Swansea manager Michael Laudrup says that all the pressure for tomorrow’s FA Cup clash is on Arsenal, and that he expects Arsene Wenger to field his strongest side.
Although Swansea have beaten Arsenal twice in recent times – a 2-0 win at the Emirates last month and a 3-2 victory in the Premier League at home last season – the Dane suggests that Arsenal’s standing and the trophy-less years means it’ll be a focused and determined Arsenal side his team faces tomorrow.
“Those games mean nothing, this is a new game and it will be a different team we face. I think there is pressure on them. For them when you are a top team you are obliged to at least compete until the end to win things.
“There can only be one winner in all competitions and two teams in a final and they are expected to at least be in the semi-finals there is more pressure at this stage on Arsenal than on Swansea, that is obvious.
“Looking from the outside, Arsenal are a big club and big clubs are obliged to play in finals. They played a final the year before last and they lost, but it is many years since they won a trophy, which is why they will come here with the best team they can put on the pitch and that is what I have to look forward to.
“I expect them to put out their strongest team.”
Meanwhile, Arsene Wenger says it hurts to see other clubs lift trophies but that it’s too early to talk about winning the FA Cup.
“Of course it bothers me because I am not here to watch other people win trophies,” he said. “It is important and I will give my best to win on Sunday.
“It is the first round. You cannot speak about winning a trophy, so for us it is important to show continuity and consistency, and the FA Cup is part of that. To get people to believe more in the team, it is important that we win on Sunday.
“It is an important moment of the season for us, for the team to strengthen the confidence of the team. We feel we are on a good run, but how far can we go?
“They had a very good game here. We have to give them a different response on Sunday.”
….and yet Gervinho is going to be on the bench
Least he won’t start..
Hazard must have played with some dreadful players for Gervinho to have been the best player he had ever played with.
Actually there is no doubt that Gervinho is a very talented and skillful footballer, we have seen flashes of it. He looked good at the beginning of last season, went off to the AoN, missed the decisive peno in the final, and has been tosh since apart from a few decent performances at the start of this season. Another player our manager signed that he cannot get the best out of.
I’ve said it before, but its worth noting that the last year they both played for Lille, Gerv had more goals AND assists. Doesn’t necessarily tell the whole story, but important to consider nonetheless.
Come on Arsenal. Don’t dont screw it up
This match is a matter of pride. Must win against Swansea. They humiliated us in the league game on our own home pitch. Show them what happens when they mess with us! COYG
We’re going to fucking wreck them
Giroud and Rosicky to start, please.
Please
Please.
James vagaBond- On her majesty’s homeless list ?
Szcz
Jenks Per Kos Gibbs (Verm)
Rosicky Arteta Wilshere
Walcott Giroud Cazorla
Agreed. I’m having Rosicky withdrawal symptoms
Who are swansea gna play up front? Michu is injured and danny graham is apparently leaving? Nd Giroud better start for us.. Theo shouldn be at the game.. He must be in a dark room with a contract in front of him and no no no no no agent
Michu isn’t injured anymore, he came back last game
Arsenal 47 Swansea 23.
All 70 goals scored by Walcott.
Lol
I wonder which arsenal will show up today.
This is the ONLY trophy arsenal can win this season. I hope they don’t screw this up.
COYG! do something about the barren run FFS!
We are (still) in run for 4th place. (sarcastic font used)
Giroud start. Theo fuck off. Am i the only one who has noticed he has been more selfish this season? Coq for mikel. Rosicky for santi. Per for kos. Jenks for bac. We should be fine.
Walcott “selfish” gets 14 goals.
If he’s selfish and gets us the goals we.needee to win matches then please continue….i don’t care.
I think he’s talking about how there are times when Walcott could pass but instead he tries to score on his own by forcing his kick even when he’s in undesirable positions.
No, I think he’s just getting his revisionism started before Walcott leaves. All of our better players become retrospectively crap after we sell them.
And some of them become actual crap after they leave. See: hleb, flamini, adabayor, cesc.
Are we really at the point where we’re going to start criticising players who have aspirations of playing as central strikers for having shots at goal?
Don’t be a goon.
