Our annual meeting in the Cup with Hull will kickoff early at Ashburton Grove: 12:45 PM GMT, 7:45 AM EST, 2:45 AM HST. Fox Sports 1 will have it on your magical glowing box. Seems like old times. Things get tough after this one, so let's take the opportunity to rest a couple players, beat these clowns, and get out with no injuries. Maybe a goal for Alexis can spark him back into life. Up the Arsenal.
Anyone know if our two players will be playing against us ? I would presume so, as AW doesn't like the rule generally.
He let Sanchez Watt play against us, so I'd assume you're correct that he'll allow it. No guarantee that Bruce will think it's a good idea, though, so they may not play anyway.
Let's rest a bunch of players Ospina, Bellerin (ugh), Chambers, Per, Gibbs El Neny, Flam Theo, Iwobi, Alexis (get sharp) Welbz, Joel, Ox, Cech, Ramsey, Nacho
Agree with this lineup. Although I may go with Ox starting instead. I think we really need to try to get him going. Theo, not sure what to do with him at this point. Yes, he scored a goal against Leicester, but his overall play is lacking. We need to get Ox's potential out of him.
Welbz isn't going to start a week after coming back from 10 months out. Neither is Alexis with Barca on Tuesday. Ospina Don't know who at right back - Chambers - Gabriel - Gibbs Elneny - Flam Joel - Iwobi - Ox Giroud Bench - Cech - Mertesacker - Monreal - Coquelin - Ramsey - Alexis - Jeff Theo should start against Barca.
How come? I don't see any Brazil matches until March. EDIT - Hamstring treatment with former club. Strange no?
I tossed this one up Ox/Theo, but Theo needs minutes. I guess Alexis can get sharp pulling sub duty too. I'm down on Ox these days as he's been a turnover machine.
http://www.espnfc.us/arsenal/story/2809420/arsenal-defender-gabriel-paulista-in-brazil-for-treatment His old club is like family. He still struggles with English a year on. Not sure quite how to read this, but I'll chalk it up to lost in translation and a good old fashioned case of homesickness.
Disagree. I said it last year after landing an away fixture to Man United in the quarter finals, and I'll say it again this year: I don't want to win the FA Cup through a series of lucky draws. To be the best, you have to beat the best. That win was the highlight of the season for me last year. Sure beating Aston Villa was sweet at Wembley, but I have fonder memories of the boys going to Old Trafford and Danny Welbeck haunting his former club by scoring the game winner. They don't all have to be top level matchups, but you have to at least beat somebody good along the way!
AW will do a turnover but will not start a makeshift line up, he does not generally do that in the FA Cup.
I wonder if the Champs League might be a lower priority- second place in the league, decent position in the FA cup. I'm sure they'll have a go, but this Barca team is really good and may be a bit of a lost cause.
Very good point! Let's take care of Hull first and give ourself a chance to make history in the FA Cup.
That is what I would do. Besides if we tank versus this barca team it will not hurt team morale if we don't even try.
I think he must have a pretty big case of it actually. Because at this stage in the season to fly all the way over there for a hammie seems unusual to say the least. (not to mention that his problematic English skills won't be getting any better over there) But I'm also left wondering how bad it is. Since it happened in training apparently there's no video of the actual injury for us to judge. He's an important backup, and he has speed that can be vital when Per's slowness is too much liability. Cross fingers if we go with a CB combo this weekend of Per + Chambers!
I don't hold a lot of hope for the Barca tie but miracles do happen. Bar that, I'd settle for a decent showing at home... A draw, narrow loss, a last minute Welbeck winner. Throwing in the towel would not look good for the club, so let's have a go at them. With that said, I think we'll see changes against Hull, but not whole sale changes. Walcott Alexis. Campbell Iwobi Elneny. Coquelin Gibbs. Bellerin Chambers BFG Cech
Let's not forget that Bruce has Hull playing well. They're leading the 2nd tier. We can't take them for granted and need to put out a strong enough side to win. And as someone might've said, losing to Hull at home would probably be a bigger psychological setback overall than losing the tie to Barca. Decisions like these are why Wenger gets the big bucks! Even if they are rather obscenely big bucks.