Can Arsenal ‘workers’ score Palace knockout? – Crazy people from the suburbs

It’s the EFL Cup tonight for Arsenal and while most of the other teams are preparing for their Christmas schedule, our lads must overcome what have become quite an impressive opponent in the form of Oliver Glasner’s Crystal Palace.

Granted, they were pretty terrible against a rejuvenated Leeds United side last weekend and some of the defense was pretty budget I have to say, but I think that was the exception rather than the norm and I think we’ll get a better performance from Palace in the cup tonight.

I think they will rotate though. They don’t have the greatest team in the world and they tend not to rotate too much when possible in the league, but the Europa Conference League and previous rounds of this competition have seen Glasner mix up his game a bit and I think the same thing is happening tonight. And we have data that suggests it too, because in the fourth round Palace went to Anfield and heavily rotated a team with Benitez in goal (literally never heard of him until now), Cardines (ditto), Canvot (again), Sosa and Uche, all arriving alongside more familiar faces in Guehi, Lacroix and Kamada. So I think we’ll still see a few unknown names and while this presents a good opportunity for us, just looking at the fact that they crushed Liverpool on their own turf serves as a warning if we’re not ready.

That was Arteta’s job yesterday and I think he will have highlighted to the players who will be playing tonight that there is an opportunity to impress tonight because I think he will knock out a few players. There are some I think it’s easy in – Gabriel Jesus, Noni Madueke, Kepa – but because of our injury problems I think it’s hard to see how well he’ll do tonight. I still think there will be one or two familiar names in the team. And with that in mind, I’d guess a starting XI would be:

Kepa

Bois – Saliba – Hincapie – MLS

Norgaard

Nwaneri – King

Madueke – Jesus – Martinelli

He could play Norgaard in center half and then maybe have that midfield three with Merino coming in at base, but I just don’t think he will and this team allows Arsenal to have a strong defensive formation, while also rotating some of those advanced players to give them minutes. I don’t think we need to see Zubi, Rice, Saka or Trossard and I suspect we are now at the point where Jesus needs to start and have 60 minutes under his belt to see how his body reacts. Perhaps then there will be an opportunity to bring in Big Vik for the latter part of the game, or if Merino hasn’t started he could gain the upper hand. But I think we need to earn minutes and this team allows it. It also pairs Martinelli and Jesus who, when Gabby J signed for us, formed an impressive relationship in their first season playing together.

I also think that you simply to have give minutes to Ethan and Myles and so I think they must surely be in action tonight. Then with them comes Eze against his former club and given he didn’t start in the last game at Everton you probably give him the start tonight and then bring Odegaard back for Brighton on the 27th. Then behind them Norgaard is the one I’ve picked to anchor the midfield and here’s hoping Arteta isn’t tempted to play him at the back and then bring in Zubi or Rice. Considering he’s already talked about managing Zubi’s minutes, it would seem crazy to have him in this game. It’s the same with Rice too; he is so important to us that if you can give him some rest by having him take time off, then you should do it.

What I’m hoping for tonight is to see some of these players who haven’t started yet really shine. Martinelli has scored a few goals from the bench, so I’m not looking at him specifically, but Noni has impressed without delivering an end product domestically so far, so I’d like a big game for him. Then of course you watch Gabby Jesus pop up on the scoresheet to show he’s back and for people to ask real competitive questions with Gyokeres being patchy with his form. Behind them, Eze and Nwaneri probably still have something to prove and so hopefully we get a bit of shine from their toes today. At a time of the season when games come one after another at a breakneck pace, sharing minutes is crucial and we need to know that these guys can step in and provide continuity when called upon. They’re all pretty good, but it’s like tonight you maybe just need to remind the manager a little bit.

Palace will look different tonight in terms of personnel, but their principles will remain the same; They will go with three backs, they will look to use their wing backs to create their with and get into spaces while we try to press them high. So if they have full-backs who perform well tonight, maybe that’s where our danger comes from. What we need to do is make sure that if we want to play one-on-one with the full-backs and our full-backs, then we need to win the battles that are happening on the flanks. If Myles and whoever starts at right back (which is why I didn’t suggest Marley Salmon start there tonight, because I think positionally it will be seen as an area where Palace could be most threatening) fight in their duels, then I think it will go a long way in helping us win and progress towards that semi-final that awaits us in January at Chelsea.

This is a competition that is low down the pecking order, but with the depth we have in this squad, it’s a great opportunity to give some minutes to some rotation players, while also putting yourself within touching distance of a Wembley Cuyp final if you win. So let’s hope the boys go out there, do the business, but most importantly that no one gets hurt.

I’ll be there this evening, then back tomorrow morning for a Christmas Eve debrief. See you soon then.