Well, I am sure getting knocked out of the FA Cup in the third round is really a good thing, eh Liverpool fans?
It gives you a chance to focus on that twin assault on the Premier League title and the Champions League, doesn’t it?
After all, you don’t want any excuses lined up if Man City do come back and pip you to top spot. ‘Getting to the FA Cup final just meant we had too many games to play’ and all that jazz.
Jurgey-lad was almost blasé about the fact that Liverpool were beaten by Wolves who, as expected, turned up for the big occasion because Liverpool are not no-hopers like Crystal Palace.
Kloppo was defiant that his team selection did not mean that he wasn’t too bothered about the FA Cup this season. He claimed he wasn’t actually trying to claim ‘the world record for the youngest team ever’ and that his kids are in the squad because they are good enough. Liverpool’s selection actually contained nine full internationals.
Internationals or not, they didn’t really give the Liverpool boss much reason to consider them ready for more important action in the weeks to come.
As for Wolves, they are taking the FA Cup seriously. Of course, they are, this squad is only interested in performing in the really important matches which immediately makes me think that there is a chance that either Shrewsbury Town or Stoke City could have a chance in the fourth round.
Any FA Cup draw always guarantees one big tie, funny that, and the fourth round will see Ole Gunnar Solskjaer take his Manchester United side to Arsenal. Gillingham will have been gutted to have got Swansea City away having beaten Cardiff at the weekend. Newport will have been equally disappointed to have been rewarded with a trip to Middlesbrough. I mean, that’s more punishment than reward.
Barnet got Brentford and will fancy their chances and Wally Downes will hope his AFC Wimbledon can be crazy enough to scare the life out of West Ham. Chelsea got either Sheffield Wednesday or Luton at Stamford Bridge whilst Marco Silva gets to take his Everton team to Millwall. He’ll enjoy that.
Accrington will get a crack at Frank Lampard and Derby or Southampton. Man City will score loads more past Burnley at the Etihad. Newcastle will play Watford if they can beat Blackburn. Poor old Oldham got Doncaster, what a shocker of a draw following beating a Premier League side. Oh, and Palace play Spurs. I’ve probably missed a few. It was starting to get boring, to be honest.
Speaking of Spurs, the Poch has started the long-winded break-up process saying that the club needs to show more ambition if they want to win things. It’s the football manager version of ‘I think we are growing apart, we want different things now, we’ve both changed’ and it is likely to result in a long drawn out separation that hurts everyone, especially the kids.
Eden Hazard has asked, nicely, that both Spurs and Chelsea fans show each other mutual respect when the two sides meet in the EFL Cup this week. Not a chance, Eden. Sadly, not a chance.
Crystal Palace goalkeeper Wayne Hennessy has denied making a Nazi salute when celebrating Crystal Palace’s FA Cup win over Grimsby. You can’t blame people for wondering, Wayne. I mean, you are that shocking in goal it was a bit of a surprise to see either of your arms going above your head.
Wayne Rooney got arrested for being drunk and disorderly in Washington back in December. Quite how that is (a) shocking news and (b) common knowledge now is just odd. Still, you can take the boy out of Liverpool but… you know the rest.
Maurizio Sarri has told Callum Hudson-Odoi that a move to the Bundesliga would not be a good idea for his career. I mean, no other young English talent has gone there and proven to be a rip-roaring success recently, have they? Sarri spent time yesterday trying to con Hudson-Odoi into believing he does have a future at the club, saying that he was almost as good as Willian and Pedro now. Christ, that’s hardly a ringing endorsement. Get on that plane, Callum.
Sarri is also still hot for AC Milan loanee Gonzalo Higuain and is prepared to offer Milan Alvaro Morata in return. I know Milan’s recent recruitment has been a little bit suspect but even they cannot be stupid enough to believe that is a good deal?
Chelsea would also like their midfielder, Frank Kessié, because what they really need is more competition for places in that midfield, eh Ruben?
