Tuesday, January 25, 2011

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Carling Cup Semi-Final Opta Facts - 25-26 January

Statistics and facts to help your football betting are available every week at Sta Sam Ti Reko courtesy of Opta Sportsdata, Europe's leading provider of sports performance statistics.


Arsenal v Ipswich Town
  • Arsenal have won 10 and lost none of their last 11 League Cup ties on home soil.
  • Ipswich are one of only four teams to win a League Cup match away from home against Arsenal in the Arsene Wenger era.
  • Arsenal are in the semi-finals of the Carling Cup for the fifth time in the last eight seasons, more often than any other side.
  • Arsenal have only ever lost two League Cup matches against a lower league side in the Arsene Wenger era; at Burnley in the 2009 competition and in the first leg of this tie against Ipswich.
  • Arsenal have won 11 of the last 16 matches in all competitions against Ipswich.
  • Ipswich and Arsenal have been drawn together twice before, with Arsenal winning on home soil after a replay in 1970-71 and Town winning at Highbury in 2000-01.
  • Ipswich have made the semi-final three times previously in the League Cup, but lost on each occasion (1981-82, 1984-85 and 2000-01.)
  • Five of Ipswich's six wins in the League Cup have been by a one-goal margin.
  • Nicklas Bendtner has scored five goals in his last six Carling Cup appearances.
  • Tamas Priskin has scored five goals in his last seven Carling Cup appearances.
  • New Ipswich manager Paul Jewell was manager of Wigan when they knocked Arsenal out in the League Cup semi-finals in 2005-06. After winning the home leg 1-0, they went through on away goals with a 1-2 defeat at Highbury.
Birmingham City v West Ham United
  • The Hammers and the Blues have been drawn together twice before in the League Cup and West Ham have progressed on both occasions courtesy of away wins.
  • In 1989-90 West Ham won at St Andrews before drawing the second leg at home to progress.
  • In 1999-2000, the Hammers came from behind twice to win 3-2 at St Andrews.
  • West Ham last reached the semi-final in 1989-90.
  • The Hammers have reached the semi-final seven times before this season, progressing to the final on only two occasions.
  • Birmingham have been in four League Cup semi finals, progressing to the final on two occasions.
  • Carlton Cole has scored four goals in his last six Carling Cup starts.
  • Liam Ridgewell has scored in both game against West Ham this season.
  • Birmingham have lost only one of their last eight Carling Cup matches at St Andrews.
  • Victory over Sunderland in Round 3 ended a run of six straight away defeats to Premier League opponents away from home for West Ham.