FA Cup Semi Final

[trousers]

5 minutes ago, whelk said:

Genuine question, what does the Venn diagram look like in terms of overlap of those that think the draw is rigged and those grown men that wear nappies and get given spending money by their missus?

Both groups would fit in the small circle...

 

[Sir Ralph]

11 minutes ago, EssEffCee said:

Manning is banned isn't he?

Fair point - Bree and wellington then

[LGTL]

2 minutes ago, egg said:

Where would you host a city/saints semi? Villa Park a wee bit too small for me. 

Chelsea/Leeds ditto. 

If you're playing in London, there's the north London grounds I suppose. 

Old Trafford for Chelsea v Leeds and WHL/Emirates for our game would be far more enjoyable than Wembley IMO

[trousers]

2 minutes ago, egg said:

Where would you host a city/saints semi?

White Hart Lane?

[Chez]

8 minutes ago, James G said:

Yeah, I think Leeds will beat Chelsea. I think Leeds will want it more, Chelsea just seem to go into meltdown mode at the wrong time, and someone will get sent off for them 

I always feel wembley suits the bigger sides as they play those kind of huge stadiums on a regular basis, but Palace showed the way last season and we are half decent on the break too. we have underperformed the last two semi final though. third time lucky?

Edited 3 hours ago by Chez

[Midfield_General]

5 minutes ago, egg said:

Where would you host a city/saints semi? 

Fratton 

[egg]

2 minutes ago, LGTL said:

Old Trafford for Chelsea v Leeds and WHL/Emirates for our game would be far more enjoyable than Wembley IMO

 

2 minutes ago, trousers said:

White Hart Lane?

That'd work. I like the idea of Wembley being preserved for the final - hosting semi's there never felt right. 

[LGTL]

8 minutes ago, whelk said:

I see a marked improvement in attitude LGTL😀

The Tonda effect 😂

[EssEffCee]

6 minutes ago, egg said:

Where would you host a city/saints semi? Villa Park a wee bit too small for me. 

Chelsea/Leeds ditto. 

If you're playing in London, there's the north London grounds I suppose. 

Millennium stadium for me. As you say it's never go anywhere too small as clubs won't want their allocations halved.

[The Kraken]

3 minutes ago, egg said:

Where would you host a city/saints semi? Villa Park a wee bit too small for me. 

Chelsea/Leeds ditto. 

If you're playing in London, there's the north London grounds I suppose. 

Yeah, that’s the issue, ideally you’d go for a ground mid distance to make it ok for fans but Villa Park is only 42k. They’re doing a new north stand though which will take capacity to 50K so brings in into play. But the big / appropriate stadiums are either in London (Spurs and Arsenal) or Manchester/Liverpool. Newcastle and Sunderland kind of out due to location.

whether clubs would want to host semi finals these days could also be an issue, I suppose.

[James G]

2 minutes ago, Chez said:

I always feel wembley suits the bigger sides as they play those kind of huge stadiums on a regular basis, but Palace showed the way last season and we are half decent on the beak too. we have underperformed the last two semi final though. third time lucky?

I think, on this occasion, there's loads of Chelsea players wanting to leave Chelsea. They'll see a Wembley appearance as an opportunity to put themselves in the shop window. If you have players playing for themselves and not the team, it ultimately fails. Leeds, for all their flaws, are a team

[Gloucester Saint]

6 minutes ago, trousers said:

White Hart Lane?

Memories of 1986, Kevin Bond backpass and Mark Wright leg break.

Aside from its demolition. New stadium would be alright though and trains from Manchester to London not that much further than from the Solent area these days.

Edited 3 hours ago by Gloucester Saint

[saintstowin]

I don't think the draw is fixed but that was amateur hour with Joe Cole 'I'm not looking honest I ain't' while he held the bag away from him.

[musesaint]

Two Wembley trips this year will surely be enough. One FA Cup Semi Final and then the Playoff Final. A third will be awesome - but will put massive pressure on crucial fixtures. 

[Toadhall Saint]

In your heart of hearts no one thought we could beat Arsenal well, other than the team that played in yellow and blue last night. Man City have a very very good team but they are not gods. They are 11 men sent out to play football and they can be beaten.

[EssEffCee]

Imagine worrying about an FA Cup final giving you fixture congestion.

Beggars belief.

[Mattio]

Do we know what end we’ll be at?

