Daily Bits and Bobs

Arsene Wenger confirms Arsenal need players for two positions. Jenkinson makes his comeback.

Posted on by rico

Morning all.

Here’s the latest team news from Arsene Wenger ahead of our EFL Cup fourth-round clash against Reading at Emirates Stadium this evening:

Cazorla will not be available, but it looked after the game that apart from some tired legs and disappointed minds, we had nothing else to declare. 

I think Olivier will be included, but for Aaron it is too early although he is back in full training now.

It will be a similar squad to against Nottingham Forest. We will have Gabriel, Holding, Jenkinson will be back and will play. Jeff Reine-Adelaide will play, otherwise I think Iwobi, Lucas, Oxlade-Chamberlain will also play. Gibbs – who captained the team at Forest – will do it again on Tuesday.

Whatever injury (cough) Olivier Giroud is supposed to have had has finally repaired. Call me an old cynic, but I think for some reason he’s cheesed off the manager and has been sat in the naughty corner ever since. Anyway, he’s back tonight to cause the Reading defence all sorts of problems. Well, he’s back! The rest of the starting eleven will be made up of squad players and a few of the under 23’s who were left out of their fixture last night.

Martinez, Maitland-Niles, Holding, Gabriel, Gibbs, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Reine Adelaide, Xhaka, Akpom, Elneny and Perez all started against Notts Forest in the last round and they were good enough to send the home team out of the competition, winning 4-0.

They’ll be no Akpom tonight, nor Xhaka as he’s banned and as Wenger has confirmed, Jenkinson will start at right-back meaning Maitland- Niles will probably be on the bench along with those who were for the trip to Forest: Macey, Willock, Mavididi, Zelalem, Sheaf, Da Silva and Bielik. There’s a midfield place up for grabs with Xhaka missing so I’d imagine either Bielik or Coquelin will fill the void.

Unlike Forest, Reading are sitting nearer the top of the Championship than the bottom and Jaap Stam seems to finally have them well organised in defence as they don’t concede many goals. Apart from a 4-1 thumping by both Brentford and Newcastle and leaking two goals against Aston Villa and Wolves, most of which were early in the season, they’ve only let in an odd goal here and there. But they don’t score many either, so I doubt we’ll see a repeat of the 7-5 scoreline back in 2012. That really was an odd but very entertaining match, especially having travelled to the match with three Reading fans, sitting among thousands more during it but at least I had the last laugh on my journey home.

Just 37 minutes on the clock that night and Arsenal were already 4-0 down. It looked like game over as Brian McDermott’s men had well and truly battered their fellow Premier League opposition but in added time, Theo Walcott made it 4-1 before the half-time whistle blew. Midway through the second half, Ollie made it 4-2 yet it wasn’t until Koscielny made amends for his earlier own goal on 89 minutes, there was a glimmer of hope. Into added time and Reading were holding on but Walcott was out to spoil their night and he did by grabbing his second goal to make the scores level at 4-4.

The additional 30 minutes were equally as exciting as the first 90. Chamakh fired Arsenal into the lead for the first time but even that wasn’t enough because soon after, Pogrebnyak made it 5-5 after we had missed a few chances to finish them off. That man Walcott was there again though to ruin the night for the club he grew up living close to and then as the clock ticked by the seconds, Chamakh made sure Arsenal were going through to the next round.

What a night, what a game!

We’ve played tonight’s opposition a few times since then and on more than one occasion we’ve huffed and puffed against them but we’ve always come out on top come the end of the game, in fact dating right back to 1935, Reading have never beaten Arsenal.

The two clubs have never drawn a match during that time either and even if there’s one tonight, penalties will decide the outcome…

Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that…

rico

101 thoughts on “Arsene Wenger confirms Arsenal need players for two positions. Jenkinson makes his comeback.”

  1. kelsey says:

    Morning Rico and all.

    I hope Lucas gets a full 90 minutes tonight and it will be interesting to see if he partners Giroud.This is very much a third team.I preume Xhaka is only banned for PL games.It would be nice to see The Ox start to pick up like Walcott but I confess of what I have seen of him so far I find Gabriel unconvincing.Martinez is muted to be in goal.

    Provisional squad: Cech, Martinez, Ospina, Debuchy, Maitland-Niles, Holding, Gabriel, Monreal, Gibbs, Coquelin, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Reine-Adelaide, Xhaka, Akpom, Elneny, Lucas, Mavididi, Iwobi, Giroud.

  4. rico says:

    Morning Kelsey and Adam.

    We might need Giroud at the weekend Adam… 😉

    Xhaka is banned Kelsey and Akpom injured. And Wenger said Jenks will play..

  5. allezkev says:

    Morning All

    Morning Rico, a nice post…

    Great to see Jenkinson back in the mix, I guess that Debuchy can sit on the bench as cover for Holding and Paulista…

    Maitland-Niles might get a start in midfield, Zelalem, Willock and Bielik could all be involved…

  7. Wavy says:

    What are the odds on 5-7 as a result? I’d take that!
    If we win fine, if we don’t win, will questions be asked?
    I don’t think the milk cup is really worth the effort for the superstars, but for the small boys I should think they’ll relish it. It is after all, their opportunity to show just how good they are.

