Arsenal

[Gabzy]

I'd laugh if Arsenal beat Utd next week, what with everything the Utd fans are spewing.

What exactly are we "spewing"?

It's very probable you'll beat us next week, you look pretty invincible at the moment. That said, we've also hit a good run of form so it should hopefully be a great contest.

[El Pibe]

Arsenal v Man United should/could be bloody brilliant. I hope it is.

[TehStu]

I hope Arsenal aren't being artificially built up for an orchestrated fall when things don't go quite to plan. There's a long way to go yet, let's let the chickens hatch first, eh.

[hercules]

Indeed i'd rather take it game by game, we will see how arsenal cope when they lose that'll decide if they can win the league

[Pilotwings]

I hope Arsenal aren't being artificially built up for an orchestrated fall when things don't go quite to plan. There's a long way to go yet, let's let the chickens hatch first, eh.

Buck Buck Buck Buckaaaaaaaaaak.

[TehStu]

Do you not get bored of sporting favourites being put on a pedestal and then vilified when they don't deliver the goods?

I expect you chaps should know, the various England teams are subject to it often enough.

I'm not gonna sit here boasting about our position though, I don't fancy giving someone the opportunity to come back and quote me (like I'll be doing for Muse Hunter earlier in this thread - ho ho).

[dogsout]

What exactly are we "spewing"?

It's very probable you'll beat us next week, you look pretty invincible at the moment. That said, we've also hit a good run of form so it should hopefully be a great contest.

I really don't think Ryan is an Arsenal fan. I'm not 100% on this but I've a feeling he is a Forest fan... Not a Gooner either way. I'm looking forward to the game as well. It'll be nice to enjoy a 'Big Four' clash without the added pressure of actually supporting one of the participants.

[Petrousgyre]

Could someone please explain, in small words if needs be, how Carragher gets away with his manhandling?

He's got special dispensation from the FA to rugby tackle inside the box. It's a new RPG style feature they're introducing for English central defenders, get ten caps and you're given a special 'power'. They piloted this scheme with John Terry, he's entitled to handle the ball in the area freely. Rio gets to powernap.

[Ryan]

I really don't think Ryan is an Arsenal fan. I'm not 100% on this but I've a feeling he is a Forest fan... Not a Gooner either way. I'm looking forward to the game as well. It'll be nice to enjoy a 'Big Four' clash without the added pressure of actually supporting one of the participants.

I support Swindon.

Which means I can comment on any of the top teams with impunity :-)

[Ryan]

What exactly are we "spewing"?

It's very probable you'll beat us next week, you look pretty invincible at the moment. That said, we've also hit a good run of form so it should hopefully be a great contest.

Seen lots of cocky Utd fans on various discussion boards saying that you will be thashing the Arse, back to the rightful place, are invincible now. That sorta crap.

Oh, I really wish we were playing United. We would not be in such a financial shite if we were.

[phresh]

A lot of my family are Swindon fans, final score on a saturday is always a mixed bag!

Anyway, as a united fan i'm really hesitant about predicting next weekend, no idea what will happen. I think Ferguson will be desperate for Scholes and Giggs to be fit so he won't have to risk Nani or Anderson in what can be rather explosive fixtures! Will also be interesting to see how we try and contain Fabregas, will Ferguson just make Hargreaves stick to him like a siamese twin? He always used to use that tactic against Viera so we'll see.

[Gabzy]

Seen lots of cocky Utd fans on various discussion boards saying that you will be thashing the Arse, back to the rightful place, are invincible now. That sorta crap.

Oh, I really wish we were playing United. We would not be in such a financial shite if we were.

Ah right, I thought you meant around here. I wouldn't pay attention to those types of "fans".

I think it'll be a really interesting game tactically. There's a lot to think about, so I look forward to seeing how Ferguson intends to contain Arsenal's devastating attack.

