Carling Cup - 20th & 21st December

[all_funkt_up]

Tuesday

Birmingham V Manchester United (19.45 k/o) - 6.2 -- 4.0 -- 1.66 --> paddy power
Wigan V Bolton (19.45 k/o) - 2.64 -- 3.6 -- 2.76


Wednesday

Middlesboro V Blackburn - (20.00 k/o) - 2.12 -- 3.5 -- 3.50
Doncaster V Arsenal (19.45 k/o) - 7.5 (bet 365) -- 4.6 -- 1.53 --> betfair

[all_funkt_up]

United and Arsenal can no longer afford to scoff at this competition.

2.54 as a double for the 2 of them.

I would usually steer well clear of matches like these - but esp with arsenal losing today and now being 100/1 for the Prem - they cant afford to scoff at a trophy. A win is a win.

I think United could put out a team of Pygmies against Birmingham and win. Will Vaesen be suspended for this game? After being sent off against Citeh? United played a strong side in the previous round, maybe that was because they didnt want to lose the game after Best dying and all that. As soon as I see a nibble about team news I am on these two big time!

[Kop66]

Good luck AFU

I'm considering Blackburn at that price of 5/2, Could be a mainly empty stadium for this one? Boro struggled to beat Palace in the last round in front of a crowd of only 10,000. I'll be interested in team news.

No thinking about it i might side with the over goals, looking at early rounds and recent league form both of these teams have seen plenty of goals lately.

I'll wait and see the price for the Over 2.5 goals

[all_funkt_up]

Boro only got 27'000 today! 75% full for a prem match is nay good... 9'000 in the UEFA cup mid week. They should be banned for having crap fans

[GaNgStA kEeKs]

Well its all about finding out what kind of sides are being put out isn't it?

Birmingham game is too tough to call and one i definately won't be getting involved with as is the Blackburn game away to Boro.

Depending on the line up from Bolton i think i could be interested in them.

Wigan will be playing the same side as they did last round v Newcastle where they absolutely battered them.

Now they won't get things all their own way this time as Bolton are a more solid outfit and will make it very difficult for Wigan to dominate like they did against Newcastle.

If Bolton are to play a strong side then that 2.76 will be snapped up as its a pretty massive price really isn't it.

Doncaster v Arsenal

Now this is a game i really like the look of. 7/1 is available on Betfair and this is HUGE imo.

Arsenal have consistently underrated this league and i think they will continue it even though this could be their only chance of a trophy.

It should be a side filled with youth with lots of flair. Now while its all great playing at home in the heights of Highbury you have to question whether they will fancy a trip to Doncaster to play a side who won't give them a second and will be battering them all over the pitch. I don't thin they will like it and this swings the game in Doncasters favour imo.

Doncaster won 4 of their last 5 games home and away and have a solid home record too.

Doncaster 2-1 Swansea
Doncaster 2-0 Bristol City
Doncaster 4-2 Bournemouth
Doncaster 0-2 Tranmere
Doncaster 2-0 Southend
Doncaster 2-2 Bradford
Doncaster 1-0 Swindon
Doncaster 3-1 Scunthorpe
Doncaster 0-1 Blackpool
Doncaster 1-2 Huddersfield
Doncaster 0-1 Hartlepool
Doncaster 1-1 MK Dons

Bar them first four home games of season where they were awful they have really transformed and turned their season's fortunes around.

After having scalps already of Villa, Gillingham and Man City too you'd have to think they look a good price although my only worry is that they might need longer than 90 mins to win the tie so maybe another bet would be safer.

But coming off a win at the weekend against table toppers Swansea i really do think they are a superb price. Obviously its best waiting for team news mind as if Arsene decides to play a near full strength side id have a different view but you would doubt it seeing as there is a busy festive period coming up.

Current bets in my thoughts are....

Doncaster to win @ 7/1 Betfair
Doncaster +1 Asian Handicap @ 2.1 Premier Bet
Doncaster DNB @ 11/2 Victor Chandler
Doncaster +1 handicap @ 2.7

[keemanan]

All these ties look very tasty indeed.

