Our squad is of course thin and has been made thinner with the injury to G.Jesus and is prone to becoming too thin if Partey, Xhaka, Saka, Ode, Martinelli or Nketiah get injured…Their back ups are just not at the same level…so risking an injury to them may be just too risky…YET, the FA Cup is a fantastic competition and we have a good record in it. We have to respect the competition and give it a go – a trophy is a trophy…
We are playing Oxford, not the biggest name in football so we may have a bit of room for rotation but let us not rotate the whole team and keep some first squad elements in it to put the game comfortably behind Oxford’s reach at half-time…This will allow us to bring in some youngsters to the fold…
Ramsdale – Tomy, Saliba, Holding, Tierney – El Neny, Xhaka – Vieira, Ode, ESR – Nketiah
Second half:
Turner – Tomy, Saliba, Holding, Tierney – El Neny, Lokonga – Marquinhos, Vieira, Taylor-Hart – ESR
Let us win this tie and let us keep looking at options to improve our squad’s quality and depth.
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I say put the second string squad to the test, if the likes of sambi marquinos etc can beat Oxford then dey don’t deserve to be in squad so send them out and show us what day are made of
Shame Nelson got injured
There’s a fine line between respecting the FACup and taking unnecessary risks with Tottenham and Man United on the horizon, but who knows what Mikel will do? He had quite a strong squad out vs Brighton in the League Cup even if that didn’t end well, but I just have this nightmare scenario of Eddie getting injured and leaving us with no strikers
I fully agree that we shouldn’t give up on the cup. Yet, it wouldn’t make sense to play with Ramsdale, and I hope we can give Odegaard some rest, too. Eddie doesn’t need rest, though, as he will do that after Jesus’ second coming
My recommended line-up:
–––––––––Nketiah––––––––
ESR/ACD–Vieira–Marquinhos
–––––Lokonga–Elneny–––––
Tierney–Holding–Saliba–Tomi
–––––––––Turner–––––––––
Bin it ASAP.
We don’t have the squad. Why are people suggesting Nketiah; he is the only CF we have.
It is just a cup game against a mid-table League One team, not a human sacrifice or skydiving above an active volcano. There is really small chance of substantial injuries, but even in such case we have contingency options in the attacking department including Martinelli, ESR and even playing with no striker but a false 9.
We don’t have academy strikers at the required level, and Eddie deserves to play in a game that is expected be slightly lighter than Brighton, Newcastle and Tottenham.
“not a human sacrifice or skydiving above an active volcano”
Love that line, made me chuckle. If Eddie gets burnt to a cinder in that well known Oxford volcano, I will not be slow in shouting I told you so. lol
I’ll be eating the humble pie with dignity then. 😛
City in next round when we get through
BOEHLY, YOU’RE AVIN A LARF!
As I’ve said on here before, during the great Speculation Expectorant that is the Transfer Skylight, I try to avoid all the invention and tittle – oh, and tattle. I’m happy to wait and see who Arsenal actually sign at the end of the Bring-and-Buy Velux.
But I have to react to the current garbage, because it seems to be ubiquitous. Two players have titillated the hacks and bloggers, that appear genuinely to want to join the Premier League. All the gossip surrounds which club they would prefer.
The apparent suitors are the Mancs from Mould Trafford, the Moseleyites from Stamford Bridge – and us.
One player is a slight, but fiery-looking hyper-swift winger with one full season under his belt in one of Europe’s lesser leagues, who seems to have impressed widely with his speed and close control. The other is a wispy expensive lad of about thirteen (if his looks are anything to go by), who apparently has masses of star quality, such that he can’t get into the team who grossly overpaid for him.
It seems that Arsenal may be interested in both these tyros. It furthermore seems that Chelsea FC are intent on gazumping anyone else to acquire their signatures. Well. Good luck. I hope you do! I cannot be persuaded that these are the players that Arsenal needs. We probably do need reinforcements, and an upgrade on the second strings we have at the moment. I just don’t see Mudryk (by the way, has everyone else noticed that this is the same name as “Modric”?) nor Felix as providing them.
Now, somewhere else I saw the name Declan Rice linked. That’s what I call an upgrade!
About which I’ll dream, knowing its fulfilment is somewhat unlikely!
Thanks, RC,
Excellent preview. I would give the second string a good go. Losing someone from the first team is not worth paying even for the FA Cup.
But I would start with Eddie. He has a thing to prove. Otherwise, I fully agree with the @PBARANY selection.
COYG
Interesting take Maxwell, would you say that signing Rice is more urgent than reinforcing the attack?
That second goal from Eddie was classy, that was the one where he confidently said — I belong.
Hi LB. Not urgent, but for me more of an overall improvement than the two waifs. Notwithstanding, I believe I have to eat humble pie as reports tonight suggest that MM is all but over the line.
As for Eddie, I think that by the end of the season he will have shown over and over again that he is a proper PL striker, and then others will have to eat humble pie!
LBG it official I shall be at the home of the football on march 15 and 18
I agree with Max, Declan Rice would be a monumental signing, unlikely but you just never know?
Out of curiosity who would he be starting for
Fred, if there was any prospect of signing Declan Rice and that’s a big IF given the finance involved, it would be, I reckon, a deal done in the summer, so that’s a way off for having an idea whose going and whose staying?
3-0 and a glimpse of Vieira’s cutting edge and a continued fine form for Eddie…Tierney is yet to rediscover his best football and Lokonga would need a loan in the EPL I believe…
City next but before that some savoury EPL footie 🙂
Odegard with December player of the month congratulations
Richard Keys will be ever so pleased
City loses, Utd wins, Liverpool loses…
A win or draw tomorrow will be good for us
Hey! This is NLD, I want us to win. Last time playing there just ruined our season so we have more than just one point to prove. We have three :).
And I think we have a genuine chance to win. I know we haven’t won there since Rozicky thunder but why not. I’m afraid Kane will get his usual penalty but it won’t be enough. 3-1 to good guys!
COYG
Stranger back from exile.
COYRRG
Wow, it has been a long time Arnie, glad to see one of your comments again.