[Chetan_Rao]

Coventry you beauty!

1-0 up vs. Wolves at 83', 1-2 down at 88', equalise in 7th minute of added time, win it in the 10th.

Nothing quite like Cup football!

[benbsb29]

Man United beating Liverpool 4-3 in a nail-biting finish in the FA Cup has to take the prize of one of their best games this season. This win denies Liverpool their chance for the quadruple, and sweet revenge for United. Watched the highlights and loved it!

Garnacho is a game changer indeed!

[Axe77]

The Coventry and ManU games were truly the highlights of these Quarter Finals. ManU should be relatively pleased at the semi final draw as well.

Never underestimate any team and all that but this puts them in pole position for a final I guess. A Manchester derby for a final will be quite something if it ends up so.

[Chetan_Rao]

Coventry getting to the final, or going all the way, would be quite the story.

Even more so in the current context of the Premier League tangled in a revenue sharing tussle with the rest of the English footballing pyramid.

[Axe77]

Originally Posted by Chetan_Rao

Coventry getting to the final, or going all the way, would be quite the story.

Not unlike Leicester City's famous 15-16 EPL win. I always thought that was just begging to be made into a movie or similar. My vote would have gone to Robin Williams (had he been alive) to play Claudio Ranieri - perfect candidate.

[ABHI_1512]

Originally Posted by Axe77

Not unlike Leicester City's famous 15-16 EPL win. I always thought that was just begging to be made into a movie or similar. My vote would have gone to Robin Williams (had he been alive) to play Claudio Ranieri - perfect candidate.

Off topic but Claudio Ranieri was someone I admired right from the Chelsea days and always thought that his coaching story would make a good movie. In fact that just reminds me, Bora Milutinovic story will also make an interesting movie.

[hothatchaway]

Another day another fiasco for Indian football with the senior side going down to a scratch eleven from Afghanistan in a FIFA 2026 World Cup qualifying tie. To be fair, the Afghan side under Ashley Westwood was the better time and despite obvious limitations, scored the goals that mattered. Our boys were so bad it was unbelievable, starting with Manvir in the initial minutes, who missed a sitter that a schoolboy would score from. Finishing from the forwards were non existent and our players with their crore plus ISL salaries could not pass, could not intercept, had no anticipation. India is still in contention to qualify for the third round as Kuwait lost to Qatar later in the evening, but there is nothing to hope for if they continue to play like this.

If you watched the Spain vs Brazil international friendly last night, you would wonder if it is at all football that the Indian side were trying to play!!!

[NomadSK]

Originally Posted by hothatchaway

If you watched the Spain vs Brazil international friendly last night, you would wonder if it is at all football that the Indian side were trying to play!!!

When I see the games of Brazil/Spain or for that matter european leagues, the football game looks so smooth, so easy and played with clock work precision, But when I see Indians playing the football game, it loooks like a Kabaddi game. No doubt we are doing better at that.

[hothatchaway]

Life is cruel

We keep saying that anything is still possible when there are just minutes to go for the final whistle, or the last over. Yet those at the helm at EPL announce the Man of the Match even before the game is over. The irony of this would not have been lost on Alejandro Garnacho last night. The teenage Argentine must have thought he had helped pull off an incredible win for Manchester United after his brace, the first of which saw him take off on a searing sprint after intercepting a horrible Caicedo mis pass. United had only 8 minutes of injury time to defend the lead and come away with 3 points from Stamford Bridge. On the other hand, that was enough time, Cole Palmer thought, for him to get the remaining two goals and complete his hattrick, besides getting the win Chelsea actually deserved last night. And score those two the ex Man City academy grad did, to add to his 20 this season, and unleash all the drama that the tie had promised.


There is tactical football and there was last night. I wonder if Pep was watching and what he would have done with the Chelsea defence and the United midfield if it was his team. The Blues were actually better of the two teams and created many more chances than they scored off, not least thanks to some great goalkeeping by Onana. Individually taken, their centre backs are not the worst in the world but there is something about playing for Poch's Chelsea which brings out their comical moments. They would have a hard time justifying fielding Caicedo any more though, with his horror show last night that brought United back into the game. Cole Palmer was brilliant though and the ease with which he put those penalties away reflects the confidence he has.


