With all the focus for Arsenal on the Premier League title even the matches in European competition have felt somewhat of a distraction. Therefore, you would probably be forgiven for not having the utmost enthusiasm for Wednesday’s Carabao Cup tie against Brighton.
It is a match that the visitors are sure to have much further up their own list of priorities this season than the Gunners. Arsenal find themselves in a Premier League title race and have progressed through to the last 16 of the Europa League, both providing potential pathways into next season’s Champions League.
The League Cup meanwhile provides a UEFA Conference League place as a reward along with the silverware itself. Not exactly a motivational factor for a club like Arsenal per se.
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Whilst some may therefore be fine rotating heavily and should the worst happen it certainly won’t be seen too heavily as a negative, there is an argument to the contrary. It is a strange season and the World Cup taking place this winter is freezing the Premier League more so than just some of its pitches.
With no games for six weeks, many clubs, including Arsenal, are heading to warm-weather training camps for some mid-season preparation for the domestic restart on Boxing Day. However, the fourth round of the Carabao Cup is set to predate the EPL’s restart.
The fourth round will take place on the 20th and 21st of December. Arsenal are expected to play a friendly on the 17th according to The Athletic, with the World Cup final on the following day.
With potential players from England, France and Brazil, who are considered of those going the most likely to reach that stage of the tournament, many others might have already regrouped with the squad. If Arsenal do not beat Brighton on Wednesday, they will have to wait nine days until they face West Ham on Boxing Day.
With Manchester City hosting Chelsea, it means one of Arsenal's two rivals this season will not get that same benefit. Newcastle play Crystal Palace, Nottingham Forest face Spurs, Wolves play Leeds and Manchester United host Aston Villa meaning other topflight sides will also miss out.
Arsenal’s opponents for Boxing Day are West Ham who have a favourable home tie to Championship side Blackburn. Should the visitors cause an upset at the Emirates or the London Stadium both sides might regret not progressing in a tournament being undervalued for its usefulness.
The benefit of the Carabao Cup fourth round is that it provides the opportunity for a competitive match to ease the Gunners back into things after Christmas more so than the planned friendlies. The World Cup is, from a club perspective, a nightmare as the momentum built up by Mikel Arteta’s side was significant.
Arteta was asked for an update on Tomiyasu after his injury in the FC Zurich game with consideration that the World Cup was coming. His response was telling as he replied: “We have Chelsea on Sunday. This is what I’m interested in.”
Clearly, Arteta too has no time to worry about the international side of the game. His hope is for his players to come back unscathed and having the fourth round would give his side a potential four or five-day head start on other potential sides.
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