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Carling Cup – Round 4 – Big five in the hunt
By David, BettingExpert.com | Edited
Back from a Premier League weekend which saw Chelsea and Manchester United lose, and Liverpool draw with Norwich, the Carling Cup may turn out to be an occasion for redemption. All of the big five are still in the run and for none is there a valid enough case to throw their fixtures away in this fourth round.
Arsenal – Bolton
Patience must be drawing to a close at the Reebok with Owen Coyle and the mysterious reasons behind a solid side’s ability to lose twelve Premier League games from the last fourteen. That is an awful record. Horrible to look at.
Holden and Lee had been very important for the club last season but not to such an extent that when they miss out apocalypse strikes. There may be some things we do not know yet about Bolton and Coyle but at this pace we may be picking up pieces of evidence from a crime scene soon enough with Coyle sacked and players coming out with their truth.
Anyone involved with Arsenal will remember how badly they chocked against Birmingham in the final of this competition last season. It was the trophy that had to end the six-year draught but the underdogs kept it an unfertile desert scenario for the Gunners. Will they strike oil this time around?
Expect young guns to take to the field but the quality of their game should not suffer as much against a probably patched up Bolton side not eager to waste precious energies chasing their opponents at the Emirates.
Verdict: 1
Going for the Gunners to win when most likely the likes of van Persie and Gervinho will only be on the bench is risky at the moment. I still cannot figure out Bolton. No team has lost as many games as they did and in the bottom positions of the Premier League, with one of the shortest squads around I see a point in wanting to give up the Carling Cup.
Stoke City – Liverpool
The Potters have proven solid on every front this season. The magnitude of their maturity was incredible and gives full credit to manager Pulis’ abilities as a manager. Quality has been added to the side this season and he now has a number of good players to rotate. This has not been something he has been doing often though and I can see him finally giving a rest to key players, inevitably taking out inspiration from the team. This means falling back on solidity to go through the 90 minutes.
Kenny has now perhaps understood that he still needs a few additions to the team in order to be a true challenger. He has already been outspoken about his transfer market capacity in January.
With domestic cup games being the main chance of them not ending this season trophy-less after suffering another slip up against Norwich on Saturday evening the Reds should not be very light here. Their big names need a break much less than Europa League-bound Stoke players.
Verdict: 2
With creativity in the Stoke line-up and Carroll in for Suarez I would expect this to produce little goals. It depends more on Kenny’s choices upfront though and whether he will actually opt to rest Suarez. Eventually I don’t think the Reds will risk this competition and if the Uruguay striker won’t start he will be drafted in according to how things are developing.
Wolves – Manchester City
Another manager’s name has been included in the fray for getting the sack first. Joining favourites Kean and Bruce is McCarthy. The Sunderland boss has seen light at the end of the tunnel after last weekend’s victory at the Reebok, putting Coyle’s job in jeopardy. McCarthy, with his labored draw against Swansea at home has far from consolidated his position at the club.
Wolves are playing really badly and although I doubt whether they can afford to target the Carling Cup I think immediate signs of life are due. Surely, doing that against the most in-form club in England at the moment is a big ask but McCarthy has no options left. Especially since it will be Manchester City in the next league match as well. The way I see it is that he should try and make the most of his home match at least, even though it is a cup encounter. Trying to prove one’s worth by attempting the impossible at the Etihad Stadium is a risky bet for a manager on the line.
Verdict: Over 2.5
With a roster like that at the disposal of Mancini fielding an above average side here should be a no brainer. McCarthy will be expected to grab on with his nails to what could realistically be his last chances at preserving his job. City’s quality reserves and Wolves’ determination to go for it and prove their worth should make this an open encounter.
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