Aston Villa v Arsenal [R] Pre/Dur/Post Match Comments

[kanonier]

Aston Villa v. Arsenal
26 December 2008
17:15 GMT, 12:15 EST
Villa Park

http://sportzfun.com/photos/albums/boxing/boxing_giant.jpg

It's Boxing Day football as Arsenal face a fixture that means more than we'd care for it to mean.

Being without Fabregas and Adebayor raises a lot of questions about who we'll see in the Starting XI and where they'll play –**will we see Nasri nab Cesc's central spot, or will Diaby get a chance to play in the middle? Will Bendtner start in Ade's spot, or will we go 4-5-1?

[juanca]

-----------Almunia(c)
sagna-gallas-djorou-clichy
--------Song-Denilson
Nasri-------diaby-----RVP
----------Bendtner

[TheArgonaut]

I usually don't buy into it when one game is touted by many to be a 6 pointer or "a CL decider" or "title decider." I've always gone along with the "table never lies" theory in that overall consistent performances are more important than winning "the big games".

However, I really think this game could have a huge influence on the rest of the season.

If Villa win and go 6 points ahead of us...
-Villa will get a huge moral boost and could push on and widen the gap over a Cesc-less arsenal (at least for the next few weeks).
-the cumulative effects Cesc out for weeks, 6 pts out of the CL and a team that clearly has several weaknesses could force Wenger into the transfer market in January...which in turn could have the possibility of shifting the momentum back to Arsenal if the right players come in

If Arsenal win...
-huge moral boost for us
-Villa finally hit a hurdle and get pegged back a little and it will be interesting to see how they react to that
-the fact that we're tied for 4th, with players still to come back from injury (Eduardo, Cesc, Theo, maybe Rosicky) might mean Wenger will hold off on transfers until the summer

If it's a draw...
-as you were in terms of the table but I have no idea who gets the moral boost out of that (if any) and no idea what effect it has on either manager's plans

Of course that's all my opinion and speculation, I obviously don't know what Arsene Wenger or anyone involved with either club is actually thinking. It is entirely possible that a loss at Villa could get the boys so p*ssed off that they finally get in the right frame of mind and start beating the snot out of everyone they play. Or Villa could win this and then fall apart if injuries hit because they have even less squad depth than us.

Also, I honestly do think that if the boys show up at Villa Park and play the way they did against liverpool after ade got sent off, then we will win. They just have to play like that for the whole game.

[Silva 5]

This one is just as big as Arsenal/ManU, Liverpool, Chelsea. It's a strange feeling being out of the top 4 and it's rather cold down here.

It's a huge test because of Villa's style...they'll come down our throats when they get the chance no doubt, but also because we're missing two of our best players. I'm looking for Diaby and Nasri to step their game up. The two most creative in our midfield for this game will need to be sharp.

We may be best served with a 4-5-1 with Diaby in the hole (Song & Denilson behind). That would be the easiest way for us to win the midfield battle, but I would personally like to see Wenger be a little gutsy and play Denilson and Diaby together in a 4-4-2...assuming Bendtner is available.

Very important match. I hope the guys take it to heart and leave everything on the field, because that's what it'll take.

[Flyemirates2491]

I think we'll probably see something like this

http://img71.imageshack.us/img71/9569/composition51dg4.gif


But I'd like to see


http://img301.imageshack.us/img301/8272/composition52yn0.gif

[MisplacedSpainard]

I think we'll probably see something like this

http://img71.imageshack.us/img71/9569/composition51dg4.gif


But I'd like to see


http://img301.imageshack.us/img301/8272/composition52yn0.gif
i like the second one except with vela instead of eboue.

[Shibby13]

How about just putting in Vela over Bendtner

[thebigman]

victory is imperitive!!!!

please die villa!!! bleed claret and be bruised blue etc etc

[Silva 5]

How about just putting in Vela over Bendtner

It's almost always best to pair up a "small" man with a big man. With Bendtner we have a decent threat on crosses and he does show the ability to settle the long balls played up top which is important if we're not able to win the midfield. If not, he's at the least able to effectively challenge defenders for the air balls and force the defenders to be at their top with good clearances and what not.

[kanonier]

it's almost always best to pair up a "small" man with a big man. With bendtner we have a decent threat on crosses and he has shown the ability (just not recently) to settle the long balls played up top which is important if we're not able to win the midfield. If not, he's at the least able to effectively challenge defenders for the air balls and force the defenders to be at their top with good clearances and what not.

fyp.

