Carling Cup Final

[Lofthouse Lower]

The rules on the importance of the Carling Cup is as follows:

If Arsenal win : The Carling Cup is a real trophy and is a great cup for smaller teams in an attempt to get Silverware and a Uefa cup spot. It is a great builder of momentum which can kick teams on to the league and other competitions. Importantly it gives a mental boost to a team and proves they can win something which puts them in a good positions in all other competition. Chelsea were keen to win it to get some silverware with their new team as Mourinho thought it would be an invaluable boost to the team as a whole. Most importantly it will take a lot of pressure off Arsenal as the '5 years with out a trophy' stat will be banished.

If Arsenal Lose: The Carling Cup is a nonsense competition which loses it's importance every year. No one cares about the Cup if you're in real competitions like the Champions League and the FA Cup. No important team takes it seriously and hence why they mostly play reserves.

Hope I have cleared that up for you all.

Come on you Blues

[superjohnmcginlay]

If we are clinging to the minor hope that we might make the euroworthy this year isn't it better if Arsenal win?

[boltonboris]

Doesn't matter.. We're going to win the FA Cup!!

[seanworth]

Doesn't matter.. We're going to win the FA Cup!!

So that the Media can add the FA cup to the list of meaningless competitions.

[boltonboris]

Well, when we qualify for the Champions League. They'll have to label that the same!!

[BWFC_Insane]

I hope Arsenal win it.

Don't really want the Brummies on a high seeing as we've got them in something of a "Big game".

[Worthy4England]

I hope Arsenal win it.

Don't really want the Brummies on a high seeing as we've got them in something of a "Big game".

They'll have come down back to the normal drudge level by then.

[Lofthouse Lower]

It's the Carling Cup final this weekend, readers! And if all this coverage in the media is anything to go by, it appears the big match is going to be contested by Arsenal. Thanks, papers! Top work, telly! But the Fiver has done some sniffing around, and in an exclusive scoop we can reveal that Birmingham City will also be in attendance, cluttering up the place and generally making a nuisance of themselves as Arsene Wenger's contemporary dance troupe run through their latest avant-garde routines.


Having found this stuff out, we assumed that a club trying to win their first major trophy since 1963, playing in only their second major final since that victory, and making their first visit to Wembley since Paul Tait offered some kind words to Aston Villa fans, would be of greater general interest than a club who have won 17 major trophies since 1963, are playing in their 25th major final since then, and at one point played their effing home fixtures at Wembley. Y'know, we thought there might be more news in that, the clue being in the etymology. But no, we're just simple folk, it seems that's not the case.


So it's Arsenal this, Arsenal that, and Arsenal the other today. Cesc Fabregas is knacked and out of the game, and may even miss the upcoming cultural exchange trip to Barcelona. Robin van Persie is going to take his place as captain at Wembley. And in an amazing series of quotes, too shocking to print, Wenger has spoken of his desire to win the cup! In fairness, Sky Sports News did at one point flash up a one-frame subliminal picture of Alex McLeish, who is hoping that Liam Ridgewell and Martin Jiranek will overcome minor knocks and not join Scott Dann on the injury list, so it's not been all one-way traffic. But let's not waste any more nanoseconds on that: can Arsenal do the quadruple? What will they be having for breakfast? Isn't Islington just the best?

[Gooner Girl]

A cups a cup. Be nice to win something - its been way too long - and granted, i'd far rather it was the league, FA Cup or Champs league but beggars can't be choosers and it might give the squad a boost if we win. I do hate the way the media assume its a foregone conclusion though, we've got quite good at ballsing things up when its assumed we will walk it.

C'mon the Gunners!

[seanworth]

Can't bring myself to wanting Arsenal to win. Hopefully Birmingham pull this off by penalties and then celebrate for the next few weeks giving little attention to football.

[Hoboh]

I'd like Jack to get his first "proper medal" feel like he's almost "one of us"

[Horza]

Still think we can make sixth and a non-CL club could take the FA Cup so I'm grudingly going for the Arse.

[Bruce Rioja]

My mate Big Matty the Bluenose is there. For him and his two boys (10 & 12) tickets alone are £170. That's before they've got there, been fed etc. etc. Absolutely fecking outrageous. As he said to me earlier in the week "I hope to feck you lot beat us in the FA Cup!"

[thebish]

As I hold no candles for Birmingham, then I wouldn't mind Arsenal winning - even if only to cheer Gooner Girl up, plus - it would open up another european place to the league..

but - it sticks in my craw that Wenger said that if you win the League Cup you can't really say you have won a trophy..

it makes me think - if they don't really want it that much - then let's have a team win it for whom it will be a once-in-a-lifetime "I was there" victory that the fans remember for years...

[Lord Kangana]

Cool, then when Arsenal win it, they still won't have won a trophy for ever. Works for everyone.

[Worthy4England]

Looks like the officials have already decided who's going to win.

Not offside, GK should be off and it should have been a pengy. Other than that everything's going for Brum...

[Wandering Willy]

Nailed on penalty and red.

[Worthy4England]

So that should have been 2-0

[Wandering Willy]

Should have scored again.

[spikeykev]

Well done Birmingham, Arsenal really are a team of pathetic bottlers!