos you need someone to carry the water, a box to box type and Cazorla really isnt that player, but again I hate 4-4-2.

No room for Ozil who hasnt set the world alight. Ramsey has been poor and injured. Theo only just coming back. Ox you could maybe have in for Mata who is mishandled at United, just like he was at Chelsea.

Interesting that I could only get one United defender in, because they are all pretty average. Even Rafael has barely played but RB is a black hole for all three squads. We go so far to play wingbacks and then play AM's at RWB in Markovic, Ibe and Sterling.

Can unlucky as he hasnt fully developed his impending beastmode.

Lol. Lucas Cazorla and Sahko.

 

[chef]

You guys are never going to agree

 

[Zidane98]

Lol. Lucas Cazorla and Sahko.

Why Sakho? Clearly the best defender out of all 3 clubs.

 

[glenferry23]

This will just keep going round in circles.

 

[elhadjihenry]

Why Sakho? Clearly the best defender out of all 3 clubs.

Koscielny > Sakho

 

[Bojan KantKick]

Why Sakho? Clearly the best defender out of all 3 clubs.

Would like to see him and Mertesacker have a race for the lulz. Good player but you're overrating him imo.

 

[Jatz]

Yep, enough lads. It has very little to do with the FA cup and you could all go 200 pages and still not agree with each other.

 

[Cruyff14]

Move it on lads.

 

[Zidane98]

Do I hear an echo in here

 

[moomba]

Was wondering yesterday whether, rather than play the cup semi finals at Wembley, the FA could pick at random a game from each round (say round 3 to the quarters) to be an official fA Cup showpiece game. Promote the hell out of the game and the clubs involved. Play it at Wembley and chuck it on the TV.

Great for smaller clubs lucky enough to get picked, could set them up financially for years. Inconvenience to some fans but they could have been drawn away to a London club anyway. And I'm sure some will enjoy the Wembley day out. Particularly those clubs that don't regularly get the opportunity. Good for Wembley, debts still get paid off.

Countering that is the belief that Wembley should be the pinnacle, not something you win in a raffle. But it's not the pinnacle when the semis are there anyway.

 

[Zidane98]

I still reckon semis should go back to being at Old Trafford / Villa Park (with United and Villa playing away if they make the semis). Worked well for years and really made Wembley something special.

 

[BORK]

The favourite game I have ever watched involving Manchester United involved an FA Cup semi final at Villa Park. Think everyone here knows which one I am referring to.

 

[moomba]

Not necessarily the sty and Villa Park. But it was a system that worked well, and could again. But Wembley debts need to be paid so not going to happen,

 

[Benno_900]

They should just play all quarters, semis and the final at the Emirates.

 

[Zidane98]

Not necessarily the sty and Villa Park. But it was a system that worked well, and could again. But Wembley debts need to be paid so not going to happen,

If not the sty you'd want to play a FA Cup semi at either Anfield or St James' Park. Good idea to have one in the north and one Birmingham area. I'd suggest St Mary's in Soton but it is just too small for a FA Cup semi final.

Good point: re the debts. I'm sure there's plenty of other sports/concerts that could utilise the venue instead of having to play the semis there.

 

[jod23]

If not the sty you'd want to play a FA Cup semi at either Anfield or St James' Park. Good idea to have one in the north and one Birmingham area. I'd suggest St Mary's in Soton but it is just too small for a FA Cup semi final.

Good point: re the debts. I'm sure there's plenty of other sports/concerts that could utilise the venue instead of having to play the semis there.

Anfield is too small to host FA Cup semi finals. It's why Anfield never gets international games aswell. Apparently we lack gross seats, supposed to 50k plus, corporate facilities too. All this is being addressed in the expansion of Anfield to not only make Anfield better for Liverpool FC but also to make the stadium better to then be a place for internationals and big matches like FA Cup semi's if it were to go back to the old system.

 

[Benno_900]

Are trying to be the Arsenal version of Jod or something?

If I were Jod, I'd claim Szczesny over De Gea as well.

 

[moomba]

I think it would be best if you can you choose venues based on the teams playing. Two London teams, no point sending them both North where they might get cold, and their supporters exposed to full strength beer.

UEFA have a ranking of stadiums, if it's good enough for a Europe final it should be good enough for an FA Cup semi.

Not sure which grounds are rated as suitable according to UEFA. I know City and United are (and have held European finals). Arsenal would be I'm sure. Newcastle?

 

[Zidane98]

I think it would be best if you can you choose venues based on the teams playing. Two London teams, no point sending them both North where they might get cold, and their supporters exposed to full strength beer.

UEFA have a ranking of stadiums, if it's good enough for a Europe final it should be good enough for an FA Cup semi.

Not sure which grounds are rated as suitable according to UEFA. I know City and United are (and have held European finals). Arsenal would be I'm sure. Newcastle?

Not sure on Newcastle. I think there should only be a London semi if 2 London teams are playing. And no side should get home ground advantage for a semi final. Could also play a semi in Cardiff??

Old Trafford is obviously the best option for a semi in the north though.

 

[jod23]

I think it would be best if you can you choose venues based on the teams playing. Two London teams, no point sending them both North where they might get cold, and their supporters exposed to full strength beer.

UEFA have a ranking of stadiums, if it's good enough for a Europe final it should be good enough for an FA Cup semi.

Not sure which grounds are rated as suitable according to UEFA. I know City and United are (and have held European finals). Arsenal would be I'm sure. Newcastle?

We are not but will be after the expansion which is important.

If say Spurs v Chelsea were playing an FA Cup semi final, it would make sense to have it at the Emirates so no team or supporters have to travel.