Kevin Whitcher
A comfortable evening for Arsenal’s largely second string side. One imagines one of Iwobi or the Ox will start against Sunderland on Saturday, as well as possibly Elneny if Cazorla is not fit to return. More significantly, Olivier Giroud re-entered first team football since his disastrous evening in Paris that saw him red carded, followed by what we were told was a toe injury.
Youngsters Maitland-Niles and ‘The Jeff’ were both given starts as they had been in the previous round against Forest, and we saw good things from both, although the former was guilty of losing the ball once or twice in dangerous positions. Carl Jenkinson returned to first team football after a long injury absence, and obviously needs more game time to get up to speed. It looks safe to assume that Mathieu Debuchy is persona non grata these days, after featuring in the pre-season matches and since disappearing off the radar completely. A shame, as it means Hector Bellerin can never really be rested, and Debuchy is a better option than Jenkinson to come in and do a job.
Reading were not as defensive as Middlesbrough last weekend, and the game was more of a spectacle as a consequence. They enjoyed a couple of sniffs at goal, but some last ditch tackles and a good save from a header by Damien Martinez meant another Arsenal clean sheet. At the other end, Arsenal were for the most part restricted to long range efforts, but the deadlock was broken by some good work at an angle from Oxlade-Chamberlain, who fired low across the keeper to score. Interesting that the Ox was more influential without the likes of Sanchez and Ozil in the side. Alex Iwobi played in the hole, but did not have as impressive a match as one would hope there. He is young, but looks to be having a slight dip in form. Totally understandable, but one wonders who will be selected for Sunderland on Saturday. Might the Ox play wide left? Another option, given the quality of the opposition, is to play the Ox alongside Coquelin if Cazorla is not back.
The goal that made the tie safe in the second half was exactly the type of effort I wanted to see in the last 20 minutes (and earlier would be fine too) against Boro last Saturday. A hard low strike that took a deflection to beat the keeper. Sometimes, there is no harm in a percentage effort. Hit hard enough, the ball can go anywhere and defences can be caught out. Always trying to play through them to pass the ball into the net is more easily countered.
Giroud had a run out and was warmly welcomed by the crowd. If Arsenal are to enjoy a successful season, the Frenchman will have a big role to play, even if he does not start many games. Lucas Perez moved wide to accommodate the HFB. Perez himself tried manfully, but things generally didn't come off. I think he has a better understanding with Ozil and Sanchez than he does with the domestic players he was joined in attack by last night. It’s way too early to draw any conclusions about the player because he simply has not had enough game time in the genuine first eleven. Like Giroud, currently, he looks like he will be an impact sub, but the pecking order may well change as form and injuries dictate selection. It’s certainly good to have options, and most team use the League Cup these days to give their back ups a proper run out.
So it was a case of mission accomplished. Arsenal, at times, were a little lax, but obviously this was an unfamiliar line-up and they could get away with it against this quality of opposition. Stan Kroenke was in the directors’ box but I noticed in the second half he had decided to depart, his seat vacant. Hugely ironic given Martin Wengrow’s impassioned plea that the club try and address the issue of early leavers at Monday’s annual general meeting.
Arsene Wenger has never won this competition in 20 attempts. Granted, it is not one he takes seriously, but this season, the last eight are going to include a good number of non Premier League sides. With the luck of the draw, Arsenal have an excellent chance of making at least the semi-final.
In conclusion, the Ox looks to be finally showing the kind of form that we have seen all too sporadically in the past, although one begs for consistency. It would be hugely frustrating for him not to be selected on Saturday after last night, and on form, he should probably fill in for Iwobi. A capacity crowd enjoyed a comfortable win with a couple of nicely taken goals.
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