I wrote a 500 word article about the things Pep taught everyone around him and then it hit me that you can’t beat him to his own game, so I started fresh.
Two managers, playing the same brand of football with equally technical players drilled for years are set to face each other in a major cup final for the first time and we will see who outclasses whom. Both of ’em have been fighting for the Premier League with Mikel falling short of his guru every single fucking time – but could this be a season where he can win the title and a beat him in a cup final? It starts today.
First, you can’t beat Pep to his own game. If Mikel has a game plan totally based on what Pep taught him during his City game, it’s not going to end well for us. He has to ‘unlearn’ some of that, take a leaf out of Wenger’s attacking football, score a couple and park the fucking bus like Mourinho used to. If you can’t score one, you have your own set piece strategy, make use of that. I won’t mind us winning 1-0 from a corner because it has been ages since we won something of importance.
Some Pep v Mikel stats
Ever since Mikel took over as Arsenal manager, we have faced City 12 times in the Premier League, Pep won the first 7, while in the last 5 games – Mikel won 2 and we have shared points the other 3 times.
In the FA cup, Mikel beat him in the 2020 season semi finals when we went ahead to win the only title under him. We lost to them 1-0 in 2023 though in the 4th round.
In the Carabao Cup, we only faced City once where Pep outclassed Mikel in a thumping 4-1 win in 2020.
The only other game where they both faced wach other was the 2023 community shield which ended in a 1-1 draw and we won it with penalties but I don’t give a fuck about it. Let Pep count it as a major trophy because he believes it counted as a quadruple for him.
9 wins for Pep, 3 for Mikel while they both shared points for the other 4 times. Mikel has been able to get points of the City in recent years so it’s not as bad as it looks. There’s a chance today.
Team News
We look fine. Except for Odegaard and Timber, everyone is available while both of them will be assessed before the game. I think Eze will play ahead of Ode even if the captain is fit but we do need Timber to make it. White had looked rusty, I love him but I have more confidence in Timber recently.
Kepa has been the keeper of the Carabao Cup. The tradition calls him to play today while a team that’s looking to win a trophy should play the best XI available. Is Mikel picking up Raya ahead of Kepa – it would be an interesting decision from him. I would go with Raya. There is no need for emotional crap when there’s a trophy on the line. Pick your best XI and Kepa will get his medal if you win.
Gyokeres is certainly starting for me. I won’t mind if we go with Madueke in place of Saka since the starboy has struggled a bit recently form-wise.
Wrapping Up
Right, a win today will boost the confidence of the lads and will motivate them to win some more. We are doing well in all 4 competitions and today could be a deciding factor of how we end up in PL, CL and FA Cup.
We are already competing with City in the Premier League – 9 points difference with 7 games to go and City has a game in hand. There is an Etihad visit lined up for us, so they are still in the mix.
In the FA cup, there is a very high probability that we would face them in semis or finals. They play Liverpool while we are against Southampton in the Quarter Finals.
Today’s not the end of it. It’s only the beginning and whoever wins it, will count it as first and use it for motivation for the rest of the season.
See you during the game.
On another note, BBC and Netflix have ruined the Peaky Blinders movie. It’s shite.
‘Do you honestly think bar an injury to Raya we’ll ever see Kepa play for Arsenal again?‘
Of course.
Unless genuinely unfit Kepa will continue starting in however many FA cup games we still may be involved in.
Barring a total Arsenal collapse in the CL and EPL, Kepa would probably start again vs City in the FA cup final if both clubs got that far.
Marc
“Do you honestly think bar an injury to Raya we’ll ever see Kepa play for Arsenal again?”
I haven’t a clue but I’d like to think that Arteta has learnt his lesson and will come to the conclusion that it would be more advisable to play Raya in pursuit of trophies.
From your point of view I would Imagine that you would want Arteta to play Kepa and hope that he costs us the game as questions will be asked of Arteta’s management and decision making at a crucial stage of the season.
Going out of the fa cup is not the end of the world but from a confidence point of view it will certainly add to the pressure and at this stage of the season it should be all about keeping the pressure to a minimum and winning football matches is the best way to alleviate the pressure and that is why he should play Raya
EL B loves a Chelsea reject – he will never learn.
