Should Arteta rest players in the FA Cup against Liverpool?
Mikel Arteta and his Arsenal squad look set to face Liverpool at the Emirates in the FA Cup this weekend in what will be our first game of 2024. The FA Cup is a massive for Arsenal and Arsenal history, we’ve always had very good runs in the competition, still holding the record for the most FA Cup wins, having lifted the trophy a massive 14 times. It’s steeped in our history and for a lot of fans, is a must-win this season.
Arteta has already won the FA Cup at Arsenal and will be hoping he can do it again, silverware is a must this season and the FA Cup might be the easiest way to do it, but of course we were drawn against a top flight club like Liverpool which leaves us with a huge challenge on our hands.
It’s been reported by the Daily mail that Bukayo Saka is nursing a Achillies problem and although he has recently been playing through it, we could be set to miss our star right winger for the all-important cup game against Liverpool, and with a few niggling injuries all around the squad, is this the best time to give a few players a rest and give the second string players a run? Personally, I think yes, although the FA Cup is important, so are our players and risking playing Saka for example while he’s nursing an injury just isn’t worth it for me.
Some of our starting eleven for the past few weeks haven’t been really cutting it and we look to have lost that drive and desire to win football matches. In my opinion, we have plenty of great players but they look tired, and for me, they might just need a break and need the feeling of sitting on the bench and feeling that desire to get on and make a difference, but right now I’m not seeing it.
If it was any other opponent, I think Arteta rotates the squad and lets a few players rest and get minutes, but because it’s against Liverpool, I’m not too sure how Arteta will approach the game. Klopp will probably rotate a bit, but I’d also be guessing not as much as usual, both teams will want to go through to the next round and meeting so early in the competition means at least one of the heavyweights is going to be sent home, let’s hope for our sake, that’s not us.
For me, I’d like to see the likes of Emilie Smith-Rowe and Reiss Nelson get some minutes, I also think playing both Jorginho and Rice next to each other could make a huge difference in the midfield. Arteta has to bite the bullet and take a chance, clearly something isn’t fully clicking at the club at the moment and if he doesn’t starting trying to fix it, it could turn out badly for him and the club.
What’s your thoughts Gooners?
Daisy Mae
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We’ll only play the upcoming EPL game on the 20th, so our main players should play in FA Cup as an exercise
Arteta could do some experiments by using some of his main players as substitutes
Play the FA cup as an exercise?
What are your expectations for Arsenal?
Shelve the FA Cup so we can win the Premiership and Champions League?
I have news for you – based on the form of this team recently I would not pin much hope on Arsenal being anywhere near winning either of those.
The FA Cup should be a priority for Arsenal.
Our league form isn’t good for a marathon like EPL, but we could still win a knockout competition like UCL with luck
Does it matter? We’re not wining anything with the first team and don’t expect anything “if” The squad is rotated. Let’s be happy with Emery’s team who won it then and be content with the Community Shield.
@gai, as much as I would prefer the coach to prioritize the cup he wants to win, he should do well in FA cup it’s an opportunity to fine tune some tactics with his players. Besides, you never can tell which trophy Arsenal might win at the end of the season. Nothing can be overly predicted.
My take is the coach should lineup 70% of his first 11 and make a statement in FA match after 2 loses.
I’d prefer Arteta to do some experiments in the FA Cup game, so he could use the new tactic and lineup in EPL
Rest players with a 2-week break coming up. BRILLIANT!!!
Full strength team, meaning Ramsdale and ESR start!!
Spot on KEN! It beggars belief that a now fit ESR is STILL, even now, almost entirely absent for games, apart from a few late minutes as sub.
And as many know and many agree, RAMSDALE HAS BEEN DISGRACEFULY OSTRACISED FOR NO SENSIBLE REASON WHATSOEVER.
Would love for ESR to start in the left, he had his best games for Arsenal as rwf, Arteta needs to be a little more flexible is not a big ask. Martinelli could use the rest and ESR needs to find another club so it would be the perfect game for our No 10 to show kis skills
Yes of course and let’s send them home together with a wonderful cotton towel to wipe off their sweat
I’d like to see Trossard in the false 9, but other than that, it’s not actually possible too rotate, because we’re already down to the bare bones, and it’s Liverpool by the way.
I’m in two minds.
Play the best available, race into a 3 goal lead and then bring on the fringe players 🙂 for the remainder. OR, treat the match as an opportunity to give vital minutes to the fringe players that everybody thinks are rusty and need a run out to prove that Arteta should have picked them all along.
I generally take the view that you play your strongest team which you hope does well before making changes. I am not a fan of playing catch up too late in the game with the so called best players being brought on to try and save the day.
What if we put on another lacklustre display with the fittest and the best? Play a second string and then if we get trounced we will assume that Arteta values the Prem and our chances in the CL rather than more fixtures in the FA Cup.
SueP Liverpool fringed players handed West Ham a heavy defeat, something that would not help our morale just now.
Racing into a 3 goal lead against Liverpool?
Humour, Dan, humour!
More fantasy thinking than humour, I suggest Sue.
