How the mighty nearly fell. Liverpool survive potentially the biggest shock in FA Cup history as Havant and Waterlooville have the cheek to force Rafa put his best players on the pitch. Elsewhere, whoever blew up City’s blue and white balloons, helped to blow Sven’s chances of a trip to Wembley, as Sheffield United bounced them out in front of the Sky cameras. Oh and Derby lost to Preston – does that count as an upset?
Meanwhile, the top two have no such trouble as Adebayor and Ronaldo star yet again to send Keegan and Ramos home to muse over mid-table. Here’s my notes from the weekend FA Cup games…
Arsenal 3 Newcastle 0
Wenger retained Hoyte in his defence, shifing him to right-back in order to rest Sagna. Senderos and Clichy returned however to add more experience. Fabregas and Flamini returned to the starting lineup in central midifield with Diaby on the left and Rosickyon the right. Walcott and Adebayor started up front with Eduardo joining Hleb on the bench.
Things had to change early on for Arsenal when Rosicky picked up an injury. That introduced Eduardo up front with Walcott moving out to the right of midfield.
Adebayor was the key factor once again. His two goals were superb demonstrations of his power, strength and newfound finishing ability. He’s on a high and can’t be ignored in fantasy terms. Fabregas, in contrast, continues to frustrate. While Arsenal have become more reliant on Adebayor, it appears that the Spaniard has shrunk to become just another piece of the Arsenal puzzle, rather than the catalyst and creator of all things good in attacking terms. His assist here for the Nicky Butt own goal won’t fool anyone – he needs some heavy point scoring games to justify his continued selection in fantasy teams. Newcastle at home again on Tuesday would be a start.
Keegan had a few more options for this one with Butt and Smith returning from suspension. Both started – Butt coming in for the unfortunate Rozenhal in central midfield, while Smith lined up alongside Owen up front with Ameobi dropping from the sixteen. Newcastle were unchanged elsewhere.
Early on, Newcastle looked lively and hinted that they could make a game of this. Arsenal when through the gears in the second-half however and the gulf in class was clear to see. Keegan has work to do and the Newcastle lineup is still largely a no-go in fantasy terms.
Injuries and Suspensions
Rosicky picked up an injury and was subbed on just 9-minutes. Still no news on the extent of that but he will presumably be a doubt for the Premiership clash with Newcastle on Tuesday.
Derby 1 Preston 4
A thoroughly miserable afternoon for Jewell as Preston exposed just much work he faces to even turn Derby into contenders in the Championship next season.
Jewell was without Fagan through suspension but brought Savage, Ghaly and Lewis back into his starting lineup. Barnes, Teale and Leacock were all dropped to the bench. Derby had to make changes early on when Lewis picked a knock. That introduced Teale on the left of midfield.
Three-nil down at halft-time, Jewell made changes hauling off Villa and the woeful Todd for Earnshaw and Barnes. Earnshaw grabbed a consolation and may have played himself into the manager’s reckoning going forward. Certainly there must surely be changes for the City game – Fagan, Barnes and Leacock could well get starts, while Jewell will hope to have Sterjovski available to him to play out on the right.
City are likley to be wounded animals after their Cup exit to Sheffield United but such is the lack of confidence at Derby right now, you really do fear for them against just about any Premiership opponent, starting with City on Wednesday.
Injuries and Suspensions
Nyatanga saw red for a professional foul late in the game and will miss hte City game on Wednesday.
Liverpool 5 Havant and Waterlooville 2
A lot has been said and written about Havant and Waterlooville’s performance here so I don’t need to reiterate what they achieved here. What was also clear from this game is that, yet again, Liverpool needed a wake-up call before they begin to perform.
Rafa made a host of changes and it almost cost him. Itandje started in goal for Reina, Finnan came in at right-back with Arbeloa out injured for three weeks and Skrtel got a first start in place of Carragher in the centre. Gerrard was rested to the bench with Lucas taking his place in midfield, Benayoun played out on the left with Pennant on the right, while Torres was out of the sixteen. Crouch and Babel started up front.
Expect another raft of changes for the visit to West Ham on Wednesday. Benayoun’s hat-trick here, his second of the season, should see him keep his place but around him the whole lineup is set to alter. Alonso, Gerrard, Torres, Kuyt, Carragher and Kewell all set to start at Upton Park.
Mansfield 0 Middlesbrough 2
Boro edged quietly through to the fifth round despite the valiant efforts of League two Mansfield. Southgate gambled and made changes to his starting lineup, resting Downing and Boateng to the bench while Tuncay and O’Neil were out of the sixteen, the latter through illness. Cattermole and Johnson started in midfield, while Lee came in up front with Aliadiere.
An injury to Pogatetz in the first-half forced the introduction of Boateng with Arca shifting to left-back. He could be set to lineup there again on Tuesday against Wigan should the Austrian fail to overcome the knock.
Mido appeared after 71-minutes in this one and seems likely to figure in some capacity in that game given its importance. Downing, Boateng, Tuncay and O’Neil all seem set for recalls while Woodgate seems set to leave Boro later this week. That move only goes to further cement the role of Wheater in the side and make him even more appealing as a budget defensive option for fantasy managers.
Injuries and Suspensions
Pogatetz picked up an injury and was subbed at half-time.
Portsmouth 2 Plymouth 1
Harry was without Sol Campbell once more, who is still nursing a back injury. That meant Pamarot remained in the back four in a central role with Hreidarsson keeping the left-back spot. Elsewhere they were unchanged with Redknapp taking no chances. Davis returned from injury to take a place on the bench.
Portsmouth started with a 4-4-2 then but shifted to a more familiar 4-5-1 after the break with Mvuemba replacing Nugent.
