Wenger must play Arsenal’s reserves – and a win would be a bonus!
When the Carling Cup draw pitched Arsenal against Manchester City, Arsenal fans were already anticipating a tough, nearly impossible to win match against the dominant team in the League at present. Indeed, there is reason to believe so. The Manchester City squad is a very deep one with immense quality – even players like Nigel De Jong, Edin Dzeko and Kolo Toure are often benched are likely to play against us.
At the same time, it is vital that Arsene Wenger does not attempt to field the strongest team possible and fortunately he will not. The fixture pile up is inevitably going to force Arsenal players to play at their physical limits – that which may snap if they burn out – so for us fans, it would be better not to anticipate too much of a performance in the League Cup. It is merely a bonus incentive, a “carrot on a stick” that Arsenal must put little or close to no priority on.
Of course, it is still important to respect the competition. While it is very much in Wenger’s nature to field a complete “reserve” side (you only have to look back at the 2008/09 League Cup 3rd round, when Arsenal fielded it’s youngest side ever), he will certainly be looking to add some experience to the starting lineup. Arshavin, Benayoun Rosicky, Squillaci and Chamakh the senior players to start.
The result will be either a morale booster or crusher, but one that Arsenal would do well not to read too much into. It is merely a chance, albeit a small one, for Arsenal to try and win something. No matter how unlikely the odds of the Gunners triumphing, we will see if the “second team” can prevail on the day. COYG!
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1st!!!! only joking, i just think a good hiding could damage the 1st teams progress at the momment. i know we will have to face city in the league at somepoint and i do beleive we can beat them but for a carling cup game no risks should be taken. That top 4 finish needs to be are 1 and only priority this season as only with cl football can this club continue to move forward.
Top Gooner!. Agree or not?:
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Wenger if you want to play Chamakh, please play wingers. Preferably Ox and Ryo, people who can actually cross a ball. We all know how dangerous Chamakh is in the air if given decent crosses. Otherwise play a 4 2 4 formation, with Ryo, Chamakh, Park (slightly behind Chamakh) and Ox.
………….Mannone……………
..Kossie….Per…..Miquel…Santos
……Frimpong…….Benayoun……
…………..Park………………
..Ox……….Chamakh……….Ryo..
Top Gooner!. Agree or not?:
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Arshavin, Benayoun, Rosicky, Chamakh, players that most likely will be on the pitch for the game tonight, are proven, quality players.
Bottom line is this. Arsenal have quality players on the squad and players with great potential that are hungry to prove themselves.
We are not the underdogs in the game tonight and let us expect for good things to happen for AFC!
Top Gooner!. Agree or not?:
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although,will many obtacles arsenal can win a title in this season.
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We should not play our 1st team cos if they were to lose to Shittys reserves it would really mess up the momentum that we have going at the moment
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unfortunately it doesn’t matter what team we put out, if we have Flappyanski between the posts… we’re screwed.
Opinions divided. What do you think?
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Hope arsenal wins..manc have never won at the emirates
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oh…ok i must have missed something – sorry
last years finalists…
always been a decent competition for us….
realistically now only playing for 4th place in the league at best…
so we should toss the baby out with the bath water and discard the chance of actually winning something – and for what…
resting players for what may or may not occur somewhere up the road ?
this is also a chance to lay down a marker on a team that is beatable…or are we to assume that they are to sweep all before them from now on – if thats the case why bother at all
football is not cut n’ dried – newcastle last season showed us that…GO FO IT – FULL BORE
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Will the city players who are playing take the game seriously? If not then Arsenal may get a result. If they field fringe players it may be felt that those players will not respect the competition and not try their hardest, Dzecko fits this mould.
If Arsenal do field a young squad, City players may be over confident. One of the main reasons arsenal’s young players play so well in this competition is because they see it as an opportunity, and consequently play in most cases, above themselves. This coupled with city perhaps being lazy and over confident may make for a posotive result.
I would question whether playing players who have voiced a desire to leave Arsenal would have a detrimental affect on the result and morale of those younger players using this game as an opportunity. I refer to Fabianski primarily, also perhaps Arshavin.
This game is for OX, Ryo, Chamake, Frimpong, Ogyazkup, yennaris
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Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
Out of tune?. Like or Dislike:
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I say go for it as well. Play RVP for 30-45mins. Let him do his thing, score then take him off when he’s done his job. We have to score first to put the pressure on. If we beat them, then we at least have a 2 leg semi final to look forward to. We could draw cardiff of Blackburn in the next round you never know! Let’s hope Wenger can take a risk and ensure we get through. I’m sorry but playing for 4th place in the league sucks! We need to get the trophy monkey off our backs. Only then will that instill true belief!
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Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
Out of tune?. Like or Dislike:
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Don’t you just love intelligent man city fans that appear to be spending their time making wonderfully insightful comments on other teams sites.
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He ashole listen i tellin you (man city rules ) due to the fact that man city have got exceptional players does not mean that they are great get your underdog squad and will pit the same with you asking for trouble is you who is commin to arsenal fan website . Just for the records man city havn’t beaten arsenal at arsenal second of all you were once begger team money brings only temporary satisfaction
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Ya Ya Ya !!!! where would Shitty be now if they didnt get all the money ??? back in the championship or league 1 , exactly where they deserve to be !! and you know thats the truth!
