WHEN Rotherham United reached the two-legged final of the inaugural League Cup in 1961 and Rochdale matched them a year later, the otherwise unloved new competition did at least look like an exercise in footballing democracy. Once the crucial decision to play the final at Wembley in 1967 was agreed, lower division sides Queen's Park Rangers and Swindon took the opportunity for a day's giant-killing on the grandest of stages, and later on unfashionable clubs like Norwich, Oxford, Luton and Leicester were able to enjoy a day in the sun as Wembley winners.

More recently, Blackburn (2002) and Middlesbrough (2004) have enjoyed the long trek to Cardiff to earn a rare trophy and with it a Uefa Cup place, but those two successes apart, the competition has come to be dominated almost as comprehensively as the FA Cup by the Premiership's big clubs. Since the final moved across the Severn, to a warm Welsh welcome and travel chaos, four of the six games have been won by Liverpool (twice), Chelsea and Manchester United. Arsenal are missing from that list, though they would have been United's opponents in last season's final but for Wigan's dramatic winning goal in the last minute of the Highbury semifinal.

Now Arsene Wenger has his first chance to win the trophy; the twist, of course, being that unlike rivals who have fielded weakened teams in earlier rounds and then become serious about the competition as it approached the sharp end, Wenger has stuck closely to an identifiable Carling Cup team.

Up to nine of the players who began with a 2-0 victory away to West Bromwich Albion back in October could start today. Many English football followers will find it depressing that Everton, Tottenham and even Liverpool should all have failed on their home ground to beat Arsenal's shadow squad; the consolation being that Wenger's youngsters have played some exhilarating football in scoring 12 goals along the way as well as showing sufficient physical resilience . . . not always a feature of his teams . . . to resist being put in their place.

Using Kolo Toure, Cesc Fabregas and . . . for the crucial second leg against Tottenham . . . Gilberto Silva and Emmanuel Adebayor has helped prevent that. All four, or just Toure, could play this afternoon, theoretically backed up by, say, Philippe Senderos, Gael Clichy and Justin Hoyte, Alexander Hleb, Tomas Rosicky and Julio Baptista. That would be a formidable side.

Not knowing how many of them will be kept in reserve on what used to be called the bench makes analysis of the game more difficult than usual. "They change players but keep their philosophy, " said Jose Mourinho, which is true. In general terms, Arsenal will pass and move and break out quickly, whether Hleb, Rosicky and Theo Walcott are out wide, and whether or not Fabregas and vice-captain Gilberto are there to add a combative edge in midfield.

It is a safer bet that Frank Lampard and Michael Ballack will be the opposition in that area, with Claude Makelele behind them and either the fully fit Arjen Robben or Shaun WrightPhillips wide.

Only at full-back is there much dispute elsewhere about personnel: Lassana Diarra, given the run-around by Porto in midweek, Geremi or Paulo Ferreira on the right? Ashley Cole, an Arsenal hate-figure now fit again, or his able deputy Wayne Bridge on the left?

However there was better news regarding John Terry, as the Chelsea captain has recovered from his ankle injury in time to play today.

The 26-year-old was expected to miss the game after damaging ankle ligaments in the Champions League tie at Porto.

The England skipper was carried off after seven minutes and at first the injury was thought to be serious.

But a club statement said, "The speed of Terry's recovery has surprised the club's medical department."

Club doctor Bryan English said, "I have apologised to manager Jose Mourinho for providing him with misleading information that lead to his statements in relation to John Terry's injury on Friday.

"One interesting aspect of today's game, will be Arsenal's youngsters pitted against global stars like the under-performing Ballack and newly confident Ukranian hitman Andriy Shevchenko, who seemed set for a hugely successfully season when scoring a trademark goal at Cardiff in the Community Shield more than six frustrating months ago.

"This is the crucial part of our season, " Wenger said on Friday. "I think on Sunday we will win and that on Wednesday we will win [at Blackburn in the FA Cup] and the week after [against PSV Eindhoven] as well. But three defeats can also happen.

That's why football is fantastic."

A shame then that in terms of trophies it is becoming fantastic for fewer and fewer clubs.

CARLING CUP FINAL ARSENAL v CHELSEA
Millennium Stadium, 3.00 Referee H Webb Live, Sky Sports 1, 2.00