The Clash of the Invincibles takes place at historic Deepdale this evening. Quite rightly held back until the less significant fixtures have finished, this is the unquestioned jewel of the third round. A meeting of two venerable clubs, both famous for their contributions to the English game and both special for achieving unbeaten success at the pinnacle of the league.
Their fortunes have varied in recent years. Arsenal have become a byword for consistency. While other clubs have risen and fallen, enjoying their moments in the limelight, North London’s pre-eminent sporting establishment has been an ever present in the heady atmosphere of the upper echelons of top class football.
Preston North End have been quietly working their way back towards the top flight. Their rise from the fourth to second tier has been achieved in a steady fashion winning the promotion as champions twice in four years and finishing in the top five of League One (and Championship after it’s name change in 2004) no less than five times. This season they’re sitting in eleventh place having won ten, lost nine and drawn six.
What can we expect from them? Reading a Preston forum their fans seem to think Arsène is either arrogantly resting players or frightened his pampered softies will be scared of getting a kicking from the North End midfield. How refreshing such forward thinking attitudes are still prevalent in the modern game. In fairness most of them were bemoaning the absence of Sanchez, feeling deprived of witnessing at first hand one of the game’s true greats. This is odd when you consider that the real treat they are being deprived of is the sight of Mesut Özil. I suppose this just shows the influence the media have on the opinions of fans.
We are of course anything but arrogant and entirely aware of the possibilities for a lower division team to overturn the odds and beat one of the nations greatest ever clubs. Cup competitions thrive on such tales. Needless to say it is a romance we as Arsenal fans indulge in only when someone else is on the receiving end. My only concern is whether the side will gel. We all know the reserves are good enough individually but we saw against Southampton in the League cup how a patched together eleven can lack understanding and cohesion, but I don’t expect a repetition today.
I await the team sheet with interest. We know who won’t be there but the question is who steps up? Everyone assumes a Xhaka Ramsey central partnership but how about the forward line? I really want to see more of Lucas Perez but he is little bit ankle nobbled or something. I hope it isn’t serious and he gets to play – ideally alongside Olivier Giroud.
While it’s true that Giroud almost single handedly dragged us back into contention on Tuesday and could have taken a twenty minute naked lap of honour as far as I’m concerned so herculean were his efforts, it was his partnership with Perez that most caught the eye.
It was almost an old fashioned forward pairing, with the big guy winning the ball and the smaller bloke running off him. That is the kind of set up even footballing illiterates like me can understand. Of course the skill set of our number twelve is way in advance of the old big bruising centre forwards who used mainly to provide the knock downs on which their trickster little cohorts would feed. However I don’t want to get too side tracked into talking about players as I usually end up wasting words on guys who then don’t even make the bench.
For romantics the FA Cup got off to the worst possible start yesterday with the oil rich money burners flattening plucky little West Ham like a steam roller taking on a bag of Maltesers. It was clear from the team sheet that Man City were not going to mess about and I wasn’t surprised Guardiola took the tie so seriously – even fielding a proper keeper for a change.
With so many so called top managers and so many of the world’s best players crammed into the Premier league and with all the rabid, out of control fan bases demanding the league title as a minimum price for their support, the FA Cup has taken on ever greater significance. As long as only one team can finish first the scrabble to get the second most important crown in English football becomes increasingly frantic. I don’t anticipate the giant killings of yore, the tournament is simply too important to the top clubs to risk making a bollocks of their first round.
This just means getting to Wembley will be that little bit harder for Arsenal this season, but the journey will be all the more enjoyable for it. I hope we start today with an emphatic victory to make the pundits weep but most of all I just want us to win without any more injuries. Please.
If you’re making your way to the Clash of the Invincibles I wish you a safe journey. I’ll be schooling my nephew in the significance of his first ever FA Cup tie, safe and warm by the radiator. And for those Preston fans mourning the absence of a certain sulky Chilean – chin up – this may actually be the day you get to tell your grandchildren about. The day you saw Alex Iwobi in the flesh.
Positively Arsenal 
Best football day (weekend) of any footballing year. Your nephew will hopefully hear of some giant-killing outside of Preston today.
2 of the last three years we’ve won this, the greatest Club football knock-out competition, bar none.