    Afternoon all

  12. kelsey says:

    Has Twitter killed blogging on sites such as HH.Comments seem to be down on every site I browse through

    I happen to know a director at Reading and when Sir John Madejski fully owned the club (made his money by starting Auto Trader) he always maintained Reading were more profitable as a top 8 Championship side than flirting in the PL.

  16. Adam says:

    Rico. If we lose a few games there will be more statisticians and armchair managers prepared to share their theories and secrets on HH, I am sure.
    I blame Brexit. 🙂

  18. Adam says:

    Perhaps the tree of football exposure is to blame.
    Mega money TV deals – more money for players- more cost for fans. More hype (witness the recent Liverpool v MU crap) – more coverage (7 days a week). Overexposure- Apathy from fans. Realisation that fans care passionately about their club, some historically- players are (generally) only interested in money – questionable loyalties. Arseholes like Mourinho souring the whole experience with his psychopathy. General bummer mood in the country increased by reading the newspapers or watching the news.
    Perhaps it all plays into the slow demise of what was once a great ‘game’.
    Who knows?

  21. rico says:

    Money has definitely ruined the game. Long gone has the heart of the club base, local players etc and local people running the club too.

    Foreign owners, mega bucks, boring tactics, boring managers etc etc…. None of which have helped. Now it’s all about who can spend the most money to win the league. Expect Arsenal of course…

  29. Wavy says:

    Adam you have caught the mood of vox pop, imo. I’m not going to repeat the old lines of we all sat down to watch the Cup Final as it was the only live televised programme of the year. Or the increasing influence of sky, it’s cash and now it’s spawned the contemptible deadly sin of greed, which has morphed into corruption. The drive for success at all costs has made the game tedious. Sky’s fault then?
    Headline, “Murdoch murders football” or something like that.
    I have found that in the early days of Sky, (1992?)where I would rush to my local pub at about 9.00 to watch the second half of the sky Monday night game, and would usually be well pleased. A few beers a bit of banter and premiership soccer live on tv! What’s not to like?
    Now, though we get wall to wall football, 24/7. There is just no respite. I feel we are all just drowning under the sheer volume of coverage. We even get pictures, plus comment of course, of players on their buses arriving at the ground prior to k.o.! I mean, how fascinating is that? But the real spoiler of football is the money. The vast amount of cash that is swilling around the game. Here, the amounts are criminally huge, around Europe the quantities are too much and the rest of the world is rapidly catching up. If the cash was doing any good, socially, that is improving the lives of all who go to the games, those who live near to the clubs’ grounds and generally enhance the world of which they are a part then I don’t think so many folk would be ‘turning off’. Furthermore, the obscene amounts the players are paid these days is no longer acceptable to the vast majority of our society, no matter how short a players career may seem to be, I feel our priorities have been completely skewed. For example the average Prime Minister earns in the region of £200,000 pa, or thereabouts, Rooney earns £300,000 per week! How can that possibly be right? Etc. Etc.
    I said a very long time ago that ‘the bubble will burst and when it does the whole house of cards will just tumble down’. Are we at the beginning of that downward spiral? I suspect we may be.
    Adam’s summary of football’s sickness was both short and sweet and very very accurate.
    Football could now be in the very throes of eating itself!

  30. tsgh says:

    RIP Alberto;
    didn’t see him play but my dad tells me he was better than cafu as a RB… a true legend.
    Did you see him play Rico. 😉 not being ageist btw? 😛

  31. Le Coq Monster says:

    Thanks Rico .

    A feeling of deja vu for me Rico…………………………….last Wednesday I was thinking to myself…actually I was speaking to myself in the mirror……..” I`d rather beat Middlesborough on Saturday than the Bulgarians tonight !”

    30 minutes ago I was talking to myself in the bathroom mirror contemplating a game of self kiss chase as I was looking desirable when I thought…………”I`d rather beat Sunderland on Saturday than beat Reading tonight !”…………….I hope we dont have the same effect of thrashing Reading and then drops points at Sunderland. That thought depressed me so to cheer myself up I chased myself around the bedroom untill I cornered myself and gave myself a good seeing too !. hahaha

    How about all this talk about Rooney on talksport today !………………anyone take him ?…….he`s better than Giroud and lets face it he doesn`t need the money now, so probably just wants to play !…………I`d take him, although there would have to be a granny curfew on matchdays around Islington !.

  35. Marshall says:

    ..and the pundits. Oh how have those exmediocres ruined the game. Especially all being anti-Arsenal. Saying how we should be treated and stuff. Then bad referees like Dean who you know if we win, let alone draw in a match he is officiating we are lucky. It’s just different.

  36. frednerk says:

    Rooney will end up at the Toffees,
    player/coach…When the pay packet shrinks.

    Watched the U/23’s..In fact U/19’s
    the nob’s from MUTV commentating what a pair.
    Nearly throw a bottle of badgers at the box.
    Most of the Manc’s were 22/23 year olds.

