FA Cup quarter finals

[Valesaint]

What are Brighton doing? Playing a weaker side in the only competition that they may have had a chance in advancing in.

 

They are laying on their backs and giving up before they start.

 

Disrespectful to their fans and to the competition.

 

Come on Saints give it a real go.

[davefoggy]

Surely Spurs can't play their semi at Wembley can they??

[Batman]

Surely Spurs can't play their semi at Wembley can they??

 

They can and they will

[beatlesaint]

What are Brighton doing? Playing a weaker side in the only competition that they may have had a chance in advancing in.

 

They are laying on their backs and giving up before they start.

 

Disrespectful to their fans and to the competition.

 

Come on Saints give it a real go.

 

Absolutely senseless. They have two weeks until the next League match.

[ashnats]

They can and they will

 

If spurs win the cup this year, I think it should be asterisked.

 

Are there any asterisks in recent football history? I’m trying to remember one but might be thinking nfl.

[nta786]

If spurs win the cup this year, I think it should be asterisked.

 

Are there any asterisks in recent football history? I’m trying to remember one but might be thinking nfl.

 

1992/93 ligue 1.

league winner is unattributed

 

best example i can think of that is vaguely related.

[Kingsland Red]

I don't think any team has won the Super Bowl at their own stadium albeit 49ers and the LA Rams won in their own city at a different stadium.

* I stand to be corrected *

[Valesaint]

The capitulation by Brighton was so embarrassing.

 

Their players almost fan worshipped the opposition at the end.

[aintforever]

They can and they will

 

They should be given a smaller allocation to even things up a bit.

[SFC Forever]

Surely being a semi the teams get an even split of tickets.

[aintforever]

Surely being a semi the teams get an even split of tickets.

 

Yes it will be but as Spurs will effectively be playing at home I think they should have less fans there than whoever they are playing. Would make it a bit fairer. Never happen though.

[Stu Man Do]

Bit sad to see all the changes being made in this years FA cup. Should apply the rules they had about first teamers from the JPT. Potentially us and Wigan could be the only QF teams to not make wholesale changes.

[nta786]

Surely being a semi the teams get an even split of tickets.

 

yeah its been confirmed obviously that there will be no Spurs branding, and obviously both teams get an equal distribution of tickets.

 

The issue for me is that Spurs have had a whole season to acclimatise to Wembley stadium, and whilst pitch dimensions etc is the same and all that other crap, it is still a slight advantage for them. In essence, they really should win the competition this year.

[John Boy Saint]

yeah its been confirmed obviously that there will be no Spurs branding, and obviously both teams get an equal distribution of tickets.

 

The issue for me is that Spurs have had a whole season to acclimatise to Wembley stadium, and whilst pitch dimensions etc is the same and all that other crap, it is still a slight advantage for them. In essence, they really should win the competition this year.

They could still end up with the away dressing room, which is one of those silly mental things football psychologists can’t account for.

[SFC Forever]

would be a quirk of fate if Spurs had to use the away end and quite amusing.

[davefoggy]

Semi finals shouldn't be played at Wembley

[doddisalegend]

Semi finals shouldn't be played at Wembley

 

Totally agree smacks of FA trying to milk their share of the English football cow.

[musesaint]

Unless we beat Wigan. In which case it’s a great idea

[Saint-Fred]

I can't see the issue with Spurs and Wembley..most years the champions league has he potential for a team to play at their home ground in the final.

Didn't Chelsea play Bayern at Bayerns ground a few years back?

[Toadhall Saint]

Totally agree smacks of FA trying to milk their share of the English football cow.

 

It’s a fact! Semi final is at a neutral ground so no team has an advantage - unless you are spuds of course. Mockery

[Toadhall Saint]

I can't see the issue with Spurs and Wembley..most years the champions league has he potential for a team to play at their home ground in the final.

Didn't Chelsea play Bayern at Bayerns ground a few years back?

 

It’s not the champions league tho is it. It’s the FA that made the rule.

[Lighthouse]

It’s a fact! Semi final is at a neutral ground so no team has an advantage - unless you are spuds of course. Mockery

 

How far in advance did this use to be decided? Curious as, for example in 2003 we played at Villa Park and the Arsenal/Sheff Utd game was at Old Trafford. Supposing Villa had drawn Man Utd, would another ground have been chosen?

[tajjuk]

Neither the Swansea or Brighton players looked very bothered about trying in the cup, hope our players try a bit more.

 

Man Utd were there for the taking and Swansea just let Spurs have so much room, both Erikkson's goals could have easily been closed down.

Edited 18 March, 2018 by tajjuk

[Whitey Grandad]

How far in advance did this use to be decided? Curious as, for example in 2003 we played at Villa Park and the Arsenal/Sheff Utd game was at Old Trafford. Supposing Villa had drawn Man Utd, would another ground have been chosen?

 

Yes, any suitable neutral ground was chosen. Consideration was given to the facilities, capacity, location.

 

Let’s not forget the tragedy at Hillsborough which had regularly been used as a venue for semi-finals until then.