To not be excited about today’s game and all the history and romance (cliched or otherwise) behind it, is unthinkable. To me anyway.
UTA.
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“A steam roller taking on a bag of Maltesers”
Consider that stolen. You may as well contact your insurers, you won’t be seeing that again sir.
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A seemingly effortless post ahead of a really tricky fixture, which, as the old pros would say in doom-laden tones ‘has all the makings’. Should we manage a draw after 90 minutes does it go to extra time and penalties or do replays still exist?
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In rounds up to and including the fifth round proper, fixtures resulting in a draw (after normal time) are replayed at a later date; if that replay is still tied, the winner is settled by a period of extra time, and if still necessary, a penalty shootout. Since 2016–17, ties are settled on the day from the quarter-finals onwards, using extra time and penalties.
Wikipedia
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Still replays FH. Part of the attraction for Preston fans. Beating us would be marvellous for them but a draw also has the bonus of a trip to the Emirates and the chance to humiliate us there. It’s part of why the FA cup is the best tournament you’ll find.
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I expect a strong line up from Arsenal today, despite Cech, Debuchy, Jenkinson, Koscielnly, Gibbs, Mertesacker, Cazorla, Coqeulin, Elneny, Walcott, Ozil, Sanogo and Alexis all out, and Bellerin probably rested too. Welbeck likely to be our only big name sub. But we would still be able to field
Ospina
Gabriel, Mustafi, Holding, Monreal
Xhaka, Ramsey
Oxlade-Chamberlaim, Iwobi, Lucas
Giroud
subs: Martinez, Bielik, Maitland-Niles, DaSilva, Reine-Adelaide, Willock, Welbeck
to me there is no reason why that starting 11 and subs can not beat Preston today.
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Lucas has little bit ankle
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a date for any possible replay has already been announced, think its Tuesday 17th Jan.
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Lucas trained yesterday so I expect he plays.
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But he has little bit ankle
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Well that’s good to hear and makes me marginally less anxious. Yes – by far my favourite competition. Something about starting in the very depths of winter and finishing in late spring I suppose.
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Tim, it’s just thick with nostalgia for me. I used to feel the season didn’t come to life until the FA Cup started. Still get goosebumps thinking about my first Arsenal final.
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Sam @samuelJayC 5h5 hours ago
Chelsea’s £33m summer signing Batshuayi is set to join Swansea on loan, with Llorente joining #cfc.
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remember when wenger was a stupid stingy cunt for not spending £33M on Batshuayi
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Any little bit news on Lucas Perez?
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The best pre-match blogs in the country Steww. I echo Anicol’s comment! Big banned smiley.
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Morning stew, lovely stuff.
I think I’ve figured out the picture.
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I can’t say I’m a massive Irons fan (only when they play our rivals),
But bloody hell, Michael Oliver was chanelling his inner Mike Dean last night.
City would have probably won anyway, but What have the Hammers done to get so much season long abuse form the refs?
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I like that line up Eduardo.
Feels dicey to play our only fit central midfielders but don’t think we’ve a choice.
Sheff Wed and Southampton have been a bit of an eye-opener for me and made me revise my ideas a little about how many young players we can use from the start.
Got a feeling Bielek isn’t available, mind (no training yet?). He would be top of my list to come into midfield after current two, despite all the games at cb, so I hope he’s not injured.
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Hey American gooners: The only brand I can think of that comes close to a Malteser is Hershey’s Kisses. Am I out of my depth on this?
Bingo Steww!
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Shotta
Yankee chocolates of may description are absolute CRAP!
Nice one Steww, however, I’m sure will would chastise me if you knew that your writing makes me feel rather smug!
I expect a win. I don’t know how easy it should be but if we cut out the errors it should be a walk in the park. Then again that is true whoever the opposition happens to be.
COYG!
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I fucking hate this autocorrect lark……
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GP: How dare you? We yankees are told we are indispensable?
Do I count? I am naturalized.
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I dare say there will be many ‘robust’ challenges from the ‘plucky underdogs’ bless em.