Wicksy
We’ve got 7 matches left in the league, a maximum of 3 in the FA Cup and 5 in the CL for a keeper that shouldn’t be a problem from a fitness point of view.
I expect us to progress today but its the cup – going out today would create a lot of negativity and get the media sharks circling. Progression against Sporting is by no means guaranteed, to go into the City match having dropped out of 3 competitions in a few weeks would put Arteta under enormous pressure – the kind he’s not known for coping with.
Will Arteta risk Kepa? I’d be surprised if he did.
Norg
You’re not suggesting Arteta will start Havertz in goal!
Odds that Liverpool bin Slot in the summer and go for Alonso?
I think unless Liverpool win the CL it’s a done deal.
City destroying Liverpool in the second half of the first half and the first 15 of the second.
After that if PSG turn it on on Wednesday Slot could get the sack on Thursday morning.
The main difference for city in their last 2 games v Arsenal and Liverpool is that they have been more clinical in front of goal.
City didn’t have more shots on target and had only marginally more shots off target so it is easy to get carried away with a couple of impressive results, in fact if you look at the opening goals in both games one could say they were slightly fortunate in that Kepa gifted city the opening goal in the final and today the opening goal was a soft penalty .
What the 2 games have shown is that this City team thrive when getting their nose in front , players like cherki and semenyo’s confidence goes through the roof and it’s fair to say that City do give the impression that they could beat anyone, but we have been here before when city have hit a purple patch but then failed to push on and subsequently they were soundly beaten by Madrid and drew with west ham and forest and that is why they are out of the champions league and sitting 9 points behind Arsenal.
This season so far Arsenal have shown to be mentally stronger than city, it’s easy to get arrogant and cocky when you win games as city have done recently but as pep knows leagues are won when the going gets tough and still manage to win the 3 points , which is something that Arsenal have been better that city so far this season.
A confident city is not a pretty sight if you are an Arsenal supporter so let’s hope it’s just another flash in the pan as we have seen so often this season, as they say when the going gets tough the tough gets going and I’m not sure the likes of cherki and Semenyo are quite as good when the going gets tough…..or am I clutching at straws.
Just to add that if Salah had been anywhere near last season’s form he would have had at least a hattrick today ..
Wicksy
That was a penalty nothing soft about it. City have looked out of sorts for a while but winning the League Cup might give them the boost they need.
Before the match at the Etihad (not including todays match) we play 3 massive matches City have one. That 9 point lead and superior goal difference could wither very quickly. City win their game in hand and beat us and its 3 points.
Wicksy
But Salah hasn’t been close and neither have Liverpool.
Your trying to avoid the giant elephant in the room – Arteta’s history of bottling it.
You can’t affect the outcome so sit back and see what happens.
Fucking hell Port Vale concede after a minute.
clearly there was a sale on helmets over the international break
Stubborn doing his very best to make things as level with Scumpton as possible by his team selection. I think it’ll be hard going tonight…
…but we’ll still have enough.
Arteta’s gone with Kepa – not sure Wicksy will be overjoyed.
The rest of the selection? Good to see Saka and Rice rested with what we’ve got coming up over the next couple of weeks.
Also good to see Madueke on the bench – seeing a player wearing a protective boot after coming off injured is never good.
I don’t know how to make sense of the team selection.
Is it
Kepa
White, Mosquera, Gabriel, MLS
Odegaard, Norgaard
Dowman, Havertz, Martinelli
Jesus
OR
Kepa,
White, Mosquera, Gabriel, MLS
Odegaard, Norgaard, Havertz
Dowman, Jesus, Martinelli
Havertz is not a winger, so I don’t see him play anywhere except in the midfield and Max on the RW; unless we have changed to a 4-2-3-1 formation – in which case Gyokeres would have been a better fit.
I have no fucking clue.
Marc
I am not very happy with that either, but it’s Southampton so I will cut him some slack. On the other hand, if he would have gone with Kepa in a final, now that would have been madness.
KP
Yep, we should be fine. It’s the games that matters is when we shit ourselves.