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More Chelsea Reaction and a bit of a Burnley Preview…

Posted by :devday On : December 1, 2008
23

Category: Arsenal

I'm sitting here watching "You're on sky sports" and it's absolutely hilarious how bad the Liverpool fans are. They've been phoning in all night complaining about Rafa Benetiz and their team. They're sitting top of the table having beaten United and Chelsea as well as having the talents of Torres, Keane and Gerrard. Benetiz out? Utter nonsense.

"Does Arsenal's recent win over Chelsea and United mean they have a chance to win the title?" was a very common question. Many fans feel we're inconsistent (duh!) and don't think we can win the title. To be honest, I don't think we will win it unless we gain the consistency, but we really need to win on the weekend against Wigan. It's like the biggest game ever!

It's been a strange day today. Personally I'm still in the europhia of the win yesterday because I really thought we played well - better than I thought we could. It's baffled me to the point that the blog has turned into waffle. Waffling about how I'm confused at our form. Our form which sees us beat the top of the table and lose to the bottom. Maybe I've gone mad with frustration.

Anyway....

Time to focus on our next game. Team news will be revealed tomorrow. We take on Burnley in the Carling Cup and it's the first away game of the season in this competition. Arsene says he'll keep the same team as the last game, but Silvestre will be in for Djourou, the latter replacing the former against Chelsea. In his interview, the manager also revealed a few injuries, to Djourou, Gallas and Almunia. With Toure and Eboue out, I hope those three players recover in time for Wigan. It would be good to play a similar team with VP, Nasri and Cesc giving us the creativity and the same back five, giving us defensive stability.

Arsene said:

“It will be the usual team for us. But then with all the players we have out it may be even younger than before. The players who were on the bench at Chelsea will be involved but those who started will not. That means Silvestre will play and so will Fabianski of course. We have some other first-team players [that] will play too – Vela and Bendtner. But we cannot play Djourou for example, he was injured at Chelsea. Gallas as well has a little calf problem. Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Eboue are not back so they will not be involved.”

I’d expect Song to be rested too so that will mean a very different back line tomorrow. With no Song or Djourou and Ogogogogogo on loan to Barnet, we could see Lansbury at right back

The probable line up could well be:

Fabianski
Goalkeeper
 
Lansbury
Right Back		 Hoyte
Centre Back		 Silvestre
Centre Back		 Gibbs
Left Back
 
Wilshere
Right Wing		 Randall
Midfielder		 Ramsey
Midfielder		 Merida
Left Wing
 
  Bendtner
Striker		  Vela
Support Striker

And maybe players like Mannone, Coquelin, Simpson, Bischoff, Emmanuel-Thomas and Frimpong (and one other) on the bench… May be wise to play Song actually… Have a good evening, and if Arsene doesn’t spring a surprise (like Eduardo on the bench) then we’ll have something similar to the above team tomorrow.

Always look forward to these games, ’til tomorrow.]]>

devday

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  • Pissed off

    < ![CDATA[I feel he should play a few of the first teamers like Song and anyone else. It could help maintain fitness.

    Adebayor should be on the bench as well. Am saying this bc it seems if we rest the whole players for a cup game they dont do well in the next match

    first team players should be at least on the bench.]]>

  • Debs

    < ![CDATA[Eduardo on the bench would absolutely feel like we've won the title already! lol. Really can't wait to have him back. I do agree with pissed off, to some extent that Ade should at least be on the bench, cos he's not quite match fit. But then though, I think he might be one of those players who wouldn't really turn up if he played cos it's the Carling cup against burnley with like the 'little kids', if I could call them that! He may have attitude issues. But Bentner and Vela should be capable of getting the job done anyways.
    But I honestly can't believe Liverpool though. Considering wet ham are struggling, one would have expected them to take advantage, but in fairness, they do have a few key players injured, but the draw anyways is good news for us cos it means the gap now is only 8 points and we get to play 'Pool next month and if we win, it'll be even smaller! Don't expect Liverpool to win the title (don't know why!) so I guess they should enjoy their time at the top for the time being :)
    I'm really looking forward to the match 2moro (2day?). Wish I could be there but well, Burnley's miles and miles away :( Hopefully the lads will do well away from home!]]>