Amen to that. It’s like hating a bird for flapping its’ wings cos it’s trying to fly.
Didn’t we put our best side out at Bradford?
NO. Only Arsene thought so….
Selfish….isnt that what makes a goalscorer?? Every top striker is a bit selfish in the final 3rd….they wana score goals! Today i expect a tough game, but one that really we should be winning. The fact that deep down every fan is bit worried about going out the FA cup in the 3rd round to Swansea is what troubles me. COYG do us proud!!
Olivier to start definitely, I think it might be good to play Theo as a false 9, he is nowhere nearly strong enough to play a lone forward but the goals he has scored of late have mostly come when Olivier is on the pitch and Theo can pop up anywhere across the line behind him. Even if Theo plays ostensibly ‘on the right’ with a license to roam similar to Bale’s ‘on the left’ for them. I like Olivier more though, I really want him to become truly prolific and i’m very glad at the unusual amount of patience… Read more »
Unusual amounts of patience? He’s getting a goal every three games, a good few of which have been from the bench. He’s doing fine.
You misunderstand me. I think he is great. But remember we are talking about the ‘fans’ not the fans. I’m talking about the people who boo Ramsey, who slated the signing of the Ox, who called for Pat Rices sacking every year and who believed that Schwarzer/ Hangeland/Joe Cole/Nani, were potential saviours of Arsenal…
Giroud is doing fine.
Ununsual amount of patience? ? Hes scored a good few goals so far and a very impressive brace against newcastle which was a cm away from a hatrick. He doesn’t require patience, he’s doing great!
We’ve lost 2 times in a row against swansea. We can’t possible lose a 3rd against them in 3 games.
Yes we can, we are Arsenal. Everything is possible. Good or bad.
If we beat Swansea wenger wouldn’t buy anyone. #fact
So, in other words, you are hoping that we lose tomorrow?!
There’ll be more need for players if we win tomorrow so we can rotate in the next round
Lets hope it’s not a case of “it’s only Swansea lads, we’ll score if we just stroll around”, surely they must at some point realize that they get punished by so called lesser teams whenever they don’t dictate the pace of the game, close opposition players down, or look to actually score goals instead of passing for the sake of passing. COYG a positive attitude for a full 90mins in every game against every team (no matter what the other clubs standing is) would see this team being competitive, all too often complacency has been the teams downfall in games… Read more »
I wouldn’t be surprised if they beat us, I wouldn’t be surprised if we absolutely tore em a new one, I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s a draw.
I would be surprised if I end up being surprised.
I’m not surprised at your comment at all…
Just do what I do every game, expect to lose.
Than if you win, you’re happier than you thought you could be…
Anyone know the last time we went out in the Third Round??
Wenger has £70 million to buy this winter yet he’s still not meeting the release clauses for both villa and Adrian. I mean does it take a genius to know Wenger has a thing against spending to the maximum where it’s very much needed. We have to stop blindly defending this gaffer, pay up or trudge off.
Wenger has £70m according to who? Don’t believe what you read in the papers as not one person who knows how much Arsenal have budgeted for this transfer window has told the media. The only time that I have heard a reliable source give the figure of £70m is in relation to Arsenal’s entire possible transfer budget, and there is no reason to believe that all of that is available in this window. I appreciate that English may not be your first language, but when people say that sports journalists speculate, what they really mean is that they make shit… Read more »
Well I have to believe something! And right now whether the reports are true or not I we both know Wenger has a sizeable amount of money Gazidis confessed to it. Is it £70 milli? I don’t really know for certain but there has to be something. (sizeabl atleast). You know when I said blindly defending Wenger you are exactly the person i’m talking about, using the media as scape goats for how many years now? Some of what they say I mean just has to be true, they cannot all be lies. Right now though I’m not just bashing… Read more »
I don’t think we got so much cash at all. Wenger will start spending money again when we got money available.
What Adrian and Villa stories do you have to back it up?
Adrian Lopez’s release clause is reported as about €15m, and Arsenal have allegedly offered €10m as an opening bid according to?
a) Arsenal
b) Atletico Madrid
c) Media
David Villa will be sold if Barca receive a bid of €16m, and Arsenal have allegedly offered €17m (which you may notice is over the asking price!) according to?
a) Arsenal
b) Barcelona
c) Media
If your answer to the questions is anything other than c, then please can you link it?
