Carling Cup Preview

The Carling Cup returns for Arsenal tonight at The Emirates, they are playing against Owen Coyle’s Bolton. Expect Arsène Wenger to make several changes to the team that started against Stoke on Sunday. Players like Van Persie, Mikel Arteta, Alex Song will be rested tonight, as they will all start against Chelsea next Saturday. In recent weeks Arsenal have been in good form winning six of their last seven games.

Yesterday Arsenal trained ahead of their Carling Cup match which saw a number of Reserve players training with some of the first team. Arsenal second choice goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski is set to make his second appearance of the season tonight for the north London side.

A major boost for the gunners is Belgium international Thomas Vermaelen is inline to start the match tonight after being out for the last two months after having surgery on his left Achilles. He will captain the side tonight and likely to be partnered at the heart of the defence with Sébastien Squillaci. With Andres Santos expected to be rested and Kieran Gibbs still injured, Ignasi Miquel might play in unfamiliar role at left back.

Young Guns broke the news yesterday that England U-19’s player Nico Yennaris is expected to make his Arsenal debut and playing at right back tonight. He’s been first choice right back for Neil Banfield side this season but he is versatile and his preferred position is in midfield.

Francis Coquelin and Emmanuel Frimpong are likely to continue their midfield partnership which we saw in the previous round against Shrewsbury Town. Experience midfielder Thomas Rosicky could play in the advanced attacking role in the midfield trio. But the Czech international starting depends on Marouane Chamakh not playing. This is because Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Yossi Benayoun are main candidates to operate both wings. Arsène Wenger has already confiemd Chu Young-Park will start tonight if it’s as the alone striker then their are doubts Chamakh will feature.

The bench will be similar to what it was in the previous round against Shrewsbury Town. Vito Mannone has returned from injury and will come in for a place on the bench. Providing defensive cover on the bench will be reserve defender Daniel Boateng. After making their Arsenal first team debuts in the last round Oğuzhan Özyakup and Chuks Aneke will both be on the bench. Reserve forward Sanchez Watt who has recently extended his Arsenal contract will be an attacking option on the bench.

Young Japanese attacking midfielder Ryo Miyaichi will once again start on the bench after making his debut in the last round coming on as a second half substitute. I’ve only named six substitutes the over one could be a player from the Reserve team.

Owen Coyle has confirmed Adam Bogdan, Gretar Steinsson, Ricardo Gardner, Mark Davies, Fabrice Muamba, Gael Kakuta, Tuncay and Ivan Klasnic will all start for Bolton tonight.

If you were going by form then you would expect an Arsenal win but both sides will have many changes in their line ups so it’s hard to predict.

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