a very comprehensive preview from chelseafc.co.uk-worth a read

<h3 class="headline">PRE-MATCH BRIEFING: BARNSLEY V CHELSEA </h3>

The FA Cup quarter-finals take Chelsea to Oakwell for the first time in a decade. Club historian Rick Glanvill and club statistician Paul Dutton preview.</p>

Rick begins with a glance back at an even earlier fixture in Yorkshire.</p>


When Barnsley scored to lead 4-0 in the FA Cup game in January 1989 the Chelsea fans there were moved to chorus that the result wasn't too concerning (or words to that effect) because 'we are going up!'</p>

The cup game was a brief distraction from the primary objective that season, to regain the top-flight status lost, uniquely, through the play-offs of 1987/8. The mission was accomplished brilliantly come May.</p>

Barnsley were in the same division back then, the second, and almost in the Blues' slipstream. It was neither a huge surprise they won that day, nor much to bother about. </p>

Nineteen years on and it would be a genuine upset if the Tykes dumped one of Europe's top sides from the oldest domestic cup competition in the world. They have already beaten Liverpool 2-1 in the previous round, and at Anfield too.</p>

Although the pressure to succeed weighs much more heavily on Avram Grant and whatever team he selects, there is always the pressure of expectation on underdogs in games such as this. FA Cup lore dictates that giving it a go is not enough; they have to play their socks off or they're labelled chokers. When a town like Barnsley catches cup fever, every encounter with a local carries a reminder of What Yorkshire Expects. </p>

It's little surprise that Simon Davey's men have not won any of their four Championship games since landing Chelsea in the draw; they have only scored once too. A week before the Liverpool match they had beaten high-flying West Bromwich Albion 2-1 in front of their highest crowd of the season, 13,083. </p>

For their last home game before the big cup occasion, against local rivals Sheffield Wednesday, Oakwell was packed with 18,257. After that stalemate they stand just seven points above the relegation zone. Being cup underdog is not as easy a position as it's sometimes made out.</p>

Not that Barnsley appeared bothered at Anfield. They didn't play like a lower division team without an away league win in 12. When skipper Brian Howard, whose cultured left foot is one of their key weapons, fired home their second goal in the dying moments, it was vindication for the tenacious skill of Barnsley's other heroes that day, goalkeeper Luke Steele and centre-back Steve Foster. Steele had only joined 48 hours earlier on loan from West Brom and had an extraordinary debut. He has played equally well since, and will take some beating on Saturday evening. </p>

Crewe-schooled Foster scored the Tykes' equaliser at Anfield with a powerful header from wide midfielder Martin Devaney's typically probing cross from the left. He is Barnsley's top scorer in this competition. </p>

One blow to Davey's plans is that the lithe, skilful Brazilian midfielder Anderson De Silva (on loan from Everton) has suffered a knee ligament injury and is ruled out. </p>

Davey will know that his most important task is getting their heads right for a game that could see them reach the semi-finals of this competition for the first time since the year the Titanic sank - 1912.</p>

He prefers a 4-4-2 formation but having watched at close quarters Chelsea's demolition of Olympiacos on Wednesday may opt for a 4-5-1 to keep things tight in the opening moments. The Blues have started the last two games against West Ham and the Greeks with a pace and power that he knows his side would find hard to live with.</p>

Howard, along with the likes of former Manchester United trainee Daniel Nardello and sprightly winger Jamal Campbell-Ryce will be expected to produce the incisiveness Barnsley need to worry a rampant Chelsea side. Kayode Odejayi is a handful on his day but is inconsistent and normally starts on the bench.</p>

Having seen his choice of personnel for the League Cup final criticised, and bearing in mind how Liverpool's weakened side was blown away, Avram Grant has a big decision to make. What strength of side does he needs to field against a side 33 places below Chelsea? A strong bench could be the insurance policy, and he will be aware that there is a Premier League match looming on Wednesday.

One or two of the Tykes know something about being on the receiving end against Chelsea. Foster's centre-back partner Robbie Kozluk experienced a Gianfranco Zola supershow at the Bridge in November 1997, the Italian's first hat-trick for Chelsea against Derby in a 4-0 win. </p>

And squad member Rohan Ricketts, once a highly-regarded youngster at Tottenham, played in Spurs' 2-4 defeat at Chelsea in September 2003. </p>

Journeyman Jon Macken, another regular starter, played in Manchester City's 1-0 win over Chelsea in October 2004 - the Blues' only league defeat of the 2004/5 title-winning campaign. City's goal that day came from a possible opponent of Macken's on Saturday: Nicolas Anelka.</p>


BARNSLEY V CHELSEA - Paul Dutton with the FA Cup figures and facts.</p>

It is nine years since Barnsley last reached the quarter-finals of the FA Cup when they lost 1-0 at home to Tottenham and 96 years since they last appeared in the semi-finals.</p>

