please log in to view this image please log in to view this image Arsenal travel to the Liberty Stadium to take on Swansea City this Sunday afternoon as both teams meet in the third round of the FA Cup. These two teams have already met this season and Swansea shocked everyone by defeating and outplaying Arsenal at the Emirates. With two goals, Michu sunk the Gunners and Swansea recorded a famous victory over the Gunners, so Swansea should be confident going into their game against the Gunners this Sunday. Both teams could only draw their last game in the league, with Arsenal failing to beat Southampton and Swansea rescuing a point against Aston Villa with a very late goal. After going eight years without a trophy, the FA Cup should be something that Arsenal take seriously, but with the race for the top four so fierce; Arsene Wenger has to decide between resting players for the league and trying to put out a team that can beat Swansea in the FA Cup. Swansea City also have a League Cup semi-final against Chelsea this month, so Michael Laudrup might also be tempted to rotate his squad. Arsenal and Swansea City have met three times in the FA cup, and the Gunners hold the edge in the head to head meetings between the two sides. Arsenal have a famous history with the FA cup, having won it ten times and it’s a trophy that means a lot to Arsene Wenger. 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. He missed the league meeting between Arsenal and Swansea with an injury, but he should feature this time. 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 must be tempted to try and end that trophy less run by taking the FA cup seriously. That would mean not resting the likes of Santi Cazorla and Jack Wilshere. Per Mertesacker missed the game against Newcastle after falling ill and was only fit enough to make the bench against Southampton, and in his absence the defence has looked lost and they have missed the calm authority of the big German. Mertesacker has been without a doubt Arsenal’s best defender this season and it’s vital that they get him back into the first team as soon as possible. Carl Jenkinson should get his chance to stake a claim as Wenger will be tempted to rotate Barcary Sagna, who has had two very disappointing games in the league. The likes of Aaron Ramsey, Thomas Rosicky and Olivier Giroud could also feature from the start if Wenger decides to rotate his squad. After already being out classed by Swansea, Arsenal now have to beat Swansea in their own ground to make the fourth round of the FA cup, it’s going to be a tough ask, but the Arsenal players must show some pride and try and extract some revenge against Swansea City by dumping them out of the FA cup. Team News: Arsene Wenger: Three Key Match-ups: please log in to view this image Michu please log in to view this image Angel Rangel please log in to view this image Ashley Williams Overall Record vs Swansea City: Played: 12 Wins: 6 Draws: 1 Losses: 5 For: 15 Against: 16 GD: -1 Last 6 Meetings: 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 Arsenal 0 - 2 Swansea City please log in to view this image Manager's Views: Arsene Wenger on the FA cup: My Team: please log in to view this image Final Score: please log in to view this image
We need a complete change of attitude than the one we took to Southampton, that was just not good enough. If we turn up on the day with the right mindset, then I think we can win this game.
Not really looking forward to this after what Swansea did to us at the Emirates, and also after what happened when we last faced them at the Liberty.
Good thread there really looking forward to the game, I think laudrup will rotate the squad for this so maybe 6 or 7 changes to what we played on Saturday . One thing though we got 4 wins on the road not two
Yeah, sorry that was from the league match thread between Arsenal and Swansea. Your away form is clearly irrelevant for the game on Sunday. Interesting that you think your manager will make '6 or 7' changes, gives me more hope.
We will see but I do think that he will make changes, from playing Fulham away to Villa at home there were 7 changes. He used quite a lot of different options over the festive period. He'll do the same here I should imagine.
I think we can grind out a draw in this game. I know we have a busy schedule, but i wouldn't mind it going to a replay at the emirates.
Personally speaking, I don't want to start with Podolski. This is a cup game, so you need a lot of fight in such a game, and at the moment, especially in away games, he just goes badly missing, and we can't afford that in such a game. I'd much rather have Walcott starting out wide over Podolski.
Yep. As an aside to that, our movement has been shocking of late. Our forwards v static - Podolski the worst culprit Guy is so static. Why have pace if u don't use it?
It's going to be the forehead starting isn't it? Ramsey and Gervinho on the team sheet = lose, although Ramsey has been less sh!t lately with less time on the pitch.
I think youre right in suggesting that we need to rest Cazorla and I rate TV and Per far better than TV and Kos as a partnership. Better to give them another game together now before the big two coming up against Man C and the Chelsea. I think this game should be all about preparing for those two. Ramseys work rate makes him a reasonable choice imo and he'll help defensively. I wouldnt drop Wilshere as well as rest Cazorla though. Also time on the pitch is finally helping him get back to where he was before the leg break, I know it was a long time ago but he seems to be finally showing some of his old ability. Other than that I just dont think Giroud has what it needs for him to make it at the top. For me he is a mid table club striker, I think of him as in the same sort of category as Kenwyn JOnes, a good striker for that sort of club but not made it at the top. Lets hope I'm wrong.
I think it's way too soon to decide that Giroud isn't good enough. He's played about 70% of the matches in 5 months. I think he is good enough because I've seen enough of what he can do to think that. Can't be sure though.
Make no mistake, this is a MASSIVE game. Unbeaten in 4, a win here means Arsenal take confidence into the games against City & Chelsea. A loss, and that confidence could be gone. This is also Arsenal's final realistic chance of a trophy this season as the League is out of reach and Champions League I would deem unrealistic. The Team for the last game against them was: Chesney Jenks Merts Verm Gibbs Arteta Wilshere Cazorla Gerv Theo Pod I'd like to see a solid defense - Sagna out for Jenks, and Merts back in, with Vermaelen instructed not to even think about crossing the half-way line except for corners. I'd also like to see Theo, Giroud & Ox up front - pace from the wings & a pivot point to bring Rosicky in from midfield - just keep Gervinho away from the team. Rosicky in for Cazorla - he'll run directly and can tackle back much better than the wee Spaniard. A bench with Mannone, Koscielny, Coquelin, Ramsey, Cazorla, Pod, Sagna on has some strength to it too.
Arsenal will be looking for revenge after the Swans win at The Emirates while the Swans will just be glad of a home win - there haven't been too many this season. You can rip up the form book because this tie could literally go anywhere. Should be a good one for the Sky cameras.
I really don't care about this game. Play the reserves and rest the first team for the important premiership matches
We need a reaction from our trip to southampton anyway. It's difficult trying to keep the team well rested especially as im sure the players are wanting to just get back on the pitch and produce a better performance than they did on tuesday. I think resting cazorla would be a good option, keep him fresh for man city and chelsea. Wenger will have a real dilemma though if giroud can score a couple on sunday.
I agree with resting Cazorla. I'd start Rosicky in his place. I'd also start with Giroud against Swansea and Walcott against City and Chelsea.
