Carling Cup Thread 2009/2010

[stokeriño]

The Blackburn/Villa first leg has been confirmed as postponed due to the frozen conditions. City/United is also potentially threatened.

Not entirely surprised. I remember Chelsea's match at Ewood Park last year where the pitch was virtually a swimming pool. It doesn't seem to cope too well with the weather.

[R.W.]

Ground's fine, it's the surrounding roads that are the problem

[stokeriño]

Meh. >_>

I was considering watching that tonight as well. Now Sky are apparently going to be showing Stoke v Fulham instead (since Stoke insist that it will go ahead...). Not so fussed with that one.

[The Quasi Juice]

The Blackburn/Villa first leg has been confirmed as postponed due to the frozen conditions. City/United is also potentially threatened.

Not entirely surprised. I remember Chelsea's match at Ewood Park last year where the pitch was virtually a swimming pool. It doesn't seem to cope too well with the weather.

No mother nature! You will not take away my free footy match!

[Baddar]

City-Utd off tomorrow too, if it hasn't been posted already.

[9 to 5]

COME ON BLACKBURN!

[Thrilla]

WE'RE GOIN' TO WEM-BER-LEE!

[Summers]

Mmm.

[Whisper]

Manchester City will look to lay down a marker when they welcome Manchester United to Eastlands for the first leg of the Carling Cup semi-final.

The game has been highly anticipated by both sets of supporters ever since the draw was made last month with City fans desperate to prove that they are now the team to beat in Manchester.

The fact that the game was called off a fortnight ago, thanks to the heavy snow, has only heightened expectation around the city.

With United looking incapable of shrugging off the inconsistency that has blighted their season so far City sense that now is the perfect time to deliver a knock-out blow to their neighbours.

However, after winning his first four games in charge, City boss Roberto Mancini finally tasted defeat against Everton on Saturday and it remains to be seen how his side react against the champions.

Both sides will be hard pushed to match the 4-3 thriller at Old Trafford earlier in the season when a 96th minute Michael Owen strike won the game for the hosts to maintain United's position as top dogs.

One man who will want to win more than most will be former Red Devil Carlos Tevez. The Argentinian was loved by United supporters during his two years at the club but learned that such affection can be quickly forgotten if you join your city rivals.

The 25-year-old was shocked to hear his every touch booed at Old Trafford in September and he has already stated he is out for revenge on Tuesday.

The game marks a significant occasion for City with the club determined to reach their first major final since 1981 and set up a chance to win their first major trophy for 34 years.

Sir Alex Ferguson has admitted that he will continue to mix youth with experience for the tie despite his fledglings under-performing in the FA Cup against Leeds just a few weeks ago.

City news

Roque Santa Cruz will sit out after it was revealed on Monday that he will be out of action for a month with a persistent calf injury.

The striker picked up the problem at Everton on Saturday and was replaced by Robinho. However the Brazilian lasted less than an hour and found himself substituted with half an hour to spare.

Mancini denies that he has had a rift with the former Real Madrid man but the forward's days at City appear to be numbered. However despite his indifferent form the 25-year-old has a tendency to turn it on at Eastlands in the big games and Mancini could opt to go with Robinho from the start against United.

Stephen Ireland looks likely to make the bench after recovering from a hamstring strain but new signing Patrick Vieira will have to wait for his debut having still not recovered from the calf problem he suffered in his final game for Inter Milan.

Defenders Nedum Onuoha (calf), Joleon Lescott (knee) and Wayne Bridge (knee) remain sidelined as does long-term casualty Michael Johnson (knee).

United news

Dimitar Berbatov is a doubt for United after limping off against Burnley at the weekend with a dead leg so Michael Owen or Mame Biram Diouf could start.

Rio Ferdinand (calf) is close to a return but will not be risked for the cup clash with Ryan Giggs also expected to miss out.

Ben Foster returned to training last week after going down with flu but could now be out with a back injury.

Nemanja Vidic (calf) is also closing in on a comeback but the City clash appears to have come too soon for the Serbian centre-half.

Owen Hargreaves (knee) has begun training but is not yet fit enough to be considered while John O'Shea (thigh) is another set to miss out meaning Rafael and Fabio Da Silva could get their chance to shine in the full-back berths.

Does anyone actually think we won't get spanked tonight?

Still, it'll be good to see Fabio and Rafael in the same team. Two hideously attack-minded full backs for an away game (Y)

[Guest Raving Rich]

"COME ON CITY! COME ON CITY! COME ON CITY!"

Giggsy has just effectively told you peasants to shut the fuck up.

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

What an appalling decision from the referee, that was awful.

Hoping to see somebody else thrown up there with Rooney in the second half, because he's way too isolated right now. Certainly a good enough first half from us.

[Rich]

"COME ON CITY! COME ON CITY! COME ON CITY!"

Giggsy has just effectively told you peasants to shut the fuck up.

Apparently the peasents are now loud enough to tell your arrogant lot "to shut the fuck up"

[Szumi]

And the yelling's going to just get louder, seeing as City's up 2-1.

It's funny that I find myself cheering for Oil City F.C. over Man U, seeing as City has just bought player after player, while Man U has footballers that I support like Rooney, Giggs, and Fletcher. Sir Alex will do that to me, I suppose.

