Hammers Stand Between Us And A Semi-Final Place
Dec 18th, 2017 by 'holic
The quarter-final of the Carabao Cup. Yes, the quarter-final. We are potentially three matches away from another Wembley Final. It is likely, however, that the manager will turn to his ‘cup team’, although he might be keeping one or two of them fresh for the Liverpool game on Friday.
David Ospina will start behind a possible back four comprising Mathieu Debuchy, Per Mertesacker, either Rob Holding or Calum Chambers. and Sead Kolasinac. In midfield Francis Coquelin and Mohamed Elneny might be paired behind Alex Iwobi or Jack Wilshere in the number ten role. Theo Walcott, Olivier Giroud, and Danny Welbeck are the likeliest front three.
I wouldn’t argue if you suggested that line-up looks a little suspect defensively, but we have the firepower in there to outscore the visiting Hammers. If it doesn’t prove strong enough to book our passage through to a potentially huge two-legged semi-final then the gamble will serve as yet more ammunition for those who are not slow to lambast Arsene Wenger. The manager is justifying his selection in advance,
“Some players are a little bit on the edge. I think as well that we have so many quality players who did not start on Saturday, so you cannot say that you prefer to play a player who has played three games in six days to a guy who is at the same level and is completely fresh. You have as well to show the trust and the confidence that we have in the players who did not start last week.”
The visitors are unbeaten in three fixtures including against us last week and are appearing defensively more solid, and more competitive in attack too where Arnautovic has rediscovered a semblance of form. Debuchy will need to be composed if facing the man who all but ended his career when playing for Stoke. The dangerous Lanzini was hit today with a two match ban for deceiving an official at Stoke on Saturday, but he may still be available should he decide to appeal the decision.
Joe Hart will replace Adrian in goal for the visitors, and there is also the prospect of a start for Andy Carroll.
The ‘holic pound
Few matches are easy to predict these days. I would like to think the manager would select a strong bench in case we need a little bit of extra quality, but it’s likely to be the young Gunners who will occupy those seats. Eddie N’Ketiah got us past Norwich in the last round and would be a popular pick with the crowd.
I’m thinking we will let at least one in at some point so I having a little bit of the 15/2 against a 2-1 win for the hosts.
If you are one of those taking advantage of the Carabao Cup pricing, for what looks like a very competitive quarter-final, do wrap up warm. I hope you are rewarded for your support. The rest of us in the UK will face the ever more frustrating stream hunt situation as the match is not being broadcast live here. I missed a chunk of the first-half on Saturday and hope I can avoid a similar situation on Tuesday night.
Have a good one, ‘holics.
62 Responses to “Hammers Stand Between Us And A Semi-Final Place”
Get in…..
Top corner.
Thanks H.
I enjoyed Saturday so much that we are making a family outing of this one. Both juniors are very excited. I’m not sure that Mrs T, who initially thought it was an excellent idea, isn’t having a touch of the seconds.
Who knows what will happen? Who knows who will play? All I hope is that it does not go into extra time or I really will be in the poop.
Bring it on.
ABBA
Interesting that the previous 4 times we have played a top flight team at home in this Comp,we have lost the lot.
So we are due a win.
The Cups are our only hope of Trophies this season,so field a strong side to give us every chance of progressing to the semi finals.
The upside to that is it gives the squad players at least 2 more games in January to keep them relatively match fit before the Europa league kicks off again in Feb.
We have a big game against Chelsea 3 days before we play Forest in the FA cup early next month,so some of them may get a run out in that as well.
Although given if we get past the Hammers,our semi final opponents are likely to be drawn from Chelsea/Utd or City,then some of my thoughts above could be redundant if the Boss decides to field a side replete with first team players to give us a better chance of getting to the final.
My Hammers mate is getting about with a smile on his face these past few weeks,and there is no doubt that Moyes has improved them defensively,with only 2 goals conceded in their past 4 games,and their tails will be up after winning their first away league game this season at Stoke last Saturday.
Everton were always very hard to beat under his tenure,and the Utd gig was clearly a bridge too far for him in the management stakes.
He is much better suited at the mid tier PL clubs working with good but not great players.
So i expect a tough game with the Hammers well set up at the back and looking to hit us on the break.
I can see this going the distance,extra time/penalties,unless we score early and make them come out to play.
Perhaps someone could explain in what way our supposed first XI is superior to our cup team, cos I don’t see it on the pitch.
We’ll win this one by scoring goals, a facet of the game the first XI considers less important than holding the ball and sharing it around democratically. In contrast the cup team is far more right wing oriented…
time machine
QF – league cup
upton park…rio & frank (double bubble)
wright & mark….yeeeeaaaah
twenty years ago
I’m a bit bemused by the suggestion that the Tank is now in our Cup team. He will be rested until Liverpool and AMN will play and don’t even think about LJW playing. West Ham struggling near the bottom with a congested Christmas set of fixtures seem apparently likely to play a stronger team.
