We know that the Football League cup is not the highest on the list of priorities for the Arsenal manager, at least until the later rounds when the chances of winning a trophy cannot be ignored, but Arsene Wenger will still want to get through our first game in the competition away to Nottingham Forest tonight.
With a big squad and strong competition for places these4 games and the easier ones in the Champions League and later in the FA cup give the boss a great opportunity to give some much needed game time to the fringe players and the ones trying to break into the team from the academy, as you can see from the starting line-up.
Martinez
Maitland-Niles, Holding, Gabriel, Gibbs
Elneny, Xhaka
Oxlade-Chamberlain, Reine-Adelaide, Akpom
Lucas
Subs: Macey, Bielik, Sheaf, Mavididi, Willock, Zelalem, Dasilva.
There are some first team players in there but a look at the subs bench tells you that Wenger is not willing to risk the fitness of his key players, so we have to hope that the likes of Gibbs, Xhaka and the Ox are determined to show that they should be playing more.
But perhaps the fact that our former striker Nicklas Bendtner has joined Forest and is likely to be out to prove a point will turn out to be a key factor, especially against the makeshift Arsenal defence. How do you see this one going Gooners?
Bob.
Except for Maitland Niles and Xhaka i almost guessed our starting line up.
Excited to see our young guns and also for Perez starting upfront. Hope we win and go through so we can see more of the youngsters in action. COYG !!!
I expected Debuchy to start instead of Niles, is he still injured?
Good combination of youth and experience
Hope we win
Come on you Gunners
By the way, where is Sanogo?? He is not in injury list neither in subs! Some deadwoods surely need to go, they are picking huge salaries for nothing!
Why is ospina not playing?
he’s probably for uefa and fa cup games
No he booked today off as annual leave.
Elneny and Xhaka in front of the back four should give them some protection but having Bendtner againster will be a good test also, he may be the best striker in the world but he can still put himself about and get up well for crosses, that said we should still be to strong for Forest to overcome us.
It’s time to see what the future holds for arsenal let the kids prove they are worthy wearing the shirt. It won’t be easy but 1-3 win coyg
hope reine-adelaide doesn’t do a zelalem for us, shows promise and can hopefully live up to it.
Perez hatrick anyone?
Maitland Niles is a RB? I thought he’s a winger?
btw what happened to debuchy..??
I AM PUMPED!!!!
Have you by any chance been doing the rari workout?
not alot of lethal bizzle an tempa t fans here
Ironic really considering his cousin played for AFC
any streaming link for the match?
I hope we haven’t made one change too many. No experience to come off the bench if something goes wrong. Wenger knows best!
Ox has been horrendous so far; he has literally lost the ball almost every time it has come to him so far…
XHAKHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAa
Another oneeee!!!
NO WAY, XHAKA JUST DID A HULL IN THE MATCH RIGHT AFTER!!!!!!!!!
BLIMEY XHAKA!!!!!
Wow Xhaka another
Hope Wenger goes not bench him for that
He shoots…he scores…Granit Xhaka!
Kinda like a Poldolski left foot hey
Lol Gibbs, this is why Monreal has no competition.
Gibbs will forever be a backup, when Monreal leaves we will need another 1st team Lb.
Lansbury what a c***, I hope Gabriel breaks his legs
@J McLovin
Dude is hatin big time…Tryin to take the legs off our guys. Guess thats why he never made the grade at AFC.
Any streams ???
@Mo1
batmanstream.com
firstrow.eu
Enjoy Gooner…
Try total sported.com
Good quality
Totalsportek.com
Busy watching atm
Thankyou for link, worked well for me, no registering required.
LOL, I’m beginning to think even I can shoot better than OX
Lets see Lucas taking pen
Good ball Perez
Hopefully first of many
Get in there Perezzz
LUCAAAAAS
Lol commentators do not like this Lansbery dude
WHAT A GOAL!!!!
Good strength hey
And again!!!
Perez you beaut
Hopefully second of many…
Haha class from the Arsenal fans singing Lord Bendtner’s name
Beauty Ox!
Good finish Ox! Always shows class but inconsistency is his enemy
at the end he really played superb, a brilliant dribble and pass to perez and a well taken goal, but sadly you are right ^^