please log in to view this image please log in to view this image Arsenal travel to the Madejski Stadium this Tuesday evening to take on Reading in the fourth round of the Capital One Cup. Reading started their League Cup campaign against Peterborough in the second round and were 3-2 winners in what was a tight game. In the third round, Reading won by the same score-line but this time it was against Queens Park Rangers at Loftus Road. So Reading have had to survive a few very close games to get to the fourth round. Arsenal entered the competition in third round like all the other teams who were involved in European cup competitions and they had to get past Coventry City at the Emirates. It was a routine win for the Gunners who crushed Coventry. Reading will be a more difficult barrier to get past and Arsenal will have to call upon their squad players to do the job. Arsenal have been struggling in recent weeks and last Saturday, they halted a run of two defeats by beating QPR at home. Reading have yet to win a League game this season, so this competition could be seen as a welcome relief for the Royals. Reading have in fact only won two games this season and they have both come in the League Cup. Arsenal despite not winning the League Cup under Arsene Wenegr’s management, have a very good record in the competition. The Gunners reached the final in 2011 and were heavy favourites against Birmingham City. But, after a terrible miscommunication between Wojciech Szczesny and Laurent Koscielny, the Gunners gifted the trophy to Birmingham City. It’s the closet they have come to winning their first trophy since 2005 and Arsenal fans are desperate to see their team finally lifting a trophy, so this competition does have its significance. For Reading, avoiding relegation is surely all that matters but they have already shown that they are also focused on doing well in this competition. Arsenal have a perfect record against Reading, they have played them nine times and won all nine games. The last time the two clubs meant was in 2008 and Arsenal ran out 2-0 winners. In that season, Reading got relegated from the Premier League and it has taken them four years to find their way back to the top flight. Steve Coppell was the Reading manager when Arsenal last played Reading and he resigned as manager of the club in 2009 and they appointed Brendan Rodgers, the now Liverpool manager. Rodgers failed in his time with Reading and left by mutual consent, just six months after his arrival. Brian McDermott took over as the caretaker and has since gone on to become the full time manager at Reading. McDermott, a former Arsenal player, has done a brilliant job at Reading. When Rodgers left, Reading were in all sorts of trouble but McDermott with his calm and assured management style has guided them back into the Premier League. They were the winners of the Championship last season ahead of clubs like West Ham, Southampton and Birmingham. Anton Zingarevich became the new owner of the club in 2012 but unlike other rich owners, he has not splashed the cash as recklessly. A bit like Arsenal’s owner, Stan Kroenke, Reading have gone for a more prudent approach to the transfer window. But, he has helped Reading buy in some interesting players and those include the likes of Pavel Pogrebnyak, Danny Guthrie, Nicky Shorey, Adrian Mariappa, and Chris Gunter. Three of those players have experience in the Premier League and that could be vital for Reading. Jason Roberts was also recruited this year and his experience helped Reading’s promotion push. Many experts have named Reading as one of the clubs that will be relegated from the Premier League this season and so far they are being proved right. Reading have yet to win a game in the League and sit in the relegation places. But this Tuesday night, Reading can take their minds of the Premier League and focus on a cup competition. Reading under the management of Brian McDermott have knocked out a big Premier League club out of club competitions in recent time. Reading went to Anfield and beat Liverpool in 2010. Serge Gnabry could be in line for his first start in the Arsenal first team after impressing in the under 21's squad. Gnabry has caught the eye in the youth set up and made the transition from youth football to the old reserve league at the age of 16 and he