Carabao Cup Preview: Arsenal v West Brom

Emile Smith Rowe - Arsenal v West Brom 2020/2021

Carabao Cup Preview: Arsenal v West Brom

By Jonny Bray


Arsenal will get this year's bid to win a domestic cup underway tomorrow against West Bromwich Albion at the Hawthorns in the Carabao Cup.

The Baggies are adapting to life in the Championship after being relegated from the Premier League at the end of last season.  

However, the Gunners can expect very opposition to the side that lost 3-1 to Mikel Arteta's team at The Emirates back in May.  

Arsenal need some momentum after a difficult start to the season in the league, and a solid opening to this year's Carabao Cup campaign could be vital to getting things back on track.  
 

What can Arsenal expect from West Brom?  

 
West Brom are enjoying an extraordinarily exciting start to life back in the Sky Bet Championship.  

They currently sit in joint second alongside a resurgent Stoke City and a Fulham side that has been talked about as one of the best Championship sides in recent memory.  

They are still undefeated and have just one draw to their name.  

Valérien Ismaël replaced Sam Allardyce as manager after West Brom's relegation from the Premier League last season.  

He's introduced an exciting system, playing predominantly in a 3-4-3 formation that allows him to get the best out of an exciting attacking trio.  

There was some concern that West Brom might be going backwards after selling star player Matheus Pereira to Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal.  

In his place, Callum Robinson has really stepped up, scoring three goals and registering one assist in four appearances.  

Karlan Grant is another player to watch on Wednesday night.  

This season, the 23-year-old has two assists and a goal to his name in four appearances, meaning he's already matched his tally for the previous campaign.  

The Baggies have also returned to the swashbuckling style that got them out of the Championship under Slaven Bilic, and it'll make them tough opposition in a cup competition. 

They've scored 11 goals in four games, conceding five and recording just one clean sheet.  

Keeping Sam Johnstone has been another boost for the West Midlands side.  

The England international has been linked with Arsenal this season, but rightly or wrongly, the recruitment team in North London opted to go with Aaron Ramsdale.  

The window hasn't closed, but his chances of leaving now are slim, and he would undoubtedly be the best keeper in the second tier.  

An unlikely star so far this season has been loanee Matthew Clarke.  

The centre-back, whose parent club is Brighton and Hove Albion, joined in the summer and has been an impressive performer in the Baggies back five in his two appearances this season.  

Bukayo Saka vs West Brom 2020/2021

Who will Arsenal play?  

 
Arsenal have often seen the League Cup as an opportunity to give young talent a chance.  

However, with Arsenal not involved in European competition this season, the League Cup could be a vital opportunity to win a trophy, qualify for European competition next season and build some momentum at a time when the mood at the club is low. 

For that reason, it would be wise to avoid bringing in too many young players for a game against such competent opposition.  

Arsenal could give some exciting fringe players an opportunity to play in this year's competition.  

Reiss Nelson, for example, deserves an opportunity to show what he offers this season.  

Furthermore, West Brom are the perfect opposition because they have some quality to test Nelson but won't be to the same standard as most Premier League opposition this season.  

It could also provide an excellent opportunity to give Bukayo Saka some more game time and could be a chance to provide Gabriel Martinelli a proper run-out.  
 

What can Arsenal fans expect?  

 
Arsenal can expect a tricky game on Wednesday.  

The Baggies are almost certain to provide a stern test, but more worryingly, Arsenal's poor form and years of disappointing performances now mean that you can never be too confident of an Arsenal win.  

It's possible that Arsenal could turn up to the Hawthorns and comfortably put West Brom to the sword.  

However, it's hard not to think the Baggies will put up far more of a fight.  

In fact, it wouldn't surprise me if they stayed in the game until the seventieth or eightieth minute. 
If they're able to do this, then the game could be won on a coin toss. 

Photo Credits: Getty Images

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