Has Wenger simply made the League Cup a bigger priority than the FA Cup?

When Arsene Wenger made 9 changes to his Arsenal team that travelled to Nottingham on Sunday, and did not even have any of his top First team players on the bench in case things didn’t go to plan, was this a sign that he was saving his best side to face Chelsea on Wednesday in the Caraboa Cup semi-final?

Despite Wenger’s brilliant record in the FA Cup, he knows that in the latter stages you have extra fixtures that can distract you from the fight for the Top Four and this season the Gunners could even be in a tougher fight than usual, and as he said before the Forest game, it is far from easy to win. He was asked if he had extra pressure as holders and he replied: “Yes, of course, but there is an incentive as well to maintain our record, and overall the FA Cup is a very important competition. To win trophies – in every country – is so difficult, that everybody really goes for it, absolutely and completely.”

And it is tough. Arsenal had to beat Man City in the semi’s last year and Chelsea in the Final, so perhaps he thinks it would make more sense to actually go for the League Cup (which he has never won) and he only has to beat Chelsea over the two-legged semi final before facing Man City in the Final. That will be less of a distraction than a long run in the FA Cup, so maybe he took a bigger chance with his FA Cup selection than he usually would, in the hope that his first team would be fresh to face Chelsea. In fact the BBC pundit Chris Sutton thinks this is exactly what he has done. He said: “It is super arrogant to think you will breeze past Forest,”

“If you knew the game was going to be difficult, why would you not pick your strongest team? He has prioritised the League Cup over the FA Cup.

“Wenger has taken Nottingham Forest too lightly. He has to carry the can for that. Arsenal are regressing under Wenger.”

Are they regressing? Or has Wenger simply taken a calculated gamble (that went wrong) to keep a stronger team for the League Cup game on Wednesday?

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19 Comments

  1. Wenger’s priorities have decreased over time innit:
    From winning the PL and making the CL final to making the Top 4 and winning FA Cup. Now we aren’t in Top 4. Not in CL and not in FA Cup. All that’s left is Europa and League Cups.

    We are unlikely to finish in the Top 4 especially if Alexis leaves in January.
    I also think there is a real risk of not even finishing in ths Top 5. We are likely to do worse than last season unless we win Europa league.

    So i say play our best players in Europa League (winning it would give us a trophy we’ve never won and getting us back in Champions League) and League Cup (its only 3 matches anyway or 2 matches if we lose to Chelsea).

    Ultimately its Wenger to blame. He has put us in this terrible position innit

  2. sanchez willing to sacrifice a 25 million £ bonus if he waits until summer to go to city, but he still wants out in january, that tells you alot right there, something is wrong in that clubhouse,

    1. Yes, something might be wrong in that clubhouse. But that stinky attitude of $ancash is affecting everyone’s morale as well.

      1. Nobody has any morale at this club
        Only fighter in the club left is Alexis who’ll leave soon( maybe Ozil as well becoz of his quality
        The rest are p*****s

  3. The FA Cup at around 150 years old is the oldest knockout competition in the world, whereas the League Cup, first played for in 1960’s has nowhere near the credence. However it wouldn’t surprise me at all if Wenger prioritised League Cup just as an excuse for the woeful performance the other night. I wonder now what’s his going to do about Iwobe considering he sacked Szcezsny for smoking a cigarette. Partying till 3-30 am the night before a game is unforgivable. Hopefully, it’s the perfect excuse to get rid of him

    1. Arshavin was dropped for partying and drinking

      Chamakh was dropped for smoking hooka and club

  4. Players give zero fucks about Wenger they are waiting for a real manager to come in and actually teach them ,like basic defending 101 or when you break 4 against two how to actually not play yourself off side.Wenger were arrogant in the fa cup and got seriously punished with woeful players like Wally and Welbz having atrocious games.He didnt intentionally dump the fa cup he made a huge
    miscalculation and got punished,end of story.

    1. There is no excuse there Mr wenger said it in his press conference” repeated mistakes” has no excuse partying till 3:30 at the morning just before a game is a decrease and shows contempt
      Unless Mr Wnger takes the bull by the horn and fixes the problems at hand immediately or face a spiral to the bottom hope though it dose not end up in panic buys but rather intelligent buys and sorting out our internal problems He has been in football for 35 years so in essence the experience should bale him out with a good fix h

  5. I read a post that Le prof is ordering a squad clearout sayin a whole bunch of guys re gointo be sold,,, coquelin, Giroud, Debuchy, WAlcott, Sanchez, and some others…. But Wenger forgot to mention Himself as top of d firesale exodus list…!!!!…. Arrogant obsolete man!!!

  6. No silverware and finishing 30 plus points behind the leaders is my guess.
    He will see positive in that.
    And that will be enough to earn a new contract.
    Mark my words…

    1. When we finish 30 points behind leaders, Wenger will say “What about Chelsea, United and Liverpool? They also finished 20 points behind City.”

      You can’t win this guy because he doesn’t understand when he’s lost.

  7. Did he honestly think that line up was going to win on Sunday???? He’ll have to go for the league cup now as he has nothing else to go for (maybe Europa???) What an idiot…..well done Arsene, nice one

  8. Who is their right might would make a mickey mouse cup a priority over the FA cup?
    Who is their right mind would think a two legged match against Chelsea to be any easier than playing Forest?
    I’m sorry but no one in their right mind would place any importance on the Carabao Cup.
    Arsenal were knocked out due to Wenger’s continued incompetence and lack of tactical skill.
    And Arsenal have gone from being respected to becoming a laughing stock.
    Everyone cannot be wrong.
    Wenger is incompetent and long passed his usefulness…

    1. Exactly….. for the first time in god knows how long…watching the fa cup draw for the 4th round & we’re not in it! What a joke!!

  9. It is time for Arsene Wenger to give retirement some serious thought and announce his intentions. Once this is done the club can move into another gear and consider a replacement with his help. It will also give him a chance to go out with the dignity he deserves.

  10. Looks like the clear out could be starting.
    Price agreed with Valencia for Coq, though Hammers want him too.
    Iwobi could be on his bike after being out till 3.30am on day of FA cup game with Forest.
    Sanchez to City within a week.
    But, is anyone coming in?

    1. Clearout needs to begin with the manager. He’s the one putting trust in players that continuously let him down.

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