More FA Cup

Managed to catch all four FA Cup quarterfinal, pardon me, Round 6 matches.  And let me say that they offered a rich panoply of the quirkiness the FA Cup has to offer, which is different than saying these were quality matches.

In the first match of the weekend, League One Bradford City hosted Championship Division Reading at their quaintly named Coral Windows Stadium.  The muddy pitch looked more like the Water Tower Recreation Center, the worn field of dirt that the Chestnut Hill Youth Sports Club uses as one of its soccer venues.  Referee Neil Swarbrick, who has been in charge of many EPL matches, didn't seem too interested in blowing his whistle so this was a rough affair.  This one ended 0-0 which means they'll replay the match this Monday.

Moving up to Birmingham, we were treated to another Midlands Derby.  I'll let Dennis handle most of the analysis of Aston Villa's 2-0 win over West Bromwich Albion but this was a weird one.  The first minute of the match had that certain U-12 feel, as it took three tries to get the kickoff right (forward guys, it has to go forward) then a goal kick had to be retaken because it didn't clear the penalty box.  Losing 0-1, West Brom went down a man for a second yellow that might have actually been a red card on the Aston Villa player.  Since the Villans have been on the short hand of these type of calls, there was not much sympathy for the Baggies.   After helping Aston Villa get their second goal, substitute Jack "Goodhair" Grealish picked up his second yellow of the day for our favorite infraction - simulation.  A mini pitch invasion had ensued after the Villans' second goal.  At match end, it was a full scale assault, which prompted an awesome sprint to safety by the assistant referee, this week's YouTubeableMoment.  West Brom officials got to express disgust at the whole thing, perhaps hoping to draw attention away from the fact that, during the match, traveling West Brom supporters had ripped out Villa Park seats and tossed them at home fans.  Aston Villa officials offered their view at a postmatch press conference.

This “analysis” is simple.  Villa actually played better than in the derby from a few days ago and clearly deserved the win.  It’s not often I get to say that.  The only real issue is whether they have any more goals left in them, having scored 4 in the past two matches.  I’ll just have to continue hoping momentum is a real phenomenon and that they can earn what I still believe are “must-earn” points. As for the pitch invasion, the commentators were acting as though this single act undid thousands of years of evolution and humans had reverted to cave man behavior (or as Emily put it, the fans were acting very American).  They spoke with such disdain and shame that I couldn't really take them seriously. I just hope they don't pick up the tradition of cutting down the nets.

Sunday brought Liverpool-Blackburn at Anfield.  Don't remember much except that it was another 0-0 draw.  That is a pain in the ass for Liverpool because a) it means a mid-week match in an already crowded schedule and b) they'll be the visiting side.


And finally we have Manchester United - Arsenal.  Have to say both sides played nervous, mistake-filled football, though Monreal's and Rooney's goals were clinical finishing.  But the winning goal came on a terrible back pass from Valencia (who otherwise had an excellent game) that Welbeck intercepted.  We did have the almost comedic scene in which Angel Di Maria earned a yellow card for a nearly perfect dive (don't mean to prejudice the judge but Dennis, this is a good one), then doubled down on his stupidity by grabbing referee Michael Oliver's shirt.  A second yellow and we are robbed of potentially cracking finish.  Adnan Januzaj completes the night with another yellow for diving.

So Arsenal will play the winner of Reading-Bradford City and Aston Villa plays the winner of Blackburn-Liverpool.


Why Must the Champions League be Played on Weekdays?

I typically miss out on Champion’s League action due to the weekday schedule, but I happened to be at home and watched every thrilling minute of the Chelsea-PSG second leg match.  PSG went down a man – and not just “a man”, but Ibrahimovic - in the 31^th minute on another very questionable red card.  They also went down a goal on two separate occasions, in the 81^st and 96^th minutes, but managed to find an equalizer both times and advance on away goal tiebreakers.  To recap – PSG played away at Stamford Bridge, lost their stud striker, played down a man for 90 minutes, and recovered from two different 1 goal deficits to advance.  Yeah, it was as exciting as it sounds.  Wish I could catch more of these matches.

Talking Union

A very unsatisfying opening to the season.  Despite playing a man up for 30 minutes, all the Union could manage was a 0-0 draw against Colorado at PPL Park.  The back four of Gaddis, Vitoria, White and Williams looked good enough but we expect they'll face sterner tests than a shorthanded Rapids side.  Newcomer C.J. Sapong had some good moments up top in the first half but left with a concussion.  Another newcomer in the attack, Fernando Aristequila Arrestegisha Aristeguieta also showed some promise but in the end couldn't score either.  Colorado is predicted to finish near the bottom of the Western Conference so this is a match that a team with playoff hopes would expect to win.  There was some talk that they are still adjusting to a) each other and b) a 4-4-2.  Let's hope that's the case.


Champions League and Relegation

Important matches at both ends of the spectrum this weekend.  Sunday at noon has Manchester United-Tottenham at Old Trafford.  With Spurs win over QPR last Saturday (only EPL game last weekend) they are back to 6th and very much in the hunt; Aston Villa fans were happy about that too.  MUN will be without Di Maria but he hasn't exactly been on fire of late.  Chelsea-Southampton will be a test for the Saints as they try to stay within spitting distance of 4th.  The other Champions League contenders have winnable matches - Man City at Burnley, Liverpool at Swansea and Arsenal hosting West Ham - though Liverpool and Arsenal can't be too complacent.

Aston Villa travel to the Stadium of Light to face Sunderland Saturday at 11 am (I guess the Brits go to daylight savings later than we do).  This is a chance for the Villans to put some distance between themselves and the relegation zone.  Leicester-Hull City also has implications for the relegation candidates.

And in the meaningless part of the table, Newcastle travel to face Everton on Sunday.  Actually, it's not completely meaningless; if Everton are not careful, they could find themselves in a relegation challenge.