Official Gooners Thread - A New Hope

Started by Dinny Breen, November 10, 2006, 09:10:06 AM

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ONeill

Arsenal v Newcastle (with their 3 fit defenders) is live on RTE this Saturday at 3PM.
I wanna have my kicks before the whole shithouse goes up in flames.

Elias

I'm usually very cautious about the visit of Newcastle ever since they beat us at Highbury a few days before Christmas a few years back. Very embarrassing as I was going out with a Geordie for a while at Uni and I took a bit of grief for it. (Proper nutters Geordie wemen).

But it was take an amazing transformation in form for Newcastle to beat the goons tomorrow, they can't score or defend, a dangerous combination in any league.

My prediction: 2-0 to the Gunners

Baptista & Freddie are back too apparently

ONeill

Disappointing that Gilberto is away back to Brazil for a wee while for 'personal reasons'. Love him or loathe him, the invisible wall always seems to be there when you need him most. Rosicky also out for another week. Who to start in midfield? Ljungberg-Baptista-Fabregas-Hleb? 2 players just back in there so maybe he'll hand Flamini a role in the middle third. Walcott suffered a hand injury for the England U21s. Newcastle will probably start Milner, Emre, Parker, Duff in the middle.

Up front Henry/RVP or Henry/Adebayor? I'd start the latter tomorrow.
I wanna have my kicks before the whole shithouse goes up in flames.

ONeill

O Bernard    hip    no return date     
M Pattison    knee    no return date     
T Bramble    back    18th Nov 06     
S Taylor    groin    18th Nov 06     
T Krul    knee       
C Babayaro    groin    6th Dec 06     
S Carr    bruised toe    18th Nov 06     
S Parker    groin    18th Nov 06     
O Martins    hamstring    18th Nov 06     
S Ameobi    hip    no return date     
M Owen    knee (ACL)    May 07
I wanna have my kicks before the whole shithouse goes up in flames.

Elias

Man thats a shockin big list. The Geordie Docs will be on good overtime on the run up to Christmas!

I'd start RVP personally, Adebayor in 2nd half for Henry should we be in control.

Windmill abu

I'm a fan of Adebayor, particularly when it come to unlocking stubborn defences, but Newcadtle are so poor at the moment I believe we should start with Henry & Van Persie up front. This match should suit the gunners passing game, with the possibilty of scoring 3 or 4 goals. If Newcastle can hold out for the first hour, the bring on Adebayor for the last 30 mins  to sneak a goal for an ugly 3 points
Never underestimate the power of complaining

Elias

Looks like Henry is gonna be on the bench today. I'd imagine after 90 mins midweek he'll only be used if we are in bother.

ONeill

Well, what to do? Arsenal continue to play their free-flowing version of total football without putting the ball in the net. Some of Arsenal's play was of such a high standard in the middle third that you've now become used to/spoiled by it. However, the decision to rest Henry seems to have backfired. Despite all his huffing and puffing when things don't go his way, Henry seems to be indispensable. Perhaps his 90 mins for France coupled with the match this Tuesday played a part in Wenger's decision.

I thought Arsenal upped their work-rate off the ball and I thought this was some kind of statement that we can survive without Henry. A soft soft goal to give away. Gallas talked earlier in the week that Arsenal need to find a balance between attack and defence. Newcastle scored in their first real attack after 30 mins, 2 on 2. Hleb was weaving his patterns, Fabregas seemed up for it and Clichy was bombing forward. Arsenal actually did little wrong apart from scoring - the crucial difference between the top teams. In one way it's utterly frustrating, and on the other you wouldn't want Arsenal to change their style. You know that if they're 1-up, they'll not be caught. As Wenger said after the game, it was the same old story. Arsenal don't score early on, then concede a soft goal, then spend the rest of the game chasing. He claimed this team needs to learn the right ingredients to take the title. What was the difference between the 2003/4 Invincibles and this side? Bergkamp's vision? Campbell's no frills approach? Vieira? Unless Baptista can recreate some of the Senegal man's steel, Arsenal may continue to have a soft centre. Gilberto was a loss today. He'd arguably have broken up the attack which led to Dyer's well-taken goal. However, that doesn't disguise the fact that Arsenal didn't score from play despite 60% possession and 23 attempts on goal. Newcastle, as do 99% of teams, just parked their bus in the 'D'. I'm at a loss as to the solution - forget a out trying to dominate all possession and allow opposing teams to commit themselves forward now and again and hit them on the break?

I wanna have my kicks before the whole shithouse goes up in flames.

Elias

Quote from: ONeill on November 18, 2006, 07:52:04 PM
forget a out trying to dominate all possession and allow opposing teams to commit themselves forward now and again and hit them on the break?

But if Arsenal changed thier style of play I honestly believe they would suffer a lot more than they are right now.
For all our possesion we were careless in attack at times (Adebayor's work rate is great but he's far from the finished article)
I fear our title chances are gone now

charlie stubbs

u sound like wenger!why do u complain that teams come and defend at your place?do they not do this when they go 2 old trafford, the bridge or anfield?and even when they do u prob make more chances than aNY OF THE OTHER MENTRIONED TEAMS!

Dinny Breen

Gilberto was a loss on Saturday, Arsenal don't need to change their style they just need to defend better, it's one thing believeing you can out pass and beat any team but you have to defend as well, Newcastle took their chance well and in Given had the best player on the pitch. The title is probably beyond them but this experience bodes well for the future.
#newbridgeornowhere

hows she cutting

what do you make of Henrys reasoning for lack of goals at The Easyjet Stadium.

Reckons they haven't got used to the new surroundings yet and have no visual references within the stadium whilst on the pitch.

Sounds like a load of codswallop to me

Dinny Breen

Jesus Arsenal were brutal last night, very frustrating to watch. Anyone else listen to the Setanta commentary, totaly negative about everything Arsenal and spent the whole second half given Eboube dogs so was delighted to see him score. Lou Macari you haven't a clue!!!
#newbridgeornowhere

ONeill

Only got to see clips, Dinny. In what what were they brutal?
I wanna have my kicks before the whole shithouse goes up in flames.

Dinny Breen

Just their whole negative attitude towards Arsenal, every time Eboube made an error they just pounced on it, started calling Henry a "big game bottler", they just kept accentuating Arsenals failings over and over again set pieces, perfect goal, can be got at etc etc etc

Lou Macari was literally saying Henry was a diving cheat, he was just negative negative not in the slightest bit constructive in his critisism and offered no tactical insight into the game whatsoever but as Walcott was British the sun shined out of his ass, for an Arsenal fan it was just a horrible television experience
#newbridgeornowhere