I really do hope we beat you scumbags tonight! The OX will burn Clichy ever day of the week and i park will bend 2 -3 goals into that top corner of yours to finish off another lovely passing move that cuts your slow defence apart.
p.s Nasri’s the one who better watch his ankles !!!!!not VP.
dickhead!!!
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idiot man city fan celebrating a man utd result. he sounds like a man utd come chelsea come city fan
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@Man City Rule
I can understand that you have dissapointing and sad life, because you support Man Shi*tty, but try to get a life. I know it hurts to play against 13 times champions but make us all a favour and shout you blue mouth. Go cry to your sheikh, that’s all you have!
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I’d like to see players like Chamakh and Arshavin really push themselves to the limits in games like these. If they get the starts that they always think they should get then they damn well better prove they deserve them. If they don’t show enough effort (Arshavin) then sub them at the half and give the young guns, who will run themselves into the pitch trying their hardest, a shot to impress. If ever there were a chance for someone to step up and really say “Hey, I deserve a real look at the first team” then games and seasons like this are them.
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@ADMIN
can you not ban the city fan or something? a few weeks ago it was a spud running riot on here aswell!
@man city fan, barry is suspended you wally!! maybe if you spent more time worrying about your own team rather than ours youd know this and also know hargreaves is taking his place. what a complete nut sack!!
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@ man city can’t understand why you want to bore us all the time do you come from manchester or are you a glory supporter?i think you must have been a frustrated Arsenal supporter that has no loyaltys.awaiting your reply, oh and can’t wait for the day you go BUST!
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i no who the man city fan is? its ADAM KEMP!!!!!!!
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To big gun. i completely agree with the line up except instead of park benyaoun at attacking mid. And then put coquelin at holding mid with frimpong.
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I don’t really care about the competition but this is about proving ourselves that arsenal methods are better than just having huge budgets. SO i’d play
Fab/Manonne
Coquelin/Yennaris Kos Miquel Santos/Coquelin
Diaby Frimpong
Ox Benayoun/Rosicky
Park Chamakh
If coquelin has a decent left foot i’d play yennaris as the RB.
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Chamakh, Quality player? You Mad!? I’m a die hard Arsenal fan, i go to EVERY game and I’ve watched enough to know Chamakh is one of the worst Strikers we’ve had at Arsenal. Big woop de do, he’s good in the air, so what? He’s slow, rubbish first touch and can’t shoot! End of.
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Seems like there are a lot of Man city fans all of a sudden. I have been going to Manchester every weekend for 2 years, and went to University in Manchester for 3 years before that. I remember never seeing anyone wearing a Man city shirt in Manchester and now they are all over the place, same thing happened at Chelsea.
Glory hunters?
At least at Arsenal all the fans here support the club for it’s footballing principles and not how much money we spend that we didn’t earn. If it wasn’t Man City it would have been another English club, Everton, Fulham. Be humble to have this luck shed upon you or else just 4 years ago remember Man city were struggling to even stay in the Premiership whilst Arsenal were winning everything.
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Squad announced on Arsenal.com, no RVP or Theo or Sches.
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Fabianski
Djourou
Koscielny
Vermaelen
Miquel
Frimpong
Benayoun
Coquelin
Gervinho
Chamakh
Arshavin
Subs:
Mannone
Yennaris
Squillaci
Eastmond
Ozyakup
Chamberlain
Park
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Squad: Arshavin, Benayoun, Chamakh, Coquelin, Djourou, Eastmond, Fabianski, Frimpong, Gervinho, Koscielny, Park, Mannone, Miquel, Yennaris, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Ozyakup, Squillaci, Vermaelen…
I’d start with
Mannone
Yennaris, Koscielny , Squillaci, Miquel
Coquelin, Arshavin, Benayoun
Oxlade-Chamberlain, Park, Chamakh
I really liked the interaction between Arshavin and Park against Bolton. Add the 2 CBs, Benayoun and Chamakh and there is a lot of experience. Yennaris played well at right back some weeks ago but I’d like to keep Vermaelen and Djourou out of the equation unless needed as tehy are currently much more important to our EPL effort. The only alternative for me would be to replace Koscielny with Djourou,
Subs: Fabianski, Djourou, Eastmond, Frimpong, Gervinho, Vermaelen, Ozyakup
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Perhaps you took my comment about Ryo being in Japan with the ladies team the wrong way. Someone said he should play tonight but he actually is out there with them as injured and doing an ambassador roll.
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start vermalean and with that squad i dont give us hope.
None of them would get into city’s starting 11 and most of them wouldnt even get into their 2nd 11.
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@Travis Bickle, I said the very same thing ! they all nothing but fake fans who wouldnt of been caught dead wearing the jerseys they wear now. Some day Man City will run out of money what was it a loss of nearly 200 million in 1 year? ha , tehy wont keep that up for long, and it only a matter of time before RA gets tierd of his playing “Chelski” .
Roll on the gunners !!! we will always be up at top . THEY WONT
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