When it was announced last November that the League Cup would be sponsored by Thai energy drink company Carabao, some questions immediately came to mind.

Was Thailand's second-most popular energy drink the most relevant sponsor for the competition? Must English football try so slavishly to appeal to the Asian market? What is a Carabao?

Fears were raised initially by a wonderfully hyperbolic statement from Pairoj Piempongsant, the Intercarabao chairman, who said: "The EFL Cup embodies the very essence of British football consciousness."

Hmmm...

"The EFL Carabao partnership represents a unique platform to expand the Carabao brand nationally and globally; and thus leveraging the universal 'fighting spirit' of football with a truly powerful global platform that will bring new awareness to the EFL internationally."

But this over-embellished screed could not have prepared us for what was to follow. The Carabao Cup - despite increased attendances - has reached unprecedented levels of ineptitude, managing to even surpass the complete mess made by the early rounds of last season's Checkatrade Trophy.

A quick recap on what has happened in the draws so far.

Round one draw

On June 16, 2017 the draw is made in Bangkok for the first round of the 2017-18 Carabao Cup. Eschewing the conventional drawing system, the draw sees clubs divided into seeds and a north and south section.