Attitude And Application
Jan 2nd, 2009 by 'holic
Make no mistake, the FA Cup third round tie with Plymouth Argyle has become a significant fixture in Arsenal’s season. The early signs are that Arsene Wenger is taking the opportunity to give some squad players another taste of first team football.
For over a decade we have got used to Arsenal not falling in cup-ties to sides from outside the top flight. For those of us who had witnessed some of the horrors of the past against sides like Wrexham, York, Peterborough, Walsall, and Swindon, this has been a welcome change.
All that changed, however, on a cold and miserable night at Burnley last month as the Gunners came a cropper in the Beer Cup quarter-final. The warning is clear. No longer can we take for granted that lesser raiders will be summarily despatched by a young side.
It looked very much last season as though Arsene was prepared to sacrifice this competition when he sent a very under-strength side to be mauled at Old Trafford, but for some vociferous and restless supporters the FA Cup represents our best chance of silverware this season.
The squad was going to have to be utilised anyway with Toure, Denilson, Fabregas, Walcott, Rosicky, and Eduardo all ruled out. Early reports confirm that we are also sticking with the policy of playing the number two goalkeeper in cup ties, so there is a recall for Fabianski.
Over the years Arsene has started young sides at this stage and employed some of the senior professionals from the bench if required, but Plymouth are not without organisation, and the Championship club will be roared on by the biggest visitors allocation yet seen at the Grove, having taken all available 8,500 tickets.
Ahead of Fabianski I would start Eboue at right-back. Following Gavin Hoyte’s loan move the Ivorian is definitely our back up for this berth, but stop the tinkering there. Djourou, Gallas, and Clichy would get my vote, although I suspect Silvestre and Gibbs will get the nod from Arsene.
The midfield choice will tell us much. Could Ramsey and Wilshere get a start, possibly alongside Diaby and Song, or will Nasri be asked to grab hold of the contest from the beginning? Will Bischoff or Randall be given a chance? The starting quartet will answer whether or not we are taking the competition seriously.
The key to the result will, in my humble opinion, rest with the attacking duo. There have been question marks about the attitude, and the application, of Adebayor and Bendtner in recent weeks. Robin van Persie’s improved form may render him too great a risk to be involved at this stage so I would expect to see Carlos Vela promoted to start alongside probably Bendtner, although my preference would be for Adebayor.
The ‘holic pound has been consistently surrendered this season, but tomorrow I am aiming to get the new year off to a flyer. I’ll be looking for the best price on Ramsey to open the scoring. That’s because I remain optimistic about the outcome, but I will not take it for granted. There is some hard work to be done and I’m sure we will have a starting line-up that is prepared for the task.
Have a great weekend, wherever you are taking in the contest, ‘holics.
9 Responses to “Attitude And Application”
It’s fine and all to say that we cannot take any side for granted but that same team that got beat by Burnley also effectively destroyed Sheffield United and Wigan. It’s hard to say a team, especially a young team, lacks quality based on a single game in a knockout competition. Really as with anything there is an element of luck. Bendtner missing 50 easy chances that I could make with my eyes closed aside, the team played respectably that night and it was just not their night to win. You cannot expect any team to play impressively in every single game, even The Invincibles had ugly games and were extremely lucky on more than one occasions. I won’t judge either way if Wenger decides to go youth or experience for the Burnley game because as it stands there’s far deeper problems in the team than who plays in the FA Cup.
Whoa, I’ve said nothing about us lacking quality. I’ve made the point before that the one thing we cannot expect from young sides is consistency. They are developing in that respect. I think this current crop of youngsters is very promising. The point I am making is that there is a difference, I think, between some supporters expectations for the Beer Cup and the FA Cup. That will make the result against Plymouth all-important to a vociferous minority who are currrently critical. If we approach the contest in the way we have in recent years then I am confident we will win, but I was just making the point that the youngsters are vulnerable and Arsene will be taking some real flak if he puts out an inexperienced side that is beaten.
Hi ‘holic. Happy New Year – hope things are going well on the domestic front.
Not sure about the “vociferous minority who are currently critical”. Even leaving aside the nonsensical bile that spews forth from le grove and other such cess pits, I don’t think that the critics are any longer in the minority.
The problems in personnel and attitude are all too apparent and the situation has been going on for too long for supporters to remain sanguine as to the future.
It’s made worse when PHW sends out conflicting signals and AW drags out the old chestnut of ridiculous transfer fees; seemingly with a view to explaining why he won’t buy anyone.
We don’t need to buy big; we just need a few of the solid, “who?” singings, that are AW’s forte to shore up a weak squad and push on for 4th place.
Yet again Ferguson has completed his dealings (which no one really expected anyway) early. Would that AW would learn something from his old foe and sort things out sooner rather than later.
Good stuff, and a Jameson for me tonight please.
Cheers!
cheers holic, i love the F.A. cup. i really hope we go all the way and get a fucking good day out at wembley.
have a fantastic 2009 all gooners, well not bin laden. oh fuck it and bin, im not a fucking yank
Good one for Arsenal and Captain Robin. Frustrating afternoon for me.
Just as i switched on to listen to the game on Arsenal.TV, the server there went doowally. A rapid rush to alternatives resulted in radio transmission courtesy of BBC Radio Devon. So I listened with a glass of “coider in me ‘ands”. Sounded like Plymouth (Ho Ho Ho) assembled the entire herd of contented cows in their half of the pasture, with only one rogue bull to rough up Fabianski?
Very difficult to judge much from the radio commentary. The name mentioned most was Nasri. But wasn’t that because he was the only Arsenal player known to the commentator? No way to tell. Sounded like our defence rocked a bit? Also Nick Bendtner’s first touch and control were rougher than Saturday night’s scrumpy. More like Charlie Drake than Sir Charles then?
By the end though, the full cream had clotted nicely. Two goals from Father Robin; Silvestre in for an early bath and cream scone, and an experience broadening outing for young pilgrims Gibbs, Ramsey, Vela and Neutron Jack.
On we go to the fourth round. Another scrumpy for me please Holic. Hic!
I don’t think you need another one BtM 🙂
A win was what we needed to get to the next round… let’s hope we can build on it now.
My first of the new year ‘holic sir, wishing you and the nagement (and of course the Arsenal) a happy, healthy and prosperous 2009.
Cheers.
That was of course meant to be ‘the management’!