Dan’s FA Cup 4th round Predictions – Arsenal to win away for a change?

So, here we are at the point where the FA Cup gets serious, and although Arsenal are getting a rest from the stress of the Premier League, we still have to play away at a top-tier side. Our Dan still predicts Arsenal to win away from home at last.

Here are his predictions..

Brentford 2-1 Leicester
The Foxes are 90 mins away from a Wembley Final already, so having already lost Vardy will Rodgers choose to prioritise the League Cup? If he does, the home side have a chance.

Burnley 0-0 Norwich
Both might enjoy a weekend free from the worries of a relegation scrap, but I don’t think either boss wants a cup run, and this could be one of those ties with empty seats everywhere. No romance here…

Millwall 1-1 Sheffield United
Normally I wouldn’t fancy a Premier League side’s chances of going to the Den. Yet under Chris Wilder you can’t see his side not matching the home teams work ethic and desire

Newcastle 2-Oxford
Every neutral would not begrudge the Toon winning the cup. This is a club who would actually care about winning it. So far they are having the luck of the draw.

Saints 1-1 Spurs
Saints beat Spurs over Xmas but I’m worried they might not play their strongest side, whereas I think Jose will. Spurs will then win the replay.

West Ham 2-2 West Brom
This is a nightmare game for Moyes. Just days after conceding 4 here he has to deal with one of the best attacking sides in Championship, who can play with zero pressure. This one could be entertaining.

Hull 0-3 Chelsea
A weird week for Chelsea; one point from two games which could easily have been six. Lampard wants a striker but they will be okay here. It’s at the Bridge where they have the weird results.

City 3-1 Fulham
I said it in the last round; the Champions being so far behind Liverpool is bad news for the rest of us, as even more emphasis will be put on the cups. At least Fulham will give it a go.

Tranmere 0-2 United
Ole would have preferred Watford. If he wins, every one says ‘wow you beat a side in the lower leagues’. Lose, and he might lose his job.

Shrewsbury 1-2 Liverpool
For sentimental reasons, Klopp might go with the squad who did so well in the last round. Yet with the Premier League won and a break on the horizon, what would he be resting his players for exactly? He might go with stronger line-ups after this tie.

Cherries 1-3 Arsenal
If that was Emery in charge on Tuesday, no way would we earn a draw with 10 men. Yet Arteta will know there’s only so long you can talk about improving without winning. Eddie Howe has been criticised by his own fans over the years for playing weak teams in the FA cup. Surely he would do same while his team is in the bottom three? I predict Arsenal to win away for a change.

Dan Smith

17 Comments

  1. My line-up prediction:

    ……………. Martinez
    Bellerin . Mustafi . Holding . Saka
    …….. Guendouzi …. Willock
    Niles ……… Ceballos ……… Pepe
    ……………. Nketiah

    1. I don’t think he even played one game plus 26 old year Spaniard playing in Brazil uncapped for his country.. it seems Arsenal looking for bargain basement signings, do what Liverpool did with Van Dijk go out and pay the money for a world class CB you get what you pay for lol

      1. Do you always get what you pay for? Mostly I’d agree with you but not all expensive transfers work out well. Sanchez springs to mind and Pogba despite his talent hasn’t clicked this time around. You just never know

        1. @SueP that’s true not always but we’ve always gone down the cheap route in signing CBs and it hasn’t worked and it’s plainly obvious that’s where our biggest problem is! Most of the time we just add more deadwood to the squad! imo it seems Pablo Mari is a cheaper alternative to the Leipzig defender or Koulibaly if rumours are true.

          1. A good point I agree, but if the players we truly wish for aren’t available and our financial position does not allow us to buy proven quality we are up sh*t creek without a paddle in this transfer window.

            So many on this site expect us to sign this person or that, without thinking of the reality. You must have seen this yourself with some of the unrealistic demands of the supporters. Our top brass are not philanthropic towards Arsenal as we all know

          2. That is 100% true 👍 I think we all know the reality of our situation, our high demands is down to years of frustration and poor recruitment rather than delusions but it would be beneficial to the club to spend on a top class CB rather than fill the squad with cheaper alternatives on big wages! If Pablo Mari flops that’s another lump on the wage bill and more deadwood to ship out,this kind of reminds me of Lucas Perez although I will hold my hands up if I’m wrong, I hope the fella is a success. But yeah I agree, I don’t think our owners are on the same page.

    2. According to Flamengo fans’ comments on his YouTube highlights and on the news, his only weakness is his pace. I saw that he moved slowly like Mertesacker

      Flamengo fans said he is not a miracle worker, so he needs a good partner in the back. I think he will struggle with the pace of EPL attackers, but he will help us a lot in corner situations

      However, Transfer Checker said Arsenal have made their first formal offer for Mykola Matviyenko. I believe Shakhtar are playing hardball, hence Arsenal choose Mari as the cheaper solution instead

    3. Manchester City bought this player but sent him on loan to Girona from la Liga then he played for various clubs around the world,to finally settled in the brasilian champions Flamengo.He played the final in Qatar against Liverpool loosing 1 nil after extra time,so I thing he is not that bad.
      To play in his position in a big team in Brasil you have to have certain qualities that no many players in the Premier possess.

  2. For me this is a must win game. Arteta needs to create the winning mindset now after a run of draws. Even though Bournemouth won against Brighton I think they should aim for PL survival not an extended cup run

  3. Mari is “reported” to be on his way to the Emirates.
    7.5 mill sounds exactly like Arsenal price.
    Guess the Vitenyenko story was all a distraction?

  4. Arsenal has to win at any cost, not only to increase the confidence amongst the players but also this is the only trophy we are realistically capable of lifting this season. Also Arteta himself has lifted the FA Cup twice with Arsenal so he will be surely going for it. As for Pablo Mari, whether he played for City or not, the very fact he was picked up by City says something. Under the guidance of Arteta, he will surely do well. Also I do not believe fully that a expensive player will surely do well in the PL. Leicester won the PL with average players(at that time) and where are Manks with all the expensive signings of their full backs and star defenders? Looking forward to Monday night. Up the Gunners!

  5. That’s all bullshit about paying big money for players.
    Remember Leicester won the premiership with their best 3 players being mahrez.. Vardy.. Kante and they weren’t big money signings,
    You need good scouting… Players with good attitude.
    Can you tell me if you never knew anything about and you watched the Chelsea v arsenal game the other night you would know that peppe cost 72million and martinelle cost 6million

  6. Virgil Van Dijk cost Liverpool 75mil he did good and Harry Maguire cost man 80mil how’s that working out for Manchester United. It’s not the monetary value but the attitude and willingness to work hard and become better.

    1. Virgil van dijk has more pace and height advantage over maguire so i cant understand why united paid 80m for maguire

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