FA Cup semi-finals don't belong at Wembley
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Updated 08/04/2019 at 07:51 GMT
Plus, Arsenal could do with conceding fewer goals when away from home, the European Super League is edging towards being inevitable, Wayne Rooney had a shocker while Hatem Ben Arfa did not, and Raheem Sterling is a champion.
Troy Deeney (L) of Watford celebrates
Image credit: Getty Images
MONDAY’S BIG STORIES
Get the FA Cup semi-finals on the road again
Watford's come-from-behind win again Wolves in Sunday's FA Cup semi-final was one for the ages. Gerard Deulofeu etched his name into Watford folklore with a performance befitting the lustre of an FA Cup semi-final.
However, FA Cup semi-finals should never be played at Wembley. The reasons for this are two-fold in The Warm-Up's opinion:
- It can be a logistical and financial nightmare for fans of certain clubs. This hands an unfair advantage to side's based in and around London as, put simply, it is easier for fans of those clubs to get to these semi-finals.
- Hosting semi-finals at the same venue as the final reduces the grandeur of the final itself. There should be an anticipation of going to Wembley, it loses a touch of its, erm, mystique or lure if you've been there a couple of weeks before. Familiarity breeds contempt and all that.
There is, of course, a simple fix. Just host the ties at neutral grounds up and down the country as was the norm only a few years ago before Wembley was rebuilt.
Talk of the death of the FA Cup is reactionary and premature. However, there is no doubt the competition has lost some of it's appeal in recent years and it would help its brand to send its semi-finals back on the road.
Same old Arsenal, always conceding
The gulf in performance between Arsenal's home and away showings might very well cost Unai Emery's side a spot in the Champions League. The Gunners are irresistible at home but are diabolical away, with Everton the latest side to hand them a 1-0 thumping. Yes, that's right, thumping, as it is not hyperbole to say the visitors were flattered by the score. Arsenal have won one of their last nine on the road, and that was at a historically bad Huddersfield.
However, if life has taught the Warm-Up anything, it is that if you are diabolical at something and are also rich, then you'll be alright.
The crux of the Gunners' problems do not run that deep; they have some very good players, and, let's be honest, some very bad ones, particularly those frequenting the centre-half neck of the woods.
So, chuck a sizable amount of money at one exceptional centre-half, and, well, that record of one win, three draws and five defeats from their last nine away games looks like a huge opportunity to make up ground on their top four/title rivals next season.
Emery has done a sterling job in his first season in England but needs backing from the board this summer if they have actual designs on competing at the very top level again.
European Super League incoming
Juventus more or less tied up an eighth straight Serie A title this weekend, Bayern Munich admonished Borussia Dortmund to edge closer to a seventh Bundesliga title on the spin, PSG almost have yet another Ligue 1 title wrapped up and Lionel Messi edged Barcelona towards a 10th Liga trophy in 15 years.
Conclusion? The game has been warped by money and competition is dead. If competition is one of the main selling points of your product, as it is in football, then this is quite a big problem.
Now, the Warm-Up is very much against a Super League, but it is coming. Without doubt or hesitation, the super clubs will leverage the above shambles to, at some point, in the not-too-distant future squeeze out a super league that will squeeze out an extra pound or two into the pockets of the already super rich clubs.
Then competition will truly be dead.
IN OTHER NEWS
This might be the most atrocious Panenka of all time.
IN THE CHANNELS
Hatem Ben Arfa reminding you of his barely-believable levels of talent, here.
Complete and utter filth from the 32-year-old, who is now kicking a ball about for Rennes, who were held to a 3-3 draw by Angers this weekend.
IN THE EARLY BATH
On first inspection, this, from Wayne Rooney was deemed worthy of just a yellow card, when in reality it was probably two red cards.
Anyway, the old VAR stood up and corrected that with Wazza quite rightly sent for an early bath for what was a heinous challenge.
His DC United side would lose 4-0 against LAFC after his 52nd minute sending off - to be fair they were three goals down when he went for an early bath but, still, what an earth was he actually thinking?
HEROES AND ZEROS
Hero – Raheem Sterling
Raheem Sterling is a wonderful footballer; perhaps even, a generational talent. He is also a thoroughly, thoroughly decent human being.
He was at it again this weekend, ensuring 500 kids from his old school to came to Wembley to watch his Manchester City side beat Brighton 1-0 in the FA Cup semi-final.
Top work.
Zero - racists
Another day of the week and, yes, that means the racists are out and about. There were no fewer than four incidents of racism reported on Saturday alone.
It is incumbent on everyone to call these monstrous idiots out in whatever way possible.
HAT-TIP
Will Magee takes a deep dive on Norwich's rise under former Borussia Dortmund reserve team manager Daniel Farke.
Though it took a while for ‘Farke-ball’ to come to fruition in the Championship – Norwich were far too open defensively last season, finishing 14th, and started this campaign with one win from their five games – the club hierarchy deserve credit for keeping faith in Farke’s vision. His dynamic brand of football was in evidence against QPR at Carrow Road on Saturday, Norwich passing QPR off the pitch, going 2-0 up within 15 minutes and, despite Buendia seeing red for a reckless lunge with the hosts 3-0 up, adding a fourth goal while down to 10 men. The result sent them eight points ahead of Leeds at the top of the table with a much superior goal difference.
For the uninitiated, the Canaries play cracking football, in what is a highly competitive Championship.
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Coming up
Nick Miller will be here to take you through the ups and downs of another day of football, if he can stop watching that botched Panenka.
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