So although the headline may sound a little cruel, Villarreal’s most influential player, Santi Cazorla broke his leg this weekend in their 3 nil defeat, it puts them 24 points behind Barcelona but psychologically a loss before a big European game can be very damaging, so it could be very good news for us, a good time to play them.
It also means Robert Pires should start the game and we know he’ll be fired up for this one. It’s going to be a tough game all the same but I really think we are begining to see the Arsenal play great football again, the spirit is back, the belief is back and the goals are back.
Unfortunately one of the reasons for that is Andre Arshavin, but I also believe much of that is his presence, and if he travels with the team he will be there in spirit, Nasri should be back to take his place and so should Diaby to take over from Song.
To be honest I expect the only changes to the team will be those two, he will play a 4-5-1 and will have 2 of Eduardo, Bendtner or Robin as subs plus the other usual suspects.
I fancied a draw, but if we get the breaks, I can see us nicking a goal or two and that would be perfect, away goals are the real deal in this competition.
The boss has come out and said that he is suspending player contracts until the summer break, that’s when our well paid players get their 2-3 month holiday!
What I don’t understand is why? Robin has two years, so he’s okay until at least next January, Theo maybe needs sorting, Cesc already have a contract until 2025 and the rest it doesn’t matter.
It seems to me that contract talks and extensions are another way of giving the players loyalty pay rises, there money goes up regardless of what goes on around us, they are fiddling while Rome burns. Still that’s part and parcel of the game so I guess we all have to accept it, like MP’s they are different.
As far as Adebayor is concerned, he can go whistle Dixie, he has 3 years of his contract left, but if starts bleating again I would sell him to the highest bidder, he may have scored two vital goals for us at the weekend, but he still hasn’t learned the offside rule.
Shame about the Villa game yesterday, but I have to say I was more worried about them winning than the Mancs, the Mancs were woeful, their new 17 year old Eye-tie that scored two goals looked useful though, how comes we missed out on him then???
On a final note, if we can get past Liverpool, Chelsea and ManU we could start to think about the invincibles run again, it’s possible with the right breaks and the right summer signings!
Have a great day Grovers, tomorrow we’ll see if we’ve got what it takes to drink with the big boys.
ha ha enjoy it – be great to get a win
Day Trip or overnight?
Ireland played Italy last week and 3 young lads said they were going to a friends house but went to Italy for the game ha ha
Yes, it sure would. Would still need to do the business at home but it does allow options to potentially rest prior to the semi against chelsea 3 days later.
We need away goals anyway even if its a score draw
Agreed. Optimistic too as it was very good on Saturday, and he will clearly play that formation tomorrow (well, I imagine anyway). Nasri for Arsh shouldn’t be too much of a loss as Nasri has been playing well, and Ade didn’t really link up with Andre anyway. Presuming he goes with Ade that is.
And if your Ebour prediction is true, that’s ok as well. I think he’s looked ok providing he doesn’t have any defensive responsibility, and with Song and Denilson mopping up, he can get away with it (as long as he doesn’t dive or complain everytime someone fouls him – that is frustrating).
think he’ll go with Adebayor….and Eboue for Walcott
I think Ade as well, maybe Eboue with Walcott looking fresh if needed (though Eboue could come on in a similar vain – he looks seriously quick running with the ball lately)
think he’ll go with Eboue as a kind of defensive cover down the right with you know who coming down the left flank for Villareal
Is that where bobby plays for them? Everytime I caught a game he looked quite central.
He probably plays more central now but memories of him from Highbury suggests we should mind the left flank as well
He has slowed down a good bit but still dangerous
Yep, he was the biz. Another year or two would have been good but hey ho. Right, let’s bash out this piece of fiction!. See ya later.
enjoy the game Pires
I watched via a stream but noticed that Manc missed two clean chances. The praises for Song and Dennilson may yet be premature
that was at the back – Gelson was left totally unmarked in the box, Kolo or Gallas should have marked up.
