Lost for words is one way I felt after last nights match at Stamford Bridge. It may only have been the Carling Cup, but if there were more matches like last night in the competition then I very much doubt that it would be carrying the label of being devalued by teams playing weaker sides. (more…)
Personally I don’t expect much out of the game tonight and I’m not overly fussed if we go out of the competition at this relatively early juncture.
My main hope is that the fringe players who will get their chance tonight go out and have a go and try to impress Chris Hughton and prove to him that they are worthy of a place in the first team. (more…)
The reality is that both sides are likely to field watered down versions of their respective teams so it is very much going to be a battle of the fringe players at Stamford Bridge.
That won’t sit well with fans who would like us to make a concerted effort to get to the latter stages of the competition, but it is unfortunately part and parcel of what football is about these days. Premier League survival is the priority, and Hughton has made no secret of that, and if you look at the figures you can perhaps see why. A team that finishes 17th in the Premier League will recieve around £3.2 million in prize money plus the guarantee of another lucrative season of TV money compared to a team earning just £100,000 in prize money for winning the Carling Cup. (more…)