I get really frustrated with Iwobi playing in these big games. In big games, where we seem to have trouble winning the midfield, I would go back to a 4-4-1-1, play Kolasinac as a winger and play Wilshere as a left-footed right winger, or put Ramsey out there like we used to in our 4-3-3 days. Trouble is, we haven't trained much for it, so I doubt it will happen. Iwobi is great when he has time, but when he is put under pressure he just doesn't retain the ball well enough, he doesn't get a chance to look up and see the pass, and he becomes a liability. I think he will still get better, and be able to handle it, but he just isn't ready for these big games IMO. Now I have trashed him, he will play and do well, I hope.
I hear there is talk of a protest and/or boycott of the Cup Final. That must be the dumbest thing I have ever heard about. Boycotting a final to protest that your manager isn't winning trophies? WTF? I realize they don't care what we look like to the majority of fans that never see their team win a trophy, or even reach a cup final, but have a little bit of class people.
---------Ospina-------- Bellerin--Kosc--Must--Monreal ---------Xhaka--Ramsey------- ---Iwobi----Ozil----Wilshere--- ------------Aubameyang------- Subs: Cech, Holding, Kolasinac, El Neny, Niles, Welbeck, ??? Something like that for this game? Given Lacazette is injured and Mkhi is Cup tied.
Goons for a day. Hope City's league season is impacted by this defeat against Goons. Even though Pool are 18pts behind they are the only one who can catch city in the league. Pool needs to get like 9 or more cleansheets and their striker force will be alright. I hope it is not Judas & co who catch up City. Still Pep can throw this away. This starts with Arsene & co!!
I know what you mean, but they have all played great games for us from time to time. We just need them to all click together one time. Consistency doesn't seem to be our thing right now, but if they just pull off these big wins for us, it will ease the frustration of those bad losses in the league (well, a little bit anyway).
Cup final day!!! Bring it on. Excited for the game now. We may not be favourites but anything can happen in a single cup game!
Match facts Head-to-head This is the first-ever meeting between these sides in a major final. Arsenal have won both previous meetings with Manchester City at Wembley - 3-0 in the 2014 Community Shield and 2-1 in last season's FA Cup semi-final. City have lost just one of their past five meetings with Arsenal in all competitions (W2 D2), beating them 3-1 in their previous meeting in the Premier League this season. In the League Cup, City have won their past two ties against Arsenal (2009-10 and 2011-12), having lost their previous five between 1977-78 and 2004-05. Arsenal This is Arsenal's eighth League Cup final - they've lost more than any other side in the history of the competition (5), winning the tournament twice - in 1987 and 1993. Arsenal have scored just six goals in the competition this season, the lowest tally of any team to reach the final in the competition's history. Gunners boss Arsene Wenger is aiming to become the eighth different manager to win all three of the English top-flight trophies after Bill Nicholson, Joe Mercer, Don Revie, George Graham, Alex Ferguson, Kenny Dalglish and Jose Mourinho. Wenger has won seven of his 10 domestic cup finals with Arsenal, with his last two defeats coming in this competition (2007 v Chelsea and 2011 v Birmingham). Of the 13 players who played for Arsenal in the 2011 League Cup final defeat to Birmingham, only Laurent Koscielny and Jack Wilshere are still at the club. Manchester City Manchester City will be making their sixth appearance in the League Cup final, and third in the last five seasons. They've won four of their previous five, failing only in 1974. City boss Pep Guardiola has triumphed in six of his previous seven major domestic and European finals, losing only to Real Madrid with Barcelona in the 2011 Copa del Rey final. Both Leroy Sane (3 goals, 1 assist) and Bernardo Silva (1 goals, 3 assists) have been involved in 50% of City's eight goals in the competition this season. Sergio Aguero has scored in each of his last four appearances against Arsenal in all competitions (4 goals in total). Only twice before has he netted in five consecutive games for Manchester City against a single opponent (Tottenham with a run ending in May 2015 and Sunderland in a run ending in March 2017).
Wenger on Aubameyang: "He has only played twice but on the other hand when he came here he had not played for a while," he said. "He was not at his best physically and we took advantage of the last two weeks to build him up physically. "I think he will be much sharper than he was. You could see day after day that he is much sharper than he was two or three weeks ago."
Arsenal are determined to win the Carabao Cup for manager Arsene Wenger, says defender Hector Bellerin. The Gunners boss has never lifted the trophy during his 21 years in England, and right-back Bellerin says it gives the team an extra incentive to beat Manchester City at Wembley on Sunday. City go into the match as favourites, sitting 27 points ahead of their opponents in the Premier League. "We should do it for him," Bellerin told BBC Radio 5 live. "The boss has been here for more than 20 years and everyone knows he hasn't won this competition yet, so it's another incentive for us." City are 15 points clear of nearest rivals Liverpool at the top of the Premier League, and are in the last 16 of the Champions League. But their hopes of a Quadruple were ended by a 1-0 defeat at Wigan in the FA Cup on Monday. Bellerin said: "They're a team that had everything to play for but everyone is beatable, even the best teams in the world. "Their performances have been great and they have a great team. They have a good defence now too which was one of the things previously that was lacking. "They have a great team overall but it can be done. If it can be done by Wigan, it can be done by us. "We have great players too and new players who have come in - we feel stronger than ever."
Arsenal XI: Ospina, Bellern, Chambers, Koscielny, Mustafi, Monreal, Ramsey, Xhaka, Wilshere, Ozil, Aubameyang. City XI: Bravo, Walker, Kompany, Otamendi, Danilo, Gundogan, Fernandinho, David Silva, De Bruyne, Sane, Aguero.
Big vote of confidence in Chambers. Has to be because of his ability on the ground in passing the ball out. I have to be honest, their back 5 give me hope, but their front 5 scare me to death.
