Location: Blackpool Time: 1730 GMT/1230 EST/bust out the calculator TV: ESPN+ (gross)/soccerstreams Blackpool sit in league 1, so good time to play at least some kids. Just don't do what happened last year.
Oh god yes... please please Emery play kids and second-teamers. Give our exhausted first-teamers more rest!!!
Interesting to see how Unai views the Cup's importance. I'd like to win the damn thing, but the 1st team needs rest. We'll see.
Thinking about who we might play in this one reminded me of an article I read recently about Emery from his Valencia days. I think it’s written by a Valencia fan fwiw, but there was a very pertinent section: https://bleacherreport.com/articles...ery-is-one-of-the-worlds-best-managers#slide2 75 matches without fielding the same lineup in consecutive matches—Jesus. So no point in even trying to predict the 11.
I think both are happening. He's making 1 or 2 changes every match, but he's got a core of players (e.g. Torreira, Auba) who he leans heavily on, which can induce burn out or injury. What he doesn't seem to be doing much is de-prioritizing certain competitions like EFL and playing predominantly youth & second-teamers. Maybe this weekend in the FA Cup he'll prove me wrong. I hope.
Not that I want to see any of these 4 play on Saturday but it's a little bit heartening to see that all of them have the same status of "Being assessed ahead of Blackpool": Bellerin Monreal Mustafi Ozil Actually, I will only be able to watch the first half of this match live, due to other commitments. So here's to 3-1 at HT! With goals by Elneny, Nketiah & Saka.
It could be a sedate US Open Cup type home crowd there tomorrow, with the boycott and all. They'd surely love it our traveling supporters decided to respect that and show up on fewer numbers, but I doubt that'll happen. Should be a good day for us to out-sing them.
The Blackpool vs. Arsenal game at 5:30pm could be delayed due to a Blackpool fan refusing to get off of the roof of the Arsenal team bus. You couldn't make it up. #AFC pic.twitter.com/eWd4aEzOkt— Football Tweet ⚽ (@Football__Tweet) January 5, 2019
They hate the owners: https://www.theguardian.com/footbal...ckpool-arsenal-fan-boycott-fa-cup-third-round
I’m becoming more curious as to our starting lineup and bench for this one. Caught some of the ManU and Chelsea matches already this morning, and both those sides played a lot of regular starters. Chelsea even subbed on Hazard in the first half...
This man just fields his nearly best available team for every game regardless of the competition. I would've liked a bit more youth, maybe even in defense, but I guess I'll take this. (At least Auba didn't travel thank god, but Torreira on the bench is a little too close for my liking) Arsenal: Cech Lichtsteiner Sokratis Koscielny (c) Kolasinac Elneny Ramsey Maitland-Niles Willock Iwobi Nketiah Substitutes: Martinez Jenkinson Medley Guendouzi Torreira Saka Lacazette
ESPN+ ********ing rules. It's $5 a month and there's a ton of content that doesn't murder your computer, and can be streamed through your TV. What don't you like about it?
Kos picks up an injury during warmup, so Jenks is in! A front 3 of AMN, Nketiah & Iwobi. Come on lads!!!! Mike Dean is the ref... oh boy, watch out for red cards.
I guess since I was paying $90 for MLS Live, ESPN+ seems like a steal, because it includes MLS for half the price, plus everything else that comes with it.
Lichtsteiner just got turned and beaten badly by a guy with 5 goals in 22 League One games this year. Should've been the opener.
My ESPN+ stream quality ain't great today. Dropped frame glitches like every 10-15 secs. Any of you seeing similar?