Rob Holding could make his first appearance for the Gunners since December as Arsenal gear up for Tuesday’s Carabao Cup clash with Nottingham Forest.
The centre-back, who has played several times for the under-23s since the start of the season, was included in the travelling party for the match with Frankfurt last week and even though he didn’t make the bench, will have been happy for a taste of the matchday vibe.
With David Luiz and Sokratis playing 90 minutes against Aston Villa on Sunday and Ainsley Maitland-Niles suspended after his red card, it’s likely that Calum Chambers will play right-back meaning Holding could play alongside Shkodran Mustafi in the centre of defence. Failing that, he could get a run out off the bench.
Tuesday’s clash with Forest is likely to come too soon for Dinos Mavropanos, Kieran Tierney and Hector Bellerin, although all three are training with the first team. According to the latest medical bulletin, Alex Lacazette remains the only other first team player on the sidelines. He’s not expected to feature until after the October Interlull.
Emery should make wholesale changes tomorrow night with Mesut Ozil, Gabriel Martinelli, Reiss Nelson, Tyreece John-Jules, Emile Smith Rowe, Robbie Burton all pushing for inclusion.
Unfortunately, it looks like we won’t be treated to a reunion with Carl Jenkinson. The right-back moved to the City Ground in the summer but he suffered an ankle injury a couple of weeks ago and is sidelined.
Wahey!
Will be great to see Holding back out there (assuming I can figure out how to watch the match). If Ozil does play (and he certainly needs matches under his belt) how strange will that be watching him with all of the young players against a Championship side in the Carabo Cup?
I think the youngsters will absolute love it, and I think Ozil might enjoy himself, too (to have some eager runners and players desperate to create and score around him). It would be a real treat for our fans in attendance.
It is a fair whack to the ego though…”here I am, only good enough for the carabao cup these days”. Question is does he have the temperament for that and prove himself or will he spit the dummy?
Hopefully he acts like a grownup until January and givesit everything he’s got, then we can ship him off to the states, and use his wages to buy Ceballos, and give more opportunities to Smith-Rowe.
I don’t even want to see Aubameyang on the bench for this one.
But should be a chance to get Torreira and Nelson some minutes
How stupid can you be? Mesut Ozil is not being “shipped off” anywhere. He makes £350,000 per week. Ask yourself, if I was making £18 million per year would you go work somewhere else for £5 million per year. The answer is no, you wouldn’t. Neither will he. As a second item, since lucidity is in such short supply, no U.S. team can pay those wages and Ozil’s agent and the player have repeatedly said they will not go. Finally, even the most ignorant isiot would notice a pattern. Every time Ozil plays well, Emery sidelines him to try to… Read more »
That aside, Emery’s a decent manager
No need to be a dick about it though is there?
There should be a few senior squad players in there. I imagine torreira, willock and pepe will get start. Also Ozil lives playing these teams. Think ludogorets…
Doubt Pepe will start. We’ve got enough youth on the flanks
Hope Holding starts this game, we need a change in the CB.
Also what Chambers got to do to start as CB ahead of…Mustafi?!
Chambers as CB and Mustafi at RB might as well work. RB is not a new position to Mustafi plus error in that position will be less catastrophic than the CB role.
A game on Sunday and a game on tuesday. Who organised that crap!
From what I can make out, it is because Forest have a game on Friday night against Stoke. Think our game against Villa yesterday and forests on Friday had both been chosen for TV when the draw was made. Therefore one of the teams would have to play 2 games in 3 days. Guess we drew the short straw.
The game against Villa wasn’t televised in Britain though.
shouldn’t really matter given the team tomorrow should be near enough a 100% different side from Sunday.
Is AMN allowed to play or does suspension go to the cup? If he’s allowed then probably sensible to use since he’d have an enforced rest next week.
He serves his suspension in the cup fixture, so provided he’s injury-free, he’s all set to play on the game vs. Manchester U.
seems like we have a lot of AMC/wingers for this one but fewer CMs and strikers.
– Özil
– Smith-Rove
– Willock
– Saka
– Nelson
– Martinelli
Playing John-Jules seems like a no brainer unless he tries Martinelli or Nelson up top.
I’d love to see Saka, Martinelli, and Nelson across the front line, with Ozil in his #10 role just in behind, with Willock alongside Torreira or EMS in the midfield slots. Considering our fullback situation at the moment, I wouldn’t be surprised if Emery rolled out a back three (Chambers, Mustafi, Holding).
I’d rather see Balogun than TJJ, but I guess they’ll both get chances throughout the season.
No Jenko return 🙁 Disappointed
he injured himself after the draw was announced.
what a trooper.
Will be good to see him in action. I think his previous 2 U23 outings left more questions than answers. Again a word of caution. He impressed with us mainly in a back 3 last season (even Mustafi did well in that period) We have yet to see how well he can function in back 4. BUT, the bar isn’t set terribly high. Sokratis as mentioned with Koscielny (whom some wanted to extend yet another season go figure) presided in 7 straight winless games after Mustafi had his meltdown against Palace (ironically when Unai inexplicably switched from back 3 to… Read more »
‘Again a word of caution. He impressed with us mainly in a back 3 last season (even Mustafi did well in that period)’
Completely untrue no matter how many times you say it.
I think people vote you down Santori coz your posts are a bit on the.. ahem.. long side, but everything you said above was spot on.
Except for as I pointed out where he said something completely untrue ?
Expect we will rotate heavily for Forest.
………………………John-Jules……………………………
Nelson…………………………………………….Martinelli
…………………………Ozil…………………………………
……………….Willock………Torreira……………………..
Tierney………………………………………………Bellerin
………………Holding………..Mustafi…………………….
………………………..Macey……………………………….
First: That team will lose against a resolute forest side.
Second: Tierney probably won’t play, but if he does he will not start.
Third: Ditto, Bellerin. Bench minutes, maybe.
Shut up.
I’d love to see Holding and Chambers as a CB partnership.
I ‘d love to see this too, but the danger would be they get turned over (match fitness/sharpness, new partnership etc) and their confidence gets whacked before either of them have seen the PL this season.
no pressure, rob
I’ll predict 4-2-3-1; Martinez; Chambers, Mustafi, Holding; Bola; Torreira, Willock; Smith-Rowe, Ozil, Nelson; Martinelli. Saka could start but he played 45 minutes yesterday.
Emery will not play Ozil. He wil claim he is resting Ozil for next week match….which he will either put him on the bench and not play him no matter what happens on the pitch or….he wont even pick him to travel to Old Tradford. Ozil situation is really getting ridiculous. I watched many of Ozil previous games (just highlights no doubt) from his days at RM and also while playing for Germany. Surprise Surprise….his style, his runs, his passings….everything have not really change….still top notch, still awesome. So as manager, you either accept Ozil as that and work on… Read more »