Arsenal v Brighton Wed 29th October 745 PM

Sicario2

This is a tricky one. I want us to compete on all four fronts this season including league cup as we have the squad now. Having said that, our injuries are piling up so something may have to give. I also think Brighton will play a strong team as they have no Europe.

I would want nothing more than knocking these cunts and their prick fans out of this cup as they did us 3 years ago at roughly the same stage but we got to be pragmatic. Burnley away is the priority this week.

Also, can we really be bothered playing a two legged semi final in Jan? Even if we win the league cup what’s the benefits apart from getting the trophy drought off our backs or is that a big benefit and will ease us into winning the league in the Spring (just like Jose in his first season)? How highly do you rate the League cup this season is the question?

Back to the game, I think we all agree that the GK, defence and DM pick itself but when it comes to wingers/up front it gets a bit tricky and we may need to make a few judgment calls:

1) do you start Saka over a 15 year old Dowman like we did in the first round and bring on the latter after 60 mins? Issue with that is Brighton are no Port Vale and no guarantee we will be in a winning position. Would the opposite work ie starting a 15 year old from the get go? Is Dowman ready to start against grown men?

2)Where you see Merino play will largely dictate whether you think Gyo will play. I want the Swede to rest but if Merino plays in midfield we have no choice. I guess it also depends on Mart’s condition. Gyo could really do with a rest though. Could we play any kids from the youth set up on Wed? Where is the MLS of up front?

3) Eze has to start - simply because we are running out of players offensively but also he needs some rhythm

Question to the forum, if we beat Burnley and Sunderland are you willing to sacrifice the Brighton game? Or do you think winning breeds winning and we need a trophy, any trophy no matter what and losing on Wed will be detrimental to our chances of winning silverware and could potentially stop our recent good momentum? Losing on Wed will also put more pressure on us winning the league btw but at the same time eases up the congestion in Dec/Jan hence I’m in two minds

Big Willie

Sicario2 I would want nothing more than knocking these cunts and their prick fans out of this cup as they did us 3 years ago at roughly the same stage but we got to be pragmatic. Burnley away is the priority this week.

I don't mind their fans. In fact I don't know a single one or seen any online comments from anyone who supports Brighton in forever. What I do hate is that Bobblehead manager Huntzaelelrdhejrrgshsr or whatever the fuck he's called. Would love to batter them just because of him.

est

---------------Kepa
White-Mosquera-Hincapie-MLS
--------Norgaard-Merino
----Dowman-Nwaneri-Trossard
-------------Martinelli

Arteta won't do it, but that's what I'd go for.

Sicario2

Big Willie I have beef with their fans. I’ve seen us lose more than once at home to them and their fans were the upmost cunts, bunch of small time pricks.

I also watched Arsenal Brighton in a bar in Amsterdam once in 2021/2022 when I think Trossard scored against us and Martnelli had a goal ruled out and in the same bar was about 10 Brighton fans on a stag do. I nearly got into blows with them and it would have been 1 v 10.

When we scored I punched the TV in that game that’s how pissed off I was against those fans.

I have calmed down a lot since (just for the record).

Cunts

RowJimmy

------------Kepa
White-Mosquera-Hincapie-MLS
------------Norgaard
Dowman-Nwaneri-Eze-Trossard
------------Merino

MistaT

RowJimmy — I wouldn’t be surprised to see these players but with Trossard at CF, Eze left, and Merino in midfield.

Arteta will want a mouthpiece and like minded player (to him) in midfield to control the team.

That also still let’s Merino get forward for crosses and set pieces.

RowJimmy

In principle I'd like to see 4 players at a time rotated, not the whole team, but we've got a bunch of guys who really need the rest - Timber, Saliba, Rice, Saka, Martinelli, and Gyokeres. Kepa, the alternate back 4, Norgaard, and Nwaneri on the other hand need minutes. And this seems like the perfect opportunity to see how Dowman does against a PL team.

USArsenal

I'd play full backups in this game. Lets be honest, our backups should be good enough to compete well and win the game at home. Our backup team could realistically beat 60% of the teams in the league. Problem is, they havent exactly played together much...

Its nice to compete on all fronts, but i would sacrifice the carabao cup if it meant us having a more realistic shot at the league and/or the CL (and the FA Cup).

RocktheCasbah

Burnley is the priority this week and you said it yourself Sic (and funnily enough I said it to someone else earlier today), we don't need that two legged semi final in January.

Yes, the squad has now been machine tooled to compete on all fronts, but the reality is we are missing lots of those players now. Especially in forward areas. I never want Arsenal to lose, but I won't lose too much sleep if it happens on Wednesday. Even if Brighton's manager is a weapons grade whopper.

Sicario2

The only thing is if we win we should get most of our attacking players back from injury come the next round (mid dec I believe). So it would be good to have the likes of Jesus, Havertz and Ode to play in the next round and for general minutes of the squad. Then again you can’t predict injuries and what’s going to happen.

Does winning/losing on Wed increase/decrease our chances of winning the league? Thats the bottom line question

TambourineMan

These attacking injuries are fucking annoying. Would find a way to rest Saka somehow so I'd go with a front 6 of:
------------Norgaard---------
----------Eze----Merino------
Nwaneri--Trossard--Martinelli

And heavy rotation at the back as well.

Tam

TambourineMan I like that. Nwaneri needs minutes more than Saka or Dowman, even if it does have to come wide. Experienced midfield should hopefully hold the team together even if they haven’t played as a three before. I do wonder if we’d see MLS in midfield and Hincapie at LB though.

Sicario2

Tam and then who at CB? Can’t play Gab

Tam

Sicario2 I wouldn’t have thought so but I dont think Arteta will make wholesale changes. I reckon we can expect to see some of Zubimendi, Saliba, Gabriel or Rice. I’ll be very surprised if we get a completely new 11.

tazmania

Rest as many first team players as possible. We will still win and if we don't, who cares. This trophy is lowest priority

Burnwinter

For me the most important thing is less to rest the first XI—except maybe those that are in dire need—but to give some proper minutes to the benchwarmers and let them own the result.

Kepa, Nwaneri, Skelly, Hincapié, Mosquera, White, Nørgaard, Dowman, none of these dudes is playing enough in the league and all of them should start. If they don't get to run out a few matches they won't know up from down when they're needed.

I'd play @RowJimmy's XI, but I'd drop Merino for Martinelli and give the latter a good free hit as a central forward and have Rice at the ready to sub in for Eze if we're looking a bit too porous.

USArsenal

Tam

Not sure we will see Saliba or Gabriel. Both of them had knocks/niggles on Sunday, and Rice also came off injured. If any of those 3 features, i'd be completely shocked.

Gurgen

Rest everyone.

Gurgen

OK not everyone: Kepa White Mosquera Hincapie MLS Norgaard Ethan Eze Dowman Merino Martinelli

Meatwad

brighton have their own injury issues.

banduan

Meatwad brighton have their own injury issues

everybody does. Some just more than others.