I have a love-hate relationship with the League Cup. I love that the club price League Cup ties so that young fans can afford to attend in huge numbers: I hate that if the club gets to the final (or even the semi-final) almost none of those young fans will be able to attend because of the League’s ticketing policy for Wembley. I love that Arsenal use the League Cup as a proving ground for young players: I hate that I’ve had to watch as year after year those young players have tasted bitter defeat in this competition. I love that the League Cup is another chance at a trophy: I hate the fact that there’s a two-legged semi final stuck into January’s already congested fixtures list. I could go on but then that would probably just be something else I love to hate about the League Cup. Oh wait, yeah, there’s the name. I love that it was once sponsored by milk and thus called the Milk Cup: I hate that it’s now called the Capital One Cup, it’s the League Cup to me until they come up with a sponsor that I’m happy to spell out and whose initials aren’t COC.
Tonight’s League Cup match against Coventry is no exception to my love-hate relationship, albeit on a much smaller scale. The Emirates is sold out and those in or around the stadium should expect a lively crowd, full of mischievous young locals out for a good time at the Arsenal. There’s no television broadcast of the game that I am aware of in the States which means us Yanks won’t get to see the action (legally) but there will be a live stream of the commentary on Arsenal.com for Red Level members — kind of like the radio days of yore. Perhaps you can stick your laptop into the shell of an old tube radio, have Ma and Pa gather ’round the talky-box and pretend that it’s the the Great Depression all over again.
Today at work I will inevitably field questions from coworkers about what this League Cup is “all about.” Because a team having a chance at multiple trophies in a single season makes Americans uncomfortable, like the concept of a draw being a fair result or that there’s such a thing as “the public good”. I will patiently explain that there are various governing bodies in football and each one wants to have a trophy — just like there are various governing bodies in boxing — and that tonight’s match is a qualifying match for a chance to win the equivalent of the WBO title.
I will also explain that it’s a great chance to see (or listen to commentary about) some of Arsenal’s young talent mixed with some players who have been pushed to the periphery due to the squad depth that Arsenal suddenly find themselves blessed with. Tonight’s match is a chance for Nico Yennaris to fulfill his boyhood dream and play for Arsenal. Just 12 years ago, Yennaris was a mascot for Arsenal in a match against Coventry and today will play Coventry as a right back.
And it’s not just going to be XI youth team prospects either. Guys like Nico will be playing along side Arsenal record signing and Russian international Andrei Arshavin, French international Olivier Giroud, and England international Theo Walcott — who will all start. It should be a good mix of youth prospects and (ex/struggling) first team players.
All told, there will probably be five or six first-team debutantes in this game and they will play along with two of the most exciting young players who have already broken into the first team: Emmanuel Frimpong and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. The Ox is already well respected in England and the one time I had a chance to see him play in person looked to be a real talent. He can play anywhere in the Arsenal midfield and many have him stuck out on the wing, but I suspect that Arsene will put him in his more favored central role behind Giroud and push Theo Walcott out wide. Frimpong could start and pair with Francis Coquelin in midfield and right behind them in central defense will be Johan Djourou (captain?) and the vastly underrated Ignasi Miquel. Wide, we will probably see Yennaris on the right and Andre Santos on the left. Keeper will be… Argentinian born Damian Martinez. I know nothing about him! Exciting times.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger spoke glowingly about forward Serge Gnabry this week, saying that he’s got a physique and talent on par with Ox and Walcott. I suspect the young German will come on as a substitute in the 70th minute. If Frimpong doesn’t start, I expect he will come on at that time as well, if Arsenal have a lead.
As for Coventry, even local reporters are unsure how they will play tonight. Arsenal.com always put out a pre-match interview with a local reporter and usually they are a good source for how the club will play against Arsenal. But given that Coventry just replaced their manager a week ago, there isn’t much in the way of information to go by. Still, I expect a more traditional display from Coventry: the whole sit back and defend, two banks of four style of play that is a familiar routine for most clubs.
All in all it should be a fun match to watch. But like I said, it’s a love-hate thing because while it should have been a fun match to watch, I can’t watch it as there’s no live video available.
Oh League Cup…
I’d love for Yennaris and Giroud to score. I’d hate for Walcitt to score
Damn Theo! Making me eat my words
Hope to see Giroud score, won’t be too bothered if he doesn’t. Don’t really expect him to start though.
Would love to see Gnabry and Eisfeld see some action. I’ve been watching some of the NextGen series highlights on the dot com and our young players looks pretty well Arsenalized already.
Surely Arshavin will get a start? He looked quite portly to me in one of the photos a couple of weeks ago. We may have to use him later in the season so he needs some game time. But what he really needs is to cut down on the caviar.
Excited to see who gets to start in the MF. Coq is the only nailed on starter and will play the box to box role. My guess is Frimpong will play the DM role and The Ox will play centrally with Arshavin out wide. Or maybe Arsene will switch The Ox and Arshavin. There is a 0.0000001% that Theo will be used as a CF. Giroud should get the start there. He needs a goal.
Too bad the game is nowhere to be seen live, but I think the dot com will have it up tomorrow.
Eisfeld and Gnabry…ze Germans are coming! Add to Podolski and Mtersecker and w have four Teutons. Who said we are all about the French?;D
Young Olson has also been quite good although probably shy of some experience still.
Btw, Miyaichi is slowly but surely making his way into the Wigan starting XI. Keep an eye on our asian sensation.
You should probably just start calling it by its Arseblog anagram, Poetic Anal Cup, which captures your ambivalence perfectly, I think (i.e., poetry = good or bad / anal = good or bad, depending on your sexual preference / cup = half full or half empty).
My relationship with the League Cup is one of warm but vaguely condescending approval. I enjoy seeing fringe or youth players get a chance to prove themselves, and I’m not devastated when we’re eliminated because, after all, it’s just the League Cup.
Well, okay, I was mildly devastated when Koscielny gave Birmingham the win in the final two seasons ago, but primarily because I hate B’ham City with a passion (almost as much as Stoke City), and Barry Ferguson deserves ritual execution for his actions that day.
Warm but vaguely condescending approval is how my girlfriend approaches both poetry, and anal.
“…the vastly underrated Ignasi Miquel…”
Underrated? Really? I thought he acquitted himself pretty well last season when he got drafted in to shore up our decimated defensive ranks. Maybe he was no Jenkinson, but he did alright for being thrown into the fire, and showed some promise. Is the general opinion otherwise?
“…young fans can afford to attend in huge numbers…” Not just young fans, but also tightwads (ahem), and visiting Gooners who might not otherwise get a look-in for tickets. I was able to catch the Bolton game at the Emirates last year, and got to see the Ox (brilliant!) and Ryo (errr…. enthusiastic…) as our reserves and fringe starters gave Coyle and his lot another lesson in how to play football.
“Pretend it’s the Great Depression”? Bad idea for so many reasons — but good for The Arsenal, as they won 5 League titles and 2 FA Cups during the Depression. And, considering the 1934 England team that beat World Cup winners Italy at Highbury had 7 Arsenal players on it, probably would have won at least one European Cup, except UEFA hadn’t started it yet, the corrupt wankers.
Is it for sure Giroud is starting? I don’t know why you wouldn’t want to get Chamahk some time, especially if the club still entertains the notion of selling him in January.
I would like to see Arshavin as captain. Captain Russia afterall.
I hope we don’t see Walcott. If he plays centrally you’d be giving him what he wants, if you play him wide he’ll be all sulky. I’ve written him off.
I look forward to the midfield trio of Eisfeld, Ox-Chambo and Coqeulin. Some bite, some power, some guile and some creativity.
I love the League Cup. We get to see what might be in a parallel universe… the demolition of Sunderland a few years ago by our youngsters still gives me a warm feeling. If I remember correctly, we had Wilshere, Fabianski, Vela, Bendtner, Watt, Randall, and a few others – all but the first two gone, but what a show.
Giroud should start. It will do him good to play as much as possible. Arsharvin in the hole behind him could be an interesting combination.
But Chamakh should get a run out too IMO. We may yet need him.
I think there are a number of first team members that need some time under their belt in a competitive game. Santos, Coquelin, Giroud, Chamakh, Arsharvin, Djourou…. and Walcott.
No mention of Chamakh.
Like to see Eisfeld in the advance midfield role. He has been sharp. Also Arsharvin rotated in there.
Frimpong and Eastmond or Coquelin can hold.
Bellerin I believe plays in the same position as Yennaris. Shold be interesting if one is re-roled to other flank (or Santos stays @LB for match sharpness)
Gnabry should get some time LB. Then maybe Walcott or Chamberlain out wide.
My guess :
Yennaris………..Djorou………Miquel………….Santos
…………………..Coquelin……Frimpong………………..
Walcott…………………Arsharvin…………………Gnabry
…………………………….Giroud…………………………….
Eisfeld for Arsharvin.
Chamakh for Giroud
and either :
Eastmond for Frimpong or Chamberlain for Walcott.
(Slight possibility Bellarin for Yennaris)
Martinez, Miquel, Djourou, Angha, Yennaris, Santos, Coquelin, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Walcott, Arshavin, Giroud…
Starting lineups.
Just saw that. The inclusion of Angha definitely took me by surprise. That’s 3 CBs. I wonder if one of them will play the DM position or if we’ll actually see a 3-5-3 type formation.
Angha’s a surprise. I wonder if that means that Yennaris will play midfield rather than RB which was his favoured position with Coquelin as box to box?
Just watched Wenger’s pre match interview on the dot com. He called Frimpong a competitive animal! That made me laugh. Looks like he’ll be on the bench though so we may see a MF of Coq, Gnabry and Ox. That’s quite a young bunch of players with major talent.
dammit.. i’m not getting any audio feed. is anybody having the same problem?
aah just came on to hear about Giroud’s offside which seemed to be a wrong call.
GIROUUUUD!
CHip by Johan Giroud !!!!!!
haha. security guards chasing fans on the pitch. sounds like coq needs to put in another tackle here
So now we know that Giroud was bought to replace Carlos Vela…
Olivier Giroud,
Olivier Giroud,
He won’t just score one,
He’ll score one for you!
*(after the penalty miss)
Olivier Giroud
Olivier Giroud
He couldn’t score two
He’ll score one for you!
(after the penalty miss) — revised version
OX with a Screamer!!!
Arshavin!!!!! Hes turning it on in his favourite position
Every time I make fun of one of players, he scores. Never fails.
so looks like u made fun of Ignasi Miquel now :p , 5-1 its a rout
Only our 2nd 6 goal haul of the season. How will we ever get out of this goal drought?
I thought I’d seen Arshavin’s last goal in this outfit several times, and there he goes again
You could have gone a bit more easy on us poor Cov fans……. I knew Giroud would score tonight, players needing to break ducks or on baron runs always get their much needed goal against us.
Always been the way, even going back to our days in the Prem league when even Savo Milosevic got a hat-trick against us once when he couldn’t score to save his life. Best of it was, Savo missed more easy chances that day than the ones he scored.
Well played Arsenal, I really do hope you go on and win a trophy this year (and Cov stay up).
Many thanks, BB. Best of luck to you lot as well (unless we face you in the F.A. Cup, that is).
Home from the game at the Emirates against Coventry
Its late so I will be brief:
Miquel was my MoM
Giroud scored
Giroud missed a penalty because two idiots came on the pitch to streak and messed up his opportunity
Giroud made an Assist
Arshavin was very annoying in the first half with flicks and miss passes but improved in second half ( confidence issues)
Theo was invisible in first half
Theo score two almost TH14 (sque) type of goals
The Ox Goal was a rocket
There was approx 55000 fans at the Emirates ( I could be wrong)
It did not rain and the moon was out
Serge is the same as the Ox…very similar in build and games (ship)
Frimpong received a lovely welcome
Oh yes! our No 29 played
And finally I have NO fine words to say about Andre Santos.
He was very very lazy tonight and could not be arsed
Coventry played well in first half and actually had the first strike on goal.
Arsenal first strike on goal was approx 8 minutes before the end of the first half.
Good Night or Greetings! at whatever time zone you may be .
Over and Out xx
Glad you got to be there when Giroud scored his first of many, LC. Thanks for the brief. There’s nothing like hearing what those who were actually there take away from the match.
Thanks for the perspective, LC. Much appreciated.
The highlights make it seem like Yennaris was at the heart of most of the goals (intercepting in midfield, and then making an intelligent pass)… Must watch the whole game, I suppose, but pleased to see him do well.
I absolutely loved how passionate Miquel was when he scored. I really like this fellow. I think I might ask him to join my band of thieves. We steal from John Terry and give to the poor.
“I think the only way to truly exercise the ghosts of last season is a solid 6-1 beating of Man U.”
1-0 please,2-0 or Anything above-0 please…
Giroud – He scores when he can’t..
Theo – I told you so…he has definitely improved from last season…Also happy that he is not the one to score and show off the t-shirt which says…”i’m worth it”
Arshavin – If he can be reborn half as much as Rosicky, I think we have a great squad player, who can change games all by himself.
Nico – Some dream that…!!!!
Ox – Henry would be proud of that one
Miquel i Pons- Aggressive centreback, who can also play as a left back and scores goals..where have we heard that before.
And we now know why Arsene let Song go…coz we have better centrebacks than him.
I hate the League Cup. I didn’t until Birmingham City. Now I hate them too. With a purple a passion. In my dreams scores like this are always against the Birmingham Cities and the Stokes, never against a hapless side like Coventry who did nothing wrong except draw some bad luck by drawing us so early in the competition.
But we did what was more or less expected of us and of course I’m happy about that. A big win is welcome any time, all the time.
We had Arshavin playing in his favoured position and sure enough he found his mojo.
Just saw the pre Chelsea press conference. Wenger seemed to indicate that we were willing to match the asking price for Hazard, but it was ‘the rest’ that meant we didn’t get him. Interesting that we’re willing to pay 30+m pounds for a player. Maybe Gotze isn’t a pipe dream?
Also interesting (and uncharacteristic) was Wenger’s little playful swipe saying Wilshere could play for England if they play San Marino (though obviously saying it’s too early for Wilshere to play for England) This follows a recent news that the San Marino boss took Wenger’s suggestion for a change in the qualification format very personally and had things to say about it. A bit weird, but still fun.
The FA finally show that they ‘got a pair’ with the suspension and fine on JT. Like Wenger it didn’t matter to me if he played on Sat. because I still think we will beat Chelsea with or without him.