The Official League Cup Champions Thread.

Cerny

Hutton Woodgate King Lee

Lennon Teeeeeeeeeeemu Jenas Malbranque

Keane Berbatov

Already in the match thread... along with people getting anoyed at the fact we've beaten them 5-1 in the cup and 2-1 in the League within our last 16 games vs them... :lol:

Ah, I didn't look at hte match thread, cheers buddy.

Probably stay away by the sounds of it too!

this has been posted/discussed about already! better delete before the mods do! :up:

milkman191 said:

this has been posted/discussed about already! better delete before the mods do! :up:

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And I had already been told just that, and responded already!

Milkman, ur in Farnham??
I'm from Farnborough mate, very close indeed!!!

Shanks said:

Milkman, ur in Farnham??
I'm from Farnborough mate, very close indeed!!!

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i actually live near Farnham, i live in a small village called Bentley. we are close!

im at home now, sick. missing school! :razz:

Its here!!

Just the 2 days to wait now lads!

COYS

BBC pundits Mabbutt and Peacock give their opinion on the final

taken from BBC Sport:

Gary Mabbutt

Sunday's final is going to be a very difficult game for Tottenham, no doubt, but there's no reason why they can't go to Wembley and cause an upset.

For a start, Juande Ramos has come in and turned the club around a lot quicker than some expected.

It was clear when he arrived where the problems lay. When he was asked what he was going to work on, his response was simply: "Monday defence, Tuesday defence, Wednesday defence..."

To some people's surprise I'm sure, Spurs are already a lot better at the back, aided in part by some great signings in Jonathan Woodgate and Alan Hutton.

If Ledley King can return alongside Woodgate, that will be a big boost.

Tottenham now have strength in depth across the board and that is going to be so vital because Chelsea have unbelievable quality across the park.

Avram Grant's side will start as favourites but I've always liked Tottenham as the underdog.

Chelsea, of course, can always score goals but their success has been built on their ability to shut up shop when needed and I'm sure they'll want to keep things tight again Sunday.

But Dimitar Berbatov and Robbie Keane - as well as the likes of Jermaine Jenas, Aaron Lennon and Steed Malbranque - have caused problems for every side they've faced this season.

If they click on the day, Tottenham can score goals.

Ramos's experience will be key. He has a fantastic CV and he's brought with him a winning mentality that the players seem to be responding to.

Bringing in Gus Poyet - someone who knows the language, the club and football so well - was a superb move.

All in all, if Spurs can be sound defensively, then they have a chance because they definitely have the talent to cause Chelsea problems at the other end.



Gavin Peacock

Sunday's final is absolutely huge for Chelsea and, in particular, manager Avram Grant.

Grant always had massive shoes to fill in replacing Jose Mourinho. I was really sorry to see Jose go and I'm convinced he should still be there - whatever the problems, Chelsea should've worked through them.

But, either way, Grant's there now and the only way he is going to win the kind of affection from the fans that Mourinho enjoyed is by winning things.

He has a good record so far - two defeats in 25 games - but, in truth, nothing whatsoever has been achieved.

At the end of the season, when you see what the team have won and where they have finished, it will be easier to judge whether he's been a success.

So it's a massive fixture for him and Chelsea - and it's not one where the team or tactics pick themselves. I've heard the rumours that John Terry and Frank Lampard will not start and that's a big risk.

For me, if they are fit - and in Terry's case even 90% fit because of his leadership - then they have to play and Grant will face a lot of criticism if he doesn't play them and it doesn't pay off.

Some might argue that their absence will give Spurs a fillip but the players will still draw a breath when they look down the Chelsea team-sheet and see the likes of Michael Essien, Didier Drogba, Joe Cole and so on.

Whether Grant plays Drogba and Nicolas Anelka up front together will be interesting - I would go for 4-4-2 - but either way I think it will be an open, attacking game simply because Chelsea have to win and Spurs only know how to play one way.

Chelsea will go into the match as favourites and I fancy them to do it.

But it won't be a walk in the park by any stretch. If Berbatov, Keane, Jenas and Lennon click for Tottenham they will cause problems and it's in the forward areas that I think this game will be decided.

I'm going for Chelsea to edge a five-goal thriller.

Nothing no-one's never heard before, but some more commentary to whet the appetite. COYS!!

I'm getting all excited now this thread's up :grin:

COYS!

Message from Spurs Mobile:- Chimbonda to be monitored over the next 2 days; King, Boateng trained today, Dawson running again; Gilberto, Bale and Assou-Ekotto out.

So nothing we didn't already know.

King will play on Sunday unless something dramatic happens to him. Don't think KPB would get a look-in anyway, but good to see he's in training.

team news - official

Juande Ramos will keep a close eye on the fitness of a couple of players ahead of Sunday's Carling Cup Final.

Pascal Chimbonda will be monitored over the next two days after twisting his knee in a challenge in Thursday night's UEFA Cup tie against Slavia Prague. He was substituted after an hour of the 1-1 draw at the Lane.
Kevin-Prince Boateng (hamstring) and Ledley King (knee) both trained on Friday and Michael Dawson (hamstring) underwent a light running session.
Gilberto (calf) misses out as he's not expected to train until next week while Benoit Assou-Ekotto (knee) and Gareth Bale (foot) continue their rehabilitation from long-term injuries.

- I must say I'm a bit worried about Chimbonda's injury - any twists, strains etc can take a while to recover from

DC_Boy said:

Gilberto (calf) misses out...

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So we do have a young goat then! :grin:

Kushal said:

So we do have a young goat then! :grin:

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Kushal - you could be making our polls even more complicated now - what about the fatted calf option - for the pagans amongst us

Kushal said:

So we do have a young goat then! :grin:

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You got to be kidding ain't ya ?

TheChosenOne said:

You got to be kidding ain't ya ?

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Nah, just gloating :wink:

Chimbonda being injured could be a blessing. I think he's struggled at LB and don't fancy his chances if he plays on Sunday.

Mattspur said:

Chimbonda being injured could be a blessing. I think he's struggled at LB and don't fancy his chances if he plays on Sunday.

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Ramos obviously prefers him at LB over anyone else we have fit.

Then again, supporters always know best.