Carling Cup Semi-Final (First-Leg) - Jan 8 & 9

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Carling Cup Semi-Final - (First-Leg)

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Chelseav Everton

Tuesday, 08 January 2008

Channel 22: 3:45am - (Live) - (Wed Morning)

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Arsenal v Tottenham

Wednesday, 09 January 2008

Channel 22: 3:45am - (Live) - (Thur Morning)

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Pienaar denied Carling Cup semi-final chance

South African midfielder Steven Pienaar will not be allowed to play for Everton in Tuesday's League Cup semi-final against Chelsea after being ordered to report for his country's African Nations Cup preparations.

Pienaar had hoped to join up with the South African squad after the cup tie but coach Carlos Alberto Parreira has insisted all player report by Tuesday for the start of the Nations Cup build-up.

The team has also told central defender Nasief Morris he cannot stay for Panathinaikos's derby match against archrivals Olympiakos in the Greek league next week. Morris will arrive in South Africa on Tuesday after playing for his club in the Greek league against Apollon on Sunday, officials added.

South Africa have enforced a rule that stipulates that all players are available 14 days before the start of a continental championship. South Africa meet Angola in their opening match at the Nations Cup in Ghana on Jan. 23.

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I'm not scared about trusting my young guns against Spurs, says bullish Gunners boss Wenger.

Arsene Wenger has warned Tottenham boss Juande Ramos he is "not scared" to trust his young stars when Arsenal take on their fierce north London rivals in Wednesday's Carling Cup semi-final.

Despite indicating prior to the match that a first-choice side would launch their FA Cup bid at Burnley yesterday, a youthful Arsenal team only smattered with experienced hands secured a resilient victory. Cesc Fabregas, Robin van Persie, Mathieu Flamini, Emmanuel Adebayor, Gael Clichy, Alexander Hleb, Tomas Rosicky and Manuel Almunia were all absent from an Arsenal outfield with an average age of under 23.

Wenger's young guns mirrored his first XI's strength of character to negotiate a safe passage through to the fourth round despite a spirited display from their Championship hosts and the Gunners boss is happy to entrust his second string with the task of reaching the a second successive Carling Cup final.

"I have a squad and I am not scared," said Wenger. "I rotated the squad here because I felt I had a team capable of winning with Kolo Toure, Bacary Sagna, Emmanuel Eboue, Gilberto, Jens Lehmann and Philippe Senderos - they are all top Premier League players. "And for me Eduardo and [Nicklas] Bendtner are top Premier League players - so I had a Premier League side out."

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Carling Cup Semi-Final - (First-Leg)

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Chelseav Everton

Later - Channel 22: 3:45am - (Live) - (Wed Morning)

Chelsea will be without Didier Drogba, Michael Essien and Salomon Kalou for the Carling Cup semi-final first leg because of the African Cup of Nations.

But Mikel John Obi could be available, Ricardo Carvalho returns after a ban, Ashley Cole is fit again and Petr Cech has an outside chance of being fit.

Everton wanted to play Steven Pienaar but were denied permission by Fifa.

Joseph Yobo hopes to be fit, while Tim Howard, Tim Cahill and Phil Neville return but Mikel Arteta is suspended.

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Chelsea squad: Cech, Hilario, Belletti, A Cole, J Cole, Ben-Haim, Alex, Carvalho, Bridge, Ferreira, Sidwell, Sinclair, Sahar, Wright-Phillips, Pizarro, Obi, Ballack.

Everton squad: Howard, Hibbert, Neville, Stubbs, Lescott, Yobo, Valente, Baines, Gravesen, Cahill, Carsley, McFadden, Johnson, Yakubu, Vaughan, Anichebe, Jagielka, Pienaar, Wessels.

Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole:
"Any team losing Drogba, Essien and Kalou is going to find it tough, but we've got the players here. Claudio Pizarro is top class. "It's not going to be easy, but it's a great challenge.

"Everton are a brilliant side. They held us to a draw at Stamford Bridge and have a great manager in David Moyes. "It'll be tough, but we've got to go and win the game on Tuesday. It would be great to go to Goodison Park with any lead. If we did that it would put us in a healthy position."

Everton captain Phil Neville:
"The FA Cup defeat [to Oldham] was a minor setback, but a lot of Premier League clubs had problems in the third round. "We don't like losing and this season is not over by a long way. These things happen, we won't dwell on it, we will move on now and try to get to Wembley.

"Chelsea have not lost at home for a long while and Everton don't get to many finals, but my view is that we should go out and prove everyone wrong. "To be the Everton captain that leads the side out at Wembley would probably be the best thing that has happened in my career.

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I think Everton stand a good chance... tho this is only the first leg... But away goals count. Smile

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2-1 Chelsea, Lesscot with last min OG.

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Lescott's own goal was a cruel blow for Everton after they had equalised

Chelsea 2 - 1 Everton

Everton defender Joleon Lescott scored an injury-time own goal to hand Chelsea the advantage after the first leg of their Carling Cup semi-final.