[EssEffCee]

1 minute ago, Mattio said:

Do we know what end we’ll be at?

Almost certainly west.

[Turkish]

7 minutes ago, musesaint said:

Two Wembley trips this year will surely be enough. One FA Cup Semi Final and then the Playoff Final. A third will be awesome - but will put massive pressure on crucial fixtures. 

You’d rather we lost in the semi final, not have an FA cup final because it’ll put pressure on other games?

[LGTL]

28 minutes ago, saintstowin said:

I don't think the draw is fixed but that was amateur hour with Joe Cole 'I'm not looking honest I ain't' while he held the bag away from him.

My thoughts too. It’s clearly not fixed but for a semi final of the best cup competition in the world, the draw was exceptionally shoddy. 

[RedArmy]

11 minutes ago, EssEffCee said:

Imagine worrying about an FA Cup final giving you fixture congestion.

Beggars belief.

Should have just lost to Doncaster ffs 

[Harry_SFC]

18 minutes ago, EssEffCee said:

Imagine worrying about an FA Cup final giving you fixture congestion.

Beggars belief.

THB came out last night and said the players love playing twice a week.

When you're winning every game you don't get tired. 

Edited 2 hours ago by Harry_SFC

[Dark Munster]

Worst draw obviously. The only silver lining is City will be very much in the title race, especially if they beat Arsenal a few days earlier, so they will have their eyes on that main prize. Shame they got knocked out of the CL.

[Dark Munster]

2 minutes ago, Harry_SFC said:

THB came out last night and said the players love playing twice a week.

When you're winning every game you don't get tired. 

Injuries are the main concern when you play that many matches in a short time.

[bpsaint]

11 minutes ago, LGTL said:

My thoughts too. It’s clearly not fixed but for a semi final of the best cup competition in the world, the draw was exceptionally shoddy. 

I remember the 2003 draw getting its own little lunchtime slot on BBC the Monday after the quarters, and it was done by then England manager Sven Goran Eriksson. Now it’s fucking Joe Cole stood at the side of the pitch drawing balls out of a bag like some half time competition.

[Badger]

40 minutes ago, saintstowin said:

I don't think the draw is fixed but that was amateur hour with Joe Cole 'I'm not looking honest I ain't' while he held the bag away from him.

I find the whole cup draw involving ex-pros or celebs ridiculous and nauseating . Why involve cunts like Cole and ‘Crouchie’? Worse still was having Venables doing it, with private jokes and smiles to someone sat nearby. 
 

In days of old when it couldn’t be seen and was drawn from Lancaster Gate on radio no one ever questioned the integrity of the ‘old farts’ and ‘blazers’ conducting it. 

[EssEffCee]

14 minutes ago, RedArmy said:

Should have just lost to Doncaster ffs 

If we make the final we should definitely chuck it as we don't want those pesky European games next season adding to our schedule.

[Badger]

Celebs making the draw, always brings this to mind:

 

was he pissed ? At least amusing 

Edited 2 hours ago by Badger

[Mattio]

1 minute ago, Badger said:

I find the whole cup draw involving ex-pros or celebs ridiculous and nauseating . Why involve cunts like Cole and ‘Crouchie’? Worse still was having Venables doing it, with private jokes and smiles to someone sat nearby. 
 

In days of old when it couldn’t be seen and was drawn from Lancaster Gate on radio no one ever questioned the integrity of the ‘old farts’ and ‘blazers’ conducting it. 

They should use the national lottery machine for the draw

[Badger]

Just now, Mattio said:

They should use the national lottery machine for the draw

That’s fucking fixed as well. How else haven’t I won it in 30 years ? 

[Mattio]

2 minutes ago, Badger said:

Celebs making the draw, always brings this to mind:

 

was he pissed ? At least amusing 

He couldn’t be, he’s a professional footballer 

[The Kraken]

Peak TV draw was Saint and Greavsie with Donald Trump (PS - eff off SOG, not interested).

 

[John Boy Saint]

I bet Tonda already has a cunning plan germinating.

😇🟡🔵🟡🔵😇

[Football Special]

1 hour ago, LGTL said:

Old Trafford for Chelsea v Leeds and WHL/Emirates for our game would be far more enjoyable than Wembley IMO

For me our game would be fine at Villa Park 

[Maggie May]

1 hour ago, SNSUN said:

I'm not one to make big, romantic gestures but if we win the FA Cup I'm getting a picture of Tonda tattooed on my buttcheek. If we get promoted I'll let my daughter draw a picture of him on my leg with a Sharpie.

