Search

Five Blow Their Big Cup Chance...

Many Premier League players were given the chance to make their first-team cases in the FA Cup this weekend but they went out and played like they wanted to stay in the reserves. Here are five...

Last Updated: 05/01/09 at 16:58 Post Comment



Nathan Delfouneso - Gillingham v Aston Villa
After convincing performances from the young prospect in the UEFA Cup against both Hamburg and MSK Zilina, Martin O'Neill must have been thinking that he'd got something special.

He's young, fast, and a great finisher. It all sounds a bit like Agbonlahor...but he didn't really play like him against Gillingham.

The promising youngster turned his big opportunity into a horror show for the fans as he missed one opportunity after another. The most memorable was when James Milner beat his marker and delivered a pin-point cross to Delfouneso, only for him to volley it over the bar.

However, Villa fans can still hold their heads up as they won the game 2-1, but it was a far from convincing win and an even worse performance by Delfouneso. This is a performance he won't want to repeat in a hurry if he wants to continue being picked ahead of the top-class striker, wait for it...Marlon Harewood! Wow.



Franco Di Santo - Chelsea v Southend
The 19-year-old Argentinian striker joined Chelsea last season in the January transfer window and was hailed as the next Hernan Crespo. Bagging seven goals from eight games for the reserves, he was almost looking like Chelsea's Carlos Tevez. Until he put on the no 9 shirt and came on for Joe Cole in the 83rd minute against Southend, that is. It was a dreadful performance to say the least - he hovered around the pitch like a lost child and his embarrassing miss in the last minute just made it worse.

Frank Lampard worked his magic once again to deliver the ball into the box only for it to fall to Di Santo and he...well, let's just say he missed. How he missed only he knows, maybe Mateja Kezman has been secretly hired as a coach, or even Shevchenko, or maybe even Pizarro. The list is just endless.



Dietmar Hamann - Manchester City v Nottingham Forest
The German international was arguably the worst player on the pitch - and there was some serious competition. Maybe he was playing an entirely different match because he clearly saw something nobody else did. Hamann inexplicably threw the ball from his own half backwards towards his own goalkeeper, but it turned into a glorious gift for the waiting Joe Garner, who wrapped up the game for Forest.

Somebody needs to remind Hamman that he doesn't play for Liverpool anymore and he's meant to be throwing the ball to a blue shirt, not a red shirt, because we can't out work what on earth possessed him to do that.

After that performance from Citeh, it's back to the drawing board for Hughes or even perhaps for Khaldoon al Mubarak.



Arnold Mvuemba - Portsmouth v Bristol City
Arnold Mvuemba arrived at Portsmouth from Rennes on a loan deal in 2007 with the option to buy - which they did - but Adams is probably rueing 'Arry's decision right now after Mvuemba's nightmare performance against the Robins. Portsmouth experienced life without Diarra as Mvuemba took the hot seat, and wow, did he have a shocker - it was like watching Isaiah Osbourne all over again. Misplaced passes, missed interceptions and he capped his performance with a shot which rolled gift-wrapped to Bristol City's keeper Adriano Basso.

Maybe we shouldn't be too harsh on his performance because Portsmouth as a whole look like they're stuck in a big mess since 'Arry's departure...oh dear Tony, maybe you should try and bring in Martin Keown as your assistant. Or have you already tried that?



Ryan Babel - Preston v Liverpool
Babel was arguably Ajax's best player before joining Liverpool in July 2007, but he forgot to bring his class to Deepdale. Babel's performance was simply embarrassing to watch and should serve as a reminder to anyone who wonders why his Premier League chances are limited.

Misplaced passes and poor control was the story of his game. He even managed to shoot and send the ball to the corner flag. Anyone would think it was Babel and not Steven Gerrard going through a rather tough week.


William Boye

Football365 Facebook Fan Page

The Football365 fan page is a great place to meet like minded people, have football related discussions and make new friends.

Related News

Sky Bet

Most Commented

Readers' Comments

I

f I were a Madrid fan and they appointed Benitez I'd set fire to my eyes as a precaution and spend the next few days hitting my head against things until I wasn't moving.

hanzola
Who Will Take Over From Jose At Real?

R

io says... I think we need an English manager now, we don't need anything else lost in translation well maybe if you didnt mumble all the time Rio *ba dum dum, tsch*... ill get my coat.

monkey1986
Rio takes swipe at Capello

H

ahaha, of course he hasn't thought about the job... that's why he's had a beaming smile on his face all day... because he's DEFINITELY not thinking about the England job.

thejbs
Redknapp: Focus is on Tottenham

Footer 365

Moratti: Capello talk unfounded

Inter Milan president Massimo Moratti has rubbished speculation that former AC Milan boss Fabio Capello could take charge of the side.

MP: FA must be moral guardian

The Football Association had a moral duty to axe John Terry as captain of the national football team, an MP said on Thursday.

Triesman: FA had to let Fabio go

Lord Triesman believes it would have been impossible for the Football Association not to accept Fabio Capello's resignation.

Mail Box

England For The English Manager? Yes Please

Some folk genuinely want an English manager while others are still suggesting Rafa Benitez or Jose Mourinho. Also, remember that Fabio Capello walked...

Blaming Terry, The Press, The FA, Capello...

There are a lot of people who should take some of the blame for the farce of Fabio Capello's resignation but quite a lot if being thrown in the direction of the English media...

Site Map

Our Network

Websites

Partners

Betting & Gaming

Mobile, Fun & Games

© 2012 365 Media Group Ltd. All Rights Reserved