Badger

Of the teams involved you'd think Arsenal, Man City, Liverpool will all want a Saturday fixture with possible European ties the next week. Although i suspect the TV companies will just insist on the scheduling so someone - Pep or Arteta- will be bleating about it.

Have the FA had a QF weekend falling on Easter before, and if so was a match scheduled for Good Friday ? As logical as some of the arguments are, I'd imagine the final say on the fixtures and timing will be with the broadcasters. If they've already designated the slots for Saturday and Sunday then that's when the game will be.

Are they not able to segregate a further section of the Chapel to offer another block or so in the corner?

Wouldn’t surprise me if they try and sign him on the cheap as a back up option. Especially if the qualify for Europe (which now looks unlikely). He made a couple of excellent stops v Man Utd the other night, including one that looked similar to the save Pickford made at St James a few days before, and the media went overboard about.

This is what the FA Cup is all about. Chance for a one off scarf and be seen live on TV holding it up at a ridiculous time of day to deprive people of watching something else in their usual routine.

As good as Preretz is, I think this is a stretch. Ramsdale is easily a top PL keeper ( although the ‘Big 6’ want something else or extra) not sure how Peretz would fare.

Definitely. I just want the opportunity to buy a half/half scarf. But difficult knowing which one we’ll get. Perhaps I can pre-order one of each from a dodgy website in China. Get in ahead of the rush. Just in case.

Why are they screwed next season ?

That’s a good find.

Mark Paul looks a shortarse in that photo. Definitely a big ask for him to make it at PL. Of the others, Beattie aside, that was a pretty poor summer recruitment. Hughes was barely interested, Ripley I think had one good game for us, Howells pretty uneventful, Scott Marshall (OG) no further comment needed. Sports Republic would have been proud of that lot.

Should be used for one the FA Cup semi finals in my view.

And so many people thought Levy was the main problem at Spurs. They’ve got worse since he left

One of the most celebrated that’s for sure.

I haven’t fully recovered from the bottom three going down rather than just the two. 1974, a very bitter awakening to the new rule.

It will be, but have to remember that ‘luck’ will play a great part in how this pans out, specifically injuries and suspensions. If Peretz suddenly is out for a few weeks, we’re buggered if relying on Long and the Warrington bloke. Not sure he’ll be able to do much about that. Beat Fulham at the weekend we could also derail our own season with a fixture pile up and be hampered by our own success. But as you say be interesting to see how he handles the challenges.

How are they guaranteed to be in the final ? My understanding was that 3 and 4th would play the winners of the preliminary matches between 5,6,7,8th.

Not so much fun if we’re in the same division as one of them next season perhaps. Unless of course they continue to implode.

At least it leaves it as a 3pm kick off on the Monday then. Now watch Wrexham or Saints get into the FA Cup QF and bollocks that up

Yet we are striving for promotion to play some of the most expensively assembled teams in the world. When you highlight that return from the top 6 in the Championship it underlines the enormity of the what we might face. Unless SR spend big. And wisely.

Especially as he was off the field when they scored both tonight

All the managers you’ve mentioned are in their second season or more with their clubs so have had a lot longer to shape their teams. Wrexham have recruited well for the Division and Neil has done an outstanding job. From where we were when Eckert took over he’s done an impressive job to get us where we are. Playoffs were becoming disappearing fast in Still’s last few weeks. At the time I’d have expected us to go for a more experienced manager, but if they’d brought Carrick or whoever (Gary O’Neil??) and we were now in this position most would say ‘job well done’. As you say, any failings this season will be down to the first three months, and appointment of Still.

Very few people had any expectations under Martin, most seemed to say he'd easily be found out if/when we were promoted. Don't think anyone hailed him a messiah either.

I think this is annoying in itself, before you factor in the adverts. I find their coverage poor. But even BBC coverage isn’t the same without Bill McLaren, but it does outdo ITV.

Perhaps worth asking yourself why Brighton or Brentford didn’t sign him in the first place.

My gut feeling since the draw is that we’d win at Fulham. Unless of course we play a seriously weakened team. As you point out though winning this conflicts with our greater ambitions for the season.