Arsenal v City Pre Match Thread

[afc16]

Re: City v Arsenal Pre Match Thread

In fairness we have had Aguero out for three long spells, Kompany twice, Jovetic for most of the season, Silva for two months, Nasri for 6 weeks, Fernandinho for a few weeks including the key match against Chelsea. I'd say that's most of our key players, only Zabaleta and Yaya have been injury free.

podolski - over 4 months
ox - 4 months
cazorla - 3 months
ramsey - 3+ months and counting
ozil - will end up being almost 2 months
walcott - pretty much the whole season
wilshere - over 3 months

where we've been VERY unlucky is the combination of almost all our injuries being very long term (3+ months) AND at the same time. none of this back in 2-3 weeks lark.

i don't disagree that city have had injuries to important players, however a very key point is that none of your injuries have occurred at the same time. i maybe wrong on that but i can't remember a spell where you've had a number of your main players out injured at the same time.

as fans, all we see is what we see. we don't know anything behind the scenes. we see walcott get injured in a similar way to nasri, yet nasri is back in 6 weeks and walcott is out for rest of the season and a part of next season as well.

we see players with calf strains come back in a few weeks, hamstring back in a few weeks.

yet when our players get hamstring and calf injuries they tend to be the worst possible grade and they end up being out for 3-4 months.

that maybe more of an indictment against our medical team, i don't know. we are supposed to have one of the best medical facilities and staff in the country but theres obviously something wrong somewhere.

The injuries don't excuse two almighty twattings off your rivals, though. We've not had a twatting, despite our many and sustained injuries. You have had 2 twattings and by and large, teams who are capable of being beaten so easily - twice - don't win the league. Arsenal were always going to fall away, as quite simply the squad isn't good enough. I'm just surprised it hasn't happened sooner.

Another twatting awaits, too.

no it doesn't but 1 or 2 results also shouldn't make a huge difference, unlike having so many injuries.

we didn't fall away after being 'twatted' by you, in jan we were still top of the league.

the reason we didn't fall away sooner is because we had a fairly fit squad, which goes against your argument of us not being good enough. its only when our squad got decimated by injuries that we began to fall away.

 

[Marvin]

Arsenal have had a lot of injuries, but largely to midfielders and they have a lot of quality midfielders so can carry a few injuries there.

They can carry 4 injuries in midfield, but they'd be really hard hot if Giroud got injured so ialthough they have been unlucky to pick up so many injuries, at least they have cover. Imagine if Giroud had got injured.

City lost both 1st choice central defenders and Aguero for lengthy spells, and that taken with the managerial change gave Arsenal an unique opportunity.

This could be a very tough game. It's very important for both teams and Arsenal have a lot to prove. Utd did too, and we came through that comfortably. I can't predict this. But if we win, we will be in a fantastic position, and a draw would be OK too as it would leave us with 5 home games and 3 aways

 

[Matt.D]

I think Arsenal are going to give us a very tough game on Saturday but every word Scholes said about them and their players was bang on.

 

[sam-caddick]

We have to be wary of the wounded animal here because Everton are catching up on that 4th spot, have a game in hand and have to play Arsenal either next week or the week after I think.

This will be a very tough game to play in so I am hoping we go with three in midfield to plug the gaps in midfield, maybe a Yaya, Fernandinho and Garcia midfield, or maybe a Yaya, Fernandinho and Milner midfield.

Dzeko has to start.

Absolutley do or die game this, absolutely must win.

 

[Chippy_boy]

Re: City v Arsenal Pre Match Thread

podolski - over 4 months
ox - 4 months
cazorla - 3 months
ramsey - 3+ months and counting
ozil - will end up being almost 2 months
walcott - pretty much the whole season
wilshere - over 3 months

where we've been VERY unlucky is the combination of almost all our injuries being very long term (3+ months) AND at the same time. none of this back in 2-3 weeks lark.

i don't disagree that city have had injuries to important players, however a very key point is that none of your injuries have occurred at the same time. i maybe wrong on that but i can't remember a spell where you've had a number of your main players out injured at the same time.

as fans, all we see is what we see. we don't know anything behind the scenes. we see walcott get injured in a similar way to nasri, yet nasri is back in 6 weeks and walcott is out for rest of the season and a part of next season as well.

we see players with calf strains come back in a few weeks, hamstring back in a few weeks.

yet when our players get hamstring and calf injuries they tend to be the worst possible grade and they end up being out for 3-4 months.

that maybe more of an indictment against our medical team, i don't know. we are supposed to have one of the best medical facilities and staff in the country but theres obviously something wrong somewhere.

