UNITED REACH WEMBLEY SEMIS

 

 

Before we go any further there was FA Cup 5th round business to be tidied up between Arsenal and Championship Burnley at the Emirates Stadium(the February snow still affecting the competition). A Mexican rookie called Carlos Vela openmed the scoring for the Gunners in the first half. After half time Eduardo made it two for Arsene Wenger's team and then late on Emmanual Eboue finished the Championship side off in what was a cinch for the Premiership side. That made Arsenal the seventh Premiership team in the FA Cup quarter finals, making this one of the more conventional FA Cups up to this point with three Champions League teams making the cut.

As for the quarter finals themselves, well last time round this was where we faced our downfall. We were up against Portsmouth at Old Tafford and despite dominating the game, Pompey wound up winning it 1-0 thanks to a seriously stupid sending off that left us facing a penalty without a proper goalie. The last time we won an FA Cup quarter final was in '07, but even that it wasn't straightforward. The opening match was against Middlesborough at the Riverside, that finished in a 2-2 draw. That led to a scrappy replay at Old Trafford where we had to deal with a very congested fixture list but we still managed to pull off a 1-0 win thanks to a late penalty.

This time around, we're up against Fulham. They may be familiar Premiership foes but the last time we faced then in the FA Cup was in the quarter finals of 03/04 at Old Trafford. Things didn't immediately go to plan as Steed Malbranque opened the scoring for Fulham but then the Ruud boy came up with a quick equaliser to see us into half time level. The Dutch assasin then went on to get a second goal after half time and with Fulham unable to get a second goal of their own, that was that. Two wins later and we'd won the competition with a team that had Tim Howard in goal, even though the final itself was easier than it should have been. Still that was the last time we won the competition.

This time around, well we've already taken Fulham to the cleaners in the Premiership at home but an FA Cup quarter final tie at Craven Cottage is another matter entirely. For starters this was an away match and a similar set up to the Portsmouth tie last year. In the FA Cup, anything can happen. Roy Hodgson was more than capable of getting a team to beat us in a one off match. Luckilly Fergie realised this and picked our strongest FA Cup XI so far thisa season. The only changes from our last Premiership game was Fletcher at right mid which meant Carrick and Anderson in centre mid and Rooney and Tevez up front. That looked like a team that could get us to the semis.

Still, it was Fulham that dominated the early stages of the game and at one point it looked certain that Andy Johnson was going to open the scoring. However despite that it was actually United that hit the net first, with Rooney crossing for an unmarked Tevez to head in the 20th minute. After that, well Fulham were shocked into submissiveness really, after a dodgy opening to the match it was all United, and Tevez got his second goal in the 35th minute when the Argie surged through the opposition half and fired off a scorcher. The half time whistle came and it looked as though a spot in the semi finals was ours already, even a Fulham legend was waving a white flag.

And sure enough, in the second half things just got worse for Fulham. A dodgy 50th minute clearance found it's way to Rooney...3-0 United. After that though was really just dying down, there were some scrapy moments which forced Fergie to make some changes. Overall though the match was winding down, we have Champions League business to deal with this week and some players had picked up knocks. Bottom line, we were looking as invincible as ever and in the 81st minute Park picked up a dodgy pass and slotted it into the net. Memories of last year's disaster were well and truly banished and we looked ready for whoever would be next.

Elsewhere, Championship Coventry were beaten 2-0 by Chelsea in the Rioch Arena with the Blues scoring either side of half time, that saw off the last remaining non-Premiership team. Everton beat Middlesborough 2-1 at Goodison Park with the Toffees having to turn the game around in the second half. The final quarter final will see Arsenal facing Hull at the Emirates Stadium. Best guess, says that that match will be played in what would have been the quarter final replay window. Either way, after the twilight zone of last year, we don't just have an all-Premiership semi final lineup but two Champions League team are garunteed spots with a third a possibility

Well, next up are the semi finals and United are up against Everton at Wembley. Well the first thing to talk about has to be the fact that we're playing the semi finals at the national stadium. This really does cheapen the final itself(and scheduling the FA Cup final after the Champions League final make for a bit of an anti climax). As for the match itself, well I'd say we were lucky just to avoid the other Champions League sides, but that doesn't mean Everton will lie down. There are plenty of ex-United players now wearing Everton blue and of course, we have Wayne Rooney, a guy who was probably cheering when Everton beat us inthe '95 final. Overall though, I'd say this is a relatively safe route to the final.

North of the border, Aberdeen faced SD1 side Dunfirmline at East End Road in the Scottish Cup quarter finals. It was the underdogs that seemed to have better game early on and the SPL side looked to be continuing their recent bad form, they were lucky to come in at half time with the scores level. Aluko however woke everyone up with a spot of class and so it seemed it was semi finals ahoy...untill the Dons shot themselves in the food by allowing Dunfirmline to equalise through Nick Phinn. Jimmy Calderwood is not a happy man. No team really needs a Cup replay and it seems the Dons still have to remember how to win a game.

Elsewhere, St Mirren beat Celtic 1-0 at Celtic Park which has to go down as one of the shocks of the tournament, the Celts mugged with a second half winner. Inverness CT were beaten 1-0 by Falkirk at the Celedonian Stadium with Caley finishing the game with ten men. Rangers showed their Old Firm rivals how it should be done by beating Hamilton 5-1 at Ibrox, the Gers opening early on before the visitors levelled and then the Blues hit the overdrive. That leaves us with three garunteed SPL sides in the semis with an all-SPL semi final lineup still a possibility. It all depends what happens in that one replay which has yet to be scheduled.

And that replay is going to be between Aberdeen and SD1 Dunfirmline at Pittodrie. Well it would take a pretty severe screwup for the Dons to get knocked out of the Cup by a lower division team at home, surely they should reach the semis. If they do pull that off, well they'd wind up facing SPL competition in the Scottish Cup for the first time this season. Falkirk at Hampden Park. Well given the Dons current consistency, anything could happen there, though the Dons are still higher in the SPL than their prospective opponents. Still, even if it would be unwise to count chickens at this point, this is certainly a doable route through to the final.

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