Bradford Vs Arsenal [Capital One Cup]

Bradford Vs Arsenal
Tuesday December 11. 19:45 BST
Valley Parade, Bradford
Referee: Mike Dean


Second Chance

It needs zero reminder of what happened 2 years back in our Carling Cup run, When we all thought that this "minor" trophy could very well end our barren run of 7 years. But fate is cruel, we didn't end with jack all and instead got beaten to a humiliating defeat. In my opinion this is a second chance we are getting, because Chelsea are the only team which could be called superior and we potentially we should be beating the rest of the team, unless we play like we did against Norwich n co. Tomorrow's game is another step closer to ending the streak and the trophy which is usually called a minor one, is getting bigger with each year for us. It's not just the team that needs the Capital One Cup, its the fans and more importantly the manager who will most probably realise what he has been losing a sense of in the past years. I don't see why we can't win the capital one cup this year. And i don't see a reason why we should not take this seriously.

Tactics against Bradford

It's the good old Minnows against the heavyweights clash. And that means if we take them lightly, or show complacency, we will get exactly what we deserve. Nothing. It's not something which should be told to the players, they should know this themselves. We have seen so many instances where the minnows have kicked out the heavyweights, and it's not a rare occurrence anymore. Therefore we should be putting on a team that will win us the game convincingly. I suppose we will start an experience team as Arsene mentioned, but i have a feeling that with Giroud out, we will see Akpom and Esifeld in the squad along with perhaps Meade and Coquelin. I am not sure if Wilshere will or should start since his case is different and i won't be surprised to see Coquelin start either. Rosicky will most probably start.

Team news

Zavon Hines (ankle) and Kyel Reid (groin) are both close to returning but the tie might come too soon for them.

Giroud, Walcott, Sagna are out. Koscielny nor Santos are back.

Probable Arsenal team

-----------------------------------------Szczesny-----------------------------------------

Jenkinson------------------Mertesacker--------------Vermaelen-----------------------Meade

-------------------------Coquelin--------------------Ramsey-------------------------------

---------------------------------------Rosicky---------------------------------------------

Eisfeld/Gervais-----------------------------Chamakh------------------------------------Arshavin---


Probable Bradford team (goal.com)

--------------------------------------Duke-------------------------------------------

Darby--------------------McHugh---------- McArdle--------------------------Meredith

Thompson----------------Jones--------------Doyle----------------------------Atkinson

-------------------------Hanson------------ Wells----------------------------------


Match Facts(BBC)

Head-to-head

• This is the first time the clubs have met in the League Cup.
  
• The previous meeting between the clubs was a Premier League game at Highbury in January 2001, which Arsenal won 2-0.
  
• Overall the sides have met 25 times in all competitions; Arsenal have won 11, Bradford have won nine, and there have been five draws.
  

Bradford

• Bradford are the first League Two club to reach the League Cup quarter-finals since Wycombe in 2006-07, who eventually lost over two legs to Chelsea in the last four.
  
• This is the first time Bradford have progressed beyond the first two rounds in 11 seasons.
  
• This is the third time the West Yorkshire club have qualified for the fifth round. In 1964-65 they lost 7-1 away to Aston Villa, and in 1988-89 they were knocked out by Bristol City from the Third Division.
  
• The victory on penalties over Wigan in the fourth round was the first time the Bantams had ousted a Premier League club since Nottingham Forest in the second round in September 1995.
  
• The Valley Parade club have kept clean sheets in only two of their last 12 League Cup ties

Arsenal

• Arsenal have qualified for the last eight of the League Cup for the 10th successive season.
  
• Victory would see Arsenal set a new outright League Cup record by qualifying for the semi-finals for the 15th time.
  
• The Gunners were League Cup winners in 1987 and 1993, and runners-up in 1968, 1969, 1988, 2007 and 2011.
  
• Arsene Wenger's side scored a combined 13 goals in their two previous League Cup ties this season.
  
