Carabao Cup Final – Arsenal want this!

Morning all.

It’s Carabao Cup Final Day and for the first time since 2018, Arsenal are in it. It’s hard to believe that the club we all love has won this competition just twice, 1986/87 and 1992/93. The other four finals we reached, we lost.

Mikel Arteta’s record with Arsenal at Wembley is excellent both as a player and manager as he’s not lost once. Sadly though, his Community Shield trophies don’t really count. Not that I’m knocking them.

The Spaniard has a word or two for the fans. Make some noise…..

I’ve won [trophies] when the stadium is full and been part of that, and it’s exceptional. One of the best memories I have as a player is playing those types of games. That’s why we’re all very excited, because we know what’s at stake.

We really want it and we know what it’s going to mean for our people as well.

This is what every player wants to do, play for and win trophies. It’s where players in England want to be, at Wembley in a Cup Final. Of course they will want to win the game just as we all want them too but I hope they go out onto the green grass and enjoy themselves. If they enjoy the occasion, they are more likely to play well. Easy for me to write I know.

Any nerves the players might have should soon disappear once the referee blows his whistle for the first time but for the following 95 odd minutes, we the fans will go through a rollercoaster of emotions I’m sure. Hoping beyond hope that Mikel Arteta can outsmart his counterpart and Arsenal can outplay the boys in light blue.

The league game earlier in the season was a pretty drab affair which ended in a draw. We conceded early, they conceded late and in between, chances went begging for both sets of players.

Guardiola added Semenyo to his squad in January, Guehi too but the latter is cup-tied today. Also missing for City is Gvardiol and Guardiola has already said that 6’ 6” Trafford will be between the sticks rather than Donnarumma. Who Mikel Arteta selects in goal remains to be seen but a big part of me believes it should be Kepa. Martin Odegaard and Jurrien Timber are doubts and Mikel Merino remains out.

Arsenal have seen off Port Vale, Brighton, Crystal Palace and Chelsea to get to this final while Man City have beaten Huddersfield Town, Swansea City, Brentford and Newcastle United.

Arsenal’s Adrian Clarke:

Guardiola has used an unusual 4-1-3-2 formation recently, stationing Rodri as a sole defensive midfielder, with Bernardo Silva in front, Nico O’Reilly to the left, and Rayan Cherki, Antoine Semenyo or Phil Foden to the right. In attack, Erling Haaland has been partnered with either Semenyo or Omar Marmoush.

It is bold, fluid and adventurous, and a narrow shape that makes them very strong in central areas. However, with the bulk of their width now coming via full-backs, any loss of possession can leave their central defenders and Rodri exposed. That, as well as exploiting a high defensive line, could be fruitful for us.

Guardiola could revert to the pragmatic 4-5-1 he opted for at The Emirates Stadium in September, when his team had just 33.2% possession. If they are more attack-minded, we may have to deal with a high press, as having improved the way they close opponents down, City have manufactured 52 shot-ending high turnovers, the most in the Premier League.

The Sky Blues have though leaked nine goals from 82 shots when defending set-pieces, and with deputy Trafford likely to start in goal, I am sure we will try to make the most of any potential uncertainty from dead balls.

I think form goes out the window when a cup final comes around. It’s about who wants it more and who performs best in a one off game. Who takes their chances in front of goal, who is more disciplined both in defence and midfield and who doesn’t overstep the mark when it comes to the rules of the game.  The Arsenal players need to make sure it’s they who succeed in all of the above. Off the pitch there will be a battle of tactical minds between Guardiola and Mikel Arteta, one which I hope Arsenal’s Spaniard wins. Substitutions will I expect, play a big part in the outcome of the game.

Guardiola and Mikel Arteta have often been referred to as being the master and his apprentice, well maybe today the so called apprentice will prove he’s an apprentice no longer. Not that he is, not after six years of management in the game but I think you get where I’m coming from.

More than just the battles on and off the pitch, Arsenal FC have been on the receiving end of a lot of unjustified criticism this season for the way the team play, for the type of goals we score and for not playing football the right way. All ridiculous of course because it doesn’t matter how goals are scored. Whether it’s a stunning strike from distance, a perfect team goal or a set piece, they all count.

Like I said yesterday, if we end up winning this game later today, it’ll matter not one bit how we did it…

COYG’S!!