This evening’s draw will be shown live on BBC2 at approximately 6.15pm from Stamford Bridge following Chelsea’s fifth round tie with Manchester City and the full list of draw numbers is: 1 Chelsea or Manchester City 2 Reading 3 Watford 4 Shrewsbury Town or Manchester United 5 Blackburn Rovers or West Ham United 6 Tottenham Hotspur or Crystal Palace 7 Arsenal or Hull City 8 Everton The quarter-final ties will be played over the weekend of March 11 to 14.
Said to my Reading supporting friends at work "see you in the quarter finals" and so, for that reason, Hull/Arsenal away.
At home I think it's only Everton to avoid. Away I'd not fancy trips to Spuds, Chelsea or Everton. The rest are fair game.
Reading away would be my choice. Guess there's a chance we could be on a Friday night as well which would be good for the atmosphere.
Other than Spurs or Arsenal, we stand a chance against any of them. Obviously, Reading at home would be easiest assuming West Ham and Man U win. Yep, like others have said, a one nil win at home will do me.
I'd fancy our chances against anyone at home. But Reading away would be my ideal tie. Or wouldn't mind Blackburn away either as I haven't been there before and is winnable.
Reading home or away please. Fairly sure in past seasons its been two games on the Saturday & two on the sunday & all get televised.
I like Reading as an away trip too, although I'd give us a better chance against them at home. The way I see it we have a 4 in 7 chance of getting a pretty challenging tie, and a 3 in 7 chance of an easier one (I'm including Everton in the first category, and United in the second). I'm going to guess Man U away.
I'm sure we would. But Everton are playing their first choice XI in the cup and I'd rather avoid that for now.
We seem to have chosen a difficult year for a cup run. Every chance the last 8 will contain Spurs, United, Chelsea/Man City and Arsenal..Ie three (or four) of the current top 5. Chelsea haven't lost a cup tie under Hiddink, while United and City will be hoping to win the cup in what could/will be their current Head Coach's last match. Then there are dangerous floaters such at Everton, fired up to reach Wembley after their League Cup injustice, and West Ham, who could yet get one final cup tie at Upton Park before they move. I had dinner with my Pompey supporting friend and he reminded me that the year they won it, they won at Old Trafford in the quarters (before playing Championship clubs in the semi and final) so I guess the point is, if it's going to be your year you have to beat whoever is put in your way. Looking it from the other angle, I don't think there are many sides left in the competition who would fancy drawing us. Spurs and Man City have done the double over us but both had to work very hard to do so. We won't be easy opponents. Don't ask me why but the one side Id really like to avoid today are Everton, though I appreciate they're beatable at their place. I just have a hunch they may go all the way to the final, and I'd love to meet them there..a re-run of 84 and two Spanish coaches!
I'd rather rather lose to Spurs in quarters than at Wembley. I couldn't imagine anything worse than having to face those arrogant d!ickhead fans all the way home.
Getting to the coaches was bad enough and then the coach journey with the ****ers passing in their cars...ugh.
Would Arsenal be all that bad? Bearing in mind they have the title race, a replay against Hull in the next few weeks, and two legs against Barcelona (one a few days after the quarter final game). Their squad depth isn't great, so something has to give.
Further to this post, here is Arsenal's fixture list: 23rd Feb --- Barcelona H 28th Feb --- Man U A 2nd Mar --- Swansea H 5th Mar --- Spurs A 11/12th Mar --- FA Cup QF 16th Mar --- Barcelona A 19th Mar --- Everton A Somewhere, prior to the QF weekend, they have to travel up to Hull for the replay. I have serious doubts about whether they'll even get past that.
Nice irony hearing the pundits on the BBC criticising the Man City line-up today when it was their decision to have the game moved back to Sunday that's caused City to do so. It's laughable too when people say 'a club disrespects the cup', as if the cup should be something that everybody should bow down in front of. By playing a weaker line up a club could be accused of disrespecting their own chances of winning a trophy, but that's their call. It's fans of that club who have rights to moan, but not neutrals.
It's the Pozzo man's sure fire way of us winning our next tie..pairing us against a side already out!!
