Arsenal (A) - FA Cup 3rd Rnd, Sun 7th Jan 2024 (4:30pm)

[Trumo]

Work-rate. Incisiveness. Nous.

 

I don't ask for much.

 

This is how it's gonna be. Build from the ground up.

 

I suspect both sides will go quite strong for this one. We have the League Cup semis to follow but otherwise, the Premier League is on a winter break so players will essentially be rested then. They have been strict with these breaks before, not allowing teams to swan off all over the globe to play in lucrative friendlies. Teams can go to places like Dubai for warm weather training and bonding exercises but they aren't allowed to play matches. Of course there's an issue with the domestic cup scheduling in January, as you have the aforementioned League Cups semis, plus a potential FA Cup 3rd Round replay. We had this issue a few years ago, and put out a youth side for a cup replay against Shrewsbury. The players then did the club proud, coming away with a 1-0 win against their experienced opponents. I don't think Jurgen or the players will see the FA Cup as a needless distraction. They certainly didn't 2 years ago, although that cup run wasn't fraught with hazards until we got to the semis.

 

The two sides last met in this competition in the 5th Round 10 years ago, and Howard Webb was in top Howard Webb form. Only a few weeks earlier, he'd denied us a penalty for a blatant foul on Suarez in the Chelsea penalty area in a game at Stamford Bridge. Earlier in that match, he'd declined to give Samuel Eto'o a straight red card for nearly snapping Hendo's leg with a reckless challenge. Eto'o of course went on to score the winner in that game. Against Arsenal, we weren't at full strength but we did have Suarez and Sturridge in tandem up front. Both had chances but couldn't display the ruthless finishing that had characterised their (and our) season. Ox put Arsenal ahead when he fired home the loose ball after Brad Jones had saved from another Arsenal effort. Podolski doubled their advantage in the second half, getting ahead of his marker to fire home Ox's cut-back. We got a goal back from the spot, with Stevie burying his penalty after Suarez had been clumsily fouled in the box by Podolski. The game's main talking point was yet to come. Suarez hit a free-kick from 25 yards into the wall. The ball broke back to him, and he turned and raced into the box down the left corner of the area. Another touch beat the defender (Ox) who absolutely wiped him out. Somehow Webb decided there was nothing doing. The same Webb who for years had given the red Mancs the softest of penalties at Old Trafford didn't see a much more blatant offence as a foul. Bald SYP bellend who has since failed upwards in true Tory fashion.

 

I expect Mac will be back in the middle in Endo's place, and I think Harvey will start this one. Mo is away at the AFCON and Dom might be missing after coming off with a hamstring injury on Monday night. I think we should try Lucho on the right, with Darwin in the middle and Diogo on the left. Diogo's play can be a little scruffy at times, but at others his link-up play is very good. And bar Mo, he has the best eye for goal at the club. He also has a very good goalscoring record against Arsenal. I'll take a place in the 4th round however it comes, but again I would expect motivation, concentration, attitude and application to be absolutely on point from first minute to last. Get it done!

[ZonkoVille77]

I'm not fussed about this game to be honest. I would suspect they'll be more up for it than us given the spell they're going through and that they might see it as the only avenue they have to win a trophy. I'll be interested to see what the front 3 looks like and I'd expect to see Elliot start. We might lose this narrowly depending on who the cunt ref is.

 

We're fuckin shite. 

[AngryOfTuebrook]

I suspect Klopp will want to rotate the squad for this; maybe start with kids, but have a strong bench.  Unfortunately, getting past Arsenal with kids won't be as easy as beating Shrewsbury or Everton.

 

We're going as well as possible in three competitions - am I being greedy in wanting us to win four?

 

Just get these beat, Reds.

[bossy]

I’d like us to continue our upward form trajectory, er play good, but mostly I’d like us to win.

[Scott_M]

I think we’ll go stronger than most think. I don’t think it’ll be 100%, I dont think it’ll be 7/8/9 changes either. 
 

Our Xmas fixtures fell well as we’ve had 6 days between Burnley & Newcastle and then another 6 days before this. 
 

After this, we play Fulham on Wednesday night and the don’t play again for 11 days at Bournemouth. 
 

Quite a few have been rotated in December, there should no reason Mac Allister, Gravenberch, Jones, Gakpo, Diaz, Jota or Elliott shouldn’t be all starting. 
 

I will admit to being a bit worried about the defensive areas. Konate & Gomez are never the most durable and Trent & VVD have played quite a lot recently. No issue with Quansah starting, it feels too much to also start Bradley & Beck or Chambers. Wouldn’t surprise me if Trent, Gomez, Konate & VVD all played 45/60 mins each.  

[aws]

I think Bradley and Beck will get some minutes in the cup games to avoid over-playing Trent and Joe.  Quansah will probably start them all. 

[Mook]

I'm 98% convinced we'll go out here.

 

If we want to be winning the other competitions we are in, a run in the cup would really stretch the squad & I reckon Klopp will be thinking much the same.

 

I'd love us to turn up & twat these pricks but I would be amazed if we did.

[manwiththestick]

Their almost full strength team will beat our not full strength team and they'll all start chatting wham again.

