Mickey Mouse Cup- Live Blog. Wigwam at Arsenal Day Care.

One of Arsenals starters tonight!

Alright. It's Mickey Mouse Cup day and Setanta has chosen to show Wigwam V The Wenger Boys. Beggars cannot be choosers so I will be grateful to the soccer gods for Tuesday afternoon footy. Join me after the jump for a Bigus Live blog extravaganza!




There are a few games this afternoon and I'll try and keep up with those also.

Man United are hosting Q.P.R.
Derby are playing Dirty Leeds at Pride Park.
Rory Delap will throw bombs into the Rotherham box for 90 mins.
The Swans are at home to Watford.

Interestingly, Swansea beat Watford 3-1 at home just 3 days ago. I wonder if Watford even bothered to go home? I Wonder what there is to do in Swansea? Ice skating aparently! There is also a place nearby called 'Mumbles'. Could this be the birth place of the Welsh language?

Ok. Enough mumbling. Team news! Wenger is going to rest his first team and bring out the kids. No surprise there. Wilshire, Ramsay and wonder boy Carlos Vela are all slated to start.

Arsenal 11 from...

Arsenal squad: Fabianski, Mannone, Hoyte, Djourou, Song, Gibbs, Wilshere, Ramsey, Randall, Merida, Bendtner, Vela, Lansbury, Simpson, Coquelin, Emmanuel-Thomas, Frimpong, Ogogo, Toure, Diaby, Bischoff


Wigan. Heskey tweaked his ham-string on Saturday and as a result Henri Camara will get a rare run out.

Wigan 11 from...

Wigan squad: Kirkland, Pollitt, Melchiot, Taylor, Bramble, Scharner, Boyce, Figueroa, Kilbane, Valencia, De Ridder, Cattermole, Brown, Palacios, Koumas, Zaki, Camara

Line-ups as we near kick off...

Also appears that Fergie is letting the nippers have a run out. Rafael Da Silva, Jonny Evans, Darron Gibson and striking duo Manucho and Danny Welbeck could start.

Anyone smell an upset? Camon the hoops!

Manchester United (from): Kuszczak, Foster, Amos, Rafael, Evans, Cleverley, O'Shea, Chester, Possebon, Gibson, Hewson, Fletcher, Park, Anderson, Carrick, Nani, Giggs, Welbeck, Manucho, Rooney, Tevez.

From the look of that the bench will be stacked, just in case! Staying with You Man You? Owen Hargreaves is out for the season. Bum knee. I'm sure they will miss him with Scholes, Fletcher, O'shea, and Anderson.

20 minutes to go and Mrs Bigus has not returned to baby sit the Bigus nippers. This could get interesting. Standby for my 2 year old sons take on the opening exchanges.

Lets see if he can offer us a match preview...
hdsdff nfheiosdio jdfsdsf f fdssfpgg fsoi fsfosdfid vvoos idtyv difh didf Elmo.

Couldn't have put it better myself.

Newsflash...

The line ups are IN..

Arsenal: Fabianski, Hoyte, Song Billong, Djourou, Gibbs, Wilshere, Randall, Ramsey, Merida, Simpson, Vela. Subs: Mannone, Bischoff, Coquelin, Fonte, Lansbury, Ogogo, Frimpong.

Wigan: Kirkland, Cattermole, Boyce, Bramble, Melchiot, Valencia, Koumas, Palacios, De Ridder, Figueroa, Zaki. Subs: Kingson, Taylor, Scharner, Kilbane, Brown, Cywka, Camara.

Who on earth is Frimpong? Anyone? Sounds like a kids game involving props. "Frimpong! Frimpong! I win!"

Keiran Gibbs is getting a run out for the Gooners tonight. He is a big lad and can play anywhere across the middle. Norwich had him on loan last year and although he didn't play much, he looked a good prospect when he did.

Carlos Vela and Cardiff wonderboy Aaron Ramsay both start.

Wigan have selected a pretty strong line-up. Heskey is missing but Zaki, Valencia, and Palacios all start.


Right. TV is on and Setanta are showing a re-run of Arsenals big win from the weekend. Lucky omen?


Ok Wigwam are apparently lining up with a 4 3 3. De Ridder and Koumas will flank Zaki.

