Carling Cup Quarter Finals

Eire-Dearg

Blackburn v Chelsea

Man Utd v Spurs

Portsmouth v Aston Villa

Man City v Arsenal

Repeat of last years final. Will be great to see one of Villa or Pompey getting in the semis.

Adebayor vs Arsenal II

Frisbee

Chelsea are the only team I would have liked less than City, bollox...

The_Kew_Tour

with 8 premership teams there wa always going be decent draws no matter what pairing.

Think United v Spurs is highlight from City Gunners clash.

Was at the final last year, wonder will SAF put out a slightly stronger side then he normally would for this one.

Mitch Connor

adrian280582 wrote: »

with 8 premership teams there wa always going be decent draws no matter what pairing.

Think United v Spurs is highlight from City Gunners clash.

Was at the final last year, wonder will SAF put out a slightly stronger side then he normally would for this one.

It was a youngish side he put out against Spurs in the final last year, and Everton in the FA Cup semi, so I see no real reason to think Fergie will change his selection policy.

Bounty Hunter

very happy with pompey, if we win id like the Arsenal kids or City in the Semi please, then in the final.... blackburn

Gillington

Delighted we got Arsenal although any game would have been good.The build up before it should be good Adebayor v Arsenal,lets just hope he can behave himself this time.

shoutman

As a Villa fan it's a decent draw.

That_Guy

Surely City and Arsenal will be televised.

Eire-Dearg

Sorry for the site plugging everyone, but here's an interesting question that has just gone up that might spark some debate asking if there is a future to the Carling Cup. We'd love if you could post your thoughts on the original article, if not least here.

http://backpagefootball.com/featured/carling-cup-bottom-of-the-league/

The draw for the quarter-finals of the Carling Cup was released this morning; the world kept turning.

A quick history lesson: the League Cup was instituted in 1960-61 as a tournament specifically created to abuse the newly-installed floodlights in the grounds of league clubs up and down the country. (While the bigger clubs – most notably Manchester United – had had lights installed in the mid-1950s, so as to take part in European midweek competition, other clubs followed suit at the turn of the decade.) The notion was to hold a mid-week only tournament, abusing the newfound ability of clubs to host games during the darker winter evenings.

Bigger clubs weren’t having it. European competition was still a runner for most of them and it was only when the prize of a UEFA Cup spot was thrown in for the winners that big clubs wanted to do it. Even from the off, the bigger teams needed a bribe to get in.

While it’s easy to say that the Carling Cup has gotten predictable – the Uniteds and Arsenals of the world will put out their young lads until they make the last four, while the absence of any real romance to the competition will stop smaller teams from genuinely believing – and moreover, carrying out – any major acts of giant-killing. This year the quarter-finalists are all from the Premiership – including three of the Big Four as well as this year’s new league upstarts from Man City and Tottenham – crucifying the notion that the competition still offers any chance for a smaller time to reach the big time, get a day out, and find a spot in Europe.

man-utd-carling-cup-2009It’s not as if offering a spot in Europe is a particular pre-requisite that the Football League need to work out of their systems. Only England and France offer a European spot to the winners of their secondary cup competitions; the Copa del Rey or the Ligapokal don’t offer their winners anything other than a pot of silverware. In essence, being consistently dominated by teams who already have their European entry guaranteed by league performance, the League Cup has become this.

But, instead of abandoning the tournament (an idea that would have much support), the Carling Cup would be of far better use if it was to be another chance for smaller, non-European-bound teams to have their chance.

So here’s an idea. There are only 92 teams in the tournament in the first place, with a skewed system seeding teams in European competition in further rounds. How about excluding teams already taking part in European competition that year? What good is the tournament if it becomes another chance for Arsene Wenger or Rafa Benitez to win a trophy and keep people off their backs, when a slightly smaller club (even a mid-table Premiership outfit like West Ham) could benefit so much more?

This isn’t so much an opinion piece as an open call for a debate on how to make the competition work. Is there a future for the League Cup? Is it perfect as it is, or how could it be made better?

d22ontour

Interesting post dearg but from reading football history i understand the league cups inception came from clubs pleading for less games 'not floodlights as your post suggests' and was the FA's 2 fingered response to that plea ? I might be wrong also.

Rest of the post kinda makes no sense as having a cup without United,Liverpool,Arsenal in it isn't really a cup imo.They are traditionally known for winning cups and the chance to pair off against one of them as a lower league club is what makes it appealing imo.

JPA

Eire-Dearg wrote: »

Will be great to see one of Villa or Pompey getting in the semis.

This is kinda condescending, or am I paranoid?

Eire-Dearg

JPA wrote: »

This is kinda condescending, or am I paranoid?

Wasn't intended JPA, I like Villa and Pompey and i'd like to see them go as far as possible.

curry-muff

To be honest each time United and Arsenal win in this competition its a victory for football, its good to see those two teams relaying the true meaning of club football

Xavi6

Didn't want to play Arsenal kids but at least it's at home.

Seillejet

As a spurs fan delighted to get United. Opportunity to get a little revenge from last year. I remember watching the final in my local last year. A buddy of mine who is an Everton fan told me afterwards he was cracking up laughing at the contrat of my intent support and concentration on the game and the rest of the pub (mainly Utd supports) lack of interest in the game.

Nalz

Seillejet wrote: »

As a spurs fan delighted to get United. Opportunity to get a little revenge from last year. I remember watching the final in my local last year.

I think Spurs could do a job on United. As a United fan I'm looking forward to it, but I fancy Spurs

Frisbee

Xavi6 wrote: »

Didn't want to play Arsenal kids but at least it's at home.

They're awful away, always end up losing.

And you's can field a fairly decent side against us too

PHB

Fairly tough draw for United, would possibly expect them to go out.

Evans and Brown are likely to play at the back, with Fabio and Rafael if they are fit. Carrick will certainly play in the middle, and Hargreaves might even make his comeback here. Macheda Owen and Welbeck will probably play, with Obertan or Nani being the other player. Should be interesting though.

Seillejet

Considering going to the United game. All I can find on web though is the games will begin week of November 30th. Any idea when they are going to decide games, want to get in before the airlines.