The injuries don't excuse two almighty twattings off your rivals, though. We've not had a twatting, despite our many and sustained injuries. You have had 2 twattings and by and large, teams who are capable of being beaten so easily - twice - don't win the league. Arsenal were always going to fall away, as quite simply the squad isn't good enough. I'm just surprised it hasn't happened sooner.

Another twatting awaits, too.

no it doesn't but 1 or 2 results also shouldn't make a huge difference, unlike having so many injuries.

we didn't fall away after being 'twatted' by you, in jan we were still top of the league.

the reason we didn't fall away sooner is because we had a fairly fit squad, which goes against your argument of us not being good enough. its only when our squad got decimated by injuries that we began to fall away.

I am sure we welcome opposing fans who have something to contribute.

But honestly mate, you are wasting your time here with posts like the one above. Do you honestly expect ANYONE on here to say "Ok fair enough mate, Arsenal are the better team and might have won the league if not for your terrible luck with injuries?". I mean seriously, give your head a wobble a moment and think where you are posting. If you were on Sad Cafe, they would have banned you by now.

Yes, you've had injuries. Haven't we all. You haven't been able to deal with it. Whose fault is that? Henry Kissinger?

 

[tolmie's hairdoo]

United got a 0-0 at the Emirates and arguably should have won if Van Rapist had not seen his header pushed on to the bar.

Think about this for a second.

A United defence could not be breached when Arsenal were flying.

A United team have only won once against a team in the top nine this season.

Against an Arsenal team who were flying in form in both occasions.

When I try to think about it like this, it does help take the edge off for me.

 

[Marvin]

We have to be wary of the wounded animal here because Everton are catching up on that 4th spot, have a game in hand and have to play Arsenal either next week or the week after I think.

This will be a very tough game to play in so I am hoping we go with three in midfield to plug the gaps in midfield, maybe a Yaya, Fernandinho and Garcia midfield, or maybe a Yaya, Fernandinho and Milner midfield.

Dzeko has to start.

Absolutley do or die game this, absolutely must win.

There's a 1/4 of a season to go and we have games in hand

 

[Zin 'messiah' Zimmer]

Arsenal have had a lot of injuries, but largely to midfielders and they have a lot of quality midfielders so can carry a few injuries there.

They can carry 4 injuries in midfield, but they'd be really hard hot if Giroud got injured so ialthough they have been unlucky to pick up so many injuries, at least they have cover. Imagine if Giroud had got injured.

City lost both 1st choice central defenders and Aguero for lengthy spells, and that taken with the managerial change gave Arsenal an unique opportunity.

This could be a very tough game. It's very important for both teams and Arsenal have a lot to prove. Utd did too, and we came through that comfortably. I can't predict this. But if we win, we will be in a fantastic position, and a draw would be OK too as it would leave us with 5 home games and 3 aways

Marvin in 'tough game shocker'

Hold the fecking phone

 

[JoeMercer'sWay]

United got a 0-0 at the Emirates and arguably should have won if Van Rapist had not seen his header pushed on to the bar.

Think about this for a second.

A United defence could not be breached when Arsenal were flying.

A United team have only won once against a team in the top nine this season.

Against an Arsenal team who were flying in form in both occasions.

When I try to think about it like this, it does help take the edge off for me.

you can look at it one of two ways.

Either be negative and worry this is the big game Arsenal win.

Or accept we're better than them, should beat them and they've proven they don't beat big teams.

Put the best suited team out, with the intensity of the start against the Rags with the focus, determination and effort of Hull away and we'll smash them. Our only missed steps are picking the wrong side or having the lull like we did in the first half against the Rags, as Arse are good enough to punish that and make it an unnecessarily tight game.

We need to carry on displaying the ruthlessness of champions and force Liverpool and Chelsea into errors that make it more comfortable for us.

 

[Allnightlong]

Where is everyone having pre game drinks? Heard that most near the ground are home support only.