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A blog worthey of the best cup competition in the world.
looking at all the training pics Jenks looks fit and so I cant imagine why he wouldn’t play if its just confidence he needs. If he really is going at the end of the season then the more often and the better he plays the more dosh we will getting in the bin.
Looking at GIANT killings Bolton look like the most likely David in this round as Fat golieth Sam has a record of resting his whole team in the cups and Bolton are second in the table and rocking,
These games are more about getting a balance and stability right at the back and midfield as i’m confident any of our forward thinking players will cause trouble with a decent platform behind them.
COME ON YOU RIP ROARING CUP GUNNING REDS.
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I have had a soft spot for Preston as they were in the first Cup Final I ever really remember watching from start to finish on the telly at home and taking in all the action, well as much as the average 5 years old does, and it was black and white on a c. 14 inch screen.
At the end of the game with Preston there were pictures on the screen of the winning and losing players shaking hands and congratulating and commiserating with one another, and one image was captured and appeared in all the papers the following day of the two, at the time, exceptionally young performers that day, Johnny Sissons of West Ham and Howard Kendall of Everton.
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I love that Andy. Look at Howard Kendall – went on to play for Stoke City of course and John Sissons became the main presenter on the News At 10.
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Wasn’t that Malcom McDonald ?
(67th birthday today btw)
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You’re thinking Of Trevor Muggeridge
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Any news on Lucas Perez?
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PNE Police Verified account
@PNEPolice
@TheGoonerholic #Gooners fans worth bearing in mind the 🍻 up ere is stronger colder & cheaper late kick-off don’t go mad #Southersofties 😉
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Did you all see that pinpoint long arcing pass by Carrick to Rashford giving him the easiest of goals? Meanwhile Butch Wilkins, like all the zombie English pundits, is bigging up washed-up Rooney.
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Few 17 year olds have earned such high praise from Mick McCarthy as AMN (there may have been others but not to my knowledge), I wouldn’t cry if he was in the starting eleven.
What is sincerely amusing is the continuing bleating surrounding Giroud’s equaliser the other evening. All this noise yet so little comment on the real star if the moment: Gabriel! You. Couldn’t. Make. It. Up. Amazing stuff, one to put in the scrap book alongside the social media meltdown which followed the “Venga on da beach” scandal, which ended with the signing of Sanchez, and the all time classic meltdown before the Özil signing. Happy days!
Looking forward to Gabriel’s match today, hopefully a much needed rest for the skipper.
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Nah, Shotta, it’s Whoppers you’re looking for. Same taste as Malteasers, but better name. (Banned smiley).
Great start to the day, Stew. I’m about to watch AFC Wimbledon. It just wasn’t in me to get up early and watch Reading – I was hoping for the best, but fearing the worst for them. Here’s to fearing the worst for Preston North End, as well. A Ramsey goal would absolutely make my day. He’s overdue.
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I rate Chris Willock highly when he is on his game he is unplayable, I have seen him play well within himself without confidence but like Iwobi when he feels part of thye team I sure he will be better than Theo. Of course i’ve been wrong many times before over youth players so this prediction is not one i’m telling people to put money on but i’m pretty con fident about it.
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I like that photo, Andy. It’s worth remembering that Kendall’s youngest player in the final record has been broken twice since then…once by one of our very own. I’ll leave you to remember who that might be. *smiles maternally*
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anyone else see football focus this morning, mark lawrenson and kevin kilbane both advocating that preston even up the gulf in ability by “kicking the shit out of Arsenal”, we can but hope that none of the match officials were watching, or got the message.
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seemingly bellerin will have a late fitness test, with maitland-niles his possible replacement
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Any word on Lucas Perez?
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I expect he will start, despite his little ankle.
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He’s playing, Lucas is playing everyone.
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It’s exactly the team we expected except for no Bellerin.
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Feel for Rob Holding – but he joined a big club. Even with one CB rested and one injured he only makes the bench.
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Alabama: “Whoppers” would be apropos in the eyes of our English mates. Pardon my ignorance but I am at the age where I avoid chocolate like the plague.
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Welbeck!
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Love that line up. Hope Lucas’ little ankle does not become a big ankle.
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nice to see koeman, hughes and pulis go out, and I see Howe’s AFCB lost 3-0 to millwall
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Giroud is Captain
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