It’s another game in this hectic schedule for The Arsenal this evening and with a potential League Cup final place at stake if Arsenal manage to overcome an in-form Newcastle side over two legs, it’s going to be a really tricky game against a side who will fancy their chances with the way they are playing.

Newcastle are looking good if you look at their recent matches. They picked up a good win away at The Scum (even if they did have a slice of luck with some of the decisions that went their way), they went to Old Trafford and turned over United, before that they gave Villa a bit of a shellacking on their own patch (although Villa did play two-thirds of the game with ten men). So they’ve had a very good Christmas period and you have to go back a month before they last tasted defeat, which was away to a Brentford side who have been imperious at home.

So they will go into this game fancying their chances, but I suspect their game plan will be very different in both legs. If I was given a shiny free one pound coin to place a bet on how they will set up, it will be to replicate the dark arts of two season’s ago; you remember, right? We get accused of time wasting but on that day the ball was in place for a record amount of time – in a negative way. Newcastle slowed everything down, took forever on corners, goal kicks, throw ins and more. They got the 0-0 they wanted that day but of course when any Arsenal fan talked about their gamesmanship, we were given a “stop moaning” from the media and other fans. These days when we take longer on throw ins or corners, we’re the masters of the dark arts and it should be eradicated from the game. Figures.

But that’s what Newcastle will come for tonight; they will come for a dirty, dirty, low blow and then look to spring counter attack surprises when they can. Their danger will come from Isak – who is in form at the moment and scored with basically their only chance at St James’ when we played there early in the season and they will hope to replicate the 0-0 of two season’s ago just like history repeated itself this season on their own patch.

For us, it’s yet more injury problems, as Nwaneri won’t be able to be counted on now until at least the end of January / beginning of February. It’s just yet another body blow to a squad that is already thin on the ground and whilst this competition normally allows for rotation in it, given the proximity to the final itself, if I’m Mikel Arteta I’m going strong tonight and resting players in the FA Cup at the weekend against United. We’re the other big clubs got handed opportunities to play smaller teams not in the Premier League for their FA Cup ties, meaning they can rotate heavily, we won’t be given that chance. But for a change I think you have to go heavier in your squad rotation at the weekend rather than now. Especially because it is over two legs.

So for me my starting XI for tonight’s game has to be:

Raya

Timber – Saliba – Gabriel – Calafior

Partey

Ødegaard – Rice

Jesus – Havertz – Trossard

I’ve gone with Trossard because of his close control and ability to operate more effectively in small spaces compared to Martinelli, but also because I think Newcastle will go with Livramento again and he had a good game at St James’ Park against Gabby. In a foot race he can keep up with him, but I think we’re going to have all of the ball, we’re going to be trying to break down a low block and I think Trossard is better in that regard. His form hasn’t been amazing in terms of end product, but he’s started to show a few signs of life recently from the bench I think, so I’d be giving him a go. Then I’d be looking at Martinelli for the weekend.

I also think that given we are likely facing a Newcastle team wanting to be hitting us in transition when the ball turns over whilst they’re sat in a low block, somebody like Rice covering the ground is more effective than Merino in that left eight. Merino has been decent of late and is starting to improve, but he still feels a little chuggy when going back towards his own goal. That’s just eye test and what I see rather than any specific data to back it up, but one of Rice’s super powers – as we all know – is his ability to cover ground across the pitch.

Of course I’m speculating this side based on the illness that went through the camp to have fully cleared, because we played Brighton three days ago and Havertz and Ødegaard were still not right and Rice had been affected too. I just hope that we’ve overcome the bug and those players are a bit better and back to their old selves a little more.

It’s probably not going to be a fun watch tonight. Teams have seen the blueprint of a dirty Low Block FC approach to us at The Emirates and many will try to replicate that, especially Newcastle tonight. If they can make this as grubby as possible and then take us back to St James’ Park in a couple of weeks time level or even ahead, it puts them in the driving seat for a trip to Wembley. Everyone has started talking about how this Arsenal side needs to win a trophy and the League Cup could very well be that catalyst Arteta needs. But the job needs to be done tonight and in a few week’s time to make that discussion relevant.

Let’s hope we do the business.

Catch you all tomorrow.