carling cup

arsenal   -   newcastle          1.86   -   4.50
i will be backing the home win. (1.86) last season the young arsenal carling cup squad played some great football on their way to the final with chelsea.  if my memory serves me right, i  recall that they scored 6 against liverpool at anfield. they also knocked out a full strength tottenham side and matched chelsea all the way in the final. (1-2 loss)

players like n bendtner, denilson, hoyte, a song, diarra and keeper fabianski will play tomorrow and maybe also diaby, da silva and eboue will be involved. typical arsenal carling cup squad, and a pretty good one.

newcastle have plenty of injured players at the moment. latest additions are m owen and cacapa. no doubt in my mind, the newcastle boss allardyce will not risk many of his first team players tomorrow. viduka is injury prone, owen  definitely out, maybe ameobi will play, maybe emre.

i have arsenal as the winners. (1.86)

reading   -   liverpool        3.85   -   2.10
both managers will make wholesale changes tomorrow. l lita will play for reading, winger convey as well, shane long, e fae, bikey, de la cruz and so on.

it is anybodys guess which players coach benitez will send out on the pitch for liverpool,  but the least interested is probably benitez himself. for him only the champions league and the premiership are important and in that order.

it will be another home win for me. (3.85)

for carling cup fixtures   - you really need to see the actual starting line ups, before you make your bets. if you are professional, that is.

burnley   -   portsmouth        3.50   -   2.20
if i have got it right, it seems like none of the portsmouth players that played against blackburn the other day will be involved in this cup game. my old favourite, d nugent,  will play however,  p mendes as well and pompey will be far form useless.

burnley have one or two doubts, but their ambition is to play with their strongest squad.

i can picture a home win. (3.50)

luton   -  charlton     3.05   -   2.30
i have always had problems with charlton in cup tournaments, and this time is no different. the charlton boss pardew has promised to protect his first team members this time. up front for example we will see mcleod and todorov instead of the usual iwelumo and varney. charlton will more or less come with the same side that just about defeated stockport, 4-3, in the previous cup round.

luton knocked out sunderland, 3-0, in the round before this one.

they will be able to draw from the same squad, with one exception. their keeper forde will be replaced by d brill. veteran striker p furlong upfront. home win. (3.05)