Arteta doesn’t even trust the guy, let’s be honest.
Arsenal didn’t rush getting into the market when Jesus got injured. They knew we had Eddie and nk other pure striker.
This is back-to-back windows the club is left with Lokonga as an option and they’re panicking trying to find a new midfielder late in the window.
It’s actually embarrassing. They all know the lad can’t do it for us.
Is Jakub Kiwior available to play? I’m sure we could fit him in defence or midfield if needed
I doubt we airdrop him into a game like this
It’s a theoretical lol… they don’t exist anywhere. My point was that it is way more important to me that we secure first place and title than it is to go further in FA Cup (and I LOVE the FA Cup) or even win the FA Cup.
The number of times we are genuinely in position to win title are so diminishingly small over the last 15 years - the FA Cup is a crapshoot and we are always in with a shout in a given year.
Why do we have to choose though?
Sure, if we get knocked out it won’t sting as much as it has in the past when we weren’t competing for the title. But I think we can compete for both.
I definitely want to see Trossard from the start.
Martinelli could use a breather, we wont miss him that much considering his most recent form. Trossard is in perfect form atm, even withouth too much training with the team he should absolutely be ready to deliver already considering his experience and recent form.
A good opportunity to see what he offers and also for him to bond with the rest of the team before we use him in the crucial PL games (every game left to the end of the season).
As @SRCJJ said, I don’t expect us to rotate too much considering we have 8 days until our next game.
I think you are playing with me lol but I can’t tell for sure… ofc we don’t have to choose… its not how the universe works.
Its like saying “i will trade the next 10 girls turning me down if that super hot one in the corner says “yes””
I think we will give too much away playing our full strength team with our game to come in just a couple weeks.
We will lose a lot by giving city the real thing as a warmup experience before the main event.
Give them something watered down in my opinion.
As much I would prefer some rotation, we just don’t have requisite players to come in and replace the first choice.
Maybe Smith Rowe is ready to start.
Turner
Tomiyasu - Saliba - Kiwior - Tierney
Partey - Xhaka - Vieira
Saka - Nketiah - Trossard
No chance I think.
I doubt he’s ready considering he hasn’t been seriously involved so far even as a sub.
Maybe he could get something like a half an hour in the second half, at best, I reckon.
While defeat won’t be that catastrophic but imagine the belief a win at Etihad will bring.
I’m thinking we will see a pretty strong team but I’d like to see a bit of a mix. Start guys like Tomi and Trossard, perhaps even ESR.
I would trust Turner here too.
Turner
Tomi-Saliba-Gabriel-Zinchenko
Odegaard-Partey-Xhaka
Saka-Eddie-Trossard
Saka, Odegaard, Partey, Gabriel and Zinchenko off around the hour make.
Ramsdale;
White - Saliba - Gabriel - Zinchenko;
Partey - Xhaka - Odegaard;
Saka - Nketiah - Trossard;
Rest partey
You just know KP wil two foot Thomas and the headlines will be:
Any guesses on the kit? Common sense says Black but we’ve not dusted-off the red shorts yet.
I didn’t read what you wrote above that headline.
Neither did I notice the date.
Permanent ban applied.
Arsenal’s stars have arrived in Manchester for their crunch FA Cup clash with Manchester City.
Seemingly not taking a backseat with the FA Cup, Mikel Arteta has named a strong squad with Oleksandr Zinchenko, Thomas Partey and Bukayo Saka all among those pictured on Thursday evening. Emile Smith Rowe was not spotted.
Nice, so now Jesus, Nelson, Elneny and Smith Rowe are out. Anyone else?