[Onree]

We'll lose.

 

[Maturin]

Oh, I think you will find they can.

My thoughts exactly.

 

[Maturin]

If we go up one nil and close up shop we can take advantage of their pathetic attack. We should beat them at their own anti-football.

We are not the best at "closing up shop". We have a tendency to self-implode when we try that. Don't want to see it. We will invite huge pressure on us and in the past we have buckled under such circumstances. Just want to see a sensible balance between defence and attack. Keep them thinking.

 

[nahtino]

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.

------------------------------------------------------------------
we still have 2 more rounds of Champions league football after this game vs potentialy a tough Chelsea and a top notch Man United ...

we better hope he has waaay more in the tank as were now in the busniess end of the season ... otherwise he should be used effectively and given as much time off as possible ..

 

[Paraiso]

We are not the best at "closing up shop". We have a tendency to self-implode when we try that. Don't want to see it. We will invite huge pressure on us and in the past we have buckled under such circumstances. Just want to see a sensible balance between defence and attack. Keep them thinking.

If Liverpool ever open up and attack their shape would be stretched. Liverpool aren't too good at that.

 

[Twayka]

If they sit back all game, we will score, if they open up we will score, either case we will score.

 

[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.

 

[rosicky123]

i also have been thinking about gilberto but didnt have the guts to make your suggestion!! i know how terrible he has been when he has come in this season but he was good against liverpool on saturday, as long as he has flamini and cesc helping him he would be fine. its when he is the sole defensive midfielder that we look vulnerable. i think sticking him on gerrard could be a plan.

probably going to get a lot of abuse for the sheer notion of gilberto starting.

my preferred team-

almunia
eboue toure gallas clichy
walcott cesc gilberto flamini hleb
adebayor

what i think wenger will go with-
almunia
toure gallas senderos clichy
eboue cesc flamini walcott
hleb
adebayor

 

[Jern Lizardhous]

sorry but Gilberto starting? abuse city p

we need to start well and be fluid in this game, and with Gilberto in the team that is impossible.

 

[Twayka]

NO NO NO GILBERTO, We want to win, and he wont be helping out much.

 

[Twayka]

Almunia

ebou--kolo--gallas--clichy

wallcott--cesc--flamini--diaby

Hleb

Adebayor

 

[Guru]

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.

I agree with you, especially in the second half Gilberto dominated Liverpool on Saturday. They couldn't really string attacks together however this match is going to have a VERY different pace so I am quite unsure about the decision.

I would also like to add, it really does look like for the last few games Cesc has really been running out of steam even though his passing averages are high still, he's not been as threatening as before and isn't creating as many chances. That's one of the reasons why we haven't been penetrating teams lately, Hleb and Cesc are like a creative tandem - if one isn't functioning the other's game plan changes a lot.

I'm just thinking maybe instead of starting Gilberto we start Denilson or Diaby alongside Cesc and Flamini in the center with Hleb and RVP bombing forward.

Diaby would provide Cesc an outlet to give passes to and he can run forward, plus he has a good shot on him. Just a thought.

 

[Goonermc]

I would not start Gilberto based on his commendable performance on Saturday...still see it as too much of risk! Although if we go 1-0 up I would feel slightly more confident now if Wenger threw him on for the last 20 minutes to nullify the threat of a Stevie G 30 yarder in the dying moments to take it to Extra Time.

I am confident of a result tomorrow. Luck has gone against us in recent weeks and to be honest Liverpool are not a great team and have not impressed me in the slightest in the 3 games we have played against them this season. We dominated them at Anfield despite going a goal behind and should have won. An early goal will settle the nerves, Liverpool will then have to move the bus parked in front of their goal and I'm sure Arsenal will be at their fluid best. I am going for a 2-0 win.

Lets just hope the referee isn't Pepe Reina's Spanish Gardener or Martin Skrtel's Slovakian Dog Walker! :tongue:

 

[Maturin]

Gilberto? :howler: Looks like the pressure is finally telling on some of you guys. Panicking eh? We go into this game with our best team tired or not and that doesn't include Gilberto. Unfortunately Fab and Flam will have to bite the bullet again and play against Man.United unless we want to be over-ran there again.

 

[Jern Lizardhous]

Cesc may be running out of steam, but Gilberto never had any steam in the first place.

 

[rosicky123]

if only diarra wasn't such a fool, yea hes doing decent just now but he would have been a great option for this type of game- and he can play right back.

 

[Jern Lizardhous]

yeah, Diarra would have been right back ever since Sagna got injured, and we could also have given Cesc a break sometimes and played him in the middle, oh well, no use crying over a flat forehead.

 

[Paraiso]

I think Bendtner should start given that Liverpool can't defend set pieces. With Ade and Bendtner we could play balls into the box all game and see what happens. I really don't give a crap how ugly we win but we must win.

 

[Jern Lizardhous]

the squad that fly up to Scouseland


1 Jens LEHMANN
2 Abou DIABY
4 Cesc FABREGAS
5 Kolo TOURE
6 Philippe SENDEROS
10 William GALLAS
11 Robin VAN PERSIE :eekani:
13 Alexander HLEB
16 Mathieu FLAMINI
17 Alex SONG
19 GILBERTO
22 Gael CLICHY
24 Manuel ALMUNIA
25 Emmanuel ADEBAYOR
26 Nicklas BENDTNER
27 Emmanuel EBOUE
31 Justin HOYTE
32 Theo WALCOTT

 

[Maturin]

I think Bendtner should start given that Liverpool can't defend set pieces. With Ade and Bendtner we could play balls into the box all game and see what happens. I really don't give a crap how ugly we win but we must win.

This could be the key. They are so uncertain in and around their six yard area. Quality has to be right. Any freekicks in decent positions would be very hopeful.