if we are full strength under the lights at the lane agaibst that lot we should murder them 3-0 bury the tie in the first leg

This is a ploy... They will field a full strength team ...

Of course they will

At least three of those named "provisional" are possible first team starters, what kind of cack is this?

If he was going to blood youngsters, then he should put out the team that lost 3-0 to our reserves.

I think Martin should respond in kind by putting out the academy squad.

Surprised Wenger hasn't dropped the old "Henry injury worry" gambit - or maybe he has finally realised that no one falls for it anymore

henry not in the provisional squad

a mistake, or just evidence that the "provisional squad" probably means fack all?

blooding youngsters - joke

Almunia - played in the EPL and CL FINAL
Hoyte - played EPL
Toure - their top defender
Djourou - starts lots of EPL games
Walcott - would be starting for most other EPL sides, plays for England u21s
Diaby - played EPL since last year
Julio Baptista - Brazil World Cup and Real Madrid player
Aliadiere - started EPL
Adebayor - starts EPL
Senderos - starts EPL
Flamini - starts EPL

They have to play their youngsters having got them this far and Im sure they will. If they get a 2-0 or more beating im sure the big guns will come out for the return leg, which Wenger knows. Im not sure away goals count anymore, think it's goals scored so 3-1 at home is better than 2-0?

I said this earlier in another thread, but let's say it again.

Wenger doesn't rate the competition. He only sees it as a sort of a "necessary evil". For him, it's a chance to field youngsters or reserve players who don't get to play too much otherwise.

You guys have a point that Wenger's words to the media can not be trusted, especially when he is talking about who will and who will not play against Spurs. But he has shown in the past that he is quite honest towards his own players. If he has repeadetly said that they will get a chance to show what they can do and that the players who have got them so far have a chance to try and go all the way, then I don't see a real reason to doubt him.

Expect most of the following players to start: Almunia, Hoyte, Kolo Toure, Djourou, Denilson, Julio Baptista, Walcott and Aliadiere. My guess is that all of them will start and if they do, we have a decent chance of beating them. I don't think that Henry will play and say what you like about their other strikers, his absence would be a big help for us.

I think Wenger is treating the Carling Cup as a good opportunity for his younger players in and around the first team a chance to achieve something. He is giving them vital confidence and a chance to show what they can do.

No one is suggesting he's playing complete reserves and no hopers. Arsenal are proving their next crop of players will shortly be ready to make an impact in the premier league. No one is suggesting Aliadiere is a poor player but he rarely turns out for Arsenal in the Prem.

We do have a tough game coming up and the cup is more important to us than them but don't think Arsenal are going to be a walkover.

The biggest plus is the absence of Van Persie. He is so dangerous when he comes on late on in the game (he is dangerous at any time of course)

God I hate Wenger and every word that comes out of his mouth. They must be the most arrogant, hateful, vindictive club in the world.

I half wish Jol had headbutted him that time at Highbury.

Just remove the world 'half' actually.

Amen brother. Amen. It is almost perversely enjoyable that the Scum have a manager that, even objectively, you just have to hate. It would be awful if they had someone as likeable as Jol or O'Neil. Thankfully, they don't.

Why waste our time and energy on the Scum? I'd fully concentrate on my wonderful Tottenham...

Who cares what team the git puts out.

In 1999 we played a weakened Man Utd on the way to winning the trophy. In 2004 we lost to a weakened Liverpool on the quarters on penalties. Horses for courses!

In addition, we struggled against both Port Vale and Southend so far...

If we were 2-0 up after the 1st leg i would lay money he wouldn't field his youngsters for the 2nd leg...

Our time in the sun?

20 years ago if not to the day then to the Cup round we played 'The Filth' in the League Cup Semi. Take a look at the two clubs fortunes since then (if you can bear to do so from behind your fingers) and its a sad tale of one club disappearing upwards and onwards whilst the other has been wallowing in the brown smelly stuff ever since, only emerging to occasionally shoot themselves in the foot.
In one of the most depressing nights I can remember down the Lane perhaps the last great Spurs team we had somehow contrived to lose to an awful Gooner side over 2 legs and a replay.
And ever since then it has all gone wrong. In every conceivable way.
And logic and reason might suggest that 'The Filth' have now moved so far ahead of us that we will never catch them again.
But I am here to say BOLLOCKS to that. When have any of us ever let logic and reason enter into it. We're football fans aren't we? So come and join me on the optimists bandwagon. The one that says that that 20 year symmetry, which sees us play them in the same competition at the same time, will see us victorious over them to finally gain sweet, overdue revenge for that hideous night. Hang on there's more. We will then go on to beat the raining Champions in the Final (for Chavski now read Liverpool then) and then ......well write your own script for the next 20 years of glory for us and bitter humiliation for them. To be honest I'd settle for just winning the Cup for starters but blimey, if we can't dream big eh?

Arse anal, have and always will be a bunch of conniving dishonest cheating gits and although it galls me to say it, since Whiners tenureship, have played the attractive attacking style of football more associated with Spurs.

However, as sure as eggs are eggs, Arse Whiner WILL definitely play his strongest team against us albeit in the guise of "younger players"

Like everyone on this board I pray and hope for a win against the Scum hoping that Martin has enthused our players to the point where they want this win as badly as all us Spurs fans.

Arse anal, have and always will be a bunch of conniving dishonest cheating gits and although it galls me to say it, since Whiners tenureship, have played the attractive attacking style of football more associated with Spurs.

However, as sure as eggs are eggs, Arse Whiner WILL definitely play his strongest team against us albeit in the guise of "younger players"

Like everyone on this board I pray and hope for a win against the Scum hoping that Martin has enthused our players to the point where they want this win as badly as all us Spurs fans.

QUE VIVA LOS SPURS