Swansea (A) FA Cup | Pre-Match Thread

Match Result Prediction


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MAG

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FA Cup Rules

These are same as last round and nothing has changed but just a quick reminder to this year's "updated" cup rules again ... and so everything is in one place if you want to look up anything relating to this tie.

VAR
Some ties will have the use of VAR but some others won't ... like the last round, this one of ours does NOT have VAR either. Only the Premier League grounds hosting ties have VAR available while those in the lower leagues don't.

Substitutes
The no. of subs allowed in the game are five and the no. to named on the bench have also increased from seven to nine, while using only three slots during the game when subs can be made other than half time.

Concussion Subs
Should any player or players suffer from concussion during the game, than two extra concussion subs are allowed per game. That's in addition to the normal five allowed and irrespective of what time in the game they're used.

Drawn Ties
In case of a draw, the games will go to extra-time (when a sixth sub is allowed as well) and then on to penalties, so an eventual winner is to be decided on the same day ... with no replays this year.






Pre-Match Thoughts

This is going to be a tricky tie in this cup run ... trickiest so far ... Birmingham City (R3) wasn't doing well at all in their league when they played us at the back of a long bad run and that tie was at home. Cheltenham Town (R4) then troubled us a little but that was expected as a very changed side started that game for us and it was away at a League Two ground as well, not a familiar surrounding for us. We did finally come through it after Pep changed the game completely with a few subs towards the end; although it was a bit too late for my heart's condition and going forward I'd like him to change things early if it's not working and rather start strong, win the cup ties early on and then rest players. This next one now however presents different challenges that we haven't yet faced in this cup run this season.

Swansea City are sitting right towards the top of the Championship (yesterday they were second, have now slipped to third with other teams playing) and competing for one of the two automatic promotion places. They have just beaten their league leaders, Norwich City on Friday. At worst they'd end up in one of the playoff places and try coming up via that route but right now they look good for the first two positions. They have played 27 games in the Championship so far (W15 D8 L4) and have accumulated 53 points in the process (just two points off the top, and with a game in hand on the leaders as well); so overall a very healthy position to be in.


In the FA Cup, they first beat the League Two Stevenage (2-0 away) in Round 3 and then got past the fellow Championship side Nottingham Forest (5-1 at home) in the last round.

You'd think that they'd rather focus on their league and automatic promotion than this cup run but the fixtures have fallen kindly for them this week. They have already played their last game (a top of their league clash) against Norwich City on Friday (two days before our tie against Liverpool this weekend) and their tie after this one is against a relegation threatened side so they can put out a full strength side against us if they want without having to worry about other ties around this. I suspect they will do exactly that - put out a full strength side.


We on the other hand have just played Liverpool (A) - two days later than them, and now have this tie two days later ... and our next tie being another two days after this one is Spurs (H).


These are their (and our) games around this tie:


Swansea City
Fri 5 - 8:15pm - Norwich City (H) - Championship
Wed 10 - 5:30pm - This Cup Tie (H) - FA Cup R5
Sat 13 - 3:00pm - Sheffield Wednesday (A) - Championship


Manchester City
Sun 7 - 4:30pm - Liverpool (A) - Premier League
Wed 10 - 5:30pm - This Cup Tie (A) - FA Cup R5
Sat 13 - 5:30pm - Tottenham Hotspur (H) - Premier League



Last time we played them was at the Quarter Final stage of the FA Cup two years ago and they gave us a proper scare in that game having gone two goals up within the first half an hour and then holding us off for a long time and our turnaround coming very late only in the last 20 minutes. A little bit like that Cheltenham game a couple of weeks ago, but a bit worse as it was a two goal deficit then and on top Swansea was playing very well and threatening overall, not just relying on set pieces or long throws etc.

Pep will surely take this as serious as he has taken any other cup tie in any round during his time with us so I expect a decent side put out from our end as well, with a strong bench should that be required.


Zack Steffen would be in the goal and after that it's anyone's guess ... but this might be the tie where we finally see Aguero return, if not in the starting line-up then at least on the bench and be given a run out at some point in the game.





Match Prediction

Swansea City 0 - 4 Manchester City

I just can't predict us not keeping a clean sheet these days ... no matter how good I think Swansea are and play proper football. This could be a very open game, which makes me think it'll be a high scoring one but with us scoring all the goals.

We keep going ... MCFC OK!
 
----------------------------Steffen---------------------------
Walker----------Garcia------------Laporte-----------Mendy
-----------------Doyle--------------Fernandinho-------------
---------------------------Foden-------------------------------
Mahrez------------------Jesus-----------------------Ferran

Wrap Gundo and Bernie in a cotton wool. With Tottenham game after this, important to give as many first teamers a rest as possible. The team above should be good enough to get the job done. I am going for a 1-2 win for us.
 
Steffan
Walker
Stones
Laporte
Mendy
Fernandinho
Palmer
Bernardo
Mahrez
Jesus
Torres
 
this game not be easy.
Agree, they are going really well in the Championship and play some great football. I remember we had to come from 2 down a few years ago against them in the cup and had a few lucky decisions go our way in that game
 
----------------------------Steffen---------------------------
Walker----------Garcia------------Laporte-----------Mendy
-----------------Doyle--------------Fernandinho-------------
---------------------------Foden-------------------------------
Mahrez------------------Jesus-----------------------Ferran

Wrap Gundo and Bernie in a cotton wool. With Tottenham game after this, important to give as many first teamers a rest as possible. The team above should be good enough to get the job done. I am going for a 1-2 win for us.
I’d actually start with Foden on the bench too (by unleashing Delap) - he looked absolutely shattered (as he should) by the end today.
 
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