Either way no one is saying Song and Denilson are the real deal but have come on since the beginning of the season
.. and both Ade goals were really excellent. He made them look easy but they could have been misses. Lets give credit. Watching the hilites just now.
Yeah good game by Adebayor – more of the same tomorrow would be greatly welcome
The hilites??
Alumina did very well. He had some good saves that kept us in the game.Cordination of the CHs with the FBs is still not spot on ( re-Clichy, keeping their attacker onside)
Think everyone did well to be honest
Yeah, clips via 101greatgoals
where’s everyone? Did I do a blog fart or something?? Irish just the two of us?
yep – quite this evening Confident – must be all flying to Villareal
where’s everyone? Did I do a blog fart or something?? Irish just the two of us?
Thank God that Nasri will play tommorrow.
So expect
Spansish Waiter
Sagna Toure Gallas Clichy
Dennilson Song
Theo Cesc Nasri
Ade
Wish Ash was not cup tied I would have put my money on us winning by at least 2-0. Nasri tends to cut back too much because he is not comfy with his left leg
I expect Liverpool to beat Chelsea. They have the momentum plus they are very good with wing play, and long balls foward. Thy can shoot from all angles. They are the only EPL team that worry me.
I still have a feeling he’ll start eboue over theo
So Eboue for Theo and I agree with you
It’ll be tight over the two legs between the two of them but at the moment you would have to pick Liverpool although its not pass them to mess it up
*past
evening irish and confident…
yup same team from the weekend with nasri replacing arshavin.
welcome, choy.
did you look out for Hagelland on sunday (fulham v Liverpool)? I downgraded him after that game!
evening Choy – its quite here today
Hi everyone!
Confidentgoner, I don’t like Almunia but I wouldn’t call him a waiter. He has improved recently.A lot!
Knowing Wenger we will play 4-5-1, so expect Eboue, Song and Denislon in our midfield.
Oh my good gawd!!!! Just have to let off some pre-match stress……
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!
Oooh, thats better!
Maciek;
Fuck off with the nehative vibes fella! Where you been? We are on a fantastic run, give it a effin rest with the scape goat bashing!
Anyways, the team will be;
Almunia
Sagna Kolo Gallas Clichy
Song Denilson
Theo Cesc Nasri
Ade
No offence!!!
hey Lovedup
Eboue will start mark my words or else Wenger will surprise me – i’d like to be surprised
Bit harsh LuvDup. Maciek praised Almunia’s progress and picked the same team as Irish….
Hey there Irish!
I think with Song and Denilson, we have enough defensive minded players, they are at home so Theo will have more space to run into. Shit, we can finish this tie in the 1st leg!
3-0 to us tmorrow!
Pires; I was jokin fella! And, I did say, no offence!
———–Almunia—————–
Sagna —— Kolo —Gallas——Clichy
———-Denilson—–Song————
Eboue ——— Cesc ———– Nasri
———-Adebayor —————-
I’d rather Theo for Eboue too but with Theo’s dodgy knee I reckon AW will keep him for the last 20mins of the game
IF Eboue starts, then I would think Diaby will play for either Song or Denilson then.
BUT, really cannot see it happening.
LuvDup Loner,
No offence taken. Eveyone is entitled to his own opinion. I have been here almost eveyday. I’m here regulary and I enjoy our winning run. I still think that we do need a CD and CDM. I will judge our team when season will finish. Villareal won’t be easy. Of course I want us to win this tie but it will be tricky.
Best wishes.
Don’t see the point being overly cautious. Away goals are where its at, 1-1 is loads better thsn 0-0 away from home, so the more attacking line up, the better IMO.
Oh jeeeeez, I cant stand it, effin waiting!
Diaby isn’t in the squad LuvDup unfortunately. Though it could be fortunate if we can reproduce Saturday.