The Tykes have only progressed beyond the quarter-finals twice before. In 1912 they went on to win the trophy for the only time beating West Brom after a replay. Playing that day was future England international George Utley who lifted the FA Cup again three years later for Sheffield United when they beat Chelsea 3-0 in the final at Old Trafford. </p>

In 1910 Newcastle beat Barnsley in the final also after a replay.</p>

Our last two visits to Oakwell could not have been more extreme.</p>

Barnsley's one season in the Premier League in 1997/98 saw Chelsea as their visitors in late August. The Blues ran out 6-0 winners with goals from Dan Petrescu, Gus Poyet and four from Gianluca Vialli. The teams were: Barnsley Watson; Eaden, Moses, De Zeeuw, Barnard; Tinkler; Redfearn, Sheridan (Marcelle); Bullock; Hendrie (Liddell), Wilkinson (Hristov). Chelsea De Goey; Sinclair, Clarke, Myers, Le Saux; Wise; Petrescu (Granville), Poyet (Nicholls); Di Matteo; Zola (Flo), Vialli.</p>

In January 1989 our paths crossed for the only time to date in the FA Cup. Chelsea, on our way to be Second Division champions, were hammered 4-0 in the 3rd round. Teams: Barnsley Baker; Joyce, Beresford, Thomas (Foreman), McGugan, P Futcher, Agnew (Clarke), Dobbin, Cooper, Currie, MacDonald. Goals: Thomas, Agnew 2, Currie. Chelsea Freestone; Hall (Lee), Roberts, McLaughlin, Dorigo; K Wilson, Wood, Nicholas, C Wilson (McAllister); Dixon, Durie.</p>

The last occasion Chelsea were knocked out of the FA Cup to a lower division club was when Millwall beat us on penalties at Stamford Bridge in the 4th round replay in 1995. The results since then are listed below.</p>

1996 5th Rd Grimsby Town (a) D 0-0, Replay (h) W 4-1
1997 3rd Rd West Bromwich Albion (h) W 3-0
1997 6th Rd Portsmouth (a) W 4-1
1999 3rd Rd Oldham Athletic (a) W 2-0
1999 4th Rd Oxford Utd (a) D 1-1, Replay (h) W 4-2
2000 3rd Rd Hull City (a) W 6-1
2000 4th Rd Nottingham Forest (h) W 2-0
2000 6th Rd Gillingham (h) W 5-0
2001 3rd Rd Peterborough Utd (h) W5-0
2001 4th Rd Gillingham (a) W 4-2
2002 3rd Rd Norwich City (a) D 0-0, Replay (h) W 4-0
2002 5th Rd Preston North End (h) W 3-1
2003 4th Rd Shrewsbury Town (a) W 4-0
2003 5th Rd Stoke City (a) W 2-0
2004 3rd Rd Watford (a) D 2-2 Replay (h) W 4-0
2004 4th Rd Scarborough (a) W 1-0
2005 3rd Rd Scnuthorpe United (h) W 3-1
2006 3rd Rd Huddersfield (h) W 2-1
2006 5th Rd Colchester United (h) W 3-1
2007 3rd Rd Macclesfield (h) W 6-1
2007 4th Rd Nottingham Forest (h) W 3-0
2007 5th Rd Norwich City (h) W 4-0
2008 3rd Rd QPR (h) W 1-0
2008 5th Rd Huddersfield (h) W 3-1</p>

Our last six meetings at Oakwell
Mar 12 1982 (Div 2) Barnsley won 2-1
Nov 13 1982 (Div 2) Drew 1-1
Dec 10 1983 (Div 2) Drew 0-0
Sep 17 1988 (Div 2) Drew 1-1
Jan 7 1989 (FAC 3) Barnsley won 4-0
Aug 24 1997 (FAPL) Chelsea won 6-0</p>

Barnsley have lost one in the last 19 games at Oakwell in all competitions winning 11 of them.</p>

They have not won in four since their victory at Anfield. </p>

Chelsea are unbeaten in eight away games in all competitions (six wins, two draws).</p>

In our last 17 away games we have kept 12 clean sheets and conceded only five goals.</p>

Chelsea have been beaten three times (Man Utd away, Arsenal away and Tottenham League Cup Final) in 37 games in all competitions under Avram Grant in a run that has seen 26 wins and 24 clean sheets.</p>

Chelsea have played 45 games in all competitions winning 29, drawing 12 and losing four. We have scored 75 goals, conceded 28 and have kept 26 clean sheets. We have failed to score on nine occasions.</p>

Barnsley's FA Cup results
Jan 5 (3) Blackpool (h) W 2-1
Jan 25 (4) Southend (a) W 1-0
Feb 16 (5) Liverpool (a) W 2-1</p>

