2024-09-26 04:25:03
Arsenal host Bolton Wanderers in the 3rd round of the Carabao Cup today. It’s been a while since the two clubs have met — you have to go back to 2012 when Mikel Arteta started in midfield for the Gunners as they played to a 0-0 draw at the Reebok Stadium.
Bolton are currently 19th of 24 in League One on seven points. They’ve stumbled to a 2-1-3 record to open the season with only 6 goals scored, 5 of which came in one match. They narrowly missed out on promotion to the Championship last season, losing in the playoff final. Former Arsenal Academy player Jordi Osei-Tutu is a regular substitute for manager Ian Evatt’s side.
Mikel Arteta and Arsenal face a bit of a dilemma. Okay, it’s not really a dilemma per se, but there are competing priorities for today’s match. Arteta is going to rotate his side. Heavily. It’s important that the first choice players get some rest, players like Gabriel Jesus and Raheem Sterling play their way into fitness and form, and young players like Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly get some match experience.
At the same time, every time Arsenal and Arsenal players step onto the pitch, they want to win. More Carabao Cup matches mean more opportunities for young guys to play and senior guys to stay sharp. And even though the Carabao Cup is a distant third in terms of importance, it’s still a shot at silverware, something Arsenal haven’t hoisted since the 2020 FA Cup. One of the reasons Arsenal needed (and still needs) to improve their depth is so that the cup competitions aren’t throwaways.
Last season, Arsenal drew West Ham in this round of the competition. Mikel Arteta deployed a heavily rotated lineup that lost 3-1 and that was that. I don’t mean to say the players didn’t try, but the performance was flat and it didn’t seem as if anyone, from the manager on down, was too bothered by going out of the competition.
Bolton aren’t West Ham. The Gunners should win at home against a League One side, even with a rotated lineup. The biggest question mark is in goal and that could be problem point for Mikel Arteta. The Gunners are set to start 16-year old Jack Porter in goal because David Raya is carrying a slight knock, Neto is cup-tied, and both Tommy Setford and Lucas Nygaard aren’t fit. The Arsenal goalkeepers available for today’s match are the 16-year old Porter, 17-year old Khari Ranson, and 18-year old Alexei Rojas. Even with the expected talent disparity between a rotated Arsenal lineup and Bolton, you never know what you’re going to get from a teenage goalkeeper making his first senior appearance.
Arsenal will be without Leandro Trossard, who fortunately can serve his one-match suspension for picking up two yellows against Manchester City. Martin Ødegaard is expected to be out until at least November. Mikel Merino could return in mid- to late-October. Takehiro Tomiyasu’s status is a question mark. Oleksandr Zinchenko is expected to miss several weeks with his recurring calf problem, Mikel Arteta revealed in his pre-match press conference. Jurrien Timber reportedly did not stay with the team at the hotel last night, so he won’t be in the matchday squad.
Arsenal – Porter, Nichols, Kiwior, Calafiori, Lewis-Skelly, Rice, Jorginho, Nwaneri, Saka, Sterling, Jesus
WHO: Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers
WHAT: The EFL/Carabao Cup 4th Round
WHERE: The Emirates Stadium, London
WHEN: Wednesday, September 25th, 11:45 am PT | 2:45 pm ET | 7:45 pm GMT
HOW TO WATCH: Streaming live on the Paramount+ app
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