Nor indeed for that matter a majority of fans. Even at £25 for away supporters, fifty per cent down on normal league prices, Stamford Bridge won't fill up for this one. When sides have barely got into their stride with a new season, having the Carling Cup run concurrently with a European campaign makes this one cup tie too far.
No surprise then that both managers came out in the press forecasting wholesale changes. AVB we are led to believe had the decision made for him by club owner Abramovitch, who has demanded the Chelsea kids are given a run. Jol doesn't have the same strength in depth, but he too is keen to protect a number of his key players. There will be no Murphy, JAR or Hangeland tonight, BZ may just get a place on the bench, but we've now heard officially that broken ankle from a year ago is giving Zamo a bit of gyp. AJ is on the injured list so we can't afford to risk all the kids up front. Should be a full 90 for Bryan up top though and Chelsea welcome Drogba back after his concussion - so there's still plenty of big names to go around.
Might it be a question of 'my reserves are better than yours.' Anyone who correctly forecasts the two starting elevens is welcome to fill out my lottery numbers for the weekend. Having surfed all the forum chat since Sunday my feeling is that the hungrier side will prevail. And, although nobody needs reminding of our dismal record at the Bridge, I have a feeling it might just be our night.
I'm hesitating over my next line, it so goes against the grain to be blase about a derby with the old enemy. But who can really get excited about this unloved competition? Sure we'd all feel more pumped if this were the semi-final and the spoils of victory meant a day-trip to Wembley.
But sandwiched between our thrilling comeback of Sunday and a very important date with the Baggies next Saturday, with the side currently 18th, I doubt if it matters a jot to Jol tonight if we get tonked, as long as he picks up no injuries and goes on to land our first league win at the Hawthorns.
With Chelsea also in similar mood to just get the game over with, the players could well take a fresh approach, play without fear, and turn in a real contest. The economies of football nowadays means many die-hard supporters from both sides of the borough will let this one pass by while keeping their hands in their pockets. Still, for the sake of our pride in the white shirt, and the fact that it is Chelsea after all, here's to the boys capitalising on the mood upturn after Sunday's comeback and giving us a result to remember.
Sorry, but my focus remains on getting that vital first win at the weekend against Roy's boys, who have had a bit of a wobble after an encouraging start. Looking forward to your thoughts post match and the on-going evolution of Martin's vision for the team. If nothing else, tonight should give us further insight into just how much potential some of our fringe players have.
Carling Cup 4th round here we come? Steady nurse, I'm getting a nosebleed...
COYW! And remember, there is genuinely only ONE team in Fulham
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