The Carling Cup

I don't know about everyone else but I'm starting to take this competition very seriously indeed. We've scraped through with our second team twice, I think now it's time to put out our strongest eleven and really go for this. I think the upside of our biggest problems right now (the fact that we don't know who should be starting) gives us an edge in this competition. It means that if a player or players are getting particularly tired, they can swapped in a rotational system to keep our league form up. That's why we can get away with playing these cup games like a league game. I looked at our main challengers to the tournament:
Man U will beat Aldershot
Arsenal second team will struggle against Bolton
Chelsea second team away to Everton
Liverpool and Man City second teams away to Stoke and Wolves
With a bit of the rub of the green (which we have been getting in this tournament so far) we could be in the quarters with only one or two teams that we wouldn't fancy our chances of beating. Even then, they will probably play second string until the semi finals, so what better chance do we have of a trophy. Time to end the wait and I'll be gutted if we don't go for this 100% and put everything we have behind the cup run.

 

if too many big teams go through then we cant win it, we need arsenal, chelsea and liverpool/Citeh to go out really just to get into the semi final, too many big team left in it.

 

Going off Blackburn's showing at SJP on Saturday we should really be looking to push on to the quarter finals! I'd like to see a strong team, along the lines of

Harper; Simpson, Saylor*, Williamson**, Raylor***; Gosling, Guthrie, Tiote, Marveaux; Best, Lovenkrands

*Colo played last 2 cup games
**Targeting a return for this game
***Santon hopefully in the first team by this stage.

 

id rather see

Krul
Simmo Saylor Collo Raylor
Obertan Abied Cabaye Marv
HBA
Best

 

Definitely taking it seriously, will take anything!

 

Considering we play Stoke (A) the following Monday, we can afford to play a stronger team.

 

would be immense if we got to the semis at least

 

I'd prefer:

-------------Krul-------------
Raylor--Collo--Willo--Fergie
Ober--Abeid-Cabaye*--Marv
--------Best---Lover--------

*or possibly Gosling if we we're worried about him getting injured.

 

We should play a full strength squad from now on in the cup. All the teams we'll be playing will be quality, or extremely high in confidence.

 

I'd play HBA for a full game!