• They have been knocked out by a club outside the top flight once in the last 22 seasons.
  
• This is only Arsenal's ninth tie against a fourth-tier club in the history of the League Cup. They have never been knocked out by one

Final Word

Hopefully a good performance and a good solid win.

Think we'll see Arshavin instead of Gervinho and Squilaci/Djourou instead of Mertesacker. I hope Eisfeld gets a start because he deserves one.

With any luck, a strong and experienced squad should help us through this one with minimal trouble. Bradford will no doubt be up for it and the potential for a shock is always there, but if we remain focused and professional in what we should win without any problems.

Completely forgot Arshavin

This is the last game that I will miss due to exams. Won't see a kick of it, but win and we're through to the semis. Surely we can't screw it up against Bradford??

Great Job RG.

I just dont know why Wenger always picks Gervinho a head of Arshavin. I think Wenger knows he is gone in few weeks and wants Gevinho to get as much as minutes to improve his shity game.

Should be a fun game to watch, hope to see the youngster make us proud and win the game. Looking forward seeing Eisfeld play.

Great preview RG

hope out front four will be Eisfeld-Rosicky-Arshavin-Akpom
experience + youth excitement

think we need one 1st teamer to marshal the defence
without Verm we could have conceded 3 in first half in Greek

Ramsey-Coquelin midfield duo dissapointed but this is just Bradford

hoping for easy win lets go all the way

Nice work RG. Apart from injuries impossible to tell the team. I sense similar side to Olympiacos with strong bench.

Anyone else remembers Arsenal beating Sheffield United (a championship side) 6-0 with a team that had an average age of 19?


It's funny because now we face a League 2 side with a mixed team and I'm not as comfortable as in 2008 with that young side lol.

Anyway, my team for tomorrow:


Bench: Martinez, Mertesacker, Gibbs, Wilshere, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Podolski, Akpom.

Should be an easy win, but you never know

urbaNRoots wrote:Anyone else remembers Arsenal beating Sheffield United (a championship side) 6-0 with a team that had an average age of 19?

Fabianski
Hoyte Djourou Song Gibbs
Randall Wilshere
Merida Ramsey Vela
Bendtner

Dat Vela hat-trick

The Guardian say Cazorla & Chamberlain are expected to start today?

http://m.guardian.co.uk/football/2012/dec/10/arsenal-captial-one-cup-bradford

Our only realistic chance of winning a trophy after being trophyless for the last 8 years..
Now take it serious or that domestic cups dont matter..

Too bad that Walcott is getting frequent small injuries.. This is the sort of game where he should start upfront.. So i would go for Podolski so that he can score and have a start as a CF.. If he is unfit, lets go for Gervinho.. May be the only match in the whole season that there is a chance his tricks will work.. Akpom as a sub.. Yeah, sadly no chance for Chamakh..
Arshavin and Eisfield should start.. Rosicky, Ramsey and Coquelin will be more than enough.. Meade and Jenkinson.. In centre i would like to see Verm-Met.. But i guarantee that Wenger is gonna start Djurou, and who cant say that he may be the captain..
i think overall it is gonna be a straight forward match where we beat them 1-3 or 1-4.. Lets start worrying about Chelsea..

Bradford have won their last 8 penalty shoot out. We need to finish the game before the extra time preferably

Good work as ever on the preview mate.

Yes, quick and easy win is preferable, given availability of senior players. One can hope.

RealGunner wrote:Bradford have won their last 8 penalty shoot out. We need to finish the game before the extra time preferably

This quote reflects the current situation at Arsenal. Instead of hoping a 4-0 or 5-0 we are anticipating a draw after 90 mins.

We just need to win.

LOL, if we tie a team from League 2. I just realized who we are facing.

This whole time I thought it was Watford.

Biggest crowd at Valley Parade since 1949. Commentary of Bradford City v Arsenal (bbc)

^ at least they got their money's worth

What news is more depressing than Arsenal losing to Bradford? Really heartbreaking. Everyone must be blamed.