09/01/2013 The League Cup Show

Good evening, we are at the semi- final stage of what has been an

incredible League Cup competition. Our focus is on the first leg time

between Chelsea and Swansea at Stamford Bridge. We will also

reflect on a terrific night at Valley Parade. Mark Bright knows

what it's like to reach a League Cup final. He will be here to chat

about both games. Having knocked out Manchester United in a nine

goal thriller after extra time, Chelsea came back from a goal

behind to outclass Leeds at Elland Road. Tonight, Rafa Benitez

welcomed the side which had dumped the holders, Liverpool, out of the

competition, Michael Laudrup's Swansea. It reads like a football

fairy-tale. League Two club Bradford have reached the last four

by knocking out teams from each of the three divisions above them,

including Wigan and Arsenal. Last night the Bantams based on Aston

Villa side struggling for confidence. They've conceded 15

goals without reply in three league games over Christmas. Tonight's

game at Stamford Bridge. You only have to look at the Chelsea line-up

so far to see that they've taken this year's capital 1 Cup pretty

seriously. In the semis they were drawn against a Swansea side coming

nicely in the League Against the League Cup wouldn't have topped

Chelsea's priority list at the start of the season, but it's come

up the order now with a Wembley final 180 minutes away. Swansea are

in the last four for the first time in their history. Until this season

they never got past the fourth round. Chelsea have scored 16 goals

in three ties this season, more than anyone else, and their top

scorer, Fernando Torres is back in the squad tonight. Demba Ba

promised to the bench. -- drops to the side that drew against Arsenal

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handful. Chelsea have the game's over-the-top. He's been a real

threat in the opposition's penalty area this season. Three goals in

the last six matches for him for Brian, played for Chelsea for a

given by the referee. The first save that Ross Turnbull has had to

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The initial block made by Ben tonight, re-testing Swansea. Mata

just tried to pass it into the net. It was a fairly easy save in the

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He's got some ground to make up now. Torres is through. Mata is there.

moment. Swansea City ahead in the semi-final! Out of the blue, it's

off momentarily. A loose touch from gives onesie the lead. -- Swansea

scoring form with three in the last Those behind the goal claiming it

something if he'd found the net from there. Michael Laudrup's side

unbeaten in the 13th games this season. The crowd urging the team

to get the ball forward a little Tremmel flinging himself to the

body down low and stop the ball from spinning underneath his jersey.

Here comes Demba Ba. Two goals on his debut in the FA Cup at the

weekend. Fernando Torres, the man to be replaced. Torres, 100th

appearance for Chelsea. He will leave the field empty-handed. 26

goals in 100 Appearance his four Torres. He scored 61 in his first

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Chelsea still can't find a way He's only been on the field a

goal between now and the final whistle, potentially. Tremmel came

out, made the challenge and it's given as a Swansea City free-kick.

Anthony Taylor is going to book Demba Ba, presumably for simulation

there. Swansea City fans must have had their Hearts in their mouths

there, as that wayward back-pass sort Tremmel appeared to catch

with a great chance for 2-0. What a sensation here at Stamford Bridge!

Danny Graham's de old Swansea's lead. It's quite extraordinary!

Branislav Ivanovic with an absolute howler, and it has cost his team

twice. A terrible mistake, totally unaware of the fact that Graham was

there. 2-0! Can Chelsea claw a goal back? Demba Ba, they can! No, the

flag has gone up, it will not count. What a dramatic finale to this

match! Demba Ba thought he had scored on his home debut. He was

level as the ball came forward, and the decision goes against Demba Ba

for the second time in the last couple of minutes, right at the end

bad individual errors by Branislav Ivanovic have cost Chelsea here in

this first leg, but Swansea City can celebrate a first win at

Stamford Bridge for 88 years. The final score at the end of this

first leg, Chelsea 0, Swansea City Obviously, I could not dream about

a result like this. It is true that on the one hand, the two goals were

mistakes by Chelsea,... mistakes by a top player.

players make mistakes as well. It is not often two mistakes like that

cost two goals, but my players, first Michu and then Danny, they

were there to take advantage. we are disappointed. We did enough

to score two or three goals, and then we conceded two with two

mistakes. Football is a complicated game, you take your chances, you

can win. If you do not, and you make mistakes, you can lose. I am

so pleased that we can now come back and play at our ground with

the possibility of going to that final, but still there is a long

way to go. Yes, still lots of football left in that tie, but what

a result for Swansea. Fantastic. Underdogs, a two-goal advantage

back home, they are really strong at home, only a couple of defeats

at home this season in the league. So yeah, I am quite surprised. They

approached the game with a good attitude, defended really well.

