We have been drawn against Arsenal in the semi-final of the Carling Cup.
We
will travel to the Emirates Stadium in the first leg, week commencing January 7.
The return leg at the Lane follows on the week commencing January 21.
We will
publicise exact dates, kick-off times and ticket news for these semi-final
legs as soon as we have them.
Chelsea face Everton in the other
semi-final with Chelsea at home first.
Juande Ramos had no hesitation in describing our Carling Cup quarter-final win
at City as the best display under his charge so far.
Tuesday night's 2-0
triumph was a display full of character, determination and no little skill
as we overcame losing Didier Zokora as early as the 21st minute to a
controversial red card, forcing Juande into a tactical switch and leaving us
with the prospect of facing a City side with a home record of played 10, won 10
going into the game with 10 men for 70 minutes. Thankfully, we were already 1-0
up by then as Jermain Defoe converted Aaron Lennon’s cross in the fifth minute.
JD had to be sacrificed following the sending off with Teemu Tainio coming in at
right-back and Pascal Chimbonda switching to central defence. The lads relished
the challenge and appeared determined that nothing was going to stand between
them and another shot at a Wembley final. When we were breached, Paul Robinson
stood firm. He produced arguably his best save of the season to tip over Darius
Vassell’s point-blank header and, with the score still 1-0, matched that with
another reaction stop to palm away Rolando Bianchi’s header, Younes Kaboul
hacking the rebound off the line. We wrapped it up in the 82nd minute when the
outstanding Dimitar Berbatov found Jamie O’Hara, he picked out Steed Malbranque
and the Frenchman slotted provided the finish. The victory – our third on the
trot – booked a place in the semi-finals of the competition for the
second-successive year and made it one defeat in 11 games since Juande took
up his Head Coach role.“It’s a positive result and sets us up for the rest of
the season,” said Juande. “To win away from home in a cup tie against a team
like Manchester City, who are up there in the league at the moment and on a good
run of form at home, having been one man down after 20 minutes, it’s something
really positive. “We had to work extra hard after being down to 10 men to make
up for having that inferior number. We ended up with just rewards for our
efforts and the result will stand us in good stead in terms of the mindset of
the lads. “Paul Robinson did his job and I’d like to give credit to the rest of
the side. The players who are meant to score goals found the net and everyone
else on the pitch worked so hard, particularly the midfield.” As for the red
card – a decision that was at the least harsh, as Didier appeared to win the
ball and make very little contact with Elano – Juande made clear his thoughts.
“It was absolutely undeserved, unjust and it wasn’t a sending off, no way. We
then had to pay the penalty of being a man down.”
Juande Ramos was impressed with Jamie O'Hara's cameo role at Portsmouth as the
young midfielder made an impact on his debut at Fratton Park.
Recently back
from a loan spell at Millwall, Jamie, 21, entered the fray for Kevin-Prince
Boateng with 13 minutes remaining and the match finely balanced at
0-0.
It took less than a minute for his first contribution, a cross-field
pass into the path of Jermain Defoe, who controlled and lifted a tricky chance
over David James but over the bar.
Then, two minutes later, Jamie's most
telling contribution as he led a counter-attack from the left and carried
the ball some distance before picking out Aaron Lennon on the right,
Aaron's cross turned home for the winner by Dimitar Berbatov.
"It was
his debut and he had 15 very good minutes," said Head Coach Juande. "He
understood perfectly what I asked of him when he came on.
"He played very
well and I'm very happy with him."
Dimitar Berbatov scored the goal that secured us a first Premier League away win
of the season against Portsmouth at Fratton Park on Saturday.
It was fifth
goal of the season for the striker in all competitions and it provided the
perfect pre-Christmas tonic of three points banked.In what felt like sub-zero
temperatures on the South Coast, Juande Ramos handed a second Premiership start
to Kevin Prince Boateng in central midfield alongside Jermaine Jenas, while
Darren Bent got the nod to begin up front in tandem with Dimitar Berbatov.
Michael Dawson was unavailable due to illness, so Didier Zokora once again
occupied a central defensive berth alongside Younes Kaboul. Pompey had four
former Spurs in their 16 on duty - Sol Campbell, Noe Pamarot, Pedro Mendes and
Sean Davis. It was John Utaka who made the first purposeful surge, one that it
took Jenas to speed back and repel. Utaka was looking the principal threat for
the home side, while there was a good tempo and some crisp passing from the team
in white, with Bent dispatching the first shot that flew a foot or so wide of
the top corner. Steed Malbranque thought he was on the scoresheet for the second
time in as many seasons at this venue in the 16th minute when, from an Aaron
Lennon cross, Boateng struck in on goal and was foiled by David James.
Malbranque poked home the rebound, but the flag of the assistant was aloft. Papa
Bouba Diop attempted to muscle his way through at the other end and had his
effort diverted away by Zokora, before Berbatov flicked just over the bar from
an offside position. A Sulley Muntari free-kick was, moments later, smothered
well by Paul Robinson. Bent then evaded his marker and worked himself a shooting
position but failed to generate enough power to trouble James. Lennon and Bent
combined to create an opening for Berbatov in front of goal, with only a late
Campbell intervention preventing the Bulgarian stroking home. Malbranque buzzed
into the box at the start of the second half but clipped a cross-shot to the
unoccupied far post, while Lennon and Bent both had opportunities to stretch the
home defences with their pace. Lennon fizzed in a cross with 53 minutes on the
clock that James attempted to prevent making a connection with the head of Bent.
What he did do was ensure the ball struck the back of Glen Johnson, but Bent had
already advanced and was unable to seize on the loose ball. Neither side was
really establishing superiority in the game, one which was a little frenetic and
lacking some poise from individual playmakers. It was punctuated with fouls,
which was not helping the flow of the contest, but the home crowd were voicing a
degree of frustration - something that is normally a good sign. Berbatov strode
goalwards at the midway point in the half but the on-rushing James got just
about enough on the ball to prevent him making capital before the substitute
David Nugent headed narrowly over at the other end. On 74 minutes Berbatov was
joined by Jermain Defoe with Bent making way and he was quickly followed by
Jamie O'Hara, who got to make his Premier League debut in place of Boateng. He
made a quick impression with an angled ball that picked out Defoe, who proceeded
to ping it over James but also over the bar. The changes breathed new life into
attacking intent and the deadlock was broken on 81 minutes. Lennon zipped a
cross off the back of his marker Hermann Hreidarsson and the deviation in flight
deceived the defenders and Berbatov was waiting at the back post to steer past
James before joining the Spurs fans for a celebration.
O'Hara might have
netted were it not for the head of Niko Kranjcar getting in the way but it
mattered little when the referee sounded the whistle to send us home happy.
Cold, but very happy.
Fifth Round (Quarterfinal)
Matches will be played in the week beginning 17
December 2007, with the exception of West Ham United vs Everton, which will be
played on 12 December due to Everton's European commitments.
Home team Away team
Blackburn Rovers vs Arsenal
DateKick offStadium
18 December 200720:00Ewood Park, BlackburnChelsea vs Liverpool
DateKick offStadium
19 December 200719:45Stamford Bridge, LondonManchester City vs Tottenham Hotspur
DateKick offStadium
18 December 200719:45City of Manchester Stadium, Manchester
West Ham United vs Everton
DateKick offStadium
12 December 200719:45Boleyn Ground, London
