Newcastle FA Cup Preview: Lets get back on track 25 January, 2008

Well the last game was one we’ll want to forget as quickly as possible so a good result tomorrow is quite important. Last year, after we went out of the FA Cup, Arsene said he considered sacrificing this competition (Carling Cup style) as it affected out league and European form. I thought after last year he will have learnt from his lesson, especially with us chasing the title this season. However with the loss to Spurs still fresh in the memory I think another loss here wouldn’t be a good thing at all.

In the last round we played a weakened side, however it was Burnley so you might expect that against a team in a lower division.

Arsene had a BIG decision to make this week: Does he sacrifice the FA Cup to aid us in the two more important competitions? Or, does he go full strength tomorrow and try and rectify the fans confidence after the result in the last game?

I’ve waited for the usual Friday press conference to find out the answer to that question but it was cancelled. Arsene is angry with the media after they tried to get Adebayor & Bendtner punished and for trying to trick him into saying things he shouldn’t say in the post-match press conference at White Hart Lane. I don’t blame him for not wanting to speak to the press this afternoon, he doesn’t have to, so why should he when they’ve pissed him off. Yes, the fans miss out on his comments but why bother when the papers will just twist his words.

So, I really don’t know how we’re going to play this tomorrow. I’m guessing it’ll be a mixture of first and second teams. Actually wait, I’ve just found this quote from a story where he’s said he wont be loaning out any of our players:

“No, [I will not loan them out] because we are very short. We have 17 fit players. You saw that at Tottenham, because the players on the bench should not have been there.

Our main targets are the Premier League and the Champions League. We will prioritise that.”

That tells me that Arsene will intend to play our Carling Cup team for the FA Cup but as far as tomorrow goes we haven’t really got a choice. I’m going to guess at this team:

Maybe Walcott will play? Maybe Cesc will play? Maybe Clichy will play? I can only guess of what I’ve read. I don’t expect us to be 100% full strength though. We’ll see tomorrow wont we.

Basically, we can’t go into uber-depressed mode if we get knocked out tomorrow. Arsene’s told us this isn’t our priority at the moment; so don’t go start thinking our season is over if we lose.

This is the first of a double header against Kevin Keegan’s re-born Newcastle, they’ll be really up for this, and they really want to do well in this competition. I can’t give you a prediction; it really can go any way. A draw would be another headache for Arsene so he won’t want that. If we do lose, I just hope it’s not by many goals, that’d be a mini disaster. It’ll be great if we win though, great for confidence and we all like the FA Cup.

I’ll write up a match report either tomorrow night or Sunday, talk to ya then.