Balancing Cup act fails for Watford
Print Edition
Since Manchester United caused outrage by throwing a bunch of youngsters into a League Cup game at Port Vale 21 years ago, English football has slowly grown used to the idea of rotation.
As it turned out, the Port Vale fans who demanded their money back that night were watching a team including newcomers like David Beckham, Gary Neville, Nicky Butt and Paul Scholes, who would become known as the Class of 1992 and go on to dominate the decade.
The League Cup in particular has become a vehicle for managers to give some playing time to reserves and squad players.
But for some it is a difficult balancing act between resting first-team regulars and progressing in a competition that ends at Wembley with a Europa League place for the winner.
As 11 Premier League clubs entered the Capital One Cup this week, all except Watford got away with an average of eight changes each by progressing to the third round.
Watford swapped its whole starting XI and lost 0-1 at Preston North End.
Claudio Ranieri, known as 鈥淭he Tinkerman鈥 in his first spell in England with Chelsea, lived up to the name with 11 changes for Leicester City鈥檚 tie at (third tier) Bury but came through 4-1.
It was tougher for Stoke City and West Bromwich Albion, who only won on penalties against lower-division opposition, while Crystal Palace and Aston Villa, also much changed, both required extra-time.
The one exception to the trend was Sunderland, which was being held 3-3 at half-time at home by fourth-tier Exeter City before winning 6-3.
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