If the EPL is ours on Sunday do we...

[martymarts]

...keep it real and play a strong line up till the end of the season, try and stay undefeated, and give it large to all who gave us carp over 02/03... or... rest the "Big Guns", for Euro 04 and 04/05, and give some "Young Guns" a four match stint in the EPL? Personally I'd say stuff the run and put out:

...............................Stack/Shaaban..................................

Hoyte................Senderos..............Keown...................Garry
...................................(MK needs 4 appearances for EPL Medal)
Parlour/Wiltord..........Cesc...........Edu/Gilberto............Bentley

...................Aliadiere........................Reyes/Kanu................
..(needs 3 appearances for Medal)...(need 3 & 1 appearances respectively)

The fly in the oinment is that the Portsmouth and Leicester games could affect the relegation battle (Probably not Leicester!) and Fulham still have a chance of finishing in either a CL or UEFA spot. Out of respect for other teams I guess we should go for the unbeaten run? Knowing AW he'll try and get MK, JA, JAR and Kanu their EPL medals though (have to play some part in at least 10 games)?

[juice013]

...keep it real and play a strong line up till the end of the season, try and stay undefeated, and give it large to all who gave us carp over 02/03... or... rest the "Big Guns", for Euro 04 and 04/05, and give some "Young Guns" a four match stint in the EPL? Personally I'd say stuff the run and put out:

...............................Stack/Shaaban..................................

Hoyte................Senderos..............Keown...................Garry
...................................(MK needs 4 appearances for EPL Medal)
Parlour/Wiltord..........Cesc...........Edu/Gilberto............Bentley

...................Aliadiere........................Reyes/Kanu................
..(needs 3 appearances for Medal)...(need 3 & 1 appearances respectively)

The fly in the oinment is that the Portsmouth and Leicester games could affect the relegation battle (Probably not Leicester!) and Fulham still have a chance of finishing in either a CL or UEFA spot. Out of respect for other teams I guess we should go for the unbeaten run? Knowing AW he'll try and get MK, JA, JAR and Kanu their EPL medals though (have to play some part in at least 10 games)?


Nah. Getting knocked out of the CL and FA Cup in one week still stings for me, and we're all gonna hear it all summer from non-Arsenal football fans, so going undefeated would be a nice little bonus.

[n4100]

Either way, any player near the 10 game mark will get a medal, because Wenger will make sure of it. One of the best moments of the last double was Stuart Taylor coming on with about 10 minutes left to play against Everton in the final game so he too could reach 10 games (on a personal note: I believe keepers should have a different number than field players). I remember watching that game in a pub right across from Finsbury Park station (sorry the name eludes me now) and everyone went crazy. Hell, he really rose to the occassion that season.

[michaec]

First, it's a big if.

Second, I would bet that if you put the team listed above out away at Portsmouth or Fulham, they would get beaten. And I wouldn't bet on them to beat Brum at home either. I can't see how that benefits anyone, not the youngsters who will have their confidence dented by losing and not the experienced players who will need to keep their sharpness ahead of the upcoming European championships. I would like to see two, or at the maximum three young players who tha manager thinks has the best chance to breaking into the first team squad next year to be given a few games. I would have a team something like this:

--------Lehmann
Hoyte-Keown-Toure-Cole
Parlour-Vieira-Edu-Reyes
---Bergkamp-Aliadiere

Hoyte because I think we need to try him at right-back, at least as cover. Reyes just needs to play to get used to English football. Aliadiere because he's obviously first in line of the young strikers and needs games for a bit of confidence, especially with the likely departure of Kanu and Wiltord in the Summer. I would purposely rest Henry, Pires, Ljungberg and Campbell as they are apparently carrying injuries (or in Pires case just looks shot in the second half of matches) and they will definitely play in Euro 2004, so it's prudent to give them the best chance to recover from those injuries for fear that they may do some real damage to themselves in that tournament.

The likes of Stack/Taylor, Campbell, Henry, Pires, Ljungberg, Senderos, Lauren, Clichy, Bentley, Gilberto and Fabregas could rotate to make up the bench. If Wiltord and Kanu are going at the end of the season, I don't see any point in involving them at all.

[AjaxGunner]

You make some excellent points, michaec. I don't think the youngsters would gain too much from playing just with each other (that sounded kind of dirty). I think it would be a good idea to give Cole a rest too, though, as he's almost certain to play in Portugal. Clichy's shown he can handle being a regular. And I would like to see Senderos get a start.

[martymarts]

Fair points michaec! Only one I'm yet to be convinced of is JA. I have doubts that he will produce quickly enough to hold on to a Red and White shirt? Next season will be huge for him. If he doesn't make the break through he should move on!

[michaec]

Well, it's up to Aliadiere himself. Wenger has shown his faith in him by starting him in a few big games this year when he wanted to rest Henry. He didn't have his best game against Man Utd in the semi-final, but there can be no doubt he's first in line for a shot. Three or four games at the end of the season when the pressure is off could do him the world of good.

[martymarts]

Agreed!

[phishy]

Can you imagine if you bought tix from america, flew to london all stoked to see henry, vieira, and the lads...
and you get cesc, senderos, aliadiere, garry, youth team, ect.......
what a shame for them....
now who do we play this weekend again? heheheh.....

[jpatel1508]

Actually I'd be much more happy to see Cesc, Senderos, Aliadiere, and Bentley than Henry, Viera, and Pires right now. As an Arsenal fan born and bred, I'd like to see how our highly praised youngsters can perform in the big stage. Everyone thinks that we don't buy players but they forget that we always, practically every year buy a young awesome talent just waiting to be groomed in the youth academy or reserves so they can blast their way into the Premiership. I'd much rather like that system since we wouldn't have to spend so much money on other players. Instead we could spend that money on increasing the salary of other future stars.

[phishy]

Actually I'd be much more happy to see Cesc, Senderos, Aliadiere, and Bentley than Henry, Viera, and Pires right now.


I'm talking about the folks that have to spend a few grand to come across the ocean to see a youth team... not for those of us that live in the UK..
obviously your full of **********e if you would like to see JA on the lineup card instead of Titi...

[Coach_McGuirk]

Well, I guess my week long battle with the nasty virus didn't hurt the boys much.

What is the club expecting, should Arsenal clinch at WHL?

[Stogey23]

I'm hoping that if Arsenal clinches the title, they decide to give the captain of their reserve team, Frank Simek, a couple run outs.

[jegerpenge]

ahhh, mcguirk's avatar. so great

[Coach_McGuirk]

ahhh, mcguirk's avatar. so great
That's a self portrait of milliseconds after Chelsea scored their second....