League Cup fixture problem

[Craig_H]

Wanted to post this into a new thread, because it's more than just about the draw. But to get the point, we need to look at the draw in full:

Wolves v Man City
Cardiff City v Burnley
Blackburn Rovers v Newcastle United
Arsenal v Bolton Wanderers
Stoke v Liverpool
Aldershot v Man Utd
Crystal Palace v Southampton
Everton v Chelsea

IMO, Sky will select Aldershot v Man Utd and one of Everton v Chelsea and Stoke v Liverpool, for their live games. And the live games will obviously have to be played on different nights - eg, one on Tuesday 25th October and one on Wednesday 26th October.

Now, here is where the issue comes in....

With Man Utd's game, they play on Sunday 23rd October (manc derby) - and also their next league game is the Saturday after (29th October) at 12 noon...so their League Cup game cant really be played on the Tuesday 25th - that moves them to Wednesday 26th October. But this means they'll play Wednesday, followed by an early kickoff just 3 days later.

This would suggest that the Everton v Chelsea game or Stoke v Liverpool game (whichever one is selected as Sky's other live game) would have to be played on Tuesday 25th October. However....

Chelsea also play on the Sunday before (23rd October) at 4pm - so that should rule them out of having to play their League Cup game on the Tuesday. And they also play an early kickoff on the Saturday after (29th October, 12:45pm)

Likewise, Everton's game before the Carling Cup tie will ALSO be played on the Sunday (against Fulham, played on the sunday due to Fulham's Europa Cup campagin). Everton's next league game after the League Cup, is the game vs Man Utd, 12pm on the Saturday 29th.

Onto Stoke...
They also have a Europa Cup campaign, so will also be playing on the Sunday before the League Cup ties. Fortunately for them, their next league game after the cuptie, isnt until the Monday after (31st October).

So in summary, the three likely ties:

Aldershot v Man Utd - Man Utd play on the Sunday 23rd (home to Man City) and early on Saturday 29th (away to Everton).

Everton v Chelsea - Both teams play on the Sunday 23rd (Everton away to Fulham, Chelsea away to QPR) and early on Saturday 29th (Everton home to Man Utd, Chelsea home to Arsenal).

Stoke v Liverpool - Stoke play on the Sunday 23rd (away to Arsenal).

Liverpool, on the other hand, play on the Saturday before (22nd) and not til 5:30pm on the Saturday after (29th).

To put it simply....someone will HAVE to play twice in 3 days and 3 times in 7 days.

And it wont be us

[sean_lfc]

I follow your logic.

What I don't quite get is, would your reasoning assume that it's 2 of the 3 aforementioned games being played live?

IMO, Sky will select Aldershot v Man Utd and one of Everton v Chelsea and Stoke v Liverpool, for their live games. And the live games will obviously have to be played on different nights

My questions are:

- When are the other ties for all the other teams? (Also Tuesday/Wednesday?)
- Couldn't they in this case just show a different match, if the 3 mentioned matches would just be ****ed up?

Am I getting something wrong here (ie. does it even matter whether it's on TV or not, assuming question 1 (when are the other ties for the other teams) is Tuesday/Wednesday?

Man I'm confused now LOL

[Craig_H]

All the ties will be played on either Tuesday 25th or Wednesday 26th October.

I think Sky will show one game per night, so two ties altogether - and i dont think Sky make their live-match choices for the convenience of the clubs

I dont know for a fact that two of those three games will be picked, but it looks likely. And the only importance of whether the games are broadcast live on Sky or not, is that the two which ARE chosen, obviously cannot be on the same evening.

[Baracus]

This most pressing concern is what to do against Stoke.

By which I mean field a strong line up or play fringe players or a mix.

The reason of my thinking is simple. We play West Brom away potentially 3 days later.

Do we go all out to wipe the floor with bodge?? Do we? Huh? Well?

[little dave hedgehog]

i assumed this would be about how they gave us a bogey team and manure got aldershot.

[topscorer]

i assumed this would be about how they gave us a bogey team and manure got aldershot.

Yeh, a bogey team away.

Sky will pick our game hoping to see an upset.

[S-RED]

we'll play Stoke on thursday & will show it.......... they did the same earlier in the draw ith newcastle - scunthorpe

[smu1977]

Cup shocker!! Manure get easiest draw!!

Why don't they just give them a bye to all the cup finals in future and a 10pt head start in the league...

[Craig_H]

we'll play Stoke on thursday & will show it.......... they did the same earlier in the draw ith newcastle - scunthorpe

How is that fair on us? We play Saturday 29th, so playing Thursday 27th is out of the equation.

[Mr Darko]

But say it is United playing twice in 3 days - they won't use or even need any of the premier league starting 11 for Aldershot - they'll use ****e and still win easily so it won't really affect them.

[Craig_H]

It wont affect them - so it should be them that plays Sunday and then Tuesday.

Will it be them though?

The main point, however, is that of all the sides involved in this, we're the ones least affected by it, which is nice.

[Kronenburg1892]

Makes a change doesn't it. I guess Slur has used up all his Premier League Luncheon Vouchers on his Champions League fixtures. That said Charles Manson is right, they'll play Owen and Berbatov etc and swan through.

[Craig_H]

Right, it's been confirmed that we're not on tv.

Sky have chosen Aldershot v Man Utd and, contrary to my prediction, Wolves v City.

The Aldershot game is Tuesday 25th October and the Wolves one is on the Wednesday 26th.

Still no mention of what day our game is, but i'm expecting Wednesday 26th, as Stoke play on the Sunday beforehand. Then again, so do United - but they've only got Aldershot, so it hardly matters.

[Liverpel]

Liverpool have confirmed they will travel to Stoke City in the Carling Cup fourth round on Wednesday, October 26.

The match at the Britannia Stadium will kick-off at 7.45pm.

[Craig_H]

Nice, i'll take the Wednesday and Thursday off work, methinks