Jernade Meade - first call up likely
With Jack Wilshere having made his comeback on Saturday
against QPR he will now not be involved in the game that means nothing to
Arsene Wenger. Even a look at what will, no doubt, be an away end packed out by
half-term travelling Gooners will not convince Wenger of the importance to
supporters of every single match. In the absence of Wilshere Arsenal’s midfield
will seem somewhat weaker than it might have at the Madejski.
The U21 team played at Blackburn tonight with a team
considerably weaker than that which beat Everton last week. Martyn Angha,
having debuted at home to Coventry in the previous round, appears to be out of
the side for tomorrow having started for the youngsters. Aside from that the 18
must virtually pick itself for Arsenal, and I’ve tried to name a possible squad
below.
I notice that Arsenal Player carried an interview with
Damian Martinez today talking about his hopes ahead of the Reading game.
Interestingly there are also pictures of the squad in training for tomorrow and
Wojciech Szczesny is with them (but there is no sign of Martinez in the slides).
It comes as no surprise that he is back in training ahead of the Man Utd game,
and I would suggest the chance to get 90 minutes in the League Cup before we go
to Old Trafford would be very useful for the Pole. It’s something worth noting
that he played only one pre-season game and just the first Premier League match
before being injured, and then his aborted comeback from that injury against
Southampton. That means that since the end of last season he has played just
three-and-a-half matches, including the game in which he was sent off at Euro
2012. At the very least Szczesny could be said to be “out of practice”, so an
appearance before facing Rooney and Van Persie and co should be compulsory, in
my view.
Taking in to account the photographs from today, and what
else might be available I think this could be (roughly) the squad for tomorrow:
Szczesny/Shea, Martinez, Jenkinson, Coquelin, Djourou,
Miquel, Squillaci, Koscielny, Meade, Yennaris, Frimpong, Arshavin, Walcott,
Chamakh, Gnabry, Eisfeld, Bellerin, Akpom
It’s very much back to the weaker mix and match teams we are
used to for League Cup action. I suspect Alex Oxlade Chamberlain might also
have been involved if 100% fit, but there is no way I can see Wenger risking a
setback for The Ox ahead of the United fixture.
Once again I will be missing the game tonight and having to
Sky+ the live pictures due to work. My eldest is going to his first ever away
game and it’s a shame I won’t be there with him to enjoy it – credit to Reading
who have reduced ticket prices and put a family enclosure area in the away end.
Hopefully we’ll all be looking forward to a quarter-final when I next write,
but Arsene Wenger will be more than pleased if we’re not, and that is very
disappointing.
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