I think we will have the pleasure of watching the underwhelming Coquelin play and I think Mertesacker will play at CB . If we play a back four Debuchy will be right back ,I suspect Nelson will play RWB if we play a three.
It will be a good performance to beat West Ham if they play most of their first team because we will definitely rest our stars and they couldn’t score against them last week. I have a bad feeling about this one but I agree with Clive that progress would be useful for keeping squad players fit . But it’s on a knife edge.
nobody is standing between us and a semi-final
but us
Good preview H. I thought it was being broadcast on BT. Agree with your observation that we are bound to let at least one goal in and recent results don’t encourage a belief in a compensatory barrowload. I think it will be very tight. I hope Chris’ faith in Feo’s goal scoring is fully vindicated cos I don’t see much creativity or goals from elsewhere. It’s certainly worth having a few top players on the bench to give this cup a serious effort if greater expertise becomes necessary. Not confident here.
Meanwhile thanks to DM @76 in the earlier drinks for a nice taste of Karen Mathieson, a lass with an angel’s voice. Pity about the BCR. Aberrations are regularly thrown up by small gene pools. Relieved that cba took some responsibility – I really didn’t know that ( an even smaller gene pool).
red gunner, yellow gunner
(talking about the weather)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAbDvqPFXvQ
TTG from the previous drinks. Usmanov can thump all the tubs he likes. I can’t see Kroenke selling. We are his international profile.
Actually it would be very bad if either had outright control. A Cold War is preferable to total dominance.
Thanks for the preview GH.
Seems an opportunity to return
to a defensive 3 with Per, Rob
and Deb. Agree with TTG about
Kola and Jack – I expect both to
start vs Liverpoo. Possibly, Iwobi too.
Calum and AMN as wing backs.
Elneny and Coquelin or Willock
in the middle. OG, Danny and
Theo up front.
Babylon
…by bus
Moyes will play a 2nd side I think
as getting away from the relegation
zone will be the priority.
3-0 to The Arsenal is my guess,
our rezzies should be better than
theirs.
I couldn’t blame Debuchy if he
waited his moment……
It was such pointless stupidity
from Arnautuvic
CBA@85 from previous drink,
If the second wave from across the water bring gifts of Ferguzade, Buckie and Myrhh, my advice would be to try the Myrhh, whatever it is!
Or do they come empty-handed, with eyes on your Stout?
The noises Moyes is making suggest that he will play quite a strong if not his strongest team. A win against Arsenal, albeit a weakened Arsenal team, is a major boost for his recovery plan. I do think our team will rest those involved on Friday (most/all who started v Newcastle) so they have a real challenge tonight. The Guvna’s punt is perhaps his best option but I suspect ST will be in the doghouse after extra time no matter the result. I do hope Debuchy gets an opportunity to flatten that Austrian thug.
Myrrh? Why that’s the Gallic for deep fried Mars bar! ?
Have to confess I really enjoyed watching West Ham sticking it to Stoke on MOTD this past weekend…Stoke really do have the most humourless and objectionable home crowd in the League.
Would be a crying shame if they were to eventually get relegated by the Arsenal at home next March with a Rambo 30 yard screamer.
I have an “Arsenal scrape through on penalties” feeling about tonight.
1-0 to the Arsenal by a whisker and a lot of gasps. We will have the possession as always and no end result as ever. A moment of magic or a mistake from the hammers may settle this one in our favor.
If Andy Caroll does play this one then it will be tough for us what with that defense which includes Mertesacker for sure.
If the birthday boy does get a run in for 15 min( Alexis), we may just see him score to win the game.
Away from the game, telegraph suggesting we are lining up Arteta to replace Arsene?? well that sounds hollow but stranger things have happened. Why not Viera may i ask? or why are we ignoring Tutchel?
Didn’t post after Saturday’s game as I was so dejected with our performance. Things have got to a sorry state when Gooner Malcolm, who is the most loyal Gooner I have ever met, turned to Kev and I on the train GOING to the game on Saturday and told us he was on the point of giving the games a miss until a new regime is in situ.
However he and I are making the trip to the Ems tonight and can only hope its an encore of the Bate game and not one of the first 90 mins
of the Norwich encounter. I have no expectations of any entertainment and trust the match will be settled in 90mins, the last train is no fun, arriving home at 01.05 if on time !
I expect we will see the usual Cup side minus Jack, with Willock getting a run out if we play a back four. Otherwise the BFG. Holding and Chambers might be on view in a five.
