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Arsenal v Wigan, Tuesday 11th November, KO 7:45pm, Live on Sky Sports


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Arsène Wenger has named his 18-man squad for tonight's Fourth Round Carling Cup tie against Wigan Athletic at Emirates Stadium.French midfielder Amaury Bischoff is included in the squad and could make his first-team debut following his summer transfer from Werder Bremen. Bischoff impressed for the reserves last week with a stunning strike in a 2-0 victory over Fulham.The squad is as follows...12 Carlos VELA16 Aaron RAMSEY17 Alex SONG19 Jack WILSHERE20 Johan DJOUROU21 Lukasz FABIANSKI (GK)24 Vito MANNONE (GK)28 Amaury BISCHOFF35 Francis COQUELIN39 Rui FONTE40 Kieran GIBBS41 Gavin HOYTE42 Henri LANSBURY43 Fran MERIDA46 Abu OGOGO47 Mark RANDALL50 Jay SIMPSON56 Emmanuel FRIMPONG
Arsène Wenger believes that Lukasz Fabianski is hot on the heels of Arsenal’s first choice goalkeeper Manuel Almunia. The Polish stopper captained a young Arsenal side to an emphatic 6-0 victory in the Carling Cup Third Round against Sheffield United in September and Wenger is likely to continue with Fabianski between the sticks in the next round against Wigan tonight. Speaking ahead of his side’s tie against Steve Bruce’s Latics, the Arsenal manager was full of praise for Almunia’s understudy, insisting that the Pole has an important role to play in the Gunners’ season. “He is pushing very hard,” said Wenger. “I know Manuel Almunia is a great competitor with Fabianski, he would be the first to acknowledge that. Every time Fabianski has an opportunity to play he does very well.“It is vital [to have two top class goalkeepers]. I believe we have four good goalkeepers, two of which are ready, experience-wise, to play at that level. The other two are pushing very hard as well. I am convinced that with only one goalkeeper you do not have a chance in a season like ours.”
If Lukasz Fabianski has his way, he'll get his hands on some silverware before William Gallas does this season.The Polish goalkeeper would love to see his French team-mate hold aloft the Premier League trophy, the Champions League trophy and the FA Cup - and preferably all three - but before that Fabianski is determined to lift the Carling Cup at Wembley in February.The 23-year-old has captained Arsenal's Carling Cup kids since making his second start for the Club in the Fourth-Round win at Sheffield United last season. It's strange to think of Fabianski as the 'old man' of any side - he has only made 11 first-team appearances - but it's a responsibility the affable Pole relishes as he prepares for this term's Fourth-Round test against Wigan."I was really really happy to be named captain and also I think it's a big honour to be a captain of that kind of team in this kind of club," Fabianski told Arsenal.com."We just want to win the Carling Cup now and I hope it is me who gets to lift the trophy. It is a long way until that though so I am just going to focus on the next game against Wigan."They are a really good team. They have had some good results already this season, and I have seen that they have a physical team, they have big boys in the squad. I am really looking forward to the game and I am really happy because it's a team from the Premier League."With six clean sheets in his 10 starts to date, Fabianski is already challenging Manuel Almunia for the No 1 spot. And if he gets to lift a Cup in three months' time, the Pole will emulate a very famous Arsenal custodian - David Seaman, who captained the side to victory at the 2003 FA Cup Final in Cardiff.Fabianski chuckles at the comparison. "You cannot compare me at the moment to David Seaman!" he insists. "I am at the beginning - I hope - of my road at Arsenal. At the moment I am happy to be captain in the Carling Cup but I have to look forward and show the best of myself in every training session and every game."
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12 Arsenal Reserve team players have been added to Arsene Wenger’s squad for tomorrow’s Carling Cup clash with Wigan, Young Guns can reveal.Portuguese Under 19 International Rui Fonte, on loan from Sporting Lisbon, has made the first team squad for a competitive fixture for the first time in his Arsenal career, whilst midfielders Emmanuel Frimpong, Francis Coquelin and Mark Randall retain places after being involved in the previous round at home to Sheffield United.Rui has 3 goals for Neil Banfield’s Reserves this campaign, and after improving his physique and adapting his playing style to suit the English game, his hard work has been rewarded. A place on the bench seems most likely, with Jay Simpson set to partner Carlos Vela in attack.
