The FA Cup First Round goes this weekend and we now have teams from League One and Two entering the competition. We started off six rounds ago with a game between Jarrow Roofing Boldon Community Association and Billingham Synthonia. Jarrow stuck around for two rounds before making way for Fleetwood Town of the Unibond Premier League. Fleetwood has prospered over the four rounds (all at home) and now face Salisbury City.
Salisbury has beaten VTFC 3-0 and Eastleigh and Fisher Athletic by a score of 1-0. All three games were away from home for Salisbury City. Salisbury City currently leads the Nationwide Conference South and have been made 8/13 favourites to move on to the Second Round and if successful they will also pocket around $30,000 - from the FA not the bookies.
Fox Soccer Channel and Fox Sports World Canada coverage of the 2006/07 FA Cup gets underway. Canadian viewers can also catch the FA Cup preview on Saturday at 9:00 p.m. (EST).
Featured Games to date. Extra Preliminary Round Jarrow Roofing Boldon C.A. 5-2 Billingham Synthonia. Preliminary Round Jarrow Roofing Boldon C.A 5-4 Thackley F.C First Qualifying Round Fleetwood Town 3-0 Jarrow Roofing Boldon C.A. Second Qualifying Round Fleetwood Town 4-2 Goole AFC Third Qualifying Round Fleetwood Town 2-0 Warrington Town Fourth Qualifying Round Fleetwood Town 2-0 Wisbech Town
I know this is an FA Cup post but there's something I was thinking about this morning (cup related) and I wanted to bounce it off you.
Every year Arsenal, although not convinving all around, seem to do something special. Whether it was last year's poor league form (leading to a great CHamps. League run), or their poor Champs form (complemented by a ridiculous undefeated streak), something really good seems to happen.
This year I really think Arsenal's supremely talented youths are making a quiet but fascinating run in the Carling Cup - and are poised to wipe out somebody big. They took down a very strong Everton side, and I really believe they are going to take down someone big... imagine the sheer HUBRIS of making a prediction wherein a freeflowing, possession hogging Arsenal youth team takes a big scalp and wins the Carling Cup.. maybe over a full strength... Chelsea side?
If Arsenal drew Chelsea then you could reasonably assume that Henry, Fabregas, etc would be starting. I doubt Wenger would risk playing his 2nd stringers.
While others have wavered as the rounds progress Wenger has stuck to his guns and continued to play his younger players in the Carling. He did it against Manchester a few years ago and I would bet he would do the same against Chelsea.
It is too bad MTV's (music televsion) "Celebrity Death Match" producers don't follow the EPL. I would love to see a show down with SAF and Jose Mourhino. In fact, make it a tag team or battle royal event---that would be pretty one sided I'm sure. Who would have Mourihno's back? The whole thing could be ref'd by Grahm Poll!
Salisbury City will play at home to Nottingham Forest in the Second Round Proper on the weekend of December 2. Nottingham Forest are top of the table in Football League 1, while Salisbury are second on the table in the Conference South. Nottingham Forest beat Yeading FC 5-0 at home in the First Round Proper. Yeading also plays in the Conference South, but are only middle of the table.
Last edited by gold4278 on November 12th at 5:55 PM.
I am the soccer analyst for the Fox Soccer Report and appear twice a week - every Monday and Friday at 10:00 EST. I have also been a regular contributor to the Fox Soccer Channel website since the summer of 2004. Over the last twenty years I have contributed to various radio and television programs throughout North America as well writing about the game for newspapers, magazines and websites.
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