The most dangerous Spurs player is Aaron Lennon, who gave Clichy and Senderos plenty of problems at Highbury last season.
Does Arsene really dare to put young Traore against Lennon ?
If he does, will it lead to Arsenal’s first defeat at the Emirates ?
Or will the canny Gilberto read that threat and stifle Lennon’s runs and passes?
We shall see tonight. Football matches are notoriously difficult to predict.
What you can say is that Arsene does not fear Spurs or PSV or even Man United. He only fears injuries to his precious players.
If it was me, I’d have started Lehmann and Fabregas, as I don’t think Arsenal can play without Fab4.
They lost the semi last year against Wigan and it would be silly to throw away the semi again.It’s against Spurs and if if you lose your first Emirates game to Spurs it no fun for the fans, especially as it’s a competition that Arsenal could win, after not winning anything for a couple of years, and emerging from an appalling FA Cup final with a hollow victory on penalties.
He has Rosicky and Fabregas on the bench. That will prove important before the night is out. Lee might play left back, not Assou-Ekotto. Jenas has a great engine but he’s just come back from injury and won’t last 90, let alone extra time, which may happen.
On balance, my earlier team line-up may be mistaken. Martin Jol might prefer Huddlestone to Zokora because the big man holds the middle and sprays the ball around, like Carrick. On reflection, Jol will feel that Dawson and Rocha need the protection that Huddlestone offers. He is big and he can read the game and Spurs need to be solid. If they win the game 1-0, they are all heroes.
If Arsenal don’t make it to the Carling final on Sunday Feb 25, their schedule is PSV Eindhoven away, Aston Villa away, Reading and PSV at home.
Maybe that fixture list is enough in late February / into March.