Arsenal squad to face Villarreal:
1 Manuel ALMUNIA (GK)
3 Bacary SAGNA
4 Cesc FABREGAS
5 Kolo TOURE
8 Samir NASRI
10 William GALLAS
12 Carlos VELA
14 Theo WALCOTT
15 DENILSON
17 Alex SONG
18 Mikael SILVESTRE
20 Johan DJOUROU
21 Lukasz FABIANSKI (GK)
22 Gael CLICHY
25 Emmanuel ADEBAYOR
26 Nicklas BENDTNER
27 Emmanuel EBOUE
40 Kieran GIBBS
No Diaby Luvdup
Maciek;
I know you are here all the time, I was takin the p*ss fella! I am just soooo effin nervous, this is another big week for us… It won’t be easy true, but if we start then game right, with an attacking line up, then I really think we could get a few goals tomorrow.
Oh, and I agree with ya, a new CB and Def Midfielder in the summer… then we have a title challenging squad, IMO.
No Diaby, then no way Eboue starting for me. Fuck that shit! Unless Theo aint fit, of course. But then again, Id play Vela left and Nasri right.
Yeah LuvDup, I know Your pain fella. I’m also very nervous. We are on the good run and overconfidence can kill us. I just can’t trust Adebayor. With Eddie and Robin and Andiej You know that someone will score. Sadly with him and Eboue You know it won’t.
Almunia
Sagna Kolo Gallas Clichy
____Song Denilson_______
Eboue___________Nasri
_______Cesc________
_______Ade_________
Walcott on in the 65th
Balance is there. Maybe replace Eboue with Theo, then Eboue comes on towards the end. Hate Eboue, or not, I think both Theo and Eboue could give Villareal a torrid time. Both are direct and quick.
I’d imagine the boss will go with Eboue to avoid conceding and I won’t be mad, because I support Eboue and think he is better than just any old fringe player a la Fletcher or O’Shea. Theo IS better, don’t get me wrong, but this is a PREDICTED line-up.
I fear that Wenger will f**k thisw up and we will see another Roma away game.
And I really want Cesc to play in a more advanced role, so Senna has to drop back deeper than usual.
Also, WE HAVE ONLY CONCEDED 4 PL GOALS THIS YEAR. All AWAY from home. Just a random fact. Everton, West Brom, Newcastle, Hull City
I hope Denilson and Song will have a good game against Senna, Pires and co. Who is their main traet aside from Bobby and Nihat?
Maciek, not with Ade and cesc playing. I only want 1 striker tomorrow. the game will be won in the midfield and we will create much more with 5 midfielders.
Macieck,
the waiter served very well on saturday! I hope he can do the same tmr. He has been both great and poor.
Maciek, Rossi is a threat.
But- what will be better. To play for 0:0 or to attack more and try to score?
Yeah Pat, You are right.Aand he is a foremer manc.
Its funny, coz Im more confident with Ade up top on his own, than if RvP was fit. I think Ade up top, away from home is the natural way to play. With Cesc dictating and Theo/Eboue (ok, I give in!) and Nasri out wide, we have the ballance Pat mentions.
I think Wenger had fuck all to do with the Roma performance, that was down to early mistake that meant we were on the back foot from early on. Can’t blame Wenger for that 1 IMO.
Ade will score tomorrow and so will Cesc.
Is it true that Villa have never lost at el Madrigal in the CL? If yes, then it’s time to change it.
Can’t go all out attack but we need goals if you get me
Maciek, neither have Madrid, Inter, Milan until some team from NL came to town.
It was a combo of very poor defending and Almun ia being beaten at his near post that fucked us up in Rome. Nothing Wenger could have done to stop that.
I would be delighted with a score draw tomorrow, even losing wouldnt be awful as long as we get an away goal because we are more than capable of whooping them at home..given our record thus far this year.
ConGoon;
Why do you keep mentioning Rafa Benitez?
Agree Lovedup, no one can play up top on his own like Ade… well, for Arsenal anyway.
