Arsenal v Sunderlan (FA Cup)

Go.

Sunderland* I apologize for passing the "D"

Even if we win it won't make up for tonight's abject performance... It's our only hope of maybe winning something now though.

Who in the world can tell? We could any one of the 5 Arsenals turn up on the day after tonight...

will be holding my breath to see what starting lineup wenger pulls out the bag

Szczęsny
Coquelin Djourou Vermaelen Gibbs
Song
Arteta Rosicky
AOC Rvp Walcott (Arshavin)

I would come out thereby

how about
yennaris-tv-song-gibbs
coq-arteta-rosicky
ox-rvp-arshavin/walcott

anything to keep out djourou, iv always hated him

Did Sagna die and both of you are leaving him out?

I wouldn't start Walcott. Two poor games in a row, which makes it about 7/8 bad games in the last couple of months either side of the Villa and Blackburn games. I'm just thinking out loud now but I'm even wondering if he should even stay at the club. Not that I think he's shit or necessarily want him out but because he sure as hell isn't worth a huge, long term contract. And obviously it's dangerous to leave the contract running down. Do you wait and make him earn it or what? His consistency though... bloody hell. He can't even use injuries as a reason this season, he's just been ineffective for quite some time now.

The Ox and Arshavin out wide. I would probably take a draw now and get them back for the replay on Tuesday.

Mario Leontiou wrote:Did Sagna die and both of you are leaving him out?

hahahahahaaa maybe my subconscious blocked him out after todays match

Sagna - Miguel - TV - Gibbs
Arteta - Song - Benayoun
Ox - RVP - Arshavin

Rosicky and Ramsey warrant dropping after tonight...maybe put Le Coq in there instead of Song.
We can't not play RVP.
If Theo never steps on the pitch for Arsenal again, I will not be sad. I don't hate him, but he is approaching Diaby-esque proportions of passengerness and inconsistency.

We have to start our strongest team. This is our only chance at winning a trophy this season and with the two Manchester clubs out already, we have to give it all we got. Sunderland are going to employ the same tactics as last week; defend in numbers and try to catch us on the counter.

I think three consecutive games might be too much for Rosicky so Ramsey will probably start. Djourou has been awful but he'll probably start to keep the balance, can't see Wenger starting two left footed center backs.

He plays two right-footed CBs all the time. At this point, I'd say Miquel is a decent shout compared to Djourou. Ramsey got his goal against Sunderland but has been generally very poor of late. Rosicky had been improving. Until tonight. But yeah, 3 games in a week is a big ask for him, especially on the pitches in question.

jason.mandryk wrote:He plays two right-footed CBs all the time. At this point, I'd say Miquel is a decent shout compared to Djourou. Ramsey got his goal against Sunderland but has been generally very poor of late. Rosicky had been improving. Until tonight. But yeah, 3 games in a week is a big ask for him, especially on the pitches in question.

It's actually the opposite, AW has said he prefers to play one left footed CB and one right footed, especially with TV in the side. A la Gallas TV, Kos TV... But in the past he had Adams and Keown. Sol and Toure. Gallas and Toure. Albeight the last one never really worked out. Plus Miquel is a left footer.

I dont want RVP to start. I want to see this team without this man, see how will they score. Wenger will start Chamakh probably but i want to see Park given a chance finally. I'd go with

szczesny

sagna -- dj -- tv -- gibbs

song -- arshavin -- arteta

gervinho* -- park -- oxlade


Theo SHOULD be on the bench, and Wenger said that gervinho will be back by saturday.

ralph avedikian wrote:I dont want RVP to start. I want to see this team without this man, see how will they score. Wenger will start Chamakh probably but i want to see Park given a chance finally. I'd go with

szczesny

sagna -- dj -- tv -- gibbs

song -- arshavin -- arteta

gervinho* -- park -- oxlade


Theo SHOULD be on the bench, and Wenger said that gervinho will be back by saturday.

