It’s that yearly tradition again where we debate just how seriously Arsenal should be taking the League Cup.
Five years without a trophy – the last was the FA Cup in 2020 – it’s long been accepted that the Gunners are not in a position to be turning their noses up at any kind of silverware. The only question is, with the club currently top of the Premiership, seven points clear of Liverpool and six in front of Manchester City, does that position change?
The EFL Cup has long been a competition that, if you exit early, it’s easy to dismiss as unimportant. Yet anyone who remembers the two legs against Newcastle will recall how much it mattered to both clubs, and how it hurt to lose 4-0 on aggregate.
Carabao would have been delighted that both of last season’s semi-finals involved the league’s top two and sides desperate to end their trophy droughts.
Why winning matters for a young squad
If Gooners could only pick one win this week, the priority would be Burnley, and Mikel Arteta won’t be risking any players on Wednesday who are carrying niggles. Long term though, a young squad picking up winners’ medals in March can only help in the title race.
A key advantage Liverpool and Manchester City have over Arsenal is that they have groups of players who have experienced getting over the line. Arne Slot and Pep Guardiola will be aware of this and hoping to take advantage. For a young squad, it’s hard to get over the line for the first time, but once you do, the next time becomes easier.
Strong depth could make the difference
Our manager now has two quality options for each position, so even if he chooses not to start anyone against Brighton who he plans to feature at the weekend, he can still select a strong eleven.
It might all come down to how seriously the Seagulls take the tie. Would our second string be able to beat Hürzeler’s first?
That’s what makes the League Cup so intriguing – a delicate balance between protecting priorities and building a winning mentality.
Dan Smith
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Gyokeres, Saka, Rice, Zubimendi, Calafiori, Timber, Saliba, Magalhaes and Raya need rest
Merino, Dowman, Martinelli, Nwaneri, Lewis-Skelly, Hincapie and Arrizabalaga need more game time
Get Eze in that line up too. He needs to get as many games as possible as I still think he is a bit timid and overwhelmed by his massive move and back to Arsenal.
He seem a bit subdued and intimidated to me. Still in his shell and playing it a bit safe.
I hope he can relax a bit, we are all right behind him no matter. I think Eze coming out of his shell gets us more open play goals as he is more of goal scoring No10 than Odegaard (who is more of a creator).
🤞🙏
Well articulated
@Gai absolute👌 You forgot to add White.
Sunderland game would be tough on Saturday it’s better to rest your afore- mentioned names.
Burnley first on Saturday
One after the other
Not averse to giving more game time to the squad, but we should be aiming to win this trophy even if it’s not one of the fancy ones. A cup is a cup, and winning it will give the team belief.
I think he will go
Arrizabalaga
White , Gabriel, Mosquera ( if Saliba not fit), Skelley
Noorgard , Merino
Nwanreri Eze Troaasrd
Gyokeres
( If Martinelli is not fit )
Seems about right. People are assuming he’ll rest Gyok, but the man is a tank, and desperate to score more. I suspect he might also start Saka, replacing him with Dowman on 60, and have Nwaneri sub for Eze.
A combination
We should rest a few players but use a lineup good enough to win
I want silverware and I’m not a Trophy snob lol. We’ve never won the league Cup so I want us to win it
We have won it twice.
We have won in twice
I’m not a trophy snob either but I’d rather lose this comp while having fresher players for FA Cup/EPL/UCL and a better chance at those 3
If we win the league cup that’s fine but if we don’t and we get injuries to first team players and we win nothing I doubt it’s worth it
Gyokeres,Zubimendi,Timber and Rice need rest.
I think we should play
Kepa
White Mosquera Hincapie Calafiori
Merino Nwaneri MLS
Dowman Trossard Martinelli
Starting XI on bench and only play if we need a goal. Otherwise use academy players like Josh Nicholls etc off the bench….
Gyokeres Rice Saliba and probably Saka all need a rest
Saka hasn’t played much this season because of injuries.If fit,he should play at least one hour to up his fitness.Downman can come in for the final 15-30 minutes.Norgaard should play too; your midfield is just too inexperienced. Calafiori definitely should not play.