Zaki has 9 goals this season. Cattermole is in the middle and will have Placios and Valencia alongside him for company. Wigan have never won at Arsenal according to Jeff Stelling. Wowser. They won't get a better chance than tonight.

The teams are in the tunnel. Arsenal look young. Real young. Not even bumfluff!

Wigan are wearing what appears to be last years Chelsea away strip. Bright yellow. No one is getting hit by a car this evening. Jay Simpson is going to start up front with Vela. Simpson was at Millwall last year and played 46 times for the Lions. Jack Wilshire is the youngest in the Gooners line-up tonight. He is just 16! His mum is waving from behind the bench. Hope she packed a snack for half-time.

0 mins. And they are off! Wigan kick off. Right to left for those who like imagine.

Bramble has been man of the match in Wigwams last 2 games. Surely we are due a Bramble moment of Titus proportions.

4 mins. Bit of a midfield battle although Wigan are having the better of the first few minutes. Vela is sitting behind Simpson and tried to set him through with a nice chip but Wigan swept that away.

8 mins. Koumas and valencia link up well on the edge of the box but the resulting cross is headed away by Djourou. Wilshire looks bright but his wayward pass sets De ridder away but his cross is sent out for a corner. Fabianski fumbles the cross but the ball is cleared.

12 mins. Phew..ACTION. Vela breaks through and tries to round Kirkland who palms the ball away before making another save from Vela. Simpson then gets the ball on the right and lets one fly, hitting the bar. The Arsenal babies have their tails up.

15 mins. Vela and Simpson are on the same page. Vela slips a tidy ball through on the left side of the box and the pacy Simpson latches on before firing a shot goal bound. Kirkland makes another fine save. At the other end De Ridder finds space and forces a save from Fabianski. End to end stuff now.

20 mins. Wislshire is dynamite! 16 and boy does he have some tricks. Vela is brought done 30 yards out and Aaron Ramsay takes a cracking free-kick which forces a stretching save from Kirkland to his left. Arsenal are looking tasty. Full of confidence.

Fabio Capello is watching on and Kirkland knows it.

22 mins. Wow. Kirkland is a busy boy. Vela lets one fly from 2o yards, right side and forces another terrific save.

26 mins. Wigan are coming into the game a tad more. First Koumas finds space on the left hand side of the box after a long cross from Palacios and then he finds row Z high above the Arsenal goal. Wigan are having luck down the right time and time again, Gibbs is struggling to contain Palacios. The last few minutes have been all Wigan.

31 mins. Some lovely football from Wigan but they have no end game. The Arsenal babies are creative and lively thus far and they nearly score as a long Corner from the right finds Djourou at the back post, 6 yards out, he looked completely surprised and tried to take the ball down before Melchiot bundles the ball away from him.

38 mins. Arsenal are back in control. Gibbs makes mince meat of Melchiot before winning a corner. That results in open play and the young gooners have spent the last few minutes trying to find a way into the box.

Derby are beating Dirty Leeds 2-0. Villa and Ellington with first half goals.

41 mins. GOAL, GOAL, GOAAAAAAAAAL.

Jay Simpson. Wowser Jack Wilshire threads a 25 yard pass from midfield into the path of the speedy Simpson and he slides the ball under the on-rushing Kirkland

Arsenal 1 Wigan 0.

Half time. Entertaining game. Vela, Wilshire and Simpson have been very impressive. The future looks rosy for Arsenal. Wilshire looks especially, well special. The composure he showed to take his man, turn and lay a ball through with the outside of his boot was incredible. He is just 16! He has earned his half-time snapple for sure. Simpson is lightning fast and took his goal very, very well. Oi Roeder, get this kid on loan NOW.

Right. BRB, the kettle is whistling.


HT scores..
Derby 2-1 Leeds
Stoke 1-0 Rotherham
Swansea 0-1 Watford

United V Q.P.R kicked off at 3pm Eastern and is still scoreless.

Phew...How am I doing people? This is hard work.

Wigan need to step up in the second half if they are to make a game of this. They have played some nice football, but they have not had the ball enough and wasted the final ball when they have had the chance to make the Arsenal babies pay.

Break time is over, the kiddies are back on the field.

and we are off!


