From the category archives:

FA Cup

Watch for the headbutt!Germany just lost its captain.  Michael Ballack played in the FA Cup final for Chelsea this weekend in a 4-0 beatdown of Portsmouth.  However, if you’ve seen the photographs, Kevin Boateng–I hate the hyphenation in his name–crushed Ballack’s foot in a pretty hideous-looking tackle while Portsmouth was getting destroyed and now Germany has no captain.

I guess the worst part is that he actually sustained an ankle injury while Boateng was stepping on his foot.  Um, ouch!

The Germans know they’re cooked–which sucks:

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FA Cup Final: Chelsea v Portsmouth

by David Wilson on April 12, 2010

FA Cup holders Chelsea took a giant step closet to a domestic double by beating Aston Villa 3-0 in the FA Cup semi-final. Their opponent in the final will be Portsmouth who shocked Tottenham 2-0 on extra time.

Chelsea were outplayed by Aston Villa in the first half of their semi-final but came on stronger in the second half and got the all important first goal when Didier Drogba turned in John Terry’s miscued shot.

As Villa pressed for an equalizer they left themselves open at the back and Chelsea took advantage as first Florent Malouda coolly finished Michael Ballack’s deep cross and then five minutes into added time Frank Lampard added Chelsea’s third.

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Owen Hargreaves caught the smackdown from Alex Ferguson after Hargreaves said he still wants to play for England at the World Cup.  This kind of goes hand-in-hand with the idea that bowing out of tournaments early gives you more time to focus on league matches that you still have control over.  However, I don’t know if this is exactly the same because what we’re seeing is a guy who wants to play for country just being honest about it.

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More Misery For Rafa

by David Wilson on January 13, 2010

It is no longer a big surprise when Liverpool looses, considering they have lost 10 of their last 20 games.
But for a side already out of the Champions League and the title race, the FA Cup promised the best chance for silverware this season for Liverpool fans.

To add injury to insult for Rafa Benitez, he saw lost both Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres to injuries during the first half.

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Manchester United Upset In FA Cup

by David Wilson on January 3, 2010

This is why the FA Cup is the best domestic club tournament in the world. It gives smaller clubs the opportunity to play the big teams, and to sometimes upset them.

Jermaine Beckford’s first-half goal gave third-tier Leeds United a 1-0 victory over bitter rivals Manchester united as Sir Alex Ferguson suffered his first FA Cup third-round defeat since taking the reins at Man United in 1986.

Beckford caused Wes Brown and Jonny Evans problems all game, and was rewarded when he latched onto Johnny Howson’s long pass in the first half and steered his shot across Tomasz Kuszczak.

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I don’t mean to harp on Liverpool but…

by Patton on December 14, 2009

Gerrard, Kuyt, Alonso
Creative Commons License photo credit: stella_gonzales2003
Jamie Carragher has now called for “character” to be shown in Anfield after another disappointing loss by the Reds this weekend.  Like the title says, I don’t mean to harp on Liverpool but this is a club that not too many years ago won the Champion’s League in a shootout and now they can’t seem to buy a goal. 

Liverpool is in 7th in the Premier League and they are double-digit points behind Chelsea (who is in first place.)

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Chelsea win FA Cup

by David Wilson on May 30, 2009

Chelsea recovered from conceding the quickest goal in the 128-year history of the FA Cup final to overcome Everton 2-1, strikes from Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard earning a fifth success for the London club.

The final has not seen a major upset since 1995, when Everton beat Manchester United 1-0 to claim their last piece of silverware, but the possibility of an upset improved greatly when Louis Saha scored after just 25 seconds at Wembley. Chelsea, under Guus Hiddink for the last time before he returns to his role as Russia coach, battled back, though, and claimed the trophy for the second time in three years with a goal in either half.

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Tim Howard heroics secure Everton final berth

by David Wilson on April 19, 2009

Tim Howard saved two spot-kicks as Everton ended Manchester United‘s hopes of a quintuple of trophies, winning 4-2 on penalties after a goalless two hours at Wembley to reach their first FA Cup final since overcoming the Red Devils in the 1995 showpiece.

Tim Cahill missed first for Everton before Howard saved Dimitar Berbatov’s effort. The U.S. goalkeeper then did likewise from Rio Ferdinand, after Leighton Baines had scored, and both sides converted their subsequent kicks to leave Phil Jagielka with the honour of deciding the tie in favour of the Merseysiders.

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Drogba earns Chelsea FA Cup final spot

by David Wilson on April 18, 2009

Didier Drogba’s strike six minutes from time earned Chelsea a 2-1 victory against London rivals Arsenal in the first FA Cup semi-final at Wembley and ended the Gunners’ hopes of a first domestic trophy since 2005.

Having prevented Arsenal from falling behind early on when he raced back to clear Drogba’s goal-bound header, Kieran Gibbs teed up the opener for Theo Walcott on 18 minutes, floating a ball to the far post for the England striker to place a side-foot volley across Petr Čech. Chelsea had played their part in an open contest, though, and equalised a quarter of an hour later when Florent Malouda collected Frank Lampard’s raking crossfield pass, cut inside Emmanuel Eboué and beat Łukasz Fabiański at his near post. The pace was unrelenting and moments later Nicolas Anelka capitalised on Abou Diaby’s hesitancy and curled a shot against the post.

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It’s Arsenal v Chelsea in FA Cup Semi-Final

by David Wilson on March 17, 2009

Arsenal came from behind to beat Hull City 2-1 at the Emirates and book an FA Cup semi-final date with Chelsea at Wembley. - Buy Arsenal – Chelsea Tickets

Furious Hull manager Phil Brown launched a blistering attack on referee Mike Riley as he claimed that Hull were robbed of their Wembley dream. The Tigers boss was livid after William Gallas headed an 84th-minute winner from a clearly offside position.

Yet linesman Andy Garratt, who had earlier ruled out a Nick Barmby effort for a much more marginal decision, kept his flag down.

Brown fumed:

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