Leyton Orient v Arsenal LIVE
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How they'll line up: Orient look set to play a 4-3-1-2, the one being pint-sized left winger Dean Cox, who'll be hoping to ping cross after cross into strikers Scott McLeish and Alex Revell. Arsenal will play a 4-2-3-1, with Denilson and Alex Song screening the back four, and Nicklas Bendtner and Andrey Arshavin bookending Tomas Rosicky behind lone striker Marouane Chamakh.
Atmosphere update: There's a great pre-match buzz at Leyton Orient's Matchroom Stadium, writes minute-by-minute reporter from Kings Cross crawl-space. There are apartment blocks at all four corners of the ground and residents are making the most of the occasion, sipping beer on their balconies.
In his pre-match interview Russell Slade tells his interrogator that when he went to Arsenal's match against Barcelona during the week and brought a pen and a piece of paper. "I put them away after about 11 minutes," he confesses.
Ignasi who? Arsenal's No48 is Ignasi Miquel, an 18-year-old Catalan centre-half is making his first senior appearance for Arsenal having lined up 12 times in the reserves last season. According to the Arsenal website, he's "ideally suited to a side that likes to play football from the back" and "is also strong in the air and has represented Spain at youth level."
Sitting at a little ESPN branded table down in one corner of the Brisbane Road pitch, Ray Stubbs is chairing a panel discussion between pundits Steve McManaman and Robbie Savage, who are struggling to be heard over ! the PA a nd general pre-match hubub from the packed stands. Robbie has just admitted he hasn't a clue what he's talking about after saying "there's a great chance for a Millwall, a Portsmouth or a Cardiff to go through to the final ... well, they're not in it, but you know ..." Cue: rolled eyes and much mirth from his bewildered colleagues.
This just in: The winners of this game will take on Manchester United at Old Trafford in the quarter-final.
Team news we've pulled from the news wires: Arsenal make the expected sweeping changes for this afternoon's FA Cup fifth-round tie. Midfielder Alex Song is the only surviving member from the midweek starting XI against Barcelona, as 18-year-old centre-half Ignasi Miquel makes his first-team debut, while Manuel Almunia returns in goal.
Czech midfielder Tomas Rosicky captains the side, while Andrey Arshavin also starts having come off the bench to net a dramatic winner against Barcelona. Cesc Fabregas, Samir Nasri and Jack Wilshere are all on the bench if needed.
Leyton Orient: Jones, Whing, Chorley, Forbes, Daniels, Smith,
Dawson, Crowe, Cox, McGleish, Revell.
Subs: Butcher, Omozusi, Tehoue, Cestor, Carroll, M'Poku, Kane.
Arsenal: Almunia, Sagna, Squillaci, Miquel, Gibbs, Denilson,
Song, Rosicky, Bendtner, Chamakh, Arshavin.
Subs: Szczesny, Fabregas, Koscielny, Nasri, Wilshere, Clichy, Eboue.
Referee: Kevin Friend (Leicestershire)
Kick-off: 4.30pm.
Good afternoon everybody. This is my second minute-by-minute report of the day and if this match turns out to be as full-blooded as the first, Celtic's 3-0 win over Rangers, we're in for a treat. It's the FA Cup fifth round and Premier League high fliers Arsenal travel to Brisbane Road to take on Leyton Orient, who sit ! 11th in League One and secured today's dream tie with wins over Dasgenham and Redbridge (after a replay), Droylsden (after coming from 2-0 down to win 8-2 in a replay) and excellent away wins over Championship sides Norwich and Swansea.
The Orient have been handsomely rewarded for their excellent run, with a money-spinning match-up with a Premier League team whose most recent encounter was a 2-1 win over Barcelona. As Orient manager Russell Slade attended that match, he'll know that all his players will have to do to advance to the next round, is play similarly intricate tippy-tappy football to that peddled by Messrs Hernandez, Iniesta, Villa and Messi, but also stay alert for the entire 90 minutes and make the most of any chances that come their way.
"It was probably one of my biggest mistakes, going to that game," laughed Slade in his pre-match press conference. "It scared me to death! There were two fantastic sides and it was a great spectacle, exactly the way the game should be played. If they perform like that then we'd probably have to say adios to the FA Cup, but it's a new day, a different day. It might be a different team, who knows?"
Arsenal's punishing schedule over the next couple of weeks means manager Arsene Wenger is almost certain to rotate his squad for this afternoon's match, with Premier League matches against Stoke and Sunderland bookending the Carling Cup final against Birmingham, before they travel to Camp Nou for the return leg of that Champions League match with Barcelona. Sbastien, Nicklas Bendtner, Denilson and Tomas Rosicky are all expected to feature for the Gunners against an Orient side who have lost just one in 20 and are unbeaten at home since 11 September last year.
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