David Harding
brodierussell
Cain LynchFA Cup Throws up Many Surprises
March 11th 2008 21:40
The fact that the big clubs stranglehold on the competition has gone means that any of the clubs still in the draw will feel they have a realistic chance. Somebody’s got to win it.
Portsmouth, as the only English Premier League club left in the penultimate round of the competition, will certainly fancy their chances against any of their peers from the lower leagues and will probably position themselves as strong favourites. However, in a year when nothing has gone to plan being the bookies favourite must offer little in the way of comfort.
Barnsley’s David versus Goliath-sized quarter final victory over money-spending Chelsea must be one of the biggest FA Cup shocks in recent years. Whilst Chelsea’s failure to take their smaller opponents seriously showed in the match, few could argue that Barsnley didn’t get exactly what they deserved. Taking the biggest scalp left in the competition at the time will give Barnsley an important boost going into the semi-finals and they will fear no team left in the draw.
Cardiff embarrassed Middlesboro on their way to the final four and whilst the league positions of both clubs would suggest that Boro should have come away comfortable winners, this result didn’t really surprise me. Boro are one of the most inconsistent sides in the Premier League and were shown to struggle against lower league sides when they only just scraped past Sheffield United, with an late own goal in a replayed fixture.
West Brom haven’t really had a tough run to this point, with their only noteworthy victory coming against Charlton in the fifth round. Nevertheless, they are still in with a shout at this stage and deservedly so. This is a straight knock out competition and luck only carries you so far. West Brom are in the semi-finals of the FA Cup and they will be as determined as anyone to get their hands on the silverware.
The fact that we are talking about these four clubs as the final four can only be good for a competition that, in recent years, has been nothing more than another source of success for England’s richest club. Even if the only Premier League club left eventually lift the trophy, it certainly won’t be described as par for the course.
Whilst the casual armchair fan might be put off by the lack of big names left in the FA Cup, football purists and traditionalists will be as excited as they have been in the last two decades. As I mentioned earlier Portsmouth will be strong favourites, but I certainly wouldn’t like to put my mortgage on them ending as winners.
That is what the FA Cup should be all about… surprise, and this year’s we’re already guaranteed one.
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