As expected, it is a much changed Arsenal starting line-up that Arsene Wenger has picked for the third round visit of Southampton in the Capital One Cup. The big news, though, and something that should put a smile on all of our faces, is the return of Abou Diaby, as the most unlucky Frenchman in football makes his first senior start in 19 months.
It is a decent looking side as well, reflecting the fact that Wenger now has a much stronger looking Arsenal squad to choose from. Joel Campbell, Alexis Sanchez and Lukas Podolski is certainly not too shabby looking a front line, while Rosicky and Wilshere alongside Diaby is a fairly strong looking midfield as well. It is the defence that looks a bit inexperienced and could be a weak link tonight.
Ospina
Bellerin, Chambers, Hayden, Coquelin
Diaby, Wilshere, Rosicky
Alexis, Campbell, Podolski
subs: Martinez, Ajayi, Gibbs, Mertesacker, Chamberlain, Cazorla, Akpom
The Saints have kept a pretty strong line-up, as I expected, with the likes of Clyne, Fonte, Schneiderlin and Wanyama all starting, but if we get at them then I think our attacking talent could carry the day, whereas if we come under serious pressure, that unfamiliar and inexperienced back five could struggle. Good luck to the Colombian keeper on his Arsenal debut and Come On You Gunners!!
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Thought it was a decent match. Liked watchin the young gunz out there tryin. Rosicky, man what were you thinking? Bellerin had it all under control…
Poor game from Rosicky
and podolski too…. very poor
agree hes invisible upfront always has been. dont know why ppl were calling for him to play uptop.
Didnt bother mentioning Podolski as he always has poor games. Cant remember the last time I wanted Podolski to play
Another “make up shift” team by Arsene “the deluded one” Wenger…
Sanchez should have not play the game as we need him for the weekend.
Wilshere showed again that he is about “glimpse” of brilliance and NOTHING MORE!
The team that won against Villa is the first team (with Walcott, Debuchy and Giroud back), the rest are just complement.
I really wish we had a strong DM (Schneiderlein just amd Wanyama basically had our midfield in their pockets), but Wenger is still clueless…!!
We lost at home… !!!!!!!!!!!!
Did you say the same about the Villa game m8…Just curious
Blessing in disguise if you ask me, rather bow out early on to save our limited number of defenders from getting injured!
Bring on the spuds
agree. Arsene never plays this competition to win, so knowing that, why waste our time with it? Wish it wasnt the same with the champions league, but we also dont play to win that either. I think its dumb ppl calling wenger unambitious for this loss when it should be for the complacent European performances where we always get kicked out at R16…
First and last time I watch a stream. Dudes looked like they were grabbing breasts every time they talked about players at half time.
I have to watch every arsenal game on stream:s, in my country sky sports bought the rights completely but instead of having a channel they have a cable company-_-, so You cannot watch bpl unless you have their cable service, and let’s say I’m not old enough to control that at my house lol. Thank God espn and fox have rights to transmit the ucl
Mate, different story here in UK. Streaming a game on a channel (I.e. one on Sky or BT) is fine.
It’s the ones like today that aren’t on a UK channel that are weird. Being sport is not a channel I’m revisiting.
did anyone think wenger really put out a team to win? Its the league cup, Wenger never won this competition. For those getting so mad, its surprising you ever expect anything from these games. For all the years in charge he’s used these matches to rest players and give chances to youth, so I’m hardly surprised at the result and not even disappointed. Wenger didnt play a team to win, he just sent out players who havent gotten many minutes. Its not like we would’ve won this thing, so lets all take a breather and look forward to saturday’s match which is 1000x more important.
Wenger is not a motivational manager… Need someone who takes tempo and pressing seriously …. Until that happens arsenal will under perform as we have for a decade… Can’t blame inexperience of players just indifference of manager
@rkw
Total bullsh*t…
Not one to wish time by but I can’t wait for Wenger’s contract to expire in 3yrs.
I would swap Podolski for a packet of crisps. I have literally no idea what he actually does as a player
well a lot of ppl on here were calling on him to play striker ignoring the fact he does nothing in that position every single time he plays there. today wenger just reminded those ppl is all…
Wanting Podolski up top is probably the craziest suggestion in football. He does fcuk all and has done for the last year.
Wenger must be devastated. It was his dream to win this cup before he retires.