As long as he works his bollocks off…
If we knock out the Spaniards we will have a great chance to play in Rome once again. And there we can play against Barca and win. I still have nighmares when I think about 17th may 2006. I want to cry. Well to be fair, I always cry when I think about it.
I do believe Eboue FINALLY offers quite a lot going forward.
Defenders are scared to touch him b/c they know he has cheated before. He’s fairly decent on the ball lately.
Another random fact: I once read that the academy where Toure and Eboue started off made their players play every single position.
Macieck,
Bendtner will be available to replace Ade if he is not up to it. My problem with AW is he allows key players too much time even if they are not cutting it in the field. Wenger contributes a lot to Ade’s heady behaviour. But now I hope he trusts Bentner enough not to hesitate
Yes Pat, I love You positive thinking. Who will be tomorrow’s referee
Villareal have played about 5 times at home in the CL!!!
I think we can have an attacking lineup, without goin hell for leather! Havin players with the creativity and eye for goal on the pitch from the off don’t mean, we forget about defending, being solid, etc.
Pat, maybe you should have said useless fact there. A player can play almost any position…but obviously they would be better in certain one compared to others. Eboue is a rb at best….and we all know that.
Confident,
Good poin but both of them are wasteful. And in the knoc-out stages You need to be very clinical, deadly.
Lets face it… The team have returned from the International break in the same form they shpwed before it! Even Song, Almunia and Denilson (motm v City) are confounding most, if not all critics, Ade, Cesc and Theo are back and we have a really good draw for a safe passage to the semi’s of the Champions League!
I just dont wanna be on here next week rueing missed opportunities, bad ref decisions, etc…
Fuck that!
I’m trying to find out who is ref – anyone know?
Loner
Missed opportunities….as long as we dont play some certain players….if you get what I mean… 2 strikers come to mind….but Van persie is injured…so only 1 comes to mind.
Here we go:
Referee
Tom Henning Øvrebø (NOR)
Assistant referee
Geir Åge Holen (NOR)
Dag-Roger Nebben (NOR)
Fourth official
Svein Oddvar Moen (NOR)
UEFA Delegate
Gerhard Kapl (AUT)
UEFA Referee observer
Eugen Strigel (GER)
We’ll beat the yellows, I feel it. Looking at 2-1 or 1-0. Worst result 1-1. I’ll take that to THOF!
I think we’ll be fine for Villareal.
Im not sure about Eboue offering us alot going forward tho there Pat!
6 fecking officials!! Jesus, they better get everything right then!
there are “delegates” too Stu – suppose they get the tea or something
NB offers us so much more than Eboue ever could….FACT
Thanks Irish.
No problem Maciek, ref’s name sounds familiar time to google him I think
David;
Who the devil can you be talkin about?????
Im sure we can be happy with a good old solid Scandinavian ref… can’t we?
not much on him – he reffed Italy – Romania at Euro 2008 and got in a spot of trouble for disallowing a luca toni goal but that’s it it seems
As long as we dont get the 2 fukers that did us for liverpool.
I imagine Nasri would slot right into Arshavin’s position on the left.
I think I wont be surprised to see the same team as Man City.
Same team as v City with Nasri for Arshavin…
One of the ref’s last season was a dutchman… Dirk effin Kuyt’s uncle, probably.
Liverpool – Chelsea ref is Claus Bo Larsen, he sounds familiar
I bet on that match and has a long shot of Romania to win 2-1. If Mutu hadnt missed his Pen i would have won a handsome some of money. Cunt!
Kuyt’s babysitter – bleedin disgrace
ha ha I remember that. Did they take Mutu off soon after that – he was absolutely gutted
I can only hope that he won’t f**k it up like his Swedish pal a year ago against the Pool.
Yeah LuvDup- spot on. I feel the worst.
Pieter Vink was the name of the Dutch ref – bastard!!!