scored on his reserve debut. Serge Gnabry is German born but has roots in Ivory Coast and can play for either Germany or Ivory Coast. He is a powerful attacking minded midfielder who can play on the right, left wing as well as behind a main forward but CM is his best position. He has already made an appearance in the Premier League and Champions League this season. Thomas Eisfeld could also feature after showing his ability to get amongst the goals for the Arsenal under 21’s. He showed that same ability for the first team in Arsenal’s pre-season tour. Eisfeld was brought in from Borussia Dortmund in January and his development has not gone unnoticed. Emmanuel Frimpong is set to start after recovering from a serious knee injury, that he picked up when playing for Wolves in his loan spell. The tough tackling midfielder can expect to line up alongside Francis Coquelin in the heart of midfield. Theo Walcott also looks likely to feature from the start after recovering from bruised lung that he suffered against San Marino. Walcott scored twice against Coventry in the third round and his pace and ability to get goals has been missed. In defence, Johan Djourou will get his second start of the season and he will captain the team. In the last six years, Arsenal have had no problems with progressing past the fourth round of the League Cup, so let’s hope they continue that trend against Reading at the Madejski Stadium. The League Cup is still the only domestic cup that Arsene Wenger has yet to win in this country and against Reading he will look to his side to take him another step closer to winning his first League Cup and in the process ending Arsenal's run of seven years without a trophy. Team News: Arsene Wenger: Three Key Match-ups: Jason Roberts please log in to view this image Garath McCleary please log in to view this image Nicky Shorey please log in to view this image Overall Record vs: Reading: Played: 9 Wins: 9 Draws: 0 Losses: 0 For: 21 Against: 4 GD: 17 Last 6 Meetings: Arsenal 2 - 0 Reading Reading 1 - 3 Arsenal Arsenal 2 - 1 Reading Reading 0 - 4 Arsenal Arsenal 3 - 0 Reading (League Cup) Reading 1 - 3 Arsenal (FA Cup) please log in to view this image Managers Views: Arsene Wenger on Serge Gnabry: My Team: please log in to view this image Final Score: please log in to view this image
He was meant to be '60-40' for the game against QPR, so I am assuming that he is ready for this game. If not then, sadly it looks like Chamakh will have to start.
If Ox isn't available then I'd imagine roughly the same team but with Ramsey in and Arshavin brought forward into the front 3. Either way I think Ramsey should be in the team, it might improve his form and give the team more stability.
Back 4 looks solid, and with Coquelin & Frimpong in midfield Reading should find it hard to break through. The creativity is there with Gnabry, Arshavin & Theo, plus one *mystery* starter. Could be Chamakh, could be Eisfeld or Ramsey. I've no idea really.
Arsenal squad: 6 Laurent Koscielny 12 Olivier Giroud 14 Theo Walcott 18 Sebastien Squillaci 20 Johan Djourou 22 Francis Coquelin 23 Andrey Arshavin 25 Carl Jenkinson 26 Emmanuel Frimpong 29 Marouane Chamakh 36 Damian Martinez (GK) 40 Hector Bellerin 46 Thomas Eisfeld 47 Serge Gnabry 53 Jernade Meade 54 Ignasi Miquel 60 James Shea (GK) 64 Nico Yennaris My prediction: Martinez Jenkinson Djourou Koscielny Miguel Coquelin Frimpong Theo Arshavin Gnabry Giroud With Yennaris, Eisfeld & Chamakh to come off the bench. It will be a 4-3-3 / 4-5-1 but almost a 4-4-2 with Theo & Giroud up front & Arshavin & Gnabry pushing wide.
Confidence booster? Hoping he can score, or perhaps something tactical? How are Reading height-wise? Are their CB's the big burly types?
From the very little I have seen of them, they do look like those type of defenders. Hence, I would play Theo through the middle.
Arsenal team to play Reading: Martinez, Jenkinson, Koscielny, Djourou, Miquel, Coquelin, Frimpong, Walcott, Arshavin, Gnabry, Chamakh. Substitutes: Shea, Meade, Squillaci, Bellerin, Yennaris, Eisfeld, Giroud
Reading team to face Arsenal:Federici; Gunter, Shorey, Gorkss, Morrison; Leigertwood, Tabb, McCleary, Robson-Kanu; Hunt, Roberts.
Our starting 11 Martinez, Jenkinson, Djourou, Miquel, Koscielny, Arshavin, Frimpong, Gnabry, Coquelin, Chamakh, Walcott EDIT: SJW beat me to it.