We need to play the team that gives us the best chance of winning the game. Therefore, maybe some changes that freshen up the team but not weaken it. Easier said than done.
No I want silverware
Obviously, if there is anyone in need of rest then yes but we should play a strong team
I would also use Ramsdale and ESR
Daisy Mae, why are you referring to Saka as “some of our players”, when you talk about those who’ve been in poor form. Yes he’s not the only one who’s lost form, but for Pete’s sake, it won’t break to be honest. The introduction of both Havertz and Jorginho has thrown the whole team off its tracks. What do you think Jorginho is going to do against Liverpool MF? Arsenal has young, hungry midfielders ready to impress, and you’re calling for geriatrics whom we should never have signed in the first place? Why is it that at Arsenal giving academy players a chance is equated to sending them to the guillotine, when other teams see it as developing talent and building from within?
Took the words straight out of my mouth, Mohlanko. And why are we talking about sacrificing the FA Cup so early in the third round against Liverpool of all teams. Are we that short of confidence that we want to already start looking for excuses if we lose?
If it’s true that Saka has been nursing an achilles injury, then it explains a lot and is a disgrace risking something more serious.
Play the best side possible for this cup game. They’ll have plenty of down time before the Palace game.
A full strength team should be on display for Arsenal, the AFCON cup is going to affect Liverpool more than us.
Man city seems to be the strongest team in the battle for the premier league title not affected my the AFCON.
FA Cup is most realistic chance of silverware
Why risk it
Madness to play players in the red zone right now!
If Saka, White, Saliba or anyone else goes pop, season is done.
Here is a different take-sell everyone who does not play or is always injured.
That is about 1/2 of AFC’s squad.
Replace those players with robust players who will actually damn play!
So who’s going to buy players that are always injured or don’t even play?
Yes. Some players need to be rested. Saka, Martinelli, Harvertz and Raya.
Agree with the writer, that this is a chance for Silverware but it’s not the only one. As a fan, I’m fully expecting us to win minimum 2 trophies this year and runner up in the 3rd. So either CL + FA cup and 2nd in the league or PL + CL and runner up in the FA cup, so on. The amount of money we spent assembling this group is eye-watering. To add, we didn’t pay for Saka, ESR, Nielson, Nketia and got Martinelli on the cheap which makes the money spend even worse as the players we bought aren’t good/trusted enough to start. Most of our squad are players that are hand picked and bought by Arteta and Edu. How can they be allowed to spend this amount of money and just have the FA cup as a realistic target for the season. This is nonsense, the Kroenke’s should expect, sorry not expect, demand, more!! The way I see it now Arteta and Edu chose those players to buy, i.e. Havertz, Jorginho, Raya, Viera, Trossard, Timber etc. so the they are responsible when things go wrong but this season there is NO margin for error, or to try poxy experiments- that was for pre-season, now it’s time for business. Stand and deliver, trophies or your jobs. If we drop out the FA cup and slide a couple more places in the league, I’d fully expect the Kroenke’s to sack these two and get in someone to win the league and the Champions league. We SHOULD be in a much better position in the league and going into this game with confidence of winning but instead, I’m worried we will be on the receiving end of a thrashing from Liverpool’s B team. If Arteta doesn’t step up to the plate now, then bye bye. We can’t wait more than a couple of games otherwise it will all be too far gone, the league, the cups, everything. Not sure what manager they could bring in but would like to see a no nonsense, proven winner and not a former apprentice. No more learning on the job and being congratulated for taking part, it’s time for serious results and I’m talking 15 game unbeaten run style series of results!
AndyE, So you” fully expect us to win two trophies and be a runner up in a third one”!
Have you ever heard the word “realist”? Do you KNOW what it means?
Have you ever heard the word “fantasist and of fan bias”? I have heard and met them all and the words fantasist and fan bias fit you to a tee.
Idle dreamers are so boring to try debating with. Sigh!
Relax Admiral, don’t write us off yet.
Strongest team possible please, surely everyone wants us to win this game, a) because we progress to the next round and should want to ultimately win the FA Cup again, b) we’ve lost our last two games (against PL opposition) and we don’t want to lose a third on the trot and c) we need the confidence booster of beating Liverpool, possibly the strongest team we could be facing presently.
some call it stubborn, others call it consistent, but Arteta has rarely rotated or rested in his time at the Arsenal helm
add to that a 2 week break until our next match and the rest argument fades too
so expect to see little changed XI on Sunday
there might be a forced change at LB due Zinc injury and Tomy international duty, and while I would like an academy prospect to be given a chance, the PSV deadest of dead rubbers experience said it all
What is the best team??????
I would definitely rest saka. The lad has played so much all through last calendar year, he deserves rest also considering his injury. I agree with the idea of starting eSR and Nelson and I would also start Cedric soares in place of White. That said, Jorginho linking up with Rice would be great since both are midfield controllers and it would allow Rice to unleash his creativity. ESR could play as no.10.
There is no need for any tinkering of the team. Arsenal is short of confidence now and we are playing Liverpool probably the best team at the moment based on form. Another loss will be devastating to the morale of the team. Let us even compete!
My major worry is Arteta. Can he change his tactics because we are damn predictable now.