Quote ="tvoc"Am I wrong? Possibly but I can't see how the team in 8th can get a home tie at any stage of the three rounds before the final.'"
They definately cannot get a home tie.
Even if they defeated the 5th placed club, they would then be away at the highest ranked team in week 2 (cos they would still be the lowest ranked team left in, having finished 8th)
If they then won that game, they'd either be away as choice of team by highest placed club, or away at the other top-four winner from Week 1