Carling Cup Sacrifices and The Pre-Mature Return of Bad Luck

It was very suspicious looking Arsene Wenger, who when asked by Sky Sports about Arsenal winning silverware, chose only to speak of the League title and the Champions League. It is blindingly obvious to all that have watched Arsenal play over the years that Wenger has (rightfully) seen the League and the Champions League as the season’s priority. Traditionally Wenger has used the Carling Cup to give the young players a chance. But there is an underlying tension amongst fans that if Arsenal doesn’t collect any silverware this year then integral players such as Fabregas and Adebayor will leave. With this in mind, I ask whether or not it is worth fielding a “B” Team for the entirety of the Carling Cup campaign.

Everyone remembers the Carling Cup heartbreak of 2007, and the emphatic 6-3 victory against Liverpool along the way. For the first time in years a team that included four teenagers had reached the final of cup competition. The average age of the Arsenal team that day was 21.5. Arsenal’s young guns repeated their impressive Carling Cup record last year before the now infamous 5-1 defeat at White Hart Lane. However the fact remains that Arsenal still did what many teams have failed to achieve. The art of fielding a young team is not easy to replicate, Sir Alex Ferguson attempted to do what only Wenger can do, and produce a cohesive side made up of the young players in the squad. It was an embarrassment for Ferguson when the 2-0 home defeat to Coventry unearthed the undeniable fact that Arsenal’s young talent is second to none. Not a single club played a reserve team to the extent that Arsenal did, with the likes of Chelsea and Liverpool attempting to field a full second team, only for the cojones of Benitez and Grant to go walkabout. Wenger possesses a raw audacity that no other manager in the league has and he uses it extremely well. The Carling Cup is a very sensitive area for Arsenal, to go against playing a young side this season would be seen as the greatest of heresy to Wenger but whether or not trophy desperate fans agree is another story.

We are all too aware that the club’s last trophy was in 2005, and that penalty shoot-out now seems like it was a generation away. It was all the more gut wrenching to suffer the first defeat to Tottenham since 1999 and to see them subsequently lift the Carling Cup. It’s an emotional quandary for us fans, one side of us wants a piece of silverware to silence the hordes of critics whereas the other side of us cannot let go of our beloved young ‘uns. I think it’s fair to say that each Arsenal fan savours the Carling Cup ties because we all feel a tinge of pride when watching an entirely new team pick apart established Premier League first teams.

Although the fans thirst for silverware is almost insatiable, extinguishing the young players’ Carling Cup dreams in favour of the trophy itself would not quench that thirst. There is no doubt that with Arsenal’s first team, the Carling Cup could be easily acquired, but to stop Arsenal’s Carling Cup routine would almost be to cut off one of Arsenal’s limbs. Youth is one of Arsenal’s unique selling points as a club. Wenger’s mantra at Arsenal has always been to develop and nurture the young talent at the club and it is this mantra that has lured players like Theo Walcott and Aaron Ramsey to Arsenal, each time at the expense of at least one of the Big Four. If the Carling Cup line-ups morphed more into the shape of the Premier League line-ups, or even the FA Cup line-ups, then part of Arsenal would certainly die. Without the Carling Cup opportunities that Arsenal provide, transition from the 2nd tier of the Arsenal squad the first team would be made all the more challenging. The likes of Walcott, Diaby, Denilson and Bendtner have all been steadily making more and more first team appearances and they have the Carling Cup to thank for that. This new crop of players that the Carling Cup campaigns have helped flourish is the main reason why we haven’t seen a flurry of transfer activity at the Emirates. While the likes of Liverpool and Tottenham have to bring in new players is every position, we can afford to promote from within due to the fact that Wenger knows how they play and what they can handle, and a large part of that is down to, you guessed it, the Carling Cup.

As much as it pains us to see the trophy cabinet bare for another season, it is imperative that impatience does not drive Arsenal to stoop to the levels of Chelsea and Tottenham and play first teams in the competition. Arsenal’s Carling Cup programme serves as a beacon of hope for young talent all over the world seeking to make the grade at top clubs. It would be like selling Arsenal’s soul to the Devil. When asked on that fateful January night at White Hart Lane whether he should have played more experienced players it was a simple answer for Wenger: “No, less.” That was the right answer and it should resonate through to this year’s competition, no matter how appealing the trophy looks.