[Dynamite]

Ugh, fucking hell. Between our first and City's second goal, we just didn't play. So much space in the middle yet no opportunities for Rooney. Valencia has been our most creative player in recent weeks and just didn't get the ball in that period. No way was that a penalty either. And Tevez is a complete tit too. Was throwing wild lunges around for the first 25 minutes and was lucky not to get booked at all especially with the foul on Brown. He acted a total prick with the celebrations too considering all his 'I love the club and want to stay' rubbish he was spouting last year before he ran off to the highest bidding rival team he could find.

[badotori]

All in all, it was a great match to watch from an entertainment point of view (as long as you're not a United supporter, of course). I wouldn't say the football played was particularly brilliant, although there were some great passing moves instigated by the likes of Rooney and Bellamy, but the last twenty minutes were full of drama. No offence to Blackburn or Aston Villa, but I do think it's a shame that the second leg won't be on terrestrial telly as I can see the match at OT surpassing this one.

Result-wise, I thought that United were hard done by really as the conceded penalty was a lucky one as the initial contact was outside the box and the tug inside it was pretty negligible. But, they continue, in the absence of Vidic and Ferdinand, to defend like amateurs against set pieces whilst presenting no threat from their own. United had ten corners to City's seven and at no point did it look like United could really create a goal-worthy chance, even with the quick short corners, and it's been happening a lot recently. Plus, United's defenders have this horrible habit of just hoofing the ball forward towards Rooney instead of working the ball through the middle that is annoying to watch. Has to be said though, City defended like Trojans at times and Given lived up to his tag as "the best keeper in the Premier League" with some great saves and it was kind of nice to see Tevez get some redemption against United - I still believe they made the wrong choice in buying Berbatov over him, even though I do think the greasy-haired Bulgarian can be a class act.

With all this said though, I think Giggsy's goal will prove crucial and United will win the second leg - even with their defensive frailties and Mancini's invigorating effect on City, United usually get the rub of the green at OT and I can see the trend continuing. Even though it was against Derby, they lost the first leg last season and United are generally bastards for reacting to or overturning losses.

Edited January 19, 2010 by badotori

[Shelty92]

Just came home from my Man City supporting friend's crib, and surprisingly, I don't feel gutted at all, just a bit disappointed.

We played well for the first 20 minutes or so, but then it started to - slowly, but surely - go downhill, step by step. The penalty decision was a bit shady, but I don't feel like complaining about it, seeing that City eventually deserved to win, no matter what Mike Dean did or did not do. Though I have a feeling that tomorrow I'll see Sir Alex's face on the front page of BBC Sport, ranting and raving about how we were done wrong and whatnot. The usual stuff.

Giggs looked good out there with some nice crosses and some fun little dribbles, and Rooney wasn't too shabby either - but it's hard to get results against a team of City's caliber ('cause let's face it, they're not the same shitbag of a squad they were before - they can actually compete with the best of 'em) with the defensive line being poor, and with Anderson once again displaying none of his supposed skills which we paid £18 million for. I mean, geez, Kompany slipped inside the box before City's second goal, and still Anderson couldn't prevent him from handing the ball to Tevez?

When we had to turn the heat up in the last 15-20 minutes, it became even more clear that we can't win any trophies this season without Nemanja and Rio in the back. Not just because of the obvious defensive reasons, but because Evans and others couldn't keep their cool under pressure and kept on sending these so called 'crosses' all the way over the City line, and basicly just gifted goal kicks to Given. It was poor to watch.

The last few minutes were hectic, as usual, but even though we couldn't equalize, I feel confident about our chances next wednesday at Old Trafford. I mean, fuck, it's Old Trafford, right? It has to turn out good for Man United.

[Guest Raving Rich]

Bad refereeing and Man United games come hand in hand these days. The penalty decision that lead to City's equaliser was poor, the decision to give a corner for a "deflection" which lead to City's winner was poor and the ref's blatant favortism towards City was dreadful.

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

Yeah....Man those refs and their historic anti-Man Utd bias. So many years you've had to put up with that huh

Also, Tevez didn't wanna leave Man U but Alex Ferguson didn't want to buy him so off he went. Fair play to him and glad he got the two goals.

[stokeriño]

Bad refereeing and Man United games come hand in hand these days.

QFT

[Liam]

He acted a total prick with the celebrations too considering all his 'I love the club and want to stay' rubbish he was spouting last year before he ran off to the highest bidding rival team he could find.

Gotta love revisionist, biased history. The guy wanted to stay at your team, but as per usual, Alex Ferguson had to play his little games, tit around for several weeks when all Tevez wanted was to be offered a deal. When this occurred, not only did the fans want him to stay, but he was playing some great football, but still, Fergie knows best. Tevez had every right to go elsewhere, and if Man City were the team who were willing to stump up the money for him, without all the posturing that Ferguson did for weeks even when it was over a player he'd seen deliver the goods most times he pulled on a United shirt, then so be it.

Tevez played well for you for a few seasons, wanted to stay, but was made part of another Ferguson mind game, essentially. If he subsequently gets stick from the fans, he has every right to give some back when he scores against Man United.

Still I think the Giggs goal is the key, like someone else said. It'll probably be enough for Man United to push on and win at home.