Knowing us we would probably be better off if they had their full strength team out.

You know how we so often fail when we look nailed on to succeed.

Good shout Mike. This Sunderland team are very beatable. O'Neill has obviously given them some fresh impetus, but hopefully that is beginning to wear off and they may have already peaked for the season.

I can't see Birmingham beating Chelsea though myself. I think some of their players may start playing now AVB has gone.

Looking at the draw, I can see Spurs, Chelsea and Liverpool going through. Hopefully we will go through also. If so, I would honestly take any of those teams in the semis. I am not scared of Liverpool, Chelsea are not what they were and it's not a happy camp, and I wonder if Spurs have also peaked this season.

I am just keeping everything crossed that we will do the business against Sunderland. If so, we've got another trip to Wembley to look forward to, and hopefully the new lad will have played a few games for us and started scoring by then...

Many a true word Lee.

I thought I'd point it out in a kind of "nudge, nudge, wink, wink, look over there that looks a bit interesting doesn't it eh but keep it under your hat, dont do anything silly or tell anyone outsid eof these four walls...." way.

As for BUFC Danny I think they've got a massive chance but know where you're coming from, CFC could be remarkably galvinised tomorrow night.

Out of pure speculation I'd love to get through to the semi's and draw the winner of BUFC v CFC, let (most likely) Spurs and LFC fight out the other and god-willing play the winner of that in the final, would be a great occassion and one we could win.

However - thats light years away at the moment, roll on the 17th March and a barnstorming performance to take us a step closer to.......silverware....?!

I have a feeling we will be without one or two players for the Sunderland game too. There is no way we?ll survive a trip to the shithole without picking up injuries and suspensions.

It's so unlike us to do things the easy way I didn't know whether to be elated or gutted when I was watching the NE derby.

I agree with Adam. I'm less worried about Sunderland's missing men than how many players we'll have standing after a bruising derby on the Tuesday night. Someone nearly always sees red in these games but, for me, the match against the Mackems has become the most important of our season and I'm hoping, probably in vain, that cooler heads prevail at Anfield and we have our strongest side fit and suspension free for the Cup

"There is no way we?ll survive a trip to the shithole without picking up injuries and suspensions."

You never know, we might get lucky. Surely to god there must be one referee out there who doesn't spend the night before a derby game chafing his cock red raw on the makeshift mouth hole in his home made 'Stevie G' sex doll?

If we're going to have a player sent off and suspended though, can it at least be Phil Neville?

John #524 Would it interest you to learn that Phil Dowd is the ref for that game?

I'll probably get slaughtered for this but didnt Dowd referee a big game of ours earlier in the season (Man Utd...?) and he did OK by us......? Or am I going crackers.....?

You know Suarez will get someone sent off. It will probably be Neville or Heitinga. This game is big for us but Sunderland is bigger, so I actually might agree with a normal Moyes defensive team and play it tight and nick one tactic at Anfield. Unfortunatly, I believe he will play the same team and tactics in both games and we will have plenty to complain about.

He actually plays the same tactics wherever or who ever we play. We get a half decent midfielder in Gibson for Fellaini to link up with and to take the heat off him and offer more options in midfield. We have a young mifielder who would do the same in Barkley and Moyes has no time for him. Instead he plays arguably the best right full back at the club in Phil Neville. Now dont get me wrong. I think Neville is an excellent player and reads a game better than most. But he is not a midfeilder anymore. No pace and passing accuracy poor. Our uplift in form has directly come from the central midfielder being put into postion but Moyes returns to his experience beats all other options. I have always been a fan of Timmy but I feel his ability has diminished over the past 12 months. Why Moyes insists on playing him is beyond me. Maybe use him as an impact sub late in the game.
On Saturday he brought on Jelavic and played 2 up front. Great eh. Exept the machine is not fully in tune behind them.
We need to form a midfield which in some way resembles the holy trinity. I think the players are already at the club if Moyes just picks them.

One other positive for the upcoming Spurs game is that they will be backing up after a cup replay on Weds night. I guess that evens up our midweek v. RS.

Carl (553) I'd have to say I'm happy with the choice of Dowd - reffed a great game in the recent "handshake-gate" Manure/Shite match and doesn't look to be a superstar. I'd have him anyday over Webb or Clattenberg.

Think the FA Cup outcome depends heavily on the derby, if not suspensions then certainly injuries, but then you could say the same for them as Stoke will hopefully be no pushovers.

John 524,
Neville sent off in the last minute for a career ending tackle on Luis Suarez when we are 2 0 up would be ideal.

What a joke of a thread. Talk about tempting fate.

Sessegnon's replacement will probably score the winner now.

Now there goes a man who's glass is half empty....

If we play to our full potential, we will smash Sunderland, regardless of who they do or don't have playing.

Sewerez will be doing his screaming card waving diving best to get one of the Black Cats red carded this weekend so Sunderland could be even more depleted for our game.