please log in to view this image please log in to view this image Arsenal take on Swansea City at the Emirates this Wednesday night in a third round FA Cup replay after the 2-2 draw at the Liberty Stadium. Swansea took the lead through Michu and they were heading into the fourth round of the cup until Lukas Podolski levelled the scores with a clinical strike. Arsenal had the momentum and Kierean Gibbs put the Gunners into the lead with a stunning volley which put Arsenal on course for the fourth round of the Cup, but Swansea fought until the end and a late Danny Graham goal kept them in the cup and it earned them a replay against the Gunners. Its game that neither side would have wanted but it’s gives both sides a chance to progress in a great cup competition. Brighton await the winners of this game in the fourth round. Arsenal lost their last game which was against Manchester City in the league, so the Gunners go into this on the back of a defeat and one that has again set them back in their chase for Champions League football. Swansea earned a very good point against Everton at Goodison Park and before that, they beat Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in the League Cup semi-final. It was a famous victory for the Swans and puts them a step closer to getting their hands on the League Cup. Swansea have already won at the Emirates this season following their 2-0 win over the Gunners in the league, so they should have good memories ahead of the replay. The FA Cup represents Arsenal’s only realistic shot at a trophy this season and Arsene Wenger has spoken about treating it more seriously this season. The Frenchmen has lifted the famous cup on four different occasions, but it’s been eight years since he lifted any trophy. Swansea City have never won the FA cup, in fact they have not even reached an FA cup final. But with their current team, they will fancy themselves this year and maybe it could be the year that they finally reach an FA cup final. After Brendan Rodgers left to join Liverpool in the summer, Swansea appointed Michael Laudrup as their new manager. Laudrup a great player had showed that he also had the potential to be a great manager with his work in La Liga with clubs like Getafe and Mallorca. Laudrup was a stylish attacking player and so far all his teams also play with that same style. So he was in many ways the perfect man for Swansea who under Roberto Martinez identified a way of playing that has seen them progress from League one to the Premiership. Swansea under the management of Laudrup, got off to an electric start in the premier league after they hammered QPR at Loftus Road in the first game of the new season. They followed that win with another resounding win and this time it was against West Ham at the Liberty. After that glorious start, Swansea's excellent form disappeared, and they lost three of their next five games in the league. But, they got their season back on track with wins over the likes of Newcastle,West Brom and Arsenal. For £2 Million, Michu has looked like the buy of the summer transfer window so far. He was brought in from Rayo Vallecano and has slotted into a new league and country with such ease. In the league, he has thirteen goals to his name and he is not even an out and out centre-forward. With his assured finishing, Michu has been the man that has led this Swansea team and the Spainard has already shown what he can do against the Gunners this season.. Michu was not the only player that Swansea brought in from La Liga, Pablo Hernández and Jonathan de Guzmán have also come in from Spain. With Joe Allen leaving to join Liverpool with Bendan Rodgers in the summer, Swansea had the money to reinvest and they have invested wisely. Hernández has a cap for Spain and to get that amongst this current generation of Spanish players is no mean feat. Swansea City have reached the semi-finals of the league cup this season, so they have already shown what they can do in cup competitions this season, with them being in a safe position in the league, they have the chance to really go for it in the cup competitions this season. For Arsenal, their focus has been largely on securing champions league football over the last few years, and Wenger has rotated his team for the cup competitions. But, after going eight years without a trophy, Wenger showed that he is treating the FA Cup more seriously this year by playing the likes of Jack Wilshere, Santi Cazorla and Theo Walcott when Arsenal met Swansea in the Liberty Stadium in the first game. But with the games coming thick and fast, Wenger has to decide between resting some key players and putting out a strong enough team to beat Swansea in the cup replay. Arsenal have failed to beat the Swans in their first two games against them this season, so