Short sighted again. Saka has played so many games in the last 3/4 seasons it’s borderline reckless. The fact that he has short layoff due to injury doesn’t negate the previous years of being overplayed.
Why do you think we have so many injuries…from decisions like yours in the last few seasons to just keep on playing players regardless
It’s all about balance,that’s why I proposed 60 minutes and not 90. Yes Saka has been overplayed in the past but this is a different season. Saka hasn’t overplayed this season.
I was one of the people calling for Saka’s minutes to be managed in the past by the way . I always felt Nelson should have completed some games when we had comfortable leads.
But tomorrow’s game is different. Saka has been ill for the past few days and if he’s healed, he needs minutes to get back in rhythm.
When a player loses match fitness,muscles can get deconditioned which increases their risk of injuries the next time they are introduced to a high intensity match without a gradual increase in their load. It’s all about load management and I’m sure the medical staff at Arsenal understand this.
Also, while I think Arteta and the club should have done better in managing these players, the injury menace is not unique to Arsenal. This points to a bigger issue. The entities that come up with the Football calendar like FIFA share in the responsibility. Players like Rodri & Son and multiple managers have spoken publicly about this.
If it were up to me, I’d do away with the Carabao Cup or make it a one off game between the PL and FA Cup winners.Virtually all the top European leagues have ONE knockout cup competition. Why does England need two?
I will ask you both a question. How have you determined that Saka was overplayed?
How have you determined that Saka was overplayed and what would you have done differently?
This is exactly why we have a squad. Those fringe players who aren’t getting regular first team action need to be played in these games so that they are ready and match fit as/when they are required.
Players like Kepa, Hincapie, White, MLS, Nwanieri, Martinelli, Marion to name but a few need minutes and game like these will give them just that, They will be vital for us to win the CL and PL, so they need to be given vital game time.
We need to manage players and playing time accordingly and whilst it would be great to win the Carabao cup, we need to prioritise the PL, CL and FA Cup beforehand.
I would play the following lineup
kepa
White Mosquera Hincapie MLS
Noregaard
Merino (Zubi) Eze
Nwaneri Trossard (Merino) Martinelli
I would avoid playing as many of the starters as possible, there are bigger fish to fry than this little domestic cup.
Saliba had a knock as well as Gabriel, Calafiori came off against Palace (he looks gassed and tired), Rice also picked up a knock as well.
Timber needs a rest, we need him for CL and keeping the lead in the PL.
I would play Eze because he seems to be finding form, and Odegaard should be returning by the time Eze needs a rest.
Nwaneri can play RW and be effective, and I would also play Dowman off the bench and give him some minutes.
Gyokeres needs a rest, and either Martinelli or Merino I would play as a striker; especially for this little domestic cup.
In my humble opinion, we did not spend hundreds of millions in the Summer and build depth everywhere to chase Carabao cup trophy.
We spent and built this squad to win the PL and the CL; we need to keep widening the gap in the PL and establish ourselves as the the team to beat in the CL.
If we happen to win the Carabao cup along the way, then so be it. It should be for academy players, bench players, and guys who hardly get minutes, not risking starters for this domestic cup.
Durand,
Regarding your comments on the Carabao Cup being only for the Academy players, bench players and guys who hardly get minutes.
Does this stance still stand if Arsenal reached the final?.
I would still say yes. Treat this cup like a reward and opportunity for the academy and depth players, something for them to achieve, while they play bit-part roles for the much larger and more lucrative PL and CL trophies.
Potentially losing a key player, especially a defender, chasing this little domestic cup inside England seems too risky.
What if we hoist this cup, but finish 2nd again because we had key injuries in the final stretch?
Durand,
I acknowledge your points, and they were well made points to.👍
Derek,
I would echo what Ric Ionta said above;
It helps keep reserve players fit in case they need to step in for injuries. It also keeps them mentally sharp because the cup is down to their performances, not the starters.
It is nice for reserve and academy players to have something they pay for, in a primary role not secondary.
Many of them will not feature in key PL or CL games, so this is their chance to show up and perform in a stage reserved for them.
It is just my idea, but I appreciate your response and you posed an excellent question; would my opinion change if we got to the semi-finals or finals of the cup.
