FA Cup Semifinals: 10 Bold Predictions for Both Matches

There's nothing more exciting than the semifinal round of the FA Cup!

English football purists may bemoan this year's tournament as many lower-tier sides were eliminated early on. The last non-Premier League club—Leicester City—was easily eliminated by Chelsea in the sixth round.

But that aside, the semifinal round fixtures were matched up beautifully.

Liverpool was heavily favored to defeat mid-table side Everton, until goalkeepers started dropping faster than hairs out of Pepe Reina's head.

Heavyweights Tottenham and Chelsea will duke it out in a match that sees the Spurs looking to save face from a total collapse the second half of this season and the Blues pursuing their seventh FA Cup.

Combine those elements with the fact that both matches are city-wide derbies—Everton and Liverpool both being from Liverpool and Tottenham and Chelsea both hail from London!

But who's going to come out on top? Will Everton pounce on a wounded Liverpool team? Will Tottenham rise from the proverbial ashes to top first-rate Chelsea?

Without further ado about nothing, I give you the 10 boldest predictions about the FA Cup's semifinal round and let you know who's going to the FA Cup final at Wembley.

Everton Scores First Goal of Weekend

Unless you're delusional (or you call Anfield home) you know Liverpool is in a little bit of trouble.  

Since winning the Carling Cup, the Reds have dropped faster in form than if they fell off a cliff while holding an Acme anvil. Everton, however, has played brilliantly offensively recently, putting a 4-0 whooping on Sunderland. The Toffees have scored 12 goals in their last six matches, making this prediction all too easy.

...And It'll Be Nikica Jelavic!

That's right—Nikica Jelavic is knocking home the first goal of the match. 

The former Rangers player has been on fire since his move to England, averaging one goal for every two matches he's played in a Toffees uniform.

Moyes will give the 26-year-old Croatian international his sixth start in a row and the Everton manager will be handsomely rewarded from the striker who's signed through 2016.

Liverpool Makes It 1-1

I've been pretty down on the Reds so far. While they may be at the bottom of the barrel as it goes with goalkeepers, I can't negate Dalglish leading a 10-man side to victory.

Sure, it was against a Blackburn side at full strength, but Premier League opponents are Premier League opponents—just look at what Wigan Athletic did to Manchester United earlier this week. Liverpool's not going to let this one get out of hand with Andy Carroll heading a ball into the back of the net before the 30th minute.

...But the Draw Only Lasts 5 Minutes

Liverpool won't be able to hold the draw for too long with third-choice goalkeeper Bradley Jones between the posts.

Personally, I'm not buying any of the reports coming out of ESPN saying that Dalglish has "no worries" concerning Liverpool's FA Cup semifinal match. He's got to have worries with Jones who is 50-50 with injured 'keeper Peter Gulacsi who has just come back off loan to Hull City.

Jones, who let in two atrocious goals to Blackburn, is going to suffer terribly at the hands of an Everton squad who has shown quick-strike capability as of late.

The Reds won't hold on to the draw for long after they claw their way back to respectability, as the Toffees will make it 2-1 before the halftime whistle.

Liverpool Will Lose 4-1 to Everton

In the last five weeks, Liverpool has lost to Queens Park Rangers, Wigan Athletic and Newcastle United. They've drawn with Aston Villa and (miraculously) defeated Blackburn.

Does anyone outside of Anfield really give the Reds a shot at this match?

Everton winning the match, however, isn't nearly bold enough. The lads of Goodison Park are going to lay a thick one on this FA Cup Liverpool derby, scoring four goals for only the second time all season.

Tottenham Goes Back to 4-3-1-1-1

Want a bolder than bold prediction? Harry Redknapp becomes a brilliant tactician for Tottenham's semifinal match against Chelsea.

Pretty bold, eh?

Redknapp is the kind of manager who brings in good players, picks the best 11 and lets them do their thing on the pitch. However, if the wily ol' veteran knows what's good for him (and his Spurs!) he'll go back to the 4-3-1-1-1 he employed against Swansea City.

That means putting Emmanuel Adebayor at the top of the key, Rafael Van Der Vaart in a support role, allowing Luka Modric do whatever the hell Luka Modric wants to do and encouraging Gareth Bale and Aaron Lennon to wreak havoc on the sidelines. 

Adebayor Ends Cold Streak, Scores Opening Goal

Adebayor has only scored two goals in his last six league matches, but both scores came in the same match. The victim? Swansea City.

That's right, the same Swans club whom Redknapp employed his 4-3-1-1-1 formation that worked so well.

If Redknapp does the same on Sunday, it'll be a happy day for Adebayor who thrives with the balance of support and freedom that the 4-3-1-1-1 brings.

He'll have Van Der Vaart knocking beautiful set pieces in the air while Adebayor goes unmarked in Chelsea's penalty area, and Modric setting him up with passes that could pass through a Hobbit's window.

...But It Won't Be Until Second Half

Wembley Stadium doesn't exactly have the best grass on their pitch. Heck, Wembley officials have admitted that they have "permanent" landscape problems.

The Liverpool-Everton match should be fine for scoring, but the fact that it will end less than 24 hours before Tottenham and Chelsea take the field means it's going to take a while for players to get their footing.

I foresee some shallow holes, grass uprooted and a lackluster first half that sees two shots total on goal by both teams and absolutely no scoring.

Chelsea Makes It 1-1 in Final 10 Minutes

...and it'll be Fernando Torres!

(It looks like he's really going to be succeeding in non-league matches next week!)

However, all jokes aside, that's the thing—Torres is really successful in non-league matches.

In 27 league appearances, the once-feared striker has scored three goals and assisted on four others. In 18 non-league matches he's scored four goals and assisted on eight others.

Whatever the reason—less pressure, inferior competition—Torres is one of Chelsea's better players in non-league fixtures. He'll get the better of Tottenham on Sunday and make it a 1-1 draw.

It'll be a score that holds going into extra time.

Bale Scores in Injury Time, Tottenham Defeats Chelsea 2-1

Both matches Tottenham and Chelsea have played this season have ended in draws. It can't be this one. Who's going to knock in the winning goal.

Like Torres for Chelsea, Gareth Bale has been incredibly effective in non-league fixtures. In just six appearances, Bale has scored two goals and assisted on four others.

However, unlike Torres, he's been incredibly effective in league fixtures too.

Mix in Bale's consistently strong play against Chelsea this year and a confidence that allows him to tell Spurs TV Online "we have the better team," and it's a recipe for a late game-winner in extra time of the second half.

But these are my bold predictions and how I see the two matches unfolding. Got any predictions I missed? Let me know in the comments below!