United for me look a certainty , they will want to win this simply for the silverware and Brum are in crisis. will they regard this is a nice departure? I think not , i think they wouln't mind going out of this. They'll be back to basics in training and their squad is threadbare , their confidence is negligable , they have won once at home all season scoring a measley 5 goals.
I love that price , the game could be over at half time.

I'm gonna swerve the Donny game but i agree with the Blackburn shout IF bellamy is fit , anyone know if the little wanker is fit again?
Boro can be good but they are all too often outbattled IMO , they lost at home to Sunderland early on .3.5 looks very nice indeed but if you look at Blackburn's away form you'd think I was crzy talkin , 1 win all season BUT take a shufty at their opponents. They have faced Arsenal , Chelsea , liverpool , Man ure , Bolton and the hardest of them all City!
they were beaten by a solid fulham outfit on Saturday but lacked bellamy and savage for that game.Worth a go at them odd's

[GaNgStA kEeKs]

Originally Posted by keemanan

All these ties look very tasty indeed.

United for me look a certainty , they will want to win this simply for the silverware and Brum are in crisis. will they regard this is a nice departure? I think not , i think they wouln't mind going out of this. They'll be back to basics in training and their squad is threadbare , their confidence is negligable , they have won once at home all season scoring a measley 5 goals.
I love that price , the game could be over at half time.

I'm gonna swerve the Donny game but i agree with the Blackburn shout IF bellamy is fit , anyone know if the little wanker is fit again?
Boro can be good but they are all too often outbattled IMO , they lost at home to Sunderland early on .3.5 looks very nice indeed but if you look at Blackburn's away form you'd think I was crzy talkin , 1 win all season BUT take a shufty at their opponents. They have faced Arsenal , Chelsea , liverpool , Man ure , Bolton and the hardest of them all City!
they were beaten by a solid fulham outfit on Saturday but lacked bellamy and savage for that game.Worth a go at them odd's

Unsure about Bellamy at the minute. I heard he is 50/50 for the game on Saturday so you'd imagine he would make this one.

As for Blackburn's away results, i agree and don't think you can look at them. If any i think their away results are encouraging.

Off the top of my head...Away to Chelsea, to go to Stamford bridge and score 2 and play well speaks volumes imo. Not many teams, if any more will achieve that feat this season.

Arsenal game they went down 3-0 but what a completely false reflection you get from that result. They were superb at highbury and created a hatful of chances and deserved a draw at least. Could be an arguement that no one would complain if they had won that game the amount of chances they created.

Victory away to Man Utd and again it was pretty deserved. Contained United pretty well i thought and held their nerve to take the lead twice and eventually win the game.

Charlton last round is the only other game i remember and showed all Blackburns qualities i thought. The spirit of the side is great and they will keep going till the final whistle regardless of the score.

So yeah - i think that price is pretty huge but i never liek going against Boro at home so its tough to call

[Keith]

Tuesday

It seems that both Bolton and Wigan are likely to rest some first choice players and I would find it difficult to predict the outcome to this one. I would slightly favour Bolton but the price on offer is not attractive enough to get involved.

Birmingham at 6.40 is tempting me though. I am not sure that any Premiership side apart from Sunderland should be that price at home.

What will Man U do. Ferguson has promised to play a handful of kids claiming that his approach to this competition has not changed since they were dumped out of Europe.

I got caught out in the last round. Man U squad was published in the Manchester Evening News but the team sheet seemed to have more than one player on it who was not supposed to be in the squad (Ferdinand and Sylvester for a start). That may have had something to do with the George Best wake though.

This time they are away and SAF main ambition will be to take maximum points from the 4 league games in 8 days coming up over the Xmas period.

Bruce, I guess will be desperate for any kind of victory and is likely to play his strongest available side.

Don't get me wrong. Man U deserve to be favourites but Birminghams chances are better than 6.40

[Bigkegman]

I think Arsenal will definatley put out their 3rd team again but that should be too ston for Donny. Not too tempted about the price but as AFU mentions they can not really afford to view this competition with anything else other than it could be a trophy in the cabinet and it could be a final at the worst for the fans.

