Liverpool FC Forum

[Owzat]

Too many cups and it's more or less the Carling Cup up to Christmas and the FA Cup after Christmas. We're also expected to play in a much more prestigious competition at the same time ie the Champions League, as well as the Premiership, so does anyone in the FA/UEFA think we're going to field our strongest team in each and every one? It's fixture overload, the Carling Cup is one too many competitions. The FA Cup should be spread over the whole season and the Carling Cup abandoned. While the Champions League was just Champions it wouldn't be such a load, but now that you have up to four teams from each country in the Champions League they've made it a league format because of the extra teams and hence extra fixtures.

So yes we should field a reserve team. Good news is with Reading struggling against relegation they may well field a weakened side too. Yet clubs like Liverpool will get stick for fielding weakened teams, smaller clubs like Sheffield United (last season) will put out weakened sides and prioritise the league even though they are in less competitions. The Carling Cup is ideal for clubs like Newcastle, Boro, West Ham and so on because it is their best shot at a trophy. Only once in the entirity of the Premiership has a club outside of Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal or Man Utd won the FA Cup - Everton back in 1995. In the same period their have been NINE different winners of the League Cup including Leicester, Blackburn, Villa, Boro and spudz. Beaten finalists in the League Cup include Bolton, Tranmere, Birmingham, Bolton, Wigan, Leeds and Leicester. Perhaps the League Cup should be for clubs in the Football League

[Red Dotty]

Couldn't give a toss about this competition to be honest. This kind of thing is what our massive squad is for, so let the youngsters get a crack, and maybe even Crouch to keep him happy. Pretty pointless these days, unless we draw a rival team of course.

Not a pop but a comment about the carling cup.

It was not long ago that we were in finals against teams that had this opinion and we all got on our high horse about the way teams disregarded this comp.

Yes play the younger players but lets not disrespect a cup that we have a good history in winning. This club is built on success and silverwhere and so it always will be.

[Owzat]

Couldn't give a toss about this competition to be honest. This kind of thing is what our massive squad is for, so let the youngsters get a crack, and maybe even Crouch to keep him happy. Pretty pointless these days, unless we draw a rival team of course.

Not a pop but a comment about the carling cup.

It was not long ago that we were in finals against teams that had this opinion and we all got on our high horse about the way teams disregarded this comp.

Yes play the younger players but lets not disrespect a cup that we have a good history in winning. This club is built on success and silverwhere and so it always will be.

Further to that comment, we may well put out 'kids' in these matches but if we get close to or actually to the final will these fans who "Couldn't give a toss about this competition" be attending the semis and final? Will they be saying the same thing if we're in the final? Is the attitude that we have enough trophies so why should we need another less important one?  It's probably the easier competition to win, while I won't be too bothered if we go out early I wouldn't mind a final this season to make it one every season. There are no guarantees in the Champions League or indeed the FA Cup. Last season we had terrible luck with (cup) draws getting Arsenal in both Domestic Cups, this one isn't bad and may be the best draw we get

[Redbilly1960]

This was a great competition when we were winning it every other year so lets not knock it now. Its a day out to Wembley as well.
Agree is should be used as a blooding ground for the young uns.

[The Ace1983]

Can't be fussed with the Carling Cup. I know it's still silverware, but I think that this season we have bigger fish to fry. Stick the youth out and give some players who aren't getting much of a sniff in the prem a day in the floodlights. If we win it, woohoo. If we don't, bothered.

[Rafa D]

We should comfortably be able to stick out a starting eleven capable of winning this match with Torres, Gerrard, Carra, Reina, Alonso, Kuyt, Penant and babel all missing.