Birmingham vs. Arsenal [R] Pre/dur/Post Match

[Catfish]

How do I put this lightly, but The Gunners are sooooo back! They absolutely slaughtered The Toffees....I mean did the EFC miss the bus and it was field XI EFC supporters night at The North London Pool Table?

The lads journey slightly North to the Midlands to battle BCFC. I'm going all out in this match....3-0 to The Arsenal.

Up The Mighty Woolwich Arsenal!
May all the shot attempts hit the back of the net.

Great to see Sol back, but I'm shakin my head with disgust. He landed a Yellow Card. I swear I call for the American superstore chain Target with their bullseye logo to replace the O2 on the Gunners chest.

KEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEOOOOOOOWN!
There's only 1 Keown.

Sorry couldn't help myself....I miss the little scrapper.

[Rima067]

I was looking for this thread.

Is this not being televised?

[Coach_McGuirk]

I was looking for this thread.

Is this not being televised?
Nope. Too many relegation games on Sunday.

My prediction (based on today's result): Arsenal 12 - Birmingham 0.

Don't think it can't happen!

[Bergkamp_4_ever]

Catfish, you don't waste any time!

It will be interesting to see who AW will start Sunday (seeing as how this is the precursor to the FA Cup final). My guess is he'll want to see TH14, Sol & Freddie as well as Gilberto (obviously, if all are healthy). The bigger question is who sits?

Yeah, you heard right. AFC have never been as deep this season as they are right now. Even crazier, the only sure spot is Mad Jens in nets (I can't believe I just said that!) :eek: . Seriously, think about it:

Up Front:

TH14 & ???? . Before today, most would have said RvP, but Reyes & DB10 played great (easily their best games in a long while).

Midfield:

PV4 + (Gilberto, Edu, Cesc, Pires, Freddie)? Unless Freddie is almost 100%, he won't start. Cesc normally would be a shoe-in, but it's ManPU & Gilberto is healthy.

Defense:

Cole & Senderos + (Kolo, Sol, Lauren)? If Sol can prove he's ready, Kolo will sit. Mind you, he wasn't convincing vs Everton.

Nice problem to have! Whatever the line-up, expect the same barrage of subs 2/3 of the way through.

3-0 to the Arsenal (TH14 x 2, Pires).

[Bergkamp_4_ever]

Nope. Too many relegation games on Sunday.

My prediction (based on today's result): Arsenal 12 - Birmingham 0.

Don't think it can't happen!

At this rate, we should beat ManPU by 7 TD's! Maybe more if Roy Caroll starts. :D

[Cannon]

I'd like to see this lineup:

-----Henry---RVP------
JAR-Edu-Gilberto-Ljung
Cole--Sol--Senderos---Lauren
--------Jens--------

Bench: Almunia, Toure, Eboue, Flamini, Aliadiere

Rested: Pires, Cesc, Vieira, Bergkamp
+ Cygan still keeping his poor play restricted to the practice field.

Henry needs another game to get back to highest form. RVP deserves the start (since Bergkamp should be rested for the final) and I'd like him to get another chance to partner Henry up top. JAR looks best as a lmid and we still need to see him play a full game well with Henry on the pitch. Edu fills in for a rested Vieira. Arsenal.com says Freddie will play either a "game or a half" so I decided to start him so he can prove his fitness before the FA Cup final. They also said that Gilberto should be ready so I'd like him back in there especially if we rest Vieira. The backline is unchanged since we still need to see if they can work together in something other than a rout.

Eboue needs to get back in the mix and can cover for Lauren and Freddie. Hopefully Toure will sit this one out as we use the subs to get the "kids" some time. Flamini can cover for either cmid and is needed if we rest Vieira and Cesc. Pires deserves a rest after his great efforts of late. I'd like him fresh for the ManU game. The same goes for Bergkamp. Aliadiere might as well get another run out and Wenger may want to sub Henry after he's had a good 60-70 minutes (and a goal or two).

