Arsenal fans are travelling to West Bridgford for their FA Cup third round clash against Nottingham Forest tomorrow. Sun Bet have favoured the Gunners 7/2 to score in the first 15 minutes of the game. And why should they not?
They are the most successful English club in the competition with 13 FA Cup trophies so far and gunning to add more to that cabinet.
After a gruelling Christmas period, this tie comes as a favourable matchup before a well-deserved rest for the entire team. Arsenal miraculously kept their rivals, Chelsea at bay in their opening game of the year. Their vulnerable defence almost allowed the Blues to run away with another win but somehow they managed to get the 2-2 draw through the incompetence of Alvaro Morata.
Arsene Wenger’s side has opened up a considerable 5 point gap with 4th place Liverpool and are in trouble of not qualifying for the Champions League again this season if they do not win the Europa League of course.
Wenger will have to play his cards right in the coming weeks and pick out a replacement for Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil rather than waiting for the season to end. Although the league title is no longer a possibility, silverware of any form is a must, and progressing to the next round of this domestic competition is therefore obligatory.
Nottingham Forest have dropped to the bottom half of the EFL Championship table with a 5 game winless run and are without a manager at the helm. Although an upset is not completely ruled out, they will have to figure out a way to take out the defending champions.
Arsene Wenger is expected to field his men in the 3-4-1-2 formation.
Defence
David Ospina’s role as a “cup keeper” should see him get featured in between the sticks for this matchup.
Shkodran Mustafi and Calum Chambers are expected to get a breather with Per Mertesacker, Mathieu Debuchy and Rob Holding fielded in the defensive back three.
Midfield
Sead Kolasinac is still nursing an injury on the sidelines while Hector Bellerin is expected to get an extended break. Reiss Nelson might take up the right wing back spot and Ainsley Maitland-Niles, the left.
Francis Coquelin and Mohamed Elneny should feature in the holding midfield roles.
Joe Willock impressed played in the 1-0 League Cup win against West Ham and is a predicted starter in the attacking midfield role behind the two strikers.
Attack
With Olivier Giroud sidelined and Alexandre Lacazette on a consecutive game run, Danny Welbeck and Theo Walcott is expected to pair up in the striker positions. The combination of strength and pace from the duo will be tough for the opposition defence to handle.
