Arsenal still feature in all competitions, but Mikel Arteta will need to negotiate a busy schedule in the final stages of the season if he continues to aim for a quadruple.
Mikel Arteta is certain to rotate his squad ahead of the FA Cup fourth round tie against Wigan Athletic (Image: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
Emirates will be packed to capacity and Arsenal supporters will be able to watch some of their players perform well in the big televised match. However, Arsenal supporters, I have a simple question. What was the best result for the FA Cup fourth round match against Wigan Athletic? A win? Or is it a loss? Seriously.
OK, losing would ruin the quadruple, but honestly, you’ve won four trophies (all FA Cups) in the last 20 seasons, so why do you seriously believe you can win four in one season?
And football’s ridiculous calendar means something probably has to give. No one at Arsenal would be thinking of forcing an FA Cup tie, but at this point a loss to Wigan wouldn’t be a total disaster.
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And to that end, all domestic football authorities, including the EFL, Premier League and FA, have a responsibility. Not to mention UEFA and FIFA. Because among those authorities’ “crimes” was allowing the FA Cup final to be held on the penultimate weekend of the domestic season.
It’s a really scary decision. Last season was the first year of a six-year deal, with the final being held on the Saturday before the final weekend of the Premier League season.
Not only was it a new dagger to the history and tradition of the great Games, but it also had practical implications. Imagine if Arsenal deservedly beat Wigan in the fourth round.
And imagine they reach the final on May 16, the day before they are scheduled to play Burnley at home in the Premier League, and eight days before the final game of the Premier League season at Crystal Palace. Perhaps the game against Burnley could be postponed to May 19 or 20, just before the final at Selhurst Park on May 24.
Declan Rice is approaching the milestone of 50 appearances for club and country this season (Image: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
Now, let’s imagine – and it’s actually not that difficult – that the Premier League title race continues until the last few games. More than 20 seasons have passed since they last won the Premier League. We all know their priorities. The Premier League is a mile away.
That could lead to the ridiculous situation where Mikel Arteta rests the likes of Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka for the FA Cup final… because there are more important games ahead of them. That would never happen if the FA Cup final was what it was supposed to be: the final match of the domestic season.
It’s no wonder Rice looked broken in a recent postgame TV interview. Since the start of the season, he has played 42 games for club and country.
Rice could play an additional 27 games by the end of the season if he plays in two international friendlies in March. Total madness.
Bukayo Saka has not started a game since January 25, but came on as a late substitute in Arsenal’s last Premier League game (Image: (Photo by Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty Images))
Piers Morgan posted this message on social media during Thursday night’s 1-1 draw with Brentford. “Good luck, Arenal. If we’re going to win the league, we need more drive, more passion, more ferocity.”
fair enough. But drive, passion, and ferocity don’t come easily on the treadmill of this grueling game. It is true that manager Arteta can rest his players against Wigan, and if they win, he has the right to rest them beyond the fifth round.
But he can’t just be in charge of children and reservists. He cannot and will not insult his competitors. He and everyone associated with Arsenal will be desperately aiming for a win today. And of course he wants to win all four.
That would be a dream. But for Arteta and Arsenal, it wouldn’t be the end of the world if that dream ended today.
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