FA Cup / Andrew French / 15 February 2008 /

Andrew French on why Wolves' cup-tied players will be too much of a handicap for the Midlanders when they visit Ninian Park

You crowd round the TV, make a mental note of the numbers for Arsenal and Manchester United - and then get paired with a team from your own division.

The magic of the FA Cup by-passed Cardiff and Wolves when the draw for the Fifth Round took place, although with half of the remaining 16 teams coming from the Championship, the chances of this sort of tie were increased.

So, it may well feel like any other Saturday for the two clubs, although if they can get through then the potential for a bigger game is there, especially with there being a strong chance that three of the 'big four' will be in the quarter-finals with them.

Of course, victory this weekend could be the springboard for a longer and more memorable run in the FA Cup. Although both sides are only four points off a play-off place, the chances are that one or both will miss out. A cup run could be as good as it gets.

Fellow promotion chasers Watford went all the way to the semi-finals last season, bringing light relief from their relegation out of the Premiership. Rather than being a distraction, the cup could, for Wolves or Cardiff, be the making of their season.

Both sides have already overcome the potential banana skin of losing to a non-league club, but in the last round it was Wolves who impressed, romping to a 4-1 victory at Watford. However, the Hornets 'rotated' some squad members that day, and when the sides met a week later at Vicarage Road, Watford's more familiar line-up cruised home 3-0.

The reason these two are in mid-table is because they aren't consistent enough to be higher, and so consequently it is difficult to assess what sort of form they are in because a surprisingly good or bad performance is always just around the corner.

However, what could be key in deciding this tie is that Wolves will have to do without their three transfer window signings, who all started in the team that drew at Blackpool last week: Sylvan Ebanks-Blake, George Elokobi and Dave Edwards are all cup-tied.

Wolves did win at Ninian Park earlier in the season, but it is asking a lot of Mick McCarthy's side to do without a trio of key men who cost almost £2.2m between them.

Cardiff are without a win in three, which is worrying, but I think home advantage against a side shorn of three players who would start if it weren't a cup tie is enough for me to back them at [2.36].

Wolves can be backed at [3.65] while the draw is available at [3.3]

Both sides drew 0-0 last time out, but before that, their previous seven games had produced an average of more than three goals each. Therefore, backing Over 2.5 at [2.18] is worth consideration.

I really like the look of a 2-1 Cardiff victory at [10], and because I think there will be goals for both sides, I'll consider laying a clean sheet for the Bluebirds [3.2] and Wolves [4.3].

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