please log in to view this image please log in to view this image please log in to view this image Venue: Emirates Stadium Saturday, January 9th 2015 KO TIme: 15.00 BST please log in to view this image Head to Head Against Sunderland: Played: 143 Wins: 57 Draws: 40 Losses: 46 Goals For: 228 Goals Against: 195 Goal Difference: 33 Last 6 Meetings: Arsenal 3-1 Sunderland Arsenal 0-0 Sunderland Sunderland 0-2 Arsenal Arsenal 4-1 Sunderland Sunderland 1-3 Arsenal Sunderland 0-1 Arsenal please log in to view this image Arsène Wenger has revealed the latest team news ahead of Saturday's FA Cup third-round tie against Sunderland: on the latest team news… The team news is that, from last week, we have no big injuries, and the squad will be similar to the squad who played the last game against Newcastle. Will a young player or two start? I haven’t decided yet. on Alexis… The bad news of the week is that Alexis is not quite ready. It is a precaution because of his hamstring, and it takes a few more days. He’s not bad but he’s not ready. on Santi Cazorla… Nothing’s changed [from the original timescale] with Santi. It could be a bit shorter with him because he’s often quicker [to recover] than you expect him to be. Cazorla and Coquelin are doing well. on Rosicky and Arteta… Tomas Rosicky is not far, he’s back in full training next week, so should be available soon. Mikel is available. on the possibility of resting players… The thinking is to give absolutely everything to qualify. We are the holders of the cup and I know as well by experience that it is very important that you get in the competition and that you have a successful third round. It’s a tricky one, always, the third round. please log in to view this image
This'll be as close to a walkover as there is. You'll face a second team with Sunderland in the position they are and there first team ain't great. Interesting to see what kind of team Wenger puts out.
To be honest, we don't have a huge amount of room for rotation, so I'd expect a fairly familiar line up, with a few changes. Probably Gibbs and Debuchy at fullback, Gabriel at CB, with maybe Rene-Adelaide and Iwobi starting too.
Hopefully Chambers will get a go at DM as well, he looked tidy against Bournemouth (admittedly they didn't cause us too many problems). And it'll give Flamini a rest and a chance to get over his knock.
Be surprised if Debuchy plays. Certain he wants out so would imagine it'd be either Bellerin or Chambers there.
If Debuchy is a proper he'll get his nut down and play when giving the chance. He'll still get his move this month. I expect Gibbs and Debuchy at fullback. BFG getting a rest with Gabby and Kos pairing up. Chambers and Ramsey. Iwobi, Theo and Campbell. Not sure who can come in for Ozil, so he might have to play.
Rumour doing the rounds (by which I mean Arseblog) is that he's off to West Brom on loan which will mean Gnabry returns. Bit of a shame it hasn't worked out for Serge. Not sure what the issue is there tbh, doesn't seem to have kicked on since his return from injury.
I really hope we keep Debuchy until the summer as we'll be weakened by having to rely on only Chambers as back up to Bellerin. And for all Debcuhy knows Bellerin could get fooked halfway through Feb and Debuchy could be 1st choice for the rest of the season, possibly for the title winners...
C*nt though he undoubetdly is I can't see him purposefully not using a talented player if it'd help the club. I can only assume Serge hasn't cut the mustard, either in training/attitude or whatnot. I still think we saw enough pre injury to hope he'll make it. Possibly waiting for a talented young player to overcome an injury is not what a team in West Brom's position can afford to do. I dunno.
We really should rest most of our XI. We've got some huge matches ahead (no disrespect to Sunderland). We don't need a repeat of the Carling cup fiasco from earlier this season.
Personally I think, if we can strengthen sufficiently and our injured players come back, then we have a decebt chance if a double this year. It'll be a huge challenge winning the league but most seem to agree that we have our best chance in awhile to win the league. We've shown good experience in the FA Cup and fully fit we have a strong squad, if we can reinforce the squad (and avoid another of our traditional injury crisis) then we should have a decent crack at the cup as well. Note - obviously there are two major IF's there - not getting lots of injuries and reinforce our squad.
Hi lads, I don't expect Big Sam to field a strong team for this game, and neither will Arsene (bearing in mind the fact that whatever team he picks will be stronger than ours) . . . . neither do I expect a replay, 'cos both teams will 'go for it' and Arsenal could do similarly to the recent league game My fingers are crossed in the hope that Sunderland A.F.C. will be 'in the hat' for the 4th round, but we all know that it's almost certainly not going to happen (I can hope, though) Anyway, if you win on saturday (if ) I hope that you go on to retain the cup, and I really hope that this season will see Arsenal, who usually play the game 'the right way,' win their first Premier League Championship trophy for ages Good luck
Gnabry probably "hasn't cut the mustard" because he is a football player, an attribute that has never seriously influenced Pulis' team selections.
