was a boring game. No floods, earthquakes, famine or pestilence. Not even a single volcano erupted.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ach
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was a boring game. No floods, earthquakes, famine or pestilence. Not even a single volcano erupted.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ach
Barca hit the post 2ce yesterday, they still lost. All im saying is that we need a strategy to draw them out of their half so we can get Walcott to do his thing behind the back four, as we all know he wont dribble past Cashley. If they do the same thing they dis yesterday and stay in their half all game then we either accept a draw or watch out for the counter as none of our players is any good at running back to cover a fast break. Bottom line is we never do well against teams that want to defend. Oxlade could be useful also here but Wenger wont until 67 mins at the earliest.Quote:
Originally Posted by Syn
I don't really know what you're trying to say with the posts thing. The bottom line is that we were incredibly unlucky not to be leading against Man City well before the goal went in and we did create clear openings. I don't think Chelsea will play for a draw. A draw's no good for them, really. But in any case, if we defend like we did against Wigan early on and they race to a lead, then obviously it will be difficult for us.
I disagree that we need to force them out. I think it's less true these days that Arsenal can't break down teams that set up to only defend - we did it against Man City, Milan (2nd leg) and have done it in the few comebacks and last minute victories we have recorded this season. Teams that tend to have a go seem to get more success against us. Chelsea will come and have a go and Kos-Verm will have to be on the top of their game.
Van Persie turning up and winning the game would be quite nice...haven't seen that in a while.
RVP has been on the periphery of games recently and it's probably no conicidence we've been hit with 2 sloppy defeats in this spell. He's so much more than a goal scorer, he's the link between midfield and attack. If he's struggling to make an impact we will suffer as a team for it.
He's delivered in most big games this season, I reckon he'll return to form here.
Also, is 2ce an actual thing?
It's the internet.
So probably.
Nah then, he's probably already injured.Quote:
Originally Posted by Syn
We will make this a bit more difficult if we pass to Ramsey, but should be wining this.
WIN
Lawro at it again!Quote:
I was at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday and I thought Chelsea did really well against Barcelona in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final.
A 1-0 win is a great result and it doesn't matter that at times they had all 11 men behind the ball to get it because, if you try to play football against Barca, they will kill you. If Jose Mourinho had been Chelsea manager for that game, people would be raving about their tactics.
The Blues hung on and it's a really good result, but I still think they will get absolutely hammered in the second leg at the Nou Camp.
Roberto di Matteo will have to rotate his team because of the week they have had, with the Barca game and last Sunday's FA Cup semi-final, and with the return in Spain on Tuesday to consider too.
It will be a balancing act for him but, at this stage of the season, that is what successful teams have to do.
Arsenal's defeat by Wigan on Monday was very strange - the Latics got their early goals, then sat back and soaked everything up and, through the likes of Victor Moses, they could even have stretched their lead.
It is in games like that one, and when they lost to QPR at the end of March, that you look at Arsenal and start to question them again.
In terms of the race for the top four, I think avoiding defeat will be the main aim for Arsene Wenger's men here, so I can see this game being a deadly dull one.
Looking at Arsenal's run-in, and also bearing in mind Chelsea's involvement in the cup and in Europe, I think their results in the league after this game will be better than Chelsea's, and that will ensure they finish above the Blues.
Prediction: 1-1
we were on form last year when we beat barca. we all know what happened thenQuote:
Originally Posted by She Wore A Yellow Ribbon