JoeFollowing an excellent win away at Burnley at the weekend attention now turns to the League Cup (or whatever nonsense they call it now) and Wimbledon at home. I expected Mikel Arteta to rotate heavily for this one as although we’re only in three competitions this year, attention will be fully on the North London Derby on Sunday. There is a risk that tonight we could be caught out by lower league opposition but even a “second choice” eleven should have enough to overcome them.
The league cup can often afford a chance to see some of the younger squad members who don’t usually get a look in for the first eleven. Today I think there will be an element of that along with giving game time to squad members that may be called upon at short notice. I expect Leno will start in goal with Tavares and players like Cedric in the back line. Gabi Martinelli will be disappointed if he doesn’t get to start and I think Lacazette could get some needed minutes should he be called upon on Sunday. Aside from that we have plenty of players who will be eager for the chance to play, I wouldn’t be bothered if we played an entirely different 11 to one that played on Saturday and entirely different to the one that will play on Sunday.
I have it on good authority that there will be around 8,000 ‘Dons’ at the Emirates tonight that will do their best to whip up an atmosphere and I know that the club have currently sold around 48,000 tickets for this one. Although it is “just the league cup” these occasions present fans who are otherwise unlikely to get tickets the chance to see The Arsenal in the flesh and therefore I’d love to see Emirates as full as possible tonight.
Not much else to say for now. To those of you going tonight I’ll see you there.
COYG!
-Joe