Carling Cup Quarter Finals

mike65

3 CC ties to be decided tonight and tomorrow (West Ham 1-2 Everton last week)

Man City v Tottenham
Blackburn v Arsenal

Chelsea v Liverpool

Citeh and Spurs will surely put out thier best availible 11 as will Blackburn, the other 3 harder to tell, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool all with some important players either missing or not 100%. I expect a mix of fringe players/bench warmers and a scattering of first 11s to start for them.

I'll go with City, Arsenal and Liverpool (if Rafa cares) to join Everton.

Mike.

_blank_

Who cares about this tinpot, really?

gosplan

expect a seriously weakened Arsenal squad.

big game this weekend and wouldn't be surprised if none of Sunday's outfield players start.

Song Gilberto Traore Hoyte Diarra Denlison Diaby Walcott Eduardo Bendtner

PHB

I think you'll see a very very weakened squad. Wenger is the only manager left in the competition who sees it as an utterly irrelevant trophy, and only good for the kids. Everybody else still wants to win it, indeed the only other team who might put out a weakened team is Liverpool.

oobydooby

I'd expect weakened teams from Liverpool and Arsenal. Chelsea don't seem to have a weaker team. I think the attraction with the trophy in recent years has been that it's relatively easy to win but that doesn't look the case now. Not sure Liverpool (or Arsenal) really fancy a 2 legger against another top 6 side. Great chance to blood some youngsters though.

Xavi6

DesF wrote: »

Who cares about this tinpot, really?

Me. We haven't won a trophy in quite a long time so I'll take anything. A day out at Wembley would be fantastic whether it's the league or FA cup

jank

I was going to say the opening Poster...:)

_blank_

Would you prefer if ManCity

a. Won the Carling Cup
b. Maintained fourth spot in the premierleague.

?

Xavi6

DesF wrote: »

Would you prefer if ManCity

a. Won the Carling Cup
b. Maintained fourth spot in the premierleague.

?

No contest there considering the prize for both is different. However I would rather win the league cup than finish fifth or sixth.

PHB

It's not that choice realistically though (bar some interesting happenings in January).
It's would you prefer,

A. Won the Carling Cup
B. Came 7th instead of 5th in the league.

purple'n'gold

DesF wrote: »

Who cares about this tinpot, really?

EVERTON

_blank_

PHB wrote: »

It's not that choice realistically though

Why not?

Are Man City not in fourth spot on merit. Does the league table lie?

Have Man City shown any reason why they cannot maintain their current form?

Will UEFA Change the rules of CL Qualification if Liverpool finish fifth

mike65

No need for that as Liverpool to beat Milan in Moscow!

As for who cares well in the last 15 years the Big 4 have won it practically every year.

Mike.

astrofool

mike65 wrote: »

No need for that as Liverpool to beat Milan in Moscow!

As for who cares well in the last 15 years the Big 4 have won it practically every year.

Mike.

So Man City are a shoe in then

Xavi6

astrofool wrote: »

So Man City are a shoe in then

So much can change in a year

PHB

DesF wrote: »

Why not?

Are Man City not in fourth spot on merit. Does the league table lie?

Have Man City shown any reason why they cannot maintain their current form?

Will UEFA Change the rules of CL Qualification if Liverpool finish fifth

The league table doesn't lie, but it can lie at various points At the end of thes eason, if City are there, then they defo deserve to be, it's not fluke. Personally I can't see them challenging the top 4.Their away form is gona see them slipping away. Also they haven't got a huge amount of depth (althoug that may be fixed in January). Personally I think Everton are more likely to put in a challenge for the top 4 this year.

Necronomicon

Why was West Ham vs Everton played last week? I assumed it was because of UEFA Cup, but wouldn't that mean Spurs should've played as well?

_blank_

I think Spurs UEFA Cup group campaign is over.

Necronomicon

Oh right, thanks.

Think I'll go for Blackburn, Chelsea and Spurs wins.

Xavi6

PHB wrote: »

The league table doesn't lie, but it can lie at various points At the end of thes eason, if City are there, then they defo deserve to be, it's not fluke. Personally I can't see them challenging the top 4.Their away form is gona see them slipping away. Also they haven't got a huge amount of depth (althoug that may be fixed in January). Personally I think Everton are more likely to put in a challenge for the top 4 this year.

How have Everton got more strength in depth than us?

Melion

Spurs - Arsenal
Liverpool - Everton

They'd be some interesting semi-final matches.

oobydooby

Melion wrote: »

Spurs - Arsenal
Liverpool - Everton

They'd be some interesting semi-final matches.

