1 year ago
69
Key events Show key events only Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature
We have a broad appeal.
“Why a harsh penalty?” asks Tim Stappard. “It was a penalty nowadays. Arsenal look rubbish.”
I just think his arm has to go down like that to break his fall.
Mary Waltz wants to take the positives out of that half: “Keeping a clean sheet against the Gunners, even for just one half, is a small victory for Oxford. They will lose but they have to be happy.”
I would like to apologise for suggesting that Arsenal looked half decent at one point.
Andy ‘not that one’ Flintoff: “Re Stuart Campbell at 38 mins - as soon as the referees clamp down on unsporting behaviour (shouting at assistants, arguing with the ref, diving etc), they get pilloried for victimising players, when all they’re doing is enforcing the laws of the game, so they can’t really win. Admittedly, it would help if the various FAs supported them in doing so, rather than back down as soon as there’s any blowback.”
Half time: Oxford 0-0 Arsenal
We are yet to have a shot on target.
45 mins: One minute added on.
44 mins: A long Tierney throw is flicked on to Nketiah inside the six-yard box but he mistimes his shot and volleys the ball nowhere near the net.
42 mins: Martinelli gets the ball off Anderson on the halfway and looks to sprint away. He makes it to the edge of the box but the defender gets back to him and performs a perfect tackle.
40 mins: Arsenal seem to be getting a little frustrated with themselves at their inability to threaten the Oxford goal. We are yet to have a shot on target.
38 mins: Samuel Campbell ponders: “Although I think that probably could have been a penalty why is the referee allowing the Arsenal players and Gabriel in particular who will have run from centre half, to surround him and get in his face like that. Start handing out cards and it will soon stop. For some reason the powers that be in football seem to want to encourage this behaviour.”
I suspect the lack of VAR will have Arsenal more keen to put pressure on the referee.
36 mins: Lokonga thwacks a shot at goal but it hits Moore on the arm and goes out for a corner. It would be a harsh penalty but that does not stop the Arsenal players surrounding the ref. There is, however, no VAR tonight.
34 mins: Tierney drives from the left flank into the box, laying it off to Saka, who can’t find space to shoot and sends it back to Vieira to put in a bad cross.
32 mins: McGinty takes a free-kick, slipping over in the process, but it does make it to Taylor in the box; he shoots from a tight angle and it goes wide, although he wants a corner that the officials are unwilling to give.
30 mins: Although Arsenal are not at their fluid best, I get the feeling they will get a goal before half time and go on to win by two or three.
We have out first viewing of fans watching from the top of a van in the car park. Lovely stuff.
28 mins: Saka is booed the next time he gets the ball thanks to his rolling around. He makes it into the box but that man Brown blocks his cross to end the danger.
“What with your Romanian in-laws, are you fluent in Romanian, Will?” asks Joe Pearson. You will be shocked to hear my Romanian is awful.
26 mins: Saka is down holding his ankle after Brown nips in to beat the Arsenal winger to the ball, catching him in the process. He eventually gets up.
Alan Baverstock points out: “Marcus McGuane there in midfield for Oxford, once the future of Arsenal, and then the first Englishman to play for Barcelona since Gary Lineker.”
He gave it a go abroad, even going on loan to the Netherlands but decided to come back to the UK.
24 mins: Vieira is sloppy in the middle of the park and is dispossessed. The ball is moved to the edge of the box and Brannagan eventually has a shot but it is blocked. Arsenal really need to be smarter and quicker in possession.
22 mins: Oxford have a nice spell of possession in the vicinity of the opposition box but cannot find a gap in the Arsenal defence.
Lucian Stănescu emails about Oxford’s Stephan Negru. “more on names: what better way to underline your dual citizenship than going for an Irish first name and a Romanian/Moldavian family name? (in Romania/Moldova you would have spelled that Ștefan.).
“Other than that, go Arsenal!”
Multumesc Lucian.
20 mins: Chants of “boring, boring Arsenal” comes from the home fans. The Gunners might just up their game soon.
“Is Turner simply the best goalkeeper on the pitch tonight?” suggests Admir Pajic. “If Arteta replaces Rob Holding with an eventual match-winner, would that mean Holding’s out for a hero?”
I will leave you to work those out.
18 mins: Arsenal are switching play with ease and are starting to dominate proceedings.
“Is there a story behind Arsenal players not having names on their shirts?” asks David Sweet.
Yes, they are for the ‘No More Red’ campaign against youth violence.
