Arsenal vs. Birmingham City [R] Pre/Dur/Post Match

[Catfish]

Here come The Blues, no not the West London Ruble variety....I'm talking Midlands. These Blues are not to be taken lightly they drew with LFC and could be quite a challenge.

I know I sound like a CD player skipping, but my gut says 2-1 or maybe it was, "you need a pint of Old Speckled Hen!"

The Highbury faithful will whip the lads up into a frenzy after coming off a nice win in Amsterdam.

Up The Arsenal!!!

[phishy]

Here come The Blues, no not the West London Ruble variety....I'm talking Midlands. These Blues are not to be taken lightly they drew with LFC and could be quite a challenge.

I know I sound like a CD player skipping, but my gut says 2-1 or maybe it was, "you need a pint of Old Speckled Hen!"

The Highbury faithful will whip the lads up into a frenzy after coming off a nice win in Amsterdam.

Up The Arsenal!!!

help rissa.. lmao~

[surfcam]

If the kids can do it in Europe, the surely can at home. It is good to see some of the youth get a run out and also to see the leadership and poise of the veterans.

2-0 win to the Arsenal!!!

[michaec]

Van Persie will definitely be available, so Hleb goes to the bench and Ljungberg reverts to the right wing. Lehmann has finished his suspension, so hopefully that's the last we see of Almunia outside of Carling Cup games for the rest of the season (who am I kidding, Lehmann is bound to do something stupid and get another suspension somewhere along the line). Hopefully Gilberto and Bergkamp will be available also.

[ibreak4coffee]

Looking forward to Freddie and Pires building on their performances of last night... doubt Flamini will get the same chance but those will come later (unless Gilberto isnt fit of course).

3-0 for Arsenal... our confidence, and almost a full squad, seem to be slowly creeping back. Sol will open the proceedings, and Pires and Van Persie will follow with second half goals.

No need really to discuss possible line-ups IMO... Arsene always rotates the same players more or less and that's who we'll see Sunday. That said, he did mention after the game that he thought Freddie's best position might be as a kind of support striker... I'd like to see that.

[michaec]

That said, he did mention after the game that he thought Freddie's best position might be as a kind of support striker... I'd like to see that.I don't think Fred has the vision in his passing to play there. He gets plenty of goals from the right as well as bringing industry and solidity to the position, that's where he should stay IMO.

[ibreak4coffee]

I don't think Fred has the vision in his passing to play there. He gets plenty of goals from the right as well as bringing industry and solidity to the position, that's where he should stay IMO.

You're right... on the other hand he does time his runs almost better than anyone else in football right now... and he's played so long with the core of the team that he's always in the right place at the right time... I agree with you though that he should stay out wide... we're always lacking something out there when he doesnt play.

[michaec]

I would add to that that in my opinion he's about the best natural finisher we have at the club when he gets a chance, and I include all of our strikers in that. He's just clinical in front of goal.

[Bluto11]

I would add to that that in my opinion he's about the best natural finisher we have at the club when he gets a chance, and I include all of our strikers in that. He's just clinical in front of goal.
Freddie likes to pop up at the far post or pop up in front of goal to score. Arsenal need him to do more of that to give defenses another thing to fret about.

1-1, with Heskey scoring first and Reyes leveling things up. Bham will be playing for the draw and we all know how that goes, plus they did beat Arsenal at St Andrews last season.

[michaec]

The league was over with nothing to play for and we were missing a few with the Cup Final coming up, so I wouldn't read too much into the result at Brum last year. I take us for a win.

[Bluto11]

The league was over with nothing to play for and we were missing a few with the Cup Final coming up, so I wouldn't read too much into the result at Brum last year. I take us for a win.
yeah i know. but it should be Brum som confidence when they take the pitch on sunday

[surfcam]

Freddie likes to pop up at the far post or pop up in front of goal to score. Arsenal need him to do more of that to give defenses another thing to fret about.

1-1, with Heskey scoring first and Reyes leveling things up. Bham will be playing for the draw and we all know how that goes, plus they did beat Arsenal at St Andrews last season.

I don't think Heskey could buy a goal.

[fox point fury]

I don't think Fred has the vision in his passing to play there.

Wasn't he playing the Baggio 9 1/2 role for his club in Sweden before he came to us?

[ibreak4coffee]

Wasn't he playing the Baggio 9 1/2 role for his club in Sweden before he came to us?

Yeah, and Wenger went on record saying he thought it might be his best position... that said Sweden and Arsenal are two different systems... in any event, Freddie contributes whereever he is on the field, so as long as the injuries dont come back I'm happy.

[Cannon]

A lot of people seem to forget past experience with Freddie up top. Not to mention that 3 shots against a weakened Ajax defense doesn't exactly convince. Keep Ljungberg out wide right where he belongs.

BCity's defense is pretty poor right now. If liverpool had any clue how to attack under Rafa (and Warnock didn't lose the plot for a few critical minutes) then they'd have won their game last weekend by a fair margin. Upson will screw up and leave RVP with a few clear chances. I'm predicting a win for us but I have this odd feeling that Pennant will whip in a cross for a header that we'll manage to let in. So call it 3-1 to the good guys.

[imnotreyes]

Arsene has gotta give Quincy a half at least...I would start him.
The time has come.

[KevTheGooner]

-------------Lehmann----------------

Lauren - Toure - Campbell - Cole

Ljunberg - Flamini - Fabregas - Pires

----------RVP - Reyes-----------


I hope Gilberto is fit...that is a scrawny lineup!!

[michaec]

I'm predicting a win for us but I have this odd feeling that Pennant will whip in a cross for a header that we'll manage to let in.Cashley's got Pennant's number. No problem there.

[phishy]

I really like our chances at all 3 points in this one (which is rare lately).
The back seems sorted with Campbell returning (That goal vs ajax was just a wicked shot, tap in off the post). The thing that concerns me is something that we arent used to... getting shots off. 2 shots versus Ajax is a complete joke! No question we will see Reyes used with Van Persie upfront (why, i have no idea, but alas)...
No Gilberto, Senderos, and Bergkamp for this one..
2-0 seems like the right scoreline.

Lehmann
Ralph-Toure-Campbell-Cole
Fred-Flamini-Cesc-Pires
Van Persie-Reyes

flamini and pires... NEED to see something positive from those two! as well as SOME sort of partnership with the 2 frontmen, which i have yet to see.

[sing_gooner]

-------------Lehmann----------------

Lauren - Toure - Campbell - Cole

Reyes- Flamini - Fabregas - Pires

----------RVP - Ljunberg-----------

Why not put Ljunberg as a striker if he can score ?