Agreed I don't want vp on buck up the ideas of the other players ...and also agreed I don't want Theo anywhere near the team or bench

I see a comment from not sure who about Theo saying his days are numbered...and the way to see how Theo or if Theo is gonna perform would be watch 10 mins of his warm up see if he looks like he wants to play.....

JavierVen wrote:Sunderland* I apologize for passing the "D"

I hope our strikers get pass their D as well.

Take RVP out and we have a team that is not top 6 quality. Now isn't the time for experimentation, we need our best players to play and our most influential and RVP is both. If he needs a rest and Wenger feels he has to sit out, ok. But if not, he must play. We're out of the CL anyway so there will be plenty of times to put his feet up.

Chamakh and Park couldn't make the bench ahead of a 34 year old who lacked the match fitness to start a game in the 6 weeks he was here. They're two average players and I hope they both leave in the summer.

As for Gervinho, I'm happy that he's back but not sure if he will start. There's been a lot of travelling involved and may need a few more days to get back up to speed.

RvP has to start if he can. We need goals and he is by far the most likely to get them. I don't think Walcott should start, he didn't have a great game against Sunderland last time out so maybe give Arshavin or Gervinho a go. Maybe even Benayoun. After not starting the Milan game I would definately start The Ox in this one. Some of our players will be tired playing agame three days later but he won't and he can cause damage against Sunderland.

There are a fair amount of options in the midfield. What worries me is the defence. I simply don't trust Djourou anymore. I'd probably rather Miquel or even Song alongside TV. Sagna and Gibbs will probably start, Sunderland have good wingers to deal with and they also need to get their fitness up for the Spurs game. Hopefully Szczesny plays instead of Fabianski too. Can't risk playing our second best goalie in this. If he doesn't like sitting on the bench behind a goalie who is a lot better than him, who cares?

Mike York wrote:Hopefully Szczesny plays instead of Fabianski too. Can't risk playing our second best goalie in this. If he doesn't like sitting on the bench behind a goalie who is a lot better than him, who cares?

I agree. But I can't remember the last time Wenger didn't play the number 2 in the FA Cup so I expect Fabianski to start.

Although talking about Szczesny, his form has tailed off a bit as well in the last 6 weeks or so.

Yeah he has trailed off a bit. Yet I still believe in him a whole lot more than other goalkeeper we have. Then again maybe that is the problem - maybe he knows he doesn't have any real competition either. Fabianski/Almunia have had chances and not impressed. Mannone is inexperienced. It'd be nice to see a Vorm/Hennessey/Sorensen/Al-Habsi level player come in to provide some actual competition.

Unfortunately I reckon Fabianski will start too. Hopefully Wenger sees sense. With a weakened defence due to injuries, having your number one goalkeeper in place would probably help.

MarkoMaksimovic wrote:

jason.mandryk wrote:He plays two right-footed CBs all the time. At this point, I'd say Miquel is a decent shout compared to Djourou. Ramsey got his goal against Sunderland but has been generally very poor of late. Rosicky had been improving. Until tonight. But yeah, 3 games in a week is a big ask for him, especially on the pitches in question.

It's actually the opposite, AW has said he prefers to play one left footed CB and one right footed, especially with TV in the side. A la Gallas TV, Kos TV... But in the past he had Adams and Keown. Sol and Toure. Gallas and Toure. Albeight the last one never really worked out. Plus Miquel is a left footer.

That's his preference, but he's played two right footers an awful lot, including the Per/Kos partnership (OK, Kos is somewhat two footed but definitely not a pure left footer like TV). In any case, the tactical inconvenience of two left footers is a lot less of a problem than the presence of Djourou in the side right now. Miquel's impressed in all his other appearances. However, as Mario mentioned, this is not the match for experimentation. The best possible side is what we should be playing; I just don't feel that after last night, that Walcott, Djourou, Ramsey or Rosicky would be in that best possible side for Sunderland. Gervinho on the bench.

