Arsenal's long wait to bring silverware back to Emirates Stadium could come to an end Sunday, as the Gunners face Birmingham City in the Carling Cup final at Wembley Stadium.
Arsenal, which hasn't won a trophy since capturing the 2005 FA Cup, will be a bit shorthanded, as Cesc Fabregas and Theo Walcott have been ruled out of the final with injuries.
Elsewhere, Clint Dempsey could break Brian McBride's single-season goal record for an American in the Premier League with a tally against Manchester City; PSV Eindhoven and Ajax hook up in a battle of Dutch powers; Ligue 1 leader Lille squares off with Lyon, which is fresh off a UEFA Champions League draw with Real Madrid; and Sao Paulo and Palmeiras clash in a meeting of Brazilian titans.
If you will be watching the Carling Cup final or any of Sunday's games, please feel free to share any thoughts, opinions and some play-by-play in the comments section below.
Enjoy the action (TV schedule is after the jump):
SUNDAY'S SOCCER ON TV
8:30am – Fox Soccer Channel – West Ham vs. Liverpool
8:30am – ESPN3.com – PSV Eindhoven vs. Ajax
9am – ESPN3.com – Cagliari vs. Lazio
9am – ESPN3.com – AS Roma vs. Parma
9am – ESPN3.com – Palermo vs. Udinese
10am – ESPN2/ESPN3.com – Manchester City vs. Fulham
11am – Fox Soccer Channel – Arsenal vs. Birmingham City (Carling Cup Final)
11am – DirecTV – Levante vs. Osasuna
11am – FoxSoccer.tv – Nancy vs. Olympique Marseille
11am – FoxSoccer.tv – PSG vs. Toulouse
11:30am – GolTV – Werder Bremen vs. Bayer Leverkusen
1pm – ESPN3.com – Racing Santander vs. Villarreal
1pm – Telemundo – UNAM Pumas vs. Estudiantes Tecos
2pm – GolTV – Sao Paulo vs. Palmeiras
2:45pm – Fox Soccer Channel – Sampdoria vs. Inter Milan
3pm – ESPN3.com – Athletic Bilbao vs. Valencia
3pm – Fox Soccer Plus – Lille vs. Lyon
4pm – CONCACAF.com/ESPN3.com – Jamaica vs. Panama (CONCACAF U-17 third-place game)
5pm – Univision – Club America vs. Toluca
7pm – CONCACAF.com/ESPN3.com – United States vs. Canada (CONCACAF U-17 championship)
7pm – Fox Soccer Channel – West Ham vs. Liverpool (Delayed)
Specs on the bench for Hammers. Play hasn’t developed a rythm yet though WHam finding some success on right flank.
Com’mon Red Dragons
And with that nifty combination play finished by Parker, West Ham takes the lead.
I’ve seen Rooney’s dirty elbow today. Is it correct that retrospective punishments can’t be handed out if the original offense was punished (albeit lightly)?
Nice header by Ba! Can the Hammers come away with a win? Would be great!
It not stated that they can’t be handed down it’s just the trend that the FA tends to go by. But it’s not a written rule or practice.
Edson Buddle had a nice header for a Goal after starting the match on the bench.
Sweet header by Demba Ba and Hammers deservedly up 2-0 for bringing the play to Pool. Except for the occasional long ball that finds Suarez or Meireles, nothing’s happening offensively.
Hammers are looking tight! Play has been so much better lately. Ba with 3 goals in 2 games, I think — not too shabby! Hammers 2 – 0 Liverpool at half
Buddle scores in 4-1 win for FC Ingolstadt vs. Louis Robles and KSC.
Great. my wifey just asked is Liverpool playing down a man. Uugghhh
Liverpool look awful.
well that was crafty from Suarez! What a save from Green, though! He makes some serious blunders, but he can make some world class saves when he needs to.
There isn’t a bigger rising star right now than Alexis Sanchez. This kid is tearing up Serie A. Glad he refused the transfer to Inter.
Gerrard looks terrible. Seems like he is going for the highlight real pass all the time.
Fulham vs. City on ESPN2 starting now — let’s do this, Deuce!
He wasn’t punished.
Play was stopped because the Wigan player was holding his head.
I don’t think the official had any idea what was going on.
Whenever I’m watching, Gerrard is always looking for that 35 yard rocket goal he used to score.
Spector’s on in for Piquonne in the 82nd. Looks to be mid-def now. Piq was looking real tired the past 10 min.
West Ham’s right back is going to be eaten alive in the locker room. Alive.
