The pictures emerging from the Arsenal training ground always provide plenty of clues to player fitness, availability and even possible inclusion.
With the FA Cup trip to Nottingham Forest still scheduled to go ahead despite the threat of postponement after the east midlands club suffered a Covid outbreak, Arsenal have been preparing in the wake of their League Cup semi-final postponement being announced just over 24 hours before kick-off.
Mikel Arteta had likely planned to go strong against Liverpool and rotate for the match with the lower league opposition in the cup. However, with there now more than a week since the match with Manchester City and Forest, getting minutes into the senior squad’s legs will be crucial.
Many had hoped the cup tie would have seen an opportunity for some of the youth team to get crucial experience playing with the senior group.
Both Charlie Patino and Omari Hutchinson have been pictured with the Arsenal first team in training. The pair have shone for Kevin Betsy's youth side and are deserving of first-team minutes.
However, as mentioned, with so long between fixtures and crucial matches against Liverpool and Tottenham to come, Arteta needs to find the right balance in preparation.
With Thomas Partey and Mohamed Elneny off to the African Cup of Nations, plus Ainsley Maitland-Niles joining Roma on loan, only Granit Xhaka and Sambi Lokonga remain as the senior orthodox central midfield options.
Lokonga has not started a match since November and will be in desperate need of minutes in order to get the Belgian back up to speed ahead of the important games against the big six opposition.
Eddie Nketiah’s future remains uncertain and there are reportedly numerous teams chasing the striker. Alexandre Lacazette could be rested for the matches with Spurs and Liverpool but the threat of restlessness again comes into the equation.
Folarin Balogun is unlikely to be part of the side as he is hopeful of joining Middlesbrough on loan very soon.
Bernd Leno however is expected to retain his place as the team’s cup goalkeeper this season after losing the number one position to summer signing Aaron Ramsdale.
Forest sit ninth in the Championship table as they embark on another season trying to reach the Championship playoffs. Having not been in England’s top flight since 1999, the club has remained in the second tier and seemingly trapped just out of reach of the play-off places barring a couple of seasons where they were unable to gain promotion.
Arsenal will need to be wary having lost the last time they travelled to the City Ground and Arteta will want to continue his fine record in domestic cup competitions which saw them win the trophy in 2020.
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