Szczesny warning for Ipswich

Szczesny warning for Ipswich

Published Jan. 24, 2011 1:16 p.m. ET

The Suffolk club are set to defend a slender 1-0 advantage from the Carling Cup semi-final first leg at Portman Road a fortnight ago after a below-par Gunners were beaten by Tamas Priskin's second-half strike. Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas, who had likened the Tractor Boys' approach to a long-ball "rugby" style, maintained it would be a completely different game when they met again at Ashburton Grove for the right to go to Wembley. Town defender Damien Delaney openly admits Paul Jewell's men will do all they can to hang onto their lead, claiming "we will go and park the bus in front of the goal at the Emirates, like Jose Mourinho said". Gunners goalkeeper Szczesny, though, insists those tactics will result in a comprehensive defeat in the end. "We have a team from the Championship coming to the Emirates and they probably won't fancy it too much, but we fancy our chances and are confident we will go through," said the young Pole, who has impressed after taking his chance in goal. "We are Arsenal and believe we can beat anybody." Szczesny added: "They have a one-goal advantage which they will try to defend, but as soon as we score the first goal, it will be downhill for them. "We just have to break them down and score as many goals as we can. "We are confident we can turn this around." Ipswich sacked Roy Keane following a poor run of form which saw them at the wrong end of the Championship table, and were then hammered 7-0 by Chelsea in the FA Cup third round before their battling win over Arsenal, after which Jewell took charge of team affairs. The Gunners were less than impressive the last time lower league opposition came to Emirates, when they needed a last-minute penalty from Fabregas to salvage a 1-1 draw against Leeds. However, Arsenal produced a slick performance to go on and win the replay 3-1, which they followed up with a 3-0 route of Barclays Premier League strugglers Wigan. Jack Wilshere watched from the bench at Elland Road, having sat out the Carling Cup semi-final first leg altogether. The England midfielder accepts Arsenal must not be complacent again tomorrow. "Maybe we were not expecting them to be as good," the 19-year-old said. "We needed to get used to the Championship style and we know that these teams will always be up for it. "We knew they would tackle and be tenacious but their quality was good as well - the standards are so high in that division now, and if Arsenal are loaning players to these teams then it has to be a good level." Wilshere added: "We will have to do to Ipswich exactly what we did so well at Elland Road - go at them, get an early goal and take it from there." Wenger will again rotate his starting XI tomorrow night, with those among the substitutes on Saturday - like Kieran Gibbs, Emmanuel Eboue, Denilson, Andrey Arshavin, Nicklas Bendtner and Marouane Chamakh - all probably set to feature, while there could yet be a debut for young Spanish centre-back Ignasi Miquel. "It is a busy schedule of league and cup football, but we are happy to be playing the games," said the Arsenal boss. "I feel everybody knows that he has a part to play, and I feel lucky to have 25 players of top quality. "We can rotate our squad and because these players have played together for a long time, you don't notice the changes - everyone plays on the same wavelength." Arsenal could yet move in the January transfer window, with Wenger still open-minded as to whether he will sign central-defensive cover. Rangers keeper Allan McGregor, 28, has also been linked with a switch to Emirates Stadium, while Arsenal are expected to complete a £10million deal for Southampton talent Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, 17, this week.

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