Arsenal (a) pre-match thread (Game given go ahead 1350hrs)

[Eaglechief]

I'm going for a narrow close fought win.

Not usually confident when we go to Arsenal, but considering we just humiliated them at Wembley, and despite our injuries, our players should be confident of putting in a good performance and coming away with 3 pts.

Arsenal will just not want to face us again so soon.

 

[Healdplace]

Sadly I agree with that

The way we performed today was so bad the mood is turning ugly down here

I imagine there will be lots of empty seats come Thursday and the idea we have any chance of beating you is just ludicrous

I can't wait for this season to end, it's a write off

I said in the post match thread I felt sad for you today. You deserve better than some of the half hearted performances you got. Surely this has to be time to say thank you for the past success Arsene but you are not the future.

Good news is there is an extra Europa League spot open from League placings now so you should still make Europe.

It will be a different game come Thursday. Fresh start. Should be closer than today. We may have a few players out and you might want revenge. If we play to anything like our potential we should win, but in a one off game you never know.

It is not do or die for us but it could well be for your season. That might make a difference in terms of a tighter match.

 

[OhSoGroovy]

I think this is going to be closer than people think, away at the Emirates is never straightforward & no Dinho will hurt. Especially if we continue having these extremely sloppy first halves. They’ll also have Mkhi back.

Really gonna need Walker & Sterling for this one.

Think it’ll be a close fought 2-1 win for us.

 

[Charlie Chuck]

I think Stones could play in Fernandino's position, but i think Pep will try Danilo there and Zinchenko at LB.

 

[jimmygrimblesboots]

Atmosphere will be toxic , always a bit of a bogey ground but we didnt even take the handbrake off at Wembley and slaughtered them , not sure if their players are capable of anger and revenge , think Wenger will also make the mistake of trying to attack looking for pay-back , if he does we will take them apart.

 

[City Raider]

Playing after a final tough and against anyone else would be worried but they must be so deflated right now.

Gunda doesn't have the defensive discipline for me but don't think that bothers Pep! Still, would like to see Danilo in there.

 

[Tevez City]

__________________Ederson_______________

Walker_____Kompany_____Otamendi______Delph

_______________Gundogan_________________

_______KDB_______________Silva__________

Sterling________Sergio_____________Sane

 

[leth]

Walker's knock didn't look too bad so i expect he'll play again. I'd carry on managing Kompany's games and save him for Chelsea.

Fernandinho's injury looked more likely to keep him out of Thursday's game. Even if he recovered in time, he'll pick up a 2 game suspension if he's booked in the next 5 Premier League games. He'll also miss a game if he's booked in the next 3 Champions League fixtures so whether he's injured, being protected or ultimately missing games through suspension, it's pretty clear we'll need to identify a way to play without him at times over the next 7 weeks or so. During games Pep seems to prefer to drop De Bruyne into that deep-lying role more than Gundogan. With Delph still suspended and Yaya not even making the squad these days, maybe that's something we can try from the start against Arsenal.

Ederson
Walker
Otamendi
Laporte
Danilo
De Bruyne
Gundogan
Silva
Sterling
Aguero
Sane

If Sterling isn't fit, Bernardo can play on the right.

Arsenal have got a surprisingly strong record at the Emirates this season but you'd imagine that if we can start the game strongly, the crowd will very quickly turn on Wenger and the team. Given the lack of fight they showed today it feels like a great opportunity to face them again so soon.

 

[argyle]

Has Jose Alvarez leaked the team line up yet?

 

[Plain Speaking]

Could Stones play the Ferny role? With Ota and Laporte CBs. Shame Delph is suspended.