Middlesbrough’s defeat to Cardiff in the last 8 of the FA Cup at the weekend was definitely something that rips apart Boro’s season even more but manager Gareth Southgate insists that his team needs to put the FA Cup exit behind and look towards the future.

Southgate’s men are battling for Premiership survival and they next face Europe-bounded Aston Villa and Southgate says that they need to beat Villa:

We know that we have let everybody down as a team.

And the only way that we can respond to that is to put on a performance at Aston Villa that starts to try and re-build the relationship with the supporters.

We are all hurt by what happened on Sunday enormously and I could stand here and talk for hours, but they only way to put things right is on the field.

We decided we had to discuss what happened because I have to learn the lessons in terms of did we get the preparation right. The players have to learn the lessons of what we could have done better.

We all take responsibility for a result like that, but the ultimate responsibility lies with me.

We have to look forward very quickly to the last 10 games of the season. That is all we can affect now.

Nothing we can say or do will heal the wounds of Sunday. But we have got to make sure that we perform at our very best in the last 10 games to start to re-build the trust of the supporters.

Middlesbrough might just not be able to give the quick response against Aston Villa in their next match and they should be struggling to remain in the top flight until the end of the season.

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Aston Villa are one of a host of Premiership clubs vying for a lucrative UEFA Cup place and the Villains are up against relegation threatened Middlesbrough in the Premiership. Villa manager Martin O’Neill has already stressed his intention to play in Europe next season and reiterates that playing in the UEFA Cup next season would actually help them establish a reputation that will help the club in the long run.

Martin o’Neill says:

It’s our game in hand and we’ve not got to try and win it, we have got to win it.

Playing in Europe is a definite lift when you are bringing players in. The club is progressing along the right lines – but the possibility of European football is very enticing.

It’s all to play for now. Everton and Liverpool have opened up a considerable gap which means less room for error.

These boys enjoy playing week-in, week-out and I’m not fearful of losing them. But playing European football is a massive part of their development now.

Villa should win against a Boro side that is still struggling to claw itself out of the relegation mire and lost to minnows Cardiff in the FA Cup quarter-final last weekend. But even if Villa do not qualify for the UEFA Cup through their league position, they should still have the scope to enter Europe through the Intertoto backdoor.

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Cardiff face a tricky tie at the Riverside Stadium on Sunday and are clearly the underdogs. However, in Jimmy-Floyd Hasselbaink, they have a striker capable of winning the match, especially boosted by the idea of scoring against the club that released him. The Dutchman scored an absolute peach for the Bluebirds in the previous round against Wolves and Sky Sports reports that the striker can’t wait for the FA Cup quarter final match.

“I remember scoring at The Valley and it is instinctive to celebrate,” he said.

“It wasn’t meant to be a sign of disrespect to the club or their fans.

“But with the benefit of hindsight I probably just wished I had walked back to the centre circle.

“I would be lying to say it would not be special to score at the Riverside, especially as we at Cardiff are just as anxious to be in a cup semi-final as Middlesbrough.

“I don’t want to contemplate that too much. I will worry about that if it happens.

“Maybe this time I just smile inside. Middlesbrough fans would understand.”

Clearly the neutrals would like to see JFH roll back the years and send the Bluebirds soaring into the semi-finals of the competition. Let’s at least hope that the game’s not a dullfest, like the other 40 Boro matches this season. It’s all very well for insomniacs but not those wanting to watch a decent game of football.

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Arsenal is to young football talent what cheese is to burgers – and by this I mean they go well together.

If you don’t like cheese in your burgers, this metaphor does not work but hey-ho, back to business. Arsene Wenger is said to be eyeing up an additional cog to his young footballing wheel. I must remember to stop using bad metaphors (yes you must, ed).

According to the Daily Mirror, Wenger is jumping to the head of the queue for Cardiff’s young midfield dynamo Aaron Ramsey and is plotting a shock raid.

The 17-year-old Caerphilly lad has already had a taste of first-team action this season and appears to like it. Apparently last summer the Welsh club turned down a £1m bid from a London-based club.