Predicted Starting XIFabianskiHoyte - Song - Djourou - GibbsWilshere - Randall - Ramsey - MeridaSimpson - VelaThe Squad In FullGoalkeepers:Fabianski - MannoneDefenders:Ogogo - Hoyte - Song - Djourou - GibbsMidfielders:Bischoff - Wilshere - Lansbury - Coquelin - Frimpong - Ramsey - Randall - MeridaStrikers:Simpson - Fonte - Vela
would prefer
FabianskiHoyte - Song - Djourou - GibbsWilshere - Randall - Ramsey - Merida
The Hoff Vela
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Gavin Hoyte is used to watching Arsenal's senior stars in action at Emirates Stadium. On Tuesday night he hopes they will enjoy watching the Club's Carling Cup kids.That's exactly what happened at the end of September when Hoyte and company put on a show in the Third Round of the competition and hit Sheffield United for six. Arsenal's big names were among an admiring audience and, evidently, they even played their own small part in the victory."The first team helped us before the game," revealed Hoyte. "They came around the dressing room and shook our hands. They gave us a bit more confidence and they wished us luck."It wasn't just the first team though. I talk to my brother, [former Gunner] Justin, before most games and he just told me to be confident and play my normal game. He encourages me. I think we all wanted to impress and we did that, we showed everyone what we can do."Before the game I looked around and you quickly realise you're playing in front of a packed house at Emirates Stadium and it's just brilliant, but you have to try and play your normal game. You saw how we played - we did that."Hoyte's steady display at right back suggested he has a bright future in the game and underlined his versatility - he actually prefers a more central role. Now the Reserve team captain has his sights set on a repeat performance when Wigan provide even tougher opposition in the Fourth Round."The Sheffield United game was brilliant and there were a lot of youngsters playing, including a lot of young English players. But that game has gone now and we have to move on and keep playing," said Hoyte."Wigan is a totally different team, a Premier League team, and they will give us a different test. Hopefully it will be the same side as last time and we can give another good performance."
Fran Merida believes that his loan spell at Real Sociedad last season provided him with a crucial introduction to the rigours of first-team football. Merida could play in Arsenal’s Carling Cup tie against Wigan tonight as Arsène Wenger looks set to continue his policy of blooding youngsters in the competition, and the Spaniard knows the importance of adjusting to the big stage. In reserve team football, it is development and not results that is of paramount concern but, thanks to his loan spell, the 18-year-old now understands the pressure of playing for points. “You need to win every week and there is a pressure from the fans – they get crowds of 25,000 every week,” explained Merida. “The teams are very good and they are all quite close to each other. “I had to get used to playing to win and only to win but it was a good experience and I really enjoyed it. I was very happy because I know that league. I am Spanish and I follow a lot of football so I knew that the league is a very hard one.” “I had watched these players on TV and now I was playing with them or against them. It was nice and it helped me massively.”
Arsène Wenger has made his fair share of surprising signings down the years but the Arsenal manager still managed to raise a few eyebrows with his summer swoop for Amaury Bischoff.Born in France, capped in Portugal and discovered in Germany, Bischoff had just one senior appearance for Werder Bremen under his belt and was hampered by a long-term injury when he moved to Emirates Stadium in August. However, the 21-year-old is already repaying Wenger's faith. Since recovering from his second groin operation, Bischoff has made three appearances for Arsenal Reserves and opened his account with a spectacular strike in last week's win against Fulham.Bischoff has shown enough fitness and form to earn a place in Wenger's squad for tonight's Carling Cup tie against Wigan. The Frenchman believes that one of his biggest transfer market gambles is beginning to pay dividends."Bischoff was a complete gamble because he was completely free," admitted Wenger."We reached our first target because we have got him ready to play football again. The second target is to get him ready to play at the top level. We are nearly there, he is not completely there yet physically but he is getting closer. " he is a good understander of the game. At the top level he can combine the fact that he is technically very good and he is a very intelligent football player. That is why we have made him come here. "He can play out wide, or centrally in the final third."
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