Part-time Pundit » FA Cup

Oh Benitez, What A Mess!

parttimepundit — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 12:01:06 +0000

Knocked out of the Champions League and Carling Cup not so long ago, inconsistent performances in the Premier League against second rate teams [here, here and here], a constant injury cloud over star players Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres and now an FA Cup exit to Championship side and Premier League hopefuls Reading! Oh Benitez, I hope for your sake you’ve started practising pulling Europa League trophies out of your arse… at the very least, it may become a life-saving party trick for you when all else fails!

See Reading heap more misery on Anfield and Liverpool…

… and then watch the match highlights:

Older Rafa Benitez news:
How Low Can The Reds Go!? Portsmouth 2 v 0 Liverpool
Yes, It Get’s Worse – Liverpool 1 v 2 Fiorentina
More Gloom For Gerrard And Co. Blackburn 0 v 0 Liverpool
Europa League… Get Involved – Debreceni 0 v 1 Liverpool

All They Won Was The FA Cup

parttimepundit — Sun, 31 May 2009 12:41:00 +0000

This season, like most seasons in the past 8 or so years, Chelsea set out to claim a host of silverware, however, after all their hard work and endeavour all they managed to end up with was the lousy FA Cup! No seriously, that was it… the FA Cup!?
Man, if I played for the Blues this season, right about now I’d be waiting for Ashton Kutcher to jump out of a concealed van screaming like a pansy, then telling me this was all part of a show whilst handing over the UCL trophy instead… and even though old trophies really aren’t my kind’a thing, at this point, I’d even settle for him handing over a semi-naked Demi Moore too. Yikes!
On a more positive note, at least Hiddink managed to get some silverware this year, which makes you wonder how Benitez and Wenger would be feeling about an “interim manager” walking in half way though the season and achieving more than they did the whole year? Yikes two times!

Match highlights:

Chelsea v Everton at FootyTube.com

Older FA Cup news:
Arsenal gun down Tigers – FA Cup – Arsenal 2 v 1 Hull City
Review – FA Cup – Finally Someone Wins The Derby!
Review – FA Cup – Liverpool 1 v 1 Everton
Review – FA Cup – Manchester United 2 v 1 Tottenham

Arsenal gun down Tigers

parttimepundit — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 01:09:00 +0000

A deflected Nick Barmby volley, a Nicklas Bendtner fresh air-shot, RVP’s emphatic equaliser, a controversial match winning header by William Gallas (although the keeper did get the last touch) and an alleged ‘mystery loogie’ by Cesc Fabregas aimed at Hull assistant manager Brian Horton… wow, close your eyes and this could almost pass as a Premier League match covered up as an FA Cup fixture… FA Cup matches are never this interesting are they!?

Match highlights:

Older FA Cup news:
Review – FA Cup – Finally Someone Wins The Derby!
Review – FA Cup – Liverpool 1 v 1 Everton
Review – FA Cup – Manchester United 2 v 1 Tottenham

FA Cup – Finally Someone Wins It!

parttimepundit — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 21:46:00 +0000

Everton v Liverpool… again!? Man, we’re only into Feb and I’ve already typed these results like a *million times… wait, this time there was actually a winner!? Oh snap!
So I’m trying to determine if Rafa should be panicking about the fact that Liverpool has been knocked out of another competition or about the lack of depth on their bench when Gerard is substituted, which do you think? Oh and don’t be surprised if you soon see a wind up monkey playing the cymbals in their midfield… it’ll be more entertaining than watching the other half wits running around!

*not actually a million; more like twice:
Here and here

Goal highlights:

FA Cup – Liverpool 1 v 1 Everton

parttimepundit — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 21:42:00 +0000

For the second time in a week, ~~Liverpool FC~~ Gerrard FC took on Merseyside rivals Everton at Anfield and surprise, surprise… guess who pulled the Red’s out of the shitter again!?
After another important goal for the club, I’m totally convinced that Benitez’s game plan doesn’t actaully include anyone but Stevie G… ok, occassionaly Torres, but that’s about it! Seriously though, Rafa must sit in the changing rooms before a match with a huge number 8 drawn on his board and all passes, shots, assists and tackles pointed to it. How else do you explain it!? I mean how many times is this guy going to pop his head up at just the right time to get Liverpool out of yet another sticky situation!? On average he does it about a dozen times a season and what’s surprising is that every year he just keeps getting better at it… I hope for his sake and Liverpool’s, he’s cleared of the alleged charges and keep’s on keeping on. Kudos to him.

Match highlights:

FA Cup – Man United 2 v 1 Tottenham

parttimepundit — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 20:50:00 +0000

I’m not really a fan of the FA Cup… sure it’s the oldest football cup competition in one in the world, but eh, rarely does it deliver much more than dull matches played by half strength teams and occasionally we witness a brilliant final but that’s about it! (c’mon you have to admire my ignorance).

So anyway, the setting the other night was Old Trafford and the Lillywhites were in town. As expected United made light work of them even though they went down a goal, to a cheeky Pavlyachenko goal… sneaky Russians! So then the stage was set for a comeback and after a fluky half assed goal by Ginger-nut Paul Scholes, everyone’s favourite Bulgarian and ex-Tottenham man Dimitchka Berbatov, beat the off side trap and calmly slotted the winner. To tell you the truth, I was actually surprised that he showed emotion after scoring cause he normally walks off uninterested. Could he be in some sort of emotional transition!?… only time and goals will tell!

Match highlights: