Gooner Talk

Arsenal head coach Arsene Wenger named his youngest ever team for Tuesday evening’s third round Carling Cup clash with Championship side Sheffield United.

Wales Under-21 midfielder Aaron Ramsey, 16-year-old Jack Wilshere, reserve team captain Gavin Hoyte, Kieran Gibbs and Mark Randall all started, while first-year scholar Emmanuel Frimpong, also 16, and Jay Emmanuel-Thomas, 17, were on the bench at Emirates Stadium.
 

Arsenal Starting XI

Fabianski
G.Hoyte – Djourou – Song – Gibbs
Wilshere – Ramsey – Randall – Merida
Bendtner – Vela
 
Sheff Utd:

Kenny
Halford – Morgan – Kilgallon – Naysmith
Cotterill – Speed – Quinn – Montgomery
Beattie – Webber

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As if the first team wasn’t youthful enough, Gunners manager Arsène Wenger has consistently used the Carling Cup to blood promising youngsters. Expect, then, to get a first home glimpse of Welsh wonderkid Aaron Ramsey and maybe even teenage English winger Jack Wilshere who impressed in pre-season. The thinness of the squad, however, may also mean a start for surprise centre-back signing Mikael Silvestre.

Sheffield United will be a stern test and boast plenty of Premier League experience with one-time England defender Ugo Ehiogu, former England striker James Beattie, as well as midfielder Gary Speed who seems to have been around since decimalisation. Kevin Blackwell’s side will fancy their chances against a club with one eye on forthcoming Champions League encounters.

Arsenal met Sheffield United in last year’s Carling Cup fourth round. Croatian striker Eduardo da Silva scored a brace and Denilson added a third as a young Arsenal side strolled into the last eight. The Gunners were eventually eliminated by Tottenham Hotspur in the last four.

Fabianski
G.Hoyte – Djourou – Song – Gibbs
Wilshere – Ramsey – Randall – Merida
Bendtner – Vela

Match Prediction: Arsenal 2-0 Sheffield United

Arsenal v Sheffield United is unfortunately not being broadcast on live TV but it should be avaliable online with p2p streams likely to be posted.

Catch all the post-match reaction and player ratings here on Gooner Talk seconds after the final whistle.

Leave your views and predictions of tomorrows game in the comments section below.

Johan Djourou has signed a new, long-term contract with Arsenal which will reportedly see him stay at the club until 2012.

The 21-year-old Switzerland international centre-back joined the Gunners from Etoile Carouge in 2003.

Born in the Ivory Coast but raised in Geneva, Djourou has made four appearances this season most recently coming off the bench to replace injured Gael Clichy in the win over Bolton on Saturday which sent the Gunners top of the Premier League.

He is set to come in for Kolo Toure tomorrow evening and claim a place in the Arsenal XI against Sheffield United – a match where Johan will be the most experienced defender on the pitch.

Djourou has made 51 appearances for the Gunners, including 3 in the 2006/07 season.

Arsene Wenger’s Young guns face Sheffield United in the Carling Cup this Tuesday, with the youngsters and squad players expected to get a full 90 minutes. That means Nicklas Bendtner and Carlos Vela will most likely partner each other on the night. We saw their frightening partnership in pre-season against Burgenland, Stuttgart and Ajax and they will look to continue that form Tuesday night.

Who ever saw pre-season will know that Bendtner and Vela have a great vision of each others game, with Bendtner dropping off to win headers and playing the ball in behind for the runs that the Mexican makes.

Personally, I think Bendtner can play alongside any striker at Arsenal like he proved he can play with Adebayor on Saturday at Bolton. But I think Bendtner combines the most with Carlos Vela, I feel the two can terrorise defences in the Carling Cup with the ” Big man, Little man ” combination and this partnership could end up winning us the trophy.

Predicted Line-Up:

Fabianski

G.Hoyte – Djourou – Silvestre – Gibbs

Wilshere – Ramsey – Randall – Merida

Bendtner – Vela

So what do you think people, are you looking forward to seeing the two in competitive action for the first time since that pre-season form, or would you prefer a different strikeforce?  Give your views over at Nicklas Bendtner News – the number one blog for all things Bendtner!

So here we are once again. Transfer deadline day. One of the most exciting days of the year or one of the most unnecessary? Maybe that is a debate for another time.

All the focus is on the Dimitar Berbatov saga, but here at Gooner Talk, we aim to bring you the latest Arsenal transfer news with midnight approaching as faster than ever.

Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso is unlikely to join, mainly because of Gareth Barry’s commitment to Aston Villa. Saint Etienne playmaker Blaise Matuidi has been watched by Gilles Grimandi and a possible move could be on the cards if Arsenal enter late negotiations.

Some surprising names have been linked with the likes of Patrick Vieira and Klaas Jan Huntelaar two of the stars mentioned – the latter committing to Ajax earlier this afternoon.

One player who could certainly sign tonight is Real Madrid defender Christoph Metzelder. The experienced German international is out of favour at the Bernabeu and with Johan Djourou rumoured to be on his way to West Ham, Metzelder may prove to be a firm Gunners target.

What do you think? Will Arsene Wenger go against his words and not get anyone? Or will Arsenal recruit an experience player to boost the squad?

Have you seen a player at the training ground? Are there any rumours that have caught your eye? Leave a comment and give your views here on GoonerTalk.

Reports in Italy today suggest that Arsenal defender Philippe Senderos is close to securing a season-long loan move to Italian giants AC Milan.

The loan, which will see Swiss international Senderos reunite with ex-Gunners’ team-mate Mathieu Flamini, has an option to make the switch permanent which could come into place if the 23-year-old impresses during his spell with the Rossoneri.

Milan have been chasing several Arsenal players since the signing of Mathieu Flamini. Emmanuel Adebayor was strongly linked to a move to the San Siro over the summer, but he finally signed a new Arsenal deal in August.

Arsenal are yet to confirm a deal is done with Senderos, while another Swiss defender, Johan Djourou is still rumoured to be on French side Rennes’ shopping list. Djourou’s departure seems unlikely though, as Arsene Wenger has already let up and coming defender Havard Nordtveit go out on loan.

Last season, Senderos was blamed for some slacking marking that allowed Liverpool to beat the Gunners in the Champions League. Criticised in the press, the Swiss defender took time to recover, although was able to play an important part in Switzerland’s unsuccessful Euro 2008 campaign.

Gooner Talk would like to wish Big Phil a successful spell with AC Milan, and hope to see him impressing for the Italian stars in the near future.