Loss FA Cup 4th Round: Manchester City 1 - 0 Arsenal | Friday 27th, January | KO: 20:00 GMT | ITV

Play the kids and bin this. Don't show our hand until we play them Feb 15th.

Prediction

Man city 2-1 Arsenal

 

[OnlyOne]

We can afford to rotate I think. Need some players to get minutes.

Nelli, Eddie, Leo
ESR Ødegaard Sambi
Tierney Gab Holding Tomi
Turner

 

[Macho]

If a key player got injured in the FA Cup we would probably feel differently about it.

I don’t expect Arteta to throw away the cups anyways.

 

[BIoodBrother]

The Smith Trossard and Vieira, Tomi, Tierney need to start. Hopefully Elneny fit. This musnt be the game where we lose an important player to injury. The competition is of less interest but since there is no game for 7 days after this, we're still gonna go strong to keep the momentum going.
Also who says no to the double or treble?

 

[Tom Mix]

Think a lot of our starters will play. We're playing at the Etihad and a drubbing could get into our players' heads.

Expect the likes of Xhaka and Saka, added with someone like Trossard in between. No Partey please.

So if we play a hybrid team or (God forbid) our first team and we get a drubbing? What then?

I'd play the team in the OP, obviously with Marquinhos as Nelson is not available. And if he hasn't gone yet I'd definitely have Cedric in the squad.

Might have Martinelli and/or White play 45 minutes but we don't want any chance of injuries (or cards) to Zinchenko, Gabriel, Saliba, Partey, Saka, Xhaka, Ødegaard and Nketiah so the team almost picks itself.

I don't care if we lose 5-0. They won't play their first XI, just a team strong enough to beat a weakened Arsenal. Let them. They have a large squad and can go for three trophies, we don't. And let's see if we can get a few yellows for them and generally annoy them. If we win, we win. But let's expend the minimum possible effort.

 

[razörist]

It’s not one or the other. The squad can handle both.

U a medical professional now as wel as a twitter nerd?

 

[A_G]

U a medical professional now as wel as a twitter nerd?

At least I’m not a Mierenneuker like you.

 

[razörist]

At least I’m not a Mierenneuker like you.

Oooooo our medical professional has googletranslate as well… try pennis hoofd

 

[Morning_woody]

Get a room

 

[Vinci]

At least I’m not a Mierenneuker like you.

Schavuit.

Respect if you can pronounce that.

 

[Pop Tart]

Play messo and Smith, should be enough to win with a b team

 

[db10_therza]

Don’t care. Sorry @Riou

Next

 

[Jose_Reyes_2005]

I wonder if the postponed Everton game at home would be rescheduled to March 1st if we end up losing this. The FA Cup 5th round is meant to played on that date but it might also be the most convenient time for us to squeeze it in with Bournemouth at home less than 72 hours later.

The alternative dates for that game in hand could be midweek before going to Anfield on Aorill 4th/5th or perhaps in between the away games at Villa and Leicester. Thats a huge difference in how much it could affect our league season so for that reason alone I'd much rather we field a weakened team to focus on the league.

 

[Tir Na Nog]

Having a two week break isn't even necessarily a good thing either for those who want all our first teamers rested. I could understand if we e had a midweek game.

 

[Paperino]

Oooooo our medical professional has googletranslate as well… try pennis hoofd

Is that english?

 

[GoonerJeeves]

Don Mike will go for our best team.

 

[Gooner Zig]

Title over everything. Unlike Arteta, I don’t believe Saka can play 70 games. You saw United in the last 20 minutes, they were dead on their feet after playing palace mid week.

But there's no PL until the next Saturday. This is completely different.

 

[Dennis_Bergkamp_10]

So if we play a hybrid team or (God forbid) our first team and we get a drubbing? What then?

I'd play the team in the OP, obviously with Marquinhos as Nelson is not available. And if he hasn't gone yet I'd definitely have Cedric in the squad.

Might have Martinelli and/or White play 45 minutes but we don't want any chance of injuries (or cards) to Zinchenko, Gabriel, Saliba, Partey, Saka, Xhaka, Ødegaard and Nketiah so the team almost picks itself.

I don't care if we lose 5-0. They won't play their first XI, just a team strong enough to beat a weakened Arsenal. Let them. They have a large squad and can go for three trophies, we don't. And let's see if we can get a few yellows for them and generally annoy them. If we win, we win. But let's expend the minimum possible effort.

Cards don't count for PL games. Everton is 8 days later. I'd say rest a few, but dont give up beforehand.

 

[Riou]

Will be gutted if we lose this...

... truly gutted.

 

[BergMan]

Arteta will play near enough our strongest team. There’s 2 weeks until Everton. I’d be surprised if he doesn’t go strong.

 

[Riou]

Cards don't count for PL games.

Has it been verified if cards carry over to other comps @db10_therza , I can't remember...