Carling Cup 2nd round: Wednesday Vs. West Ham

WW News
By Nicholas Rigg
August 29 2005

Today's Carling Cup draw saw the Owls drawn against Premiership new boys West Ham at Hillsborough at the end of September. Alan Pardew's team will certainly provide a tough test for the Owls.

The Carling Cup is certainly not the top of the agenda for most clubs, especially Wednesday who look to have as few games as possible to keep their squad fit and trim for the all important league games this season.

Tuesdays 4-2 victory over Stockport County has left boss Paul Sturrock saying he would like to enjoy a good cup run this season, maybe to ease the financial restraints he has in place at the moment.

in my opinion there could be nothing worse than drawing a team such as Plymouth Argyle away on a Tuesday night, and so it was with great joy that the tie was at home, and also against premiership opposition which should draw a good crowd to Hillsborough.

Sturrock opted to play a full team against Stockport in round one, so my belief is that he will do the same in round two, to see how the lads fair against tougher opposition. Alan Pardew may rest some of his better players, but the hammers are sure to have an extrememly strong team out, having strethened during the summer for their return to the promised land. Pardew may also see the Carling cup as a back door entry in to Europe, as most premiership teams do.

The game will certainly be an interesting one, and hopefully the prices won't be as ridiculous as the Stockport game was. Common sense would see tickets at a tenner for adults and a fiver for kids, and a decent crowd to support the lads would be a certainty, especially against a premiership side.

The tie is to take place on the week commencing the 19th September.