With Arsenal very happily sitting on top of thePremier League table and ended up winners of our Europa League Group, so Mikel Arteta could be forgiven for thinking that the League Cup is an unwelcome distraction in the incredibly congested fixture list caused by the World Cup.
But after this we just have one more League game against Wolves before our long enforced break, and hopefully most of our squad players that won’t play on Saturday will also get a game tonight. Considering they managed to get us through the Europa League, there is no reason why they can’t help us to progress in the League Cup as well, is there?
We also know that Arteta does not like losing any game at all, and loves to keep the winning momentum going, and he has made it clear that this competition is just as important as any other. “It is a different competition but the purpose is the same, to play as good as we can, win the game and go into the next round, You know there are no second chances and we’ll take it very seriously.W the boss told Arsenal.com.
“We’re going to pick a very competitive team. I think everyone deserves chances, and we’ll make some changes with judgement in relation to the load of the players, but we’ll play to win.
“The ones that haven’t played want to have their chance, and feel that they are contributing to the team. The positive thing is that everybody has played games and everyone has been important. We have two games to go, and the focus has to be there because we know that afterwards we have a big break.”
“They’ve dealt with [the fixture list] really well,” he added. “I think we had a really good pre-season and we put the boys in a really good condition to face this fixture congestion, and they have responded extremely well, especially the way we play which is really intense.
“I think we are the team in Europe who has rotated the most, and obviously that has its benefits as well. When you are winning, the energy is better and the mood is better, but the preparation is a bit easier, so overall I think they have coped with it really well.
“When they have been used, they have performed really well. For periods in games in the Premier League and when they have started games in the Europa League and the Premier League, I think they have been really consistent. It’s a joy of a group to work with because they’re really at it every day.”
Well, we all know the options that are available to Arteta, and Dan has already given his opinion on who he thinks Arteta will choose tonight. Have a look at his predicted team here, and see which ones you would change..
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The gaffer must have take this winning mentality stuff from Pepe, of all the top managers in world football Pepe has the meanest streak I had ever seen.
He never gambles with a game, quite often over think his game plan but never takes it for granted.
So believe the gaffer when he says he takes this game seriously
To give the whole squad match time and an opportunity to shine, we need to be in at least one domestic cup competition. IT’s a shame that we’re drawing PL competition in round 3, but the rest of tonight’s matches seem to have very few lower league teams left.