I’m hoping West Ham can hold on here.
Uh-oh, 2-1 WHU now with 5 min left in regular time
What was the right back doing? He called off the center back for the ball and then let it drop almost on the edge of the six.
There is a steady “USA” chant going during the West Ham game after Spector came on.
Love it.
Ha, I keep hearing “USA USA” chants in the WHU game… I’m pretty sure the Liverpool supporters are chanting it at Green, as they’re right behind him this half. Funny stuff.
Oh, I assumed it was for Spector. But that makes a lot more sense.
Carlton Cole with the beauty.
West Ham win 3-1 over Liverpool!
COLE SEALS IT!!! Cole with some man’s work there, holding off defenders, and sneaking the ball past Reina at the near post!
You know, on 2nd look, I think Spector had the assist for Cole’s last goal there! Took a pass down well with his chest and booted it up to Cole, who scored. Sure sure, well done!
Balotelli smokes a shot past Schwartzer… 1-0 City
Balotelli – wow.
Ugh. Balotelli. In the top ten of most unlikeable BPL footballers, maybe the world. Coyw!
Pass the damn ball Dembele.
This guy is so selfish.
I used to defend Dembele on here wholeheartedly. But I think I’m starting to agree with others that he is a selfish player. He has several times so far ignored the obvious open man in a much more dangerous position to take on the more difficult dribble-thru-the-entire-defense-move.
I posted just after you; I really agree now. I’m tired of his selfish bs.
Welcome to the hate bandwagon. We have plenty of room.
He ruins far too many of their attacks.
Haha, we commented on each other’s posts at the same time.
I know that Mark Hughes has given Fulham players more license to express themselves and attack more freely than under Hodgson. However, Hodgson would have never stood for someone like Dembele’s selfish play! I can’t say what Hughes thinks of it either, but I know Woy would have nipped that sh*t in the bud!
demps needs to stop cryin
Haha Dempsey looks pissed
He was defending himself….lol
I’m pretty sure that wasn’t crying…He’s not backing down to none of them
Dempsey getting ready to bite someone’s head off.
haha i love that the announcer is going after dempsey, saying hes picking a fight with the wrong guy. yaya toure would get rocked by demps. size of the fight in the dog ya silly brit
Can’t blame Demps, everytime he tries to attack, he’s hit. He should calm down, he’s made his point.
Good. Deuce plays better fired up. This can only help fulham.
I love Dempsey. Dude is crazy in a good way.
I nominate Etuhu for Fulhams least valuable player
Dempsey’s anger might sway the official in the second half. His anger is valid IMO, every time he touches the ball he is bowled over or cut down.
+1..shocking touch and tackling today…well this year..lol
How does this commentator question Tevez’s heart? Has he not watched a game this season?
Clint dempsey is being a real bitch today. Yaya toure would prison rape him
Ok and why don’t you get a life. And maybe STFU with the potentially offensive anti-gay remarks.
Jokes aside you must be blinded by your love for Dempsey to think he can take on Yaya Toure; good luck.
Dempsey is the last person in the premiership I would want to be in a fight with. Yaya Toure is just a big guy, Dempsey is an animal.
Dempsey has opted to take on the Man City eleven all by himself. The man is fired up!!!
ah big man, but hes a softy
Relax both of you he is a defensive midfielder and just came back from injury. plus its first half.
How is he being a bitch? He’s not taking sh*t from anyone and standing up for himself
So you’ve gotten into a fight with either of them to know that Dempsey would take Yaya? Gosh the blinders are out today. Yaya won’t get in a fight with Dempsey. His 200,000 pounds per week would do the fighting.
I think that’s the opposite of being ones bitch.
He’s coming back from injury and has only been thrown in because Sidwell is injured… otherwise he would still be recovering
Some real moronic comments today. From the anti-gay slurs to the simply trollish comments, I’ve got one thing to say.
Get a life.
We’re here to talk football. If you don’t want to talk football, leave. If you want crack jokes about people you don’t know, leave.
I dunno about that Toure v Dempsey battle. Sure, Dempsey’s got an edge with the whole “I grew up in a trailer park,” thing, but yaya grew up in f’n Africa. seriously dude would drop skinny Demps. He’s just being patient with him.
(SBI-Sorry man but I’ll give Dempsey the edge against anybody who wears a snood as much as Toure does.)
Szcyesny almost gives up a PK is the 1st minute.
DUFF!!! COYW!!!!!!!
Goal duff they are fired up….
