Carling Cup Match Thread

Tuesday, 19 December 2006
Charlton v Wycombe, 20:00
Liverpool v Arsenal, 19:45


Wednesday, 20 December 2006
Newcastle v Chelsea, 19:45
Tottenham v Southend, 20:00

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Well, on paper it looks like Charlton, Liverpool, Chelsea and Newcastle will be going through.

Charlton really need this due to their terrible league form, it would be a timely moral boost.

Not sure about what Liverpool squad will go out but I expect us to play a relatively weak squad to be honest.

Newcastle will be looking to get revenge over the league game but will Chelsea be too strong again?

And finally Spurs - you'd imagine them to win but can Southend strike down a big team again?

Tinseldum wrote:
Well, on paper it looks like Charlton, Liverpool, Chelsea and Newcastle will be going through.

Errrm - surely Newcastle and Chelsea can't both go through...

TS and Kimbo will get their knives out for that one. Its just that Lennon and N'Zogbia are so similar I often mistake them

Charlton, Liverpool, Chelsea and Spurs.

I just hope in the semis Spurs and Charlton can draw each other, so at least one of them can make the final.

ParktheHeraldAngelsSing wrote:Charlton, Liverpool, Chelsea and Spurs.

I just hope in the semis Spurs and Charlton can draw each other, so at least one of them can make the final.

ditto, if those four teams got through then Charlton would probably get a UEFA spot wouldn't they? If Spurs finish above 7th in the league (which I reckon they will) - or will they just give the UEFA spot to the 7th placed team ni the EPL?

You can only get the UEFA cup spot if you win it I think. Otherwise Birmingham would have got the place a few years ago, surely?

Snowbispo wrote:You can only get the UEFA cup spot if you win it I think. Otherwise Birmingham would have got the place a few years ago, surely?

So it would go to the team 7th in the league then?

In the FA cup do you have to at least get to the final?

Tinseldum wrote:

Snowbispo wrote:You can only get the UEFA cup spot if you win it I think. Otherwise Birmingham would have got the place a few years ago, surely?

So it would go to the team 7th in the league then?

In the FA cup do you have to at least get to the final?

Yes on both accounts I think.

Squads:

Liverpool (from): Reina, Finnan, Carragher, Hyypia, Agger, Riise, Aurelio, Luis Garcia, Pennant, Gerrard, Alonso, Gonzalez, Crouch, Fowler, Bellamy, Kuyt, Dudek, Paletta, Peltier.

Arsenal (from): Almunia, Poom, Hoyte, Lauren, Senderos, Djourou, Flamini, Walcott, Song, Denilson, Randall, Traore, Aliadiere, Connolly, Garry, Perez.

Batman wrote:Squads:

Liverpool (from): Reina, Finnan, Carragher, Hyypia, Agger, Riise, Aurelio, Luis Garcia, Pennant, Gerrard, Alonso, Gonzalez, Crouch, Fowler, Bellamy, Kuyt, Dudek, Paletta, Peltier.

Arsenal (from): Almunia, Poom, Hoyte, Lauren, Senderos, Djourou, Flamini, Walcott, Song, Denilson, Randall, Traore, Aliadiere, Connolly, Garry, Perez.

Haha! wonder whose taking this one seriously and who isn't

I honestly couldn't tell you what our squad will be but if Liverpool don't trash us then I worry for them

Tinseldum wrote:

Batman wrote:Squads:

Liverpool (from): Reina, Finnan, Carragher, Hyypia, Agger, Riise, Aurelio, Luis Garcia, Pennant, Gerrard, Alonso, Gonzalez, Crouch, Fowler, Bellamy, Kuyt, Dudek, Paletta, Peltier.

Arsenal (from): Almunia, Poom, Hoyte, Lauren, Senderos, Djourou, Flamini, Walcott, Song, Denilson, Randall, Traore, Aliadiere, Connolly, Garry, Perez.

Haha! wonder whose taking this one seriously and who isn't

I honestly couldn't tell you what our squad will be but if Liverpool don't trash us then I worry for them

i got the squads from the BBC website, but on the Arsenal website it says Tomas Rosicky should start today.