We came close a few years ago against Birmingham City.
Right or wrong, it obviously wasn’t a priority for Wenger, as more established players weren’t even on the bench. Although it hurts to lose at home, I think it’s right for the others to get a chance to prove what they can do. Their second goal was avoidable, although it was well taken, I could see it happening 5 seconds before it did. He should’ve been closed down, he had so much time, and a clear sight on goal to aim the shot. I think it was Wilshere who stopped and turned away when he thought the ball was going to be walloped. Not a good performance, but more important to win over the weekend.
Couldn’t care less about the Mickey Mouse cup. You could see from the line ups how much it meant for Southampton to win it. Liverpool is struggling with Middlesbrough at home at the moment. And by the way I am not AKB at all, hence why I’m defending the team.
As expected we fielded a complete B team which looked solid offensively, on paper. However, it was the young, inexperienced defense who were actually BETTER than our offense filled with national players. That was my concern, not the result itself. Hayden and Bellerin looked extremely solid!
Rosicky can shut his trap in public about him playing more often – his performance was shocking and he would belong to Arsenal U18’s with that kind of play. What the hell was that penalty? Idiotic thing to do.
Ospina should’ve done better in both goals which were fired in the middle. Penalty was predictable as you could see from Tadic’s finish and although a great shot, Clyne’s shot was in the middle of the goal. However he also did 2 good saves as well.
Campbell has no business in the starting XI with that display but God, Diaby was immense! Literally his first touch got Sanchez through with the keeper! I really pray he stays fit.
Oh and that Sane dude reminds me of Gervinho without the forehead. : D Dribbles, dribbles and if hasn’t lost the ball yet, fails to deliver. Made me giggle.
also happy with Bellerin and Hayden today. Rosicky was shocking, flop of match easily. Had no business giving that penalty away and passing was bad too. But he also has had no game time at all, so thats what happens. Wilshere needs to pick his head up to look for a pass instead of running into walls also. Campbell, eh, average. Hoped one of the bench players would step up to impress Wenger but it didnt happen. Coquelin held his ground throughout the game though.
Why are people surprised? We never win this crappy cup. Anyway, with the players we put out, did you expect us to win?
We can concentrate on the other 3 tournaments now, not this Mickey Mouse trophy.
thankyou. These ppl getting mad have to be new fans or something. we never win this compeition. even if we won, it wouldve just made our schedule more crammed and force our already scare number of defenders to play more matches. Desensitized from dropping out this thing.
Fcuk this cup. Although I wanted it.
But the most shocking thing was no goal from open play. None.
I don’t know what to think or feel. Where is our creativity?
And those berating Wenger for not playing Campbell, he was average. Cool your horses.
80% of our team tonight made their 1st full apperence of the season ! And also Diaby 1st in 18months !
Southampton played their full 1st team who are in form in BPL !
Tbh I am not surprised or upset about this ! If anything I means we don’t have to compete In this meaningless competition which include games where u have ET and Pens and a 2 leg semi final !
Let leave Chelsea and City fight it out with all their extra games for this one while our plYers relax and get ready for BPL match at weekend !
Bright side, players got a running, mickey mouse cup, rest the players, we will smash the spuds,don’t worry keep calm.
ohh yeah Diaby injury free.
For Big team every cup matters.We are the only club who calls league cup a mickey mouse cup.we did that to cover the fact that we always under perform in this matches.And we also make fun of other clubs who progressed to the next stage, as if they have no chance of winning other cups and their only chance is, league cup.but when it come to us we, are to big of a team to compete in league cup.As we have been winning PL and CL.Big teams like Madrid, Barca, Bayern gave 100% in all cups they play.That is the mentality of a big team, they always want row be number one.
Wrong, it’s a mickey mouse cup, simple as!
F.A cup isn’ti
can remember when it used to be called the coca cola cup….what’s it called now ?
funny that , when we lose in the capital cup to lesser opposition we tend to call it the mickey mouse cup !. yet , we all watch the match and bite nails and shout and scream while the match is on ,we also turn up in huge numbers to the emirates . funny that , if we won though we would be going for the quadruple again , funny that , dont you all think .
Most players complain of not being used, I believ coach watch players day in day out in training and knows better players to choose. It is clear now on who doesn’t deserve 1st team.