Both teams play the same system, so they matched up. We know Swansea

can keep the ball, Chelsea had more possession and attempt, but they

were punished for their mistakes. All the talk was about Chelsea's

attacking threat and the goals they have scored, but we will reflect on

reliable over the last couple of seasons. He takes a poor touch. De

Guzman is on him, he robs him on the edge of the box. 16 goals this

season. �2 million! �2 million, a snip. Andy Berry's it. Danny Graham

replaces him, a guy who has scored three goals in his last three

starts. He plays it blind, Danny Graham anticipates, composes

himself. I thought he had taken too long. I thought that as well. You

can see him thinking, is he going to play this back? Yes, he is. He

composes himself to finish. They are in a really strong position now,

saw they have scored in the last 10 minutes in each round of this

competition, and that bodes well. They soak up the pressure and hit

on the counter, the ideal way to play away from home. Michael

Laudrup needs to take a lot of credit for the way he has set the

team up. Did we see a watershed moment for the strikers? Fernando

Torres went off, on came Demba Ba, so much more lively up front.

the game against Southampton, Torres had 11 touches in the first

half, hardly had any chances. Demba Ba, nine minutes, three

opportunities. In hindsight, he could have, and earlier. I would

always give a strike a 15 minutes at the very least. Should this have

been a penalty? No, but it is not a dive either. There is a bit of a

collision. He has not brought him down, but he should not have been

booked. This is tight, but look at the threat, look where he is. You

can see the assistant at the bottom of the screen is dead in line, he

sees a little bit of blue, but what a finish. That is a guy in a form,

7 million against 50 million. I would just play him now.

Chelsea get back in it? Absolutely, of course they can. Anything can be

overcome in football. Bradford's reward for dumping out Arsenal was

a tie against Aston Villa. The Bantams made plenty of friends and

their fairy-tale run, looking to be only the second team from the 4th

two to make the final. Aston Villa had knocked out Manchester City and

Norwich. Guy Mowbray was at Valley 51 years on and reached the League

Cup final as a 4th deer team, or will it be a 9th time in the final

for Aston Villa? We may be closer to the answers by the end of this

intriguing first leg. Bradford lost 2-0 at Barnet at the weekend, and

there are two changes to the team towards attack and getting the job

half done. But Darren Bent is on the bench despite his FA Cup goal

against Ipswich on Saturday. The stated right from the Get Go that

this is a young Aston Villa side. He is having to work hard with them,

it is a long-term strategy, what he is doing at Villa Park. Still

massively troubled by the threat of relegation, only one point above

the Premier League's bottom three with a huge game to come at the

weekend against Southampton. That can wait, though. They have got a

job that they hope to get half competition came in the win against

quick Villa break, that, lovely ball for Weimann. You can see

done better with that. He was freed. No real challenge. He can see all

of the goal. But he misdirected the deflected behind for another Aston

Villa corner. Two key bits of is Christian Benteke. Could have,

perhaps should have had two goals. It is an even better chance than

Wells has given Bradford the lead! Well, he is their main man. It is

his 16th goal of the season. And it rushing out, it hit a Villa body,

and it comes on a plate for the man from Bermuda, Nahki Wells. The

first chapter has been written by the Bantams. Bradford City 1, Aston

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yet. It is not all about tonight, Duke beats it clear at once again.

Straight at the keeper, he was in the right place to make the save.

