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

[colorado blue]

I think if we go best 11 and arsenal go at say 75% we still get a huge mental boost if we win.

Arsenal have no reason to turn up at anything less than full strength, if they don’t play their best team I’d see it as a sign of weakness, sort of them trying to protect their best team from a potentially damaging defeat.

I will be amazed if they show up with any where near a full strength team. I doubt they care about the FA cup and won’t want to risk losing to us with the same team that will face in a few weeks. I haven’t got a clue how deep their squad is though, they seem to play same team every week.

 

[The Light Was Yellow Sir]

I will be amazed if they show up with any where near a full strength team. I doubt they care about the FA cup and won’t want to risk losing to us with the same team that will face in a few weeks. I haven’t got a clue how deep their squad is though, they seem to play same team every week.

I reckon they'll go virtually full strength. Any win here gives them a huge lift and they’ll still want to win something. The PL is nothing like as sown up as some people seem to imagine so throwing the FA Cup (and the EL) not only makes no sense, but won’t happen, imo.

 

[Fiftyyearsandcounting]

I will be amazed if they show up with any where near a full strength team. I doubt they care about the FA cup and won’t want to risk losing to us with the same team that will face in a few weeks. I haven’t got a clue how deep their squad is though, they seem to play same team every week.

I'm inclined to agree, I would imagine Arteta's priority is the PL. If he fields a "weakened" team, he has free hit. Lose, and he has his ready made excuse, win and his team will so confident for the PL games.

 

[youngbob]

Strongest team possible (except for Ortega). Pep tried tried to play weaker teams against Chelsea in 2021 to hide his plan for the Champions League final and it blew up in his face three times. Just do the sensible thing.

 

[Bournemouth Blue]

We need to make a statement, first of a hat-trick of victories against Arsenal, I doubt we will win all three but would prefer this to be the one we don’t.

 

[Xhavenjoe]

Well it looks like Pep & Mikel are trying to out flatter each other before tomorrow night's game. I suppose it's better than slanging each other off like some managers. I wonder if the loser will be so nice in May. Up the blues.

Its like Brokeback Mountain

 

[Jack Hackett]

Yep, top tier but you’ll get a great view of Erlings hat trick.

Should I bring binoculars?

 

[Jack Hackett]

I’d like to think at the end of the day their personal relationship is more important than their professional rivalry. There’s too much unjustified rancour in football already.

 

[prestonibbo_mcfc]

put out the strongest possible team and give em a sound thrashing!

Ooh. I love a sound thrashing.

 

[Len Rum]

The Arse have won the Cup a zillion times and IMO wouldn't be too 'arsed' if they exited the competition.
They want the League.
We on the other hand need to keep our options open in this competition.
Hence mentally I think we will want it more than them and will win it.


But then again Pep.....