JonTheMag 4 Posted December 27, 2013 Share Posted December 27, 2013 Here's a match thread for you. Very excited about this, I think we'll see some great attacking from both sides and some decent football. We've one seven of our last NINE for the first time in ages, and finally, truly put a team to the sword for the first time since we beat West Ham 5-0 and Best scored a hattrick. As for Arsenal, they've been on a bit of a downswing since that 1-1 draw with Everton -- finishing second in the Champs League, losing 6-3 to City, the bore draw with Chelsea -- and Ramsey will definitely be out injured for their match against us. I'm feeling good, and if our midfield can play like they did against Manchester United they could get a fantastic result. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayvin 4963 Posted December 27, 2013 Share Posted December 27, 2013 I am cautiously optimistic. Although if we won, we'd be 3 points behind them with half the season gone. And that just seems unlikely... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monroe Transfer 0 Posted December 27, 2013 Share Posted December 27, 2013 Huge match. Win and we'll be 3 points behind them. The very same Arsenal the media are having another love-in about. We'd also be level on points with the mighty Liverpool for a couple of hours at least. Not that we'll get any credit from anyone outside the club and its fanbase. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonTheMag 4 Posted December 27, 2013 Author Share Posted December 27, 2013 I don't remember the last time we got well and truly up for a crucial match like this. I'm trying to think of one's we've even had. The last game of the season against Everton when we finished 5th? Our track record isn't always that great in big, potentially statement-making matches. Hopefully we can turn that around on Sunday! Ramsey being out is HUGE. But unfortunately they'll have Wilshere back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aimaad22 3442 Posted December 27, 2013 Share Posted December 27, 2013 Should be good fun. Great thing is we've got ourselves in a great position and can play this game with a relatively tension free attitude. Arsenal will be the ones under pressure with City breathing down their backs. Great test for our midfield. Walcott seems to be in a bit of form and Im worried about him being up against Santon who still gets beaten far too easily at times imo. Gouffran will be key in this one.Glad Tiote will be back, Sissoko looked completely out of sorts in his midfield role yesterday. Understandable to an extent because he'd just managed to find some form in his wide role and found himself chucked into the centre. Also Im not sure playing Cabaye further up works out for us, we need him right in the thick of things. Anyway, we'll have to do a lot better than the first half yesterday but we've raised the bar against the big sides this season so there's every reason to hope we can do it again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OTF 6134 Posted December 27, 2013 Share Posted December 27, 2013 Cabaye is better playing from deep and it also means that he's in the right position to come in towards the top of the box to score his trademark style goals. A disciplined focused Tiote could have a huge influence on the game. Looking forward to it, hope we have a right go at winning the match. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Carr's Gloves 3189 Posted December 27, 2013 Share Posted December 27, 2013 I am going to play negative ninny and say that I think arsenal will just have a bit too mich for us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ausman 0 Posted December 27, 2013 Share Posted December 27, 2013 Absolutely looking forward to this game, we are playing really well. Arsenal not so good at the moment. Love to see Tiote score a belter against them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christmas Tree 3997 Posted December 27, 2013 Share Posted December 27, 2013 Really think we'll beat them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigWalrus 0 Posted December 27, 2013 Share Posted December 27, 2013 I would happily take a draw. We're probably going to sit quite deep, to avoid being done by their pace, which will limit the number of bodies we can get forward. If HBA is up for it, he could give us a chance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howmanheyman 26737 Posted December 27, 2013 Share Posted December 27, 2013 We're gonna need a bigger boat a stronger midfield against Arsenal. Keep it tight in there and hope their players take a strop if things don't go their way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fish 8983 Posted December 27, 2013 Share Posted December 27, 2013 Relieved Tiote is back, but I still think Arsenal will have too much for us. Just as Giroud is stuttering, Walcott and Podolski are reappearing. I'm glad they had to come from behind against West Ham, but they've a hell of a lot of quality. Wish they faced a stiffer challenge than Cardiff, mind. We're on 23 from a possible 27pts. Even a loss wouldn't be too bitter a pill to swallow for the traditionally disappointing Winter period. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howmanheyman 26737 Posted December 27, 2013 Share Posted December 27, 2013 Strange reading their forums. One thinks we're in seventh place, another thinks we're in good form but Tiote isn't, same kid thinks it'll be tough but an early goal and they'll win comfortably, one thinks we've decent players but not getting much credit like the more fashionable Southampton??? A couple think they just have to turn up and they'll carve us open but there doesn't seem to be much discussion about the game in general. One thing is for sure, we are completely under the radar of most of the country which isn't a surprise when Lineker gives a great example of the general media narrative when he sums up the top of the table by mentioning the teams above us then informing the nation that a good Man U win now puts them 'just' eight points behind the leaders whilst not bothering to include us. This attitude should only help our cause in a perverse way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tooj 17 Posted December 27, 2013 Share Posted December 27, 2013 I think Gouffran will be a huge player for us in this match, as we're going to need to do something to stop Walcott who usually tears us apart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howmanheyman 26737 Posted December 27, 2013 Share Posted December 27, 2013 I think Gouffran will be a huge player for us in this match, as we're going to need to do something to stop Walcott who usually tears us apart. I agree totally. A similar performance and line up against Man U will do for me. We'll need Gouffran, we'll also need all three of Tiote, Cabaye and Anita so do you take a chance and put Ben Arfa on for Sissoko? I'd only be tempted as Sissoko looked fucked at times yesterday but then again, he wasn't in what has been his usual position lately so maybe that didn't help? The one thing I would worry about is them breaking and Debuchy being isolated if HBA did play there. A big performance and the rub of the green could get us the points but the early kick off wont help as a Christmas game with a later kick off and a more pissed up support would've been a lot better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tooj 17 Posted December 27, 2013 Share Posted December 27, 2013 Sissoko has spent most of his career playing in the middle of the park so I wouldn't say that was the reason for him being fucked. I think he has played every game this season so that would no doubt contribute. I'd like to play him though as I think he's at his best later on in games when teams get jaded and space opens up. He drives forward excellently. I think Tiote will be really important for us in this one too, one of his best games was down at there place when we beat them 1-0 under Hughton. He game a mastercalss in being a defensive midfielder. Whoomp there it is!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christmas Tree 3997 Posted December 27, 2013 Share Posted December 27, 2013 I'd go 433 for this I think. Krul Debuchy Williamson Colochini Haidara Anita Tiote Cabaye Sisokko Remy Gouffran Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Carr's Gloves 3189 Posted December 27, 2013 Share Posted December 27, 2013 there's a shock ben arfa gets man of the match has a hand in at least 2-3 of our goals, dropped To be fair I would drop him as well. We play much better with Tiote in the team and while HBA was great against 9 men Stoke who would you drop from our winning run team to let him in? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fish 8983 Posted December 27, 2013 Share Posted December 27, 2013 Gouffran he doesn't do it away from home quite as well, and HBA is 10x the creative force, with all the workers/defensive players we need one lad on the pitch who can properly turn on the style. Goufrans biggest asset is being quick off the mark when it comes to creativity, it's not going cut it against arsenal with their fullbacks/wingers. I think the biggest asset is the amount of cover he provides for the fullbacks. I'd love to play HBA against Arsenal, but I'd be tempted to bring him on as an impact sub. If we were facing Cardiff, Swansea, West Ham or pretty much anyone outside the top 3 or 4 I'd start him ahead of Gouffran, but it's Arsenal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howmanheyman 26737 Posted December 27, 2013 Share Posted December 27, 2013 I'd bring on Ben Arfa against these if we're in the game and looking to win it a la Man U. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christmas Tree 3997 Posted December 27, 2013 Share Posted December 27, 2013 The bottom line is the team that's achieved this superb run is working and the TEAM is more important than individuals. Pardews major difference this year for me has been a more ruthless approach that has left so called 1st choices out, be that HBA, Cisse, Taylor etc. If it ain't broke...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aimaad22 3442 Posted December 27, 2013 Share Posted December 27, 2013 Yes CT the same team and setup should be fired out regardless of who you're playing, that's what winning sides do you realise it's failed at points like when we got tanked by swansea three weeks ago. We play without a creative outlet and someone to hold onto the ball, we'll have walcott and their speedy fullbacks constantly sprinting at us, with carzola and arguably the best assist creator in the world playing one twos around trying to unlock the door for poldolski or giroud...constantly with no let up, and they're a team who don't give the ball away cheaply. They're Swansea with end product and purpose, tenner says Tiote gets a yellow card early on and suddenly or nuisance in midfield can't really throw his weight about as much. I tried to make this point some weeks back, apparently its very hard for some people to grasp. Playing Ben Arfa would not just be about attack, having someone like him up there makes the opposition think twice before committing people forward. You cant have everyone doing the same thing. I do agree there's a slight problem though in who would play on the wing if Ben Arfa did play. Him or Sissoko? Ben Arfa in the centre hasnt worked for us too well so far and although Sissoko's supposed to be a central midfielder after yesterday's performance Im not sure this would be the right game to try him there again. I'd put Sissoko back out right, Ben Arfa in the role Cabaye started in yesterday, and Tiote in for Anita. Also doesnt strike me as the type of game where Shola is likely to make an impact. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fish 8983 Posted December 27, 2013 Share Posted December 27, 2013 That's what tiote is supposed to do though as well, it's a sea-saw defence, when the balls on one side of the pitch the other full back drops over almost like a centre half and the def-mid comes accross, basically all tiote should be doing is going back and forth across the pitch sweeping up and helping provide cover/ closing down. The problem is when you have your wingers dropping back as well and you try and counter they're so far back in your own half on defensive duty you can't break quick enough especially when the other team have some speed at the sides, and it's made worse when you don't have a big target man upfront to hold up play, Remy can't do that like Lukakau does for Everton (who are a perfect example of this recently) No I agree, however Tiote's been doing that in conjunction with Gouffran's good work on the left. I just want that extra protection that Gouffran's endeavour gives. The amount of movement that Arsenal's forward line create would leave Tiote overrun without support from Cabaye, Sissoko and Gouffran. Would it be worth starting Shola? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Carr's Gloves 3189 Posted December 27, 2013 Share Posted December 27, 2013 No I agree, however Tiote's been doing that in conjunction with Gouffran's good work on the left. I just want that extra protection that Gouffran's endeavour gives. The amount of movement that Arsenal's forward line create would leave Tiote overrun without support from Cabaye, Sissoko and Gouffran. Would it be worth starting Shola? Good rule of thumb is "It's never worth startingShola". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom 13830 Posted December 27, 2013 Share Posted December 27, 2013 I'd be starting Ben Arfa every time after the performance be put in against Stoke. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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