It’s that most wonderful time of the season once more. The time where nobody really knows what they’re playing. Is it an FA Cup 4th Round replay? The 5th Round, perhaps? How about some Premier League action? My not-so-secret hope is that some team just gets thoroughly confused and shows up armed and on barded horses, ready to fight in the Grand Tourney of Shropshire. My secret hope is that it’ll be Blackburn that gets put to the sword, but alas, Villa have dealt with them already.
FA Cup Weekend Preview: Chelsea Host Everton, Crawley Town Travel To Manchester United
Saturday
Time: 12:30PM GMT (7:30 AM EST)
What could have been more dull than the first half of the original 4th round match between Everton and Chelsea at Goodison Park? I don't know, but I expect this one to give that a run for its money. Chelsea aren't going to deploy Fernando Torres here, so they might actually score. The winner of this match gets to play Reading at home in the 5th round. Now that's a prize worth fighting for.
Pick: 1-0 Chelsea.
Birmingham City vs. Sheffield Wednesday (5th Round FA Cup)
Time: 3:00 PM GMT (10:00 AM EST)
Birmingham were rewarded for their odd win over Coventry with a home draw against Sheffield Wednesday, whom I still haven’t forgiven for ever bringing John Harkes to England. Yeah, people might say that Sheffield was always a bit of a wasteland, but rumours of it being a pastoral Eden pre-Harkes persist, which is similar to the state of my brain before and after first exposure to that horrible man.
Pick: 2-1 Birmingham.
Stoke City vs. Brighton (5th Round FA Cup)
Time: 3:00 PM GMT (10:00 AM EST)
Yeah Stoke are pretty boring these days. With all of their actual talent being shipped out in the winter transfer window, about the only interesting thing about them is that John Carew is Norwegian, which I still find amusing after six or seven years of finding out.
Pick: 1-1 Draw.
Manchester United vs. Crawley Town (5th Round FA Cup)
Time: 5:15 PM GMT (12:15 PM EST)
Crawley Town are the epitome of evil at the non-league level, spending crazy amounts of money to buy success. Wayne Rooney could buy Crawley Town with a fortnight's wages. Everything is relative, don't you think?
Pick: 3-0 Manchester United.
Sunday
West Bromwich Albion vs. Wolverhampton (Premier League)
Time: 12:00 PM GMT (7:00 AM EST)
When people say ‘relegation six pointer’ what they really mean is that both sides are terrible and the only people who should care are the fans of said teams and of those worrying about being sent to the Championship. So, if your team name starts with ‘W’, come on down. Otherwise, don’t worry about this one.
Pick: 2-1 Wolverhampton.
Manchester City vs. Nottingham County (4th Round FA Cup Replay)
Time: 2:00 PM GMT (9:00 AM EST)
Edin Dzeko spared City's blushes with a late equaliser against Notts County last time around, but he won't have to this time, unless City manage to de-motivate themselves by seeing the reward of hosting Aston Villa in the 5th Round for what it really is.
Pick: 3-0 City
Fulham vs. Bolton (5th Round FA Cup)
Time: 3:00 PM GMT (10:00 AM EST)
Last time out, Fulham slaughtered Tottenham Hotspur at Craven Cottage. They're obviously a relatively strong side at home, and Bolton will have a tough time hanging with them in London. I can't think of anything even vaguely amusing to say, so, uh. SAN DIMAS HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL RULES.
Pick: 2-1 Fulham.
Leyton Orient vs. Arsenal (5th Round FA Cup)
Time: 5:15 PM GMT (12:15 PM EST)
Arsenal have better things to worry about than the FA Cup, and I wouldn’t be shocked if they’re still (literally) hungover from the Champions League win over Barcelona in midweek. Look for Orient to put up at least a bit of a fight at home. Oh, and one more thing - Huddersfield vs. Arsenal, at the Emirates: 2-1 Arsenal. Barcelona vs. Arsenal at the Emirates: 2-1 Arsenal.
I’m not great at maths but I think you get the picture.
Pick: 2-2 Draw.
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