So My Positive Friends,
It is the Carabao Cup tonight with our lads pitting their wits against Fergie Junior’s side, a team currently suffering a run of poor League form as they sit 19th in League one with just one win from eight matches. They did manage to put away Hull in the last CC round however. Talk of 5,500 Donny fans in the Clock End. Given Spurs poor turnout last night I hope the Ems is at least half full and we manage to match them for volume.
Our Team ? We know it will be a very different starting eleven from that which marched into the arena to do battle with Chelsea on Sunday. I fancy we shall have an experienced core of 4-5 including Jack, Olivier, Per and Elneny and the remainder will be youngsters. Beyond that I shall leave it to Arsene and Bould to sort out. Clearly it is a night to blood a few new faces, but we want to progress into the next round. While the Carabao Cup is not the Champions League by the time the semi finals are in sight with Wembley to follow it is a trophy worth competing for and, hopefully, winning.
Their team ? I know nothing of our opponents’ playing personnel, other than they are led by a 36 year old striker, James Coppinger. Mr Coppinger @Coppinger26 is well known as a Doncaster “legend” so I hope if our young lads find themselves marking the old codger they treat him with due respect. Given their League difficulties and seven goals in their eight league games they will not expect to outscore us. They will however be on the big stage for once and will work hard.
No doubt our visitors are hopeful that they will enjoy the evening, even if they are spanked. And why not ?
I see in the media there is talk of Arsene accommodating ol’Bluenose himself at the stadium. After years of what seemed like real dislike between the two best managers in PL history peace has broken out, it is said that there is mutual respect bordering on affection. Aye – In time all things must pass.
Good luck with the streams tonight – I suspect we shall all need it. And for those attend the game enjoy your evening.
I attach below a link to the last time we took on Donny in the FA Cup in January 1953, a year we won the Cup. Mr Cholmondley-Warner commentating;
Positively Arsenal 
and DO – look at the 1953 film – excellent snapshot of another world
LikeLiked by 3 people
last time we faced Doncaster in the League cup, it was Carling Cup then, game ended 2-2 AET, with Gilberton getting our second goal in the last minute of stoppage time in extra time, we won 3-1 on penalties, the likes of Almunia, Senderous, Eboue, Gilberto, Larsson, Bendtner, Lupoli, Hleb, were in our side that night
LikeLiked by 4 people
A young James Coppinger that night eddy, and an even younger Alex Song;
LikeLiked by 2 people
Glen what a talent he was
He would have been a legend had he remained at Arsenal one of my favourite players
I always like the games against minnows as it is a chance for young guns to showcase their talent. I hope the Jeff will be in the starting line up – he is on the cusp of either making it or going the JET way, arguably he is far more talented that JET was
LikeLike
Hleb not glen bloody auto correct
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks for finding that link Andy. That (and many of the games on that stream) were fascinating.
LikeLiked by 3 people
anicol I see Coppinger has been telling the media and I’m sure the officials, that they way to beat Arsenal is to kick the shit out of them, well he said “get in their faces”, but we all know what that means.
LikeLike
oh and he did say “rough them up” too
LikeLiked by 1 person
The BBC understands that Mark Sampson is set to leave his role as England Women’s manager. He was cleared of wrong doing by two FA hearings, but it seems a third one was on the way, as neither of the first two actually spoke to many of the players, our very own Alex Scott said she was never contacted about it. Also seems some text messages by him have since come to light too.
LikeLiked by 2 people
one of the silliest things I’ve seen on twitter re AFC, on the topic of players being successful after leaving Arsenal.
Re RVP, Cesc, Henry, Vieira, Sylvinhio, Van Bronkhorst
A big Arsenal twitter account (darrenarsenal1) said
“Litmus test is if they went on from AFC to win things. Sadly all those did. So they must have improved.”
now this is one of those big AFC accounts – 123K followers – that many would see as being intelligent, knows football, etc. and he is saying cos these guys were in teams that won trophies after the left AFC that this means they had improved as players.
anyone who thinks RVP, Cesc, Henry or PV4 played there best football anywhere other than for AFC hasn’t got a fucking clue.
LikeLiked by 4 people
mini me fergie was going to ask his Dad how to beat ARSENAL and we all know the answer he will be given “kick em, kick em and if that doesn’t work kick em but dont forget to bribe the ref” The only way ol big nose knew how.
I’m looking forward to see the youngsters again tonight and i’m gutted i’m not there. I hope we see full blown Wengerball without being kicked because we have got some mighty talented back up in our squad COYG.
