First off, I haven't seen the match yet and while I know I will, I can also say it won't be tonight or tomorrow morning despite having the opportunity, so this is very much just a new post to say 'we won'; woop wopp.

I don't know specifically why I didn't particularly feel that up for this match today though. I know that to some extent it is the manager resting so many players and on the face of things not wanting to win it and I know why he has done that, so I don't need telling but I don't think that is the only reason.

I don't think the FA Cup has the magic it used to have and basically, I'd almost given up on it. I might get more into it if we put out a full strength team for the next round, but I need to believe the manager is taking this tournament seriously for me to take it seriously.

Anyway, enough of me. To the match. Nathan Delfouneso got the first, King Cuellar got the second and John Carew scored the third with minutes to go from the penalty spot. Talking of penalties though; Brad Guzan saved another.

So, we are in and on that result you have to fancy we will be able to go to Blackburn on Tuesday night and get the right result to set up the second leg at Villa Park on January 20th.

So, that is it. I might or might not do a more in depth look at the match on another day but with only 25,453 going to this match - it appears that the magic of the FA Cup is dead for quite a few more than just me.

Team News

Brad Guzan, Habib Beye, Carlos Cuellar, Stephen Warnock, James Collins, Stewart Downing, Webcam Young, Fabian Delph (Steve Sidwell 46), Nigel Reo-Coker, Nathan Delfouneso (John Carew 75) and Emile Heskey.