Arsenal (H) - FA Cup - Fri 27th Jan, 20:00 | Pre-Match Thread

[blueste41]

Friday would be a good time to get back to our best.

 

[LongsightM13]

I think both will go close to full strength, a replay is the last thing either manager wants
We’ve already got six games in February and five of them are away, don’t need another

 

[kun]

Why does haaland need a 2 week break? Have to be careful , players need momentum

Fair point

 

[citymad]

Let’s confuse them and go full defensive:

Ederson
Walker
Stones
Dias
Laporte
Ake
Lewis
Cancelo
Rodri
Phillips
Gundogan
Haaland

We might need too, its one way to stop Odegaard, Saka and Martinelli. Ederson to Haaland will work eventually.

 

[ancoats]

both managers/clubs have nothing to hide, but arsenal may well see the FA Cup as a give away game because it's away to the Champions, do arsenal have a big enough squad to fight on 3 fronts with the Europa League in mid-week Thursday nights, I even think pep will stick to his plans and play Stefan in all the cup games.

also, are arsenal fully ready to show their hand early, knowing it's the Premier League they really want most,
would it be a good season for them if they only won the FA cup, when leading the league for most of the early season,

if Manchester city turn up, we win, it's not being big-headed or giddy it's just facts we are a better club than arsenal, they even know if we turn up It's pretty much over

 

[KingGeorge]

both managers/clubs have nothing to hide, but arsenal may well see the FA Cup as a give away game because it's away to the Champions, do arsenal have a big enough squad to fight on 3 fronts with the Europa League in mid-week Thursday nights, I even think pep will stick to his plans and play Stefan in all the cup games.

also, are arsenal fully ready to show their hand early, knowing it's the Premier League they really want most,
would it be a good season for them if they only won the FA cup, when leading the league for most of the early season,

if Manchester city turn up, we win, it's not being big-headed or giddy it's just facts we are a better club than arsenal, they even know if we turn up It's pretty much over

I assume you mean Ortega

 

[Eric Hitchmough]

Is Jo cup-tied? ;)

Sorry, one for the old school BM’ers.

 

[Gray]

Is Jo cup-tied? ;)

Sorry, one for the old school BM’ers.

No - one match suspension for card accumulation.

 

[supercity88]

I'm fully expecting Pep to play 5 at the back in a completely new formation, to keep Mikel on his toes!

I'm torn between wanting it to be a proper first team battle where we tear them a new one, and resting our first 11 just to kick lumps out of them. A great chance to give Saka, Odegaards etc some time in the treatment room!

In all seriousness I'd love to win the FA Cup this season. We've only won it twice since the takeover, losing the final to Wigan in 2013 and so many semi finals more recently! It's still a special competition in my opinion.

 

[Legal Alien]

I think both will go close to full strength, a replay is the last thing either manager wants
We’ve already got six games in February and five of them are away, don’t need another

The question is what is considered our full strength team?
To me it is changing weekly and certainly a lot different from 3 months ago.

We need to get players match fit for the games to come, so barring injury i think these should start:

Walker
Dias
Laporte
Cancelo
Phillips
Bernardo
Foden
Alvarez
Palmer