Arsenal face League One side Port Vale in the League Cup this evening in a fixture where the Gunners are widely expected to progress, and this is the starting eleven selected by Mikel Arteta.
The unpredictability of cup competitions often comes when stronger teams underestimate lower-league opponents. Manchester United have already suffered an upset in this year’s tournament, a reminder that no club is immune to shock results. Arsenal will be determined to avoid a similar fate and ensure their quality shines through.
Port Vale arrive with nothing to lose, and their recent form suggests they will not be overawed by the occasion. They have won three of their last four matches, including their most recent two, and have scored in all four games. This momentum gives them confidence to test Arsenal, particularly if the Gunners allow any signs of complacency.
Arsenal, meanwhile, enter the match on the back of a one-all draw against Manchester City, a result that showcased their resilience but also underlined the need to maintain focus.
The last competitive meeting between the two clubs came during the 1997–1998 FA Cup campaign. On that occasion, Port Vale held Arsenal to a goalless draw at Highbury, forcing a replay. Arsenal eventually advanced after a penalty shootout, but the encounter served as a reminder that smaller sides are capable of frustrating even the strongest opponents.
This time, Arsenal will want to impose themselves early and avoid repeating history by allowing the tie to drag on unnecessarily. A professional performance, with ruthlessness in front of goal, will ensure they progress without complication. For the Gunners, the objective is simple: avoid complacency, respect the opponent, and deliver a result that reaffirms their status as one of the country’s top teams.
COYG.
Win win win .
Exciting line up. COYG
I am hoping Merino starting tonight means he won’t start at Newcastle on the weekend and we take the handbrake off !
nothing against him but we need either Ode Eze or Nwaneri as the creative spark
Merino can come on for either Rice or Zubai later in the game or up front if we need aerial threat
In the past, I would be cross that whichever manager it was, hadn’t put out a strong enough team to start with, thereby making a potential need for goals and more obvious first teamers to score, arrive too late.
The new combination should be more than strong enough. Well that’s the theory. Normally, I prefer the first team to get ahead and then bring on the subs and they are on the bench if required
If I saw this team last Sunday, I may have been more excited than the one that started.
Very true
Martinelli.
Eze. Nwaneri. Saka.
Merino. Norgaard.
Skelly. Mosquera. Saliba. White.
Kepa.
Good to see Martinelli given a go as CF ( pressing that’s hos position!l
His pace should be plenty for Port Vale
Hopefully also we can stop the slow walk and get quick balls through to him and Gyokeres
Hopefully Dowman will replace Saka at some time in the game .
@GB
That’s a wish because we all know that the boss doesn’t sub until late time especially if it’s 2 goals less margin so the handbrake or marginalization may still play big role from the boss… Anyways a win is a win so let’s take positive result to be clean sheet and win.
More glad the selection wasn’t bad due to availability of squad for now.
The team Arteta putting out for Port Vale would have beaten Man City
Thought we would see Mad Max start? Strong team showing the squad depth, even with a few injuries again. I thought a few more kids would have come into the squad. Its only the Carribou thingy🤣
Absolutely stupid line up and bench! Why Risk our Prem League cutting edge stars tonight for a tin pot Cariboo absolutely none of us have any interest in winning? Easily the daftest thing Arteta has ever done. If he wins this trophy and nothing else, he’s sacked.
This makes no sense at all. This doesn’t show squad depth, putting first team out, it’s shows the opposite. Look at our injury list already. If Saka limps off tonight Arteta might as well be sacked in the morning.
I’m fuming. It’s madness. I’m proper cross. 😠
Saka needs minutes under his belt. Norgaard may actually be the secret to unlocking our CAM.
The trophy with the most value is the Premier League title – it’s always been the main prize especially now Prem League is by far strongest competition in world football. Champions league easily lesser competition because it’s the vagaries of a cup draw and cup football, meaning you can go far without being that good, because you don’t meet and play the best teams in cups or even need to win games to progress, just park a bus and get lucky.
FA cup is nothing these days. I nice day out with a few beers? you don’t even need a football match for that.
Put out a strong side for Cara Boo? At this stage? Madness. This was night for benchwarmers, and not the best players from the first 11 we need only for the Prem. A night for youth to show us and us to see them. And Rest people so they still have something in their legs when you call on them 55 games time this season.
I don’t believe it. This makes no sense MA. Stupid match squad.
MG, the vast majority of the starting 11 ARE squad players !
As for nobody has any interest in this cup 🙄. A trophy is a trophy, and I for one have interest in it, as it was the first time I was at a Cup Final that we won !