    Anyway Eddie Nketiah you will all love this lad
    he can have it anyway you like.once he gets some
    muscle he will be knocking that door down.

  38. kelsey says:

    Team to play Reading: Martinez, Jenkinson, Holding, Gabriel, Gibbs, Elneny, Maitland-Niles, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Reine-Adelaide, Iwobi, Lucas.

    Subs: Macey, Bola, Bielik, Sheaf, Zelalem, Willock, Giroud.

    Something must be up if Giroud is on the bench

  43. frednerk says:

    Rico
    Wayne’s wears the the shorts
    Coleen wears the trouser’s,
    can’t see her even for that dough
    breathing that dust in.

    Can you imagine Wayne taking Chinese..
    That would top Joe’s French
    Steve’s Double Dutch..

  44. rico says:

    I can’t understand his English Fred, the Chinese have no chance….

    I was kidding about China, all the press is about getting him back in the Utd team I’m sure….

  45. Le Coq Monster says:

    Can you imagine Rooney at the Arse ?………………….he`d be as rich as Kelsey and move next door to him !……………..Kelsey would look outside and see his car up on bricks and the wheels would be coffee tables next door at Wayne Manor !………………….you can take the boy out of Scouseland but you cant take the Scouse out of the boy !.

  48. AndrewH says:

    Started brightly but all a bit pedestrian now. Jenkinsson was through but straight at goalie then headed rebound over. Elnemy down injured.

  55. kelsey says:

    I am sorry but that was an awful first half performance.Our end result in most cases was so poor and s with so many games we do finally get ahead and instead of putting the game to bed the oppo get more confident and they could easily have scored at least one goal through a ball hitting several players in the box and then just going wide.

    If we go through we need a much better performance whoever we play.

  57. scottfromoz says:

    Morning all.
    Rico, I think comments might be down a little because we can only really offer our opinion on things so often before it juts becomes stale.
    Game day is usually better, as there is someliting live and active to discuss.
    Also, work and life in general is so busy, it disrupts me in my endeavour of telling you all how good Rambo is lol

  61. kelsey says:

    This is a total inept performance.I have seen better games in the lower alf of The Championship.No shape at all. Now where is Sanago 😉

  68. allezkev says:

    Smart of Wenger to take off Oxlade-Chamberlain….

    Zelalem had a very encouraging season long loan at Glasgow Rangers last season….

    Jeff, Willock, Martinez, Zelalem, all good experience….

  69. Bob John says:

    Reading are filth. Guy just done the same as Xahka on Giroud but only got yellow. Commentator just said the ref had resisted the temptation to book players until 75 mins. In other words they have had licence to kick the crap out of us.

  72. AndrewH says:

    Pulling a shirt back for ages didn’t get a booking. Can only encourage fouls like the one on Perez if anything goes. Bloke had only been on pitch a minute with obvious instruction to get into us.

  75. kelsey says:

    Martinez is the best third choice keeper we have had for a while.With time could move up the ranks. Not a great display by any means.Usual plenty of wasted possession then score which sparks the opposition into life and have a few chances of their own. Will need to play much better as a unit in the next round.Hopefully Perez is not too badly injured.

  78. Rick says:

    Well done to our reserve team good win.
    You have given our first team the chance to recharge for Sunderland
    Good to see Jenks back and to last the 90mins. Even better to see they played Niles in his best position and to also see him play the full game as well
    This has made up for the u23 losing last night.

  82. Wavy says:

    Thanks LC, I enjoyed that. Ox’s second reminded me of the Barnes Wallace bouncing bomb. A really good hit plus a bit of a deflection, then mission completed. Excellent.
    Just hope we beat The black cats….what an absurd nickname! On Saturday. We don’t have a good record at the Stadium of Light (another absurd name, and they know it, the supporters that is).
    Oh well it is what it is……?

    Night all.

  90. Le Coq Monster says:

    Reading must have been empty last night Rico, did you take advantage and go on a ram-raiding spree ? 😆

  92. allezkev says:

    Morning All…

    Morning Rico, I thought that Ox took his goals really well, hopefully he can continue to improve so that we have competition for Theo.

    Shame about Akpom, he could have got in some valuable game time up till the turn of the year. Now he’s not gonna bit fit and wont return until about the same time as Welbeck…

  93. rico says:

    Morning Kev.

    Just seen the goals, they were good. Plenty of other chances for the boys too and but for a few cracking saves, we’d have romped it… 😉

  94. Le Coq Monster says:

    I get it !…………………you have a two up two down Art Rico House in the countryside and send your Chauffeur out shopping whilst instead of watching Arsenal on a TV, you get the house servants to re-enact the game through charades ! 😀

  95. Le Coq Monster says:

    ” OK !………..Smithers you`re in goal !………………..Parker at Right Back !………the rest of you who I dont know your names will play the other Royal Arsenal players !…………..Sir Chips, you will play my opposite….Jap Stam !………….commence ! ” 😆

  97. Marshall says:

    We should be taking more shots. I believe the extra passing in the box is what got us drawing at Boro. Ox second goal show if you take a shot it can land anywhere- probably in the net, albeit with a little deflection but I’d still take it!

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