Arsenal's Carabao Cup Quarterfinal Hit by Shocking Delay - Here's What Happened
Arsenal will feature in Wednesday evening's Carabao Cup semifinal draw, though not due to the Gunners securing their spot in the competition's final four.
When their number emerges from the draw, it will represent an either/or scenario, as they share this number with their quarterfinal adversary Crystal Palace.
This was meant to be the week for quarterfinal matches—Arsenal should have met Palace on Tuesday. However, the fixture has been delayed until the following week. Two days prior to Christmas, these Thames-divided clubs will clash at the Emirates Stadium.
The explanation is fairly straightforward: it stems from fixture pile-up issues.
Crystal Palace, who defeated Manchester City in the previous season's FA Cup and overcame Liverpool via penalties in this campaign's Community Shield, could not feasibly compete on the originally planned Tuesday.
The Eagles have a UEFA Conference League commitment against Finland's KuPS on Thursday. They had already featured last Sunday versus Manchester City in Premier League action, and also faced Irish side Shelbourne in Conference League play the previous Thursday.
Forcing Oliver Glasner's squad to participate in the Carabao Cup this week would have been nearly cruel. The recovery time between matches becomes unmanageable in a sequence that could have seen Palace take the field four times within just eight days—five matches in 10 days when including Saturday's Premier League meeting with Leeds United at Elland Road.
Even four matches in 10 days presents a challenging reality for Palace. The Leeds fixture would typically be moved to Sunday following Thursday European competition, but with the Arsenal quarterfinal requiring accommodation and Christmas approaching, scheduling flexibility is non-existent.
Mikel Arteta Recognizes the 'Challenge' in Meeting Crystal Palace
When Arsenal encountered Crystal Palace in Premier League action during October, a solitary strike at the Emirates from Eberechi Eze against his previous team determined a competitive match.
"Full praise to them, because whenever we attempted something, they adapted accordingly, given their setup, they don't rush into situations, they don't get drawn to distractions," Arteta reflected afterward.
There exists no simple approach to competing against a team that maintained a 19-match unbeaten streak earlier this campaign.
"The two wide defenders in their backline show real aggression, making it extremely challenging to locate those gaps, and then once they recover possession, they have [Jean-Philippe] Mateta as their target man, plus two runners, requiring you to maintain strict organization," Arteta explained.
"The instant you lose [that organization], you become very vulnerable. I told the players, 'We're facing a lengthy battle, stay emotionally composed, be decisive when chances arise to attack them and convert our opportunities, because they won't be plentiful.'"