Change of approach in the Carling Cup for Arsenal?
Arsenal fans don’t need reminding that it is a fair while since they picked up some silverware. With this in mind it is worth focusing on the next chance to win a trophy – the Carling Cup. Arsene Wenger’s men progressed to last 16 on Tuesday night with a comfortable win over West Brom, so what chance of going all the way?
Well, as we all know, Wenger likes to experiment with his team in this competition, but this shouldn’t reduce the chances of success. It has got to the stage now where Arsenal need a trophy, so if this means playing a stronger team in the latter parts of the competition – then so be it.
Regardless though, Arsenal do have a fairly good chance of winning the Carling Cup. Of course they do. The only problem this year is that other big teams seem to be taking it very seriously. Aston Villa, Chelsea, Everton, Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham and Liverpool all still remain in the competition.
Every single one of these teams will want to win this competition – even Sunderland and Blackburn will fancy their chances – so it is fair to say that the Carling Cup is hotting up this year.
The debate remains though over whether Wenger should stick a few more first-team regulars in his side for the remainder of the competition. Arsenal fans want a trophy and I can’t imagine too many of them will be happy if another opportunity to win one is thrown away by playing too many youngsters.
It is fair enough playing them in a home game against West Brom. When it comes to a semi-final clash with Chelsea or Manchester United though, wouldn’t it be an idea to stick a few big names in there?
I’m not criticising Wenger’s youth policy in the slightest; I just think that the Carling Cup is so competitive this year that Arsenal’s chances of silverware are increased if they include the likes of Arshavin, Fabregas or van Persie in their line-up.
Surely that is what Gunners fans want isn’t it? The best chance possible of winning a trophy? Feel free to shoot me down on this one, but I’m just putting this out there.
We can await the draw for the next round I guess, then we can assess what Wenger’s approach should be. Barnsley at home – stick with the youngsters if you wish. Chelsea at Stamford bridge – play your full strength team.
Your thoughts are welcome as always!
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I think the arsenal would prefer a real cup, leave the mikey mouse cup to the spuds, maybe our kids can reach the final again, u seem to forget that our boys have now made it to at least the last four (for the past 5-6years) , so i dont think they that bad.
i don’t know about you michael but i don’t really find losing to spurs and chelsea very fun and especially getting thrashed aswell maybe the likes of you enjoy that but i dont
What a desperate Spud mentality in this blog.
I’m interested in the Carling Cup for ONE reason to see the kids play.
The day we start taking this Joke Cup seriously with first teamers, is the day we know we are not a big club anymore and on a level with Spuds.
No thank you.
I say leave the kiddie cup to the kids. Playing the youth team actually makes me interested in this competition, as it gives a good chance to see the prospects in actual competition. I’m sure it also acts as a great motivator for young prospects.
first of all, what are arsenal and arsenal fan objectives?
winning the league or the champions league. infact, i go on to argue that a genuine challenge in either is what many fans want so that we see the youth policy as working and progressing. therefore being runners up in the champions league or premiership to many is a far bigger success than merely making a champions league spot and the carling cup in the carbinet. and for a team that is so depend on developing its youth side, the carling cup is an absolute necessity for our youngsters to have decent opposition and real introduction to senior footballs playing against the man citys and manures etc.
but moreover, we know what it will take to keep our better players. progress in the two major competitions. y on earth take the risk of injury playing in the carling cup which can never be a measure of arsenals success and lose the players in the champions league or premiership. I would only agree that wenger throws in a first team player as a direct replacement for a carling cup player when there isnt a kid old enough to play in the carling cup. if the kids are good enough to get to the final, how can they not be good enough to play in the final. oh, and what if you throw in a capla senior players then lose, tell me the sense of sidelining the boy that got us in the final in the first instance?>
i think arsene is right let us be patient for one more time coz personally i dont doubt the abililities of those kids,what Arsenal need to win is the league and the Champions league
taking this cup seriously doesnt mean we are a small club..i see man utd have been fielding a strong team tru d yrs in which they’ve won it twice and im pretty sure they are a bigger club than arsenal..d truth is the current boys in our squad haven’t won anything yet and im pretty sure d carling cup isn’t a bad start to get the winning mentality even man utd did it bac in ’06 after they went 2 seasons without a trophy..all im saying is winning this might actually be very beneficial to the current squad…
Cesc, Arshavin, Gallas, VanP, Eduardo, etc, do you honestly think that winning the carling cup is what will give them belief that they are a serious team. i think a few of them have one bigger things in their careers and the carling cup aint the thing they need to convince them they are winners. it would just be nice to win, no more than that i bet you
We won’t win anything until we win the Carling cup.
This squad showed in last season’s semis that they have zero bottle.
If we get drawn v a top team, which is as you say more likely this season and Wenger plays the kids we will be in for another humiliation.
Home or away to Man Utd, City, Chelsea or Villa he needs his best team. Against Tottenham or Everton he might get away with a few young ‘uns if we’re at home.
As for the rest, he should start with something like Mannone,
the CC defence,
Rosicky, Ramsey, Traore
Walcott, Eduardo, Vela
Speaking as a huge Arsenal fan I am literally sick of people talking about winning trophies. There are 4 available each year so not everyone can win every year.
I honestly don’t care that Arsenal haven’t won anything since 2005… I just enjoy watching them play. And the truth is that most teams apart from Man Utd would give anything to have won the league 5 times in the last 20 years, plus all the cups.