DES
We did match Valencia’s valuation on Juan Mata, he opted to go to chelski for personal reasons. Seems like he made the right choice for himself.
It’s quite laughable how you lot stand up for Wenger, I may not have the links directly from the clubs about the players release clause. But chelseas demba ba had a clause of £7.5 and this was very much publicised by the media long way before Newcastle football actually confirmed it . (I go with what I have, the media: reliable or not,). Villa and Adrian have clauses that are within arsenals range, yet we still bid lower?. I mean all this has happened before, I mean we can’t even activate a release clause, something that’s fixed? No this no… Read more »
I think that there was something that wasn’t made public about the Mata deal. The word on the street was it was 99% done when suddenly, overnight, talks stopped with no reason given. I mean normally you get the ‘couldn’t agree personal terms’ or similar report but, if I remember it was just ”arsenal have dropped their interest’
Seemed to me that Arsenal discovered some (unrevealed) deal breaker???
What’s laughable is that you believe what you read in the papers, or on the internet.
Type ‘Arsenal linked with’ into Google and it brings up nearly 24,000,000 pages. ‘Arsenal linked to’ brings up a similar amount.
‘Arsenal linked to striker’ brings up over 48,000,000 pages!
Today alone we’re being linked to Villa, Lopez, Sneijder, Wanyama, Ivanov and Howedes.
Perhaps – and this may come as a shock to you with your deep rooted belief in the honesty of sports journalism – it’s virtually all bollocks.
My comment was at Des, not Alf.
Whether we like to admit it or not Des has a point!
The media are obviously not a 100% accurate but we’ve all lamented Wenger for not strengthening the squad ever since we moved to the Emirates. Gazadis says there’s money, even Wenger himself has admitted he’ll be very active in the transfer window.
If we don’t sign anyone significant, then I don’t see how anyone can defend him.
‘Arsenal linked to striker’ brings up over 48,000,000 pagesl……surely i’m not that gullible. Adrian and villa have release clauses, (atleast the respective clubs haven’t denied it) that much we know. What we maybe do not know is the amount in the release clauses. But here’s the thing, we’re talking about Adrian (a not all that striker) and villa (a 31 year old with a contract ending 2014). Can their release clauses really be crazy money? I don’t think so. Media have it at, adrian (£14m) and villa (£17m). Okay so whether true or not, seems reasonable doesn’t it?. Have we… Read more »
“…surely i’m not that gullible.” “Wenger has £70 million to buy this winter” “Well I have to believe something!” “Some of what they say I mean just has to be true, they cannot all be lies.” “I have the mata, adrian, villa stories to back it up” “I go with what I have, the media: reliable or not,” “Adrian and villa have release clauses, (atleast the respective clubs haven’t denied it) that much we know.” “Have we triggerd any of the two? No. Are we dithering? Certainly yes, ” None of the above statements are based on anything verifiable, so… Read more »
The truth is none of us know for sure about what players we have been in for, but we do know that the board say we have had money in the past, that’s fact and at times arsene hasn’t spent it thats also fact, who much it was who knows. Part of the problem is we get so many different signals from the board and arsene that we then get a state of affairs where the fans second guess all the time. The bottom line is this squad needs strengthening badly, we have been told we have substantial funds available… Read more »
I pretty much agree with what you say Voldemort, but I won’t criticise Wenger or the board based on media speculation, and I am dubious that we “dither” more than any other club in making transfers.
Do we need to strengthen? Yes, I believe so.
Do I think Villa would be a great addition to the squad? Yes.
However I won’t criticise anybody, Wenger or otherwise, based solely on gossip.
I respect that mate and totally agree, let’s see what January brings. Like has been said a million times before, the fans know we are not good enough at the moment and hopefully the club realise it too. So we will see what happens as like I’ve said we have absolutely no excuses this time.