Could that have been Arsenal? The odds suggest so.

Barcelona striker Samuel Eto’o has added to the garrulous Nou Camp gossip layer cake that Didier Drogba will no doubt leap out of in the summer by claiming that the Ivorian would be welcomed with open arms at the Catalan club. (Daily Star)
…Meanwhile, Barca defender Lilian Thuram may leave the Catalan giants and waltz over to Arsenal to take up a player-coach role. (Daily Telegraph)

Lanky Portsmouth striker Kanu is mulling over a move down under to Australian club Gold Coast Galaxy, who unfortunately have links with the LA Galaxy. (Various)

West Ham boss Alan Curbishley will make a summer move for Chelsea midfielder Steve Sidwell, and he will bid £5 million for his services. (Daily Mirror)

Liverpool to make a profit on something! The Anfield club may sell ‘keeper Nikolay Mihaylo to FC Twente, especially as the big spending Dutchmen are willing to shell out £4m on a player that Liverpool spent a mere £225,000 on. (The Sun)
…And the spawn of Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish (no we’re not talking about the “stunna” Kelly Dalglish) – tepid footballer Paul Dalglish has been snapped up on trial by Leeds. (The Sun)

And over on the other side of Stanley Park…Everton are wincing at the thought of an audacious Cardiff City loan bid for striker Victor Anichebe. (Daily Mirror)

Dwight Yorke is playing every minute like it’s his last at the Stadium of Light, his Sunderland contract runs out in the summer and he wants to impress Roy Keane. (Various)

Aston Villa’s Martin O’Neill will be given a huge war chest marked “transfers”, in a bid to gatecrash the Big 4’s stranglehold on the Premier League. (Daily Star)
…While Villa ‘keeper Thomas Sorensen has turned his nose up at a potential loan move to Barnsley. (The Sun)

Upsets left right and centre in today’s FA Cup action. But what was the biggest shock?Coventry somehow managed to obliterate Blackburn 4-1, whilst League One Huddersfield beat Birmingham 2-1. Special mention should also go to Sheffield United who booted out Bolton with a 1-0 win lowly and injury ravaged Oldham, who beat Everton 1-0 at Goodison Park.

So what was your upset of the day?

Here are today’s 3rd round results in full:

Barnsley 2-1 Blackpool
Blackburn 1-4 Coventry
Bolton 0-1 Sheff Utd
Brighton 1-2 Mansfield
Bristol City 1-2 Middlesbrough
Charlton 1-1 West Brom
Chasetown 1-3 Cardiff
Chelsea 1-0 Qpr
Colchester 1-3 Peterborough
Everton 0-1 Oldham
Huddersfield 2-1 Birmingham
Ipswich 0-1 Portsmouth
Norwich 1-1 Bury
Plymouth 3-2 Hull
Preston 1-0 Scunthorpe
Southampton 2-0 Leicester
Southend 5-2 Dag & Red
Sunderland 0-3 Wigan
Swansea 1-1 Havant and W
Swindon 1-1 Barnet
Tottenham 2-2 Reading
Tranmere 2-2 Hereford
Walsall 0-0 Millwall
Watford 2-0 Crystal Palace
West Ham 0-0 Man City
Wolverhampton 2-1 Cambridge Utd
Manchester United LATE KICK OFF Aston Villa

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The second half of our transfer rumour frenzy, with plenty of slices from the succulent transfer roast.

