Arsenal but with Oliver Giroud pushing to start and grab his first goals for Arsenal, Theo’s path may well be blocked once more. That needn’t be the case if Arsene continues last season’s league cup formula and switches to a 4-4-2. Last season Park partnered Chamakh in attack, a duo of Walcott

I must say, I am a big fan of the league cup (I cannot get used to calling it the Capital one cup) I have been for a few years now. If you are not then perhaps having handy and efficient sportsbook reviews to keep you informed may be your thing.

It has almost felt like supporting your second team and giving the pressure and stress of the first team a little rest for a few days. You can go along, cheer and watch certain players that you do not see every week yet not have your stomach turning in knots during every opposition attack. Of course when that team gets to the final against a long ball, bone crunching Midlands team, all that can quickly go out of the window as I am sure you agree.

With the squad in relatively good shape, we could and probably will witness a pretty strong side with what is likely to be a youthful but extremely promising and talented bench.

There should be a number of starters tonight who at the start of the season would have felt pretty confident that they would start the season as the number one in their position. Andre Santos, Laurent Koscielny and Theo Walcott are three of those players.

Coventry City are coming to the Emirates in poor form as they sit second from bottom in their division thanks to goal difference.

With the players we have to select from, you would expect us to be too much for the league one team, that said, we have said the same in recent seasons against sides like Leeds United, Huddersfield Town and Leyton Orient which were all ties or matches that were not as straight forward as they should have been.

It is difficult to predict a starting eleven with the players Wenger is likely to choose from not necessarily due to the quantity of players but mainly down to the flexibility of the midfield and forward players.

Arsene needs to consider the balance of his team but as we already know, certain players would like a chance to play in their preferred positions.

Theo Walcott is the obvious example. His new public chattering about wanting to play as center forward isn’t new. He wants the chance to play as an out and out striker for Arsenal but with Oliver Giroud pushing to start and grab his first goals for Arsenal, Theo’s path may well be blocked once more. That needn’t be the case if Arsene continues last season’s league cup formula and switches to a 4-4-2. Last season Park partnered Chamakh in attack, a duo of Walcott and Giroud could be an interesting selection.

Wenger would only switch to a 4-4-2 if he had at least one midfield option in a wide position. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain could be that option with Andrey Arshavin on the left.

Martinez
Yennaris Djourou Koscielny Santos
Chamberlain Ramsey Coquelin Arshavin
Giroud Walcott

But then Andrey Arshavin is another player who could be tested in a new position. Andrey Arshavin played in the new Cazorla role in the second half at FC Koln in our early season friendly and has not played a minute for us since. Arsene spoke last season after the league cup victory against Bolton about his possible future being in a central position.

If Arshavin is deployed in a central role then Theo Walcott would almost certainly not get a chance as a center forward.

The other possibility is Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain moving into the central position either deeper alongside Coquelin or as the creative player. Both roles that Aaron Ramsey could also fill.

Martinez
Yennaris Djourou Koscielny Santos
Coquelin Chamberlain
Ramsey
Walcott Giroud Arshavin

Arsene certainly has options and we may well see a mixture of selections as the game progresses. If I was to guess I would say that our 4-2-3-1 system is likely to continue with Arshavin or Chamberlain playing either central or wide and Theo Walcott playing on the right.

But as has been the case for a number of years now, the league cup is not just about the senior players. It has been a stage used for promising young players to get a chance to play in front of our home support. Serge Gnabry is one that many have been raving about including Arsene Wenger in his last interview, and like many of our players he can play both wide and behind the front man. I wouldn’t be surprised if he was planned to replace Giroud, giving the Frenchman an early bath to give him a chance to rest legs before the visit of Chelsea on the weekend. Theo Walcott would then be able to move centrally with Gnabry moving to the right. I am saying this as if I know the line up but that would be a typical Wenger pre planned move.

Thomas Eisfeld is another exciting talent who could make his way onto the pitch in the second half, Ramsey who played the full 90 minutes on the weekend would be the obvious replacement. Like I said, I am assuming that my line up is correct but I could be totally wrong and the manager may choose to go for a younger team, having the option of experienced quality on the bench to fall back on if need be.

Nico Yennaris could be the most inexperienced player to start the game. Currently the back up to our back up right back. While that sounds like a mouthful, he is very much in Arsene’s plans and has already proven his ability last season when called upon and also in this pre season when he performed to a good level.

I am hoping to see the same professionalism and quick passing that we have witnessed from the first team this season. Getting the whole squad to follow good habits is a good and necessary thing. Especially when injuries start coming thick and fast.

Mean Lean’s Predicted Line Up:

Chamakh hasn’t even been mentioned as yet. A player who having zero minutes thus far could well start the game if Arsene decided against starting Giroud. I have actually changed my mind with the predicted line up but my laziness means that I can’t be bothered to go back and redo the image. I would switch Chamberlain around with Arshavin, the former playing alongside Coquelin with Ramsey playing further forward.

The whole squad will want to impress the manager as they look to fight for first team spots so lets hope for a solid, convincing and entertaining Arsenal victory.

Update: Sir Aaron of Ramsey has not been included in the squad, which could mean that he is now a first team regular after his wonderful display at Manchester City. I assume that Yennaris will play alongside Coquelin in midfield with youngsters Angha and Bellerin fighting for the right back slot. Exciting stuff.