“None of the above statements are based on anything verifiable, so yes, you are that gullible”……. Thank you now that that has been established let me go and be my gullible self. Gossip you say?, do you expect the club to come out and admit that we didn’t want to go any higher for eg. Juana mata. Do you really expect that?, no way in hell. that’s where the media comes in, I like though how you dismiss the media as a credible source of info, when half of what we do talk about here is coz one way or… Read more »
Des it’s only 5 days into the window, lets see what happens. Yeah it would have been nice to get some deals done early but its early and they may surprise us, no point getting flustered over something that might yet happen.
If it doesn’t I’m sure you won’t be on your own in calling for change, there will almost 60k at the grove that will let them know. Until then let’s see what happens.
Voldmermot you got that spot on.
Double*2 ……..Here’s a statement by wenger on the striker situation at arsenal today……
At the moment it is definitely (off), but if we have big injuries and Thierry wants to do it… (however) we have not gone as far (as that) because we look more for permanent people,” Wenger said. “At the moment we have (Olivier) Giroud available, (Theo) Walcott available, we are not too short in this department, so we will see.”
Is this a statement of intent? Talking about henry, and how he already has “two” strikers. Be the judge.
Voldmermot you got that spot on Double*2 ……..Here’s wenger for you about the striker situation at arsenal
right now……
At the moment it is definitely (off), but if
we have big injuries and Thierry wants to
do it…we have not gone as far (as that) because we look more for permanent people,” Wenger said. “At the moment we have Giroud available Walcott available, we are not too short in this department, so we will see.”
Really?, heh.
Is this a statement of intent? Talking
about henry, and how he already has
“two” strikers?. Be the judge.
David Villa’s release clause is 140 million. Good point, though.
Don’t forget that the new commercial deal doesn’t start paying anything until the start of 2014-15 season, until then Arsenal are a long way behind the other clubs at the top of the PL when it comes to spending power.
although we will always be the better club/fans/human beings
We tried our best team before and lost what we need is commitment and a bit more tactical nouse. Personally I woudnt mind seeing more than a few youngsters and not just the usual deadwood. They have shown in the league cup games in seasons past that they play for the jersey.
Yes maybe you are right, but Wenger will put “the best” and only change will be Ramsey in 🙁 .
I think he should put the best but change some players in and out and around the pitch.
God bless the Arsenal, and no team else
I think you accidentally hit the B button instead of the P button.
We’ll crush them and we’ll go unto win the F.A. cup.
Mark my words.
Sorry. Is it just me who thinks following a misspelt statement of our teams inevitable success followed by the epitaph; ‘Mark my words”, is an awful omen…
Adrian Lopez would not be a good signing. He is overrated, and not better than our current strikers.
I haven’t seen a huge amount of Adrian, and when you say he is not better than our current strikers, which ones do you mean?
For example; if you said he was no better than Podolski, then that is not the same as being as no better than Gervinho.
He is not better than Giroud or Walcott.
http://www.caughtoffside.com/2013/01/05/leaked-arsenal-home-away-and-third-kits-for-201314-revealed/
Awesome 2013\2014 arsenal kits. Brilliant.
Haha, caughtoffside. This explains why you regurgitate so much transfer bullshit. Just kidding, wenger and gazidis are contributing editor’s. ..
Thankyou for sounding like a total arsehole. Leaked images not real deal, make of it what you want.
God I hope not. They are bad.
You mad bro? Pure addidas gold those kits are!
[…] 来源：[Arseblog News] […]
[…] definitely be thinking, and focused, on doing exactly that and the team today should reflect that. Michael Laudrup is expecting Arsenal’s strongest team, and so am I. If I were choosing I’d probably […]
[…] definitely be thinking, and focused, on doing exactly that and the team today should reflect that. Michael Laudrup is expecting Arsenal’s strongest team, and so am I. If I were choosing I’d probably […]
[…] Wojciech Szczesny believes that the Swansea defeat last year was the turning point for the side, while Swansea manager Michael Laudrup has laughed at suggestions that recent meetings between the two sides will have an effect on today’s game. […]
We’re still in the FA cup after holding the mighty Swansea to a draw at their ground. What an absolute joke of a club we’ve become.
This is our Arsenal now everyone. Back to the barren times but hey, I’ll happily pay my £1200 for my season ticket cos I’m just a dumb ass ‘ customer’ these days.