Arsenal will play the first English soccer final of the year without stars Thierry Henry, Jens Lehmann and Gilberto -- just the way Arsene Wenger wants it.
The Gunners' manager has used a youthful second team throughout this season's League Cup campaign and sees no reason to change his lineup for today's final at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.
"Not the slightest temptation," Wenger said of changing his selection policy. "I have full confidence in these players and I like to do what I say."
The League Cup is one of four trophies opponents Chelsea are in contention for this season.
"It is not the main target for Chelsea, and I believe it is not the main target for Arsenal," Blues' boss Jose Mourinho said. "So I believe it is a final that has conditions to be less emotional and more quality. I think it has everything to be a good final."
Wenger is seeking his first win over Mourinho -- Arsenal have drawn three and lost three since the self-styled "Special One" took over at Chelsea in 2004.
While Chelsea will likely field their strongest side, except for injured John Terry, Wenger will probably stick with the likes of strikers Theo Walcott and Jeremie Aliadiere and midfielders Denilson and Julio Baptista. Manuel Almunia is expected to start in goal ahead of Lehmann.
Lehmann, Henry and Gilberto, who all played in Arsenal's 1-0 knockout round, first leg Champions League loss at PSV Eindhoven on Tuesday, are expected to be rested. It's likely they won't even make the substitutes' bench.
The squad will still likely include players such as experienced midfielders Cesc Fabregas, Tomas Rosicky, striker Emmanuel Adebayor and defenders Kolo Toure and Philippe Senderos.
"The game of Chelsea is based on experience and power, ours will be based on mobility and movement," Wenger said. "It will be very important for us to try to stop them in decisive moments in the game by taking over that physical power."
Chelsea will be led by midfielder Frank Lampard. With Terry out, Michael Essien will again likely to move back into central defense with Ricardo Carvalho.
"You cannot imagine how much we miss him [Essien] in midfield," Mourinho said. "If I now have another problem in the center of defense, the next one I play there is striker Didier Drogba."
The Blues will be able to draw on the experience of midfielders Michael Ballack and Claude Makelele and striker Andriy Shevchenko.
Left back Ashley Cole could return from a knee injury to face his former club.
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