The arrival of Baros today, on loan from Lyon, will cause a shuffle of resources. It seems certain the Baros will get a role up front with Benjani although it must be said that both can be played in wide positions so a 4-5-1 is still a possibility, particularly away from home.
Wigan 1 Chelsea 2
Bruce decided against using either of his new signings, Edman and Figueroa but was forced into a change with Landzaat having moved on in the week. That saw Palacious shift to central midfield with Taylor coming back from injury to get a start on the left of midfield. Heskey was fit and partnered Bent up front.
Some potential but plenty of uncertainty in the Wigan lineup these days. Taylor’s return appears to offer some opportunity for fantasy points but the presence of Koumas on the bench is a constant threat. He replaced Taylor today just short of the hour mark – if that happens regularly it will severely threaten any chance of earning clean sheets from Taylor’s status as a defender.
Up front there is also a lack of clarity. Bent has performed well but the imminent arrival of King from Watford appears to have relegated him in Bruce’s thinking.
Grant didn’t take any chances with his team selection. Bridge came in for Ashley Cole at left-back in what was the only change to the side that was victorious at Goodison in the week. Ballack was still out with his calf injury then.
Anelka overcame what must be the worst playing surface in the top flight to show some glimpses of class and a preview of surely what’s to come. He opened his account here from a Belletti pass, then out-muscled Kilbane to slide a pass into the path of Wright-Phillips for him to seal the game. That was his third goal in five games. Those two represent good value going into the game against Reading and the trip to Portsmouth this week.
Chelsea will make changes in those games. Ferreira will start on Wednesday against Reading for the suspended Belletti, while a fifth yellow for Carvalho here will surely earn a start for Ben-Haim orIvanovic against Portsmouth next weekend.
Finally, be aware if you’re considering drafting in a Chelsea player in the next week or so that they will miss the Premiership fixtures on February 23-24 due to the Carling Cup final. Chelsea were due to play Tottenham in the Premiership that weekend but will now face them at Wembley instead.
Injuries and Suspensions
Palacious is on the verge of a suspension early on in his Wigan career having picked up his fourth domestic booking of the season here.
Carvalho earned his fifth yellow card in this match and will now serve a 1-match ban. He’ll miss the Portsmouth game next weekend.
Man United 3 Tottenham 1
United progress with another brace from Ronaldo and a first-half equaliser from Tevez. Spurs showed their promise once again though, hushing the United crowd with a simple finish after good work from Lennon.
I’m getting bored rattling off stats of how many goals Ronaldo has scored now so I’ll concentrate on Tevez who got his fourth in five games today. Defensively meanwhile, Keane’s goal was the first conceded by United in four games and only their third in nine games.
There was one significant absentee in that defence however, with Vidic out with virus. O’Shea came in at right-back with Brown shifting to a central role. There’s no further details on Vidic so fantasy managers will have to hope he’ll recover for the home game with Portsmouth on Wednesday. It would seem likely and we’re sure to know more in the next couple of days.
Hargreaves partnered Carrick in central midfield with Ronaldo and Giggs either side. It was Tevez and Rooney up front as usual. Scholes was a welcome newcomer on the bench and he appeared for 27-minutes of this game and could well start against Portsmouth.
Spurs were once again without King, whose brief daliance with a run of Premiership matches now appears to be over. That meant that Huddlestone partnered Dawson in central defence once more with Lee moving to right-back to cover the suspended Chimbonda. O’Hara played left-back and did well against Ronaldo.
Dawson’s red card was unfortunate and will mean that Spurs will go to Goodison with perhaps Huddlestone and Chimbonda as their central defensive pairing. Kaboul was on the bench here but Ramos clearly doesn’t fancy him in the slightest. On paper that would appear to present opportunities for goals for Everton, and perhaps Andrew Johnson in particular. However, Spurs are certainly made of sterner stuff and I’m anticipating a hell of a game on Wednesday as the two teams perhaps most likely to break the top four clash.
Injuries and Suspensions
Evra picked up his fifth booking of the season and will now serve a 1-match ban. Because of the 7-day rule, this match will be against City in the Premiership on February 10.
Dawson will serve a 1-match ban for the red here and will be out of the Everton game on Wednesday.
Sheffield United 2 Man City 1
Bizarrely a balloon helped Sheffield United get one over on their Premiership rivals as Luton Shelton put the finishing touches to a Martin cross that appeared to bobble up off a balloon in the City goalmouth to wrong-foot Ball. The Blades then compounded the misery when Stead slammed in a second from a Geary cross.
City did put up a fight in the second-half as Sven looked for goals, shoving Daniel Sturridge on for he ineffectual Elano and in doing so could have unearthed a gem. Sturridge bristled with talent and attitude and almost got City out of jail after pegging Sheffield United back with a superb left-foot strike from a Petrov corner. It wasn’t enough though, despite Sven throwing the Ikea kitchen sink at the Championship side.
Sven went with a 4-5-1 with Mpenza coming in up front, moving Vassell out wide on the right. Richards was nursing a knee injury so Onuoha moved to centre-back with Corluka at right back. Gelson came in for Ireland who was dropped to the bench.
The performance of Sturridge looks likely to have played in firmly into Sven’s plans. The 18-year-old has had his first team prospects hindered by injury but he hit a hat-trick on his comeback for the youth team in midweek and continued that form in the game today. There’s every chance that he’ll be in the starting lineup for the trip to Derby on Wednesday. Sturridge could well be worth monitoring as a budget purchase then, although with Arsenal and United next for City, he will have to do it the hard way if he is to establish himself in the City side.
Injuries and Suspensions
Corluka and Gelson are both on the verge of a suspension, they moved on to four bookings in this game.