[Papa Burgundy]

massive game.

i'd like to play a 442 with bendtner and rvp, but the way we got bossed in the midfield last game, i wouldn't be surprised to see wenger play a 451. but with a 451, i think you have to play bendtner as the lone striker, which means rvp would be on the bench, or play on the left midfield, where he is usually not that effective.

this a big test for denilson, let's see if he can step it up another notch.

[Silva 5]

fyp.

youre right, but something's gotta give. we can't just give up on him.

[juanca]

I smell a draw.

[raidermid10]

How bout this:

--------Almunia-----------
Sagna Gallas Djourou Clichy
------Song Denilson-------
--Eboue-- Nasri--- Vela
-------van Persie---------

or maybe Wenger could put Nasri and Eboue out wide and give Ramsey or Wilshere a shot in the middle

[kanonier]

youre right, but something's gotta give. we can't just give up on him.

yea, wasn't trying to bust on you – just noting that Bendtner's first touch has been abysmal lately.

[TheArgonaut]

We need a win now. The team needs to prove to themselves more than anyone else that they can win without Cesc.

Last time against Villa they dominated the midfield. I think we should go with some form of 4-5-1 to try to counteract that...especially with no Cesc.

I think we might see:

---------------RvP--------------
--------------Diaby-------------
Nasri---Denilson---Song---Eboue
Clichy---Djourou--Gallas---Sagna
-----------Almunia(c)-----------

Subs: Bendtner, Vela, Wilshere, Ramsey, Silvestre, Toure, Fabianski

If we're losing in the 50th minute I don't think Wenger should wait past more than the 55th minute to put Bendtner on in place of Song and go 4-4-2 with Diaby-Denilson in the middle.

I think Almunia will get the armband...but I would love to see Clichy get it.

[Rewinder]

We need a win now. The team needs to prove to themselves more than anyone else that they can win without Cesc.

Last time against Villa they dominated the midfield. I think we should go with some form of 4-5-1 to try to counteract that...especially with no Cesc.

I think we might see:

---------------RvP--------------
--------------Diaby-------------
Nasri---Denilson---Song---Eboue
Clichy---Djourou--Gallas---Sagna
-----------Almunia(c)-----------

Subs: Bendtner, Vela, Wilshere, Ramsey, Silvestre, Toure, Fabianski

If we're losing in the 50th minute I don't think Wenger should wait past more than the 55th minute to put Bendtner on in place of Song and go 4-4-2 with Diaby-Denilson in the middle.

I think Almunia will get the armband...but I would love to see Clichy get it.

Exactly

[juanca]

We need a win now. The team needs to prove to themselves more than anyone else that they can win without Cesc.

Last time against Villa they dominated the midfield. I think we should go with some form of 4-5-1 to try to counteract that...especially with no Cesc.

I think we might see:

---------------RvP--------------
--------------Diaby-------------
Nasri---Denilson---Song---Eboue
Clichy---Djourou--Gallas---Sagna
-----------Almunia(c)-----------

Subs: Bendtner, Vela, Wilshere, Ramsey, Silvestre, Toure, Fabianski

If we're losing in the 50th minute I don't think Wenger should wait past more than the 55th minute to put Bendtner on in place of Song and go 4-4-2 with Diaby-Denilson in the middle.

I think Almunia will get the armband...but I would love to see Clichy get it.


Clichy has Future Club Captain written all over him, but ATM, Hell F*cking No.

The last thing you want on the pitch is a captain who constantly has brain farts and is suspect to the odd Error which costs us a goal.

Maybe in a few years, when he is consistently reliable, and we have a new LW or maybe even Rosicky back who can track back and make that Left hand side Formiddable again.

[arsenalgirl30016]

I'd rather see RvP out on the wing. He is not the "lone striker up top" kind of striker. I'd rather play Bendtner or Vela up there with RvP on the wing or maybe slightly behind the striker with Nasri on the wing.

[TheArgonaut]

Possibly some good news for us...

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11661_4687395,00.html

"At the moment I don't know the full details. Martin came off the field against West Ham and felt fine," the Villa manager told the Express and Star.


"Then on Sunday evening he started to feel pain in his knee, so obviously got in touch with the physios and the doctor.


"He went for some scans and we are now waiting for the results. Fingers crossed it won't be too serious but we don't know yet."


Meanwhile fellow defender Carlos Cuellar is also a doubt after he picked up a knock against the Hammers.


If both do miss the Arsenal clash then Zat Knight could be brought in to partner Curtis Davies at the heart of the defence with Luke Young and Nicky Shorey playing either side of them.


Martin Laursen has been immensely important to Villa's drive towards the CL so far this season and Cuellar has done a decent job at RB and would've been a sensible replacement for Laursen ...but if both are out...Villa's defense could look a little weaker than it was at Ashburton Grove.