The manager has some difficult decisions to make today. It is hard to disagree with the notion that the FA Cup proves on paper at least the easiest route to silverware this season but higher priorities are on the horizon. With key personnel out injured for the season or a large chunk of it, the manager will be desperate not to pick up anymore major injuries but more than that I think it is simply down to the fact that at the start of the season the FA Cup sits third on the list of priorities, well fourth if you include a Champions League spot. With a congested fixture list coming up he will not be able to play the same 11 across all the remaining competitions, it would be a sure fire way of exiting all of them.

I wonder how the Arsenal players truly feel about having to face Liverpool so quickly after what happened at Anfield last weeekend? Arsène Wenger said that the players are looking forward to it as a way of righting their wrongs. I hope that is the true feelings throughout the squad rather than simply saying the right things in public.

The manager has some difficult decisions to make today. It is hard to disagree with the notion that the FA Cup proves on paper at least the easiest route to silverware this season but higher priorities are on the horizon. With key personnel out injured for the season or a large chunk of it, the manager will be desperate not to pick up anymore major injuries but more than that I think it is simply down to the fact that at the start of the season the FA Cup sits third on the list of priorities, well fourth if you include a Champions League spot. With a congested fixture list coming up he will not be able to play the same 11 across all the remaining competitions, it would be a sure-fire way of exiting all of them.

But we should not be totally scared of changes. I’d say our last top performance came in this same competition when we put Tottenham to the sword and there were plenty of grumbling’s before kick off about Arsène’s choice of team that day.

Every man and his dog wants to see Lukas Podolski on the left, equally many have been frustrated by Oliver Giroud’s lack of goal input. Fabianski has not let anyone down for quite some time now so I don’t see an issue there.

One player I do expect to be rested of importance is Bacary Sagna. His large work load running up and down the right on top of his two recent leg breaks would make him an ideal choice for some feet up time on the bench before Bayern rock up to London.

That would mean a Jenkinson short on match practice against an attack that scored 5 against us last weekend, but as long as we do not leave him isolated and defend well as a team then I am not really too worried about Jenkinson, it would be his rust on the ball which would concern me more.

Santi Cazorla will be missing the game through sickness but Mathieu Flamini returns after suspension. I wonder if Flamini will partner Arteta or if Mikel will be rested for the upcoming games, that could allow Arsène the chance to try Oxlade-Chamberlain in that position once more and give us more drive and attacking purpose from that area. That said we saw first hand what Liverpool did to us on the break so the former option could be possible, it all depends on how Arsène wants to approach the game I guess.

Mean Lean’s Predicted Line Up’s:

I am not at all a fan of Podolski as a central striker but I quite like the second team because it gets us some pace on both flanks. Although pace doesn’t solve all our problems, pace along with making runs into goalscoring positions is far more effective. [I miss Theo *Sigh*]

There were rumours on Twitter last night that forgotten man Yaya Sanogo had been tearing up trees in training in recent weeks so he might see some minutes today. I wonder what the odds are for Sanogo last goalscorer? (9/1 is the best price that I have found after a quick search)

As I said on Twitter last night, it would be so Arsene and so Arsenal for Sanogo to shove so many words down throats. He has been written off by so many who probably have no idea of what qualities he has. As @LA1886 put it..

@arsenalvision I know it’s another level but I watched a lot of him in the summer at the U20 World Cup. He looked brilliant. In a…

— Lewis. (@LA1886) February 16, 2014

@arsenalvision …tournament where Deulofeu and Pogba stood out he was one of the star performers. He’s got something.

— Lewis. (@LA1886) February 16, 2014

Wishful thinking of an instant impact? Perhaps, I’d gladly just see a 1-0 victory and our name in the hat for the next round. After a stabilizing draw with Manchester United, Arsene will want to see the team taking that next step forward which is creating and taking chances as well as keeping tight at the back.

Check back for some more post match questions and answers after the game from some excellent Gooners on Twitter. I’ll have my thoughts up on the game either tonight or most probably tomorrow.

COYG.