Fringe Players Must Impress to Show Arsenal Have the Depth to Challenge

On Tuesday, Arsenal travel to face Nottingham Forest in the third round of the newly named EFL Cup.

As ever, manager Arsene Wenger is likely to use the opportunity to rotate his squad. It’s a great chance for those who’ve struggled for regular football thus far in 2016/17 to stake their claim for a spot in the first XI. 

This promises to be an intriguing encounter, as Arsenal could come up against a couple of familiar faces. Former Gunners midfielder Henri Lansbury wears the captain’s armband for Forest, who are also able to call upon ex-Arsenal striker Nicklas Bendtner. Having been released by Arsenal at the end of his contract in 2014, the Dane would likely love to make a point by scoring on this reunion with the club. 

It won’t be easy for Bendtner. Even if he chooses to rotate his squad, Wenger should still be able to name a strong side.

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One obvious candidate for a start is Granit Xhaka. The Swiss midfielder has only featured from the get-go in two games this season and not since the 3-1 win at Watford prior to the international break. It’s surprising that such a high-profile signing has not been more heavily involved.

Wenger recently faced searching questions from journalists intrigued as to Xhaka’s continued omission. He said that Xhaka remained a big part of his plans, per Dev Trehan for Sky Sports:

"

Every week [Xhaka] is stronger and better. I think he will play a big part. 

He has the stature, the power the strength. Many players it took some time to get into the team, it happens.

Look, in one or two occasions [he struggled]. I think he has adapted quite well. His physical strength and power allows him to pretend to play straight away.

I prefer him as a box-to-box player. He has the engine to have an impact with his runs. He is highly focused.

"

That focus was in evidence during Xhaka’s cameo appearance against Hull City on Saturday. When Santi Cazorla was lucky to escape a second booking at the KCOM Stadium, Xhaka was brought on for the final 24 minutes to help Arsenal close out the victory.

However, he was clearly determined to do more than that. With Arsenal leading 3-1 and the game seemingly drifting into a no-contest, Xhaka decided to make his presence felt. After storming into the Hull half, he unleashed a rocket of a shot that dipped and swerved into the top corner.

It was a stunning way to open his Arsenal account—and his celebration felt significant, too. Xhaka raised a finger to his lips as if to tell the press to quieten down, for he would show Wenger and the Arsenal fans his value on the field.

The Switzerland international certainly made his point, and the Forest match should provide him with a chance to show he is ready to become a fixture in the first team.

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Another new signing hoping to impress will be Lucas Perez. Lucas was acquired along with Shkodran Mustafi as part of a late-summer spending spree. However, while Mustafi has been quickly pressed into regular action alongside Laurent Koscielny at the heart of the Arsenal defence, Lucas has had to be more patient for his chance up top.

He started against Southampton in the Premier League but struggled to make much of an impact as the spearhead of a dysfunctional Arsenal attack. He was then benched for the match against Paris Saint-Germain. The Spaniard was about to be introduced when Alexis Sanchez thrashed home the equaliser. Instead, Wenger changed tack and opted to use the more defensive Mohamed Elneny instead. 

Lucas did make a brief cameo against Hull but was not able to replicate the spectacular impact of Xhaka.

Tuesday's match in Nottingham should therefore be a good opportunity to demonstrate his talents. It’s a game Arsenal should have the quality to dominate, and as the team’s striker, he should be the major beneficiary of that. A goal at the City Ground would surely do wonders for his confidence and accelerate his adaptation to English football.

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It won’t be just new boys looking to impress. There will be some more familiar faces looking to prove to Wenger they still have something to offer the first team. One name that springs to mind is Kieran Gibbs. The 26-year-old has managed just one substitute appearance this season. Nacho Monreal appears to be firmly established as Wenger’s preferred left-back, and Gibbs is in real danger of being frozen out.

He must use this match to prove he remains a viable alternative to the Spaniard. As the season goes on and the fixture list becomes more congested, Wenger will have to contemplate rotating his back four. Gibbs must show the manager he can be relied upon when such a time comes. His Arsenal career has stagnated, and the pressure is on to demonstrate he still has a value to the club.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is another who will be eager to show what he can do. After a dire performance in Paris, he was dropped for the match at Hull. With Alex Iwobi shining in his stead, it could prove difficult for Oxlade-Chamberlain to break back into the first team—unless he produces an outstanding performance against Forest.

As ever, Wenger is likely to include a couple of youngsters. Historically. this competition has proved a great way to blood inexperienced players—the likes of Cesc Fabregas and Jack Wilshere made their first significant steps as senior players in what was then called the League Cup.

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Among those pushing for inclusion are Chuba Akpom and Jeff Reine-Adelaide. Both players enjoyed good pre-seasons and are training regularly with the first-team squad. Neither man is guaranteed to start, but both should at least make the substitutes' bench. Even a few minutes in the first team could prove to be a hugely valuable experience.

Rob Holding is another who's likely to be handed a chance to play after his impressive start to the season was cut short by Mustafi’s arrival.

Wenger will not be using his strongest side at the City Ground. Nevertheless, he will surely field a team that is strong enough to ensure Arsenal progress to the next round.

In his 20 years as Arsenal manager, this is the one domestic trophy Wenger has failed to win. Perhaps this season, with the squad deeper than ever, the fringe players will end Wenger’s long wait to claim this particular piece of silverware. There will certainly be plenty out there with a point to prove.

James McNicholas is Bleacher Report's lead Arsenal correspondent and will be following the club from a London base throughout 2016/17. Follow him on Twitter here.