Fair play... that's a surprisingly strong squad. Disappointed that Guthrie isn't in there.

I wonder if we'd put out such a strong squad if we didn't have, with all due respect, Watford on Saturday.


This could end up being a burnden though. If we don't beat that side then it could seriously damage confidence, especially if we lose. On the otherhand, we could hammer them, and that could destroy the confidence of a few Arsenal players. *shrugs*

Snowbispo wrote:
This could end up being a burnden though.

i agree with Obi because if Liverpool do get to the final then they will lose unless it goes to pens

i hear Liverpool will have £20m to spend in Jan and £200m to spend in the summer.

Batman wrote:Squads:

Liverpool (from): Reina, Finnan, Carragher, Hyypia, Agger, Riise, Aurelio, Luis Garcia, Pennant, Gerrard, Alonso, Gonzalez, Crouch, Fowler, Bellamy, Kuyt, Dudek, Paletta, Peltier.

Arsenal (from): Almunia, Poom, Hoyte, Lauren, Senderos, Djourou, Flamini, Walcott, Song, Denilson, Randall, Traore, Aliadiere, Connolly, Garry, Perez.

That could look extremely bad, if Liverpool lose.

Don't really care now, won't really care later. I'll get vaguely excited come the final if we make it that far.

Seems to me though that with the team on a winning run the best plan is not to tinker too much. Maybe rotate a couple of players if they're tired but keep the winning side together, it all helps develop the interplay.

Batman wrote:
i hear Liverpool will have £20m to spend in Jan and £200m to spend in the summer.

That's rubbish. Did you get that off ballague? There's no way it'll be £200million. Most people think he was counting the funding of the stadium in that aswell (£160million).

I think you've got the squads wrong aswell, most sites seem to think that Guthrie could get another run out, which would make sense seen as he's our only other central midfielder at the moment.

£200m to spend in the summer? Where the hell has that come from?

I doubt the Dubai consortium would let them spend it all in one go

Snowbispo wrote:

Batman wrote:
i hear Liverpool will have £20m to spend in Jan and £200m to spend in the summer.

That's rubbish. Did you get that off ballague? There's no way it'll be £200million. Most people think he was counting the funding of the stadium in that aswell (£160million).

I think you've got the squads wrong aswell, most sites seem to think that Guthrie could get another run out, which would make sense seen as he's our only other central midfielder at the moment.

Also our squad seems to be seriously lacking in midfielders and strikers.

I'd stuggle to even name a functional 11 from that list

Think it may be a depressing affair watching our kids vs the likes of Gerrard etc......



Our main priority is picking up League points.

Cesc's Christmas Cracker wrote:Think it may be a depressing affair watching our kids vs the likes of Gerrard etc......



Our main priority is picking up League points.

I'll be shocked if Gerrard plays to be honest. I know it comes across as a strong squad - but I'm sure guthrie will be in there - but I doubt we'll go out with a full strength first team. I think it's just keeping players in reserve, just in case.

- - - - - - - - Dudek
Peltier - Paletta - Agger - Aurelio
Pennant - Alonso - Guthrie - Garcia
- - - - - Crouch - Fowler

Hopefully.

Rafa will have seen our squad and seen it as an ideal opportunity to rest Gerrard I suppose.

Despite that, I think you will still be too strong for us.

Fowler's in line for a start apparently.

Look forward to an absolutely shit performance from a player who can barely move anymore but will no doubt manage to grab a goal or two all the same

COME ON SOUTHEND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

come on the reds!

@ Obi i think we'll play a much stronger side than that

Seems that the Liverpool-Arsenal game could be called off because of fog. SSN just showed the pitch and you can barely see five yards.

I hope it goes ahead.

When would it be resheduled for?

Just need to get this game out of the way and concentrate on the League.

the fogs bad, hopefully it will clear a little for tonight

Pitch inspection at 18.10. I can't see them playing, you can't see a thing on the cameras.

Better get played tonight. There's going to be more fixture congestion later on otherwise.

Play the FA cup and Carling came both at the same time. Get them both over with.

The games on at present. Another pitch inspection at quater to seven but apparently the it's clearing up a little so it seems like it's on