  • Debs

    Eduardo on the bench would absolutely feel like we’ve won the title already! lol. Really can’t wait to have him back. I do agree with pissed off, to some extent that Ade should at least be on the bench, cos he’s not quite match fit. But then though, I think he might be one of those players who wouldn’t really turn up if he played cos it’s the Carling cup against burnley with like the ‘little kids’, if I could call them that! He may have attitude issues. But Bentner and Vela should be capable of getting the job done anyways.

  • Debs

    < ![CDATA[But I honestly can’t believe Liverpool though. Considering wet ham are struggling, one would have expected them to take advantage, but in fairness, they do have a few key players injured, but the draw anyways is good news for us cos it means the gap now is only 8 points and we get to play ‘Pool next month and if we win, it’ll be even smaller! Don’t expect Liverpool to win the title (don’t know why!) so I guess they should enjoy their time at the top for the time being :)
    I’m really looking forward to the match 2moro (2day?). Wish I could be there but well, Burnley’s miles and miles away :( Hopefully the lads will do well away from home!]]>

  • Debs

    really hates being moderated! :)

  • Debs

    But I honestly can’t believe Liverpool though. Considering wet ham are struggling, one would have expected them to take advantage, but in fairness, they do have a few key players injured, but the draw anyways is good news for us cos it means the gap now is only 8 points and we get to play ‘Pool next month and if we win, it’ll be even smaller! Don’t expect Liverpool to win the title (don’t know why!) so I guess they should enjoy their time at the top for the time being :)

  • Debs

    really really hates being moderated! :)

  • gunners1

    I felt that there would be no way back for Galls after he was stripped of the captaincy. Well, maybe there is. He is a world class defender and Arsenal are much better off with him than without him. His performance yesterday was top class. We need to keep William Gallas purely because of his ability to defend. Forget the tantrum’s and the bad press, when Gallas is on top of his game there aren’t many better in the art of defending. The main reason I feel we need to keep Gallas is because of his blossoming partnership with Johan Djourou. They look very comfortable together and as a result, Arsenal look a lot more solid at the back. The Arsenal back-line against Chelsea was fantastic. The foundations of a good team are built on a solid defence. Many Gooners have called for Djourou to be given a chance, myself included. He has proved that he is ready to become a first team regular, with Gallas alongside him. Gallas seems happier without the responsibility of the armband. It allows him to concentrate on his main strength, defending. Arsene Wenger seems to have given William Gallas an olive branch. The reaction of Gooners in the games since he was demoted from the captains role suggest they have too. I’m glad Gooners have.

  • Dan

    < ![CDATA[Great shout Gunners1. I gave Gallas a bit of stick, and really didn't want him as captain. I got my wish and expected him to leave. His reaction has been pretty good so far, which is a sure sign of some mental strength i thought didn't exist. Hopefully pulling the spotlight off of him will let him get on and defend. If him and Djorou enjoy playing together and they keep things solid, then i'm all for Gallas keeping his place.

    The jury is still out though, and we will have a better idea in the coming games.]]>

  • paris

    < ![CDATA[Why is it we can raise our game and beat the best,but lose to the less glamours opposition?

    What a weird season!!

    We lose to Fulham, Stoke and Hull and beat Man Utd and Chelsea!!

    Why is it we can raise our game when we play the big teams and not turn up vs the less glamours opposition?

    I know there are no “easy” games in the league anymore, But to win the league you need to be consistent and not only turn up and play well in the big games.

    The only way i can describe this is we are like a Boxer who gets himself up for a big fight and puts everything into it as he knows there is a chance he is going to get knocked out and lose.He puts everything into the fight and is focused and wins.

