It is a well known fact that most top teams like to give some of their top players a rest in the arly stages of the FA Cup, especially if they are competing for the Premiership title or the Champions League, but Arsene Wenger has admitted that he will be using the same squad that was available for the game against Southampton this week, and will not be promoting any youth players.
Arsenal are the holders and should put up a rugged defence of our trophy, and as we are playing the Hull team that gave us a run for our money at Wembley last May, we cannot expect an easy game even though we are now the home side.
With no Arteta or Flamini available it looks like we will go again with Coquelin and Chambers in midfield again, and we definitely don’t have any fit strikers now the (injured?) Podolski is sunning himself in Italy. When Wenger was asked who would be playing against Hull, he said: “Honestly I have to check who is available and who is not,”
“The two keepers, Ospina and Martinez, will come in. After that, we will see. I cannot rotate too much either because we need stability. Who comes back? We have the 18 players that played against Southampton – nobody else will play.
“At least we play at home after the Christmas period. That’s not bad, because you play on December 26, 28 and on New Year’s Day. At the moment, we have a decimated squad, so that means everybody will have to contribute very well and a lot. The fact that you play at home can be an advantage.”
we’re lucky sanchez is always fit as f*ck but wenger is really pushing his luck.
FA cup is a compensation for 4th and below placed Kids who Love wantaways or something to show-off……Even most kids don’t deserve it………the Big boys go for Prem and UCL
Perfectly put. Wenger has taken his chances & the coin has fallen against his favor. A Fatigued & unbalanced squad is the direct result. Bare in mind I consider myself an AKB.
You’re an AKB? Aren’t you ashamed? :-/
Why should I be? He’s groomed some of the greatest players in the world, achieved unparalleled success as an afc manager, & cultivated a style of play that has influenced the epl. Regardless, That doesn’t mean I don’t recognize mistakes when I see em.
Groomed is the appropriate word, and once ” groomed” they usually go to Man City
He must drop Szczesny permanently even for league games and the champions league,he’s been number 1 for 4 years but still is not in the same class as De Gea or Courtois!
even West Ham and Southampton have Excellent goalkeepers
Still not in the same class as De Gea or Courtois?
Any chance you missed last year’s Golden Glove winner list?
With Monreal and Mertesacker as our CB pairing it would be tuff for even Manuel Neure. Szczesny has his dodgy moments but he is not worthless. Should have seen the Poland vs Germany match this year. He is easily one of best goalkeeper but is having a rough patch just like the team.
you are right Sumo, he’s not worthless, but he is definetely not in the same category as De Gea, Curtois, Nuer or even Forster for that matter, and you know why?…it is because of the level of maturity, while this young, excellent goalkeepers are very calm, serene, intelligent in their decision making and low key with the press and social media, Szcezny is the opposite, becoming some times a big distraction for the team. When he finally decides to grow up and mature, he will be a top keeper….
Have we forgotten what it is to have a world class keeper? A guy who wins you 10+ points a year? He needs to be dropped for a period of games see if he has the hunger to get back to being our number 1. But knowing our luck Ospina will be just as bad
Ospina
Bellerin Chambers Koscielny Gibbs
Chamberlain Flamini Cazorla
Sanchez Akpom Walcott
I am literally counting the days until Wenger leaves.
He honestly cannot offer us anything no more. He offers nothing tactically, nothing on rotation, nothing on smart transfers, nothing anywhere.
He basically just knows attack, buys attacking players when we have plenty, doesn’t get assistance from anyone on defence, and rides his luck.
We’ve been making top four through luck, poor quality of the teams below us, and the attacking players we have.
Sad thing is luck is running out, lower teams are raising their quality, and our attacking players are getting injured frequently
Interesting how podolski’s transfers has been so fast and without any hitches,but when it comes to us signing players it all of a sudden becomes “difficult to find good players in the January window ”
Truth is,Arsenal’s January transfer window opens on deadline day.Btw is Kim kardashian available?
its quite obvious…
Arsenal interested in loan, Inter interested, Poldi keen…done deal…
however, not many good players wants to come to Arsenal as we do not pay them top wages….
not to mention hijacking from other clubs
Is Giroud available or his ban will be adjusted
Giroud banned but Walcott starts.
Alexis needs a rest, Wenger going to burn him out and then what.
You can’t blame anyone but Wenger, we all see it coming
Am happy Arteta,Diaby nd flamini contract expires dis summer,though am nt insinuatin all will b shown exit door, bt am so sure atleast one of dem will go,hopin flamini diaby go nd we get a proper combative dm
diaby is on pay as u play
If only! That’s part of the problem: pissing away good money over bad for dead beats permantly gracing the medical centre.
i think arteta signed a 1 yr extension
Am tired of all dis players rest gibberish, best players want to play always,ao many rest do messi,cr7 even rooney get,durin mou 1st era at cfc,players lik lampard played all competitions for over 2yrs. Get off wenger bak, nd focus on suportin d team. Atleast we all love d club nd d club is in care of wenger,get use to dat and stop complainin
I agree to some extent; I think we give football players a lot of leeway when it comes to “fitness” and I feel if you train everyday for match fitness then it shouldn’t take you more than 2 days off to be ready to go again (and without making excuses). However, 4 matches in around 12-13 days is extreme and I can’t see how rotation isn’t a better solution even if it means using weaker players.
Poor footballers..
Getting paid stupid amounts of cash on a weekly basis and adored/treated like kings.
I really do feel for them having to play 4 games of football in 2 weeks. It must be hell!
FFS
I bet that kid playing for Blythe in the FA Cup yesterday who had his thumb relocated on the pitch wouldn’t winge about it and nor would the countless others who have to get up every day to do some shitty non-loved job where they are paid a pittance.
Too much leeway!? We don’t give it to them enough IMO.
Half season at Soton & they are above us.
Sign Ronald Koeman asap!
@sumo, your excuse is invalid, De gea have even a weaker defense, in players like, marc nair, evans, ashley young, valencia carrick , blanket, etc thats there defense 80 of the games, and look at how there keeper is performing, this your szczesny is just not good enough
, i feel more confortable with even martinez.
I know so many good players who have openly declared their love for Arsenal and would join us on any amount of wages,but clearly wenger has his favourites in the team and is not willing to replace them by signing better players.Mertesacker is shit but wenger wont sign a defender that he knows will bench Mertesacker, same with Arteta,he’s the captain thus wenger wont sign a midfielder that he knows will bench his captain, same for szczesny,we won’t sign petr cech coz wenger has massive blind faith in szczesny.And something tells me tht the reason why we have never signed a strong DMF is because Wenger still thinks Diaby is the next Patrick Vieira
Okay Gooners, we’ve voiced out our grievances. It is now the time we should all pray for the Gunners to beat Hull City Tigers neat and clear today and move successfully to the next level of the game. Arsenal shall prevail this season is my prophesy that shall come to pass. Amen? Did I hear anybody shouting Amen to this Prophesy?
Hull City fans can pray also. Just sit back, and enjoy the game.