(Champions League) PSV vs. Arsenal [R] Pre/dur/Post Match Comments

[Catfish]

Tuesday, February 20
7:45pm GMT

2:45pm EST
ESPN 2 (LIVE)
4:45pm EST
ESPN Deportes (Replay)

This is it. The wait is finally over, the CL is back on. PSV are quite tough. They are top of the Dutch Eredivise table. They own the best defensive record and the 3 best offensive total in the league. Anyone taking this match-up lightly is just nuts.

My Prediction: 1-1. Not pretty, but we get the all important away goal.

UP THE ARSENAL!
Go on lads!

[Rewinder]

This is going to be a very tough game, 1-1 will be a good result and sets us up to progress with the home game.

I'm so glad the champions league is back, I've been missing my midweek excitement(though with our fixture list lately, we have been pretty occupied midweek).

[NightHawk]

My starting 11:

----------Lehmann-------------
Eboue/Hoyte-Toure-Gallas-Clichy
---Hleb-Cesc-Gilberto-Rosicky---
------Adebayor-Henry--------

Subs: Almunia, Baptista, Ljungberg, Denilson, Senderos

I'll say 1-0 as we're on a good run of form unlike PSV. Rosicky scoring.

[Rewinder]

My starting 11:

----------Lehmann-------------
Eboue/Hoyte-Toure-Gallas-Clichy
---Hleb-Cesc-Gilberto-Rosicky---
------Adebayor-Henry--------

Subs: Almunia, Baptista, Ljungberg, Denilson, Senderos

I'll say 1-0 as we're on a good run of form unlike PSV. Rosicky scoring.

Good line up, and good bench, I'm hoping we see that as well.

[juanca]

i agree, we should see a good line-up and a somewhat well rested line up at that.

The only thing id LOVE to see, is toure getting 1 or 2 games of rest. obviously we cant now cuz its CL, but with gallas back, please AW, give king kolo some rest.

i think arsenal will win 2-0

ade and rosicky to score!

[gooner4eva]

back to the 4-5-1 that ered us well last year

----------------lehmann-------------

----eboue---tioure---gallas-----clichy
----------------gilberto----------------

hleb----fabregas-----ljungberg---rosicky

----------------henry--------------------

HEY WADDA YA KNOW ITS A FULL STRENGTH TEAM!!!

[NightHawk]

back to the 4-5-1 that ered us well last year

----------------lehmann-------------

----eboue---tioure---gallas-----clichy
----------------gilberto----------------

hleb----fabregas-----ljungberg---rosicky

----------------henry--------------------

HEY WADDA YA KNOW ITS A FULL STRENGTH TEAM!!!

I was thinking whether we should go 4-5-1 as well. I reckon we would have if we had a young defence and Henry was on form for him to be able to play up top on his own like last season. Considering that neither applies with Gallas and Toure giving us some much needed experience at the back I think we should play 4-4-2.

[juanca]

if we do go 4-5-1

do we go:

--------jens
eboue-toure-gallas-clichy
-------gilberto
----cesc----denilson
rosicky---------------hleb
-----------Henry


Denilson just has to be in the line-up now. there isnt any proof or warnings that he shouldnt be starting games in the prem, CL, etc,etc...the kids up for it!

[flyerhawk]

back to the 4-5-1 that ered us well last year

----------------lehmann-------------

----eboue---tioure---gallas-----clichy
----------------gilberto----------------

hleb----fabregas-----ljungberg---rosicky

----------------henry--------------------

HEY WADDA YA KNOW ITS A FULL STRENGTH TEAM!!!


I don't think Ljundberg should be considered part of our primary starting 11. Our team will not be completely full strength until RVP returns. He is our leading scorer.

[Catfish]

I don't think Ljundberg should be considered part of our primary starting 11. Our team will not be completely full strength until RVP returns. He is our leading scorer.
I agree. Freddie would be excellent off the bench for Europe and Cup matches. His experience and relentless attitude would be great near the end of a match. It would boost the side and due to his age/injuries; I would find him the most effective this way.

Van Persie being back will be the true starting XI. I still think him and Adebayor up top with Henry being some sort of attacking/roving MF.

4-3-1-2

[DaPrince84]

PSV has been quite poor this year... they have lost 12 points in their league

[shincan]

I know I keep posting this, but I miss RvP. He'd be great in this one, and would give resting time for Henry or Ade or whomever during our fixture crisis. However, I think Henry and Ade will start and win 2-0, no worries, with Hleb looking slick again.

[Bluto11]

PSV has been quite poor this year... they have lost 12 points in their league
is this opposite day or something?

[Bluto11]

This is going to be a very tough game, 1-1 will be a good result and sets us up to progress with the home game.

I'm so glad the champions league is back, I've been missing my midweek excitement(though with our fixture list lately, we have been pretty occupied midweek).
yeah, this one is going to be tough. tougher then some people think, methinks

[Smalls123]

back to the 4-5-1 that ered us well last year

----------------lehmann-------------

----eboue---tioure---gallas-----clichy
----------------gilberto----------------

hleb----fabregas-----ljungberg---rosicky

----------------henry--------------------

HEY WADDA YA KNOW ITS A FULL STRENGTH TEAM!!!


I like it but I would move Rosicky to the middle with Cesc and have Ade out wide on the left.

[Schu419]

I'm in two minds here, and I can understand Wenger's possible lineups similarly. For me, it comes down to whether we start Freddie or not.

He's experienced as hell, he has a great head for the game, he's unlikely to do anything stupid enough that it will cost us the game.

That said, he's slow, has taken to really looking for fouls, has lots of mini bust ups with refs, all apparently out of frustration with himselff I'd say.

So basically, are we trying to thrash PSV or just stay solid, maybe get an important away goal, and then go a little more attack minded if need be back at home? We start Freddie if we're being conservative, we sub him if we're going for a couple of goals or more.

Considering this is the Champions League, that we are not 100% full strength (RvP is out, Gallas only has 60 minutes under his belt after multiple months out...), I believe Wenger will start Freddie. He can, after all, score important goals for us, as we saw this past week.

Personally, I think Freddie is almost useless as a starter, but Wenger still sees something in him, so I'm just predicting. I'd rather him not start, but we still play 5 in the midfield - Hleb Denilson Berto Fabregas Rosicky. Start Henry up top by him. Switch to 4-4-2, dropping Denilson for Ade most likely, if we are in trouble

[Highbury]

is this opposite day or something?

They've been the absolute class of Holland in recent years. They're to Holland what Celtic is to Scotland. So, them dropping that amount of points, and most of them being recent, doesn't make them seem on form. Holland really isn't as strong a league as it once was, PSV really being the only top team (Feyernoord and Ajax are overrated.) I still think we will beat an on form PSV or not on form.

2-0 Arsenal

[jasperb]

unfortunately with affelay and kluivert injured psv will miss two key offensive players

[Rewinder]

Kluivert is still playing?

Do you guys need to wheel him around the pitch?

[SLO-Gunner]

unfortunately with affelay and kluivert injured psv will miss two key offensive players



Seriously, he's considered a key player?