Tattoo a T on your left and NDA on your right. 

[trousers]

Just realised it's the London Marathon on the Sunday of semi final weekend... Who's bright idea was that...?!

Does that maybe make it more likely that the game most likely to need more policing (Chelsea v Leeds) will be on the Saturday...?

Edited 2 hours ago by trousers

[Miltonaggro]

14 minutes ago, Badger said:

That’s fucking fixed as well. How else haven’t I won it in 30 years ? 

Hot balls mate. 

[VectisSaint]

1 hour ago, danjosaint said:

Why were saints no1 , its either in alphabetical or order of games surely

Alphabetical order, was supposed to be Arsenal. 

[Football Special]

5 minutes ago, trousers said:

Just realised it's the London Marathon on the Sunday of semi final weekend... Who's bright idea was that...?!

Does that maybe make it more likely that the game most likely to need more policing (Chelsea v Leeds) will be on the Saturday...?

It was same last year, I saw some of it before heading to Wembley, didn't seem to make any difference to match day other than lots of people with medals congratulating each other on the tube 

[Miltonaggro]

1 hour ago, saintstowin said:

I don't think the draw is fixed but that was amateur hour with Joe Cole 'I'm not looking honest I ain't' while he held the bag away from him.

Jamie Laing and Joey Essex lined up for next year. Touch of class.

[ecuk268]

1 hour ago, Lord Duckhunter said:

😂

Somd of you embarrassing yourselves and throwing your toys out of the pram because a 25% chance happened. 
 

33% actually.

We can't play ourselves.

 

[Saint_clark]

1 hour ago, Matthew Le God said:

14th time in a FA Cup semi final...

1 - 1898
2 - 1900 - won
3 - 1902 - won
4 - 1908
5 - 1925
6 - 1927
7 - 1963
8 - 1976 - won FA Cup
9 - 1984
10 - 1986
11 - 2003 - won
12 - 2018
13 - 2021
14 - 2026

Christ I'd literally forgotten all about playing Leicester in 2021.

[Teamsaint1]

1 minute ago, Saint_clark said:

Christ I'd literally forgotten all about playing Leicester in 2021.

I had until a few months ago, if it is any consolation. 
I also can’t remember if I was at the 2-1 home win over Blackburn in Sept 1975. I think I was though…..

[Lighthouse]

3 hours ago, whelk said:

Yeah Liverpool and City were kept apart last draw it’s all fixed. Joe Cole has a text telling him the temperatures and that is from the Head of the FA. Clearly reckless in talking about the fixes.

Just for the record I was being sarcastic, I don’t really believe they stuck two balls in the microwave to heat them up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Everyone knows they shoved them up Joe Cole’s arse for ten minutes.

[saintstowin]

1 hour ago, Football Special said:

It was same last year, I saw some of it before heading to Wembley, didn't seem to make any difference to match day other than lots of people with medals congratulating each other on the tube 

I've a memory of the Chelsea semi final being on marathon day as my son and I went to near the finish before heading to Wembley. 

[Football Special]

At least we dont have to worry about Man City fans buying in our end, it will be quite an unattractive trip for their fans who will be tempted to save their cash for the final. 

FA might have learnt a lesson and lower ticket prices? 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c14xyegjzv3o

[Turkish]

2 hours ago, Matthew Le God said:

14th time in a FA Cup semi final...

1 - 1898
2 - 1900 - won
3 - 1902 - won
4 - 1908
5 - 1925
6 - 1927
7 - 1963
8 - 1976 - won FA Cup
9 - 1984
10 - 1986
11 - 2003 - won
12 - 2018
13 - 2021
14 - 2026

Only 4 wins pretty crap hit rate but we’re due to win one. I remember in 2017 we had a semi final draw which everyone was saying we had no chance and a lot decided they weren’t going to bother going to Anfield, it was one of the best nights ever. So for that reason I will do everything I can to be at Wembley end of April. Sons first semi final too and first trip to Wembley. Like Anfield 2017 I’ll go there thinking we probably won’t but then again, we just might and if we do it’ll be a day to never forget 

Edited 49 minutes ago by Turkish

[Challenger]

2 hours ago, Mattio said:

They should use the national lottery machine for the draw

Is that octopus still about that could do it ? Would be no more slimy than some of the ex players that they draft in.