Premier League — Matchweek 34 & FA Cup Semi-Finals

Just read the news that FA Cup replays are no more.. .for 6 years.

Shame for lower league clubs but imagine the increased payments from the Premier League to EFL has somewhat sweetened the deal.

No doubt it's great news for the elite clubs who, apart from possibly having the nuisance of a replay to contend with and add to their busy schedule, can now make sure that changing up to 5 players might just get them through the tie.

The magic of the FA Cup is upon us. Just need seeding now, or perhaps allow each year's Top 4 finishers in the league not to be involved until what would be a second 'quarter finals' stage where they would join teams that have battled into the first semi-final round.

Confused? Me too…

I see the FA and the Premier league have decided that from round 1 onwards in the FA Cup there will be no replays.

Again, another kick in the teeth for the lower league clubs, also why are the FA consulting with the Premier League and not the EFL as well?

Also, Premier League clubs don't join the FA Cup till the 3rd Round anyway so why are they allowed to vote on what happens in Rounds 1 and 2?

Obviously no fans were consulted but when did the Premier League or the FA care about what fans want???

I'm mad about the stopping of FA Cup Replays. This pertains to the Sly Six and the power they have in the game. The lower league dog needs to growl loudly and fiercely at the tail-wagging Sly Six. I'm so fed up of the tail wagging the dog.

I don't know if you heard Dan Fletcher read a prepared statement he had come up with, on 5 live - Friday Night Club tear into them and how the game the fans love is disappearing before our eyes. Followed by Kevin Nolan talking absolute bollocks trying to defend this awful decision. Thanks.

Did anyone hear Darren Fletcher on 5Live's Friday Night Club? A brilliant statement he made about the modern game and how worried we should all be about the Sly Six influence over everything these days. He included the decision to stop FA Cup replays and how awful a decision it was.

Followed it with an argument with Kevin Nolan who attempted to defend the Premier League and FA decision to stop them. If you didn't, try to find it. It's the first time I can recall that a BBC employee went all anti Top Six and anti-Premier League. Brilliant.

What does this tell us about there being no more replays in the FA Cup?

The money is in the Premier League, and most clubs see the cup as a distraction nowadays, even though it's a godsend for the lower clubs.

For an old timer like myself, this is absolute sacrilege, because I always believed the FA Cup, was the most special cup of all.

The decision by the Premier League to scrap FA Cup replays is a total disgrace, it's the one big chance for lower league teams to earn extra revenue.

Again it shows how they are favouring the so-called Top 6, who they forget, tried to join an elite league for 30 pieces of silver, and instead of targeting them, and especially Man City and Chelsea, they cowardly shafted us and Forest.

I'm not gonna miss replays, to be honest. It felt so deflating if we couldn't win on the day, and having to traipse back for a reprise a few days later just seemed so lacking to me. And then when they shifted it out to 10 days… made it ridiculous.

Yea, I get that 'small clubs' can in theory push 'big clubs' and secure a big payday. But they can still do that with an awayday in the draw itself? Or did they somehow get a bigger share of the gate money for the replay?

No doubt someone will bring up the 4-4 Goodison classic against Liverpool, and Dave Watson's winning goal in the Anfield replay. No? Not relevant? Okay. Nevermind...

Next up: extra time. 30 minutes of utter boredom that very very rarely creates any goals. So it's straight to penalty shoot-outs for me. I hate them — but it's an appropriate lottery for both teams involved if they can't get a result in regulation time.

There, I've said it. Sorry to buck the trend but I don't see this as Premier League 'corruption' — just common sense. Shoulda done it years ago.

Michael 7

Spot on

I will miss them Michael.

As well as travelling for the league fixture at Sheffield Wednesday on New Year's Day, it took several attempts to get through. We never seemed to stop playing them.

And then there was the Middlesborough epic!!!

Ooh that was close twice. Bees buzzin.

Golazo! Wissa. 0-1 Bees

Great goal from Wissa. Feel like there's no Everton player capable of something like that at the moment

Brentford could have had about three so far.

They're all over Luton here

Working that left side of Luton's box heavily.

Brentford will beat us playing like this

Brentford will beat us playing half as well as this

Kabore off is just fine with me.

To be fair, Luton will probably beat us playing as badly as this

Disgraceful comment from Michael Kenrick.

Don't you understand if any of the lower league clubs get a draw at any of the big clubs that the replay money will keep said club going for years.

Apparently the Premier League didn't even consult the EFL which I find so arrogant and condescending. I hope the likes of us and all the EFL clubs boycott the fuckin thing.

They'd have to have a rethink then because there's too much money wrapped up in sponsorship to scrap the competition altogether.

A lot of us on here have had some great times and some bad at Cup replays.