If we get to this or the FA Cup Final I really hope you don’t get a ticket.
That’s an unnecessary overreaction. It was a mix of players.
Moon Girl,
It always surprises me when I read that we shouldn’t do this or do that in the so called smaller trophy’s.
With our lack of success in recent years, we’re hardly in a position to pick and choose what trophy to go for.
To suggest such a thing makes you look arrogant, you may not rate said cups. And that’s entirely up to you, but a trophy is a trophy at the end of the day, no matter if other fans try to belittle it.
Community Shield counts then
SueP,
As soon as I wrote my post I just knew that someone would throw that one about.
No for me the Community Shield is nothing more than a curtain raiser for the coming season, nothing more, nothing less.
For me the three domestic cups and whatever European trophy your in count in my book.
The only other trophy I would count is the winner’s of the Champions League V the winners of the Europa Cup.
Nice try though. 😂👍
a tin pot Cariboo absolutely none of us have any interest in winning?
Speak for yourself
I love to see my team win a trophy
He wins this and top 4 , he wouldn’t get sacked
Agree completely
Agree also. And this wasn’t a squad of first-team players, not sure what Moon Girl is on about here. Only 4-5 were nailed-on first team, or even frequent starters. Saka is the only one I would have been wary of risking since he’s just back from injury, but he also needs to get back up to match fitness quickly for the league games so it’s totally logical.
Moon Girl
It isn’t the first team exactly. I could count a minimum of six players on the bench who fall into that category.
To me, the point of having a strong squad is to use them
Bang on the money SueP.
100%. Of the team that started this match, only Saliba and Saka have been nailed-on first-teamers so far this season. Merino arguably but only since Ødegaard has been out.
It looks so strong, because our bench is so strong.
Fine Goal
See the quick passes from the forward minded players. something so much lacking last time out
Must say that I felt the team went slightly off the boil later in the half. Its not uncommon to do this when more dominant/able, but perhaps I’m impatient and want the team to go for the jugular, however, giving Port Vale a chance to get their feet under the table is not a good idea
Eze and Mosquera look sharp, Saka rusty, Nwaneri and Merino need to do more, Skelly really annoying me with his backward passing.
Nwaneri been our best player in first half.
We seem to be going with a 4 -6 formation in this half. Merino’s playing way too deep and Saka, Eze and Martinelli not getting any possession past the halfway line. Started the game so well but have reverted to type unfortunately.
Indeed
We’re not exactly comfortable with Port Vales high press. We actually might regret not scoring a second goal. Not very impressive tbh.
One chance in 60 minutes against Port Vale! What am I watching? It certainly isn’t what we can expect from this squad, is it?! I’m sick of Arteta-ball. Sick of it.
At this point, Arteta is a sorry excuse for a manager. After six years and a billion spent, how can this be our reality?
Never seen so many backwards and sideways passes as in this game, we need to start going forward not backwards!
Guess you don’t watch arsenal play very often then lol.
Watch every game but this was in a class of its own lol
Nothing unusual there then..
Slow and laboured football leading to what we’ve all come to expect. Not to be disrespectful but we should be four up by won. The brand of football is such a poor watch it’s like watching paint dry.
My thoughts exactly until the second goal went in
Trossard said why are you all overcomplicating this? 😂
Ugliest football I’ve ever seen Arsenal play. It all comes down to 1 man… Arteta out!
You obviously never saw us play in the latter days of George Graham then.
You complain when we draw. You complain when we we win. You complain when the players you want to play are played.
No, you are writing rubbish. People like you are inimical to the progress of this club. Just being negative about everything.
At home to Brighton in the next round.
Tonight was a wasted opportunity to try something different. Try Martinelli at CF?Try him on the right wing? Try Nwaneri on the left? Why did we spend so much money on Gyokeres and not try to change the way we attack to suit his style of play? Maybe wide players who can whip crosses in with their good foot would create more chances for Gyokeres, or Merino this evening. I’m just so frustrated watching the same style of play with sideways and backwards passing and so few chances being created. Arteta’s afraid to try anything different and seems to want to stick with the system that has brought him success up to a point – and remember that success was one FA cup five years ago.
Interesting game.
Comments when the team was announced ranged from “with this team we would have beaten city” to “at last an attacking formation” as those fans who moaned about MA’s selections, saw their own ideas come to fruition.
Yet here we are, after a 2-0 win, they are still complaining.
Dear old Konstantine, who wrote an article bemoaning Arteta and telling him what should happen, is now saying it’s the ugliest football he’s ever seen Arsenal play and yet MA chose the players he wanted, in the positions he wanted.
