CHELSEA HAVE EDGE, WYCOMBE HAVE HONOUR

So, in the Carling Cup it's down to the last four(OK, ish). At this point pretty much any team will field a first choice XI and either the Cup, the glory of a final or simply the chance to make a big gun look like mugs is in sniffing distance. There's never that much room for an upset given that League Cup semis have always been two legged ties and most giantkillings happen on David's turf rather than Goliath's and there's still enough money to be lost if you underestimate the big gun's commitment at this stage.

The last time Chelsea got this far, the tie ended with me on a downer. They faced United back in '05 and though you'd have thought a goalless draw at Stamford Bridge would have meant we were sorted, we then lost 2-1 at Old Trafford. Wycombe have never made it this far in the competition before and though I remember the last time a fourth-tier side did so(Stockport in what was the Coca Cola Cup back in '97). I remember it mainly for the Stockport leg originally getting rained off. Middlesborough went on to beat the underdogs 2-1 on aggregate. A fourth tier team did win a semi final tie once but it was before my time. Rochdale, in the plain old League Cup, beat Blackburn 4-3 on aggregate. Sean Connery was "Bond, James Bond". The year was 1962.

Returning to the 21st century, Chelsea fielded the most scrabbly 4-3-3 line up I could imagine for the first leg at Adams Park due to injuries and suspensions even though he was still looking to win the tie there. Wycombe were under no such pressure, they had assasin Jermaine Easter ready to add another notch on a Carling Cup strike run that went back to Round 1 and a manager, Paul Lambert who wanted to be known for more than just being the Scotsman on the Bourissia Dortmund team that won the Champions League back in '97!

Wycombe must have taken one look at Chelsea's lineup and thought 'we can 'ave 'em'. And sure enough, the did, going after every ball and making sure the Chelsea defence had no rest whatsoever, it wasn't untill midway in the match that half decent chance but once that did happen the tide turned and it led to John Kalou sending the ball to Wayne Bridge in the 36th minute. The Wycombe goalie rushed out of his box and Bridge lobbed the ball into the net. Pity he couldn't avoid the goalie though. However, that goal did leave the lower leaguers floundering for the rest of the half.

Wycombe were fired up again in the second half and you'd have though they'd been some bodyswapping going on, it was the L2 who had all the smooth passing and Chelsea who seriously looked out of their depth. Admittedly Wycombe striker Tommy Mooney was being moronic at times but that didn't count for anything in the 77th minute when he set up Easter to continue to scorching run through the tournament. Chelsea just never looked like doing anything about it. Technically they may have an advantage due to away goals but no one else is going to care.

In the meantime, there was still some quarter final action to tidy up as Liverpool faced Arsenal at Anfield. Or rather, Liverpool's reserves faced Arsenal's reserves at Anfield. Looking at the names on the teamsheets, you'd have still expected the Scousers to have won this game but it was Arsenal's Jermain Aliadere who opened the scoring. Robbie Fowler equalised for the Scousers but Julio Baptista not only gave Arsene Wenger's crew the lead back but his second goal but Arsenal 4-1 up at half time after Rigobert Song netted. Baptiste completed his hat-trick before the Scousers attempted a comeback with Steven Gerrard and Sami Hypia scoring only for Baptiste to get his fourth, 6-3 a mental final score.

One thing it does do is blow my theory of Liverpool winning the League Cup out of the water. That tip then goes to Arsenal who face old rivals Spurs in the semis with the first leg at White Hart Lane. After winning that they'll probably face Chelsea in the final, the Blues will 'surely' beat Wycombe at Stamford Bridge. Chances are the Cocky One will still be fancying his chances in the Premiership and Champions League at that point so Arsenal will win the trophy out of pure desire.

North of the border, it was Aberdeen's turn to eventually get their Scottish Cup campaign rolling with a 3rd round tie against Hibs at Pittodrie. The visitors came into half time 1-0 up thanks to midfielder Ivan Sproule. Craig Brewster equalised for the Dons in the second half only for Hibs to retake the lead thanks to Christopher Killen. Barry Nicholson levelled the match late on to keep the Dons in the competition but the Edinburgh side still get to take them back to Easter Road for a replay.

If the Dons do win the replay with Hibs then their fourth round tie will be a bit easier, D1 Gretna at Pittodrie. In another all SPL tie though, Rangers were dumped out of the competition after a 3-2 defeat to Dunfirmline at East End Park. The Scottish"mugs of the 3rd round" award goes out to Kilmarnock, who got beat 3-1 by D2 Morton at Cappielow Park with one all-SPL tie between Dundee United and St Mirren at Tannadice Park still to be played.

Staying north of the border I have to admit that I was stunned when I heard about Walter Smith returning to Rangers. The SFA want to persue legal action against the club and quite frankly good luck to them! I don't care how big a club Rangers are, I have little loyalty to the Old Firm and don't see how any club can go and nick their country's national manager, particularly with Scotland still having a solid chance of reaching Euro 2008 which may well be blown now due to the search for a replacement manager at this stage of the campaign.

And finally, I guess I'm going to have to say something about this, David Beckham looks like he's going to be leaving European football at the end of the season. It's been certain he was going to end his career in the MLS at some point, and almost certain it would be with the LA Galaxy but I didn't expect him to go Stateside this soon, given that last time I checked, he still wants to play for England again. Why Steve McLaren's going to want to send someone out all the way to LA to watch him I haven't a clue.

Click here to visit the football archive

Comments get emailed here

Click here to return to sports homepage

Click here to return to Matt G's homepage