By Bulldog Drummond
So, with 5000 articles done, it seems I lead us off into the sixth millennium (and yes I know literally millennium means not just any old thousand, but a thousand years, but points are there to be stretched and anyway I don’t think that there is a word meaning 1000 editions).
But as you will see from the note at the end of this piece, we have already played Middlesbrough in the fifth round of the Cup on this day. It was under Herbert Chapman, and was part of the cup run that gave Arsenal their first ever major trophy. Not a bad day to have the match.
And Mr Wenger knows it.
“We have won the FA Cup five times during my period here. Nobody has won it more in the last 18 years, so we have always taken the competition seriously,” he said. (In fact we’ve been in 18 finals and won it 11 times, starting with Chapman’s losing final in 1927 and his win in 1930 – although I have just spoiled part of the warm up of the History Society quiz – another note at the end of the piece).
As we all saw, and as Arsène Wenger said, we were “not the sharpest” midweek but we got through it and out the other side despite some, what shall I say, curious, refereeing.
For today there is talk in the papers of Alexis Sánchez, Jack Wilshere and Gabriel Paulista all being in the team. Gabriel I can imagine, for Mr Wenger said this week, “He’s very close [to making his debut]. He likes to defend. It’s more and more difficult to find people like that. [He is] a player who has overall good qualities: good pace, good in the air, good in one against one. But it’s best I don’t talk too much and let him play and he shows how good he is.”
But I can’t see why Jack would be rushed in, and with so many important games to come if Alexis is still recovering, why not make sure he has all of this week to get properly better. There is a week until we play Palace, but then Monaco, Everton and QPR all come in quick succession when he really will be needed. Mr Wenger said, “Alexis Sánchez is still not able to train. He could be short,”
On the other hand Middlesbrough are second in their league.
| Pos | Team | Pl | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bournemouth | 31 | 17 | 8 | 6 | 65 | 32 | 33 | 59 |
| 2 | Middlesbrough | 30 | 17 | 8 | 5 | 48 | 20 | 28 | 59 |
| 3 | Derby County | 30 | 17 | 7 | 6 | 58 | 28 | 30 | 58 |
| 4 | Ipswich Town | 31 | 16 | 9 | 6 | 50 | 31 | 19 | 57 |
| 5 | Watford | 31 | 17 | 5 | 9 | 63 | 37 | 26 | 56 |
| 6 | Norwich City | 31 | 15 | 8 | 8 | 59 | 36 | 23 | 53 |
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Mikel Arteta and Mathieu Debuchy are of course all out. The Ox is two to three weeks away. Ramsey I presume is added to the list for three weeks, although my apologies, I can’t seem to find the details of how long he’s out for.
Just hope they don’t have a player called Mike Dean
Cup ties are notorious for freak results, the leveling of sides in different divisions and the most horrendous of howlers by players who should know better.
In today’s game I notice that Middlesboro are miserly over conceding goals and are equally shy over scoring……make whatever you like about those two statistics.
On paper Arsenal should win, as there is a substantial gap between the two divisions and the Emirates is a veritable fortress for ANY team to overcome.
Having said that, Arsenal are notorious for clutching defeat from victory, particularly when tipped to win.
’nuff said….
Expect a rough game. ‘boro have the most ( 49 ) yellow cards in The Championship. Info via #7amkickoff.
I am amazed to see Wilshere even in contention for this game, I thought he would out until the summer. The biggest enemy today is Mike Dean and then complacency – I”m hoping the former is ‘off message’ and the latter is well and truly identified by M. Wenger and Steve Bould, lest anyone in the Arsenal dressing room thinks this is going to be easy.
I’m just getting ready to set off
Hoping for a good result. The ref is always a concern, and given he didn’t send a player off and awarded us a penalty last time out, he might feel we’re ‘due’ one?.
may be Bielik for Coqelin, rosicky for cazorla and welbeck and akpom up top in place of ozil and giroud. we play a lot of league games soon after this
Your starters are good enough to start this Cup tie against Middlesborough. But as you are well aware, hardly does any pundit has correctly guessed the boss starts. Taking into cognizance the Gunners cannot afford not to beat Boro on the first time of asking today’s evening at the Emirates stadium ahead of their busy games to Crystal Palace and their CL home game with Monaco. MY ANTICIPATING GUNNERS STARTS: Szczesny.Bellerin.De-AbereuChambersGibbs. CoquelinFlamini. WalcottAkpomOzil. MY BENCH: Martinez.CazorlaGiroudRosickyMonrealRhinosackerWelbeck. I am resting Koscielny.The boss must rest some Gunners that includes my bench for Alan Pardew’s Palace game and our CL home game. My starts are dynamic and they will white-wash Boro as AFC 5-0 MBFC at full time.
My guess is that it is still too early for the game sheets to have been turned in. But, the Guardian has Koscielny playing in the center, and not being able to play because of an injured shoulder. Which is a good story (and poor journalism).
COYG!
Samuel,
I hope your prediction proves right but I fiat you are a little optimistic. Borough are, first and foremost, a very solid defensive team. They don’t score many goals but concede far fewer. I am expecting a tight game, Arsenal to win by at most two goals. The important thing is for us to start fast and positive and not to give Sean a chance to penalise us.
COYG
And I can’t read. Koscielny is listed as doubtful (by the Guardian), not out. 🙂
Well, Alexis worked himself back in. 🙂
From the Daily Mail:
> Szczesny, Chambers, Gabriel, Koscielny, Gibbs, Flamini, Cazorla, Welbeck, Ozil, Alexis, Giroud
> Subs: Martinez, Mertesacker, Monreal, Rosicky, Walcott, Coquelin, Akpom
Welbeck, Alexis and Giroud to start is a lot of firepower.
COYG!
With fear of being called a turd, troll, AAA, PPP or even an ABC easy as 123, we need to play far better than we have in the last two games.
We have been slow, sluggish and playing far too many safe, side passes to keep the ball.
I am hoping for better movement not only from the front three but I want to see more third man running from our midfield and less passes to players with their back towards the oppositions goal.
Play the fast passing game we all know we can and we will win, that will also negate a lot of damage the ref can do to us as by the time the opposition player gets to ours, the ball and the passer have gone.
That was much better, first half particularly. A good professional performance