The Arsenal (A) Carabao Cup Match Thread 19.12.17 19:45

edited December 2017 in Match Threads
Well here we are again, facing off against the Gooners. Those poor poor Gooners who didn’t like the fact we actually defended.

Well tuff, ‘cause we are gonna do it again.

So it’s this ‘nothing dodgy at all about the draw’ cup game we could quite franking do with out. Or could we?

Wenger will probably put out a ‘weaker’ team but what will Moyes do??

Will Moyes play Hart, will he attempt to find our second string. Will he have one eye on the Barcodes game on Saturday.

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Comments

  • edited December 2017
    Play the B team.

    (Although with injuries, we are pretty much down to that anyway).

    Hart in goal.

    Give Ginge more match time. Play Rice for the experience.

    Get 90mins into Ayew, Sakho, Chica.

    Rest Antonio and Arnautovic.

    See how the others are doing fatigue-wise -rest where necessary + make up the numbers with the kids.

    Next few League games crucial for us, and they come thick and fast over Xmas.
  • edited December 2017
    But if we play the b team and lose, Suzanne will lost the match thread duties for the vital game v Newcastle

    I think (much like the team) the match thread should have had a different set up for the carabao cup. Whomever started the Spurs thread in the last round should have started this one, leaving Suzanne to carry on the splendid league efforts for the Newcastle game

    ;lol
  • But if we play the b team and lose, Suzanne will lost the match thread duties for the vital game v Newcastle

    I think (much like the team) the match thread should have had a different set up for the carabao cup. Whomever started the Spurs thread in the last round should have started this one, leaving Suzanne to carry on the splendid league efforts for the Newcastle game

    ;lol

    ;fishslap for your lack of faith in Suz.

    Play a proper team, resting only players who really could do with the rest. Keep the momentum and keep us in something.
  • Hart
    Fernandes, Ginge, Rice, Reid, Johnson
    Obiang, Lanzini, Kouyate
    Ayew, Hernandez

    Maybe Martinez starting?
  • ;doh not Hart again
  • for your lack of faith in Suz

    No lack of faith it is merely squad rotation keeping your best for the league. Although I'd dearly love to tip Aesenal out of the Carabao and give their fans something to moan about ;hmm.......eerrrr.... they don't need help do they ;doh
  • I thought the idea was to win games, on paper we was better then where was in the league.
    why field a below per team , few changes yeah,
    I don’t want good hiding, doc Moyes has done fair sofar,
  • Play our strongest line up and keep the momentum going, win or lose.
  • Regardless of this result IMO Suzanne's league form! Should result in her carrying on starting match thread for league match v Newcastle, this is just a bonus game!
    Onto the game, I'd like to think Moyes will give some fringe & 1 or 2 younger players a chance.

    Really think some who have played 3 in a week need a break & the Toon game is far more important IMO.
  • Herb

    I do think Arnautovic and Antonio need to rest. They will burnout pretty quickly.

    Bring in Sakho and Hernandez. They won’t do the same job exactly but I think they can do it similarly.

    Maybe bring in Ayew (and also Hart), and that should be it. Rice in for Noble assuming he’s injured.
  • Strongest side possible for me. It’s the league cup and it matters, even if it’s sponsored by some two bit far eastern energy drinks mob who make a pigs ear with their stupid on line secret draws and blatant fixing of the ties. It’s still the gooners, we can beat them and still have a bit of Wembley after a disappointing start to this season.
  • I don’t think anyone needs a rest. Resting is all the whole squad did for the first dozen games of the season
  • ------------ GK ------------
    Zab Reid Ogb Cress Mas
    ------ Obiang - Rice -----
    ----------- Ayew ----------
    --- Sakho - Hernandez ---

    Subs: Gk, Pask, Collins, Quina, Arnie, Haksabonic, Carroll

    Goalkeeper - Since it's a cup game, Hart could start but at the same time the team comes before Hart's motives. Playing Hart could upset our defence (who are growing in confidence). Playing Adrian could prevent any defensive issues and continue to strengthen our defensive players confidence and relationships with one another.

    Zab - would like to have rested him but we don't really have any more options there. He can play as a wing back. Masuaku on the other side as a wing back. Again I'd like to have rested him too but I can't see which other players could play as a left wing back.

    Ogbonna - was tempted to rest him and bring in Josh Pask (who I've seen play and he looks very promising) but I think it'll be just one big step too soon for Pask. So Ogbonna should start.

    Imo Collins should not play - he's just came back from injury and played the full 90 minutes at the weekend. I'm surprised he played the full 90 yesterday so I wouldn't very make him start in the cup. It would be a risk to play him again a few days later. Don't forget he's 34 and will probably ache a lot more than our younger players.

    CM - bit thin on the ground so these positions pick themselves - Obiang and Rice. If really necessary (e.g. An injury) we can either bring on Quina who can play in a bit deeper position or play Masuaku as a left sided central midfielder.