Lescott headed the ball into his own net as Shaun Wright-Phillips closed in.

The Chelsea winger had opened the scoring with a curling strike before Jon Mikel Obi was dismissed following a sliding tackle on Phil Neville.

Yakubu then equalised with a brilliant shot on the turn while James McFadden hit the post for Everton.

Chelsea were the better team for large phases of the match but, once Yakubu equalised shortly after Mikel's 64th-minute dismissal, Everton looked the team most likely to win a pulsating tie.

And even after Lescott, under pressure from the impressive Wright-Phillips, had put the ball into his own net Everton might have grabbed a second equaliser.

Chelsea: Hilario, Belletti, Alex, Carvalho, Bridge, Wright-Phillips, Obi, Ballack, Malouda (Ben-Haim 90), Joe Cole (Sidwell 61), Pizarro (Ferreira 83).
Subs Not Used: Cudicini, Sahar.

Sent Off: Obi (55).

Booked: Joe Cole, Belletti.

Goals: Wright-Phillips 26, Lescott 90 og.

Everton: Howard, Hibbert, Yobo, Jagielka, Lescott, Cahill, Neville, Carsley, McFadden, Johnson, Yakubu (Anichebe 89).
Subs Not Used: Wessels, Gravesen, Vaughan, Nuno Valente.

Booked: Carsley, Hibbert, Neville, Johnson.

Goals: Yakubu 64.

Att: 41,178

Ref: Peter Walton (Northamptonshire).

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Discontented Diarra dropped as transfer talk continues

Lassana Diarra has been left out of the Arsenal team for tonight's Carling Cup semi-final first leg as several clubs attempt to capitalise on his unhappiness at the Emirates Stadium and tempt him away during the transfer window this month.

At home to Spurs tonight the manager Arsène Wenger has preferred the experience of Gilberto Silva in central midfield alongside Denilson, which has come as a disappointment to Diarra as he started all three of Arsenal's Carling Cup ties this season and was outstanding in the quarter-final win at Blackburn Rovers.

The France international voiced his frustration at his lack of regular football on the eve of last month's Premier League match against Chelsea, whom he left for Arsenal in August. He said he was determined to leave the club, alleging promises made to him had been broken. "I signed for Arsenal because I was led to believe I was going to be playing," he said. This drew an angry response from Wenger, who suggested that he should simply knuckle down. "If he continues to fight, he will play," he said.

Newcastle United, Tottenham, Manchester City and Portsmouth have shown an interest in the 22-year-old while Lyon hover more in hope. "He is a player that interests us," said Bernard Lacombe, a special adviser to the Lyon club president, Jean-Michel Aulas. "As far as he [Diarra] is concerned, he does not seem to have a great desire to return to the French championship. If he leaves Arsenal, he will certainly stay in England."

Wenger is focused on beating Tottenham - his teams have not lost to them in 20 matches - and he welcomes back Robin van Persie to the squad. The Dutchman spent two months on the sidelines after injuring his knee in mid-October and, when he returned, suffered a muscular strain. As far as his opponents are concerned, Wenger's attention will also be on a striker in the Tottenham team, one he has known about for some time.

"Dimitar Berbatov is top class," said Wenger, who revealed that he considered signing the Bulgarian when he played at Bayer Leverkusen. "I noticed him once when he played against Real Madrid. He was a young boy at the time but we were never in need of him. He always has time on the pitch and when you play against him, he is always in the places you don't want him to be."

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Carling Cup Semi-Final - (First-Leg)

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Arsenal v Tottenham

Wednesday, 09 January 2008

Channel 22: 3:45am - (Live) - (Thur Morning)

Arsenal have striker Robin van Persie fit again for the first leg of their Carling Cup semi-final against Spurs.

Johan Djourou and Philippe Senderos start at the back, Lukasz Fabianski plays in goal and Theo Walcott will feature in a young Gunners side.

Tottenham will be without Didier Zokora as he is on international duty, while Tom Huddlestone begins a suspension.

Younes Kaboul and Darren Bent are doubts and Gareth Bale, Anthony Gardner and Benoit Assou-Ekotto are all out.

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Arsenal : Fabianski, J Hoyte, Senderos, Djourou, Traore, Diaby, Gilberto, Denilson, Diarra, Eduardo, Bendtner, Mannone, Walcott, G Hoyte, Randall, Lansbury, Gibbs, Perez, van Persie.

Tottenham : Robinson, Chimbonda, Dawson, Lee, King, Rocha, O'Hara, Jenas, Malbranque, Boateng, Lennon, Keane, Berbatov, Defoe, Cerny, Taarabt, Bent, Kaboul, Stalteri, Tainio.

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Arsene Wenger on Van Persie's return:
"Robin had a slight setback after his knee injury in that he picked up a muscle problem. "But on a positive note he could forget about his knee and work on his fitness. "Johan Djourou and Theo Walcott are available and apart from them it will be the guys who played in the last round. It'll be another young side."