I wonder if Wenger will treat this as a real game or throw out a mix of starters and kids especially with the subs. I'm thinking that he really likes our current run of form and will play this one fairly conservative with a legit starting 11 and bench split between starters like Toure and kids like Eboue.

[michaec]

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to get into double figures against Birmingham....

dum, dum, der, der, dum, dum, der, der dum, dum, der, der, dum, dum ,der, der, doodleooo, doodleoooo..........

[arsenalgirl30016]

I think that may be a mission they accept-I think that Henry would like to take another crack at Wright's record! ;) Plus he did not get to score in the match yesterday (and neither did Cesc!)

Looking forward to a good match and that we can keep another clean sheet-thing we will see the Sol/Senderos partnership at CB again? Also what is the word on Freddie?

[surfcam]

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to get into double figures against Birmingham....

dum, dum, der, der, dum, dum, der, der dum, dum, der, der, dum, dum ,der, der, doodleooo, doodleoooo..........

Classic!

Anyway, Henry and Sol will most likely get a run around to step up fitness prior to the cup. Will Freddie be back in the lineup this year? I read somewhere that he was right behind Henry in match fitness.

[Neo¹]

8-0??

[Bergkamp_4_ever]

Looks like Freddie will cause some more serious crowding on the bench:

http://www.arsenal.com/article.asp?article=276274&lid=NewsHeadline&sub=Freddie+Ljungberg+in+line+for+45+minutes+at+Birmingham&navlid=&sublid=&Title=Freddie+Ljungberg+in+line+for+45+minutes+at+Birmingham

Great news! Looks like a few guys will get a day off. We've never had this many guys ready to go at any time this season.

All we need is Cygan & we'll be untouchable again! ;)

New streak: 16 and counting! :D

[antifan]

Looks like Freddie will cause some more serious crowding on the bench:

http://www.arsenal.com/article.asp?article=276274&lid=NewsHeadline&sub=Freddie+Ljungberg+in+line+for+45+minutes+at+Birmingham&navlid=&sublid=&Title=Freddie+Ljungberg+in+line+for+45+minutes+at+Birmingham

Great news! Looks like a few guys will get a day off. We've never had this many guys ready to go at any time this season.

All we need is Cygan & we'll be untouchable again! ;)

New streak: 16 and counting! :D
Are you joking? Please don't mention Cygan again, it brings back bad memories.

[Miles Brasher]

Freddie,Sol and Thierry to start. Much more relaxed game than against Everton (Booo!), although Birmingham have nothing to play for (Hurray!) but Bruce wont want a 7-0 drubbing (Boo!) but Arsenal'll be making sure of no injuries (Hurray!) so maybe 2-0

[ibreak4coffee]

I hope Freddie comes back in style... I'll predict 3-1 for us, with Freddie banging in two goals and RVP continuing his stellar play with another

[mixmastermatt]

com'on guys.... 8-0 12-0, your all getting ahead of yourselves abit.

5-0





:D

[splara10]

dum, dum, der, der, dum, dum, der, der dum, dum, der, der, dum, dum ,der, der, doodleooo, doodleoooo..........

i'm sorry, but the "doodleoo" at the end of this just killed me

rep

the boys will be in a mood post-everton. call it 3-0.

i wonder how many jokes Maik Taylor has had to endure this week?

[Flash2]

Im hoping that henry will grab a couple to give him a chance of breaking wrightys record against the mancs.

Arsenal 3-0
Henry x 2
Robin

[Bergkamp_4_ever]

Are you joking? Please don't mention Cygan again, it brings back bad memories.
Cygan is a GOD! AW, sign him up!

10 MORE YEARS! 10 MORE YEARS! :D

[arsenalgirl30016]

I personally like the matches that Cygan does not even make the bench so that his "Godliness" can transcend from himself into the rest of the team, without actually requiring him to be present! ;) Those are the best times!

[Detlef]

2-nil to the Arsenal, don't ask me who scores because I don't know who will be playing ;)

is Lauren a question mark for the FA Cup Final now? BBC preview said he had blood poisoning? :confused: