148 replies to this topic

[Sir Chesney]

FA Cup 4th Round | Emirates Stadium | Sunday 29th January 2012 | 16:00 (GMT)

The F.A. Cup will be both Arsenal's and Aston Villa's best shot at a trophy this season. With both clubs from Manchester now out of the tournament, the competition is now wide open. So both Arsene Wenger and Alex McLeish will be ready to put out their strongest available team to face each other on Sunday, despite growing concerns each manager will have for their clubs' respective league positions, and the injuries mounting up in their squads.

Arsenal will still be without key midfielder, Jack Wilshere, but, to some great relief, three of their players on the injury list should be back. Mikel Arteta and Bacary Sagna are back training, while Thierry Henry will need to pass a late fitness test. Aston Villa also expect three of their players back, too. Gabby Agbonlahor (illness) and Stephen Ireland (hamstring) are both due back tomorrow, while Emile Heskey is expected to have recovered from his calf injury. It's a timely boost for both sides.

Some match facts about these two clubs: Arsenal are unbeaten in the F.A. Cup at the Emirates, last losing an F.A. Cup tie at home in the competition on February 1997, while Aston Villa are chasing a spot in the last 16 for the fourth successive season running. Villa are also looking for their seventh successive away game without defeat in both league and cup. So, it seems history backs both teams to progress in this tournament, yet something has to give.

Come on you Gunners!

[El Capitán]

Hopefully we humiliate McLeish

[Rude]

Oh, if Sagna and Arteta come back... I will be so happy.

[Diminutive Postmaker]

[Gooner Mark]

I'm not sure what sort of line-up we'll see. Obviously it would be great to have Sagna and Arteta back but I wouldn't rush them either, so really it depends on what condition they're in. I'm thinking they probably won't start considering we have a league game away to Bolton coming up on Wednesday. I'm thinking RvP might start on the bench too. I mean, I want us to take the FA Cup seriously, but I also don't want RvP overdoing it and with three games in six days coming up, it might be best to start him on the bench for this one and introduce him around the hour mark, depending on the scoreline.

Szczesny

Yennaris - Mertesacker - Vermaelen - Miquel

Song - Coquelin

Rosicky

Walcott - Park - The Ox

That line-up might be a little lacking but I'm thinking that this could be an opportunity to rest Koscielny and RvP for part of the game at least. I was thinking maybe start Coquelin at LB if he's fit but realistically, I think at least one of Song or Ramsey could do with a rest so I would probably go with the above midfield and attack. If players such as Arteta and Sagna are 100% fit to start then maybe they will be included but I would be cautious of throwing them straight back in with upcoming league fixtures to keep in mind also. If Wenger feels that RvP and Koscielny are up for it too then go for it but I think Mertesacker and Vermaelen would have plenty of quality as a pairing.

[Gooner Mark]

Quote

MattLawExpress Matt Law
Think henry, arteta and sagna all on a strong bench for arsenal today. Ox and RvP to start

Quote

ludivinesagna ludivine sagna
On my way to the emirates!im so exiting!cant wait to see my hubby @Sagnaofficial with the arsenal shirt again!!!!!!!!!#BSAGNA

Guess who's Bac.

[Rossicky]

Official Arsenal Line-up:

Fabianski

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Coquelin - Mertesacker - Koscielny - Vermaelen

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Song - Rosicky

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Ramsey

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Walcott - van Persie - Chamberlain

-

-

Subs: Szczesny, Sagna, Arteta, Benayoun, Arshavin, Park, Henry

Edited by 0, 29 January 2012 - 03:15 PM.

[Holmes.]

Arsenal: Fabianski, Coquelin, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Vermaelen, Song, Rosicky, Ramsey, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Van Persie, Walcott.

[Holmes.]

Fabinaski starts,I'm expecting Villa to crowd the goalie.We could get fucked.

Edited by 0, 29 January 2012 - 03:14 PM.

[Rossicky]

Its nice to see Ox and Rosicky starting, plus having a strong bench for once lol.

[Gooner Mark]

I'm unsure about that line-up. If we're going to play Coquelin, why not rest Song or Ramsey and put Yennaris at RB?

[Holmes.]

Master Bates, on 29 January 2012 - 03:23 PM, said:

I'm unsure about that line-up. If we're going to play Coquelin, why not rest Song or Ramsey and put Yennaris at RB?

Exactly.Wouldnt have minded seeing Verm and Kos paired together,with Yennaris at RB and Coq at LB.

Ramseybreally needs a rest.

[Sir Chesney]

Gone from a piss poor bench to a very strong one in only a matter of three days. #FuckingInjuries

[Jeppo]

I don't like how Coquelin is being rushed back in and Yennaris doesn't even get a spot on the bench. I don't like this at all.

[TheMuffinMan]

XI: Given; Hutton, Dunne, Cuellar, Warnock; Ireland, Petrov, Clark, Agnonlahor; Keane, Bent
SUBS: Guzan; Lichaj, Baker; Gardner, Bannan; Heskey, Weimann

No Collins at centre-half means Cuellar comes in to partner Dunne. No Albrighton or N'Zogbia again which leaves us with a shoddy bench made up of mostly home-grown youth players. Not the greatest news.

Amazingly we actually go into this game with a half-decent away record though, having not lost in seven away games in all competitions. Best of luck to both teams; a winnable competition for both.