[Liverweb] FA Cup Final Match Preview

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Liverweb FA Cup Final Match Preview 2006

Before the full preview - one word to anyone that's going - enjoy it
but whatever you do make sure your singing voice is at full pelt for
this game. It's not going to be an easy walkover by any means. Of
course we'd all love it to be but until that point get in that
ground and sing yer hearts out. I intend having no voice left when
I get out of that ground and a win under our belts. We have to be
the 12th man again though and make sure we get the team going.
Don't go quiet - we have a reputation for singing etc;

Andy
Liverweb

Opponents : West Ham United
Date : Saturday May 13 @ 15.00pm
Venue : Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
TV Coverage : BBC1, DSF (sport), Sky Sports 2, Viasat Sport 1, Sport
TV, Supersport 3, Supersport 8SA, Sport 1 CZ, Sport 1 Hu, Alfa TV,
TV3+, TV3 Norway, TV Sport RO, Viasat Sport 2, Sport TV, Sky Sport
Italia 1, Supersport 1, TV3+ Denmark, Viasat Sport 1SE, Viewers
Choice (Canada), Setanta PPV (USA+CAN), Bell PPV (Canada), Kanal
Turk, Diema Xtra, Sport 1 NL, Sky Calcio 1

Tape Delay : C+ France (1hr 15), Supersport 2 (8hrs)

Liverpool and West Ham meet in the FA Cup final 2006. The two sides
have made the journey to Cardiff through each round of the cup so
far. The route to the final for the Reds has seen them defeat Man
United, Chelsea, Birmingham, Luton and Portsmouth. Last season the
Reds were accused of not taking the competition seriously as they
went out at Burnley. There can be no doubt this season to their
desire to lift the trophy they last won in 2001. That win came in
the first ever FA Cup final held at Cardiff. The Reds now hope they
can lift the trophy on the final occassion it will be played in
Cardiff as well.

West Ham though have their own ideas of winning the trophy. They
last won it in 1980 when a Trevor Brooking goal defeated Arsenal.
Back then West ham were in the second echelon of English football at
the time. Last season West Ham were in Cardiff to win the play off
final to achieve promotion to the Premiership. They marked their
first season back in the Premiership with a ninth place finish.

Both sides won their last premiership fixture of the season although
the Reds are on a better winning streak - 11 in total coming in to
the final. That winning streak included a recent win at West Ham.

Liverpool will wear their red shirts in the final having won the
toss and will also use the North dressing room. West Ham will wear
their white away shirts and won the toss for the use of the Vale of
Glamorgan hotel.

Squads : Luis Garcia and Hayden Mullins are both suspended for the
match after they were sent off in the recent match between the two
sides at Upton Park. Robbie Fowler is cup tied for the match.

Xabi Alonso is the only majot injury doubt for the Reds ahead of the
match. He is suffering from an ankle ligament injury.

West Ham are sweating on the fitness of a few players including Dean
Ashton who has a hamstring problem. Matthew Etherington is the
biggest worry though and faces a fitness test as late as the day of
the final in his bid to make the game.

Liverpool (from): Reina, Finnan, Carragher, Hyypia, Riise, Gerrard,
Alonso, Sissoko, Kewell, Crouch, Dudek, Cisse, Hamann, Morientes,
Warnock, Agger, Kromkamp, Traore.

West Ham (from): Hislop, Ferdinand, Gabbidon, Collins, Konchesky,
Benayoun, Reo-Coker, Etherington, Ashton, Harewood, Walker, Scaloni,
Clarke, Ward, Newton, Reid, Fletcher, Sheringham, Zamora, Katan.

Team Stats : The Reds completed a league double over the Hammers
this season. A 2-0 home win and a 2-1 win at Upton Park a few weeks
ago ensured the Reds took maximum points.

In FA Cup football the two sides have only ever met five times. The
best result West Ham can look back on is a 1-1 draw at home to the
Reds way back in 1914. The Reds have won the other four games
although the last game was way back in January 1976. That day the
Reds travelled to West Ham and won 2-0.

The Reds have met the Hammers in a cup final before - the 1981
League Cup Final when the Reds won 2-1 in a replay. The original
game at Wembley finished 1-1. The replay saw goals from Dalglish and
Hansen cancel out a goal from Goddard. It was the first time that
the Reds had lifted the League Cup.

West Ham's last win over the Reds was in November 1999 when they won
1-0 in the Premiership at Upton Park. They have never beaten the
Reds on neutral territory.

Overall record against West Ham

Played 112 Won 58 Drawn 32 Lost 22 Goals For 181 Goals Against 105

Player Stats : Peter Crouch will look to play his 49th game of the
season for the Reds. In the FA Cup he has a good record of scoring
with three goals in five games.

Crouch is a favourite for substitution as well. So far this season
he has been subbed 29 times in his 48 games.

Fernando Morientes will hope to score his tenth of the season if he
bags one goal on the day.

Jamie Carragher and Sami Hyypia are the most experienced Reds
available to play. They have both played 23 FA Cup games so far for
the Reds. In each case they were starts as well.

Referee : Alan Wiley

Betting : Liverpool to win Cup 1/3, West Ham to win cup 9/4

Liverweb Prediction : Liverpool 2 West Ham United 0

Email your comments to andy@liverweb.org.uk

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