49 mins. Song has this habit of bringing the ball forward and then forgetting to join Djourou back in the defence. I'm sure Arseene is making notes. Wigan have started brightly. They are deffo missing Heskey up top though, holding the ball.
Gibbs and Merida link up well on the left side of the box but Simpson heads Merida's cross over.

57 mins. Figueroa has a nice long throw. He is no Delap but it's a good un. Wigan are probing but still have no final ball. Zaki looks frustrated. Arsenal look confident on the ball and the major difference between this Arsenal and the normal Arsenal is that THIS Arsenal are not afraid to shoot from distance. Ramsay, Merida and Vela have all tried more than once from 20 yards or so. Wigan make a change. Camara is on for Koumas. 4 4 2 for Wigan now. Koumas has been quiet.

61 mins. Arsenal are having lots of posession and Ramsay makes a mockery of the Wigan midfield. No one tackled him as he ran with the ball before sliding a nice pass through to the left of the box for Kieran Gibbs to strike. Kirkland saves well.

65 Mins. GOAL GOAL GOAL GOAL GOAL....SIMPSON!!!!

Vela does all the work. Song sets him free on the left and he takes melchiot before squaring the ball past Kirkland for Simpson to blast home. Great stuff. Vela looks fantastic.

Arsenal 2 Wigan 0.


69 mins. Wenger has to be delighted. For all of Arsenals time on the ball, they have converted the real chances. Are you watching Van Persie? Surely Vela will be knocking on the door of the first team after tonight, he has had a cracking game. Beating Sheffield United in the last round is one thing, but comfortably doing a Premiership side with the kids must make Wenger happy. A real test for his kids and they get an A+.

71 mins. GOAL GOAL GOAL GOOOOOOOOAAAAAL!!!!!

VELA!!!!

Oh Lordy. Vela has just scored a peach, he has just chipped Kirkland from just inside the box. A long pass, he takes a touch and runs on to it and THEN chips the big Wigan keeper from 15 yards or so. Special stuff. What a finish!

Arsenal 3 Wigan 0


75 mins. How many will the Arsenal babies score? Wigan must go a huntin' now. But doing so will give Vela and Simpson the space to punish Steve Bruce's men even more.

Bischoff and Angela, I mean Henri Lansbury are coming on for the Arsenal babies. Double goal scorer Simpson (19 years old) and Jack Wilshere (16 years old) are the players heading off for a treat. Well done boys. Maybe a lolly pop from uncle Arsene.


80 mins. Vela to Merida, a deft chip over the top back to Vela, this is gorgeous stuff from the babies. kirkland makes it to the ball first to save Brambles blushes.

I will be surprised if Vela is not in the first 11 very, very soon. What a handful.


84 mins. Ramsay, Song, Wilshere, Gibbs, Simpson and Vela have been outstanding. One baby who has not been that impressive is Mark Randall. He was on loan at Burnley last year and I reckon he will be back there permanently soon. Vela is off to a standing ovation as yet ANOTHER Arsenal baby takes to the field. Rui Fonte is his name.

86 mins. The MEXICAN wave is making it's way around the stadium. Spectator, the MEXICAN wave is named as such after it showed itself to the World at the Mexico World Cup in 1986.

Wow. Wigan just missed the best opportunity to find the Arsenal net tonight. Fabianski does well, he makes a save from DeRidder before finger-tipping the follow up from Zaki onto the bar. Great stuff.

90 mins. 3 mins on the board and 3 mins to the quarter finals of the Carling Cup for the Arsenal babies. They have been smashing tonight and deserve their place in the next round. can they go all the way? who knows, but they are fun to watch.


93 mins. Ding Ding Ding, time Gentleman please! It's all over at the Emirates and the Arsenal babies are in the quarters. Great stuff. they played some lovely football tonight. Vela was truly amazing and will be knocking on the first team door. Merida, Gibbs, Simpson, Wilshere and Ramsay won't be far behind him. Steve Bruce and co should not feel too embarrassed about being tucked up tight by the Arsenal babies tonight as I reckon these kids would have done the same thing to many Premiership teams.


Well that was exhausting! I am off to take a nap. Thanks for stopping by.

-Bigus.