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Showing results for tags 'blud fam bollox'.
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Work-rate. Incisiveness. Nous. I don't ask for much. This is how it's gonna be. Build from the ground up. I suspect both sides will go quite strong for this one. We have the League Cup semis to follow but otherwise, the Premier League is on a winter break so players will essentially be rested then. They have been strict with these breaks before, not allowing teams to swan off all over the globe to play in lucrative friendlies. Teams can go to places like Dubai for warm weather training and bonding exercises but they aren't allowed to play matches. Of course there's an issue with the domestic cup scheduling in January, as you have the aforementioned League Cups semis, plus a potential FA Cup 3rd Round replay. We had this issue a few years ago, and put out a youth side for a cup replay against Shrewsbury. The players then did the club proud, coming away with a 1-0 win against their experienced opponents. I don't think Jurgen or the players will see the FA Cup as a needless distraction. They certainly didn't 2 years ago, although that cup run wasn't fraught with hazards until we got to the semis. The two sides last met in this competition in the 5th Round 10 years ago, and Howard Webb was in top Howard Webb form. Only a few weeks earlier, he'd denied us a penalty for a blatant foul on Suarez in the Chelsea penalty area in a game at Stamford Bridge. Earlier in that match, he'd declined to give Samuel Eto'o a straight red card for nearly snapping Hendo's leg with a reckless challenge. Eto'o of course went on to score the winner in that game. Against Arsenal, we weren't at full strength but we did have Suarez and Sturridge in tandem up front. Both had chances but couldn't display the ruthless finishing that had characterised their (and our) season. Ox put Arsenal ahead when he fired home the loose ball after Brad Jones had saved from another Arsenal effort. Podolski doubled their advantage in the second half, getting ahead of his marker to fire home Ox's cut-back. We got a goal back from the spot, with Stevie burying his penalty after Suarez had been clumsily fouled in the box by Podolski. The game's main talking point was yet to come. Suarez hit a free-kick from 25 yards into the wall. The ball broke back to him, and he turned and raced into the box down the left corner of the area. Another touch beat the defender (Ox) who absolutely wiped him out. Somehow Webb decided there was nothing doing. The same Webb who for years had given the red Mancs the softest of penalties at Old Trafford didn't see a much more blatant offence as a foul. Bald SYP bellend who has since failed upwards in true Tory fashion. I expect Mac will be back in the middle in Endo's place, and I think Harvey will start this one. Mo is away at the AFCON and Dom might be missing after coming off with a hamstring injury on Monday night. I think we should try Lucho on the right, with Darwin in the middle and Diogo on the left. Diogo's play can be a little scruffy at times, but at others his link-up play is very good. And bar Mo, he has the best eye for goal at the club. He also has a very good goalscoring record against Arsenal. I'll take a place in the 4th round however it comes, but again I would expect motivation, concentration, attitude and application to be absolutely on point from first minute to last. Get it done!