Boro v Cardiff

[Alan]

Anyone watching this?

Cardiff have just taken the lead through Whittingham. Looks like a Cardiff player handled the ball in the build-up to the goal judging by replays.

[Chippy]

is it on Sky Alan? cant find it

cheers

[Alan]

BBC1.

The Bristol Rovers v West Brom game is also on the BBC later.

[Chippy]

Thanks mate, thats why I could'nt find it

[Chippy]

Looks like another premiership side are going out, 2-0

[Alan]

Here's a major shock: The Riverside is practically full

[The Brit]

this is the most amazing fa cup i can remember...who would have thought portsmouth would be the only top flight side in the semi finals? despite my anger over chelsea, you have to say it's good for the game...in a weird way and just as a football fan, you had to enjoy barnsley's celebrations...it's made their lives and as we have been spoilt by success over recent years who can begrudge them their big moment?

[Lofty]

I actually watched the game - first time the TV's been on since the game finished yesterday - and I'm glad I did. That Portsmouth are the only Premiership left in the FA Cup makes me feel that much better - it's a freak of a year. Just one of those things. And anyway, as far as gloating goes, we got further than the Arse or Liverscum, and lasted a few hours longer than the Mancs, meaning that none of that lot have got anything to crow about.

[Nibs]

this is the most amazing fa cup i can remember...who would have thought portsmouth would be the only top flight side in the semi finals? despite my anger over chelsea, you have to say it's good for the game...in a weird way and just as a football fan, you had to enjoy barnsley's celebrations...it's made their lives and as we have been spoilt by success over recent years who can begrudge them their big moment?

Pretty much how I feel as well.

To be honest it has to be healthy for the game that one of the big four are not gonna win one of the major domestic trophies for the first time in however many years. Football has become far to predictable (and on the whole boring). Chelsea/Utd/Arsenal/Liverpool are gonna win this, this & this and the rest can fight it out for a European place.............

I'm not glad we lost to f**king Barnsley (still find that hard to type and accept), but I am glad that the big four stranglehold on the FA Cup is over at last. At least for one season.

[Backbiter]

How come you can't buy success in the FA Cup but you can buy everything else (so I'm told)?

[Lofty]

this is the most amazing fa cup i can remember...who would have thought portsmouth would be the only top flight side in the semi finals? despite my anger over chelsea, you have to say it's good for the game...in a weird way and just as a football fan, you had to enjoy barnsley's celebrations...it's made their lives and as we have been spoilt by success over recent years who can begrudge them their big moment?

Pretty much how I feel as well.

To be honest it has to be healthy for the game that one of the big four are not gonna win one of the major domestic trophies for the first time in however many years. Football has become far to predictable (and on the whole boring). Chelsea/Utd/Arsenal/Liverpool are gonna win this, this & this and the rest can fight it out for a European place.............

I'm not glad we lost to f*****g Barnsley (still find that hard to type and accept), but I am glad that the big four stranglehold on the FA Cup is over at last. At least for one season.

I take your point. Howeve, the counter argument is that the FA Cup Final is regarded as a showpiece occasion, and with all due respect, how much of a showpiece would a match between, for instance Barnsley and Cardiff be? Or even Portsmouth. No you're right - there's no consolation here. no silver lining, just a massive disappointment and a truly awful performance of which the team, with one or two exceptions, Avram Grant and everyone else responsible, should be well and truly ashamed.

[heckel]

I see where you are coming from and applaud your post Brit, but the failure of the big four is at best a double-edged sword. Surely if the CL were not Fergie/Wenger/Grant/ 's only true cup priority then at least one would be in the last four. I'm all for romantic upsets but the failure of us and the other silverware monopolists so early in the competition stinks of disrepect.

Last year's FA cup triumph was one of my all-time Chelsea highs and I was hoping, given a little extra £ in my back pocket this year that I might have my first shot at going to a Wembley final. Still I agree, can't grudge Barnsley their joy.

[Guest Brian M]

Cardiff for the cup!!! If only to see Jimmy's smiling mug on TV again!

[The Brit]

I see where you are coming from and applaud your post Brit, but the failure of the big four is at best a double-edged sword. Surely if the CL were not Fergie/Wenger/Grant/ 's only true cup priority then at least one would be in the last four. I'm all for romantic upsets but the failure of us and the other silverware monopolists so early in the competition stinks of disrepect.

Last year's FA cup triumph was one of my all-time Chelsea highs and I was hoping, given a little extra £ in my back pocket this year that I might have my first shot at going to a Wembley final. Still I agree, can't grudge Barnsley their joy.

don't get me wrong heckel, i'm just as upset over our embarassing defeat as anyone else...you just have to read my posts elsewhere...it's just the fan of the game in me that's talking, taking away my chelsea bias, I can recognise how good it is for the game that someone else gets a chance, there bit of glory and their day in the sun...the chelsea fan in me however knows we have blown a pretty easy chance for silverware