Official Gooners Thread - A New Hope

[ildanach]

disappointed he is gone i think we are lacking in the centre of midfield and he is also a very versatile player who could have filled in in a few positions.
Big game thiis weekend we need a win. I have a feeling united will drop points this week against reading.

[ildanach]

from arsenal.com

Arsène Wenger could be forced to draft in a couple of first-team players for Tuesday's Carling Cup Semi-Final second leg at White Hart Lane.

The Arsenal manager has a policy of playing squad players in this competition. For example, in the first leg, Justin Hoyte was the only starter to retain his place from the previous Premiership game — and the former England Under-21 international has hardly been a regular in the top-flight this term.

Wenger is without five players at the moment — three of them centre back — and, as a result, he may employ some experience.

"The players who were on the bench at Fulham will play," he said. "But I will have to play one or two who played on Saturday because we are short in numbers."

One reporter asked if William Gallas would be one of that duo.

"I will see," replied the Arsenal manager. "Come to the game on Tuesday!"

Big game tomorrow i think we might just ge through by the a single goal 1-2.

[ONeill]

I think that after almost a whole decade of trying, the Spuds might finally manage to get one over the Arsenal (reserves) tonight. I think Wenger should resist playing anyone who'll run the risk of injury before the CL kicks into being again. Apparently Spurs are very much up for this (team and fans - God Help Them!) and perhaps Wenger should gift them this as thanks for allowing Jennings, Campbell, Stead, Walford, Groves, Neill and Young to move on to a bigger club.

Was reading this on Wiki:

As of January 9, 2008, there have been 158 competitive first-class meetings between the two teams since the first league meeting in 1909, of which Arsenal have won 66 and Tottenham 49. The most goals in one game were scored in the closely contested 5-4 Arsenal Premiership victory at White Hart Lane on November 13, 2004. The biggest winning margin was 6-0 to Arsenal on March 6, 1935. The last Tottenham victory over Arsenal was on November 7, 1999, when Spurs won 2-1 at White Hart Lane; the Gunners have remained unbeaten against their North London rivals in the 21 matches (seventeen Premiership, one FA Cup, three League Cup) since, as of January 9, 2008. In 2004, Arsenal won the title at their rivals' home ground, repeating their triumph of 1971

[ildanach]

Arsène Wenger has announced his 16-man squad for tonight's Carling Cup Semi-Final second leg against Tottenham at White Hart Lane.

Arsenal squad to face Tottenham:

2 Abou DIABY
3 Bacary SAGNA
4 Cesc FABREGAS
9 EDUARDO
10 William GALLAS
13 Alexander HLEB
15 DENILSON
16 Mathieu FLAMINI
19 GILBERTO
21 Lukasz FABIANSKI (GK)
25 Emmanuel ADEBAYOR
26 Nicklas BENDTNER
30 Armand TRAORE
31 Justin HOYTE
32 Theo WALCOTT
40 Vito MANNONE (GK)

Stronger squad than usual. I would think that flamini,hleb, fabregas,  will be on the bench though.

[jaykay]

IMO

- Fabianski
Sagna - Hoyte - Gallas - Traore
Diaby - Denilson - Gilberto - Hleb
- - - Walcott - Bendtner

[ildanach]

IMO

- Fabianski
Sagna - Hoyte - Gallas - Traore
Diaby - Denilson - Gilberto - Hleb
- - - Walcott - Bendtner

a good team, but i would prefer eduardo up front. I think he will go with walcot on the wing but i would rather hleb and bring walcot on on the second half.

[hitzelsperger]

have a good feeling about tonight, expect spurs to come out all guns blazing kicking all around them and hoping berbatov will do something, arsenal ride the storm then get into their rythmn hitting spurs on the break. dreams of 3-0 to the arsenal (reserves) but think  1-0 will do us!

[ONeill]

I'd be slightly concerned about starting Gallas. This match is way down in terms of what Arsenal want to achieve this year. For him to get injured, with Toure, Eboue and Djourou out, would be a disaster. Stick Gilberto back there.

[ONeill]

Fabianksi---------------

Sagna---Hoyte-----Gallas---Traore

Hleb---Denilson---Gilberto---Diaby

---------Walcott----Bendtner--

Good call Jaykay.

[Square Ball]

IMO

- Fabianski
Sagna - Hoyte - Gallas - Traore
Diaby - Denilson - Gilberto - Hleb
- - - Walcott - Bendtner

do you do lotto numbers?

[ildanach]

2 nil down half time ,could this be the end of the great 9 year run against spurs? if we get one early we could still do it(but thats a big if!!)

[Dinny Breen]

Well done Spuds every dog has his day...

How long before Fearon exclaims Spurs greatest every victory........

Damn, Arsenal have just the Premiership, FA Cup and Champions League to worry about now.....

[ONeill]

And to be fair, they beat (well) a decent Arsenal side.

[hitzelsperger]

no need for that fat w"£ker fearon to come on here and gloat he starts another pointless thread that gets a few replies then slips into oblivion after a few days, as dinny said plenty of bigger fish to fry, great experience for the young boys against spurs first team. hopefully bendtner and the likes come thru and do it for the first team...up the arse!

[Norf Tyrone]

Yer young lad O'Hara looks a great player.

All this talk of always beating Spurs...a few years back in 2001 or something, Chelsea had a similar record- if not better- against Spurs, and went in the league cup 2nd leg in a very similar state. Again the pysche was 'Chelsea always beat Spurs.'

Final score: Spurs 5 Chelsea 1!!!!!!!

Now if only I'd money on that............