FSC has a very loose definition of HD. The Carling Cup game looks awful, especially compared to ESPN2′s City/Fulham game.
and should be been sent off
Duff!!!!
he was VERY lucky the play was ruled offside
Great buildup from Fulham, and what a finish. That ball was really coming in fast.
Ives you mean the snood doesn’t scream MMA fighter? Your crazy
Dempsey reminds me of the type of guy who gets really fired up and loves to fight but always ends up taking a beating. No actual fight skills. Something to be said for not being scared and ability to take a beating willingly. : )
The picture quality has gotten a lot better now. I retract my previous comment.
Sure you fought him before?
Balotelli is the Nani of Manchester City: incapable of working with anyone but themselves, and generally disliked by the entire team.
Of course you would give it to Dempsey SBI why is that shocking? Grow up in Africa and lets see if your trailer park cuts it. Slums of Abidjan vs Texas; yeah I’ll take Ivory Coast all day.
Come on ref, protect Dempsey! This is really out of hand. He is taken out every single time.
Maybe if Toure had Mike Ditka fighting with him he might be able to whoop up on the Deuce!
nice goal from Brum. and of course it’s a set piece that beats Arsenal
just coming back now from injury doesn’t excuse his play earlier in the year. Occasionally he can be a bright spot but more often than not he’s poor
Roberto Martinez wife = boner material
Let’s see some cards for City, yeah? It feels like every 30 seconds sees a Fulham player being shoved to the ground.
Oh, and Hangelaand is a beast.
yes! great goal from RVP after Wilshere hits the crossbar. very nice
Dembele having in the box with a person at the top of the arc and what does he do? Fire a shot at Joe Hart.
Me again, sometimes being selfish is not being creative.
RVP scores on a volley and hurts himself. Just amazing
Gudjohnson is a huge waste of space right now. He is actually hindering the attack.
Doing something occasionally magical is encouraged, but he passes maybe 1 out of every 6 or 7 times he touches the ball.
PASS THE DAMN BALL DEMBELE
PASS THE BALL
Wow, Hughes and Mancini should’ve just thrown down.
How about in a Whataburger parking lot? I think your choice would switch.
Bendtner for Van Persie???
Ben Foster is playing out of his mind
what a colossal f*ck up by Arsenal. easiest goal ever for Martins. awful
Arsenal will be holding GK tryouts this week.
Can we buy a new goalkeeper now? Almunia, Flubbianski and now this. Ankinfeev?
Anyone that thinks the Carling Cup doesn’t matter, needs to watch the reactions in the game.
Arsenal = LOL
Arsene Wenger is an arrogant fool. He had the chance to upgrade at center back and GK in the transfer window and chose to save his money. Now his center back and GK screwup has cost them a trophy. Arsene, your pocketbook may be full, but your trophycase is looking pretty bare.
Arsenal lost!
What’s up with Jonathan Bornstein at Tigres? Didn’t get into the game last week and not even on the bench this week (per Soccernet)? I thought he played fairly well in the games he started, and the team has been winning.
Never mind – wrong team – excuse the brain freeze.
No doubt that Arsenal has been held back by their goalie problems. They could do a lot better. Maybe they should be scouting Guzan….though I’m a big fan of Akinfeyeyv.
lol
Who’s he play for? Where’s he from?
Pics or gtfo.
Ugh, Jack Wilshere killed me at the end. Makes you remember that he’s only 19 and probably wasn’t totally prepared for the epic experience that is a cup final at Wembley (he played very, very well, though).
lol @ Bridesmaids.
Lol that’s pumas
Playmaker = Yaya Toure’s dad.
Udinese (the greatest team since Fulham) and hes from Chile.
The snood is to prevent garotte attacks.
So, is it too late to jump on the “no trophies for Arsenal” bandwagon?
I don’t know how they could feel confident in any tense game at this point. It must be hard to win when you’re waiting for the next fk-up.
Safe to say this season isn’t playing out how anyone imagined. And so I expect more wacky results. Since Arsenal has been slapped down by Birmingham, they should by all rights now go out and beat Barca, again. Birmingham, now fully content having put a trophy in the cabinet, will be relegated. Eventually the English FA will understand that all these injuries and the lack of a winter break in the EPL may give the smaller teams a better chance of getting a result but ultimately hurt the product on the field. Seems obvious, but money talks and no one cares about the health of the England squad until 2012 and 2014.
Guzan? Please he can’t even get time at Aston Villa. We’ll go after goalkeepers from Germany or Spain before Arsene should consider a guy who is not a starter.
And you Dempsey is your idol right? I’ll take the African all day.