Carling Cup countdown – Predict your team

Now the dust has settled on the transfer window, we can all enjoy a breather, hope the international breaks gives us a chance to get some of our injured players back to health and get hugely excited about seeing the team bounce back at home to Swansea, before a tough trip to Dortmund.

Beyond that, we have a kind entree to the Carling Cup at home to Shrewsbury on the 20th of this month, safe in the knowledge that some of our main rivals for the trophy will exit at this stage.

Last year Arsene Wenger took this competition a tad more seriously, but still used it to blood some youngsters, alongside some senior professionals. Barring injuries to Cesc and Theo in the week before the final, I think we all agree last year’s team would have lifted the trophy.

So to Shrewsbury and which team Wenger will, should, or might select. I thought I might have a stab at the team I feel might run out against the Shrews. One thing is certain, it will not be featuring several old favourites who are on loan or have been sold. Another thing is also certain, that it will be an enormously exciting team with exhilarating pace to burn.

I hope he goes predominantly with youth to give them valuable experience, but like last year combines this with some authority and know how.

Here’s my team and my bench to take on Shrewsbury on the 20th of September:

Mannone

Jenkinson     Djourou     Miquel     Gibbs

Frimpong     Coquelin

Benayoun

Oxlade-Chamberlain     Chu-Young     Miyaichi

Subs: Fabianski, Afobe, Aneke, Eastmond, Ozyakup

Just a bit of fun and speculation, but this would be a perfect game to let the flying wingers loose and I know we are all dying to see them. Judging on the hat-trick for South Korea the other day, I think Park Chu-Young will relish the service he would be likely to receive, backed up by Benayoun’s trade mark late runs into the box. Yossi needs game time after an injury interrupted his 2010/11 season and this match would be perfect.

The fact that Wenger asked Francis Coquelin to stay until at least January suggests a role for him and I saw enough against Man United to know he is a player, and his experience in the French top flight will help.

With Emmanuel Frimpong playing alongside in front of the back four will give the young side some solidity and allow the attacking creators to work their magic.

Kieran Gibbs and Johan Djourou, will give the back four some experience, and Johan needs to rehabilitate himself after Old Trafford, or I fear for him ever making it back into the line-up – no matter how relaxed he says he feels. I am very much looking forward to Ignasi Miquel having a run in this competition, as I believe he could be sensational player for us in the not too distant future.

The bench looks young indeed, but Wenger has Chuks Aneke, Benik Afobe and Oguzhan Ozakup on new long-term contracts when others have been discarded, so they must be rated highly and in his plans. You could throw in Abou Diaby for his comeback or Sebastien Squillaci in the mix, but I am happy to risk this young and speedy team against Shrewsbury, safe in knowledge that we can add more old heads if the next round presents a tougher test.

Please have a go at predicting your team for the Carling Cup in the comments section below, and we can see on the 20th who was closest to the correct starting 11.

Like what you read? Then follow me on Twitter – http://twitter.com/daveseager66

Visit and Join our Facebook page, click HERE to do so.

Gunnersphere is currently looking for new writers to join the squad. Contact via twitter or at Gunnersphere@snack-media.com for further details.