Every manager looks at his fixtures.
ALL THE TIME.
His fixtures, and his results, are his grid.
He looks to see where he is – and where he wants to be in the near future.
He studies his upcoming games, and, if he’s a big manager, he looks at the big games he wants to win.
Wenger chucked the Capital One Cup in Sheffield, as we all saw.
And I reckon he’s odds-on to chuck the FA Cup as well.
BUT NOT IN A HOME GAME.
He’ll beat Sunderland and hope for an away draw in the 4th Round, so he can chuck it while pretending he wanted to win it. He can win the FA Cup at Wembley any time. He knows that and so do we.
IT MAKES SENSE TO CHUCK IT.
Why? Because he’s got too many challenging games coming up on his grid.
The FA Cup Round 5 will be played on the Saturday before Arsenal host Barcelona on Tuesday, February 23rd.
Can’t see Wenger in Round 5 of the FA Cup on Saturday, Feb 20th. Sorry, I just can’t.
Following Barca at the Emirates, Arsenal have Manchester United (A) and Swansea ( H) and Spurs (A), plus West Brom (H) on Saturday March 12th, if they are not in the FA Cup quarter-finals. Which they won’t be.
Then Arsenal go to the Nou Camp for Barcelona on Wednesday, March 16th.
He doesn’t think fourth is a trophy, he thinks fourth is money.He thinks third or fourth gives you the money to take a crack at Barcelona every few years.
He thinks the European Cup is a trophy.