Be careful what you wish for, as karma will never forget.
As for the game itself, good runout for our “subs” enjoyed how we knocked the ball around and tired them out, while never breaking sweat ourselves.
Hopefully no new injuries and a home tie against Brighton is the reward.
I have to admit, I enjoyed our performance against city more , but at least we have seen and can compare the starting eleven of Mikel’s and
his knockers.
Mind you, city and Port Vale are different animals and it will be interesting to hear how others see this.
Thanks Ken. Some people expect an Arsenal game to be more like Call of Duty than chess, I guess.
That said we all know there are some tactical tweaks that need to be made to show more aggression when playing against the stronger teams. Our defense is reliable enough.
That combination for the Eze goal was something of beauty and had to be something concocted in training. The beautiful game as presented by the Arsenal. Cheers to Martinelli, MLS, and Eze. The long ball from Saliba which was settled beautifully and nailed into the goal by our best finisher was also amazing.
Can’t argue with that.
We should have a first 11 that plays Prem football, and none of them in the Cara Boo or FA Cup. They no longer count as worthy to win trophies these days.
If Saka’s foot is more than bruising but bust Tarsel, you are all chumps!
PS one amazing pass from Super Max.
So a first 11 player that is coming back from injury should get match fit in a PL game, not in a Cup then 🤔.
Seeing as you think the domestic Cups are not worth winning, I take it you won’t be watching them, or commenting on JA about those games.
I’ll watch them to make sure no one gets injured in match they shouldn’t be playing, and if they do I’ll call you a chump.
If first 11 player needs a run out, I’ll allow that. They can get aero fitness more safely from training though., not minutes in cup games. Saka, Sali and Gabi, Rice and Yokeres did not need to be on pitch today against lower league cloggers. Unnecessary risks to our title push pure and simple.
Moon Girl,
You don’t get match fit in training. You get match fit in a match. The clues in the name. 🙄🤦♂️
Derek, you beat me to it by explaining what being match fit means. It’s truly unbelievable that someone doesn’t know the meaning of being match fit.
Herr Drier,
I don’t get it. We’ve got a big squad and it needs to be used. But even then the odds are that some first teamers will have to play in said game.
Unless Moon Girl and the like want to see Arsenal use their academy side to play in the League Cup.
Imagine my reaction to Mikel Arteta in that scenario, especially if we went out. 😂🤣👍
Mr Drier. Training can give you Aerobic and Anaerobic Conditioning absolutely equal to match fitness, including the ability to perform repeated bursts of activity, plyometrics in training hone the necessary strength and explosive power for accelerating and changing direction, the drills in training get players to their peak endurance, players can even improve on both their athleticism and recovery with dancing and yoga, than they could ever get from playing match football instead of dancing and yoga.
I’ll concede there are somethings you can can only improve by playing matches, Mental and tactical conditioning, such as tactical understanding, spatial awareness, and the ability to make quick, correct decisions under pressure, which can only be developed through match play. But that doesn’t actually come under heading “match fitness” though does it – we are discussing here players like Saliba, Saka, who already have all that only been out a few weeks.
In your response, what are you saying they can only get from playing 60 minutes against Port Vale cloggers I haven’t already covered off here?
I’m sure you are living in a bygone era of football, where they needed to play games for match fitness because “training” sessions involved full English Breakfast, some beers, cigarettes, and an afternoon at the dogs. 😆
No, I’m living in the 21st century MG. Whatever is done in the gym or on the training pitch can never be compared to playing in a game. That’s one of the reasons for pre- season friendlies.
“It’s truly unbelievable that someone doesn’t know the meaning of being match fit.”
What specifically are you pointing to?
I’m pointing specifically to areas of fitness scientifically proven you can reach peak in, without playing a game. What did I miss?
How many matches have some of them missed to be risked in meaningless cup games, how quickly are you saying it deteriorated?
This pre season supports my argument, some players returning from injury or extended holiday barely played preseason, but were pitched straight into the eleven when it started – because the management were convinced they had got fit enough in training to be pitched straight into the team.
Your argument run out of road – Drier?
Herr Herr 😆
You clearly have no substance to your argument and old fashioned misconceptions. I win.
What’s aTarsel?
Jax, it’s an abbreviation for one of the metatarsal bones in the foot.
👍
I felt arsenal played so many backwards passes today like we lacked the capacity to move the ball forward. Probably because we didn’t play with a striker. Even Saka and martinelli most times didn’t know what to do with the ball at the crucial point. Too many passes sideways and backwards. It was a very boring match and I saw a team that was very comfortable with the 1-0 shoreline.