Dum Dum Dudley
Alberto Del Rio's English Announcer
After watching last night's League Cup show on the Beeb, i couldn't help but notice that this season is continuing the trend of the previous seasons of the top premiership teams fielding significantly weaker teams in this competition. With the priority on winning or maintaining a top four place in the Premier League and progressing far in the European competitions, teams like Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool field teams bordering on youth teams in this competition which goes to show how far this trophy has been devalued over time.
But two results in particular stood out at me; Sunderland 1-2 West Ham, Liverpool 2-2 Northampton (Northamption win 4-2 on penalties). I believe this two results showcase the two very different ways the Carling Cup is being used by Premier League teams. Lets look at the Liverpool result first. They made 11 changes to the team that lost at Man Utd at the weekend and fielded a team including youth players like Ince, Kelly and Spearing with first teamers like N'Gog and Agger in support. With Liverpool in much-publicized turmoil off the pitch and a first team that looks to be struggling to finish in the top 6, wouldn't winning the Carling Cup be a boost for morale? Sure, long gone are the days when the final used to attract 100,000 fans to Wembley but if you're lacking confidence and are in a bit of a rut, wouldn't winning any trophy help keep the critics at bay? Other teams such as Chelsea, Spurs and Man City played significantly weaker teams and lost, but whereas Chelsea have a good chance of winning the league and the Champions League, would it not benefit teams like Liverpool and Spurs to put out stronger sides in the cup in order to win it?
Now to West Ham. They played away against a tough Sunderland side who had just held Arsenal to a draw at the weekend, and had not made many changes. Key-men such as Bent, Gyan and Henderson all started whilst West Ham made a few changes from the weekend's game. West Ham have been struggling in the league and i believe that winning a tough fixture like this can help them gain confidence and will inspire them to get a good result against Spurs at home.
It appears to me that many clubs treat the Carling Cup as a 'Mickey-Mouse' trophy for the reserves to win. Sir Alex Ferguson didn't even show up to his side's 5-2 win against Scunthorpe because he felt scouting Valencia in preparation of their Champions League game was more important. So what i'm trying to argue is; whats the better use of the Carling Cup? To field weaker teams in order to let fringe players get more game time and lower the risk of burn-out on key players, or to field a strong side that has a better chance of winning in order to progress and gain confidence?
But two results in particular stood out at me; Sunderland 1-2 West Ham, Liverpool 2-2 Northampton (Northamption win 4-2 on penalties). I believe this two results showcase the two very different ways the Carling Cup is being used by Premier League teams. Lets look at the Liverpool result first. They made 11 changes to the team that lost at Man Utd at the weekend and fielded a team including youth players like Ince, Kelly and Spearing with first teamers like N'Gog and Agger in support. With Liverpool in much-publicized turmoil off the pitch and a first team that looks to be struggling to finish in the top 6, wouldn't winning the Carling Cup be a boost for morale? Sure, long gone are the days when the final used to attract 100,000 fans to Wembley but if you're lacking confidence and are in a bit of a rut, wouldn't winning any trophy help keep the critics at bay? Other teams such as Chelsea, Spurs and Man City played significantly weaker teams and lost, but whereas Chelsea have a good chance of winning the league and the Champions League, would it not benefit teams like Liverpool and Spurs to put out stronger sides in the cup in order to win it?
Now to West Ham. They played away against a tough Sunderland side who had just held Arsenal to a draw at the weekend, and had not made many changes. Key-men such as Bent, Gyan and Henderson all started whilst West Ham made a few changes from the weekend's game. West Ham have been struggling in the league and i believe that winning a tough fixture like this can help them gain confidence and will inspire them to get a good result against Spurs at home.
It appears to me that many clubs treat the Carling Cup as a 'Mickey-Mouse' trophy for the reserves to win. Sir Alex Ferguson didn't even show up to his side's 5-2 win against Scunthorpe because he felt scouting Valencia in preparation of their Champions League game was more important. So what i'm trying to argue is; whats the better use of the Carling Cup? To field weaker teams in order to let fringe players get more game time and lower the risk of burn-out on key players, or to field a strong side that has a better chance of winning in order to progress and gain confidence?