[Dude Ranch]

Will also be interesting to see how we try and contain Fabregas, will Ferguson just make Hargreaves stick to him like a siamese twin? He always used to use that tactic against Viera so we'll see.

It's obvious that he'll tell his side to imtimidate and kick him, that's Ferguson's style against Arsenal.

[hercules]

It's obvious that he'll tell his side to imtimidate and kick him, that's Ferguson's style against Arsenal.

Especially if Neville is back! That is what Man utd tend to do against arsenal. It'll be a good game though as even when arsenal are getting kicked this year they still seem to be able to play the football we love.

[superpretend]

It's obvious that he'll tell his side to imtimidate and kick him, that's Ferguson's style against Arsenal.

It worked against Reyes, but Fabregas seems quite happy to kick back...

Not that that's necessarily a good thing I suppose.

[hercules]

Yes i remember the Neville brothers doing a number on Reyes and he was never the same player after that. But fabregas isn't reyes, he know's what is needed in this league and he loves it.

[Salsa Party Animal]

How is Arsenal coping with new Croatian/Brazilian striker Eduardo. Is he any good ?

Nice to see Arsenal doing well. I wish Martin O'Nelll make us play like Arsenal or Manchester United, but we haven't got the players yet.

[Daley]

I wonder if Wenger will go 4-5-1 on Sunday if he decides not to play Walcott. A midfield of:

Rosicky-Gilberto-Cesc-Flamini-Hleb could be interesting.

or if he's feeling really brave:

Rosicky-Hleb-Cesc-Flamini-Eboue

I knew he would go 4-5-1. Considering the way we play Wenger can be cautious/conservative with his line ups sometimes. That said I guess he got it right, although I would have liked to have seen Walcott for longer.

Almiunia produced a couple of great saves. Lehmann should be a professional and shut up and support his team mate, even if he is sore about losing his spot.

The defence played OK. I though Crouch caused them some problems and they were probably glad he didn't start, although saying that we were leaving gaps in the second half looking for the equaliser. Great block by Gallas at the end.

Flamini looked a bit out of it yesterday, but got better as the game wore on.

Cesc.

Hleb was briliant and one of our best players, as he has been all season. F365 sums it up best :

The Belarusian still has his faults, but he is rivalling Kolo Toure as the Gunners' most important player behind Fabregas.

I don't want to see Eboue play for us again. What pissed me off most of all is that it looked like the captain had picked short sleeve shirts so why was this idiot wearing long sleeves? I know it's only a tradition but it's what we do. Plus he's a cheating diver too.

Rosicky is still getting there fitness wise. I think he played ok, not great, in a busy game.

Adebayor didn't do much, should have scored that chance when he was through.

Overall a draw was probably fair, although maybe we just shaded it. That said Liverpool had a couple of very good chances too. I'm just glad not to lose at a place where we have a terrible record. We played well too so pleased about that. It was very important not to lose, so mission accomplished on that front.

[hercules]

Yes i remember the Neville brothers doing a number on Reyes and he was never the same player after that. But fabregas isn't reyes, he know's what is needed in this league and he loves it.

[Daley]

That's the biggest gap between a double post I have ever seen.

[hercules]

Oops, my computer is fucking up dunno why it double posted.

[Lucky]

Everyone keeps going on about us not having played any of the big 4 (3) yet, before yesterday, but i think it was Jamie Redknapp, or was it Lee Dixon, who made a good point that last year we had a good record against these teams and our problem was against the Boltons and Blackburns etc.

Out of the current top 7, not including ourselves obviously, we've played 4 out of the 6 teams.

Not that this counts for much but earlier there were a few comments about the big 4 / current top 4 etc.

Anyway, yesterdays game. I thought we were excellent. Cesc and Hleb were just pure class. We were a bit unlucky not to win but I would have settled for a point before kick off and after being behind for so long you can't really argue too much with a point.

Early early days still, but it's good to go to a place like Anfield and go for 3pts. Shows a lot of confidence and belief.

