Wenger knows how to set up against us. Did it a few times earlier. Playing for counters, giving up some of possession, pack the midfield heavily, and simply raise their game/pressing.
I expect them to start both El-Neny-Coquelin as a defensive duo to make sure KDB will struggle to find space.
Then they could use a hard working Ramsay-Ozil-Sanchez trio with tracking back, pressing our midfielders, defenders all game. Or Sanchez on top and Walcott on wings for counters.
Their best presser and probably most hard working striker is Welbeck probably.
If they press us we will have lot of problems, balls going back to Mangala, Otamendi, Hart and their long balls will just mean easy possession for Arsenal. Unless Kun wins headers on his own. Even that doesnt help as our long balls are not just inaccurate a lot of the times they are not even going to the direction of any City player.
You can see Kun many times to just run into space not even trying to win a header as he is hoping the defender will miss it or mishead it and he can run with the lucky ball...
I just cant see a positive outcome in this one from us, they are more relaxed, they were preparing for this game all week, we came back from Madrid with a shit result/injuries, our form against any decent PL side are a clear indicator of the huge troubles we had this season. We havent prepared well for these bigger games all season.
For me the only chance we have is a red card for Arsenal early in first half.
Lets hope I am totally wrong and somehow the team surprises us and gets the 3 points but for that to have a winning gameplan that can be executed well by our players whose form even mentality might not be good enough its hard to see.
I expect them to start both El-Neny-Coquelin as a defensive duo to make sure KDB will struggle to find space.
Then they could use a hard working Ramsay-Ozil-Sanchez trio with tracking back, pressing our midfielders, defenders all game. Or Sanchez on top and Walcott on wings for counters.
Their best presser and probably most hard working striker is Welbeck probably.
If they press us we will have lot of problems, balls going back to Mangala, Otamendi, Hart and their long balls will just mean easy possession for Arsenal. Unless Kun wins headers on his own. Even that doesnt help as our long balls are not just inaccurate a lot of the times they are not even going to the direction of any City player.
You can see Kun many times to just run into space not even trying to win a header as he is hoping the defender will miss it or mishead it and he can run with the lucky ball...
I just cant see a positive outcome in this one from us, they are more relaxed, they were preparing for this game all week, we came back from Madrid with a shit result/injuries, our form against any decent PL side are a clear indicator of the huge troubles we had this season. We havent prepared well for these bigger games all season.
For me the only chance we have is a red card for Arsenal early in first half.
Lets hope I am totally wrong and somehow the team surprises us and gets the 3 points but for that to have a winning gameplan that can be executed well by our players whose form even mentality might not be good enough its hard to see.