What a cr@p format for the draw!

[IAmAClaret]

Sorry, but if our first team can't handle 2 games in a week they should be embarrassed. Some people walk 12+ miles each and every day for water.

It's never a distraction. We've got spurs away after it, where we will more than likely get beat anyway.

Weakened team my arse, get our best 11 out there and show them and everyone else just how big the gap now is.

[!aiboforceN]

This was a poor way to determine the home and away teams... There should be a 50:50 chance of being home or away. Once balls have been drawn from the middle jar the chances aren't 50:50 any longer. For example, if more home than away balls are drawn early on, then later teams from the first jar have a higher chance of being away.

[ClaretTony]

This was a poor way to determine the home and away teams... There should by a 50:50 chance of being home or away. Once balls have been drawn from the middle jar - the chances weren't 50:50 any longer. For example, if more home than away balls were drawn early on, then later teams from the first jar had a higher chance of being away.

The 1st round draw in Thailand was a farce when Charlton came out twice
The 2nd round draw was just a complete farce and ill conceived
The 3rd round draw is in Beijing

[Royboyclaret]

Completely farcical draw with the white ball being the home team in the first four ties drawn whilst the red ball was the home team for the remainder.

As a result the draw for the first four ties sees the home and away teams reversed.

Perhaps even a complete redraw?

[Whitgord]

The real question is, how many white and how many red balls in middle jar at start? If identical and total the same as the number of ties then the draw was designed to have an equal number of seeded teams at home as away in the round.

[Royboyclaret]

So CT.........QPR, Palace, Watford and Norwich are now at home, even though they were drawn away.

What a shambles.

[scouseclaret]

If SD understands our Club like he claims to, he won't dare field a weakened team for this.

[Whitgord]

Surely they will sort out the first four ties that were drawn so that the opposite venues are used

[Whitgord]

... as that was what actually was drawn out

[THEWELLERNUT70]

It started off appallingly and actually got worse from there.
An exercise in how to make something that should be fun and relatively simple into a turgid complicated affair

[NL Claret]

Won't be on Sky, Newport v Leeds will be on.

[ClaretTony]

So CT.........QPR, Palace, Watford and Norwich are now at home, even though they were drawn away.

What a shambles.

Cheers Royboy, I've just amended the article. The Football League really is a shambles of an organisation now.

[JohnDearyMe]

Won't be on Sky, Newport v Leeds will be on.

They did eventually get an upset with the Accrington game last season but it was a turgid affair. Wonder if that will influence their decision over what game they screen?

[!aiboforceN]

I think the Leeds/Newport game also has to be changed. I hear talk of a pre-draw agreement that Newport couldn't be at home

[Royboyclaret]

My take is that the fault lies with Jules Warren (the Sky presenter). He indicated to Salako that the white ball indicated the home team, but after the first four ties were drawn changed his mind and now the red ball became the home team.

Clearly upset Salako who was then a nervous wreck for the remainder of the draw. Goodness knows how the managers of the now 'away' teams feel in the first four ties.

[HatfieldClaret]

Excuse my ignorance, but why do half of the Prem not feature in the draw ?

[Leisure]

Excuse my ignorance, but why do half of the Prem not feature in the draw ?

They're in European competitions.

[HatfieldClaret]

Ta, fair enough.

That'll be us one day.

[ClaretTony]

Excuse my ignorance, but why do half of the Prem not feature in the draw ?

It's usually the top 7 who are in European competition but it can differ which then alters first and second round. This year Hull & Middlesbrough were excluded from 1st round draw and I think we were in 2010 but not long ago they had to hold a preliminary game between the two sides promoted from the National League before the first round. It all has to fit in to get 32 in third round.

[HatfieldClaret]

Ta, sounds as convoluted as the balls out of the hat.