Hard to see where United go from here with their broken midfield. The only reason they still manage to stay afloat is because of the work being done upfront by the likes of Garnacho and also Antony last night. Rashford's display as a sub justified him not starting last night. Maguire as a centre back never fails to amuse me. Add to the fact that he is often Gareth Southgate's automatic choice for the national squad is funnier still. Ten Haag has a squad full of ball players who act like millionaires but look like they would rather be elsewhere, doing something else.


Cole Palmer was the real difference between the two sides last night. He wouldn't grudge Garnacho bagging the MoM for last night, with the way he is playing, he will have many of those come his way too.

[hothatchaway]

"You could throw a blanket over this Arsenal defensive line"

Mikel Arteta will be happier with this description of his side defending than the barrage of goals that his men are scoring at will. It was a lack of discipline at the back that cost Arsenal dearly in the title race last year. This season though, David Raya has eleven clean sheets to his name to Edersons' nine. That's on paper. On the pitch, the gunners have defended with purpose and an iron will, whereas Guardiola's men have often been caught napping, as was seen against Palace last evening.

Back to the Arsenal vs Brighton match, the seagulls fly like the wind at home, and they looked to do just that. Danny Welbeck with his experience and Adhingra with his pace forced Saliba and Gabriel to keep a low block in the first thirty minutes. They knew the goals would come though as they did starting with a penalty. Soon Jorginho and Declan Rice started dictating pace in midfield and together with the front line, started threading together those tripartite passing pieces which has become the Arsenal trademark this season. After Trossard had silenced the booing Amex crowd with a searing run from his half which ended in his side's third goal, Gabriel showed how much they want the title this year; putting his body on the line of a goalbound pile driver, right knee extended, left knee bent, letting the side of his body absorb the sting in the shot, he exulted like a striker who had just scored.

And why not? Just as much every goal scored does, every goal saved also takes Arsenal that much closer to their first title in two decades.

[kavensri]

Originally Posted by hothatchaway

And why not? Just as much every goal scored does, every goal saved also takes Arsenal that much closer to their first title in two decades.

Who do you think will win the league this time?
My mind says LIV, ARS and MCI (in this order) but my heart want MCI, LIV and ARS (again in this order)

[hothatchaway]

Originally Posted by kavensri

Who do you think will win the league this time?
My mind says LIV, ARS and MCI (in this order) but my heart want MCI, LIV and ARS (again in this order)

I waited until the Liverpool ManU tie before answering your question

I think this is the best chance Arsenal has of winning. Their defense is clearly the best of the three and scoring isn't a problem either. They have a couple of tricky away games at Old Trafford and at Spurs, but unless they collectively have a bad day and injuries/suspensions they should see it through. Liverpool has a problem with finishing with Salah completely off color. Even Nunes is finding it difficult and Gakpo is clearly second choice. Diaz is their only hope. Luckily for them they don't have too many difficult games left.

City also has a potential banana skin in the form of Spurs. But they would need Arsenal to slip up first.

[benbsb29]

Just as i was looking at ManU coming out of the Liverpool game with their heads held high, yet another late penalty and they concede. Oh well, Ratcliffe has quite the task ahead of him.

[hothatchaway]

Originally Posted by benbsb29

Just as i was looking at ManU coming out of the Liverpool game with their heads held high, yet another late penalty and they concede. Oh well, Ratcliffe has quite the task ahead of him.

United has Liverpool's wasted chances to thank for escaping with a 1-1 draw. Salah is just plain out of form, or maybe it was the fasting. Bruno and co did look like a team possessed after the equalizer but that is not sustainable. Rashford cannot play more than 60 minutes, even though I read that it was an injury last evening which had him subbed. Also did not understand why Garnacho was taken off, if it was to shore up the defense then it did not work as they conceded the penalty afterwards. The Argentine is always a threat and the game was still very open, box to box at that juncture.

Man U's biggest problem is lack of a holding midfielder. They need someone who is at least half as good as a Rodri/Rice. Currently the defenders are playing hoofball in possession hoping to find the forwards up front. It is only when someone flips a switch and the whole team starts rushing frantically back and forth do they look threatening, like they did against Chelsea before Palmer snatched a win. Usually, there is no proper transition from defense to attack.

Very entertaining game though for neutrals

[MalnadMansha]

Just when you thought Chelsea would fight for a 6th/7th place finish, they again dropped points due to silly defending. This has been the theme this entire season. Win a game, drop points in the next few games.