Watford FC 3-3 Tranmere Rovers - 04/01/2020 & 1-2 AET 23/01/2020

They've always previously sent out paper tickets which seems crazy, so I'm not sure if loading them onto cards is even possible.

 

4 games in 8 days. Spurs 18th Jan, Villa 21st Jan, Tranmere 23rd Jan, Man Utd/Wolves (maybe) 26th Jan. The FA are c***s.

 

Reminds me of the ridiculous decision to have our quarter final fa cup match away to Plymouth on a Sunday evening.

It's our own fault for not holding on but the FA have shafted us here.

Their swamp vs our kids = injuries and defeat

 

In future scrap replays altogether and play to a definite result first game around?
Postponing it so late in the day, when they knew all along it was almost certain to be too inclement = Message from FA to supporters who might be interested in obscure away matches: --
"F--- you, we couldn't care less about you."
Second message:-- Who pays the piper calls the tune (that's TV companies).

 

Couldn't they have booked some local park?

 

So replays are forced to be 10 days on Police advice but they get away with 2 days notice for the next round? Admin wise it is a nonsense.

 

The FA have completely disrespected their own cup as well as the clubs involved and the fans.

 

Surely they’ll just push the 4th rnd game back. And we will play the tranmere game the weekend everyone else is playing the 4th.


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Just saw the official date. Unbelievable that. No wonder teams turn up with 3rd string teams and no supporters


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The good news is that we don't give a **** about the cup. So it's all irrelevant anyway.

 

What if that one gets called off?

 

I’ve always assumed it’s because with loads of people moving seats for early round cup games the club want to avoid arguments. At least a paper ticket is definitive proof of where your seat is. Cos nothing says ‘Watford fan’ like arguing over a specific seat when there a 2,000 empty ones next to it.

 

Then we'll play 3 games in 8 days.

 

Bugger , I was looking forward to watching (if I could find a river)

little bit worried about injuries from 4 games in 9 days but guess not many people (if any) will be involved in all 4 games, interestingly if we had a few injuries back we probably have 2 relatively good teams we could field

 

Aside from the strain the timing of the rearranged replay puts on our squad I just don't see how (assuming we beat Tranmere) the club can be expected to sell and send out 20,000 (?) tickets in 2 days. It'll serve BT Sport and the FA right when they broadcast Watford's youth team v Wolves or Man Utd played in an empty stadium. "Greatest cup competition in the world' my ar5e!

 

I really hope it chucks it down with rain (or snow) again next week, so BT and the FA are forced to change their schedule.

 

Looking for a silver lining, this could help us. No slightly fringe players will risk get injured in the mudbath. We can put a full strength team out against Spurs and Villa.

We are then forced to play a very weak team against Tranmere. So be it. The pitch will surely still be a mess. Tranmere will be all over it. I don’t want to risk any player getting injured that could contribute for us over the next couple of months.

Should we get through it will be interesting to see who plays? I expect it will depend on how many points we picked up against Villa and Spurs. We then have a week to rest to Everton. If we pick up 4-6 points we could play a stronger team with the less brittle and important players.

But there are so many annoying things about this change it is difficult not to be annoyed.

 

Nope, you can work out a decent amount of it from Pussetto's signing video on the club's Youtube channel.

Appears to be a similar squad to the first leg, though with Dawson, Mariappa, Pereyra and Masina perhaps missing, and a few additional faces I didn't recognise. Only Gray and Chalobah spotted out of usual first teamers. Some other first teamers might have been involved as well (Mapps, Dawson and Pereyra didn't appear to be involved in the training session prior to the first leg but still played), but it wouldn't be many.

 

Surprised to see Chalobah. Gray was there for the banter.

nice to see all the coaches are now forced to wear the same slimmed-down-Michelin-man top

 

You seem surprised!

 

I thought we had Whelan for the Mr Muscle role.

 

Just a shame we can't send this weather to Australia.

 

Nine days.

 

Strongly disagree with people calling for an end to replays.

Football exists outside the premier league, a 3rd round replay could provide enough funds to afford the budget for the entirety of next season for a lot of lower league clubs.

 

Spurs basically gone full strength bar Dele and Son.

 

I thought all records started when the PL started!

I agree. It is a faff for us, but it can transform lowers league teams - especially if they get an away draw against a Man Utd type team.

 

I mean Spurs early on Saturday and Villa on Tuesday is fine. Send the U23s plus Quina, Dele-Bashiru, Gray, Bachmann and Pedro up on the Thursday and if we lose then we get a nice weekend off.

 

1-0 up already. Not sure they’re facing the most taxing of nights.

 

The last time something similar to this happened to us (but not as tight) was the 5th/6th rd 2016.

The Gooners won their 5th rd replay at Hull 0-4 on the evening of Tues. 8th March. We played them at the Emirates in the 6th rd on Sunday 13th March (so not as tight). Of course we won 1-2 with the Guedioura 'wonder goal'. First time the Gooners had lost in the FA Cup for yonks.

Anyway, it was all hands to the pumps at the TO from Weds 9th onwards. Paper tickets were issued and posted. We only had the away ones to deal with though but do have a very small TO.

I got roped in to assist. I think I might offer my services again. It would be an even bigger op. this time of course as the home club and with two days less. I really can't see paper tickets being posted which suggests some mighty long queues at the TO or some special 'electronic arrangement' for ST holders.

If you have to pick up a paper ticket I'd suggest getting there really early and then retiring to the town centre for a slap-up lunch. Mine's a tagliatelle vongole e funghi.

 

Certainly makes for a nice sounding point, but in all practicality how many times is this actually relevant?

The nature of the knockout competition means the vast majority of lower league clubs will be out of the competition before this even becomes a possibility, and yet they manage to survive.

I feel it would be far better to see a percentage of the funds generated by the tournament set aside for lower league clubs instead, as a kind of solidarity/grassroots payment.

One club occasionally striking it rich is akin to making OAPs comfortable through virtue of one of them occasionally scoring a nice lottery win. It makes for a nice headline, but does nothing for the majority.

 

Haven’t won the replay yet...

 

Speculate to accumulate.