Cardiff City vs. Arsenal Preview 24 January, 2009

It’s FA Cup weekend again and everyone will be looking for an upset or two. Not us though, Cardiff will be well up for the game at Ninian Park but we have to show them our class and overcome the challenge.

The FA Cup is a chance for an important piece of silverware. We haven’t won anything since the 2005 victory over Manchester United, now 4 years ago. That’s far too long for team of Arsenal’s quality. We’re not too far off the top of the league table and you never know how things will go in the Champions League but you have to think that the FA Cup is a massive opportunity for us. Fucking Tottenham will have been to the new Wembley twice after the Carling Cup final and we haven’t even set foot in it yet. Fair enough Spurs have got there though a lesser competition, but still.

I think we are well up for the competition this year. Arsene Wenger has hinted a few times that we’re going to put everything into the FA Cup, he knows how important trophies are but does believe they will come.

Arsene said the team would be similar to the one that played in the last round. I’ll remind you of that team: Fabianski – Sagna – Djourou – Gallas – Silvestre – Diaby – Ramsey – Nasri – Eboue – van Persie (c) – Bendtner. Silvestre is still out after picking up an injury in that game but Toure is back in. I doubt that he or Gallas will play left back; so it’s between those two and Djourou as to who gets the two centre back spots.

I would assume that it’ll be Djourou + 1 but Arsene has said he is not afraid to field Toure and Gallas together but admits they might lack a bit of height. He also knows that they might not be the best of friends but he says that shouldn’t matter on the pitch. He’s right, but we have looked more solid with Johan Djourou in the side.

It’s difficult for me to predict who Arsene Wenger will choose to pick and who he’ll choose to rest. Last time around he partnered van Persie with Bendtner; I’m expecting the Dane to start again but he might rest the in-form van Persie and bring in Adebayor. Arsene has described Robin as ‘on fire’, and he is. He’s scored or set up every single goal we’ve scored this year, which is quite incredible. Arsene could even go with the Adebayor + van Persie combination, there’s no doubt that having both of them in the side would help but then we have Everton on Wednesday to think about.

Here’s my guess at the team then:

Fabianski
Sagna – Toure (c) – Djourou – Gibbs
Diaby – Denilson – Ramsey – Nasri
Adebayor – Bendtner

Eboue’s not playing well recently so he might sit out, I think with Gallas only coming back this week he could be rested and I’m guessing van Persie will be saved for the bench and brought on if needed.

I’d like to see Wilshere start on the right wing but there have been no hints on that this week. He played well on Wednesday night so maybe Wenger will be impressed enough with him to give him a game.

As I said earlier, Cardiff will give everything in this game. This competition means a lot to them and they have the belief after reaching the final last year. There will be a hostile atmosphere inside Ninian Park and it’s going to feel a bit like a physical away game up north.

The defense will need to be tight. Our problem this year has been conceding goals and letting teams back in it. For an underdog to score a goal back in the FA Cup gives a team so much confidence, we cant afford to let Cardiff get that chance. The same goes for if we concede first, they will not make it easy for us to get back into it – they will sit back and defend like their lives depend on it. So the defense has to be on form and avoid conceding in any circumstances.

It should be a good game tomorrow and I’m well up for it. Unfortunately I’m not going, but if you are then have a great time. Cardiff have lively fans and we have a decent number traveling to Wales, should be a great atmosphere. I’ll just have to make do with a pub in Bournemouth.

Right, I will speak to you on Monday with the match report, until then.