[Mohamed]

I am not sure how much Cesc has left in his tank, he looked out of his depths today. We need one more huge effort from the kid.

Adebayor, Clichy and Hleb return to the starting line-up.

Please AW start Eboue at RB and Theo at RW.

Eboue looked great at RB today and we need Toure and Gallas' pace to deal with the threat of F.Torres, plus Theo at the moment is playing well with aggression and he can cause them problems with his pace. He's also got a much better final ball than Eboue.

 

[Mohamed]

Tunis, Eboue is a better RB than Kolo. It's not like Kolo has been playing great since returning from the ACN anyway. His pace is better utilized to deal with the threat of Torres. Senderos could get burned on Tuesday I don't want us to take that risk.

 

[Mohamed]

This might sound like a crazy idea, but hear me out folks...

Gilberto should start. I thought he was very good against Liverpool and honestly, anything is better than Eboue, right? Also, Gilberto would allow Flamini to get forward more often who has a rocket of a shot - when was the last time one of our players shot from 20 yards? I just think it could give us an extra weapon. Moreover, Gilberto starting would allow Cesc to reserve more energy and focus more on playmaking... having Gilberto and the Flamster watch his back would be very beneficial for Cesc's exhausted frame. Furthermore, Crouch seems to have our number because of his height, if they throw him on for the last half hour then Gilberto could even function as a dominant, fifth CB. Plus, plus, plus... Gilberto has heaps of experience and knows how to deal with pressure situations - he knows how to grind it out.

Gilberto

Cesc - Flamini

RVP* - - - - - - Hleb

Adebayor​

-------------------------------------------

*If RVP does not recover on time then start Walcott.

I just feel we've become too predictable in recent weeks. Just switch it up a little bit. I don't want to go down again with the same method, the same players and the same tactics.

 

[Mohamed]

My point was more about playing with an extra DM to relieve some pressure off Cesc than actually believing in Gilberto. I know he's pish, but if it's going to bring out a better performance from Cesc under these circumstances then I am all for it. Diarra would have been perfect, little git. How about Diaby then?

 

[Mohamed]

It's the same line-up as in the San Siro...keep the faith. Spot on rosicky123!

 

[Mohamed]

We're out.

Until our luck changes, we'll continue to falter.

Liverpool get played off the park and then they fluke a goal from a corner that should never have been because the idiot Almunia can't play a simple ball out for a goal-kick. Flamini then goes off, just like Sagna did at Chelsea. I am sick of this shit. We won't win.

I can see Sendo getting sent off in the second half.

 

[Mohamed]

If Almunia uses his brain we don't concede that corner. It's bullshit like that which always costs us.

 

[Mohamed]

Told you.

There's nothing wrong with us, we just get regularly fvcked over in the key decisions, that's all.

 

[Mohamed]

If you call that a penalty then we should have had ours last week. Still doesn't change the fact we regularly get fvcked over.

 

[Mohamed]

We have wilted under the pressure in the late stages of the season. The defending is just not good enough. We also saw tonight what having a real quality striker does for you. Adebayor messes up in front of goal and Torres creates one chance for himself and puts it away beautifully. The Bayor did score one but the goal was all about Theo and not even he could f*ck up that tap in.

Maturin, you are really annoying me with these 'wilting under the pressure" nonsense you keep spewing. Does a team suffering from mental pressure absolutely batter Milan and Liverpool? Or come back from 0-2 down at Bolton with 10 men? We had the chances to beat Liverpool in both legs but the key decisions went against us. That was the difference, not some imaginary "mental pressure" that people love to keep talking about. It's like the media has brainwashed you. We've been destroyed by refs and linesman for a good couple of months now.

 

[Mohamed]

Mental fatigue has played it's part. We wilted against Chelsea.

Ok, explain to me how? Because Sagna got injured in such a crucial stage of the game and the linsemen can't see that Drogba and Anelka are both a yard offside in the build-up to their equalizer? Tell me how that has anything to do with wilting? The bad luck we've had is horrendous.

Liverpool tonight showed by just sticking in there that it was enough. We didn't look half as sh*t defensively earlier in the season as we have done going down the stretch. I get fed up hearing excuses here all the time. Yes we have had bad decisions given to us but a lot of the time we have brought it on ourselves. You don't get f*cked over so much if you don't keep baring your arse.

Two key decisions. Hleb's penalty in 1st leg. Babel's phantom penalty tonight. Bad luck, nothing more.

Anyways, I am as stubborn as they come. We're still in the title race and, if we win our last five games, we've got a great chance of winning it. If Boro can hold United, why can't Blackburn or West Ham?

 

[Mohamed]

AW: "It is difficult to take, the players in the dressing room are very down because they believe week after week the decisions are going against them."

 

[Mohamed]

It is so hard to accept why all these key decisions go against us. It's the difference between a decent shot at a trophy or going home with nothing. It's really devastating. I can't stop thinking about it.

 

[Mohamed]

I just hope our luck changes for the better. I am so happy we have Man Utd next - at least we can be put out of his misery. If we don't win we know it is 100% trophyless for the season.

 

[Mohamed]

i'm pretty sure its 99.99999% trophyless right now. even if we do win at OT, we need a lot of games to go our way.

Not really.

We have the easiest run-in; Reading, Derby, Everton and Sunderland.

United and Chelsea both have tricky games left, as well as meeting with each other. The first step is just to win at United, close the gap to 3 points and we'll go from there.

 

[Mohamed]

For us to win the title Mo, you would need us to win our last five games.

United to lose to Chelsea as well as us, then fail to win another game. So they would fail to win 3 of their last five games.

Then you would need Chelsea to fail to win 2 of their remaining 4 games. (You'd need them to Beat United in the other of their five remaining games).

Would be close to a miracle.

There is an easier way;

Man Utd draw at Blackburn and Chelsea.

Chelsea draw at Everton and Man Utd.

This takes into account an Arsenal win on Sunday, though. If we win on Sunday, we don't need United and Chelsea to lose any more. 2 draws for each would do - a task made easier by the fact they have to play each other. I can see Chelsea and United drawing at Stamford Bridge, which would mean we only need 1 more draw for each of them. Everton and Blackburn will hopefully do that.

Final table;

1. Arsenal 86pts
2. Man Utd 85pts
3. Chelsea 85pts

Not likely, but possible.

 

[Mohamed]

I am devastated for young Theo. That was his breakthrough moment. The time he well and truly arrived as a footballer on the biggest stage. To have it taken away from him by a cvntish referee is just horrible.

 

[Mohamed]

Damn, I would have killed to have Sagna deal with Babel's run.

 

[Mohamed]

These are the men who prevented our passage to the SF.