The 3rd round of the FA Cup is upon us and it isn’t a tie versus Swansea City or Leeds United this time, it is Tottenham Hotspur, our north London rivals, who we must get past.
As we have said numerous times this season, and it is fantastic, we come into this clash in excellent form. We have won our last three matches and will be looking to get another home win here.
We might have given Spurs a thrashing a few weeks ago but they have made changes recently and have Tim Sherwood, an apparent Arsenal fan, in charge. He has picked up some good results so this should be a tight derby match.
Team News
It isn’t great. We can’t hide that. Arsene Wenger hasn’t hid it either as he has been talking about Nicklas Bendtner, Olivier Giroud, Mesut Ozil amongst others.
The Gunners boss told the website:
“What I can tell you is that from the last game we lost Nicklas Bendtner. We don’t know how serious his injury is at the moment.
“For the rest, Giroud’s ankle was quite positive yesterday in the test but he was sick overnight so he has a 90 per cent chance of being out.
“Ozil will have a test later, personally I think he will be short. Gibbs and Ramsey are definitely out. (Oxlade-Chamberlain) is close to being back in full training. It takes a little time to be competitive again.”
In summary Bendtner, Ramsey, Gibbs, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Sanogo and Diaby are all definitely out of tomorrow’s clash whilst Giroud and Ozil remain big doubts.
It means that some youngsters could be given an opportunity in the starting XI or feature on the bench. The Daily Mail believe highly rated 16-year-old Gedion Zelalem could make his debut.
Lukas Podolski is expected to continue in the central role but Serge Gnabry and Benik Afobe will provide Wenger with alternatives.
Big game players looking forward to the big game
Several Gunners have been speaking to the media about this FA Cup tie; Laurent Koscielny is looking forward to an “exciting game”.
“Against Tottenham we know it will be a difficult game, but an exciting game. We want to win it because it is so important to the club and the fans.
“We will do everything we can together on the pitch to win the game. Every derby is very important for the fans, it is the game that you must win.
“The atmosphere is different before, during and after the game and we want our fans to be smiling, so we want to win!”
Theo Walcott echoed Koscielny’s thoughts about the north London derby.
Quotes from the Arseblog website had the England winger saying:
“For the neutrals it is going to be a very interesting battle. The FA Cup is always special, for me, being English as well. I love the FA Cup.
“I can’t call it. It is one of those games that is going to be very open. Tottenham, since their new appointment, have done very well to be fair to them but, like I say, they won’t want to play us.
“It’s at the Emirates, we’re trying to make our stadium into a fortress and we are starting to do that.
Expected line-up
Szczesny, Sagna, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal, Zelalem, Flamini, Walcott, Rosicky, Cazorla, Podolski
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