Chelsea looking at FA Cup to salvage season

The oldest cup competition in the world is still a great draw for fans, this is all about history and past glories. The history books are clear in recent records, in the last 20 years only 6 teams have won it, four of the big 4 Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool and taken 18 but only Portsmouth and Everton have been outside winners. The best thing about the FA Cup was that any team could win it, now it is impossible for a team like Everton to win it. The worst thing is that to the big clubs, the FA Cup is part of a double or treble, it should be a glory in itself to win the FA cup. Chelsea has won it 6 times and Everton 5 times but that was 17 years ago, that is why the FA Cup cannot live on past glories, we need the underdogs to win. Chelsea used the game at Ipswich to hammer 7 and get back on form and since then they have scored 13 without reply, so they ask “what crisis?” that is the beauty of the FA cup, it can revive a team in the league. Everton have not had a good season but they always finish well, Tim Cahill leaving for the Asia cup has left them without their best player. The key to Chelsea’s revival has been Obi Mikel and Ramires worling in tandem to cover the weak defence which has Terry and Alex leaking goals for free. In attack, Anelka is dynamic, Drogba is confident again and Lampard has restored some balance in the midfield. Everton is a hard place to come to get a win, they play really physical football, so Chelsea will have to match them for muscle then out-skill them. Drogba against Sylvain Distin is a battle of two oxen, and Drogba will not have it easy. Everton needs a big game from all their players especially Jermaine Beckford who has taken long to adapt. Around the team they have talent; Leighton Baines is the best defender for assists, Seamus Coleman is a classy marauding right-back, Mikel Arteta is sheer class, but they are weak in attack. They plug the middle with hard workers, Phil Neville, Leon Osman, Fellilani and have only one creative outlet apart from crosses. That is why Everton has struggled this year, they have been found wanting in creativity, and Steven Pienaar their only other playmaker is gone to Spurs. I have to see a Chelsea win but Everton will not roll over, plus Everton have the power to seriously test Chelsea’s leaky defence. Judging by recent form the Blues of Chelsea are past their recent blip, but all the problems are still there in defence. Everton will struggle to score when Chelsea almost certainly will, it leans towards Chelsea but anything can happen. ramaisibo@hotmail.com