A Big Chance In The Carling Cup Lets Take It !
Monday, 24th Oct 2011 08:34

I know a lot of people will say that our priority is the League, but this cup offers a chance of glory.

When the draw was made for the Carling Cup it didnt look a bad pairing for us, after all werent Crystal Palace a mid table Championship side ?

However in the weeks since the draw, Palace have gone on a good run and after Saturday sit only four points and two places in the league behind us, in their last six games they have gained 13 points whilst we have managed only 9, so they must start the tie favourites to go through.

However unlike ourselves it has to be said their revival is based on away form rather than that at home, on the road they have won four of their games losing three, at Selhurst park they have won three drawn two and lost just once,

They are also very tight at the back at home conceding only five goals in those six games, however they have netted only eight at the other end, high scorers they arent.

But if the other rounds are anything to go by, it will be more a case of who has the strongest players in reserve and this could perhaps be the key, Saints certainly have a plethora of players chomping at the bit, some like ex Eagle Danny Butterfield are good enough to play in the Championship but cant get near a sniff of the first team bench in the league.

But I reiterate all that I have said prior to previous rounds, the Carling Cup is our most realistic chance of glory this season, yes its short term, but whatever you feel about it, a run to the semi finals and a chance of Wembley in a genuine big final should not be sniffed at, I feel that in the coming years as the big cats get fatter in the Premier, most of thePremier will start to see this competition as a chance to keep interest up amongst the fans and the only realisitc shot that they have of getting into Europe.

Once competition goes out of a sport then the interest amongst the public starts to wane, the big guns arent interested in it till the final knockings, we should take advantage of that and try and progress, ask any Birmingham fan what they thought of last years competition and trip to Wembley they wont talk of it being worthless, ask any Birmingham fan what they think of the Europa League, they only brought 700 or so down here, but they are taking a couple of thousand to Europe.

The Carling Cup is fighting backlets be a part of that revival.

Photo: Action Images

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