Certainly, there was more pomp and spectacle when Arsenal and Hull last faced each other this past May -- and you all know what happened -- but today's match isn't without its stakes. A victory today would place Arsenal at 13 points, in third or fourth place in the table depending on what Southampton does vs. Sunderland in the Battle of the Teams Who Dress Alike. Also, it will help Arsenal keep some sort of pace with Man City (who is providing new levels of humiliation for PBFC as I type this) and Chelsea (grumble).
Arsenal will be doing so with a not-so-first-choice back four -- Nacho Monreal will join Per Mertesacker in the center-half tandem, and while Kieran Gibbs will be on the left side, Hector Bellerin is coming on for the card-sidelined Calum Chambers at right back. Adventures in defending, amirite?
The Arsenal bench is a mix of optimism (Ramsey), academy (Ajayi), and uh-oh (Martinez, not Ospina, to fill in at keeper).
Catch it at 10 am ET on NBCSN's Extra Time.
Your lineups (Note: It appears posting lineups is beyond Hull's social media capabilities):
#Arsenal team to play Hull: Szczesny, Bellerin, Mertesacker, Monreal, Gibbs, Flamini, Wilshere, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Cazorla, Alexis, Welbeck
— Arsenal FC (@Arsenal) October 18, 2014
#Arsenal subs: Martinez, Ajayi, Coquelin, Arteta, Rosicky, Ramsey, Campbell #AFCvHCFC
— Arsenal FC (@Arsenal) October 18, 2014
XI de Hull City (vs Arsenal): Harper, Chester, Davies, Dawson, Elmohamady, Huddlestone, Livermore, Diame, Robertson, Ben Arfa, Jelavic.
— Debate Goleador (@DebateGoleador) October 18, 2014