EFL Cup 2016/17

[Cymbols]

Well that wasn't ideal. 

[hugobomb]

I'll admit,  after Blues got deservedly dumped out by Oxford yesterday, it was nice to see that Villa showed a bit of solidarity and also didn't show up either.

 

Of course since we were at home there's still an argument that our result was worse but I'm grasping at straws here

[Lineker]

Luton Town have been rewarded with a home tie against Leeds United, who defeated Fleetwood Town 5-4 on penalties. QPR, Wednesday's other victors from the spot when they defeated Swindon after a 2-2 draw, got a home game against Rochdale.

Burton Albion got themselves a plum draw for the second round of the League Cup, newly branded as the EFL Cup from this season, when they were handed a home game against Liverpool.

Albion, managed by an Anfield old boy Nigel Clough, defeated Bury 3-2 after extra time and started their first ever season in the Championship only on Saturday against another of his former clubs, Nottingham Forest, and lost it 4-3.

Liverpool, eight times winners of the League Cup, the last of them in 2012 under Kenny Dalglish, got to the final last year and lost it on penalties to Manchester City after a 1-1 draw.

Chelsea will host one of the Bristol clubs at Stamford Bridge – depending on the winner of the Bristol Rovers v Cardiff City game on Thursday, as the draw was seeded. Newcastle United will take on Cheltenham Town, who provided the upset of Tuesday with a 1-0 home win over Charlton. Everton will face Yeovil Town for the first time in a competitive fixture and Sunderland get to face lowly Shrewsbury Town, which may provoke unhappy memories for the new manager David Moyes, who lost a third-round FA Cup tie against them with Everton 13 years ago.

Millwall face Nottingham Forest, Accrington play Burnley in a Lancashire derby and Norwich City, the 1985 winners when it was called the Milk Cup, will face Coventry City, Crystal Palace will host Blackpool and Watford will take on Gillingham at Vicarage Road.

Full Second Round draw:

QPR v Rochdale
Scunthorpe v Cardiff/Bristol City
Watford v Gillingham
Peterborough v Swansea
Everton v Yeovil
Millwall v Nottm Forest
Sunderland v Shrewsbury
Luton v Leeds
Chelsea v Bristol Rovers/Bristol City
Burton v Liverpool
Blackburn v Crewe
Accrington v Burnley
Crystal Palace v Blackpool
Morecambe v Bournemouth
Preston v Oldham
Oxford v Brighton
Reading v MK Dons
Fulham v Middlesbrough
Newcastle v Cheltenham
Exeter v Hull
Derby v Carlisle
Northampton v West Brom
Wolves v Cambridge
Stevenage v Stoke
Norwich v Coventry

Ties to be played week commencing August 22

[stokeriño]

I have no idea what the logic is behind our draw.

Cardiff play Bristol Rovers...and if Rovers win, we play Rovers.

BUT if Cardiff win, we don't play Cardiff. We play Bristol City.

Wut?

P.S. hullo 2nd round, it's been a while.

[Colly]

One was seeded, one wasn't. Basically it's ruddy stupid. 

[Baddar]

Will the 3rd round draw be seeded too? It's all a bit silly.

[Adam]

It's not that silly, really. It's just because the live TV schedule has buggered it up with the timing of the draw. If the Cardiff/Bristol Rovers game hadn't been put on tonight, then it would never have been an issue.

It's right to seed the competition up to the 3rd Round at least, because there's just no use whatsoever in, say, two League 2 sides facing each other in a Round 2 game when the schedule is already busy enough.

[Lineker]

Well, Bristol Rovers beat Cardiff in extra time.

[Adam]

So we had what, 15 out of 32 unseeded teams going through? That can't have happened too many times before.

[stokeriño]

Always find the early rounds of the League Cup a little bittersweet. On the one hand, I love seeing the fringe or young players in action. On the other hand, if they play here against Bristol Rovers you can pretty much guarantee they're never breaking into the real first team all season...

Then of course you have tonight where almost no youth play and I'm just like GODDAMNIT WHAT HAS CHALOBAH GOT TO DO TO GET IN THIS TEAM?!?  

Chelsea XI v @Official_BRFC: Begovic, Aina, Cahill, Ivanovic (c), Azpilicueta, Pedro, Fabregas, Matic, Moses, Loftus-Cheek, Batshuayi. #CFC

Aina tho.  

[Lineker]

Watford and West Brom suffered cupsets at the hands of Gillingham and Northampton. 

[Colly]

No they didn't.

[Lineker]

Um yes they did.

[Colly]

Ah yes. You're right. They were cupset!

[Baddar]

When's the 3rd round draw? Is it after tonight's matches or during Soccer Saturday?

[stokeriño]

Tonight, after Accrington Stanley vs. Burnley finishes (probably about 9:30).

[Colly]

Typical BBC forcing their own bullshit agenda on the country. Loony lefties or summink.

[MDK]

I thought this cup was finished? 

[Lineker]

Third round draw in full:

Nottingham Forest v Arsenal
Leeds v Blackburn
QPR v Sunderland
West Ham v Accrington Stanley
Southampton v Crystal Palace  
Swansea v Manchester City
Fulham v Bristol City
Bournemouth v Preston
Tottenham Hotspur v Gillingham
Everton v Norwich
Derby v Liverpool
Northampton v Manchester United
Brighton v Reading
Newcastle v Wolves
Stoke v Hull
Leicester v Chelsea

Ties to be played week commencing September 19.

[Colly]

We've got Wolves at home days after we play Wolves at home. Might give it a miss.