Going back to Adebayor. Don't think he had a good game yesterday. I know he was up front on his own and all that and his role is much more than just scoring goals blah blah, but I thought a lot of the time his first touch was a bit poor and moves kept breaking down when he was brought into play.

Don't want to be a moany git and bring things down and to be fair when he's been good this season he's been very good but when he's been poor he's been very poor.

What do people think about what I said a few pages back? Not likely to happen but would you rather have Dean Ashton? Also what do you all think about Kenwyne Jones (scored again)? Is he as good as I think he is or am I having a laugh?

but I wonder if someone like Dean Ashton would do a better job. When we played WH recently he caused us so much problems, he must be a nightmare to mark.

Another similar player who, from the little I've seen of him so far, looks like he could turn out to be an absolute quality player is Kenwyne Jones at sunderland. When Roy Keane bought him I thought who? and at £6million I thought he'd lost it. Jones has scored 3 goals in six games for Sunderland and last week against WH he was absolutely brilliant, just fantastic. If anyone saw MOTD2 I'm sure they'll agree with me, he was an animal, his all round game was just excellent, clever runs, holding the ball up, winning headers easily, defenders couldn't even get near him and to top it all he scored a superb header. He's definitely one to watch and it'll be interesting how he develops under RK, he's also 23. If Drogba leaves Chelsea I wouldn't be at all suprised if they go for him, and the price won't be anywhere near £6million either.

Finally - It's all starting to make sense Gallas being given the captaincy. He looks like a natural leader. How about his team talk on the pitch before the game?

Once again wenger's got it spot on.

[BlinkyBear]

Add me to the 'get rid of Eboue' camp. I've never been a fan of his moaning nonesense, but it's got beyond a joke now. He's keeping a place in the team that a number of better players could do more with, plus he's a cheating, moaning, diving scumbag. Enough is enough Wenger-we're not like that and we've risen above our odd reputation for it, so we need to just stop playing him. Having said that, Alan Green's racist comment on 5 live yesterday was well uncalled for: Eboue was having a moan at the ref for a foul against him and Green pops up with a comment that 'he needs to stop that, but then him and his countrymen are all like it.' Un.Be.Live.Able.

And where was Eduardo yesterday? Yes, we all knew that Wenger would go 4-5-1 with Kanu up front, but why not bring on Eduardo when the myriad of balls played into the Liverpool box were not being met by anyone? Bendtner is unproven in the League, yet Eduardo has got a proven track record at a much higher level and we've seen him in that role for the club and do well. He needs to play against Man Yoo for me.

Still, 1-1 was a decent result, though we should've won really.

[Dude Ranch]

That said I guess he got it right, although I would have liked to have seen Walcott for longer.

I thought that. As well as we played I think we we're lacking support up front, played a bit too deep and let them play out too easily.

Hleb was briliant and one of our best players, as he has been all season.

Hleb is fucking awesome right now. He's really making us tick and the bloke works hard and has some bollocks about him.

I don't want to see Eboue play for us again. What pissed me off most of all is that it looked like the captain had picked short sleeve shirts so why was this idiot wearing long sleeves? I know it's only a tradition but it's what we do. Plus he's a cheating diver too.

He's embarrassing. Although, in slight defense, there was an arm in his face. And Adebayor got an elbow in the stomach too. I woudn't defend Eboue though, he's rotten. I noticed the sleeves thing in the second half, I assumed he had to change shirts and that was the only one we had. Was he wearing long sleeves all game then? Cos that ain't right, Gallas chooses for everyone. I remember George Graham substiuting Michael Thomas for untucking his shirt .

EDIT: Oh, and Eboue doesn't track back properly either. So often Cesc or someone seems to be doing his running .

[Daley]

I thought that. As well as we played I think we we're lacking support up front, played a bit too deep and let them play out too easily.

Hleb is fucking awesome right now. He's really making us tick and the bloke works hard and has some bollocks about him.

