No team has won the FA Cup three times in a row since Blackburn in 1878, so it would be an incredible achievement for Arsene Wenger to guide Arsenal to this historic treble. Having already announced that he won’t be playing his reserves, he is adamant that this is a big target for the Gunners this season.
“Everybody wants to achieve something special but the best way to do it is to go step by step,” Le Prof said on Arsenal.com. “We play against a Premier League team and we have learnt in the last 20 games that any Premier League team is a massive problem to face. The only way to deal with it is to give absolutely everything.
“It’s a good challenge [to try and win three in a row] and we’ll take it on. We have the desire to do well and to do it again. Let’s see how we get on in the first test and let’s deal with that. We have enough confidence, enough desire, so let’s turn up with a positive performance.
“The FA Cup has been fantastic for me,” added Wenger. “When I was a child I dreamed of winning the FA Cup and now, when I look back, I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to go to Wembley so many times.
“It’s always a special moment but this is a new start all over again. It’s a long journey to get there and that’s why we have good memories. We want to start well again.”
First of all Arsenal have to get past Sam Allardyce’s Sunderland side, who gave us a hard first half in our recent League meeting. Big Sam has indicated that he will play reserves, but Wenger will not be taking any chances by tinkering with a winning side and is expecting Sunderland to give us a fight. “They are a team who have turned up with some great performances recently and I think their belief is reinstated,” said Wenger.
“For a while they lacked confidence but Sam Allardyce has managed again to give them belief and they have shown that against us [in December]. It was a difficult game. We gave them some chances but in the end we managed to win 3-1 but it was a very difficult game.
“We know that if you want to deal well today with a Premier League opponent the first thing you do is not look at the table, because that does not tell you anything about the quality of your opponent. Just prepare yourself to face a tough game and to give everything and that is the only way to go.”
I am confident that we have more than enough quality to deal with Sunderland again, and hopefully get far enough in front to give a few of our top players a rest ahead of the clash with Liverpool in midweek.
Come on you Gunners! Let’s make history!
I predict a line up of
…..ospina……
Bell…mert…gab…gibbs
…….chamb…ramsey
Ox…ozil…..jeff
…..walcott…
Artetta will play in the second half
Everything is about right I would say, except that Ozil almost certainly won’t be playing. He wasn’t in the training pictures and he had a extended rest after new year, Which is in my opinion a right thing. I think Ox comes in the middle and Campbell comes in the right wing.
Come on gunners! Let’s do this and achieve fa cup glory! Let’s get the 3 peat! Coyg!
someone please tell me wats wrong with welbeck, was he shot or something, even soldiers fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, would have recovered by now. smh.
Our assist king mesut ozil to get a well deserve rest for “rambo” to do battle in his place! Coyg!
arsenal hasn’t played for a week and all olayers will be fresh so why do we need to rest our game changer mesut ozil
Ospina
Debuchy Chambers Gabriel Gibbs
Arteta Ramsey
Campbell Ox Walcott
Giroud
The Emirates FA cup!
Sure we all know who owns the emirates…
The Arabs?
Ospina
Debuchy Per Gabriel Gibbs
Chambers Ramsey
Campbell Rene-Adelaide Chamberlain
Walcott
I want Chambers to continue in midfield…. Don’t want to juggle him between CB and DM for two different positions
different *matches
Sack that old fool
Team news:
Cech
Bellerin, Gabriel, Kos, Gibbs
Chambers, Oxlade-Chamberlain
Campbell, Iwobi, Walcott
Giroud
ThIs is a great opportunity for some players who have not played much or played poorly to show what they are capable off.
I really hope we don’t draw, I don’t want a replay
Let’s win and have a wonderful weekend