Everton have turned down a Celtic loan move for James McFadden. The Scot has only started three games for Everton this season and McFadden himself claims that he will wait to see if he gets more first team football before signing a new contract extension. (BBC)
…Whilst Everton’s captain Phil Neville has hit out at coddled party boy players with easy relaxed millionaire lifestyles, and says that there should be a crackdown on the slackers in Premier League football…cough..Rio…cough. (various)

Tottenham will sign 18-year-old Cardiff full back Chris Gunter for £2million fee after he underwent a medical at the weekend. (The Sun)

Birmingham’s Alex McLeish wants to bring Celtic’s central defensive stalwart Bobo Balde south of the border. (Mirror)
…And Alex McLeish is also after Hibernian left-back David Murphy, and is ready to spend £1.5million on him. (The Sun)

Man City owner Thaksin Shinawatra has been given a boost in that a pro-Thaksin party is leading the polls in his native Thailand which means his frozen £830million assets could be handed back to him – which in turn could give Sven a massive wodge of dosh to splurge in January. (various)

Qpr are after West Ham’s Hogan Ephraim, and the “super-rich Super Hoops” are willing to blow half a million to get their man. (The Sun)

Reading gaffer Steve Coppell is frantically batting away persistent interest in Stephen Hunt and Nicky Shorey from Everton and Sunderland. (Mirror)

Tottenham have lashed out at claims that Darren Bent is disgruntled and will leave in January for West Ham, they assert that he is part of their long-term plans. (Mirror)

Liverpool’s Steven Gerrard wants to manage the Merseyside giants one day, but thinks that team-mate Jamie Carragher may get there before he does. (The Sun)

West Ham are after Derby’s Giles Barnes, and will not take no for an answer in their pursuit of the 19-year-old winger. A rumoured £5m bid is said to be imminent. (The Sun)

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Ginger Mourinho Gary Megson is coming to terms with the fact that both El Hadji Diouf AND Nicolas Anelka could leave Bolton in January. Apparently Portsmouth are sniffing around El Hadji Diouf. (Daily Mirror)
…And Megson is after Sheffield Utd’s ‘no-nonsense’ centre-back Chris Morgan, but the hard man is set to snub a move to the Premier League. (Sun)
..While Leeds boss Dennis Wise wants to bag Bolton defender Lubomir Michalik, and will spend half a million quid to secure his signature. (Sun)

Barcelona don’t want buck toothed whizz Ronaldinho to leave the club in January, but nevertheless Roman Abramovich is opening his vast Chelsea wallet and AC Milan’s Silvio Berlusconi is having a whip around to try and bring him to the San Siro. (Sun)

There seems to be three front runners for the Fulham hotseat freshly vacated by Lawrie Sanchez. Former Fulham player John Collins – who has suspiciously just walked out on his managerial post at Hibernian – is the favourite to get the job. (Various)
…Croatia manager Slaven Bilic, who so impressed when trumping England in the Euro 2008 qualifiers, is also being talked about as potential Fulham managerial material. (Sun)
…And Glenn Hoddle’s name is also being spoken about in some circles. Apparently the former England boss has been seen watching recent games at Craven Cottage. (Independent)

Apparently Liverpool’s Lord of the Lank, Mr. Peter Crouch, is set for some sort of FA ‘racism’ probe because he implied that foreign players, and specifically Chelsea’s Jon Mikel Obi, are inveterate cheaters. (Sun)

David Beckham is set to sign with Arsenal…for some winter training. The LA Galaxy star will be training with the Arsene’s men this winter. (various)

And Stewart Downing’s demands for an end to his Middlesbrough contract have put Everton on red alert. Apparently Downing is becoming upset with the Riverside boo-boys. (Daily Mirror)
…David Moyes is also considering a bid for Valencia midfielder David Albelda, who is keen on playing for a decent team to try and guarantee a spot in the Spanish team for Euro 2008, whether this will bring the Spanish spotlight on Goodison and improve Arteta’s chances of playing for Spain too is open to debate. (various)

Newcastle’s Sam Allardyce is pleading with his chairman for some money to spend in January, but claims that to sign someone with Premier League experience in January will be a minor miracle. (Sun)

Derby gaffer Paul Jewell wants to bring back defender Michael Johnson from his exile on loan at Sheffield Wednesday (Sun).

Tottenham, like the footballing version of the Pied Piper of Hamlyn, are playing a merry tune to lure Cardiff’s 18-year-old defender Chris Gunter to White Hart Lane. The Welshman will cost Juande Ramos £4m. (Various)

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