IMO Arsenal will not slip up (again) but team news is a must

[Bigkegman]

Birmingham v Man Utd
Birmingham goalkeeper Maik Taylor comes in for suspended Nico Vaesen, while keeper Colin Doyle is recalled to the bench from a Millwall loan spell.
Striker Emile Heskey could return after missing the last game because his partner was due to give birth.

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson will check on the fitness of Louis Saha and Alan Smith.

Both men suffered from viruses and Ferguson will want to be sure they are 100% fit before he selects them again.



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Birmingham (from): Maik Taylor, Doyle, Martin Taylor, Tebily, Cunningham, Upson, Painter, Clapham, Johnson, Clemence, Butt, Dunn, Heskey, Pandiani, Forssell, Pennant, Jarosik.

Man Utd (from): Howard, Steele, Neville, Bardsley, Eckersley, Brown, Pique, O'Shea, Richardson, Ronaldo, Fletcher, Martin, Smith, Park, Jones, Rossi, Saha, Ebanks-Blake, Rooney.

From BBC

[Bigkegman]

Wigan v Bolton
Wigan manager Paul Jewell is again likely to be without Josip Skoko, Stephane Henchoz and David Connolly for the Carling Cup quarter-final.
Skoko (groin), Henchoz (dead leg) and Connolly (Achilles) missed Saturday's 3-0 win at home to Charlton and are rated doubtful for the Wanderers game.

Bolton defender Tal Ben Haim is available after serving a one-game ban.

Full-back Ricardo Gardner could also come into contention following a hamstring strain.



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Wigan (from): Pollitt, Chimbonda, McMillan, Jackson, Henchoz, Camara, Johansson, Kavanagh, Mahon, de Zeeuw, Francis, Taylor, Teale, Skoko, Bullard, McCulloch, Baines, Roberts, Connolly, Wright, Waterhouse, Walsh.

Bolton (from): Jaaskelainen, Hunt, O'Brien, N'Gotty, Ben Haim, Jaidi, Gardner, Giannakopoulos, Faye, Okocha, Nakata, Fadiga, Nolan, Speed, Diouf, Davies, Borgetti, Vaz Te, Walker

From BBC

[all_funkt_up]

I think United will downplay this competition because they dont want to be seen to be lowering their standards. But they surely have to go for a win.

Team news is a necessity - cant help feeling Donny have sprung as many suprises as they are going to this year... A win against Arsenal (even the 2nd XI) would be a BIG shock.

[slick]

Well Birmingham didnt look like being upto much on Saturday Was, in fact it was probably the worst performance i've see from a Prem side all season, it was only when they brought on Jiggjaggy whats his name that they actually created anything of note and that was with only 10 minutes to go.

I'll be surprised if he doesent get a start against the Reds, Dunn looked out of sorts and was soon replaced as he didnt look match fit at all.
As for Birminghams defence, it was a shambles with nearly every pass finding a Man city shirt, same for their midfield too.

If this is a taste of whats to come when they play united then they will get hammered and as its probably Utds only chance realistically of any silverware this season bar the Fa cup then i should imagine Fergie will field a pretty strong team even though the predicted team sheet is showing differetly.

[all_funkt_up]

Jarosik was good on sat for all of 10 minutes. They were a shambles til then.

I think Bruce's priority has to be the Prem. Fergie may rest his stars with an eye on Boxing day, but Bruce's squad is even thinner. Any changes will really hurt them - then again lookin at the result on Sat - could they do any worse?

Surely he cant field a first XI team incase they get bummed by Man U and demoralised even further...?

[crowie]

Have to fancy Arsenal even at the 1.50 with Stan James/Paddy Power.

It will no doubt be a "reserve" side but lets not forget the same "reserve" side has won 3-0 AT Sunderland and also humped Reading 3-0 in London in this competition this season. To back up their quality further, they also won 2-1 at a strongish Man City and beat Everton 3-1 at Highbury with the same sort of line up last season.

Any one of those 4 performances will be enough to see of Doncaster IMO.