This absolutely reeks of keeping the big boys happy because of fixture congestion and the expansion of the Champions League (laughs) – nothing else.

I'd love to see how they feel when the government get involved and overturn it.

Hope Brentford don't come to rue this dominance.

Many things that probably should happen in football don't.

Brentford should be about 4 up by now

2 nil! Wissa again

The Wissard with another. Thank you very much.

Nice that he fleced that ankle upward.

Flexed.

Luton are absolutely shite especially defensively.

If we can't stay up this season (yes we've been lucky again the bottom three are beyond awful) then I guess we deserve relegation.

Could do with Brentford adding a few more to worsen Luton's GD

We're only 6 points ahead of Burnley. FFS.

9 tomorrow James.

3 nil Brentford

More relaxed now!

good stuff Pillock

4 nil!

0-4

Getting even better

Wish we could get 4 up away at Luton!!!!

Wish we could get 4 up away at Luton!!!!

Pray for Victor Yu. The magnificent Luton losing again

If - IF - we win tomorrow three more points will do it - clog hovis twats 4-1

We've scored a goal a game so far, only Sheff U have scored one less, totally embarrassing.

gotta love this never say die never give up Luton spirit

Michael Whitehead (28) we'll only deserve to go down if we finish in bottom 3 gross of the stolen points.

This is just what the doctor ordered after our 6-0 thumping midweek

If we have GG, who is this guy? Kneepads Edwards?

Brentford were never going down, too many skillful players in that side, that's why I'm chuffed with today's result

We won't be finishing any higher than we are now so it's all about those below.

Win tomorrow and a productive weekend for once

did you have a good night out James

. but Luton are so positive, such spirit, they score goals. brilliant manager

Beat Brentford, Luton and Sheffield United and we're on 36 points before any appeal.

And we can get something out of Lucifer's Children.

It's there for the taking.

At the Chelsea game, Paul? It was alright. My Mrs enjoyed her first game, even though it was so awful and the trains were fucked

Brian

I agree.

Franky the bottom three are so bad they could deduct another 6 points and I think we still manage to scrape safety.

If we can't beat Luton, Sheff Utd and Forest at home then we've got bigger issues than a point deduction.

Regardless of us being cheated by the Corrupt Premier League, it's still been a shit show from Everton this season, even if we'd got 48 points, I still hate watching our brand of football

0-4 at home in a must win as opposed to 6-0 at a place we haven't performed at for decades, which is worse?

She was yer girlfriend the other day James. Make yer mind up, or do you have wedding bells to share with us.

Girlfriend/Mrs, turn of phrase mate!

We're not married. I'm not making that mistake again!

Ajer had a very good game to my eyes.

We have played 1 game less than Forrest, & 2 less than Luton & Burnley.

We need to get points out of those games to spare of course but it's not a bad position to be in.

Brentford are a good side, better than their league position, and only really that low because of Toney's ban.

We'll struggle to get anything from them.

How is Toney's ban more impactful than an 8 point deduction? I can see why Dyche is fucking pissed off and getting chirpy.

5-0

It's not. I fail to see any connection and wasn't suggesting as such. I just feel Brentford are better than their league position because of it.

5-nil by the way.

The Rat was instrumental in the buildup. Well positioned, kept the line after the pass out of their half.

Sorry, James, I should have phrased that to avoid sounding confrontational. It is the overall pounding on Dyche that annoys me. Sorry again.

We are Ev's fav tomorrow with Forest at 5/2, not that makes any difference. We have to play like an Ev's favourite.

It's Brentford's 4th win since the start of January.

They are a decent side but that is hardly impressive form.

Dale, I've actually been fairly supportive of Dyche all season.

We'd be safe by now without the points nicked off us and for that he deserves some credit (despite us being shocking lately).

Only Sheffield United have a worse goal score than us now.

Thankfully, Luton doing the hard work for us. Just as well

Fair, James. I think the recent Dyche talk and the attempts to decode it have me a little sensitive. I'll use that as an excuse for a very early drink. Cheers.

Rats in the Chelsea kit hamper... look at them holes in Madueke's socks!

Have you seen their goal difference though Svein.

I've noticed that that sock thing quite a lot lately, Michael.

Michael (7),

Your third paragraph: There were three games v Liverpool in that cup round, a draw at Anfield when we were robbed of a definite penalty, the 4-4 game at Goodison, then they tossed up to see where the third game would be played, while Dalgliesh threw a wobbler and resigned from the Liverpool job, and Dave Watson scored the winner at Goodison in a 1-0 win.

And today was another happy day when we didn't play! I hope we have another one tomorrow when we actually play.

Noticed they have scored 31 goals vs ours 32, Danny.

That thing about holes in their socks - I read that it's to do with blow flow, and circulation in their calves. Modern socks are super tight and quite restrictive apparently so lots of players make holes in them to improve comfort and blood flow.

