Morning all.
This is what the League Cup is all about, in fact it’s what both domestic cups are all about. No, not Brighton coming back from 2-0 to beat Man Utd 3-2, the first time in 50 years the Manchester club have done such a thing at the Old Toilet, but Fleetwood Town being drawn against The Arsenal in the next round.
Forget wanting Arsenal to win etc etc for a moment and think about what it means for the League Two club, the money they will earn, an opportunity of a lifetime perhaps for their players to face not only a Premier League club but the reigning champions and in front of their own fans. It’s the tie of dreams for everyone involved with the Lancashire club.
Their ground, The Highbury Stadium, holds just over 5,000 fans and if those were involved in our 2-1 victory over Mansfield Town in the FA Cup was a tricky pitch to play on, Fleetwood Town will be just as tricky if not more so. The pitch is likely to be like nothing our players have played on for a while, for some, never and I cannot wait.
I just hope the game broadcast live on Sky Sports because of the extra money it will earn Fleetwood Town. It really is a brilliant tie.
The draw in full:
Fleetwood v Arsenal
Manchester City or Norwich v Brighton
Everton v Newcastle
Sunderland v Brentford
Liverpool v Chelsea
Bradford v Peterborough
Fulham v Crystal Palace
Bournemouth v Aston Villa
Six Premier League clubs will be out of the competition by the next round, seven if Arsenal crash out.
This weekend Mikel Arteta’s side take on Brighton at the Amex Stadium. It’s a 3pm Saturday fixture for the first time this season. As mentioned earlier, Fabian Hurzeler‘s side shocked the red side of Manchester last night by turning a 2-0 lead for Utd into a 3-2 victory. The manager made six changes to his team whilst Mikel Arteta pretty much changed his entire starting eleven bar Gabriel and Myles Lewis-Skelly. It’s going to be a tough match but they all, it’s just some are a tad tougher than others. This is one of them.
Mikel Arteta faced a lot of criticism after this fixture last season, especially from Hurzeler:
I think there was only one team who tried to play football today. I will never be that kind of manager who tries to win in that way. I want to do well. I want my players to keep improving, keep playing football on the pitch.
If I would ask now everyone in the room if he really enjoyed this football game I’m sure maybe one raises his arm because he is a big Arsenal fan but besides that, no chance.
I bet that big Arsenal fan enjoyed watching us lift the Premier League trophy too….
Arsenal played within the rules but those rules have now changed, at least some of them. I’m quite surprised this fixture is not being televised because not only is it likely to be a hard fought battle between two very good sides but usually when the television companies sniff a potential Arsenal defeat, they like the world to watch it unfold.
Anyway, more on that game on Saturday.
Catch up in the comments.
I suppose we can look forward to both Myles Lewis-Skelly and Max Dowman being called up by Tuchel…
Ha, win or lose eh…
That draw has fix all over it. Arsenal drawn away to the only division two side still standing. I can see the headlines already.😉
Yes, no one will know which Highbury 😜
Definitely a banana skin, we got lucky last season imo. Cool heads needed.
Well at least the players can look back in future years and say that they played at Highbury.Brighton away is never easy Hurzeler is a progressive manager and plays attractive open attacking football they are the leagues leading scorers with 13 goals so far .
5 past Coventry , 4 against Villa , 3 Losing to Chelsea , and 1 in a draw with Leeds.
Banana skin written all over it.
they have let in 5 , 4 of which were away at the bridge.
They have a very raucous crowd that will pressure the ref for cards and if they can a sending off . Keeping concentration is going to be important as we cannot afford to go down to ten.