Seven Not So Lucky For Owls

Wednesday boss Brian Laws insisted he was taking this year's Carling Cup seriously - so why seven changes to the squad that fell to defeat at Port Vale on Tuesday night?

I have to admit, I'm a sucker for cup competitions and don't buy into all this talk about concentrating on the league.

It seems an age since we did anything in either the League or FA Cup, and with us being seeded this season I saw it as a great step to go far in the competition, or to bag a big Premier League side either at Hillsborough or away from home.

Barnsley and Cardiff have shown teams how it's done in the FA Cup recently, and Burnley's 'giant-killing' run last season gave much entertainment for the viewers, and more money into the pockets of the Clarets' coffers.

In the past, it seems that our club hasn't cared about progression in the competition, we've gone out cheaply and it's happened way too often.

This year it seemed different.

A comfortable progression against Rochdale and a very winnable game at League Two Port Vale thanks to our seeding this season.

And Mr Laws said that he needs to go as far as he possibly can in the competition to ensure he has a healthy budget with which to build his pretty limited squad.

So why make seven changes and totally halt the flow of the momentum from Saturday's win over Scunthorpe?

Maybe later in the season, maybe if we were within touching distance of the play-offs and needed to rest players ahead of a big game.

But not four games into the season, ahead of a weekend which will then see us have a two week break because of the international matches.

For a competition Laws really wanted to do well in, I can't understand his reasoning as to putting out a near 'second string', especially seen as Vale had already seen off the Blades in the last round.

It's disappointing, and it won't help chairman Lee Strafford, and Brian Laws', appeal to get more fans at Hillsborough - I doubt the near-2000 Wednesdayites that travelled to Vale will be rushing to tell friends and family of the wonderful football on offer at S6.

Some things never change, hopefully on Saturday, some things do.

I'd take the three points on Saturday at Plymouth instead of the cup success tonight, but we all know that's anything but guaranteed...

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