[Bjornebye]

I reckon Arteta will change it up more than Jurgen. Endo goings a big loss in the middle, good to have Macca back. I'd start Elliot and all. 

 

I hate this fixture. 

[El Rojo]

A lot of focus on Salah and Endo heading away, but the losses of Matip, Tsimikas and Robertson have absolutely screwed us in defence - we can’t afford to lose any of Van Dijk, Konate or Gomez ahead of the Milk Cup semis. 

 

Bradley, Beck and Quansah have to start. Shame we don’t have another reserve centre half to join them.

 

For all that, we’re often shite and disjointed after any decent break for our starters, so there’s no guarantees with any approach. 

[Scott_M]

I assume Carvalho, Phillips and Williams are all available for us?

[Scott_M]

16 minutes ago, El Rojo said:

Bradley, Beck and Quansah have to start. Shame we don’t have another reserve centre half to join them.

Like the WHU game, I’d start Quansah and VVD and look to change VVD for Konate after an hour. 
 

Similar at left back. I’d start Gomez and look to bring on Chambers or Beck after 45/60 mins. 
 

I’d do the opposite at right back - start Bradley and then look to bring on Trent. 
 

Make sure we stay in the game as long as possible and try and force a winner with more attacking changes towards the end. 
 

I just hope nobody gets injured. 

[El Rojo]

4 minutes ago, Scott_M said:

I just hope nobody gets injured. 

That’s now a potentially season-destroying risk until the end of those international tournaments and Robbo’s return. 
 

On your earlier post, I read somewhere that Carvalho can’t play for us this season. Not sure if that’s 100%.

 

Even big Nat might make yet another resurrection in his bizarre career with us. 

[halewood pete]

1 hour ago, Mook said:

I'm 98% convinced we'll go out here.

 

If we want to be winning the other competitions we are in, a run in the cup would really stretch the squad & I reckon Klopp will be thinking much the same.

 

I'd love us to turn up & twat these pricks but I would be amazed if we did.

 

[Evelyn Tentions]

20 minutes ago, El Rojo said:

That’s now a potentially season-destroying risk until the end of those international tournaments and Robbo’s return. 
 

On your earlier post, I read somewhere that Carvalho can’t play for us this season. Not sure if that’s 100%.

 

Even big Nat might make yet another resurrection in his bizarre career with us. 

If Carvalho starts for us, he can't then go out on loan again - players are only allowed to play for 2 teams a season.

[3 Stacks]

Neither team will care if they lose this.

[AngryOfTuebrook]

1 hour ago, El Rojo said:

A lot of focus on Salah and Endo heading away, but the losses of Matip, Tsimikas and Robertson have absolutely screwed us in defence - we can’t afford to lose any of Van Dijk, Konate or Gomez ahead of the Milk Cup semis. 

 

Bradley, Beck and Quansah have to start. Shame we don’t have another reserve centre half to join them.

 

For all that, we’re often shite and disjointed after any decent break for our starters, so there’s no guarantees with any approach. 

In 2020 we recalled Nat Phillips from loan at Stuttgart, played him for one game, knocked the Shite out with a bunch of kids, then immediately sent him back to Stuttgart.

 

Let's do that again.

[Code]

Is Salah deffo out for this one?

 

I see Onana will be allowed to play. 

[an tha]

1 hour ago, Evelyn Tentions said:

If Carvalho starts for us, he can't then go out on loan again - players are only allowed to play for 2 teams a season.

Yeah.

 

FIFA rules forbid players from representing three clubs during a single season.

 

Those regulations are why neither Fabio Carvalho or Rhys Williams are expected to be involved this weekend as we want to send them on loan again.

[an tha]

3 minutes ago, Code said:

Is Salah deffo out for this one?

 

I see Onana will be allowed to play. 

Salah is out

[an tha]

Kelleher

 

TAA

Quansah

VVD

Gomez

 

Mac Allister

Gravenberch

Jones

 

Elliott

Gakpo

Diaz

[Turkish Delight]

I think their fans could turn if we score early. Worst nightmare is a draw with a replay in the winter break. We played a full on youth team last time we that happened as the first team were all given a holiday. I don't fancy shelling out for a ticket to watch them put half a dozen past us.

[aws]

1 hour ago, Code said:

Is Salah deffo out for this one?

 

I see Onana will be allowed to play. 

I think Salah has already gone.  The Mancs must have cut a special deal for Onana to join up late. 

[an tha]

33 minutes ago, aws said:

I think Salah has already gone.  The Mancs must have cut a special deal for Onana to join up late. 

It is because when they signed him he was retired from international shite - but then reversed his decision in September.

 

So they've managed to agree a deal with Cameroon.

[rubble-rouser]

I think our chances of winning this are slim whatever side we put out. I’d rather go strong against Fulham and ensure we get to Wembley than risk ending up with injuries to key players or to a replay.

 

I do think we can out out a relatively strong midfield - Macca, Elliot and Gravenberch - but beyond that I would be very wary of playing any of Trent, Virgil, Gomez, Konate, Diaz, Jota or Nunez. Of course we’ll have to play some of them, but this is at present our least important game in January for me.