[Toadhall Saint]

How far in advance did this use to be decided? Curious as, for example in 2003 we played at Villa Park and the Arsenal/Sheff Utd game was at Old Trafford. Supposing Villa had drawn Man Utd, would another ground have been chosen?

 

For as long as I can remember. And yes to your scenario. We played at neutral grounds - Highbury and white heart lane for fa semis in the 80’s.

[Yorkshire Saint]

As fans we should come together (if we get through) how can it be fair to play spurs at Wembley .. atrocious decision

[Toadhall Saint]

As fans we should come together (if we get through) how can it be fair to play spurs at Wembley .. atrocious decision

 

I’d get behind any team that ends up facing spuds at Wembley in an fa cup semi. The rule was put there so both teams do not have an unfair advantage by playing at home.

[Saint-Fred]

It’s not the champions league tho is it. It’s the FA that made the rule.

 

What rule? There is no "neutral ground" rule as far as I know...the rule is semi and final will be played where the committee decide...nothing about it being a neutral venue etc etc I don't think.

[Whitey Grandad]

What rule? There is no "neutral ground" rule as far as I know...the rule is semi and final will be played where the committee decide...nothing about it being a neutral venue etc etc I don't think.

 

Contractually they have to be played at Wembley. I don’t know how long that contract lasts.

 

Ultimately the FA Cup Committee decides.

[Lord Duckhunter]

The FA won’t give a shiny shiete about fairness, all they’re interested in is £’s. They’re setting a precedent that will bite them in the arse. Chelsea are talking about playing at Wembley for 3 seasons, that’s an immense advantage in the cups.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Saint_clark]

I thought the rules changed so that you couldn't have crazy patterns on your pitch anymore...?

 

Sent from my SM-J330FN using Tapatalk

[Greenridge]

I thought the rules changed so that you couldn't have crazy patterns on your pitch anymore...?

 

Sent from my SM-J330FN using Tapatalk

 

It's quite distracting. Will probably send VAR into blue screen lol.

[Whitey Grandad]

I thought the rules changed so that you couldn't have crazy patterns on your pitch anymore...?

 

Sent from my SM-J330FN using Tapatalk

 

Only in the Premier League according to the commentator.

[SW5 SAINT]

What rule? There is no "neutral ground" rule as far as I know...the rule is semi and final will be played where the committee decide...nothing about it being a neutral venue etc etc I don't think.

 

 

Before the games were staged at Wembley, the venues used to be decided once the draw for the semis had taken place, so yes it was a neutral ground.......

[Lord Duckhunter]

Just shows how big a part luck plays. The Skates got Barnsley, WBA, Cardiff in their semi final draw, looks like we’re getting 3 of the top 5. Utd

look the weakest of the 3 at the moment, but who knows come April. Just don’t want Spurs, losing at their home ground will grate for a while. Dream

scenario would be Leicester to come back in their game, draw them, then Utd in final.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[melmacian_saint]

Not sure what people are angry about? Spurs will be treated like a team in a neutral ground.

 

There have been many European finals where one of the teams is also the home team. Sporting, Bayern, Feyenoord spring to mind. Lyon could've done it this season in the Europa League, and so could Hamburg when Fulham knocked them out.

 

It's a neutral ground by all purposes, and the usual seating allocations of home games are void.

 

Quite bemused at some of the outrage on here. It's like some of you haven't really watched football for very long, or just don't like to employ logic when debating it.

[Lord Duckhunter]

Not sure what people are angry about? Spurs will be treated like a team in a neutral ground.

 

There have been many European finals where one of the teams is also the home team. Sporting, Bayern, Feyenoord spring to mind. Lyon could've done it this season in the Europa League, and so could Hamburg when Fulham knocked them out.

 

It's a neutral ground by all purposes, and the usual seating allocations of home games are void.

 

Quite bemused at some of the outrage on here. It's like some of you haven't really watched football for very long, or just don't like to employ logic when debating it.

 

Having watched football for so long. Has there ever been a semi final at a non neutral ground in the history of English or European football.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[doddisalegend]

Not sure what people are angry about? Spurs will be treated like a team in a neutral ground.

 

There have been many European finals where one of the teams is also the home team. Sporting, Bayern, Feyenoord spring to mind. Lyon could've done it this season in the Europa League, and so could Hamburg when Fulham knocked them out.

 

It's a neutral ground by all purposes, and the usual seating allocations of home games are void.

 

Quite bemused at some of the outrage on here. It's like some of you haven't really watched football for very long, or just don't like to employ logic when debating it.

 

Its not just the crowd numbers though is it. Playing all their home games at Wembley means the spurs players know the pitch inside out they have the advantage of just feeling more comfortable there which is a big psychological advantage in a pressure game like a cup final.

[Lord Duckhunter]

If it’s no big deal, why did The FA go to wales when Wembley was being rebuilt. They could have used OT

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Jonnyboy]

Come on Leicester.

[Saint Pete]

It’s us and the big boys then.

 

Would rather avoid Spurs out of the 3, so we’ll probably get them.