Arsenal’s form in the league has pretty much every Arsenal fan dreaming right now, but the importance of this game cannot be underestimated. As I mentioned in the title of this blog, keeping up this winning run and the momentum is part of the reason why this one matters so much however, I think it’s equally important, if not more so, to go through to the next round of the League Cup and show that we can fight on all fronts. So far this season, things have gone well in the Champions League for Arsenal, with three wins from three without conceding so now it’s time to show that they can do the business in another competition against Brighton. Arsenal have incredible squad depth this season and should fear no one and to not go through in a home tie where they are heavy favourites could be really damaging so they really need to take this one by the scruff of the neck and take care of business.
Areas of encouragement
The strength in depth that this Arsenal team possess right now is scary and even though they are missing some key players with the likes of Madueke, Havertz and Odegaard still absent, they should still be able to rotate heavily and put out a Premier League level team. The players selected should also be fresh and raring to go, with a point to prove, which can only be a good thing for Arsenal. This is what the big squad game is all about so it’s games like this where Arsenal need to make full use of it and flex their muscles a bit.
Areas of concern
Rotation is absolutely guaranteed for this game, and we could probably be talking 9, 10 or even a full team rotation and with that level of change there is always risk. Risk that we’ve over rotated and left the team without the necessary tools to get through or just that the team doesn’t quite gel properly, as these players haven’t played as much football either together or individually.
It also does not feel that long ago that Brighton came to The Emirates in a the League Cup and knocked us out, so they won’t fear us, especially a rotated team, so we really need to be wary of Brighton and their strengths. They are an extremely well organised team, with a real level of depth in the forward areas as well, so we cannot take this challenge lightly.
What I’d love to see
You would expect Arsenal to rotate heavily so what I think would be most pleasing to come out of this game, aside from booking a place in the quarter-finals, is a performance that mirrors the first team. By that I mean, Nwaneri slots into midfield seamlessly and dictates the play in the same way and Odegaard or an Eze would do. Or a defensive masterclass from the likes of Mosquera and Hincapie that Saliba and Gabriel would be proud of. I really want the strength of this Arsenal squad to shine through to the point where we don’t miss the first team players.
What I’d hate to see
In cup games like this, there’s only really one thing that I’d hate to see and that’s Arsenal exiting the competition at this early stage. That would be really disappointing and is something that we should be doing everything we can to prevent that from happening.
Lineup and Team News
Always a tough one to predict to the lineup for the League Cup however, as the Premier League team picks itself in most positions right now, I believe the same can be said of our cup team, as some players really need minutes. Kepa will definitely start, as will White, Mosquera and Lewis-Skelly. Mikel Arteta is not afraid of chucking in a William Saliba or Gabriel into a game like this, but with Saliba injured and Gabriel a doubt for the previous game, I think this is one where neither will play. I expect Piero Hincapie to make his first Arsenal start alongside fellow Spanish speaking defender, Mosquera, which will be an exciting pairing. Christian Norgaard has barely featured for Arsenal since his move across the capital from Brentford so must take his place at the base of midfield. Again much has been made of Ethan Nwaneri’s minutes in the first part of the season (or lack of minutes), so if he was to sit this one out, there would be serious questions asked, so I can’t see it. Nwaneri will start in the number 10 position and then it gets a bit unpredictable. Mikel Merino will definitely start, the question is where. Viktor Gyokeres definitely needs a rest so Merino could well be pushed upfront to give the Swede a rest, with Rice playing in the box-to-box midfield role. I also think Bukayo Saka will start this one, as he only played 60 minutes or so against Crystal Palace. Gabriel Martinelli will definitely start on the left, as he’s another who will be desperate for minutes. Max Dowman will likely have to take his place on the bench with a view to replacing Saka later in the game, if the scoreline permits that sort of change. There’s always a chance that Arteta could go stronger than expected, but with a trip to Burnley only three days away, I expect him to go with the below.
Predicted lineup:
Kepa
White
Mosquera
Hincapie
Lewis-Skelly
Norgaard
Rice
Nwaneri
Saka
Merino
Martinelli
Substitutes:
Raya
Gabriel
Timber
Rice
Trossard
Dowman
Harriman-Annous
Zubimendi
Eze
PREDICTION
Another game that I expect to be tight, that said, I expect Arsenal do be professional and get the job done against Brighton. 2-0 to The Arsenal.