Arsenal vs Man Utd

Joey Schwab wrote:Please, please, please let TV or Sagna be fit for this.

But please do not risk them if they are not 100% fit...

I can't see how Sagna can possibly be match fit for Sunday. He's been out for months. I wouldn't mind seeing le coq playing right back instead of Djourou. I have no faith in Djourou at all now.

I thought Coquelin was injured?

ah shit, he is isn't he. oh well, lets hope Vermaelen is back at least.

Hearing that Henry is injured too, any truth the rumors?

Sami Rockfeller wrote:Hearing that Henry is injured too, any truth the rumors?

Don't go saying things like that! Having a situation where we're chasing the game in the final 20mins against united and only have Park to bring on to grab us a goal is not even funny. If that was the case, hopefully Walcott will be shoved up front alongside RVP.

Yeah, Henry is a doubt with a calf injury.

Arsenal are set to receive a double boost ahead of Sunday's crucial Premier League clash against Manchester United with Mikel Arteta and Thomas Vermaelen both set to return to the starting line-up.

Arteta picked up a calf injury in training prior to Sunday's 3-2 defeat at Swansea but the Spaniard's problem was described as only a "mild strain". Vermaelen has been sidelined with a calf problem since limping out of the Gunners' 1-0 victory against Queens Park Rangers on New Year's Eve. Manager Arsene Wenger had hoped the Belgian defender would be available last weekend but decided not to risk him.

Vermaelen is winning his fitness race after returning to full training and he should be ready for United.

Arsenal's defensive resources are already stretched with Kieran Gibbs, Carl Jenkinson, Andre Santos and Bacary Sagna all ruled out injured while emergency left-back Francis Coquelin is also unavailable with a hamstring problem.

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard-sport/football/article-24028856-double-boost-for-arsenal.do

If we have any sort of fullbacks then we have a chance. Man Utd kill their opponents on the wings. So while we may control the midfield, if we're playing Miquel and DJ as our fullbacks, we'll be sliced open time and time again. Vermaelen needs to play, and if Sagna is fit, I would start him.

even arseblog reported about henry's calf injury..
on a side note have any of you guys tried this arsenal website:
gunnertalk.com
i really found it cool.especially the henry's pic on home page

Man Utd will look to hit us on the counter... as always. And we don't have fullbacks good enough to deal with it. Valencia was on fire in the last game, I can't see us being able to cope without Vermaelen.

Oh boy, really looking forward to this game yet at the same time not looking forward to it. have a bad feeling, man utd always beats us when we really need the points:( 3-1 loss for us and the humiliation of 3 loses in a row...

Wenger did say Vermaelen would be the first back after Swansea. Arteta...?
I wish they would update this stuff on the official website more often

Vijay Saibola wrote:For the first time not getting excited for this fixture. We beat them, then lose the game then after. We lose and the it continues the way it is.... Getting all too predictable.

If Fergie can get Glazers to spend, then why cant Wenger get Kroenke to loosen it a bit. But we all know wengers ambitions.

What do you mean, you know Wenger's ambitions?

I'm actually looking forward to watching this. United's midfield is poor and their defense isn't much better. I think a 2-1 win is a possibility if things go our way. Our defense has to be much better than it was against Swansea though, and the attack needs to be a little more inspired. Can't have Theo and Arshavin being poor out there.

We should get a thumping, so Wenger will do some astute-panic-shopping again. Although realistically, 3 points for us is well within reach.

Arteta and TV back would be fantastic. I hope Henry is fit though, it would be a bit of a shame/waste if he is injured for 3 weeks and then leaves...

Anyone else thinks that Szczesny's form hasn't been that great recently?, cost us a goal against Fulham and a bit at fault for the 3rd one against against Swansea. Maybe lacking of competition or something.

I don't think he's getting complacent or whatever. I think it's just down to the inevitable cock ups goalkeepers make now and again. I wouldn't worry about it unless he continues to do stupid things week in week out. And has Almuniaesque proportions of not learning from his mistakes.
Sometimes it's easy to forget how young Sir Chesney is.
He's still learning.

as are a lot of our team. rambo had an absolute stinker last week, but some of the abuse he got was ridiculous. with youth, you get inconsistency. i'm much more angry/annoyed/frustrated/worried at how most of our senior players not being able to step it up when it matters

Chris Chan wrote:i'm much more angry/annoyed/frustrated/worried at how most of our senior players not being able to step it up when it matters

I agree with this 100%. Players like Mertesacker, Benayoun, Rosicky, Arshavin should be directing the younger players and using their experience to organise things and hold some shape to the team when it's back is to the wall. I was especially annoyed with Per who is supposed to be the experienced CB but he left Miquel our inexperienced stand in fullback wander around like a headless chicken for 90minutes. No direction whatsoever.
Song has to be counted as one of our senior players as well and should know better than to bomb forward as Songinho and leave Ramsey & Benayoun to try and win the ball back. Something which they are fairly ineffective at.

If we had a vocal leader giving players direction and keeping them focused, I don't think we would be dropping so many points. I pine for a Tony Adams type player. Someone to bollock players if needed and encourage and lift the spirits if required.

This game will be aired on FOX. First ever PL game to air on US network TV.

I wonder who the commentators will be? It's not ESPN, so at least we won't have Steve "I just don't think they need to be giving the ball away" McMananman.

That's another first ever for Arsenal in terms of TV broadcasting.
The first ever televised game of football was in 1937.
A game between Arsenal and Arsenal reserves.

ChippyBrady7 wrote:I pine for a Tony Adams type player. Someone to bollock players if needed and encourage and lift the spirits if required.

I think we miss that too. Szczesny seems to give the defenders a good bollocking if they deserve it, Vermaelen too sometimes, but the rest (Per, Kos, Song, Sagna etc) seem to quietly get on with their business. I think Arteta is a very good influence on the team though but not vocally, more in the way he plays and dictates the tempo.

Per probably would speak more if he had a better grasp of the language. As it stands, he's still adjusting to the new atmosphere.

Funny to see you guys say this after a couple of people have said THierry should calm down. No way to know for sure but I doubt he's really getting down on anybody. So far the talk has been about organising in defence but better decisions need to also be made in attack.
As mentioned above, possibly Arteta does need to be more vocal