I've been giving a great deal of thought to your behaviour ,James Marshall,

I don't approve of your loaded anti-ism language or your current living arrangements that are not endorsed by holy scripture or the Book of Mormon or the Geneva Book of Discipline.

0-6

How many chances are Chelsea going to miss? They will regret this. Jackson is not top class at all.

I'm sure I'm not the only one bored shitless with possession football.

This City match is mind-numbing. I do prefer the City era with Kompany, Silva and Aguero.

How is that not a penalty?

Premier League corruption at its wors!

Oh, wait a minute. Just VAR incompetence.

That was blatant that handball; Atwell is VAR for us tomorrow as well, I think.

Grealish's arm stretched out and to add insult to injury no corner either.

Staggering how that wasn't given after VAR looked at it.

Oliver is one incompetent twat.

That's a pretty good push from Walker.

Grealish is such a Jessie

Masters at fault for not allowing that penalty. And to blame if we don't win tomorrow. And for the unemployment rate not coming down.

Dyche, who deserves only the best in each and every aspect of his blessed life, was doing a bit of fine dining last night. Spotted – well, you don't spot him, you hear his loud chomping and gravel gob – by a mate at Mem-Saab in Nottingham.

https://www.mem-saab.co.uk/

Jeez, only three trains back to Manchester if this finishes without extra time. Last one is just after 9. Palmer rubbing his hamstring.

Great by De Bruyne.

Paul, I can't help but feel you don't like Sean Dyche. It's very subtle, mind you...

Cheers Rob!

Finally, Gooners score.

Three teams at the bottom have points totals that deserve to see them relegated.

If we can't manage three wins by the end of the season we don't deserve to stay up.

Andy @20,

"The replay money will keep said club going for years."

Like I said, this is so random and extremely rare that no club could rely on or plan for such an occurrence. According to my mate Alan Shearer, he said last night that it has happened just 8 times in the last 5 seasons.

So that's 8 times out of 300 cup-ties (excluding semi-finals and finals) where this absurd miracle everyone is gobbling off about might occur. The only thing in its favour is that it epitomised what was once recognized as "the romance of the FA Cup" — something which has long since died a death.

Funny that the "beautiful game is gone" moaners bitch high and lo about how money has taken over the game, yet here they are doing what? Bitching about money! And bitching that the Premier League differentiate between 'big clubs' and 'small clubs'… yet what are they advocating here exactly?

I'm sure I remember instances where the small club with small ground and drawn at home in the FA Cup to a big club, has lobbied successfully to switch the venue — exactly so they can benefit from a guaranteed slice of the gate money, rather than rely on the complete lottery of grinding out a draw at home so they can then reap the enormous wealth of a midweek replay. If that is not allowed then it could easily be reintroduced as an option.

"I hope the likes of us and all the EFL clubs boycott the fuckin thing. They'd have to have a rethink then because there's too much money wrapped up in sponsorship to scrap the competition altogether."

You really think that's gonna happen? Complete delusion.

"I'd love to see how they feel when the government get involved and overturn it."

The idea that somehow this remarkable government-appointed Independent Football Regulator is going to come in and right all the wrongs that know-it-all fans perceive about this billion-pound football business is frankly ludicrous.

For starters, it will take years to even be put in place. Then, it will only have very limited powers for review and recommendation — the idea that it will benefit fans by providing better control of the working man's game, yet is being brought in by a Conservative government of elites (remember what Thatcher did to the beautiful game???) renders the whole thing farcical in the extreme.

Maybe it would ease things so much more if they got rid of all of those two-legged European ties – play one game only at whoever was drawn at home and have chuffing penalties at the end of the first bloody game!

That would screw up the rich greedy bastards… better still, sod off to your own European league...

Replays are a relic of an earlier era. They should go entirely in my opinion.

Give it a year; I'm fairly certain that, aside from the improvement to the competition, no one will notice the difference.

Gerry (95),

It's arguably because Uefa has increased the number of teams in all their tournaments, and therefore the number of 2-legged ties the top teams will now play, all televised presumably, that this decision has been taken. More money in it, at least for those qualifying teams.

Knowing the price of everything but the value of nothing

As to independent regulatory bodies, think of our wonderful water industry, OFWAT and the Environment Agency regulate them, our rivers are replete with turds, Thames Water, the biggest company, PE owned, is going bust. They'd have definitely failed PSR tests.

Michael @80, when you get as much VAR incompetence as we have seen this season, then sometimes people are going to question the people at the top.

A few years ago, when Arsene Wenger said that the FA Cup would lose a lot of its meaning and beauty, I was absolutely livid! I can remember calling him a cheeky French bastard, who should just keep his fucking mouth shut.