It’s fair to say that ubiquitous bad luck last season is the main reason why the trophy cabinet at Emirates has a minimalist style to it. Offside conundrums hindering the team against Middlesbrough, the stone wall penalty against Liverpool at the Emirates that wasn’t given, Peter Frojdfeldt giving in to the pressure of the Kop and awarding a ghost penalty and of course the myriad and detrimental injuries. Worse still about last season’s bad luck was the fact that not a single paper or non-Arsenal fan had the guts to stand up and admit that Arsenal had been hard done on more than one occasion. Instead the press decided that Arsenal had persecution syndrome, when it was quite clear from Carlos Quieroz’s outburst after defeat to Portsmouth that Manchester United took bad luck much worse than the frustratingly placid Wenger. While watching the Emirates Cup match yesterday against Juventus I could almost hear the collective groan of every Arsenal fan as a clearly offside goal was given and the goal went on to win Juve the match. It was like bumping into an old school bully and déjà vu set in when only one of the Sunday papers chose to acknowledge the goal being more offside than Thierry Henry in Spain. This bad luck can only leave fans quaking in their boots, praying that this grotesque misfortune doesn’t grace us with its presence as frequently as it did last season. All we can hope for is that Lady Justice makes a long overdue visit to the Emirates this season.

Andrew McPhail

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Comments

[Ryan]

Am I wrong in thinking that the £200 million team that Sam was referring to in the first post was Chelsea?

I hope Arsene plays a young side throughout the whole of the Carling Cup this year. Our more experienced players don't seem that motivated to perform in the competition. I honestly feel as though our team was weakened by the introduction of the first team players in the last two Carling Cup campaigns.

[Melchiade Minani]

field a young team and get beaten or an experienced one and win! what do we all want to see for our respective teams? defeats? no way! we need silvaware whether or not we'e played the so called "beautiful football"

[Neil]

Mr Anonymous, you have said:
NEIL - "You're right about in one thing, it is a real shame that some of the players weren't bothered in the CC Semi final."
My point to TOM who said that they were not bothered was that they WERE BOTHERED to lose to Spurs. Thats why they were fighting amongst themselves when waiting for a corner.

Additionally every Arsenal fan I know whas bothered that you lost, they all come up with these same excuses, but they are bothered. Don't go on about this cup meaning nothing to you - it does. You have not won a cup for a while now. A club with your recent history needs one and you are lucky to have a manager with the staure of Wenger, otherwise you and the press would have hounded him out by now.

[oldgooner]

AW has the knack of polishing rough diamonds into breathtaking stones the CC has shown that even the mighty MANURE or LPOOL are unable to put a 2nd string out made up of kids that are capable of winning a game let alone the CUP all is now history regarding last season but 1 intresting point Arsenal was the most fouled against team last year (again) with another years experience behind them and hopefully the treatment room will not be filled with our stars again we should progress on last years success it would appear that again we are written off because AW has not gone out and spent millions on so called superstars we leave this to the SPUDS AND MANURE anybody who has watched some of the 16/17/18 yrs old coming through at Arsenal will know that we will be the major force in the league for many season's to come AND THE FOOTY WILL BE THE BEST!! but pls AW bring back Henry PLEASE PLEASE!!!

NEIL... You're right about in one thing, it is a real shame that some of the players weren't bothered in the CC Semi final. It was the exact same story, in fact to a greater extent even, in the FA Cup at Old Trafford. That is why I want to see an entirely different squad in both the Carling Cup and FA Cup, the players will actually be up for it and have as good a chance of winning as most without wearing out any of our important players.

FILLIPE... Football will have bad tackles from every team. I could go through your team [Spurs probably] and pick out 2/3/4 awful potentially career-ending careers. The difference between Eduardo/Taylor and Eboue/Evra was that Eddie did actually break his leg. And on top of that, we were robbed [call it moaning, but if you do I suggest you re-watch the game and especially the 94th minute penalty incident] in the last minute.

