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Lawro and Crackhead have us down to lose this week, I feel it may be correct also, I hope the kids play and totally prove me wrong.

Lawro's opponent for this weekend's FA Cup fifth-round ties is BBC Breakfast presenter Bill Turnbull.

Turnbull, who is stepping down from his role at the end of this month, has been a Wycombe Wanderers fan since their remarkable run to the FA Cup semi-finals as a third-tier team in 2001. "I started going with my two sons towards the end of that run and we went up to Villa Park for the semi-final against Liverpool," Turnbull told BBC Sport. "That was us tied in then. We were glory-hunters in effect - but we have been waiting for the glory to come around ever since."

Turnbull is not predicting any shocks this weekend but thinks League One strugglers Shrewsbury will do the lower leagues proud when they host Manchester United on Sunday. "I think United will be in for a bit of a surprise there," Turnbull explained. "They might slip up a little."

Lawro says

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/35599789

I was in Paris to watch Chelsea play Paris St-Germain in the Champions League on Tuesday and they played pretty well despite losing the first leg of their last-16 tie.

Chelsea boss Guus Hiddink might be missing one or two players through injury, but it looks like Manchester City might be missing more for other reasons.

We are not sure what sort of team their manager Manuel Pellegrini will put out because of how close this game is to their trip to play Dynamo Kiev in the Champions League on Wednesday night.

Pellegrini says he may field a weakened team at Stamford Bridge. If he does, it will be a shame because it is not great for the FA Cup, but you can understand why.

Lawro's prediction: 2-1

Bill's prediction: Chelsea are still unbeaten domestically in 11 games under Guus Hiddink but City have lost their last two games and I don't see them losing three in a row. 0-1

Merson says

http://www.skysports.com/football/news/ ... -win-again

This is the pick of the fixtures. This is Chelsea's only chance of silverware - top four is gone and I wouldn't have thought they can win the Champions League.

Manchester City have lost two games on the trot, big games, too. When was the last time when they lost three games in a row? Manuel Pellegrini said he's likely to make changes for this game as they have to travel to Kiev in midweek, but that was before they lost two matches in a row. It will be close, but I think Chelsea will edge it.

PAUL PREDICTS: 2-1


And....who will win the FA Cup, Merse?

I'd be all over Everton (14/1) and West Ham (12/1) each-way. Both clubs are in prime position. All the clubs at the top of the market have other competitions to worry about and are vulnerable. Plus, one of Chelsea and Manchester City are going out. It opens everything up. You know 100 per cent that both Everton and West Ham will be strong.

Think I am a small minority but I hope we put out the strongest eleven we can. For me, the PL has gone and though we have a big CL game in Kiev, it's three days later and Kiev haven't played for two months so are likely to be a bit rusty. Plus a 2-1 loss wouldn't actually be a terrible result should we lose.

A pot is a pot and the FA cup gives us a good chance of that. Plus, who doesn't like a day out at Wembley?

nottsblue wrote:Think I am a small minority but I hope we put out the strongest eleven we can. For me, the PL has gone and though we have a big CL game in Kiev, it's three days later and Kiev haven't played for two months so are likely to be a bit rusty. Plus a 2-1 loss wouldn't actually be a terrible result should we lose.

A pot is a pot and the FA cup gives us a good chance of that. Plus, who doesn't like a day out at Wembley?

Whilst I don't like devaluing the FA cup in any way, if it is the FA who have rail roaded us in this instance then I can see why the club would stick their fingers up at them.

With regards to Kiev having not played for two months, I would probably insert the word competitive in there?

I have no idea what the eastern & northern European clubs do in their winter break, but I'd be surprised if the top clubs still UCL and Europa just sit at home? Surely they have at least 3-4 weeks somewhere warm having a mini pre-season thing going on? At least some low key friendlies somewhere?

However shit the rags are or looked last night, I don't think you can accuse mijitland of looking rusty?

Whilst I'm old school like you and put league and domestic cups first, sadly we all know that the club see UCL as the holy grail and to progress to final 8 or beyond is their priority whether we like it or not.

