So Arsenal will begin their defence of the FA Cup away at Championship side Nottingham Forest, who have had great success in the past when Brian Clough was the manager, and have even won two more European Cups than Arsenal! The Forest legend Gary Birtles, who played in both those massive Finals, thinks that Arsene Wenger will be wary of playing a weakened side at the City ground. “It’s a great draw for the fans, and for the players it’s a chance for them to showcase their ability against a top team,” Birtles told the Nottingham Post.
“They don’t always play their full strength sides early on in the FA Cup, the big boys, but Arsenal might put out a strong team.
“They’re the defending champions, they are not going to want to get knocked out by Forest.
“I’m sure they will want to put up a strong defence of the Cup they won last season.
“It’s a proud thing to be able to say you defended something, I know that from when we defended the European Cup.
“I also know how it feels to get knocked out in the first round when you’re the holders. It’s a massive blow, and Arsenal won’t want that.”
“Nobody will expect Forest to win, there will be no expectation on the players’ shoulders so they can relax and go out there at full pelt,” added Birtles.
“It’s going to be a great occasion for the club.
“For Mark Warburton, it will be a chance to pit his wits against one of the best, in Arsene Wenger, and he will relish that.
“And if you look at the crowds Forest are getting already at home because of their performances in the league, you would expect it to be a sell out.”
“Everybody will want to play in it,” he said.
“Every player wants to play in the big games, and the Forest players will be no different.
“But it’s not going to be easy, Arsenal will not want to get knocked out by Forest.”
It may be an interesting tie, but Arsenal, who have only lost one FA cup tie in the last four years, should be reasonably confident of winning in Nottingham, but it is a cup game, and anything can happen!
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Every game in the FA CUP is as tricky a game as you can get. Every team has the mentality that we can beat anyone;there is no respect of the name and history. That is what makes the fa cup one of the most competitive cup competition in the world. But we are not the all-time record FA CUP CHAMPIONS for nothing,we’ve seen them all and beaten them all. Let us retain the fa cup coz if anybody can,we can…COME ON YOU GUNNERS..
If he fields a decent side we should be ok. Really don’t want to lose at the first hurdle, we’re defending It!
We went there in the league cup & won (last season or one before) & even Ox scored!!! So bring it on
COYG
“Even Ox scored” ?
Ox was one of our best squad players. He had more starts than Theo
Ox would put the ball over the bar from 5 yards.
He still does now….when he gets on the pitch that is ?
Oh Mitch!!!! ?
Rumour going round that Ozil could be about to sign extension. We’ve been very hard on Ozil and maybe rightly so at times. You can’t ignore how he links everything up for us, we look over reliant on him esp will when Alexis leaves. He’s looked good lately, very very good, although he has gotten allot of time off as it seems he’s only back recently from his holidays. Also news that Walcott is being sold, this might be Nelsons chance if it happens.
This is frustrating and bizarre! Is it only the FA Cup that we can be winning as if it’s the Fifa World Cup we’ve been winning? We’ve won the FA Cup a couple of 3 times in the last four seasons, haven’t we? As for me an ardent Arsenal fan for life, I am not FA Cup hungary win this season. However, I will not mind if Arsenal win it again this season. For, it is a Title. For a change of menu on the table, I will prefer if Arsenal will priorities the winnings of the Premier Lesgue Title and the Europa League Cup above winning the FA Cup this season. As for Nottingham Forest who Arsenal are playing in the 3rd round, Le Boss diesn’t have to worry. For, the Arsenal team he has and will play against Forest in this 3rd round tie at the City Ground is not a weaken team as thought by Gary Birtles but a very strong team that will put Forest to the sword in the game.