Howard Webb is reffing the Bayern – Barca game
All season long, Ive been waffling on about how the Spanish liga aint what it used to be… now it’s time to see if I actually have a bleedin clue! I know anything can happen in 1 game, but over 2 legs we should be too good for em….
I think that we don’t have a luck with ref’s. Terje Hauge was the worst I have seen. Remember 2006′ s final and Eto’o goal. It was an offside goal.
Pieter Vink….Ah fuk…now im going to remember that name.
Irish; What a Vinker he was!
Hward effin Webb??? How the feck does he get Champs League gigs???
It’s going to be a long what 21 and a half hours … waiting is the worst
Well Loner, seeing as MAdrid lost 5-0 to Liverpool and they are the form team in La Liga then you cant be far off. Real were shit against Pool but dominate the teams in spain.
But that is probably a lot to do with the lack of “parking the bus” by most spanish league teams.
Spot on Maciek…
That finals was an offside goal…but I was so mad at Wenger after that game…
We just sat back and didnt bother to attack…we couldnt have played defensively the whole game…that wasnt our strength at all….and our counterattacking football wasnt the same as it was with the speed of Hleb
Evening all! is this muppet trying to talk himself into the team or is he trying to get a transfet to the other team?
http://www.goal.com/en/news/12/spain/2009/04/06/1195361/aliaksandr-hleb-feels-bayern-could-potentially-make-barcelona-suf
And Stu- they have got the Hunter.
And wasnt it Cashley that played Eto onside for Lehmanns sending off! Cunt!
Wengers biggest mistake for the final was playing Campbell and Cole when Flamini and Senderos had been largely responsible for getting us there.
That was due to some shocking defending by Pepe and Canavaro though…
What i dont understand is how liverpool have used Long ball tactics to score and beat everybody.
thats how Keane did us 1-1 at the Emirates.
But Maciek, stupidly Madrid chose Diarra over Huntelaar for the CL. Defence was never Madrids strong point so picking a “DM” over a clinical striker was suicidal imo.
True David, but if our defence was any big smart they would have noticed thats all Pool were doing and played a deeper line. Keane only got onto 1 long ball after numerous warnings. It was our fault we conceded that goal….and Almunia should have come out too imo.
*bit
David mate,
Weng was a fault cos he changed Pires. But in 74th minute a minute before they have scored Henry missed a golden chance. Have he scored here we would have been a champions of Europe cos I think that overall we deserved to be.
no matter who he took off if and as we did get beat he was going to be wrong anyway
Its hardly a thing he’d have planned for
Stu
Which is why we need a new keeper and a new CB….
Maciek
I remember every minute of that game. Henry was at fault as well…but the service to him was horrible imo.
We had them flat footed until Lehman did barca a favor.
I still think it was more Wengers fault than it was Henry….we shouldve won…but it is difficult to understand why we still sat back after they scored 1-1!
Were we trying to play for penalties????
Stu, I have always abhor/detest Madrid not only because of Franco but also cos they think that they can have everyone they wish to get. They have been knocked out early in the last five years in the CL and I hope that we be continued.
Cant believe we’re re-living that effin game…. BUT, Cole should no way have played. That cunt pretended to be injured, then all of a sudden he’s fit for the final! Twat!
Look, its quite simple. The scape goats for that game are Cuntley Cole and Henry!
Now, move on FFS!
agreed with that luvdup, he shud have sticked with flamster.
Dave,
Wenger f**ked up with subs. Pires should have stayed and Hleb should have been dropped. Sol was good in the final( just my opinion) and Cole has been s**t. He has played Guly onside and Jens has picked up a red card. I still can’t belive that we have lost cos till Larsson substitution Barca was running out of ideas.Sad but true.
Ok then….moving on. I got nothing…..
I’m off – can’t take been depressed about 2006 again I’m afraid
Night all
Oiche maith Maire!
Stu;
No offence buddy, but nuffin is better than re-living that game again for me!
Nite Irish!
