Oct 28, 2009
Arensal v. Liverpool
Last Cup Match:
Arsenal 2 - 0 West Bromich
Liverpool 1 - 0 Leeds United
Stakes: If there was ever a cup game that means nothing, this may well be it. The Carling Cup is the lesser of the two league tournaments in England to the F.A. Cup and as a result, teams tend to focus less on it than they do their other matches. It often ends up being a chance to give the reserves some first team action. Of course that happens most frequently when facing a lower division side. Things may be a tad different in this match up between two of the big four clubs.
Thoughts on the Opposing Side: This. Period.
In all seriousness, Arsenal is a side I considered rooting for because Wenger reinvigorated the career of Thierry Henry back when he was just a talented young player having trouble finding a place anywhere. I have nothing against them, though it's hard to figure out who exactly will be in today. The soccernet preview mentions a mix of youngsters and veterans. Mexican Carlos Vela will be in action, which as a fan of the US team, I'm interested in. Always have to see what the enemy is up to.
(Note, I didn't make that GIF. But it's amazing.)
Questions I Have: No Gerrard again, but how does Rafa treat this? Will he throw out his best lineup available with Fernando Torres and Yossi Benayoun? Or will we see a lot of youngsters like David Ngog up front and Jay Spearing in the mid. There are pros and cons for each. Fresh off a huge win over Man U, a win over Arsenal would certainly silence his critics for a while. Arsenal's mix of young players and veterans is likely better than Liverpool's who have had struggles finding depth in their youth and reserves.
On the other hand, it's not a league game and this isn't the F.A. Cup. Maybe you play Benayoun and Kuyt, but do you really want to risk Torres in a lower stakes tournament? The win would be nice, but it will be forgotten quickly if Torres reinjures himself and Liverpool tumbles in the table as a result.
I do expect to see Ryan Babel. Alberto Aquilani, the Xabi Alonso replacement will see action, but Rafa says he will not start.
Will I Be Watching: Probably not intently, if at all. I'll follow the gamecast for updates though.
Expectations: If Torres is starting, then Liverpool stands a good shot at going through. It will mean they are serious and intent on winning the game. If the Torres isn't in the starting XI, I expect the Arsenal mix of reserves and starters will prevail over the Liverpool group, especially at home.
Liverpool 1 - 0 Leeds United
Stakes: If there was ever a cup game that means nothing, this may well be it. The Carling Cup is the lesser of the two league tournaments in England to the F.A. Cup and as a result, teams tend to focus less on it than they do their other matches. It often ends up being a chance to give the reserves some first team action. Of course that happens most frequently when facing a lower division side. Things may be a tad different in this match up between two of the big four clubs.
Thoughts on the Opposing Side: This. Period.
In all seriousness, Arsenal is a side I considered rooting for because Wenger reinvigorated the career of Thierry Henry back when he was just a talented young player having trouble finding a place anywhere. I have nothing against them, though it's hard to figure out who exactly will be in today. The soccernet preview mentions a mix of youngsters and veterans. Mexican Carlos Vela will be in action, which as a fan of the US team, I'm interested in. Always have to see what the enemy is up to.
(Note, I didn't make that GIF. But it's amazing.)
Questions I Have: No Gerrard again, but how does Rafa treat this? Will he throw out his best lineup available with Fernando Torres and Yossi Benayoun? Or will we see a lot of youngsters like David Ngog up front and Jay Spearing in the mid. There are pros and cons for each. Fresh off a huge win over Man U, a win over Arsenal would certainly silence his critics for a while. Arsenal's mix of young players and veterans is likely better than Liverpool's who have had struggles finding depth in their youth and reserves.
On the other hand, it's not a league game and this isn't the F.A. Cup. Maybe you play Benayoun and Kuyt, but do you really want to risk Torres in a lower stakes tournament? The win would be nice, but it will be forgotten quickly if Torres reinjures himself and Liverpool tumbles in the table as a result.
I do expect to see Ryan Babel. Alberto Aquilani, the Xabi Alonso replacement will see action, but Rafa says he will not start.
Will I Be Watching: Probably not intently, if at all. I'll follow the gamecast for updates though.
Expectations: If Torres is starting, then Liverpool stands a good shot at going through. It will mean they are serious and intent on winning the game. If the Torres isn't in the starting XI, I expect the Arsenal mix of reserves and starters will prevail over the Liverpool group, especially at home.
Tags: Arsenal, Carling Cup, Liverpool, Match Day
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