Spurs midfielder Jermaine Jenas on getting revenge for last year's defeat:
"I have sore memories and we want to have the opposite feeling this time around. "We must be positive, this tie is the other way around and it might help us that we can bring them back to the Lane for the return game unlike last year. "I am very confident that we can score goals whenever and wherever we play."

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ARSENE WENGER is backing Eduardo da Silva to gun down Dimitar Berbatov. The Arsenal boss once considered signing the Bulgarian ace. But Wenger reckons £8million Croatian Eduardo is a superstar in the making and will make the difference in tonights semi-final.

Wengers team knocked Spurs out at the same stage last season. And he said: Eduardo has 11 goals in 14 starts and that is an exceptional record for any striker anywhere in the world. He had an outstanding December and has carried that form over into the New Year. His improvement has been so great that every time he is in front of the keeper, I expect him to score.

Eduardo, 24, will partner Nicklas Bendtner up front as Wenger sticks with his kids. But Emirates chief Wenger knows their arch-rivals will have a point to prove and Berbatov, 26, has the ability to trouble his young defence.

Wenger said: He is always in places you dont want him to be. Berbatov is a top-class striker because he can provide, he can score, and can be at the start of the move and the end of it. I thought about a move for him when he was at Bayer Leverkusen but we had Thierry Henry, Robin van Persie and then Emmanuel Adebayor.

Wenger added: I will keep a young team in this competition and we have a good chance of reaching our third cup final in three years.

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Keane (right) passed for Jenas to put Tottenham in front

Arsenal 1 - 1 Tottenham

Theo Walcott scored a lucky equaliser as Arsenal held Tottenham in the first leg of their Carling Cup semi-final.

The ball rebounded off Walcott's body following Young-Pyo Lee's tackle and looped over Spurs keeper Radek Cerny.

Jermaine Jenas had put Tottenham in front, slotting home into virtually an empty net after Robbie Keane selflessly played him in with a square ball.

Spurs were the better side and Lukasz Fabianski made several good saves while Steed Malbranque missed from 14 yards.

It was a tough break for Spurs when Walcott equalised after the visiting team had created most of the decent openings.

Even so, Spurs might still have won the tie but substitute Jermain Defoe smashed the ball wide after Aaron Lennon played him in.

The result means that Tottenham's long wait for a victory over their north London rivals continues - their last came in November 1999 - but it leaves them well placed in the tie with the next leg at White Hart Lane.

Arsenal: Fabianski, Justin Hoyte, Djourou (Sagna 46), Senderos, Traore, Walcott (Randall 90), Denilson, Silva, Diaby, Van Persie (Eduardo 46), Bendtner.
Subs Not Used: Mannone, Gavin Hoyte.

Goals: Walcott 79.

Tottenham: Cerny, Chimbonda, Dawson, King, Lee, Lennon, Jenas, O'Hara, Malbranque (Boateng 77), Berbatov, Keane (Defoe 83).
Subs Not Used: Robinson, Stalteri, Taarabt.

Goals: Jenas 37.

Att: 53,136

Ref: Mike Dean (Wirral).

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Ramos and Robbo in bust-up

PAUL ROBINSON had a furious bust-up with Tottenham manager Juande Ramos before last nights Carling Cup semi-final draw at the Emirates Stadium.

England keeper Robbo was fuming when he learned he had been dropped. SunSport can exclusively reveal that when the Spurs coach parked up at the ground an angry Robinson confronted the Spaniard. We told you yesterday how Robbo was set to be part of a major White Hart Lane clearout by Ramos. And Spurs boss wasted no time in making his intentions clear by deciding to dump the fallen star for Radek Cerny.

Robinson was made one of the chief scapegoats for Spurs failure to beat Reading in the FA Cup on Saturday. A club source said: Robinson was really annoyed when he found out hed been dropped. He told Ramos what he thought about his decision but the manager did not seem bothered. Paul knows now he will be leaving.

Ramos refused to confirm Robinson as his No 1 keeper after the game. He said: I choose who is best and the most suitable for each match. Only 11 players can play and there are 24 or 25 now in the squad. Paul is a good goalkeeper, which he has demonstrated in his career so far. "But all players who are available are to be considered and I havent decided yet who is going to play against Chelsea on Saturday.

The second leg is set for White Hart Lane on January 22. Ramos added: We were unfortunate.

Gunners chief Arsene Wenger is facing a defensive crisis after Johann Djourou and Philippe Senderos were crocked. Wenger said: We have a problem in central defence. I might have to play myself there!

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Laughing

zocoss SG

Wenger is just being sarcastic... Laughing I don't think Johann Djourou and Philippe Senderos are really first team players anyway...

a-Lost-9uY SG

walan le..
another London derby Final Laughing

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I think Spurs got a very good chance to beat the gunners at White Hart Lane and get into the final…