I think it's pretty sad that the final 4 teams in the FA Cup are Arsenal, Wigan, Hull and Sheffield Utd. "When I were a lad" FA Cup Final day was the biggest football event of the year. I'm pissed off with all the teams who field poor teams for the cup (including Saints). I don't like the fact that football has priced out the working people who made these clubs and I expect Arsenal to field a weakened team on Saturday because coming 4th in the Premiership will be worth more money to the owners than some cheer for their fans.
Arsenal blew the chance of the League Cup recently...Wenger won't make that mistake again. He will put out a strong team for this tie...too close to risk. The FA Cup was the biggest event of the season in the past in part because very little football was on TV.
Wenger never seems to get it right. I'm sure he'd play his best team in the final of course but still reckon he'll make a massive cock-up against Wigan!
If any top team can blow it, Arsenal can. If I was a Gunners fan, I wouldn't be 100% confident by any means. Arsenal suffer from the occasional misjudged arrogance of their manager, and Uwe Rosler is no fool. He'll take advantage if Arsenal take Wigan lightly.
I think this is a bit of a harsh statement. 1. It's not as if Liverpool & Everton (both knocked out by Arsenal) and Chelsea (knocked out by Man city) played severely weakened teams, it was just luck of the draw. It was a decent City team that went out to Wigan. 2. What's not exciting about an underdog doing well? I think this is what the cup is all about. I mean for god's sake man what would you have made us winning in '76??!?!
Fran made a good point on another thread about the FA Cup. It was amongst the biggest events in the days when there wasn't so much live football on the TV. I think that's important and its diminished status these days has depended a lot upon there being so much live TV football from other competitions. Plus, the modern TV Sport media doesn't seem to have the same British attitude towards favouring the underdog that the viewers have had in the past, and so the public have been weaned off the David v Goliath battles that have provided so much excitement in years gone by.
An interesting fact from the 1976 final - there were no foreign players on either side (unless you count Gerry Daly of Ireland) and we had Channon and Osgood!
Road to Wembley 1976 Manchester United Round 3: Manchester United 2–1 Oxford United Round 4: Manchester United 3–1 Peterborough United Round 5: Leicester City 1–2 Manchester United Round 6: Manchester United 1–1 Wolverhampton Wanderers Replay: Wolverhampton Wanderers 2–3 Manchester United Semi-final: Manchester United 2–0 Derby County Southampton Round 3: Southampton 1–1 Aston Villa Replay: Aston Villa 1–2 Southampton Round 4: Southampton 3–1 Blackpool Round 5: West Bromwich Albion 1–1 Southampton Replay: Southampton 4–0 West Bromwich Albion Round 6: Bradford City 0–1 Southampton Semi-final: Southampton 2–0 Crystal Palace
I find this weekend's Semi Finals to be pretty interesting, more so than if it were dominated by teams out of the top 6 of the Prem. It's better now the FA Cup Final will be the last game of the season (think that's only because of the World Cup taking place this year?) and will be a 3pm kick off.
If the 4 teams were Saints, Wigan, Hull, Sheff Utd, not sure there'd be too many of us complaining! I am pleased it's not the usual 4 who made the semis - and whether or not Arsenal play a weakened team the other 3 will all be going for it. The thing that has spoiled it for me is the semis being at Wembley - I think that takes something away from reaching the final. It's not so much of a 'day out' if you've already been there a few weeks earlier.
The only way for the FA Cup to get regarded as worth playing for, is if Sky or BT put megabucks into it.
I don't think you could be more wrong. This now becomes the magic of the FA Cup. I'd prefer these four than the top four thanks.
With you completely, yet the modern watching public will be less interested because this generation have been brought up on a diet of SKY TV, Champions League, Top 4-6, whatever. Underdogs don't figure quite as well anymore.
And arsenal supporting friend told me last night "I'm off to Arsene Wenger's funeral at Wembley". Have to say I hope not, but i'm looking forward to this game and certainly don't rule out an upset.