Carling Cup / Nik Wardle / 22 August 2007 /

Plenty knock the Carling Cup but Nik Wardle finds there's much to get excited about

Next week sees the second round of the Carling Cup shuffle guiltily back onto the domestic scene. This is where the Premier League teams who aren't in Europe enter the competition (those who are grace the Cup with their presence a round later). Many have called for the trophy to be scrapped, using the argument that some of the bigger teams field weakened sides, but I think there's plenty of life left in this tournament.

Last season's competition was more exciting than the FA Cup, mainly because of Arsenal and Wycombe. Arsenal's young guns won 6-3 at Anfield, came back from 2-0 down at half time in the first leg of the semi-final to beat Tottenham over two legs and put up a good showing in the final against Chelsea - and who can forget the fracas in that game? Wycombe, meanwhile, beat Fulham and Charlton on their way to the semi-final, where they drew at home to Chelsea before losing the away leg 4-0. Lots of goals, some romance and two big teams in the final - something for everyone. The purists will still moan about the bigger teams fielding under-strength teams but I think that what you lose in the quality of players, you make up for in unpredictability. And Arsenal are the only side who truly pick a second-string outfit. The other Champions League sides all mix and match their regulars and squad players. Proof of this is that the Manchester United side that lost at Southend last season included Wayne Rooney and Christiano Ronaldo.

What this unpredictability means, dear betters, is that the odds for this cup are very attractive. Chelsea are at 5.1 - not bad for a team who won it last season and are by far the richest club in England. Man Utd are at 6.4, Liverpool at 7.4 and Arsenal at 9.8. Slightly further a field, Tottenham (with or without Martin Jol) are at 12.5, Newcastle at 18 and Sven's in-form City are the dark horses at 26.

With the big four stockpiling players (to steal Steve Coppell's phrase), they have enough depth in their squads to mount a challenge for the trophy and also to entertain the fans. The Chelsea team and supporters looked pleased enough when they won the Carling Cup last season and I'd be surprised if there was a return to the years where middling top-level sides like Leicester were successful. The bigger teams are beginning to take it more seriously again and it's still a gateway to Europe. And if you're one of the dissenting voices against the tournament does that mean you wouldn't be tuning in if your team made it to the final?

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