Wenger can’t afford to rotate all his best players. Arsenal will be without Mikel Arteta who picked up a knock in training and will be out for three weeks, and that’s a big blow for the Gunners. Arteta has been ever present in the Arsenal midfield this season and without him they have to turn to the likes of Abou Diaby and Aaron Ramsey. Laurent Koscielny will also miss this game after getting sent off against Manchester City, but with Per Mertesacker and Thomas Vermaelen available, that’s not really an issue. The likes of Carl Jenkinson and Francis Coquelin cold also get some much needed game time if Wenger decides that he has to rotate his squad. Since the game against Newcastle, Theo Walcott has gone off the boil and is finding life in his role as the main centre-forward a lot more difficult, Wenger has the option of Olivier Giroud should he want to give Walcott a rest. In a season of many lows, the Gunners could really do with a cup run to lift the spirits around the Emirates, so this game does matter. It’s been eight years since Arsenal last won a trophy, and for a club of the size of Arsenal that is simply not good enough. On Wednesdaynight, Arsenal have to overcome Swansea and start the cup run every Arsenal fan wants to see this season. Team News: Arsene Wenger: Three Key Match-ups: please log in to view this image please log in to view this image please log in to view this image Overall Record vs Swansea City: Played: 13 Wins: 6 Draws: 2 Losses: 5 For: 17 Against: 18 GD: -1 Last 6 Meetings: Swansea 2 - 2 Arsenal (FA Cup) Arsenal 0 - 2 Swansea City Swansea City 3 - 2 Arsenal Arsenal 1 - 0 Swansea City Arsenal 2 - 1 Swansea City Swansea City 1 - 2 Arsenal please log in to view this image Manager's Views: Arsene Wenger on resting Jack Wilshere: My Team: please log in to view this image Final Score: please log in to view this image
Great read superJACK,not sure which way this game is going to pan out.We had a great result at Everton on sat but we were more defensive in our approach and when attacking we lacked enough support to create any real threat.I hope this will be another good footballing match.Not sure if laudrop will rest any players because of our hectic schedule,because still our main priority is premiership survival.Heres to a good game with two teams that play the beautiful game the right way stid
Not feeling optimistic about this game. The stats are against us too, we never seem to win when Arteta is injured, so we need someone to step up and give Jack a hand. I'd consider starting Ramsey alongside Wilshere, with Rosicky in front of them. I'm expecting Wenger to pick Diaby and Cazorla though.... EDIT: Just seen Rosicky is injured, so i'd go with Arshavin instead. As long as Cazorla gets a rest and Ramsey doesn't play CAM, all shall be fine.
Hope you boys have put the Bovril on because I am coming up tomorrow and don't want to be frozen for three hours if it is extra time and pens.
Sartorial elegance (or otherwise) aside, I get the feeling both sets of fans are groaning at this one - it's the game that nobody wanted. Difficult league games coming up for both teams and a League Cup semi for us. That said, Arsenal will really want to win this competition whist I think our players' priorities might lie elsewhere. Laudrup has publicly stated he really likes the cup competitions so I'll be surprised if we don't put out a decent side, but whether he can instill that in the players tonight when we've got so much else to worry about remains to be seen.
In between two games against the big boys in the league, i wonder how motivated our players are going to be for this?
There are so many players in our team that have yet to win a trophy, so you would hope that they are motivated to winning something.
Ramsey deserves his chance for sure. Whenever he has been called upon from the bench he has done his job and I like that about Ramsey. He is not a diva unlike others and he just gets on with his football. It's nice to have players like this in your squad, maybe I was too harsh with him, but that's because I probably expected more from him than he was showing.
Arsenal: Szczesny, Sagna, Mertesacker, Vermaelen, Gibbs, Coquelin, Wilshere, Diaby, Cazorla, Walcott, Giroud Arsenal subs: Mannone, Jenkinson, Santos, Ramsey, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Arshavin, Podolski We are going for the FA Cup this year, good to see.
Teams been announced: Arsenal team: Szczesny, Sagna, Mertesacker, Vermaelen, Gibbs, Coquelin, Wilshere, Diaby, Cazorla, Walcott, Giroud Arsenal subs: Mannone, Jenkinson, Santos, Ramsey, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Arshavin, Podolski #AFCvSCFC Very surprised to see Diaby starting, and surprised to see Chamberlain on the bench as he barely played on Sunday, so would've been fresh legs.