Chez

you are right, that energy and excitement you get from attending games somehow transfers across to those unable to attend and creates a cup run buzz. Thats not there, sadly, but the league form is weighing heavy. Come semi final day we will all be buzzing again.

Agreed. No reason to hold them there this year. Time to return them to neutral grounds and make that final experience that more special.

Armstrong was once again outstanding. He controls the ball when at full tilt almost as good as Lallana used to do, ensuring he maximises every break opportunity. Love watching him play. I say this every time, but Diallo is a proper player. So talented.

happy with the performance, all be it against a very average side offering limited threat. Love the FA cup, wish I could be at the semi final. what a shame to miss it. Happy days.

Redmond watch. SECOND HALF Simple pass backwards. Didn't challenge header. should make the effort there. Decent press. Could hold it up with defender tight. Couldn't control the ball. Gentle press. Nice control and calmly picked a short square pass. controlled shot from rebound. Goal. Well taken. Good composure. bit slow to control the ball as break opportunity come, but did keep the ball moving short easy pass for Bertrand no real effort to go for overly long ball decent press doesn't get his weak cross past the first man. poor. weak challenge nice movement to make space for Amstrong good cool, simple back pass simple control and back pass nice flick Didn't challenge when should, then fouled giving free kick away tight space, curling shot, extremely close. but maybe should have scored. left foot clearance lovely lay off. control with back to goal and simple pass back lovely first time through ball to Che nice cushioned one touch pass simple one touch pass simple pass nice touch and weighted pass simple pass..and another nice tough a decent through ball miss-control from throw. lost possession.

Stephens has mare there.

...they beat Burnley in the last round. You still have to do the business when you play lower league teams. We've lost to teams like this in the past.

I decided to study Redmond's performance, looking at every time he was involved. received between the lines, didn't attack the space when there was an opportunity, laid off square easy short pass didn't control short corner, meant pass was behind JWP. Shite. couldn't control tough waist high ball. not easy. easy short pass got into space well won uncontested header, which went off for throw held ball up and linked with Che simple pass nice turn with dribble forward, woeful pass/cross. Absolute Shite. Gentle press nicked the ball, judged a foul nice turn, direct dribble straight into box and pack of defenders, almost got through, maybe didn't really have a clue what he was doing, ultimately lost ball good control, but terrible pass backwards straight to their player who broke and almost went on to score. Very bad. Almost costly. held it up calmly, simple pass back to our keeper. dropped into space well giving Bednarek a much needed out, simple one touch pass slow to track his man, but free kick not taken quickly so got away with it. dropped very deep again to give an option, good control with man tight behind, simple pass. Good play. gentle press, didn't contest either header, would be harsh to say bottled it as ball wasn't quite there. did very well indeed to hold ball up and lay it off under a lot of pressure. nice first touch, direct dribble, calm as approached the box, lovely weighted through ball inside creating the goal. Top quality stuff. first to a header, flicked on, no one there. could no nothing else. collected throw, kept possession. looks much more confident after involvement in goal. nice turn without ball, almost caught defender out failed to hold ball up with man tight to him. Could have done better. nice dribble, calm, defender sold himself a bit, but confident strike. Goal. Excellent stuff. HALF TIME

he was a bit flat in the last game, so maybe coming off the bench is not the worst idea. He's pretty much our only genuine attacking option.

Lloyd Kelly is their usual left back and a player we should consider signing. Is he injured?

kind of feel the same. Regelation would cause a financial meltdown, so that is not to be underestimated, but strongest sides should be put out for the cup while we are in the top flight (you never get abetter chance to win it)...and to be fair they have. Ralf put his best side out for the Arsenal game in the cup, not the league shortly after, while Arsenal did the reverse. This season has been a nightmare. Win the cup and we can forget the league and the trophy will be part of our history. I want to see us with four trophies, the same as the cunts down the road by the end of my lifetime.

I was about to say, "not the prettiest bunch of fans, are we."

nervous, but excited. What an opportunity. We just have to win this game. A couple of upsets in the other games and we can start to dream.

Paul Cook remembers his time at the club fondly: "There’s no way I’d ever return to Portsmouth, though. I’ve done that trip." "I certainly won’t be returning to Portsmouth at any given time"

They did extremely well at Lincoln. Played a lot of direct balls but they had a decent target man and it worked a treat. I wonder if Marquis would work in that kind of role. Let's fucking hope not.

He was after a new contract for £100,000+ a week when Chelsea activated a clause to extended his original deal for a year until 2023. If Ings goes the cash might be there.

I cant remember the last time substitutions have changed the game in our favour. We often get worse, not better.

We often come out of the blocks and force teams back, but that wasn't the case today. They played very well. Tactically and defensively they were solid. We just had no answer. By and large we are not good enough to break teams down.

I always think we will beat Burnley, they are pretty shite, but they looked bloody excellent against Everton so fear for us. I cant see where the next win is coming from. Are WBA playing poorly? I've not watched them.

I don't see that many players not being brave enough on the ball except Redmond. I've always tried to back Redmond, but he is one of those who's confidence has gone. He struggled to control the ball today never mind get it, and penetrate. One nice weighted pass the Bertrand and that is all he did. I do think our natural game is to keep the ball and not take a chance by driving down the line. That can quickly become a blind alley, but every now and then you have to at leats try it.

We didn't play well. no doubt about it. But Brighton have been playing well in recent weeks without the results they deserve. I watched them at Leeds and they completely nullified them as they did us. They don't look like a relegation threatened side to me. Perhaps they lack a striker, but they are very solid. We on the other hand look all over the place defensively, and when we are chasing games we don't have the quality in the final third to unlock packed defence.

this. There seems to be a complete lack of awareness from Ralf that perhaps our formation isn't helping us. Brighton suffocated us thrpughout the entire game. What was the response?

I was going to type those exact same words. They were better than us. That happens. But what games in the run in are we are going to be able to say that.

I don't normally jump on Redmond's back, but he has been poor. Given the ball away too many times and doesnt seem to have the confidence to actually do anything with it. He's hiding.

Brighton did the same thing to Leeds a few weeks back. They work their socks off, don't allow you to get a foothold in the game and can beat the press. We have to keep pushing.