16 mins: Martinelli pings the ball across the pitch to Saka who waits for Tomiyasu on the overlap but his driven cross is collected by McGinty.
14 mins: Tierney launches a long throw into the area, it is flicked on into the six-yard box but is volleyed clear from the middle of the goalmouth.
12 mins: Arsenal win a couple of corners in quick succession on the left. Vieira is in charge of them and forces two good headers from Brown to clear the danger.
10 mins: The stadium seems pretty subdued. One would think the fans are needed to get the players going in a cup tie. I was at Chesterfield on Saturday and the home support was pretty relentless.
8 mins: Murphy gets into space on the right and chips a ball into the six-yard box but Turner comes to collect and releases it early to start a counter. A foul on the halfway line stops the attack.
6 mins: Oxford are passing the ball around pretty well and do not seem fazed by Arsenal press.
4 mins: Arsenal give the ball away on the edge of their own box, McGuane tries to take it into the area but his touch sends it to Turner, who gladly collects. Arsenal need to switch on.
2 mins: The pitch looks a touch patchy, which might explain Oxford’s Long passing the ball straight out for a throw-in in his own half.
Kick off
Peep! Peep! Peep! Here we go!
“Fabio Vieira is not going to get many chances to show that he could be a reasonable understudy for Martin Ødegaard, so he’d better make a good showing tonight,” writes Charles Antaki. “In games so far he’s ranged from cool to tepid to slightly warm in patches. A touch or two on the thermostat would do him a lot of good tonight.”
The players are out on the pitch!
More on names. This time from Jeff Sachs: “Yoav in Hebrew means God is the father And the name represents leadership and charisma.”
Sergei Nirenburg emails regarding Yoav Sade: “The spelling is playing games with us. SaDE(H) means field in Hebrew. Quite a few of very famous people in the history of Israel had this name.”
Is this nominative determinism?
Karl Robinson: “I think when the draw was made I said I wanted a team that would capture the community.
“We do like to dominate possession of the ball but I am not sure we will be able to do that tonight. We do not compromise, we want to be the best version of ourselves.
“When you play in these games you want to play against the best players.”
How many will be watching from a car roof?
The Guardian’s Karen Carney is in the studio. I am not sure her next column will be about Oxford.
“Can you comment on whether or not Oxford substitute Sade is a smooth operator?” asks Peter Oh.
With a first name like Yoav, I reckon they are as smooth as they come.
“Burgers and Fries? I thought you folks insisted on calling them ‘Chips’. What gives?” asks Joe Pearson. (Peter Oh basically sent the same email but seconds later).
Huge American following in Oxford.
Get in the mood for the game with Nick Ames’ chat with Steve Perryman. I would have interviewed Ray Houghton personally, but each to their own.
That is a pretty strong Arsenal team. No shortage of regular starters in team and plenty more ammunition on the bench.
Starting lineups
Oxford United: McGinty, Anderson, Moore, Long, Brown, McGuane, Bate, Brannagan, Bodin, Taylor, Murphy
Subs: Eastwood, Fleming, Findlay, Johnson, Goodrham, Negru, Wildschut, Sade, O’Donkor
Arsenal: Turner, Tomiyasu, Holding, Gabriel, Tierney, Elneny, Lokonga, Vieira, Saka, Martinelli, Nketiah
Subs: Hein, White, Zinchenko, Party, Odegaard, Smith Rowe, Marquinhos, Butler-Oyedeji
Hello
There have been a few shocks already in the third round. League Two Stevenage have dumped out Aston Villa, while League One’s Sheffield Wednesday have sent Newcastle packing, not to mention Wrexham downing Coventry.
Tonight we have another chance of an upset. Oxford are hosting the best team in the country, Arsenal. A win for Karl Robinson’s side would be the greatest turn up for the books in this year’s competition thus far, mainly thanks to how well Mikel Arteta’s side are doing.
Oxford are set for a season of mid-table mediocrity. They currently sit 15th in the third tier but they will be backed by the majority of the three-sided Kassam Stadium, with a few stragglers expected to be on top of vans in the car park to get a glimpse of the Premier League leaders in town.
The good news for Oxford is that Arsenal will make some changes to give a few fringe players a chance to show what they can do in a pressurised environment. Some might not fancy a cold night in Oxford and could be caught out by their lesser opponents. Some, however, will be desperate to prove they are good enough to play regularly in the Premier League and that should worry Oxford.
Let’s hope for a cracker.
Kick-off: 8pm GMT.
English (US)