CB Fry

Mike will be holding hands with the City players leading the cheers in front of the away fans in a minute.

Smallbone is coming on so that means whatever it is that he does does does.

He pushed him over clear as day. Calling it a soft penalty is absolutely laughable.

Mike Dean running around with his shirt over his head right now.

You think I'm taking the piss because I agreed with you? Jesus wept.

Mike Dean was windmilling around the ground when Foden scored that. Jumping for joy he was.

Boo hoo boo hoo. Absolute stonewall penalty and it's a persecution complex time on SaintsWeb.

Che Adams missed that because of Mike Dean or something

Yes we do. He would give it. Turn it in on the fucking we're-so-hard-done-by stuff.

He pushed him over. Penalty all day every day every match for all time.

Salisu you utter prick.

Adam Armstrong can definitely score, but only if the goal is as large as an average sized car showroom.

For Ralph this is mission accomplished for the first half. Still in it half time.

That's why Long is in the team.

game over

Interesting line up. I can see the thinking that Long and Armstrong will just work and work for an hour and if we're still in it then we bring on Broja. Delighted that Callebero is not playing, as that would have been an absolute joke. What he's done is made tactical calls, which is fine. Rather than just select shit players because it is a cup game. Not sure it will work - I would have thought use Broja early to get an early goal might have been a better plan - but let's see. Come on Saints

Unfortunately it feels like it is going to be the most rudimentary of wins for the away team. Ralph doesn't give a flying fuck about this tournament, it's not what pays his bonus. It's just a method to throw a first team bone for fringe players. Fringe players like a 40 year old free signing brought in from doing kickabouts at Kingstonian to cover an injury crisis. Getting through to the next round isn't about trying to win a trophy, or even getting to a final. It's oh good, another match I can piss about with an experimental team in. The West Ham win gives him the moral authority to pull that stunt again. Looking forward to the 2pm team announcement!

You don't understand the technical nature of the role well enough to possibly say that.

Fuck knows why you're making me out to be some kind of Walcott fan-boy. I don't want him to play either. And now you're babbling about Olly Lancashire. Not really the issue in hand here. I want our first choice team out there, thought I'd made that clear. Journeyman, stop gap Callebero is not a first choice player for us. You know it. I know it. Ralph knows it and the two goalies know it. For tomorrow's match it looks like the plan is to pick second choice players. We know for certain about one of them. Let's see how many others we get treated to. It is an absolute joke.

Oh I get it. It's an absolute joke. He can go and save four pens in the shoot out tomorrow and people will be very welcome to do the "told you so" routine to me. Be my guest. But he will still be dropped for the Leeds game. Because he is not our first choice keeper. And Ralph knows he is not his first choice. Which is the point I am making. We're not going out with the best we have, we are intentionally picking second-best, second-raters. Knowingly. An absolute joke.

Walcott at least has a history with the club. Selecting a stop-gap 40 year old for a home cup quarter final, with no other games anywhere near, would be an absolute joke. He's not been good enough for first choice selection for the last three games and it's as sure as shit he won't be picked for the game vs Leeds either. Because he's a stop gap back up. So yes, an absolute joke.

If I'm honest I not that fussed about the technical aspects. It's more about the fact that we do not need to give game time to a 40-year old who is only here because of a injury issue a few months back. We haven't played for a week, we don't play again for a fortnight. There is absolutely no reason for him to play. If Ralph thinks he is "technically" better then he should have been first choice for the last three matches, shouldn't he?

Outside of a genuine injury to Forster, Cabellero being selected would be an absolute joke.

Smallbone in the first eleven and Broja on the bench is our strongest side, now, is it? Agree it was a shitshow.

Don't rule out a Brighton-style draw marathon.