Carling Cup Final Preview: The end of one journey; The start of a better one
111 comments February 27th, 2011
Arsenal vs Birmingham City, Sunday 27th Feb, 4pm, Wembley Stadium
Around the inside of the Emirates Stadium, Arsenal’s silverware haul is honoured in a series of banners denoting each trophy win. When the stadium was erected in 2006, a gap was left next to the FA Cup win of 2005 for future glories.
Since then, that gap has become a source of some embarrassment. As the years have rolled by, it seems to have widened in to an eyesore.
We’ve had chances to increase Arsene’s hoard since that FA Cup victory, and fallen at final hurdles. A couple of league campaigns ran out of steam, whilst we were cruelly denied in finals in both Paris and Cardiff. Now, in a season in which we’re still competing on four fronts, we are closer than ever to ending the wait.
However, there is a danger that we try to win this cup merely to appease others. The media snipers have trotted out the “no trophies for six years” line with increasing regularity. Let me tell you now: if we win today, that kind of jibe won’t disappear. The same journalists who said Arsene had to take the League Cup seriously to end the wait for a trophy will quickly revert to their “only the League Cup” attitude.
Frankly, who cares. We’re not going to Wembley today to get the press of our back. We’re doing it for ourselves. The players owe the fans this day. We have waited long enough
Amid the squad, too, there is a burning desire to begin to accumulate the baubles that their talent deserves. Take a guy like Bacary Sagna – in my opinion, the best right-back in the country by a distance, but as yet undecorated. Sagna is 28 – he hasn’t got forever – now is the time to realise his potential with prizes. Today he celebrates the second birthday of his son. Let’s hope it’s cause for a double celebration.
The Carling Cup has always been a breeding ground for future success. In the past, Arsene used it to blood youngsters before their graduation to the first team. Now, it is seen as a stepping stone trophy – a platform from which we can go on to greater things.
Today is potentially the start of a second Arsene Wenger dynasty. If we claim this prize, it will exponentially increase our chances of taking a second trophy home in May. If we do that, then the culture of success will ferment and grow and this team could explode.
Lots of “ifs”, “maybes” and “coulds”, I grant you. I’m taking nothing for granted. Today won’t be simple. In Cesc Fabregas, Theo Wacott and Thomas Vermaelen we’re missing three key players, whilst Birmingham have the defensive resolve and aerial ability to provide us with a stern test. They have nothing to lose and everything to gain, and that makes me the midlanders dangerous.
Arsene will pick the strongest team he has available. I suspect it will look something like this:
Szczesny
Sagna Djourou Koscielny Clichy
Song Wilshere
Bendtner Nasri Arshavin
Van Persie (c)
The only role that’s up for debate is the one currently allocated to Nicklas Bendtner. There are several other options: Tomas Rosicky, Abou Diaby, Denilson and even Emmanuel Eboue could all stake a claim for a place in the XI. The reason I’ve gone for Bendtner is two-fold: firstly he gives us an aerial threat to counteract the likes of Ridgewell and Zigic, and secondly he allows Samir Nasri to play in his preferred central role.
I’ll be lucky enough to be there today, and if we win I’ll celebrate with gusto. Today might “only” be about the league cup. But I’m thinking of tomorrow. If we win, I’ll be able to say I was there not when it ended, but when it started.
Follow me on twitter for updates throughout the day.
Come On You Gunners.
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