It would be like the good old days (pre SuperSlamSoporificSunday) when these were the fixtures to look for. And when it was the Milk Cup...

cson

Arsenal-Spurs was a semi-final tie last season :rolleyes:

Don't expect the kids to win tonight though. Blackburn away is a toughie for them but you never know, who would have expected them to beat Pool away last year? Julio Baptista maybe

Galvasean

PHB wrote: »

I think you'll see a very very weakened squad. Wenger is the only manager left in the competition who sees it as an utterly irrelevant trophy, and only good for the kids. Everybody else still wants to win it, indeed the only other team who might put out a weakened team is Liverpool.

Ferguson has started doing that too. Unfortunately his current crop of youths arent exactly Scholes, Giggs and Beckham.

machiavellianme

Kids it is for the Arsenal:

Fabianski
Hoyte
Senderos
Song Billong
Traore
Randall
Diaby
Denilson
Diarra
Eduardo
Bendtner

No genuine first teamers on the bench either:
Substitutes
Mannone, Gibbs, Hoyte, Perez, Barazite

You'd have to fancy Blackburn

machiavellianme

C'mon Spurs. 1 nil. Defoe

Jonny Arson

Blackburn 0 Arsenal 1 - Diaby 6'

Jonny Arson

Spurs down to 10 men, Zokora sent off - professional foul

herbieflowers

the defending was Diaby-olical...not that I saw the goal or anything....

Mossy Monk

That was a great goal by Diaby. Excellent passing which ripped open the Blackburn defence.

machiavellianme

Spurs down to 10 for Zokora's challenge on Elano. Have zero faith in them holding out now.
Pretty poor decision imho, yellow at most

Xavi6

1-0 down but Zokora sent. Come on boys! I'm on my way to the feckin airport so it better not be a cracker and I miss it!

Unearthly

Arsenal outplaying Blackburn in every department here

Mossy Monk

2-0 nil Gooners

Eduardo this time.

mike65

Santa Cruz scores

Mike.

Necronomicon

Arsenal were toying with Blackburn for much of that half. Hope the goal makes it a more interesting second half.

Running Bing

2-0 Spurs full time. Great performance. Berbatov was majestic and the kid O'Hara in only his second game gave one the best passes I have seen for a long time to set up the second.


Bennet(ref) had a nightmare performance, completely fvcked up major decisions for both sides:rolleyes:

Great win for Spurs though.

An Citeog

Blackburn Arsenal 2-2 after 90 minutes and is going into extra time. Arsenal down to 10 men after Denilson was shown a straight red for a tackle on David Dunn. Very harsh I thought, Blackburn players' reaction got him sent off.

I probably shouldn't watch this. Got 2 exams tomorrow and there's lots of cramming to be done. Meh, who needs sleep anyway!

WhiteWashMan

What a fantastic win for Spurs.

Running Bing

WhiteWashMan wrote: »

What a fantastic win for Spurs.

Did you watch it WWM? If you didnt watch the highlights tonight because it was a great performance, some magnificent individual performances and lets face it, its not every day we get a clean sheet:D

mike65

Eduado

Mike

Mossy Monk

Damn work, I missed Eduardo's second goal.

Necronomicon

Great game. The second half was superb.

WhiteWashMan

No, Ive only been updating the scores on my phone as I go to work on the train
Any ideas where I can pick up the highlights?

mike65

ITV have the highlights at about 11.05

Mike.

quarryman

mike65 wrote: »

Eduado

Mike

why do people do this?

just watch the game!

i don't think people need to visit a thread on boards to find out what score it is.

OPENROAD

Arsenal were brilliant tonight, the kids do it again

delta_bravo

An Citeog wrote: »

Arsenal down to 10 men after Denilson was shown a straight red for a tackle on David Dunn. Very harsh I thought, Blackburn players' reaction got him sent off.

His own players especially song didnt help him too much either. He was on a yellow anyway so he was going regardless. It was a 2 footed challenge.

I didnt see the 1st half but rovers really blew the end of the 2nd half. Santa Cruz scuffed a 6 yard shot and they really couldnt convert their possession. Great cool finish by Eduardo to win it. I must say though, Phillipe Senderos is one of the worst defenders i have ever seen. The man simply cannot read the game

OPENROAD

delta_bravo wrote: »

I didnt see the 1st half but rovers really blew the end of the 2nd half. Santa Cruz scuffed a 6 yard shot and they really couldnt convert their possession. Great cool finish by Eduardo to win it. I must say though, Phillipe Senderos is one of the worst defenders i have ever seen. The man simply cannot read the game

Arsenal could have scored more in the first half.

Pepe LeFrits

That was as pleasing a performance as any I've seen from an Arsenal side this season. Brilliant stuff; the first half performance was immense and I was delighted with their resolve to win the game in extra time with a man less after Blackburn had pegged them back.

I thought Diarra and Bendtner in particular were superb, and Eduardo scored two good goals. The back four did pretty well too.

WhiteWashMan

mike65 wrote: »

ITV have the highlights at about 11.05

Mike.

Not much use in Australia matey