    The next fight he faces a Mexican road sweeper who has never beat anybody, a no Hopper. We don’t get ourselves up for the fight as we think all we have to do is turn up and we will win. But the Mexican is up for the fight as this is the biggest day of his life and trains hard and puts everything into the bout. Was cant get complacent and think we are now going to win vs the little guys, Or we might fall on our ass.

    Its the same sort of thing. We need to treat the likes of Hull and Stoke with the same respect as Man Utd and Chelsea.]]>

  • Fo

    Djourou is the key man this season, whether he plays with Gallas or Toure, we will be solid. He compliments either because of his physical part to his game. Come on Djourou – invigorate our season!!!

  • devday

    Apparently wordpress has a problem with smiley faces and asks me to moderate any comments with a smiley!

  • Debs

    lol Dev. that’s just so odd! Thanks for the heads-up!

  • zohaib

    < ![CDATA[hey debs ! it seems the moderators have a real problem with ur harmless comments ...

    and i'm the one who writes stories here. lol]]>

  • zohaib

    < ![CDATA[paris ... a bit harsh on the mexicans ... no ?
    i'm sure every developing country has road sweepers that are humans rather than machines - which i'm assuming exist where you live.]]>

  • zohaib

    < ![CDATA[moving onto th topic.

    coquelin for randall in MF. dont kno if lansbury can play RB. and i'm not keen on having hoyte at CB. i'd rather go for song even though he's played a full 90 day before. or if he's not fit then ...... darn. theres nobody !
    okay maybe hoyte is better than the rest that are available atm.
    or we might have paul rodgers at CB and hoyte at RB. or the other way round.
    steer and frimpong are also travelling. steer's a LB is he ? and wat about frimpong ?]]>

  • paris

    sorry the term mexican can be taken loosely here.

  • zohaib

    thats cool !

  • http://kierandelaney.net/blog kierandelaney.net/blog

    < ![CDATA[May I draw everybodies attention to Matthew Upson? Once again he played like a rock last night. He's becoming the player Wenger wanted him to be - about 5 years too late.

    Absolutely gutted I can't watch this tonight. I'll be travelling to staines for busines. WANK!]]>

  • zohaib

    < ![CDATA[theres been hype about brede hangeland, the fulham CB as well. i havnt really watched him enough to know how good he is.
    anybody have an opinion ?]]>

  • zohaib

    theres no eduardo in the team thats travelling btw. and i dont think rui fonte’s traveling either

  • zohaib

    < ![CDATA[btw i just realised that these guys have beaten chelsea.

    imagine if they hadnt. we'd be facing chelsea twice in 3 days at stamford bridge. that wud'v been weird. the weirdness alone might've been a disadvantage for us.

    but then our carling cup is probably stronger than our first team on current form. it wud've been exciting to see what wud happen. it'd be so brilliant if our kids cud embarass a team full of international stars.

    so in a way chelsea were lucky they didnt have to face our CC squad !]]>

  • ray

    < ![CDATA[We have kept a clean sheet in 7 of the 9 games Johan Djourou has started this season and won one of the other two.

    Games started (i.e. ignoring sub appearances):

    FC Twente (A) CL 2-0

    WBA (H) FAPL 1-0

    FC Twente (H) CL 4-0

    Sheffield U (H) CC 6-0

    Fernebache (H) CL 0-0

    Wigan A (H) CC 3-0

    Dynamo Kiev (H) CL 1-0

    Other games started:

    Chelsea (A) FAPL 2-1

    Man City (A) FAPL 0-3

    Bearing in mind the whole team was rubbish against Man City my point is having a tall, mobile central defender brings the best out of our remaining defensive players. Not suggesting Djourou is a long term solution just that it makes it obvious the sort of player we need at the back. Given that no-one can be signed until January (and even then not sure of the wisdom of buying in January) I suggest he is given a run… mistakes and all… because he’s certainly no worse than the others we’ve got.]]>