The League Cup final takes centre stage tomorrow when Arsenal play Birmingham City at Wembley Stadium.
Arsenal last tasted success in 2005 when they lifted the FA Cup, beating Manchester United 5-4 on penalties after a 0-0 draw. The Gunners have been without a title for the past six years now and manager Arsene Wenger believes that if his team emerge victorious tomorrow it could propel them to more trophy success.
Wenger, 61, began his coaching career at Arsenal in 1996. The only professional club he played for was Strasbourg between 1978 and 1981, winning the Division One championship in 1981.
In 1981, he started to train the youths of Strasbourg and his career continued in such fashion:
1983: Cannes assistant manager.
1984−87: Nancy head coach.
1987-95: Monaco head coach.
1995-96: Nagoya Grampus Eight (Japan) head coach.
1996, September 30: Arsenal’s head coach.
His honours include: French League (Monaco) 1987-88; Coupe de France (Monaco) 1990-91; Cup Winners’ Cup runners-up (Monaco) 1991-92; Emperor’s Cup and J-League Super Cup (Nagoya) 1995-96; Double (Arsenal) 1998, 2002; Premier League titles (Arsenal) 1998, 2002, 2004; league runners-up 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2005; FA Cup 1998, 2002, 2003, 2005; FA Community Shield 1998, 1999, 2002, 2004; UEFA Champions League runners-up 2006; UEFA Cup runners-up 2000.
Birmingham City manager Alex McLeish has been at St Andrew’s since November 2007, replacing Steve Bruce.
‘Big Eck’, as he is known, was born on January 21, 1959 in Barrhead, Scotland.
As a central defender, McLeish played for Aberdeen (1978-1994) and Motherwell (1994-95) and collected 77 appearances for the Scottish national team between 1980 and 1993.
His management career: 1994-1998 Motherwell. 1998-2001 Hib-ernian. 2001-2006 Rangers. 2007 Scotland. 2007 Birmingham.
Managerial honours: 1994-95 (Motherwell) Scottish Premier runners-up; 1998-99 (Hibernian) Scottish First Division championship; 2003, 2005 (Rangers) Scottish Premier winners; 2002, 2004 (Rangers) Scottish Premier runners-up; 2002, 2003 (Rangers) Scottish Cup 2002, 2003; 2002, 2003, 2005 (Rangers) Scottish League Cup; and Treble (Scotland) 2003.
Wenger had always looked at the League Cup as a good opportunity to rope in his young talent at the club.
But the fans became frustrated without silverware for six years when they had so many promising players at the club.
Now, the Reds’ followers are thinking that a win tomorrow could make the players hungrier for honours.
Wenger, for one, would be more than happy to end thr barren spell.
Despite being considered as ‘not important’ by the big teams, the last six years has seen Manchester United, Chelsea and Tottenham among the League Cup winners.
Past wins
Arsenal have won the League Cup twice − 1987 beat Liverpool 2-1 and in 1993 defeated Sheffield Wed. 2-1.
Birmingham’s only honour came in 1963 when the ultimate showdown was played over two legs − Aston Villa home 3-1 (Leek 2, Bloomfield), away 0-0.
Head-to-head
This season, Arsenal did the double on Birmingham − Emirates 2-1 (Nasri pen, Chamakh − Zigic), St Andrews 3-0 (Van Persie, Nasri, J. Johnson og).
In the League Cup they crossed swords on only one occasion.
Season 1997-98 (third round Arsenal 4-1 aet (Boa Morte 2, Platt pen, Mendez − Hey).
Way to Wembley
Arsenal
Third round: Away vs Tottenham 4-1 aet (Lansbury, Nasri 2 pens, Arshavin).
Fourth round: Away vs Newcastle 4-0 (Krul og, Walcott 2, Bendtner).
Quarter-final: Home vs Wigan 2-0 (Alcaraz og, Bendtner).
Semi-final: Away vs Ipswich 0-1. Return leg: Home vs Ipswich 3-0 (Bendtner, Koscielny, Fabregas).
Birmingham City
Second round: Home vs Rochdale 3-2 (McFadden pen, Murphy, Derbyshire).
Third round: Home vs MK Dons 3-1 (Hleb, Zigic, Gancher).
Fourth round: Home vs Brentford 1-1 (Phillips) won 4-3 pens.
Quarter-final: Home vs Aston Villa 2-1 (Larsson pen, Zigic).
Semi-final: Away vs West Ham 1-2 (Ridgewell). Return leg: Home vs West Ham 3-1 aet (Bowyer, Johnson, Gardner).
Carlton Cole, of West Ham, and Scott Sinclair, of Swansea, are the leading marksmen of the tournament with four goals each.
Seven players are behind them with three goals.
These are: Nicklas Bendtner (Arsenal), Mame Diouf (Blackburn), Tamas Priskin, David Norrish (Ipswich), Shola Ameobi (Newcastle), Craig Mackail Smith (Peterborough) and Simon Cox (West Brom).
Fixtures and forecast
Premier League
Aston Villa-Blackburn - 1
Everton-Sunderland - 1
Newcastle-Bolton - 1
Wigan-Man. Utd - 2
Wolves-Blackpool - 1
Tomorrow:
Man. City-Fulham - 1
West Ham-Liverpool (14:30) - 2
Monday:
Stoke-West Brom (21:00) - X
Standings: Man. United 57; Arsenal 56; Man. City 49; Tottenham 47; Chelsea 45; Liverpool 39; Sunderland 37; Bolton 36; Newcastle 35; Stoke 33; Blackburn, Blackpool 32; Fulham 31; Everton, Birmingham, Aston Villa 30; West Brom 28; Wigan 27; West Ham, Wolves 25.
League Cup Final (tomorrow)
Arsenal-Birmingham (17:00) - 1
The Championship
Barnsley-Norwich - X
Bristol City-Scunthorpe - 1
Crystal Palace-Reading - X
Doncaster-Watford - X
Hull-Cardiff - 1
Ipswich-Portsmouth - 1
Leicester-Coventryv - 1
Middlesbrough-QPR - X
Millwall-Nottm Forest - X
Preston-Burnley - 2
Sheff. Utd-Derby - 1
Swansea-Leeds (13:45) - 1
League One
Brentford-Bristol Rovers - 1
Carlisle-Sheff. Wed. - 1
Dagenham-Bournemouth - 2
Exeter-Hartlepool - 1
Huddersfield-Leyton Orient - 1
MK Dons-Brighton - X
Oldham-Peterborough - 1
Plymouth-Colchester - X
Southampton-Swindon - 1
Tranmere-Yeovil - 1
Walsall-Rochdale - X
League Two
Accrington Stanley-Torquay - X
Aldershot-Port Vale - 1
Barnet-Lincoln City - X
Bradford-Stockport - 1
Burton Albion-Rotherham - X
Bury-Crewe - 1
Chesterfield-Morecambev - 1
Macclesfield-Wycombe - 2
Oxford Utd-Hereford - 1
Shrewsbury-Gillingham - 1
Southend-Northampton - 1
Stevenage-Cheltenham - 1
Hot four: Aston Villa, Bristol City, Southampton, Bradford City.