CL: Arsenal-Valencia pre/post match, March 19 [R]

[dwinkler]

-With Campbell and Seaman out, and Vieira only 50-50, here's how I see the starting lineup:

Taylor (no idea who the sub goalie is)
Lauren - Igors Stepanovs - Cygan - Gio Van Bronckhorst
Ljungberg - Gilberto - Edu - Pires
Wiltord - Henry

The back 5 has the potential to be awful - or heroic.

-Baraja is out because he's accumulated too many cards. Also, Kily Gonzalez is injured and might miss the match.

-The game coincides with the conclusion of Las Fallas, the festival of fire. Valencia had lobbied to try to get the match moved, but no luck.
http://uk.sports.yahoo.com/030317/80/dvlvz.html

-PBP Alert! We're expecting 1-3 feet of snow in Denver over the next two days. I might not make it to the office on Wednesday, in which case I doubt I'll do PBP due the 56.6 home modem. Someone else might have to step in - Coach, perhaps?

[revelation]

Didn't Arsenal sign up one of their youth Keepers to be the back up a few weeks ago? I thought because of their injury situation, they were able to do this.

This is going to be a tough game. I hope that this will be a miraculous game where Arsenal pulls something special out of Wenger's Magic Hat! :)


But man does it have the potential to be one heck of a long night of European Football... :(

[442]

A draw, which would get us through, would be a great result. A win would be nothing short of historic.

Arsenal are absolutely reeling right now. Injured, tired, slumping. Valencia is beyond tough at home and they know they need a victory.

We're going to need an absolutely heroic performance from the defense and 'keeper. If they game is tied, or we are up, in the second half they will have to throw seven players into the attacking third. I'm very concerned that we won't be able to whether that kind of onslaught on the road.

[martymarts]

Dwinkler starting lineup:

Taylor (no idea who the sub goalie is)
Lauren - Igors Stepanovs - Cygan - Gio Van Bronckhorst
Ljungberg - Gilberto - Edu - Pires
Wiltord - Henry

I think AW should start with Toure instead of Edu. He maybe an unguided missile, but, an injection of energy in the mid-field is what we need right now.

If Pat comes through a fitness test then I think mid-field will be Wiltord - Gilberto - Vieira - Pires with
Jeffers and Henry up front. Unfortunately the back 4 will pick itself!

[Senor Askew]

Will the game be shown on free tv here in the land of the oppressed and the home of the meek?

[McGinty]

Would it be wrong to start hoping for a Roma victory? I wouldn't be worrying so much if Campbell, Keown and Viera were fit, but that back line scares the hell outta me. However, there is this small part of me that says Valencia will be throwing everyone forward, allowing Arsenal to score on a quick break.

Valencia will be without Kily Gonzalez. That will be less trouble for Lauren anyway.

[Coach_McGuirk]

Originally posted by dwinkler
[B-PBP Alert! We're expecting 1-3 feet of snow in Denver over the next two days. I might not make it to the office on Wednesday, in which case I doubt I'll do PBP due the 56.6 home modem. Someone else might have to step in - Coach, perhaps? [/B]

I would be honored. You'll have to let me know which 4 sources you go with. I usually go w/ uefa.com and soccernet. What are the other 2 you use?

Attention, fellow ArseAmer's: If I am called, I will serve. I just hope I can do HALF the job Dan does.

P.S. - You do all that from WORK??? Dear Lord, man, that's impressive. I'm working from home now, and it will be all I can do to keep up.

[michaec]

Originally posted by martymarts
I think AW should start with Toure instead of Edu. He maybe an unguided missile, but, an injection of energy in the mid-field is what we need right now. You can't be serious?!?

BTW dwinkler, the sub goalie will be Craig Holloway, only 18 and no appearances yet.

[OPArsenal]

Oh God... I'm nervous already. A draw looks to be our best hope, but if we win it, "what a day of rejoicing that will be", to quote an old hymn. Coach, make sure, if at all possible, that you are eating veal parm and drinking cherry coke while you do the PBP (this goes for you as well, Dan!). :D Now's the time to stand by our side, folks... Come on you Gunners!

Vive le AFC!

