Arsenal away pre match thread

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Halfway through reading this thread I thought for a minute I was on an Arsenal forum... :-D

The season does not end tonight. We all want a win and a good performance, but if those things don't happen (we are playing away at a top side where we have won 1 league game in the past 40 years) that doesn't mean we are 'sh*te' or Pellers is a 'clueless c*nt'.

It means we need to get behind a team over the next few months who are 1. well in the title race despite missing our 3 of our 4 (the other being Hart) best players for much of the season, 2. In with a great shout of reaching last 8 in CL and 3. One tie away from another trip to Wembley.

Don't be like those booing goons over at the swamp who expect to win every game...support the team and the manager.
 
It's imperative that we play three in midfield. I would go for Delph, Fernandinho and Toure. The CB's should be Mangala and Otamendi - MDM should be nowhere near the eleven.

---------------------Hart-----------------------
--Sagna---Mangala--Otamendi---Clichy--
-----------Fernandinho--Delph-------------
--------------------Toure----------------------
---------KDB---------------Silva---------------
------------------Aguero-----------------------

It's hard because I really think Sterling could shine tonight, so he would be my substitute for Kun who won't play the full game. KDB should now feel rested, if he's not then I would feature Sterling ahead of him. That being said, if we're still in the game and we bring on Sterling then he will play an integral part on the break.

This is a huge game tonight. If Arsenal fail to win then that self-doubt could start to creep into their squad. Every season they start well, every season they blow up around Christmas/the second half of the season.
 
Blue Smarties said:
It's imperative that we play three in midfield. I would go for Delph, Fernandinho and Toure. The CB's should be Mangala and Otamendi - MDM should be nowhere near the eleven.

---------------------Hart-----------------------
--Sagna---Mangala--Otamendi---Clichy--
-----------Fernandinho--Delph-------------
--------------------Toure----------------------
---------KDB---------------Silva---------------
------------------Aguero-----------------------

It's hard because I really think Sterling could shine tonight, so he would be my substitute for Kun who won't play the full game. KDB should now feel rested, if he's not then I would feature Sterling ahead of him. That being said, if we're still in the game and we bring on Sterling then he will play an integral part on the break.

This is a huge game tonight. If Arsenal fail to win then that self-doubt could start to creep into their squad. Every season they start well, every season they blow up around Christmas/the second half of the season.
Click to expand...


That would be exactly my team, too. You could, I suppose, argue Kolarov maybe in for Clichy, for those crosses he gets in to Sergio and KDB. Clichy is by reputation the more solid option, defensively, although I'm far from convinced that he's back to his best, personally.And yes, Sergio to start, because he scares them to death. And probably off round about the hour mark. Or if he can't make it, just the first half, and Sterling for the second.
Yes, it's a big game. But you want to talk huge, nerve shredding, epoch making games? Think of us against rags, April, 2012. Everybody can see that this is light years away from that.
 
Lovebitesandeveryfing said:
That would be exactly my team, too. You could, I suppose, argue Kolarov maybe in for Clichy, for those crosses he gets in to Sergio and KDB. Clichy is by reputation the more solid option, defensively, although I'm far from convinced that he's back to his best, personally.
Yes, it's a big game. But you want to talk huge, nerve shredding, epoch making games? Think of us against rags, April, 2012. Everybody can see that this is light years away from that.
Click to expand...
As you say, Clichy is more solid at the back. I'm also not too sure he's back to his best however he's got that additional pace which Kolarov doesn't have. If we have Sagna and Clichy we not only have pace, but you would also like to think that additional mental determination to beat their old club. Mangala and Otamendi should get physical with Giroud, he's a big fella who doesn't mind a battle but he doesn't strike me as the type who really relishes it.

Delph and Fernandinho have that tenacity to really command together. They should be putting those questions into Sanchez's mind - is he really fit enough for such a battle?

Toure should be spraying those balls out, I think it's clear that his legs are on the way out but that doesn't mean he can't relay the ball forward.

Going forward we have two of the most creative players in the league who can pass for fun. With those two playing we shouldn't really need to play Kolarov purely for his crossing ability. After all, we're playing Aguero. At times our crosses seem to balloon in the air which is seriously annoying when Kun isn't the tallest. Don't forget they have the German streak of piss in defence who will happily lap up the aerial balls. Play it on the ground where he looks a bit like Bambi, especially if it's raining.

This managing lark is a piece of piss!
 
It's a myth that Clichy is a better defender than Kolorav they are both as bad at defending but Kolorav gives you more In the team overall.
 
We have to face the facts, we have stuttered all season and appear to be unable to cope with the loss of Kompany, Aguero and Silva for any length of time.

Our defence is leakier than a colander and we lack pace throughout the team, we know we have quality but it has failed to shine this season.

We drew away at the Swamp and Villa Park when we should have won both matches at a canter, and the loss at Stoke was abject to say the least.

The last two home wins against Southampton (dropping down the table) and Swansea (in the bottom three) were less than comfortable, in fact the Swansea win was lucky in the extreme.

I sincerely hope that we put on a good display this evening but am not at all optimistic, if our present struggles continue we will soon be dropping out of the top four.
 
waspish said:
It's a myth that Clichy is a better defender than Kolorav they are both as bad at defending but Kolorav gives you more In the team overall.
Click to expand...
Kolarov should start - Clichy has been poor defensively recently and regardless of Kolos own weaknesses, like you say he offers much more overall.
I'd also start Sterling ahead of KDB with the remit to cover his full back.
The important thing is to go three in the middle though, anything else and all other discussion is moot.
 
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