Arsenal (A) - Wed 15th Feb, 19:30 | Pre-Match Thread

[kippaxwarrior]

We've not been playing great lately but just got a feeling we are going to turn up tonight and leather these fuckers.

Arsenal have shown over the last 2 games the pressure is getting to them and there's no better time to play them.

Our players have been here and done it all before. They know what to do.

4-1

 

[John Wayne]

Arteta is way too emotional for a title race.

He’s throwing a hissy fit not accepting PGMOLs apology unless they give him 2 points back, and saying it wasn’t human error.

We beat this lot and they will fold like a deck chair.

Might check to see what the odds are that he gets sent off, because if we are winning he will be a prick on the touchline and the referees are cracking down presumably because Webb has taken over and this BBC violence against referees investigation.

There are a few shades of Kevin Keegan in 1996 about Arteta. Clearly his head had gone by the time he did the "I'd love it...." rant. I actually think that they were mentally on the arses as early as the 3-3 draw against us.

 

[Tricky_Trev]

Hard to predict this one until I see the team news. My biggest worry is Ake coming back in and then our build up turns to shit again and Arsenal smother us. They will leave Ake free so the ball always goes to him, man to man on everyone else, then pressure him once the ball is going to him. We need to play Bernardo again if we want to escape their press. That in turn acts as defending, as we’re able to get up the pitch, making their attacks start from further away. It’s no different to playing Zinchenko there, and Arsenal aren’t going to hesitate in doing that. Pep needs to stay true to his identity and principles. Who is the bolder manager, Arteta or Pep? Come on Pep, show that it’s still you.

 

[Norbiton]

Hard to predict this one until I see the team news. My biggest worry is Ake coming back in and then our build up turns to shit again and Arsenal smother us. They will leave Ake free so the ball always goes to him, man to man on everyone else, then pressure him once the ball is going to him. We need to play Bernardo again if we want to escape their press. That in turn acts as defending, as we’re able to get up the pitch, making their attacks start from further away. It’s no different to playing Zinchenko there, and Arsenal aren’t going to hesitate in doing that. Pep needs to stay true to his identity and principles. Who is the bolder manager, Arteta or Pep? Come on Pep, show that it’s still you.

My fear is that Ake doesn’t play, he’s been our best defender for quite a while now and we’re liable to give away soft goals without him

 

[Tricky_Trev]

My fear is that Ake doesn’t play, he’s been our best defender for quite a while now and we’re liable to give away soft goals without him

Ake has played most of the season and we’ve given away soft goals most of the season too. I think it’s more likely to be the Akanji effect than anything else and not having Dias in there for the communication and leadership.

 

[Craig]

There are a few shades of Kevin Keegan in 1996 about Arteta. Clearly his head had gone by the time he did the "I'd love it...." rant. I actually think that they were mentally on the arses as early as the 3-3 draw against us.

What a game that was at the time!

 

[Manchester33]

Mahrez for me probably has the best ball control in the history of the game

Mahrez has better ball control than Mia Khalifa!

 

[urban genie]

We need to be fast out of the blocks for once and rattle them with an early goal

 

[Blue Maverick]

I think we’ll find it difficult tonight against Arsenal and the referees

We all know that we have been refereed differently this season to our rivals, this has seen us drop points at Anfield and the swamp.

Add to that the noise from Arsenal about the onside goal, despite them also having conceded a good goal and a penalty. Who’d have thunk it

You wouldn’t have thought we also had a disallowed goal at weekend and 3 possible penalties for handball, I don’t think any were even reviewed by VAR

I hope City are on fire and the officials can’t assist the Premier League and our opponents

After the shocking decisions at the weekend the spotlight will very much be on the ref and VAR, this us the biggest game of the season so far and any fuck ups are really going to be highlighted.

 

[chris85mcfc]

Early goal and watch then implode