We are reaping the fruits of Arsenal PLC's austerity programme when you look at the (lack of) quality in depth. Even if we can squeak out a top 4 finish and by some turn of great fortune, win the FA Cup, will that be enough to keep RVP around? Without him, AFC would be a mid-table team, plying their trade in a shiny, emptying stadium.

Adressing a few points that were made here:

- Dropping Sagna for Coquelin or Yennaris is ridiculous. He was poor last night and directly at fault for the second goal. But Sagna is probably our most consistent player - that's only the 2nd or 3rd time he had a poor game in the time he's been here. Sagna must play.

- I think we need to be careful with Gibbs, since he's so injury prone as it is. But we have a week rest after this game, so he may be worth starting. Manager's call. If he doesn't, it'd be Miquel for me.

- Vermaelen was our poorest player list night, making mistakes all night long (at least he didn't hide - but where would he hide anyway?). But he needs to play. He's the first player to put his hand up and admit it when he plays badly, and he'll be the first to try to make up for it. But this isn't his first poor performance this season. He has a lot of good will amongst the fans, and it's isolating him from criticism somewhat, but he hasn't been the immovable force he was in his first season. That may be down to rustiness as well as playing at LB, but he needs to buck up. I remember people saying during his first season that he made a lot of mistakes, but his enthusiasm and his partner at the time allowed us to gloss over it. Hell, John Terry made a career out of it, but hopefully Verm doesn't have to.

- Song and Arteta to start. I don't think it was wise to start both Rosicky and Ramsey last night - the former can't do 3 games in a week, the latter looks jaded enough as it is, and none will be entirely fresh for the weekend. If Rosicky has it in him, then he should start, but if not then it'll need to be Ramsey.

- Drop Walcott, play Ox on the right and Arshavin on the left. Yes, I said it, Arshavin. Walcott has been poor, and has frustratingly not acknowledged that poor form in interviews. So show him what you think of him, Wenger. Make him earn that contract. I'd have him and Gervinho on the bench. Gervinho's gone and blessed the rains down in Africa. Let him have a week to recover. Bring him on only if needed.

- Finally, those saying that they want to see what this team can do without RVP...do you really? It won't be a pretty sight. Best we keep telling the world we aren't a one-man team, because we are. Best we get the results. We can save proving the point to next year (or next decade).

Szczesny
Sagna Djourou Vermaelen Gibbs
Rosicky Song Arteta
Ox RvP Arshavin
If Rosicky can't play, Benayoun. I'd be tempted to drop Song and play Coquelin as well. Some of the first teamers who think they have it easy should geet a kick up in their ass.

I dont trust Arsene Wenger, nor the team to get a result Saturday. I dont think its in us anymore... and Sunderland will be itching for revenge after last weekend.

The problem is we are not like any other team after defeat - last night will have a huge psychological blow on the squad and lets face it Wenger is NOT the right manager to lift them - because he has shown time and time again he is not capable of doing so in these situations despite the shit and insulting quite frankly quotes you will read on arsenal.com and alike

The team even if we did progress wont win the FA cup so maybe a blessing in disguise would be to bow out Sat and concentrate on the league and 4th spot ... although there is no way this team is going to get 6 pts out of Liverpool and Spurs ... such a sorry decline and Wenger you deluded ideology of the game and what we need and dont need is again to blame ... please fuck off somewhere else and let this club get back to being the competitive team we once were

Appalling.....

McCarthyofcourse!! wrote:such a sorry decline and Wenger you deluded ideology of the game and what we need and dont need is again to blame ... please fuck off somewhere else and let this club get back to being the competitive team we once were

Appalling.....

Utter nonsense. This "ideology" has got us Champions League football for 13 consecutive seasons, has won us the league 3 times, the FA Cup 4 times, a UEFA cup final and Champions League final. it has also made us one of the 5 or so biggest teams in the world. But yeah, sure. I'd trade that for our mid-table mediocrity of the mid-1990s in a heartbeat.