Arsenal (H) - Sun 31st Mar, 16:30 | PL | Pre-Match Thread

[M Gaudino]

was the team that comfortably beat Arsenal at the emirates last season.

I am more than happy with a Akanji, Dias, Ake, Gvardiol back 4. In fact its the best choice to defend their corner kicks (they are easily the best this season at them)

 

[kaz7]

I still think Bobb should start this one. He gives us dynamism, ball retention, goal scoring, work rate, etc. I also would be okay with Nunes, as his athleticism in the middle could be needed to match theirs. We've lost the midfield battle in the last two matches.

Ederson
Akanji-Dias-Gvaridol-Ake
Rodri-Bernardo
KDB
Foden-Haaland-Bobb​

You put bobb every single time , you never accept he is not yet ready and pep is managing him perfectly

 

[alexmcity]

And how does he do that? Rule himself out of England or tell Southgate he doesn't want to play?

What will happen if Stones tells Southgate that he will start only in one of the friendlies or that he feels niggles and prefers to get a rest? Is Southgate daft/brave enough to exclude him from the squad? Don't think so.

 

[D.no]

Looking at the description of the "injuries" the Arsenal players have i dont doubt all of them will be available...a cut on the foot doesnt stp someone playing fo for instance....the other 2 were withdrawn prior to the internationals (something we/the players should have done for us) - so saka and the other will be playing

Arsenal are a better team than last year in terms of being ore solid and harder to beat - we are weaker in terms of losing Gundo esp
Pep hasnt had the balance in midfield this season - I think he needs to stat Kovacic and Rodri....
KDB is the big question - he turns up (if fit) and we will be ok - however there have been at times (liverpool the most recent) when he has been an issue - his intensity in defending from midfield wasnt there, he lost the ball on a number of occasions - his fitness didnt look right. He is an exceptional player but he also has his flaws.

The question is if we pu KDB in there (and we should) then we have to have the rest of the midfield right - hence why I think Kova has to play - but this then means playing foden out of his best position

My team would be

Ortega (if Eddie isnt fit)

Akanji Dias Gvadiol Ake

Rodri Kova

Foden KDB Bernardo

Haaland

Id play Gvardio central as his one weakness is the awareness of space behind him at fullback - Ake is the better player of the two there but Gvardiol is better in the build up/on the ball and passing out of defence. Akanji at right back for Walker seems to be the obvious replacement.

Kova in there to do the leg work for KDB and help link defence to attack

A fit and firing Grealish could be an argument over Bernardo but we havent seen it from Grealish this season arnardo will put in 100% and is more of a creative threat and goal threat than Grealish - his retention of the ball is as good and way better than Doku's

If we play Alvarez in this I think its a big mistake - he is an exceptional player BUT he aint a number 10 - all 3 of Foden, KDB and Bernardo are better in those attacking mid positions.

I do agree with your post, but there is a reason Gvadiol has not played at centre back this season, he's not dominant or aggressive enough but also playing him at leftback against Saka is also an issue, we haven't beaten a top 5 side all season which tells me we're just not the side of last season especially with Gundo gone and KDB unfortunately not in my opinion able to give us a full 90 mins...Liverpool have shown games can be won with a depleted squad but this will be hard against the team with most goals scored and least against usually a stat we are famed for.....I'll still be there singing my arse off as per but with possibly a couple of fingers crossed...

 

[Father Paul]

Pep has managed Stones injury situation for a couple of seasons now , its very rare he plays midweek as well as weekend games he is usually rotated , step forward Bonehead Southgate and he plays him twice in three days and Stones gets a muscle injury.
Really sums up the difference between Pep and Waistcoat , one uses his knowledge and experience the other is a knobhead.

Iets hope he gets the chance to ruin the rags latest recovery next season.

 

[Father Paul]

I do agree with your post, but there is a reason Gvadiol has not played at centre back this season, he's not dominant or aggressive enough but also playing him at leftback against Saka is also an issue, we haven't beaten a top 5 side all season which tells me we're just not the side of last season especially with Gundo gone and KDB unfortunately not in my opinion able to give us a full 90 mins...Liverpool have shown games can be won with a depleted squad but this will be hard against the team with most goals scored and least against usually a stat we are famed for.....I'll still be there singing my arse off as per but with possibly a couple of fingers crossed...

Fully agree with that.Everybody needs to sing their arses off.

 

[paulchapo]

Pep has managed Stones injury situation for a couple of seasons now , its very rare he plays midweek as well as weekend games he is usually rotated , step forward Bonehead Southgate and he plays him twice in three days and Stones gets a muscle injury.
Really sums up the difference between Pep and Waistcoat , one uses his knowledge and experience the other is a knobhead.

Absolutely. It shows he's totally out of his depth at this level. A better manager knows his best eleven by now unless somebody bursts onto the scene to change that. He knows Stones is in that eleven and by now he should know about his injury situation. So once in a tournament he could be without him. He has a great young talent like Braithwaite and a chance to test him against top opposition like Belgium. So he doesn't play one minute, not even when Stones goes off injured. The man's a coward and a fraud, a public relations yes man.

People can spout about his so called record, how he's got us to a semi final and a final. He has but rather fortuitously. Once we have faced better opposition he's failed. When he has to change tactics and personal to win a game he's failed. Now in the Euro's his luck might stretch further, something may click and we may win them. We have the talent, though probably not quite as much as we like to think we have. If he does win it he's been a success. If he doesn't he's been a failure with the feeling we've wasted the years he's been in charge.

 

[bondsman]

So much for the folk who were saying Stones injury was stage managed. Ridiculous suggestion and Southgate should not have tried to play him for another 90. Fuck all wrong with Slabhead but he was allowed to leave squad. I don’t see us winning without Stones. I know he’s not played there before for City but I’d go with Gvardiol at CB and Ake at Lb to deal with Saka. I hope Pep doesn’t ask Akanji to step into midfield it spoils his game. Kova next to Rodri and hope Erling pulls his finger out.

 

[normskih]

Absolutely. It shows he's totally out of his depth at this level. A better manager knows his best eleven by now unless somebody bursts onto the scene to change that. He knows Stones is in that eleven and by now he should know about his injury situation. So once in a tournament he could be without him. He has a great young talent like Braithwaite and a chance to test him against top opposition like Belgium. So he doesn't play one minute, not even when Stones goes off injured. The man's a coward and a fraud, a public relations yes man.

People can spout about his so called record, how he's got us to a semi final and a final. He has but rather fortuitously. Once we have faced better opposition he's failed. When he has to change tactics and personal to win a game he's failed. Now in the Euro's his luck might stretch further, something may click and we may win them. We have the talent, though probably not quite as much as we like to think we have. If he does win it he's been a success. If he doesn't he's been a failure with the feeling we've wasted the years he's been in charge.

I have said before, I will support England whoever is the manager but I cannot disagree with anything you‘ve put there. He should have walked after the Euro 2020. Two tournaments and that’s your lot, in my book.

 

[Ashleymcduff]

I still think Bobb should start this one. He gives us dynamism, ball retention, goal scoring, work rate, etc. I also would be okay with Nunes, as his athleticism in the middle could be needed to match theirs. We've lost the midfield battle in the last two matches.

Ederson
Akanji-Dias-Gvaridol-Ake
Rodri-Bernardo
KDB
Foden-Haaland-Bobb​

I’ll give you £500 if Bobb starts this