Fa Cup Semi Final Draw

[Mass_Hysteria]

City vs United/Chelsea

Wigan vs Blackburn/Millwall

Thoughts??

[Dusty Bin]

Really can't see when Chelsea can meet Man Utd for the replay.

Won't be this week as Chelsea play Steau Bucharest in the Europa League on Thursday.

Next weekend they both have PL fixtures.

The week after there's Internationals on the Friday and the following Tues/Wed.

PL fixtures the weekend after.

Looks like the first free date would be Wed 3rd April...or is the 4th another designated Europa League night?

Utd don't play again until the City match on Mon 8th Apr, so I guess it depends on Chelsea's European commitments as to when the FA Cup replay takes place.

Maybe the FA will wait until this Friday after Chelsea's Europa League fate has been decided on Thursday night???

[Arksided]

That makes sense, I did wonder myself, having looked and not knowing the likelihood, of when.

Don't forget ITV though ;-)

[Mass_Hysteria]

Semis are weekend of 13/14 April so shock, horror, they may have to play 3 games in about 8/9 days, How awful for them?

[Arksided]

Poor Rafa never has a break.

[Dusty Bin]

Since my last post, I've checked the UEFA.com site and the Europa League quarter-finals are set for the 2nd and 3rd April.

If Chelsea do beat Steaua this Thursday, then that rules out 3rd April as a FA Cup replay date as they'll be involved in EL quarter-final action that night (or else the night before).

They'll have to move a PL fixture to midweek to accommodate the replay, which would most likely be played on Saturday 6th April.

The Utd v City match could be moved to Wed 10th Apr as neither Manchester team is in European competition that week.

Chelsea's scheduled match for Sat 6th April (home v Sunderland) would then be moved to Wed 17th April, a date still free, I think.

All of this is of course dependent on the outcome of Thursday's match!

[Mass_Hysteria]

Dusty,

Best Answer for your research!!

[Duncer]

Sorry for negative tone, just responding to joeluke's remark about a sh1t team in the final.

Why is a team that has knocked out everyone in front of them a sh1t team?

[ChillDoubt]

My thoughts too Duncer, but then JoeLuke is infamous for similar posts....

[Mass_Hysteria]

The sh1t teams?? have beaten whoever was put in front of them.
The (not?) sh1t teams......haven't. That's Cup football!

[mightyWBA]

There's always a "snobbery" when it comes to who the media and "experts" want in the final Duncer...Some of the worst Finals in recent years have been when the big clubs play each other....The best ones I remember involved Coventry City,West Ham and Crystal Palace..Cracking games!

[ChillDoubt]

Not forgetting Wimbledon, who didn't have a prayer, remember?

[mightyWBA]

Yep 1988,the crazy gang beat the culture club!

[Arksided]

Chelsea v Man United FA cup replay has been penciled in for April 1st KO 12:30.
ITV1 will be showing it live.