One of Arsenal's targets...The Carling Cup
Seeking silverware
By Kevin Mooney
There are a lot of trophies available for English soccer clubs to win. A lot.
From the season-opening Community Shield to the Champions League Cup, there are no less than five trophies a team can lift by the end of the season. This week, Arsenal kicks off their race for one of these trophies: The Carling Cup.
Officially dubbed the Football League Cup, the competition has held several different names over the years due to sponsorship changes. Known as the Carling Cup since 2003, it has traditionally been seen as a lower-priority competition for many of the larger teams in England. In fact, some of the top teams in England, including Arsenal, did not take part when the competition first launched during the 1960/61 season. That all changed a few years later when the winner of the competition was granted a spot in what is now called the Europa League.
The format of the competition is somewhat similar to the FA Cup, except that only the teams in the Premier League and the Football League, made up the Championship, League One, and League Two, compete for the Carling Cup. The rounds are played on a single-game, knockout basis, with matches going to extra time and a shootout if necessary. Overall, 92 teams now take part in the Carling Cup competition.
Most Premier League teams start playing in the second round, but any team that has qualified for the Europa League or Champions League does not enter the competition until the third round. Arsenal opens their quest on September 22 against West Bromwich Albion.
Recently, Arsenal fans have had a rebirth of interest in the Carling Cup. Arsène Wenger has started to use the competition as a way to gauge the progress of Youth Team and Reserve players by handing them opportunities to play against first-team competition. These youth-led teams have had quite a bit of success over the last few years, reaching the finals in 2007 and the semi-finals in 2006 and 2008. Arsenal last raised the trophy in 1993.
After winning the double last season, many members of the Youth Team are looking to add to their trophy haul by earning a spot on the Carling Cup squad. It is both a great opportunity for the youngsters to play under the lights of Emirates Stadium and for fans to get a glimpse of Arsenal's team of the future.