Plus Twosips will be apoplectic with rage if some of the youth don't get their big day ;-)

CTID Hants wrote:

nottsblue wrote:Think I am a small minority but I hope we put out the strongest eleven we can. For me, the PL has gone and though we have a big CL game in Kiev, it's three days later and Kiev haven't played for two months so are likely to be a bit rusty. Plus a 2-1 loss wouldn't actually be a terrible result should we lose.

A pot is a pot and the FA cup gives us a good chance of that. Plus, who doesn't like a day out at Wembley?

Whilst I don't like devaluing the FA cup in any way, if it is the FA who have rail roaded us in this instance then I can see why the club would stick their fingers up at them.

With regards to Kiev having not played for two months, I would probably insert the word competitive in there?

I have no idea what the eastern & northern European clubs do in their winter break, but I'd be surprised if the top clubs still UCL and Europa just sit at home? Surely they have at least 3-4 weeks somewhere warm having a mini pre-season thing going on? At least some low key friendlies somewhere?

However shit the rags are or looked last night, I don't think you can accuse mijitland of looking rusty?

Whilst I'm old school like you and put league and domestic cups first, sadly we all know that the club see UCL as the holy grail and to progress to final 8 or beyond is their priority whether we like it or not.

Plus Twosips will be apoplectic with rage if some of the youth don't get their big day ;-)

I agree with what you say re the CL and the clubs ambitions and priorities. I get it, I really do, but as a fan I don't like it. Just my two penneth worth. However, for arguments sake, if Sunday was a PL fixture, would we put out the mooted side that we will in the FA cup? I suspect not, therefore we are perhaps making a conscious decision to prioritise the PL over the FA cup, which I would ordinarily be full in favour of but as I don't think at this stage of the season the PL is likely, I would switch the priority from the PL to the FA cup.

Also, yes Kiev have played friendlies, but friendlies are no substitute for competitive fixtures. We can catch them cold on Wednesday if our game plan is sound

nottsblue wrote:

CTID Hants wrote:

nottsblue wrote:Think I am a small minority but I hope we put out the strongest eleven we can. For me, the PL has gone and though we have a big CL game in Kiev, it's three days later and Kiev haven't played for two months so are likely to be a bit rusty. Plus a 2-1 loss wouldn't actually be a terrible result should we lose.

A pot is a pot and the FA cup gives us a good chance of that. Plus, who doesn't like a day out at Wembley?

Whilst I don't like devaluing the FA cup in any way, if it is the FA who have rail roaded us in this instance then I can see why the club would stick their fingers up at them.

With regards to Kiev having not played for two months, I would probably insert the word competitive in there?

I have no idea what the eastern & northern European clubs do in their winter break, but I'd be surprised if the top clubs still UCL and Europa just sit at home? Surely they have at least 3-4 weeks somewhere warm having a mini pre-season thing going on? At least some low key friendlies somewhere?

However shit the rags are or looked last night, I don't think you can accuse mijitland of looking rusty?

Whilst I'm old school like you and put league and domestic cups first, sadly we all know that the club see UCL as the holy grail and to progress to final 8 or beyond is their priority whether we like it or not.

Plus Twosips will be apoplectic with rage if some of the youth don't get their big day ;-)

I agree with what you say re the CL and the clubs ambitions and priorities. I get it, I really do, but as a fan I don't like it. Just my two penneth worth. However, for arguments sake, if Sunday was a PL fixture, would we put out the mooted side that we will in the FA cup? I suspect not, therefore we are perhaps making a conscious decision to prioritise the PL over the FA cup, which I would ordinarily be full in favour of but as I don't think at this stage of the season the PL is likely, I would switch the priority from the PL to the FA cup.

Also, yes Kiev have played friendlies, but friendlies are no substitute for competitive fixtures. We can catch them cold on Wednesday if our game plan is sound

They have played 4 times in the last 4 weeks

Luzern
Stromsgodset
Granada
Malaga

Fairly decent opposition too. They I'll be ready, they are veterans in this competition