By Richard Clarke
The Carling Cup Final on Sunday will be Arsène Wenger’s most prestigious talent show ever.
For many years, the Arsenal manager has used this particular competition as his fame academy; a chance to blood unknown and untested players in a first-team environment.
In the build-up to this game the Frenchman suggested this season’s run to Cardiff was a footballing version of the X-Factor talent show. But can his fledglings really out-perform a Chelsea side with an unrivalled £-factor of their own? Jose Mourinho certainly has no intention of sending out a weakened side after all.
Sunday will see the two managers, the two teams even the two clubs singing from entirely different songsheets. But Wenger has always been happy to whistle his own tune in this tournament.
"You have singers in England going on the X-Factor show for their talents to be discovered,” said Wenger. “If they don't organise it, you don't find them.
"I like it because people are brave enough to come out and say they want to achieve something in their life. They are ready to be committed to do it. They have a target.
"I like people who turn up and are ready to fight for something, like our young players are. And this competition is the X-Factor Academy for us.
“People say never judge a team on a cup run because it depends who you play. But in this competition we have played Everton, Liverpool and Tottenham so it would be a great reward for us to win it.
“Liverpool was a tough test, Everton was a tough test and no-one can ever predict how difficult it will be against Chelsea.
"Their game is based on experience and power, ours will be based on mobility and movement. It will be very important for us to try and stop them in decisive moments in the game by taking over that physical power."
Wenger will keep faith with the side that has taken him to Cardiff. William Gallas, Thierry Henry and Freddie Ljungberg are omitted. Jens Lehmann (suspended) and Robin van Persie (foot) would not have played either as they had not featured in the earlier rounds of the competition.
Emmanuel Eboue (foot) is likely to be out while Justin Hoyte (hamstring) and Gael Clichy (foot) were due for tests on Friday. Armand Traore will step in at left back should his fellow Frenchman not make it.
Along with Denilson, the 17-year-old defender is the discovery of this year’s run. Cesc Fabregas, Van Persie and Clichy — now first-team regulars - are among the previous recipients of this imaginary award. Top-flight starts are the point of this competition for Wenger but that does not mean Sunday’s trophy will be simply handed over to the more experienced side.
“I'm very proud of what these players have achieved this season,” he said. “We have not just won we've won with style which is our philosophy.
"But for me the biggest achievement is always the next one. What you have done in your life is not important. If you think what you have won is not as important as the next one then you are finished.
"I want to achieve what is front of me as well as I can and I really want to win this trophy on Sunday.
"It will be an unusual achievement if we do it.”
And an highly uplifting one too.
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