He's embarrassing. Although, in slight defense, there was an arm in his face. And Adebayor got an elbow in the stomach too. I woudn't defend Eboue though, he's rotten. I noticed the sleeves thing in the second half, I assumed he had to change shirts and that was the only one we had. Was he wearing long sleeves all game then? Cos that ain't right, Gallas chooses for everyone. I remember George Graham substiuting Michael Thomas for untucking his shirt .

EDIT: Oh, and Eboue doesn't track back properly either. So often Cesc or someone seems to be doing his running .

I'm not sure if the shirt thing was all game or not but his only defence I guess was that he had to change as you said and they had nothing else. He jumps out of tackles too. I don't like getting on our own players back's but someone needs to have a word. I guess there was an arm up by Carragher there but it's not just that, it's the whole performance really, and past stuff too. Plus he isn't good enough if you ask me.

[Mars]

EDIT: Oh, and Eboue doesn't track back properly either. So often Cesc or someone seems to be doing his running .

Mostly true, but there was one point in the second half where Gallas and Toure were up for our corner and Liverpool broke. Now I know he must have been hanging back anyway but he made it back to central D and broke the counter attack down.

Bollocks apart from that though, his misplaced passes were infuriating.

Walcott looked good, especially on the right - the way he claimed a high bouncing ball and held off 2 players to get a ball in was encouraging, much like his assist against Bolton.

EDIT: and I can't believe Alan Green said that

[BlinkyBear]

EDIT: and I can't believe Alan Green said that

To be honest, I've been kinda expecting it. I've never like the fella but this year he's ramped up his ability to be a self serving, smug, self righteous twat. He literally spends 3/4 of his commentary doing anything but commentating on the game. The ref, the players' attitude, his own opinion, the crowd, a game he saw the other day, personal anectdotes all taking precedent over the game in front of him. To an extent I can understand why he gets so worked up about certain issues (players trying to get others' booked) but before the kick off yesterday one of the first things he said was 'I hope we're not talking about the ref at 6pm tonight.' Even if the ref did have a mare and did affect the outcome of the match, why would that be the main thing you're worrying about before kick off on one of the biggest games of the season so far? The man has got so many agendas that he's clearly forgotten what he's supposed to be there for. He reminds me of Lampard-he's ego's got the better of him and has caused him to lose sight of his real worth (Though Lampard had a stormer this weekend!)

[Dude Ranch]

He jumps out of tackles too.

Jesus, doesn't he?

Pulling out of tackles is A. the sign of a bottle, B. really cringeworthy and C. a way to end up getting hurt. I aways thought that playing at right back and then moving forward would make him the perfect all rounder but, a few moments of breathtaking skill aside, he's not really up to it.

[Petrousgyre]

Eboue was poor yesterday, lots of wasted balls, lots of empty space behind him - although I suspect we'd have a different opinion if he'd slotted that ball into the net rather then have it rebound at incredible pace off the upright. Walcott looked a far more convincing proposition when he came on, he seems to have found his feet at club level over the last fortnight or so. Overall I thought it was a relatively poor Arsenal perfomance, Flamini had his worst game for us this season, Rosicky didn't quite look the ticket, even Cesc let a number of decent attacking moves break down. Again, Hleb was man of the match for me - we'd have really struggled without him yesterday.

It's a measure of how far this side has come that they can go to Anfield, not have a great day, consider themselves unlucky not to win but still come away with a draw.

[Lucky]

It's a measure of how far this side has come that they can go to Anfield, not have a great day, consider themselves unlucky not to win but still come away with a draw.

Yeah you're right. We had a few below par performances, Flamini, Rosicky, Adebayor, Eboue and maybe even Clichy and Sagna, and still came away unlucky to not get all 3pts.

You can see the belief is there and this team can go very far. It's a long long season and it all comes down to winning trophies but things are pretty good at the moment.

This is all with players like Eduardo, RVP, Diaby & Denilson not even on the bench.