Arsenal (A) - Sun 2nd Feb, 16:30 | PL | Pre-Match Thread

[Protein Junkie]

I think we can at least pull off a draw today depending on the line up.

 

[King Jay]

ederson
Nunes - Stones - Akanji - Gvardiol
Bernardo - Kovacic - Gundogan
Foden - Marmoush
Haaland.
Need to control that midfield and the 3 CM option is definitely better than the 2. if we don’t have a DM we need to fill that middle space with several players. PSG as an example and Real Madrid played without a real DM to some point ( PSG still is) . It worked against Chelsea and it could work against Arsenal too.

 

[Haaland94]

Wonder when Reis will get his debut.

He will start next weekend, surely.

I kind of expect Khusanov to start. Yes, he had a shocker last week, but I think playing him gives him an opportunity to make it right.

There are no easy games coming up, so best to see whether he sinks or swims without a huge build up to his next game.

He made one mistake (Akanji didn't help there at all either) and had an awful first 5 minutes or so, but what he did for the remaining 45 minutes was solid under the circumstances. Many more experienced players would crumble, and he didn't. Even if he played badly today, or for the next few months, it will not determine if he will swim or sink. He is a very young player who has already proved he can play during his time in France, so it's about him learning the City way, the language, etc. I would expect him to properly adapt by the time next season starts.

 

[Yue Wollongong]

I’m don’t think City will lose as long as Kova is not injured.

 

[Dr Jacoby]

I hope Haaland has an under shirt made with ‘Stay humble’ on it. Imagine the scenes if he scored a last minute winner with such a reveal. Priceless.

 

[heslops barnet]

Khusanov is weak in the air. His strength is ground duels.

We’re weak in the air before he came

 

[deano ou812]

If we win absolutely fantastic a draw good as well,a defeat well it’ll be what it is 3 points but at least if we do lose we can at least sit back and watch arsenal celebrate like they have won the league,then the penny drops that they realise it isn’t City who they have to get past to win it ..

 

[heslops barnet]

We have 4 wins and 2 draws out of the last 6 Premier League games. They weren't against the strongest sides admittedly. I think we all recognise that without Rodrin in midfield and with KDB and Gundogan, our midfield gets run over. Well don't play KDB and Gundogan. Kovacic will start. I would put Grealish in midfield. He keeps the ball as well as anyone and is strong on the ball, and adept at the dark art that Arsenal use.

Grealish to start? If only

 

[Gorbachev]

All the pressure is on them. If they drop points today it's pretty much curtains for the league. They are running out of games and Liverpool still have a game in hand.

I will happily play for and take a draw now.

 

[Le Havre Oswald]

Morning blues ,

Got a bad feeling about today, it seems any side with any sort of intensity has a field day with us lately , don’t let certain results cover over the current cracks, Arsenal will probably have a middle 3 which against our old legs (Midfield 2) worries me , PSG as a example , we just don’t keep the ball and we get lost in the midfield , teams too easily play around us in the final third and at times we shit ourselves.

I’d take a draw now but I’ll say 3-1 Arsenal as much as that pains me.

I do think once we get some players back we will be ok but this feels too soon almost.

Anyways hope I’m massively wrong and we shag them.

 

[birchwoodgingerste]

ederson
Nunes - Stones - Akanji - Gvardiol
Bernardo - Kovacic - Gundogan
Foden - Marmoush
Haaland.
Need to control that midfield and the 3 CM option is definitely better than the 2. if we don’t have a DM we need to fill that middle space with several players. PSG as an example and Real Madrid played without a real DM to some point ( PSG still is) . It worked against Chelsea and it could work against Arsenal too.

I think with the system we play it would work better with O'Reilly in midfield instead of gundog.let nunes and gvardiol bomb on and O'Reilly drops in at lcb to cover making it a three of stones akanji and O'Reilly.lets see what pep does.

 

[lonestay]

I reckon pep will play the uzbek assasin today, we need to show that we have faith in him, we cant drop him after one game i mean its not as if we have a better option at right back !

 

[King Jay]

I think with the system we play it would work better with O'Reilly in midfield instead of gundog.let nunes and gvardiol bomb on and O'Reilly drops in at lcb to cover making it a three of stones akanji and O'Reilly.lets see what pep does.

It would but pep won’t use him anyways

 

[borassic]

Let’s go Brexit and get the balls in behind them to Haaland, Marmoush and Sav!

 

[Damanino]

dont know why but have a feeling a red card is coming in this game too.

 

[Shuffs]

My feeling are usually wrong......but I get the sense we are going to destroy them.

Nothing to base that on, because we've very much been mediocre.

 

[meeesh]

Just get stuck into them today right from the off, no shitting out or pussy footing around, get a warning into them early doors please, oh and an early goal will be nice also

I’m confident we can beat these arseholes today if we take it to them - come on blues

 

[heslops barnet]

People talking about our midfield, what is this midfield you’re talking about?

 

[meeesh]

dont know why but have a feeling a red card is coming in this game too.

I do as well but hopefully not one of ours, but wouldn’t be surprised one bit if it was

 

[Johnny Mars Bar]

Let’s go Brexit and get the balls in behind them to Haaland, Marmoush and Sav!

Our new manager Pep Dychiola is coaching them as we speak.

4-4-2, hoof it up to the big lad up top, snap some cockney legs with proper Brexit tackles, jobs a goodun