LikeLike
Stronger line up than I expected;
LikeLiked by 1 person
LikeLiked by 1 person
(banned smiley)
LikeLiked by 2 people
4 players on the bench, that if they come on they would be making first team debut
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Andy,
No doubt the Donny Massive have only come to see Jack Wilshwre.
LikeLiked by 2 people
The Jeff not even making the bench he seems to be somewhat out of favour
Or is he injured
LikeLike
The son of Slurgus…
…There’s a song in there somewhere
LikeLiked by 1 person
Tangent please excuse me:
Following the article penned by Sampson’s agent on Aunty Bleeb, similar to their support of Barton etc. the tarnished bluffer has finally been sacked. There’s a surprise!
The FA & Aunty Bleeb can be observed to be a complete shambles? Heh.
LikeLiked by 1 person
–
Back on the ball (on the circumference and off the tangent):
COYG!
LikeLiked by 1 person
LikeLiked by 2 people
Heard the Jeff was injured. Most likely to be true.
Alexis completing pre-season tonight, no doubt the gaffer is enjoying the freedom of using such a game to get a big player up to speed when usually he’d have to play them in the more serious encounters, running down contracts isn’t as bad as the self-flaggelators would have us believe, especially whilst they ignore it becoming a standard (one of a few options) method of a player moving clubs, as it has been these past few years. If only they paid attention to the Football and weren’t so keen to sound like frustrated football agents…
LikeLiked by 4 people
Anyone found a good live stream?
LikeLike
http://www.zabalasports.ml/p/sport-19-hd.html
LikeLiked by 3 people
Eddie: The wisdom of those big Arsenal twitter accounts. A lot of sensationalism, some exaggeration, dash of deliberate untruths, a good slice of anti-Wengerisms, a splash of anti-Kroenke, finally garnished with plenty sarcasm. The masses will simply lap it up.
LikeLiked by 3 people
as clear a penalty as one will ever see not given when Giroud dragged to the ground in the middle of the area
LikeLike
oh so close by Giroud, JAck lofts a pass to him and he volleys it against the bar
LikeLike
Walcotttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt Alexis with a lofted pass, theo takes it down with first touch and lobs the keeper with his second touch
commentator crest fallen
LikeLiked by 2 people
Jack with a fine long range shot
LikeLike
too many of our moves are breaking down at Alexis
LikeLike
HT: Arsenal 1-0 Doncaster
Walcott with our goal.
AFC almost in complete control, despite playing well within ourselves.
Jack controlling midfield at his ease.
Giroud very unlucky not to have his 100th goal with a great volley.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Is this too harsh? Sanchez comes deep for the ball. Sanchez dribbles. Sanchez stops, looks, listens. Sanchez attempts a pass or takes a shot.
LikeLiked by 1 person
the number of overhit or poor passes by alexis tonight has been terrible. Also the amount of times he turns onto his right and has to go further back out field, when guys running off him on the left and he ignores them is maddening,
Said it before, you can’t get Wengerball with him hogging the ball, and coughing up the ball so often too.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Josh DaSilva on for his Arsenal debut, Chambers off, commentator says he has gone right CB
LikeLike
Hmm. Chambers off. I saw him pull up after a tackle late in the 2nd half. Hope its not too bad.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Who is this Mike Dean want a be
Walcott comes very close to doubling the lead, keeper tips it over but no corner given
LikeLike
Why the fuck can Shotta watch the game when we in the UK cannot? The Manure game is on three Sky Sports channels. Why are we always so rationed? I fucking pissed off….
LikeLiked by 1 person
Errr lads
LikeLiked by 1 person
AMN saves our bacon
LikeLike
another penalty not given for foul on Giroud
LikeLike
Yellow card
LikeLike
Walcott off, Iwobi on
LikeLike
It sounds as though we really should have a hat full by now….but now Doncaster seem to be coming back in the game some what….
That live stream keeps freezing up….
LikeLike
Is the arsenal team serious?
LikeLike
Willock on for Nelson
LikeLike
How’s the game really folks? According to twitter, we’re now playing crap, but how is it actually going?
Heard we had a good pen shout ignored but we’ve been in farce territory a long time on that front, and i figure we’ll normally only get one once a game is done.
LikeLiked by 1 person
What is going on? This sounds terrible
LikeLike
We are being casual…..
LikeLiked by 1 person
jesus christ we are hanging on here
LikeLike
My stream is about 3 minutes behind
Anything happening ?
LikeLike