Sunday 21 Dec, 2008 Away. We've shared the points in the last few home games when we were expected to win. 1 point would generally be considered a good result away to Arsenal. However, we've beaten the mancs and Chelsea already this season. No reason we can't beat Arsenal in their own back yard. That'd go some way to making up for the last few draws and we'd be top of the league at Christmas.
go for the jugular.we shouldve beaten them there last year with a weakened team.theyve lost hleb,flamini,eduardo,rosicky,gilberto,walcott,nasri etc and with or without torres weve improved and have a better team.go for the win rafa.top at chrimbo.happy days.
What a first half season it would be if we do beat them, three wins out of three against our titles rivals and top of the league at the half way point.
i think we have a great chance of winning there,if we get the 1st goal we,l take all 3pts...to be top at xmass would be great
arsenal seem to left their game to play the top teams this season to cling onto any hope of a title charge. will be a very tough one.
then again so have we mate.batter the blueshite,beat the mancs and took the chavies home recored but cant beat stoke,fulham or hull at home.the more other teams attack us the more chance we seem to have of winning.pity we dont have marty back for this one though.always like to see him rough up fabregas ,the little bitch.
True , but its a sign of the times that even with the Nando ,the best striker in europe injured, you still have to be confident of a positive result.
Is Walcott defo out for this one? Even with a sling on he would roast Dossena based on Saturdays viewing.
The Arsenal game has the potential to be a very open one, with victory essential for Arsenal. Can't see anyone other than Kuyt starting wide right and Riera wide left, so as to pressure the opposing full backs as we did at Chelsea - these guys are our strongest (physically) wingers. So these leaves the stage set for Keane to really have a go, a goal in this fixture would get the fans on his side. At left back, its hard to know. If Arsenal twig our weakness there, they might deviate from their recent trend of playing the likes of Denilson or Diaby on the flanks. I'm not sure of their injury situation though. If they do play one of those centre midfielders out wide, it could be a good confidence building excercise for either Dossena or Insua, they shouldn't have too tough a time of it. The usual midfield three will start I'd imagine, with Mascherano's input into stopping Fabregas vital to our chances. I can only guess as to who will partner Carragher, my head says Hyypia but my heart is hoping for Agger. 8am kick-off here in California, then fly home to Dublin later that day!
Hopefully we'll get the win against this lot haven't won down there since 2000 with Titi's winner if i am right so due one surely i hope!
This really is the one game out of the top four that i really hate having to watch and it all stems from that season when we had to play them 3 times in row. I remember that plank baptista getting a couple against us and they really we're tearing us apart at will. That being said we are a much better team now and they are not playing at near the same level that the can either. I'm hoping that we can win this one and play in the same fashion as we did against united and chelsea but if we get sloppy like we did against hull we could concede a lot of goals in this one.
Hope it's Riera and Kuyt wide alright with Keane through the middle. Would imagine if Masch and Alonso win the midfield battle Gerrard can do some real damage. Wouldn't be suprised if Babel makes an important contribution again. Hope Agger plays as I'd worry a bit about the pace of Hyppia against Van Persie etc and how deep we may have to defend with him in the team
hyypia's height could be vital matching Adebayor in the air - ade scored a header from a corner last weekend.
we're a very well organised team compared to the children at arsenal. man united lost to them there because they were native enough to try and beat them at their own attacking game. im confident of the win here.
I'm not too sure about this but i would have figured that the two of them were about the same height but i am open to correction on this on, hyypia could be caught pretty bad against the quick and tricky adebaeyour and van persie (not that agger will be able to control them too easily either mind you).
OMG we havent beaten them away since i was 9 or 10 I think i remember that game and all though-sunny day,green jerseys and titi scored in the 1st half?
I remember Agger having a great game against them when we beat them 4-1 at home a couple of seasons back. Big Samis been top class always and scored that vital goal in the champions league game last year too. It's a tough one but I think I'd go with Agger for this one