My point: So tonight was Liverpool vs Arsenal in the league cup and these are the teams, i've highlighted the regular players for both teams:
Liverpool - 01 Dudek
- 37 Peltier
- 04 Hyypia
- 29 Paletta
- 28 Warnock (58 Alonso )
- 35 Guthrie
- 08 Gerrard
- 12 Aurelio
- 11 Gonzalez (11 Luis Garcia )
- 09 Fowler
- 17 Bellamy
Substitutes - 25 Reina,
- 10 Luis Garcia,
- 14 Alonso,
- 15 Crouch,
- 23 Carragher
Arsenal - 24 Almunia
- 31 Hoyte
- 05 Toure
- 20 Djourou
- 45 Traore (88 Connolly )
- 32 Walcott (74 Diaby )
- 04 Fabregas
- 17 Song Billong
- 15 Denilson
- 09 Julio Baptista
- 30 Aliadiere
Substitutes - 21 Poom,
- 02 Diaby,
- 33 Connolly,
- 40 Lansbury,
- 43 Randall
Now as you can see, there is maybe 5 first team players from both side that play regularly and all the league cup is to these teams is a match for the reserves to run out but once they reach the final they won't get a look in as the manager will suddenly want to win the trophy.
Tomorrow night, League 2 Wycombe go against Chelsea and my money is firmly on Chelsea fielding a reserves team whilst Wycombe will be going all out to win and in my view, this smacks of disrespect to Wycombe as yes they have drawn Chelsea but it is more than likely going to be a reserve team they play.
Now in my opinion, what should be done is the top teams should register 25 players only who can play in the competition as the reserves have a league of their own and why should they have to play an extra game just because the first team want a night off.
Or, make the league cup a lower league cup from the championship down or from the lower half of the premiership down as this would free up the top teams to concentrate and stop moaning about the congestion to the fixtures {which really isn't much of a congestion considering the other leagues play 8 more league games a season}.
Overview: Either get rid of the top teams as they only respect the cup when they reach the final, limit the teams in the cup to the teams from either the lower half of the premiership down based on the previous season or from the championship down.
Sorry if i've rambled and yes i do know the result of the game tonight so don't shout too much or i'll bash you :up: