Carabao. Do you remember how we did last season? I have to admit I struggle.
We reached the Final and had a day out at Wembley which went very well until the 18th minute after which it all went TU.
Was it worth it? Do the clubs value the competition? On balance one has to say Yes, but I would temper that by pointing out AW’s policy of playing kids in the early rounds and first teamers as we progress, which IMO mocks the idea that it is an opportunity for the squad players (more of that later in the day, perhaps)
In yesterday’s post, GN5 gave us the background to our opponents, I cannot write about Blackpool without mentioning Stanley Matthews, the Wizard of the Wing. In my very early days, those days when one’s love for the beautiful game becomes an obsession, Stanley Matthews was as holy as Miss Ross -Eggert (my headmistress in junior school), and Dan Dare from the Eagle comic. In my first ever game at Highbury I saw Matthews playing for Stoke at the age of almost 50!! I could and perhaps one day will write a post upon the effect Matthews had upon a nation recovering from WW2,
But of today’s Blackpool team I know nothing. I could Google but then so could you 😀
Given the forthcoming test against Liverpool and our growing injury list, I expect Mr Emery to start whomever is available sans Ozil and Xhaka. Even the over-worked Holding might have to start.
My Team:
Helmet
Jenks Mustafi Greek AMN (Cons)
Ramsey Elneney Smith Rowe Willock
Welbeck Nketiah
A return for Corporal Jenkinson must be possible and I wiah him the very best. As to the other positions – a mixture of experience and youth as always propped up by a solid deface. Maybe Medley at CB will get a kick later in the game.
We do not play League 1 sides very often and I look forward to seeing the standard of play. Blackpool will relish playing on the Hallowed Turf. Should be a good attacking game because, should B’pool try to PTB, they will lose in an ignominious manner, far better to go down in flames.
This is the Hors d’oeuvre before the main course at the weekend, hopefully a tasty morsel.
Arsenal should continue their unbeaten run.
COYRRG
Arsenal News 24/7
arsenalarsenal.net 
Thanks GN5
How can it be a solid deface with Lino playing in the middle of it?
I hope for a pleasant plate of horse’s doeuvres as well with no more injuries. Hope Nacho, Mav and Kos are also on the bench for a possible run out in the run up to the big one. COYG.
Thanks Erik
Think Elneny is injured
Really hope we don’t see M-N chucked in at Left Back simply because there’s a gap there. I’d like Unai to play him in the position he sees him making his own over the next few years
Where that is, I don’t know, but hoping it’s in midfield
Oh, and I agree with your sentiment in that the fringe players should start early rounds and continue all the way through the competition
I’m guessing the case for bringing the big guns in later stages (should we get there) is that other bigger teams may do the same, which brings in the confidence aspect ie being on the wrong end of a pasting.. still, I’d stick with them and a damn good thrashing should serve to man them up for later in their careers
One of mine but due to major tech issues I cannot access the Header customise 😦
Morning all,
The main excitement for me Raddy is hopefully we get to see some of our “potential” future players.
Stanley Matthews spent some of his final years in Canada and I met him when he was the main celebratory at the opening of a sporting goods store. But like many my main memory is the 1953 FA Cup Final when the wizard ran the show – I watched the game on a 9″ black and white TV at my mates place.
I’m sure our own wizard can find us footage of the game?
Oh yea now I see why LBG thanked me and not you Raddy.
Cheers, BR.
Miss Ross-Eggert sounds a bit of a sort
GN5 10.55
Good story.
Thanks for the read BR
PIERRE AUBAME-FANG! 🧛🏾♂️ #HappyHalloween
Chas
The still in the 11:39
Were the goals bigger back then?
I’d be in favour of making them bigger now whatever the history
The goal size has never really been changed since the 19th century by the look of it.
8 yards wide by 8 feet high.
http://www.whoateallthepies.tv/retro/158123/the-history-of-football-goal-posts.html
found this:
The size of the goal continued to fluctuate until the newly-formed Football Association hammered down the rules. In 1863 they deemed that posts should be eight yards (24 feet) apart, which remains the official width of a goal to this day.
Something still needed to be done about the upper limit of the space, though: there was no initial height specification, meaning many clubs didn’t bother with a string and allowed a strike between the sticks scored 30ft up in the air.
Tape eventually replaced string, notably at the first ever FA Cup final in 1872; and in 1875, experiments with crossbars began. Sheffield FC and Scottish club Queen’s Park both claim to be the first to have used one; it’s likely they did so independently at roughly the same time.
Sheffield United’s William ‘Fatty’ Foulkes (a big-boned goalkeeper who once quipped: “I don’t mind what they call me, as long as they don’t call me late for lunch”) broke a bar by swinging off it during an 1896 fixture.
ah, well found, 8 feet eh
Might be something on here later.
http://www.thearsenalforum.com/streams/
Thanks, Raddy. Great start as ever. 🙂
Corporal? Interesting. But yes, why not?
Cech is starting and Bellerin and El Neny are out.
Nacho and Kola being assessed to here is the likely line-up
Cech – Lichten, Jenks, Sok, AMN – Ramsey, LT, Guendouzi – Miky, Smithe-Rowe — Wellbeck
Chas – thanks for adding the Cup final video it was stunning in it’s clarity, seems incredible that I watched the game 65 years ago.
Your 11:35 looks like a typical 1950’s family scene, black and white TV, rotary phone, wireless and sweet tray – although not all families (ours included) could afford those luxuries.
I will be watching today’s game on DAZN – I don’t know where else it’s available but it appears they have purchased the rights to the Champions League and Europa league games – at least in North America where they hold the exclusive rights.
Sorry to GN5 and the artist creator, Raddy. Still a novice at recognising style/who does what on the site. Hope neither is offended by mix up.
COYG.
Re goal size, Blackpool GK looks to have been both a short arse and not very good.
Imagine if the poor injured guy were hobbling manfully to get the ball today, someone would scythe him down at knee height and say “now you’ve got an injury, mate!”
Thanks Raddy, my first heartthrob was Miss Crossley …. very shapely ankles I remember 🙂
The headmistress was an ogre with a hairy mole.
I hope we keep winning in this comp and UE can give pitch time to the peripheral players. Like Micky, I think A M-N is already first team quality, I hope he can be on the bench at the weekend. He will have leant something from that scumbag Walker deliberately running through the back of him – next time raise your studs and let him run his shin down those.
The Matthews final video is superb. The commentary redolent of a previous age (don’t get to use the word “redolent” very often 😀 )
scramble to google
Take that Mustafi, that will learn you to give away school boy penaltys
Lol
scramble to google ROLF
Delighted M-N further up field
Blimey, he signed for us when he was 16
Got to love The Corporal haven’t you really
He’ll never make it to the very highest level, but he probably doesn’t give a shit as he gets to play for The Arsenal occasionally, and rightly so, that’s more than enough for most mortals
Stream: they’ve added it to liveonlinefootie and says it’s on BT Sport Europe whatever that is
Thanks Micky, I was starting to panic about a stream
Playing one upfront against a League 1 team at home in a meaningless cup is pathetic.
Why not give it the full beans?
Fancy a game of cards or something, Erik?
What a lovely goal. Great pass from Curly and a wonderful finish from the Old Swiss Fella
Oh hooray. Maybe the game will open up a bit now
Calookie?
Phew, that was hard work watching
I’d take Ramsey and Smith-Rowe off because they’re boring and get two dribblers on. Nketiah for sure and someone else I suppose
Guendouzi bossing the game. What a prospect he is and a brilliant find by the French scouts. Remi Garde?
Agreed. He’s an incredible find. Talk about value for money
Still want to sub Smith Rowe (Lab) off?
Yah
There is quite a back story to how Guendouzi arrived at THOF
The story continues
Guess whose got a new lap top?
Truly dreadful referee. Missed two clear corners for AFC and then sends off Douzi for a nothing arm across the forward.
Whoever he is, he will be proud of his time in the spotlight.
My guess is LB
So what on earth is one Ramsey doing at that corner and how on earth can the referee allow the goal. Referees are corrupt and want only to provide extra for opposition.
LBG. We have seen a succession of terrible referees at The Emirates. The standard is dreadful and it comes as no surprise that no PL refs were chosen for the World Cup.
This bloke is a knob
We won. Not much else to say. Awful officials. Disappointing team and tactics.
Another home tie in the next round, please
Spuds at home
Wow wouldn’t we be playing them back to back
Guendouzi out of pool game due to bs fA (useless) rule!
Well, that was the most depressing few hours of the season so far, compounded by the Spuds draw which is a nightmare as we have to try
Well, when I say few hours, I mean for you lot as I gave the second 45 a swerve 🙂 🙂
Morning ALl,
During the second half, I was thinking about currencies and why the pound is so shite. Now THAT was depressing
As you say, we will have to try vs Spurs.
Erik
Now there’s a conversation worth having. The pound is no shiter than say, the dollar or euro. There’s a good reason half the world are turning away from the dollar
Can we appeal the red card
Ha ha Chas, trying to put some positive spin on having the Caribou
eh? I did not press post
Playing Spurs should be a positive. At least there will be some passion in the stadium, if not on the pitch. Unless The Corporal gets another outing – he hates the Lillywhites
Mmmm, there is that. Only positive I can see is that it’s Spuds and their squad is as thin as ours in terms of quality, and they (along with Utd) are most likely our rivals for top four, so it’ll damage them as much as us, but this is straw clutching as far as I’m concerned.
I think I’d enjoy the Caribou if we really did pack the side with promising youth, but we don’t. The side is largely essential 1st XI squad players.
Inexplicable, Raddy! No passion on the pitch!!?
The name/status of the Cup has no significance in an Arsenal v Spuds game.
LBG
Of course a Spuds game is good as it gets when it comes to the enjoyment of winning, so as you say, the name of the cup is irrelevant
I just wish it was the FAC or Europa (when they get relegated into it) 🙂
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