Preview: Arsenal v. Ipswich Town, Carling Cup Semi-Final, Second Leg

Will the Diminutive Russian start tonight? Will he find his form again? Pic via Guardian.

Emirates Stadium, London

Tuesday, January 25

7:45 p.m. GMT, 2:45 p.m. EST
Ipswich Town leads 1-0

• Referee: Mark Halsey
• All-Time in All Competitions: 29 Arsenal wins, 18 Ipswich wins, 11 draws
• All-Time in League Cup: 1 Arsenal win, 2 Ipswich wins, 1 draw
• Arsenal's Premier League Form: W-D-W-D-W-W
• Ipswich's Championship Form: L-W-D-L-L-W

Predicted Line-Up

mostly guesses

Szczesny

Eboue - Koscielny - Djourou - Gibbs

Song - Wilshere

Nasri - Fabregas - Arshavin

Chamakh

Subs from: Shea, Sagna, Clichy, Denilson, Walcott, Bendtner, van Persie

Out: Fabianski (shoulder), Rosicky (illness), Squillaci (hamstring), Diaby (calf), Almunia (ankle), Vermaelen (Achilles)

Arsenal News and Notes

• So, how much rotation?
• Full backs: I would not be shocked if both Sagna and Clichy were rested.
• Center backs: Looks like Koscielny and Djourou again, out of necessity. Squillaci returns to training this week and should play in the FA Cup Sunday.
• Holding midfield: I've listed both Song and Wilshere to start, but I know that's wishful thinking. You just know Denilson will play. Abou Diaby could also return Sunday.
• Attacking midfield: If Arsenal wants to control the creative flow, I think both Fabregas and Nasri should start. Drop Bendtner from the starting forwards from the Leeds match last week. More wishful thinking?
• Center forward: Tough call; I think Chamakh will start with van Persie the possibly necessary impact substitute.
• Arsenal have kept clean sheets in every league match played in 2011, but have allowed one goal in each cup match against Championship sides (Leeds twice and Ipswich in the first leg.)
• Since losing at Ipswich, Arsenal have won three straight, scoring three in each of those matches. Robin van Persie has six of those goals. Samir Nasri, Theo Walcott, and Bacary Sagna have the other three.

Ipswich News and Notes

• Ipswich Town have no fresh injury concerns, but midfielder Lee Martin is cup-tied.
• Ipswich have not won a domestic trophy since the 1978 FA Cup, when they beat Arsenal.
• The Tractor Boys took a 1-0 lead into the second leg of the League Cup Semi-Final in 2001 against Birmingham City. They went down 1-0 in the second leg, forcing extra time, where they lost 4-1, 4-2 on aggregate.
• Ipswich have not won in six road competitive fixtures. They only need a draw today to reach Wembley.

Match Facts

• Tamas Priskin had the 78th minute goal to give Ipswich the 1-0 lead after the first leg.
• Arsenal have reached this stage of the League Cup 14 times, but have advanced to the Final only six times and have won it only twice (1987 against Liverpool and 1993 against Sheffield Wednesday.)
• Arsenal beat Ipswich twice by 2-0 scores during Town's last year in the top flight, 2001/02.

The Referee

• The referee is Lancashire-based Mark Halsey.
• Halsey's only prior Arsenal match this year was the 2-0 win at Wolves. Arsenal could really use a goal within 40 seconds in this one, as Marouane Chamakh had at Molineux in November.
• Halsey's last Ipswich Town match came in an FA Cup tie, on January 5, 2008. Ipswich were down to ten men in 24 minutes and lost at home to Portsmouth 1-0.

Around the League

• Tuesday, League: Blackpool v. Manchester United; Bloomfield Road, Blackpool
• Tuesday, League: Wigan Athletic v. Aston Villa; DW Stadium, Wigan
• Wednesday, Carling Cup: Birmingham City v. West Ham United; St. Andrew's, Birmingham (West Ham leads 2-1)
• Wednesday, League: Liverpool v. Fulham; Anfield, Liverpool