EFL Cup – Semi Leg 2 Thursday 20 Jan 2022 The Grove USA “TV”: ESPN+ 2:45pm ET OK, hold your hats, here we go again! With LFC being the bookies favorite once more... even though our ragged and shagged 10 men held them to 1 shot , 0 goals in leg 1 at Anfield. After that we “successfully” dodged playing the NLD, by playing the please-show-some-pity-on-our-decimated-squad-as-you’ve-done-for-other-teams card... which hopefully puts us in better stead. No official presser by the boss yet, but I saw in the news: Illness/injury returnees should include: Odegaard, Tierney, Chambers, Saka, Gabriel Loan returnees: Azeez, John-Jules (don’t know em well, but assume they’re for later not now) AFCON returnee we REALLY need: Partey (Ghana was just knocked out, but it may be too soon) AFCON returnee to ignore?: PEA (reportedly sent home early for partying/curfew breach and/or Covid illness, w/o playing a minute) At Anfield, the boys did everyone proud, and left a smile on my face. But still, I have no friggin idea what to expect in 2 days. Normally I subscribe to the be-positive/high-energy-press/good-offense-is-the-best-defense school of footy. But maybe having 22% possession again against the “mighty Liverpool” is our secret weapon? I guess I’m not alone in saying I’ll take a result, ANY OLD WAY they can get it. Chelski at Wembley awaits.
That is not accurate about Aubameyang. The partying was shortly before the tournament (and presumed by many to be the reason he got COVID-19). He was sent back after some heart lesions were discovered, probably myocarditis as a result of the infection.
Hmm. I was going by the info that @chjoak provided in this post: https://www.bigsoccer.com/threads/random-arsenal-shizzle.1994522/page-28#post-40202809 I will edit my original post, to put some disclaimer language on this. And in any case, the main point was that Auba is not likely to be of any/much help against Liverpool, or perhaps the foreseeable future, which is pretty sad when you get right down to it.
Aubameyang slammed the rumors cited by @chjoak in a Twitter post. Re Partey: It is to soon, they played a man down for 65 minutes, I doubt Arteta risks him against Liverpool, though he could be on the bench. He’ll be back in the starting lineup on the weekend.
there was a video of a party before the tournament that some claim was an "end of camp" dinner get together (granted, it was dark venue with flashing lights so . . . take what you will from that). have not really heard anything about any partying since.
Thomas Partey is travelling back to London today after Ghana's exit from #AFCON2021.#AFC hopeful he will be ready in time for Sunday's game against Burnley.Odegaard back in the squad for tomorrow night's Carabao Cup semi-final. https://t.co/JbU1obSjjs— Chris Wheatley (@ChrisWheatley) January 19, 2022 No Partey, yes Odegaard
Partey as expected, Odegaard as hoped. Also, just skimmed the transcript of Arteta's presser: - ESR, Tommy & Odegaard: his quote makes it sound as though they're all a bit iffy, unless I'm misreading it? Was something different said about MO? - Azeez has Covid (interesting that he disclosed that?!) so he'll not be involved - Otherwise, he said "no new covid cases" in our first team... phew Edit: I just listened to it, and my main reaction is: You gotta love Arteta's calm and confidence in his pressers, especially at a time when pressure's on from several points of view... https://www.arsenal.com/mikel-arteta-press-conference-liverpool-carabao-cup-partey-auba-covid
I also did a quick check of Liverpool Team News: * As are we, they're still missing all their AFCON players: Salah, Mane, Keita * AOC is out injured * They're non-committal about which keeper they'll play (I'd be a bit shocked if we didn't play our new #1)
Pro: Away goals will not figure into tonight's result Con: Martin Atkinson is the HR I'm more nervous than usual for this particular semi
Tomiyasu starts. Lokonga + Odegaard in MF. (Partey didn't make the squad) ESR in the 10 spot. Our bench is super thin and young, so pray this is decided in 90.
Extra time was scrapped for all rounds except the final in 2018, so we're good on that front. Straight to penalties if it's tied.
Arsenal say on twitter that Cedric, Leno and Chambers are all out with injury. Don't believe Leno and Chambers had been reported before, their absenses would have contributed to the sp*rs cancellation. Edit: well maybe not Leno since he is a GK, I don't know if Hein counts as a senior player or not.
TV feed showed Partey on the bench, whereas Arsenal.com & other websites did not. Hmm. Maybe an ultra last-minute decision or a bit of gamesmanship?
Martinelli really tearing it up down the left. The first 10' has been all us. Out of the gates with all sorts of intensity, just like Leg 1 IIRC
That was a terrible goal to concede. Tomiyasu got worked, White not quick enough to block, and Ramsdale really needed to do a lot better.
Right before that goal I was going to post this: It's a very young crowd tonight and the atmosphere is lacking a bit. 55K home fans are not making as much noise as 3-5K away fans did last week. Maybe an Arsenal goal would bring them to life?
The announcer just said that extra time is on the cards tonight. Not sure what's the truth but I do know that I don't want us to have to play 120!