Wenger Is Taking The League Cup Seriously

Match Preview: Sheffield Wednesday vs Arsenal - Capital One Cup 27.10.2015

Here we are, the zenith of football. The summit of greatness. The reward for all our effort. The Capital One Cup fourth round. What a time to be alive.

Seriously though, it's another Arsenal match and a great chance to be entertained and stunned at the depth and quality of our squad... if we win.

This is exactly the sort of match we are expected to win with aplomb and if we don't trounce our opponents then it'll be weeks of moaning about how we "struggled" to beat a Championship side and how the manager is a negligent buffoon who should have spent loads of money in the summer on players who wouldn't have played in this match anyway. God help us if we lose.

Arsenal's selection for tonight is a bit of an enigma, one we won't have to wait long to see answered, but it's a mystery nonetheless. Who to play and who to rest? The training photos suggests the team will play a much more senior side than you would expect of a recently flush with cup success Arsenal. This tournament, during the golden years, was a vehicle for the development of young players and match sharpness of fringe squad members. During the barren years it was taken more seriously but now we are winning things again and looking strong in the league you have to scratch your head at the idea of an Arsenal line-up with a distinctly first choice look about it.

David Ospina is injured so Wenger has stated he will start Cech which does make sense on some level but then you have to wonder what'll we'll do if we need to rocket Matt Macey into the starting line-up in a Champions or Premier League game. This is exactly the sort of match he should play but the persistence with Cech suggests Wenger is taking the competitive relatively seriously.

If Arsenal are planning on playing a strong team then you have to assume that Wednesday will have their backs to the wall from the off but you know what they say about those who assume....

LAST 3 Meetings

• Arsenal 3-3 Wednesday (09.05.2000)
• Wednesday 1-1 Arsenal (03.01.2000)
• Arsenal 3-0 Wednesday (09.03.1999)

FACTFILE

• Arsenal haven't won away at Sheffield Wednesday since 1993
• Wednesday have never beaten Arsenal in the League Cup
• Wedneday haven't lost at home in the League Cup for 7 years
• Arsenal have kept one clean sheet in their last 11 away games

INJURIES

Welbeck, Wilshere, Ramsey, Ospina and Rosický have all been ruled out. Mertesacker returns after illness.

POSSIBLE STARTING XI

Čech, Debuchy, Mertesacker, Chambers, Gibbs; Flamini, Bielik; Sheaf, Iwobi, Campbell; Walcott

GOONERSPHERE's PREDICTION

Sheffield Wednesday 0-4 Arsenal

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