You may say we don't get on with it... but its more than that. We could have dealt with losing Eduardo alone, but a couple of weeks before we had Rosicky ruled out [still not returned] and van Persie ruled out again, both for long amounts of time. That is three creative, experienced, goalscoring players out of the side in a matter of weeks.

And Wenger being a moaner is something born out of ignorance. He says every now and then things which are unfair like any manager playing for high stakes, however more often that not the things he says are taken out of context.

All that cost us last season was we lacked that little bit of luck in the last few months of the season, and maybe an calm head in the team to compose us in winning situations. Hope this wasn't too long.

[Fillipe]

What stops Arsenal from becoming champions is the inability to grow a pair and get on with it when the going gets tough. It comes from the manager and seems to taint every level of the Arsenal set-up.

It's the same mentality that talks about how horribly unlucky you were to lose Eduardo, but forgets to mention that Eboue's tackle on Evra in the FA Cup or Diaby's two-footed lunge at the Reebok could have inflicted equally-horrific injuries. It's pathetic, and unbecoming of such a talented side.

[Neil]

"Heavily weakened and not too bothered"
They weren't 'heavily' weakened as pointed out in an earlier response and as for not bothered - is that why they were fighting amongst themselves?

If they are not bothered then they should not be on the pitch - I thought the whole Arsenal argument was that these 'kids' were playing for their future, for the future of Arsenal?!?

By the way Andrew, it was MOSES that made comments about stooping to levels, not me!

[Tom]

I see Spurs fans once again use the 'they weren't kids on when we finally beat them' line. Yes they were. 2nd choice goalkeeper, 1st choice right back and centre back, but 6th choice centre back, 3rd choice left back, 3rd choice left winger, 3rd and 4th choice central midfielder, 1st choice right winger and 4th and 5th choice striker partnership.

By anyones standards a heavily weakened [and not too bothered] team. Cesc, Adebayor and Eduardo did feature... off the bench so a bit misleading. But then when you go 9 years without a win I suppose it is to be expected.

Winning the Carling Cup would mean nothing to us if we used our first team. If we were to win it with our kids, then it would be something to be proud off. But as a serious trophy... well it just isn't one. If we want a proper trophy our best bet is the FA Cup, but to be honest I'd rather we go all out on the league/Europe. These are the main goals for us, I don't want to see Cesc/Ade/van Persie in one CC squad this season including a potential final.

[Andrew]

Hi guys - just going to reply to a few of your comments

P-M HEDIN: It was Peter Whathisname the Swede at the Kop, the decision you are thinking about was at the Emirates when Hleb was hauled down by Kuyt. I remember the name of the referee because I felt like hunting him down that night.

YAZAN: Well if Man U got 4 more points and Arsenal got four more points then that would mean that Arsenal would have come 2nd, i am of course assuming that the absence of Chelsea from your comment means they would have gained no points.

NEIL: I said stoop to the levels, due to the fact that Chelsea and Spurs have no faith in their youth and do nothing to improve their situation. Chelsea just buy established players and integrate them into the teams, and spurs are currently doing exactly the same. Arsenal do not do this nearly as often. That is why I feel that Arsenal would be lowering themselves to Chelsea and Spurs levels. Sure they play great football at times, but the fact is that they have no faith in the youth and fail to show a willingness to improve their systems.

[P-M Hedin]

Well, being Swedish I would like to point out that it was a dutch referee that did not whistle against Kuyt at the Kop in the CL. Not Peter Frojdfeldt, he is from Sweden! Don´t add to his miserable summer when he was sidestepped in the Euro Final ;-)
Otherwise I agree, totally!!!

[Neil]

What a bunch of dreamers.
Average age of Spurs v Arsenal on that "fateful January night" - 25.8 v 22.8.
Cost of Starting 11 - £39m v £51m.
Cost of all used players - £53m v £62m.
14 players used - games started that season - 279 v 214.
International players 10 v 11.
World Cup Winners 0 v 2.
So should he have played more experienced players? More like could he?