It would be a bit harsh not to dance with the person you came with, wouldn’t it? What message would it send if they played early rounds, but when the stakes are raised they are no longer trusted? Or the manager did not show the faith that they could win.
Durand,
Regarding using the same players if we were to reach the final. I agree, should that be the case the ones who got them to the final should be afforded the chance to win it.
Back in the Wenger era, he did stick with the main players that got to the final V Chelsea, we lost that one 2-1 sadly.
But I also remember in the FA Cup when Richard Wright played for us. He played in every round of the FA Cup up to the final. And then Wenger brought Seaman back for the final, Richard Wright left the club not long after. Whether there was any connection there I couldn’t tell you.
Kepa
White Mosq Hinc MLS
Norgard
Eze Nwaneri
Dowman Merino. Trossard
Give this team a go. Good balance. Can have a strong bench if needed. Feel it would give a good few teams in the PL a run for there money. Got to rest players for the last push till the next intl break. Gyokeres needs a break. Probably would not have played so many games if Havertz had not got an injury.
Gyokeres.
Martinelli. Nwaneri. Downman.
Merino. Norgaard.
Skelly. Hincapie. Mosquera. White.
Kepa.
SUBS –
Trossard, Eze
ARTETA –
Merino.
Martinelli. Nwaneri. Saka.
Eze. Norgaard.
Skelly. Hincapie. Mosquera. White.
Kepa.
SUBS –
Gyokeres
Downman
Trossard
Rice
The majority of our injuries are a result of overplaying players in the past few years, the squad depth wasn’t the best but there were many many opportunities to give players rest that weren’t taken over the years.
With our large squad now, there is zero reason to not rotate. Injuries are not an excuse anymore when they are the direct result of lack of rotation.
Silverware is great but I don’t think any fan would want us to risk injuries and the potential FA Cup/EPL/UCL for this trophy
As evident last season when Arsenal were plagued by injuries, Arteta takes Carabao Cup seriously. I expect half of the line up to be of regular starters. Arteta wants to continue the momentum. Of all I eagerly want to see Kepa in action. White, Skelly, Maghales, Mosquera/ Nwaneri, Merino, Nordgaard/ Saka, Gyokeres, Martinelli.
Nwaneri needs minutes, Timber and Saka need rest..
Mosq. and Hincapie to play.. just win this game..
Really couldn’t care less about this game rest as many as possible concentrate on premier and champions league there the big ones Arsenal need to win!
On reading Arteta’s pre match words, Saliba and Martinelli are definitely out of the Brighton game.
Arteta has confirmed that Saliba and Martinelli will not be available.
The injuries have started disturbing us again. Hopefully it’s not serious injuries that will take them out for long.
Merino.
Trossard. Nwaneri. Saka.
Eze. Norgaard.
Skelly. Hincapie. Mosquera. White.
Kepa.
SUBS – Gyokeres, Downman, Rice, Zubimendi, Calafiori, Gabriel, Timber, Raya.
Gyokeres
Trossard. Nwaneri. Dowman
Merino. Norgaard.
Skelly. Hincapie. Mosquera. White.
Kepa.
SUBS – Saka, Rice, Zubimendi, Gabriel, Timber, Raya.
I understand Durand’s point of view entirely but with minor reservations. The Carabao Cup is the least prestigious but it does have the advantage of being done and dusted by the end of February and a win would be the first chance of that elusive trophy in nearly 6 years, which would bring added confidence to the players for what remains.
That said, it should be the case that there are changes which allows tired legs some time off and for the the others to get game time. None of them make you roll your eyes when you look at the team sheet; its a good squad.
Agree. No stinkers in the squad so a heavy rotation is not scary. But I’d still like to see a strong team and a serious push to win this. A trophy is a trophy. And it’s a good morale booster for the team to win anything. Last time we won this one was 1993!
Not a trophy I’ve ever thought seriously about although losing a final to Birmingham City a decade or two ago was a disgrace. Still it would be nice to go all the way provided that our second stringers are up for it. At this stage of the season with so many real trophies on the line, it would be foolishness to unnecessarily risk the likes of Saliba, Rice or Saka.