Night Irish.
Any predictions guys?
I cant wait for tommorow.
I might just go to sleep now so tomorrow will come.
Cool guys – goodnight
I think a positive result for the good guys
I’m off this time
Night again
Yes….Maciek
100% agree with that….Larson tore us a very different kind of Arse hole….and it didnt help when Untd had him playing for them as well.
Wenger cunted us out of the Finals.
And im quite still mad at him. I just hope he’s learnt from it…but history shows that he “sticks with what he believes”
Maciek;
Predictions.. I said it before, so here goes again;
3 nil to Arsenal!
And with that, Im off!
Nitey nite and all that
Yeah Dave. But I have got a funny feeling that IF we go through we will face ………Porto.
Night LuvDup.You are very optimistic. We will see. We must score.
Im quite happy with facing Porto. I think whoever we play Man U or Porto we will go through to the finals…its this quarter finals that can be a bit tricky with players just coming back from long term injury.
Predictions?
3-1 to the Arsenal. And we play the Carling Cup kids on the return leg to tear them a new Arse hole and rest players for the FA cup
I like it. I will go for 1:1.
I predict a riot.
Ok, I’m off to bed. Night all!
I will be interested to see how good Villareal are. I keep reading that they are supposedly better than when they played us three years ago but I’ll be surprised if they are. They may have been more one dimensional before with Riquelme but it was a good dimension.
I think we can win if Denilson and Song don’t play like clowns, which is still possible even though they’ve improved of late.
Wenger spelt out, in the strongest terms yet, why he has had to go for the cheap option and develop young players.
It is purely down to the £400m cost of the Emirates Stadium, where the north Londoners moved to after that defeat in Paris.
He explained: “The decision was to go for more youth when we decided to build a new stadium because we were not in a position where we could spend £30m or £40m on players. It’s as simple as that.
“Whether people accept it or not is one thing, but today we have a good side, we make profit and we pay our debtors back.
“In a modern world, people are scandalised when banks lose money but I’m scandalised when football clubs lose money. For me, it’s the same process.
“I’m not against spending money, I’m against losing money.
“When you build a stadium, we decided to go for a youth policy and it has benefits like bringing through young players, they develop a spirit together.”
Direct quotes from Wenger today.
Pretty elementary stuff, basic maths.
We spend 400M on a stadium therefore we cannot spend the big bucks on major transfers like manure et al.
So why is there still an argument on this?
Anyone else noticed Pires has been in the papers/doing interviews for internet sites nearly every day for the last week or so.
Always with some snide thing to say about Arsenal. “Wenger killed my career when he subbed me off in the CL final” “Fabregas should stay at arsenal, but only for another year”. Pretty school yard attempt to unsettle us if you ask me.
no he hasn’t hughsie, the papers have been dredging up and putting together all the comments pires has made in the last 5 years to create these stories! Pires won’t have given one single interview to the gutter press in the uk, as very few players do, they get all their stories and “quotes” from interviews and translations of interviews in other countries etc etc
Im bored at work and all i can think of is sleeping @ 9pm 2nite to wake up @ 4:30 to watch the ARSENAL get up!
16 hours and 16 mins left..
16 hours and 15 mins left..
14 hours and 30 mins left…
Dedication Jay! I’m now just waiting for my lift to the airport. Buzzing
I envy you Pires haha! god i want FACUP final tickets. it’s becoming an obsession.
13 hours… and 25 mins…
these hatricks are empty during non busy times…lol – like scoring against WBA lol
My line up…
———Almunia————
Sagna—Kolo—Billy—Clichy
————Song————-
Eboue—-Cesc—Nasri—Denilson
————Ade—————-
Subs:
Walcott for Eboue – 65 mins
Vela for Nasri – 75 mins
Bendtner for Adebayor – 75 mins
Prediction:
Villarreal 0 – 2 Arsenal (or 1-3)
Morning all!
Morning Geoff!