OPArsenal

[OPArsenal]

Here's the full squad, according to Arsenal.com:
Stuart Taylor
Craig Holloway
Sol Campbell
Pascal Cygan
Lauren
Igors Stepanovs
Giovanni van Bronckhorst
Kolo Toure
Edu
Freddie Ljungberg
Ray Parlour
Robert Pires
Patrick Vieira
Gilberto
Sylvain Wiltord
Jeremie Aliadiere
Thierry Henry
Francis Jeffers
Kanu
Man, I'm prayin' hard for this one. Valencia are gonna be a bastard... And the way the folks at Arse.com wrote it up made it sound like Sol and Pattie were gonna play. SOB's... :D

Vive le AFC!

OPArsenal

PS- For what it's worth, Ladbrokes is offering 6/1 odds of 1-nil to the Arsenal. I hope.

[martymarts]

Is Jermaine Pennant on loan?

[OPArsenal]

No idea. Anybody else know?

Vive le AFC!

OPArsenal

[KevTheGooner]

Originally posted by Senor Askew
Will the game be shown on free tv here in the land of the oppressed and the home of the meek?

You mean the Land of "Orange?". You'd think the Dutch were running things over here...

Does anyone else *gulp* when they see the word Stepanovs?

As much as I want to show some "love" to the guys, I fear we may be on the wrong end of a 0-1 bore! Pray that I'm wrong!

[dwinkler]

Originally posted by Senor Askew
Will the game be shown on free tv here in the land of the oppressed and the home of the meek? Uh, no. But it will be shown on TSN and RDS in the Great White North. I'm assuming TSN's widely available - I think it's the Canadian equivalent of ESPN.

Re: Jermaine Pennant. He's back from his loan spell at Watford. Don't know if this means anything, but I heard Jermaine was with Ashley Cole on the Friday night Ashley had his Rolex ripped off. Ashley knew he wasn't playing the next day due to injury. Wonder what Jermaine's excuse was?

Re: Craig Holloway. I've heard the name before, that's all. Isn't there a Graham Stack floating around out there, or is he the one on loan at Beveren?

[dwinkler]

Originally posted by Coach_McGuirk
I would be honored. You'll have to let me know which 4 sources you go with. I usually go w/ uefa.com and soccernet. What are the other 2 you use?

Attention, fellow ArseAmer's: If I am called, I will serve. I just hope I can do HALF the job Dan does.

P.S. - You do all that from WORK??? Dear Lord, man, that's impressive. I'm working from home now, and it will be all I can do to keep up. Thanks for stepping up, Coach. I'm not at work today, and we're expecting more snow through tomorrow night, so I doubt I'll make it in the office.

uefa.com and Soccernet should be just fine. I also use the Sporting Life website, but it's so inaccurate that it's pretty much used just for comic relief anymore. And the "other" site I look at is actually the other view that uefa.com gives you - you can view their "full" and "light" versions, and I try to view both because one's usually ahead of the other one (although it varies which one has the latest info, which is weird).

[Senor Askew]

Originally posted by dwinkler
Uh, no. But it will be shown on TSN and RDS in the Great White North. I'm assuming TSN's widely available - I think it's the Canadian equivalent of ESPN.



Rats. Guess I'll go get my oil changed and buy a new pair of shoes.

No use in wasting a day of spring break inside.

Good luck AFC!!!

p.s. Prove my wrong, I'd love it.

[dwinkler]

The Fiver says Vieira and Campbell both made the trip to Spain, but that Seaman didn't. The Fiver also says, "if Pascal Cygan and Igor Stepanovs are playing it's fill-yer-boots-time." Don't think you'll get too much argument here.

[Coach_McGuirk]

Originally posted by dwinkler
Thanks for stepping up, Coach. I'm not at work today, and we're expecting more snow through tomorrow night, so I doubt I'll make it in the office.

I saw on the news what it looks like in the Denver area today. Too much white stuff for those of us born down here in Texas.

[dwinkler]

Originally posted by Coach_McGuirk
I saw on the news what it looks like in the Denver area today. Too much white stuff for those of us born down here in Texas. Our office is officially closed both today and tomorrow. I'll be online tomorrow, but I doubt I'll have anything timely to add, so you're the man.

[Coach_McGuirk]

Originally posted by dwinkler
Our office is officially closed both today and tomorrow. I'll be online tomorrow, but I doubt I'll have anything timely to add, so you're the man.

The pressure is now officially on. I guess I ought to start thinking about a lunch menu, then.

Anyone have any suggestions for some luck with the PBP?