Pretty much. Im just hoping Arshavin will get some rest. I'd wish for RVP to get some too but doubt that will happen.
i was thinking the same thing- give Gallas the day off, and let Senderos get a runout. i agree with the general consensus here- if there ever was a game which your secondary goal (first being to win, of course) should be to give a few players some rest, this is it. az looks to be no better than wolves or hull, and there's no reason to play arshavin, cesc or gallas for 90 minutes.
I think we should treat this game like any other and play our best. 3 pts from this game would pretty much wrap up this group (especially if Liege-Olympiacos draw) and we can rest of starters in the last 3 matches especially when the last 2 games comes days before we face Chelsea and Liverpool.
Unfortunately, with the injury situation we have right now, the team almost names itself for this game. Still, I'd like to see either Gallas, Vermaelan, or Song given a blow, and I think if Wilshere's going to get starts this season, it'll be in games like this.
I'm in the same boat, I've got a 2:10pm flight but I'm not so sure I'll be able to catch a replay. I bet we line up a bit differently than in the league, but we'll still see a strong side. Wenger's GK choice will be interesting after Manonne's slip up on Saturday, but I think we should keep him. ------------------Mannone------------------- --Sagna----Gallas----Vermaelen---Gibbs-- -------------------Song---------------------- ---------Ramsey---------Diaby------------- ----Eboue------Van Persie------Vela------- Bench:Wilshere, Fabregas, Almunia, Senderos, Traore, Arshavin, Watt Could be a pretty deadly squad, though we're seriously hampered by injuries atm. If Cesc isn't on the pitch, who wears the armband? Certainly not Gallas... perhaps Almunia if he plays? Maybe van persie, or Sagna.
Maybe some day but he's been here like what... 10 weeks? Dude's got the stuff of captains though, for sure.
Replace Eboue with Wilshere at right forward, and I like the team. It should be enough to get the job done.
I'd like to see that change too, I'm just not sure how likely it is for him to start. Eboue would probably do fine but Wilshere is really something else and could use a run out.
eboue will definitely be starting on the right wing tomorrow. i'd like to see rvp get a rest, but with the form he is, i don't see it happening. at some point, we need to rotate a little.
I agree. Wenger loooooves Eboue, especially in the CL. I doubt we will see Wilshere unless its a sub appearance at 85+ minutes
good article in the Times regarding this tie and le boss.. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/arsenal/article6881705.ece#
So jealous of the usual crowd on this away trip. If I could have picked one game to go to all first half of the season, this would have been it.
i know some people would like to see mannone get another start but i definitely think it's got to be almunia for this one. it's a good game to get him back into the swing of things, and regardless of how mannone has done since almunia's absence, almunia should ALWAYS be playing when fit
He got a good rest during the international break so I would expect him to play this one. Besides, like you said, he is on a ridiculous hot streak so we might as well let him continue dominating. Hopefully Eboue comes down with a 2 hour case of the flu so Wilshere can get the start. If we get a lead in this one I expect Wilshere to get a run out, and hopefully this time it will be a bit earlier. Whatever team we put out, I think we will hammer this team
No. Their official name is AZ and no-one in the NL would ever say AZ Alkmaar. Calling them AZ Alkmaar is as stupid as saying Arsenal London or West Ham London. God knows why people do that to foreign clubs. AZ aren't so bad. Yes they're in financial trouble but then again so is half the top of the premiership. The financial trouble won't impact them until next summer and they haven't lost any players since their league winning season. Also they've lost just one European game at home ever in their history I think, and it's not like Koeman has a bad track record v English clubs either. Arsenal will probably win, but thinking it'll be easy for them is dangerous.
Thanks for clarifying—I assumed that was the case. (When I said "we refer to them as," I meant those of us who have been saying AZ Alkmaar, not people in the NL.)
Ajax were referred to as "Amsterdam" more than once in germany. Anyway, not a chance in the world for AZ. They can in fact play some pretty good football, but the other 80 minutes usually bite them in the ass.