FA Cup scorers
Foster 2, Campbell-Ryce 1, Coulson 1, Howard 1.</p>

Chelsea's FA Cup results
Jan 5 (3) QPR (h) W 1-0
Jan 26 (4) Wigan (a) W 2-1
Feb 16 (5) Huddersfield (h) W 3-1</p>

FA Cup scorers
Lampard 2, Anelka 1, Kalou 1, Wright-Phillips 1, own goal 1 (Camp, QPR).</p>

Barnsley's FA Cup hero Luke Steele was named 'Player of the Round' for the fifth round after his incredible performance in the 2-1 win over Liverpool at Anfield. Despite being beaten by Dirk Kuyt in the first half, debutant Steele pulled off a series of fine saves to keep Liverpool at bay before Brian Howard struck the last gasp winner for Barnsley. More than two thirds of the fans voting on TheFA.com went for Steele, with Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Wayne Rooney and David James losing out on the prize.</p>

The Tykes have played 41 games in all competitions winning 14, losing 14 and drawing 13. They have scored 45 goals, conceded 56, have kept 11 clean sheets and failed to score on 16 occasions. </p>

Barnsley's last six Championship games
Feb 9 West Brom (h) W 2-1
Feb 12 Plymouth (a) L 0-3
Feb 23 Norwich (a) L 0-1
Feb 26 QPR (h) D 0-0
Mar 1 Sheffield Wed (h) D 0-0
Mar 4 Blackpool (a) D 1-1</p>

On Tuesday Jamal Campbell-Ryce equalised Blackpool's opener in first half stoppage time for the Tykes first goal since Anfield. Team Steele, Foster, Souza, Nyatanga, Van Homoet (Devaney 78); Campbell-Ryce, Togwell, Hassell, Howard, Odejayi; Macken (Coulson 88).</p>

The Tykes are 16th in Coca-Cola Championship with 43 points, 12 off the play offs and seven points above the drop zone.</p>

Barnsley and Chelsea's last five seasons in the FA Cup
Barnsley
2002/03 First round - lost 1-4 at home to Blackpool
2003/04 Third round - lost 0-2 away to Scnuthorpe
2004/05 First round - lost 0-1 away to Northampton
2005/06 Third round - lost 0-2 away to Walsall
2006/07 Third round replay - lost 0-2 at home to Southend</p>

Chelsea
2002/03 Quarter-final replay - lost 1-3 at home to Arsenal
2003/04 Fifth round - lost 1-2 away to Arsenal
2004/05 Fifth round - lost 0-1 away to Newcastle
2005/06 Semi-final - lost 1-2 to Liverpool at Old Trafford
2006/07 Winners - beat Man Utd 1-0 at Wembley</p>

Chelsea have won the FA Cup in 1970, 1997, 2000 and 2007 and have been finalists in 1915, 1967, 1994 and 2002.</p>

There are no suspensions on either side after Frank Lampard's red card against West Ham was rescinded by the FA on appeal.</p>

This weekend's other three FA Cup ties are: Man Utd v Portsmouth (Sat 12.45pm), Middlesbrough v Cardiff (Sun 2pm) and Bristol Rovers v West Brom (Sun 6pm). In the Premier League the games featuring the top clubs are Liverpool v Newcastle (Sat 3pm), Sunderland v Everton (Sun 3pm) and Wigan v Arsenal (Sun 4pm).</p>

The draw for the FA Cup semi-finals is on Monday at 1.25pm. Both semi-finals are at Wembley on Sat 5th and Sun 6th April. </p>

If the scores are level after 90 minutes there will be a replay at the Stamford Bridge on Wednesday 19th March, kick-off to be confirmed. Our league game at Tottenham scheduled for that night will have to be re-arranged. </p>

The referee is Steve Bennett, who has officiated in four Chelsea games this season, all wins, including the 1-0 League Cup victory at Goodison Park. </p>

Chelsea's overall record against Barnsley in all competitions is: played 32, won 17, drawn 5, lost 10.</p>

Head-to-head at Oakwell in all competitions: played 16, won 5, drawn 5, lost 6.</p> If you have any Chelsea-related statistical questions, email statman@chelseafc.com and Paul will attempt to answer them ina monthly feature.

 

Well researched and presented stuff nt

 

RE: Well researched and presented stuff nt

Apart from the bit about Jon Macken being a possible opponent.

 

And Devaney's cross from the left ..... nt

 

And was Tottenham a quarter final ?

I thought Newcastle, Prem Season was last FA Cup QF. Is my memory that bad ?

 

Yes, your memory is that bad. nt

 

Ta. nt

 

A lot of people forget that

So many that even I was beginning to question my own memory!

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_19990317/ai_n14208263