All of the saves that he has made are ones that he would expect to

In the third round, they will one-0 down against Manchester City away

is loaded intent from Aston Villa. -- a start. It is held on by Baker,

Clark could not get it under control and fire towards goal. Paul

Lambert does have one Darren Bent nobody on the left wing for him. --

matter what Christian Benteke tries to do tonight, he just cannot beat

Matt Duke. He has got the header on says another! His is his best save

of the match? They have all been close to him. But the ball needed

Duke cannot hold it, over the bar from Darren Bent with the goal

than this? Duke could not hold it. Bent goes running in, and the Villa

fans were poised to celebrate, they felt sure that was the equaliser.

Paul Lambert need something to happen for him. Yes, it would only

be half way through the tie, but defeat away to a League Two team

does not look good, especially when your team is struggling in its only

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N'Zogbia has been great, the rest headed home. -- Rory McArdle.

Bradford City are close to taking a two goal lead to Birmingham for the

second half of this tie. They are almost just about out of it.

goal. That is a big step back into the semi-final for the Premier

League team. It is the Weimann who might just be Aston Villa's saviour

Bent, having come on as a It's going to be a corner for

Bradford City. They could yet have a two goal lead to take to Villa

their two goal lead again! 19-year- old Carl McHugh. Aston Villa look

for on. All the celebrating is being done by those waving claret

and amber rather than claret and blue. It's a goal from a simple set

charges on to the ball and bang! Bradford three, Aston Villa 1.

foremost of how to get to Birmingham to possibly see history

gone anywhere. It's gone behind for is all over for the first leg of

this capital 1 Cup semi-final. Aston Villa have a huge recovery

job on at Villa Park in the second match. Tonight belongs to League

Two Bradford City. They have taken themselves so close to an amazing

Wembley final. Mac took a brilliant in goal. Wells and then the two

centre-backs, McHugh and McArdle, they are the Bantams' heroes

and his team, as they make their way into the corner. Bradford fans

Couldn't have gone much better tonight. I thought the lads were

tremendous in all aspects of the game. We have to defend very well

at times. Equally, it left space on the pitch for us to exploit. We've

got some good for bowlers. -- footballers. We had a lot of the

ball and a lot of dominance, some good saves. But if you don't defend

set-pieces then that is what can happen. Quite so real. We knew what

was going to be a tough task, looking at the quality they've got

on the team. Albeit everyone knows they are struggling a little bit in

the Premiership. Even still, you look at two they have got, they've

got attacking options. We knew if we could keep them quiet, we've got

enough quality on our team to create chances. We know we've got

the top job down their in two weeks time. We know we have to be

respectable. They are still the favourites. But if Aston Villa

eventually get to Wembley, we will make sure they really earned it.

The bookies have the Bantams as slight favourites to go through.

What a wonderful night for them. It was a proper old-fashioned cup-tie.

Yes, everyone wants that. I was delighted for them. Having beaten

Arsenal, semi-final, two legs, over one leg you fancy them, over two

you are not quite sure. They were just fantastic. One win in seven

going into this game. In this Cup it has been their achilles heel,

Bradford. Paul Lambert went with a pretty young Villa side. Did

inexperience cost them? I wouldn't say so. Bradford actually had the

younger side. They were confident, disciplined, they have lots of

self-belief -- self-belief. They caused Villa loads of problems from

been a driving force for them at home. That was fantastic from Carl

McHugh. I just thought, especially conceding one, the Weimann goal,

then going back straight to wait. It was the response. The never-say-

die attitude. We really have got a good opportunity now. There were

lots of his heroes as far as Bradford are concerned. Terry Jones

was great. Matt Duke, he continues to enhance it in his reputation.

Save after save it. People were saying most of the shots were

straight at him. 35 years old. He was inspirational. Benteke here,

diving header. He bounces as well. He managed to get at hand to that.

The defence have hung on here. When the goalkeeper has been needed, he

has come up for them. They had six opportunities in the first 12

minutes, Aston Villa. This was a game about them not taking their

chances. They made plenty of chances, Lambert will be happy with

that, but they didn't take them. You fancy them scoring away from

home. I would. That makes the task even harder. You would go with

Bradford, maybe? At home, I would expect before Villa Park rampant,

I'd expect them to get an early goal. I think they could pull it

back and turn it around. It's back to the bread and butter for

Bradford on Saturday, they are at Thanks to Mark. At half-time of