Proper, yet one more push.
After a gruelling January schedule, February began with a bang … properly, 5 bangs in opposition to Man Metropolis, and tonight we have now yet one more large recreation earlier than there’s a well-earned break. It’s the Carabao Cup semi-final second leg in opposition to Newcastle at St James’ Park, and 2-0 down from the primary leg, it’s going to be fairly a problem.
When it comes to tonight’s group, I believe we would see a few adjustments from the one which performed on Sunday. I’ve a suspicion Ethan Nwaneri will begin, and we would see Myles Lewis-Skelly drop to the bench with Riccardo Calafiori are available in. Clearly in that latter case, it’s received nothing to do together with his efficiency, however about managing an 18 12 months outdated participant in addition to we will. And when you may have the Italian worldwide as an choice there, it makes some sense to make use of it.
Nwaneri’s objective on Sunday was a bit particular, and it simply feels to me prefer it would possibly take one thing like that to blow this recreation open. I suppose there would possibly properly be a temptation to maintain that in reserve in case you actually need to vary one thing as the sport goes on, however I’d prefer to see him from the beginning on this one. We all know Newcastle are sturdy in midfield, and that will likely be one thing Mikel Arteta considers together with his group choice. They’ve operating energy and bodily energy, and maybe one of many trio that began in opposition to Man Metropolis would possibly drop out to introduce some recent legs – however after such a giant win, he may be inclined to go along with the identical once more.
Tiredness and fatigue really feel extra acute while you lose; after a recreation like Sunday’s, these guys will really feel recent and able to go once more – to not point out the boldness increase you get after a end result like we simply had. I believe Kai Havertz will lead the road once more, and if Nwaneri begins, it’ll be one among Leandro Trossard or Gabriel Martinelli on the left. The query then turns into how can we, and Newcastle, method this recreation.
They’ve one thing to guard, however know one other objective would roughly seal the deal for them. Do they arrive out of the blocks flying to attempt to get that objective and kill the sport early, or sit off a bit? I believe it’ll extra seemingly be the previous than the latter, however the longer it goes with out a objective, the extra inclined they’d be to defend deep – and we’ve seen them try this fairly efficiently in opposition to us up to now.
Do Arsenal have an actual go from the begin to attempt to settle down what’s going to be a loud, intense environment up there, or play it protected from the off to verify we don’t concede? Hold it tight, preserve it 0-0, then attempt to flip the screw within the second half? It’s robust, as a result of you may plan for one thing, then the randomness of soccer undermines that, however I believe we’ll attempt to be safe early on, earlier than making an attempt to get an actual grip on a recreation that Newcastle will play with depth – and in a method which disrupts any rhythm we would wish to construct. Count on LOTS of niggly little fouls.
The primary objective could possibly be so essential, one thing Mikel Arteta spoke about beforehand, saying:
There are loads of components – When that first objective is scored as properly, you recognize, how properly you’re producing within the recreation to attain that objective, how we generate momentum. What in the event you don’t rating for a time frame as properly? There are going to be loads of situations in that recreation and we have now to be actually good at it.
And on what’s at stake tonight:
The following step is a closing in Wembley so we all know how large that’s, and you’ll really feel it immediately. The increase the sport in opposition to Metropolis gave us, the style that we received it, and the truth that it’s a recreation within the competitors the place we’re closest to a closing, so we’re going to present it an actual go.
After this, we have now 10 days off, a visit to Dubai is within the offing for the gamers to wind down and recharge their batteries a bit, so there’s going to be actual cup-tie vitality to this one. Newcastle have loads of high quality of their assault, however maybe have proven some vulnerability behind late. The primary job is to maintain them quiet after they come ahead, then punish them up the opposite finish. Simpler mentioned than finished, in fact, however all we will do is give it an actual go, so fingers crossed.
Proper, let’s depart it there for now. You will discover a preview podcast over on Patreon in the event you want one thing to move the time till kick off. Be part of us later for stay weblog protection, plus you’ll get the match report, objective clips, response, participant scores and rather more over on Arseblog Information.
Come on you reds!
