State of the Republic: FA Cup fourth round replay/fifth round
08:00, 18 Feb 2013
John Kelly
GOALKEEPERS
Nick Colgan (Huddersfield Town)
Not in squad (Huddersfield Town 1-4 Wigan Athletic)
It’s comforting for Wigan fans to know that they have the hex over Huddersfield Town. That’ll be almost a guaranteed six points to aid their promotion push next season.
David Forde (Millwall)
Played 90 minutes (Luton 0-3 Millwall)
Smartly off his line when he needed to move and handled a couple of crosses with authority. It’s not really ideal preparation before facing Zlatan but it’ll have to do.
Paddy Kenny (Leeds United)
Unused sub (Manchester City 4-0 Leeds United)
Question: Who was the last Irish international to start for the winning team in an FA Cup final? Answer at the bottom of the page.
DEFENDERS
Alan Dunne (Millwall)
Played 90 minutes (Luton Town 0-3 Millwall)
One of 2,846 Irish full-backs in the lower divisions in England who are essentially clones of one another. Diligent if a little uninspiring and limited.
Seamus Coleman (Everton)
Injured (Oldham 2-2 Everton)
Kevin O’Connor (Brentford)
Not in squad (Chelsea 4-0 Brentford)
He’s played over 500 games in England and no-one’s ever heard of him.
Shane Duffy (Everton)
Played two minutes (Oldham 2-2 Everton)
Cliff Byrne (Oldham Athletic)
Unused sub (Oldham Athletic 2-2 Everton)
Aidy White (Leeds United)
Played 90 minutes (Manchester City 4-0 Leeds United)
We’d like to know how quick White is over 100 metres because he looked like he matched Gareth Bale and Aaron Lennon in the last round. Unfortunately at the Etihad, his pace was about as useful to him as an umbrella in a typhoon.
MIDFIELDERS
Stephen Dawson (Barnsley)
Not in squad (MK Dons 1-3 Barnsley)
Rory Delap (Barnsley – on loan from Stoke City)
Played 20 minutes (MK Dons 1-3 Barnsley)
Since Delap joined them Barnsley have yet to lose a game having looked doomed a few weeks ago.
Jonathan Douglas (Brentford)
Played 90 minutes (Chelsea 4-0 Brentford)
Helped Brentford contain Chelsea for as long as possible but, with his side 4-0 down, witnessed David Luiz smash a shoulder into 19-year-old Jake Reeves’ jaw. That left the 19-year-old unconscious and reminded us of Ben Thatcher’s challenge on Pedro Mendes a few years ago. Luiz’s wasn’t as vicious but it deserved more than a yellow card.
Darron Gibson (Everton)
Played 90 minutes (Oldham 2-2 Everton)
One of those games in which Gibson decided to take it easy. His passing was fine but he never got out of snooze mode.
Sean Scannell (Huddersfield Town)
Played 65 minutes (Huddersfield Town 1-4 Wigan Athletic)
Made no impact on a pitch that had been cut up during the rugby league game between the same two sides the previous day. In fairness, we’d struggle too if we had to play rugby league on a Saturday and a football match the next day.
James McCarthy (Wigan Athletic)
Played three minutes (Huddersfield Town 1-4 Wigan Athletic)
Wigan are through to the last eight for the first time since 1987.
Paul Green (Leeds United)
Not in squad (Manchester City 4-0 Leeds United)
Woah! Leeds beat Tottenham in the last round and as soon as their team are getting hammered away from home by the most expensive side ever assembled, their fans are demanding Neil Warnock’s resignation. The right time to protest against Warnock was just before he inked his contract. A Father Ted-style picket outside the Leeds offices was when it was needed.
Stephen Gleeson (MK Dons)
Not in squad (MK Dons 1-3 Barnsley)
Darren Potter (MK Dons)
Played 90 minutes (MK Dons 1-3 Barnsley)
He was mostly doing defensive work which isn’t his strongest attribute. Dropped deeper as the game went on against a Barnsley side that has won seven of its last eight games.
Shaun Williams (MK Dons)
Played 90 minutes (MK Dons 1-3 Barnsley)
Started at centre-back and struggled against Marlon Harewood. That must be the most depressing feeling a footballer can have. We thought Harewood had retired about five years ago.
STRIKERS
Leon Best (Blackburn Rovers)
Injured (Arsenal 0-1 Blackburn Rovers)
Andy Keogh (Millwall)
Played 90 minutes (Luton Town 0-3 Millwall)
Could have made it even more comfortable for his side but unfortunately this was Andy Keogh playing as Andy Keogh.
Alan Lee (Huddersfield Town)
Played 45 minutes (Huddersfield Town 1-4 Wigan Athletic)
The 34-year-old started on his own up front and was about as useful as a windmill on the moon. Mark Robins, who for some reason thought it wise to play defensive tactics at home against the second-worst team in the Premier League, replaced him with James Vaughan at half-time.
Answer: Steve Finnan for Liverpool when they beat West Ham 3-1 on penalties in 2006.
FA Cup quarter-final draw:
Oldham Athletic or Everton v Wigan Athletic
Millwall v Blackburn Rovers
Manchester City v Barnsley
Manchester United or Reading v Middlesbrough or Chelsea
To take place on the weekend of the 9 and 10 March.
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