Hoping for a win in a tight game but might not stay for extra time, if needed,, if it’s a dire game. You can see how excited I am at that prospect.
COYR
? dorset M
strangely enough
one of the things we get in for em
is a Donegal lemonade institution – Football Special
reminds some o the fellas of summers here years ago
and of course
they hoover up my brews
specially made and christened ‘stoot’ for the occasion
and they don’t come with their two arms the one length
i get some ironic tourist tat to wind me up ?
and a bottle or two
should be a good few days
?
.
.
and please
does anyone know of a tv channel the game is on tonight
i have a do-dad yoke for the telly that shows international tv
normally watch a Canadian/USA channel
but it’s listed as espn 3 but only 1 and 2 i get
anybody know another channel it’s on
cheers if anyone does
.
UP THE ARSENAL
Some years ago I was trying to figure out the true nature and disposition of “espn3” and deduced it was either a deep sea monster or a microscopic disease neither of which is capable of transmitting Arsenal matches. 🙂
On the other hand, if your television gives you espn1 and espn2, according to my googling yesterday, you SHOULD be able to register your computer in some way so that espn3 will “televise” today’s game. Good luck, cba, and also to my self who has never espn3’ed before.
cheers bt8
unfortunately this is not an option
as when i purchased said telly do-dad
this was the musical accompaniment
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEyRVWpSYoo
and good luck yerself
finding this fucker
the game that is
not george C
who i trust
remains interred
.
.
27 and 28
to be said
i said , to be said
in a foghorn leghorn voice
boy
cheers, bt8, for the espn3 info.
will now get to watch at lunchtime, clad in my 71 FA cup yellow top.
happy christmas, one and all. COYG!
Goodluck tonight Gooners!
I’m really curious to see what the line-up will be. Is Maitland-Niles going to play again? Or will Kolasinac play, what do you think?
Hard to say. Could easily be either. Rationally you would want the experience of Kol or Monreal at LB/LWB vs Salah/Mane on Friday. However we have had many irrational selections lately. I certainly wouldn’t put money on either.
howdy baff
any tips on how to understand these bhoys ?
i’m convinced they ramp it up ?
i sound fuckin ridiculous meself
but these fuckers ?
I have great difficulty myself with some west coast accents. Rural Ayrshire is by far the most incomprehensible but there are some Weegie and Lanarkshire accents that I can only understand when I am fairly drunk. I think it’s like switching from FM to SW on a radio. You have to be on the same wavelength to get reception. Keep drinking. One way or another it will help you. But have a big stick at your side. Your visitors will go one way or the other if they match your intake: it’s either battle-ready about the least thing (use stick) or weeping inconsolably as a maudlin sentimental wreck (offer handkerchief but have stick ready). They’ll both be more bearable in the morning which will be several hours after your own morning commences. Good luck sir.
????
should an Oscar for ‘holic’s drinks exist
35
right there
“In the Red and White corner”
.
“Fightin outta Aberdonedeenshire”
*crowd goes oooh*
.
*Scottish in crowd go hmmphh*
.
.
???
amen brother bath
a titan among soor plooms
?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ArSLNJNUEIM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JhfuyZnY2w
Very rarely have I proceeded to go to a game and then just found in the cold with the poor late travel and a very uninspiring midfield I have decided not to go tonight. Maybe I’m getting to that age when I’m a fair weather fan or maybe it’s the game on Friday . There will be an empty seat in the North Upper!
Got nine of the team right. No Mertesacker or Wilshere.
Chambers and Holding in the middle of a four. Willock in the hole.
Bench full of babies, including the Jeff.
TTG, the tank at left-back. Never doubt the master! ?
A proper family Christmas trip.
Up the Gunners.
Just win it in normal time or I’m toast.
babylon by lamborghini
come on you…
you…
you…
I don’t doubt you ever Holic! I just doubt Wenger’s sanity. He has now messed around both of our summer signings who represent the best work he did pre- season! At least he wasn’t stupid enough to play Jack .
Kolasinac is a beast. AMN is a midfielder.
Theo is not fast anymore?
Silly Debichy!
And Theo does it again…..
Anyone streaming the game? Could do with a link.
Walcott?
Get in Wellbeck this should pump him up for more!
probably the ugliest goal i’ve ever seen.
DANNY!
Good defending from Chambers
Solid
http://www.sports-stream.net/fs1.html
Elneny must play more…so tidy, neat
great discipline
There goes OG we should see him back in may
Thanks for the stream ATG, it’s sweet
There goes Le Coq
Dropping like flies here
No problem Cynic
Our B string lacks quality but it’s good for them to get game time. It was painful to watch at times but we got there in the end.
Hard fought win bu with casualties
SF!
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>