This Arsenal play the kids theory is not entirelly true - they have a fantastic squad and utilise them well - indeed probably better than a lot of others.

Were all 5 goals bad luck at White Hart Lane? Don't think so.

Get yourselves a trophy, you need one. It was a long time coming for us, but it felt good.

Someone will reply with a load of tosh about how much better Woolwich Wanderers are than Spurs - fine. But don't go on about kids in the team and don't go on about winning trophies that are more important. You haven't won one for four years (except the ladies team that is!).

[Moses]

Stoop to the levels of Chelsea and Spurs who field their first teams??? What kind of oxymoron is that?? Its one thing to take pride in the fact that your team has established a tradition of fielding excellent young teams in this competition. However, to percive those teams who chose continuity because they obviously don't have young players of the calibre that Arsenal has is out of order. I speak as a Chelsea fan and any admiration I may have for Arsenal's youth policy or the general quality of their football is tainted by the condescanding nature of their manager and fans. There is nothing morally wrong with fielding your first team for a football match. Its a choice that is open to you! And I will never get over the fact that the best premier league season of all time by any team will not be remembered for the excellent football of Robben, Duff, Goodjonsen and even Lampard but for the ugly victories that Chelsea managed to pick up along the way. Wenger was a major culprit in perpetuating that myth.

[J]

Sam...Slight exaggeration of £200 million there? Your bitterness of being beaten by Tottenham 5-1 shines through so clearly. Oh and you did have Fabregas, Adebayor, Bendtner, sagna, gallas, hleb, playing. All of which have played in front of 60,000 fans on a regular basis at the Emirates, and also european experience, not too mention playing at international level also. Your comment is therefore deemed stupid and invalid. As for your trophy cabinet, keep dusting it because this season your only hope is the Carling Cup. Champions league, Premiership and Fa Cup, you have no chance. Both Tottenham and Arsenal fans are overly ambitious. Arsenal 4th place, no silverware again for 08/09.

[Yazan]

Finally someone talking sense

[darren]

So many bad decisions? Read the latest total football mag, a team of experts enalysed every major decision in every barclays premier league match last season to see how incorrect decisions may have cost teams and Arsenal would have had 4 more points if the ref's had got it right, but, so would have Man Utd. So Arsenal had the same amount of incorrect decisions as United. Less crying and more accepting you were the 3rd best team last season, not the 1st

[John]

Andrew MacPhail has written a well-balanced and thoughtful article, though it's a shame that an editor couldn't have helped with the grammar, notably some egregious punctuation errors.

Never mind.

I agree completely. Arsene should use the Carling Cup to showcase the young (and English!) talent that no other club in this country develops or possesses to his degree.

And let's lose this idea that "yet another" season without a trophy is somehow disastrous or shameful. Let the more plastic fans worry about that.

Wenger's vision for Arsenal is a long-term one, and it requires sacrifices in the short term. Yes, our stadium puts financial pressure on us now, but our policies are sustainable, and they point to a very strong future.

[Andrew]

Yes it was 2007 - but the season was 06/07, so understandably I put 2006. it's been changed just for you. Happy?

P.S. - 1 wrong fact does not = many wrong facts.

[Brett]

The Carling Cup might not matter to us as fans, but it sure matters to the young players. It's a taste of tournament football that is absolutely necessary to develop their confidence if called upon to stand in for the larger trophy tournaments. For that, I hope Arsenal puts every effort into winning it.

[JOHN]

I also remember it being in 2007 and not 2006. Surely if you are writing for the Times you should not get so many facts wrong

[Josh]

Hell, winning the Carling Cup wasn't even enough to keep Robbie Keane at White Hart Lane - it certainly wouldn't be enough to keep a good player at a top club.

[Sam]

I remember the 6-3 victory, I don't remember any Carling Cup heartbreak (seeing our young side lose to a full first team costing over £200 million barely even hurt) and I do not even consider the Carling Cup silverware. If Arsenal win the Carling Cup and nothing else this season do you really think that would even matter? Of course it wouldn't. I can hardly imagine that swaying an Arsenal player who is considering a transfer request.