    Strikers - Sakho & Hernandez is the partnership I think would work well. Test it out here. Would also be good for those two to build up their fitness and either get Sakho settled at the club again or for him to to get him in the spotlight for the January transfer window. It's also definitely time to rest Antonio and potentially Arnie. It's also a good opportunity to give Ayew a game who did very well a couple of months ago and then got left out of the line up.
  • Adrian has had hardly anything to do for the past couple of games. Why does he need a rest?
    Antonio definitely needs a rest. He hasn't been able to complete the last couple of games due to fatigue. Arnie could possibly do with a rest to get him fully rejuvenated for the Newcastle game.
    We have relatively few options in the other positions.
  • Adrian
    Reid - Ogbonna - Cresswell
    Zabaleta - Rice - Obiang - Masuaku
    Arnautovic - Ayew
    Chicharito
  • need to keep the recent momentum going. Also EFL offers a chance to win a trophy, but it is also a squad game. Rest some players where a suitable replacement is available but filed a strong team. I think Fernandes, Byram, Fonte and Carroll are injured and out; Zab and Antonio (and probably Arnautovic too) need rest and Collins may not be able to two games in four days. We need to keep the same system so that players get used to it. My 5-4-1 flexible selection would be:

    Hart
    Johnson, Rice, Ogbonna, Reid, Masaraku
    Ayew, Obiang, Kouyate, Hernandez
    Sakho

    subs: Adrian, Collins, Arnautovic, Martinez, Quina, Haksabanovic, Samuelsen
  • After the comments Mr Wenger made last Wednesday I think we should play a very open attacking line up so they can rip us to shreds! He thinks all teams should play that way as he doesn't like not winning & woe be tide anyone who stops his side for doing so otherwise he will have a hissy fit at the injustice of it all. ;wink
  • But if we play the b team and lose, Suzanne will lost the match thread duties for the vital game v Newcastle

    I think (much like the team) the match thread should have had a different set up for the carabao cup. Whomever started the Spurs thread in the last round should have started this one, leaving Suzanne to carry on the splendid league efforts for the Newcastle game

    ;lol

    It was me, Suz was too fast, regardless, she starts the barcodes one as it is the one that matters
  • Most interesting choice to be made by Moyes IMO is who starts in goal..
    Adrian all day long for me ;ok
    He just breeds confidence whereas Hart, well he simply hasn't..
  • Moyes has said that Hart will still get games, so I'd be very surprised if Adrian plays tbh.
  • Is the game on the box ?
  • edited December 2017
    Front 3 of Ayew Hernandez Sakho?

    Whose Johnson?????
  • Is the game on the box ?

    No, they're showing Leicester v Man City on Tuesday and Bristol City v Man U on Wednesday.

    Bristol City are 3rd in the Champo, if they get promoted I just hope they change their away strip.......

    https://bristolsport.azureedge.net/media/18663/awaykitpurplelime.jpg?width=1240&height=808&mode=crop
  • Its a difficult one to guage......

    On one hand you want to keep the momentum going and beating Arsenal would give us another huge boost.....and at the same time it sends us to the semi finals of a cup which all the fans would appreicate

    But on the other while we are in much better stead....the club have put in huge effort recently with little rotation and we are picking up injuries

    Id like us to go for the 1st scenario, i think we wont be relgated now so we may as well go for a cup becuase it would be a good season if we finish 15th with a cup compared to 10th with no cups, why nit take the risk

    Adrian
    Collins - Ogbonna - Cresswell
    Zabaleta - Rice - Obiang - Ayew - Masuaka
    Hernandez - Arnautovic

    So minor changes of my own choice, Ayew for Lanzini, Hernandez for Antonio and the enforced one of Rice for Noble

    Its a shame this games comes a bit too early for Byram or Fernandez as Zabaleta would be one of the guys id like to rotate

    Think Arnie needs to play because hes the attacker in the best form and has pace to burn

    Wpuld be interested to see how serious Wenger takes this but i think we can take them or at least force a replay
  • Wegner's no.1 focus is on getting Arsenal back into the Champions League next season, either by grabbing a top 4 finish or winning the Europa League. He needed extra time to get past Norwich last time out

    Moyes has steadied the ship, we're creeping up the table to safety so why not go for a cup?
  • My FF page showing Arnie with a calf injury, and a doubt for the next game ;hmm
  • Calf injury eh? Makes sense as hes been vealy good lately ;run
  • Oh dear ;nonono
  • edited December 2017
    How would FF know that? There has been no mention of that from any source? Are they just assuming because he was subbed and playing well that he was injured? He went down the tunnel but I assumed because stuff was being hurled at him as he seemed to be going towards the bench first. Nothing on physioroom either.
  • Sure I saw after game Moyes said Arnie & Zab both picked up minor injuries... Not sure where I read it tho...
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