I was angry because I knew that, if it was coming from one of the most knowledgeable people in football, then it was probably going to happen. The saddest thing about the cup nowadays is that outsiders don't seem to win this competition anymore.

Football has never been a level playing field but it's never been played on a ski-slope before with the biggest teams kicking downhill. I said to my Arsenal mate after they lost last weekend (I had a feeling the pressure might get to them more after Liverpool lost?) that it takes years to learn how to truly compete nowadays, when you consider they were playing Munich on Tuesday, then Villa, then Munich again.

When I read that Guardiola was absolutely fuming with the FA yesterday, my own thoughts were that only Manchester City have got both the experience and the squad to overcome playing so many high-pressure games in quick succession. I believe at least 50% of Premier League teams would find it much easier if they didn't have to play any cup games at all.

Michael, I am surprised at your stance on FA Cup replays as the only beneficiaries as usual will be the Sky Six.

Incidentally if there had been no replays in 1966 and 1984 we could have been knocked out in penalty shoot outs by Manchester City and Gillingham.

Ellis Simms scores at Wembley!!!

And it's now 3-2!!! Massive deflected shot. Onana couldn't or wouldn't reposition to try and palm it away!

Unbelievable Coventry shot... unbelievable Onana reaction save!

Brilliant moment of football.

Michael, it wasn't Simms who scored, it was O'Hare... but Ellis has played a great game and it's still there for Coventry.

And now Coventry penalty to go 3-3... SCORED!!!!

USA! USA! USA! Haji Wright's added time penalty squares Coventry at Wembley. Love watching Man Utd fans look sick.

I know you get annoyed when I have the temerity to disagree with you, Mr Gaynes, but check yer facts:

Simms (71'minutes), O'Hare (79'minutes), Wright (90'+5minutes pen)

My mistake, Michael.

If ManU lose this from 3-0, it will be historic. Stick in their guts forever.

Iwobi doing what Iwobi does best😴

Iwobi shite as ever

It sums up our poor season that Coventry can do this to Man Utd.

They have been poor in both games this season and in the last game, we gifted them two penalties to take the points

Terrible play there by Simms — why didn't he shoot?

And then Hadji Wright dragging his shot wide after lovely touch from Simms.

OMG, great effort by Simms, hits the bar!

Simms. Crossbar. Omigod.

They have GOT to win this game.

YYYEEEESSSS!!!!! DOWN GOES UNITED!!!!!

Argh. Offside. Damn.

As cruel as it gets

People will stop watching this bullshit soon.

VARCHESTER UNITED

This is why we should have told the powers that be to shove VAR up their arses.

Bastards….Fuck VAR.

So cruel... and barely millimetres.

Whatever happened to being onside if you are level?

Not to mention that fucking VAR should be nowehere near any FA Cup ties.

1 Nano millimeter offside claimed

Penalties.

Fraction of an inch away on Simms' shot down off the crossbar. Fraction of an inch on the offside. On such margins are histories made.

Come on, Sky Blues, win the penalties.

Andrew 118

Indeed

Man Utd win both tosses: End and First kick

Nice first save by Collins… long way to go.

Fantastic penalty: 2-1 Coventry

Eriksen scores, O'Hare saved. 2 - 2

Bastards

Fernandes scores; Sheaf Misses horribly!!!! 3 - 2 Man Utd

Damn. Sad.

Spawny bastards.

Hoilund to score and win it: 4 - 2 Man Utd.

Huge deflation for Sky Blues after an unbelievable comeback.

Manure VAR

Imagine being a professional footballer and not kicking Bruno Fernandes up and down the pitch for 90 minutes.

I hope City fuckin' buries those red bastards.

Unbelievable lucky shits
I hope City batter them

I hope City roast them in the incinerator. Lucky bastards, again.

City will, John, Joe

Colin, did you love Iwobi's blunder against the RS?

VAR saves a Sly Six side again. How often have we seen that!! VAR to often. 1000s of young Coventry fans' joy stolen by a man in a van. A toe nail if that.

Can you imagine those kids minds now?

"Dad / Mum, we scored. The ref gave it, the linesman (I'm old school), didn't put his flag up. We were celebrating a great Semi-Final comeback. Maybe one of the greatest and millions watching the game, were celebrating with us.

"Why / What was wrong with it? Are those Everton fans right – The Game is Corrupt as Fuck?"

So what was going to be a great story, one to be told and retold over the years, no longer exists. How can that be right?

PS: Fernandez has to be one of the biggest shits in the game. The way he had a go at the Coventry goalie after he scored - git.

Jack. So much for “the magic of the FA Cup”. No way the authorities were going to let a lesser side ruin their showpiece final plans.

Check out the second goal for Alaves against Atleti if you get the chance.