Seat of Pants Job? Wigan v Arsenal Preview

By Boris Mellor
January 9 2006

Over the last few years Arsenal have got to the later stages, and even to the semi-final of the Lager Cup, e.g. Middlesboro, and then narrowly failed due to not fielding a strong enough team. Now we are back in the semi again, not having visited the final for 13 years.

 I thought I sensed that Arsene would put out a much stronger team after Donny, but now I am not so sure.

Reyes had a particularly miserable night at Boro, scoring an own goal. It wasn’t his fault, it was lousy defending as a team. The question is will the squad that Wenger named today be strong enough to beat a Wigan that has performed unexpectedly well this season?

It’s not all down to Wenger, the Ivorians have been instructed not to play by their football association; and RvP and Campbell are injured. With Premiership points at a premium Wenger needs to hold back Henry, Bergkamp and Pires. So it has to be said that this squad doesn’t look full of goals; at the same time it could concede one or two against a bustling opposition. A draw, or even a narrow defeat, where we get an away goal, could prove to be very handy. It also depends on how strong a team Wigan put out.

Wigan fullback Ryan Taylor will not be available after fracturing his fifth metatarsal (funny how these things become fashionable). Austrian defender Paul Scharner stands by to make his debut while club captain Arjan De Zeeuw is fit to play. The squad in full below:

Manuel Almunia
Mart Poom
Kerrea Gilbert
Francesc Fabregas
Johann Djourou
Philippe Senderos
Quincy
Freddie Ljungberg
Alexander Hleb
Sebastian Larsson
Jose Antonio Reyes
Arturo Lupoli
Nicklas Bendtner
Mathieu Flamini
Pascal Cygan
Gilberto
(Don’t forget to make your prediction – top left menu 4^th link down.)