The North London Derby - Spurs v Arsenal [R] Pre/Dur/Post Match

Thanks for the info! Guess I'll have to leave my tri pod and boom operator in the states!

 

Are we sure Gallas will be match fit by then? Granted it's more than 10 days away, but with Senderos out that's a big potential hole in the middle.

 

I'm happy we have some good utility players that can cover, but also, I don't feel confident with Senderos, especially against some big men. We've seen how Drogba wips him, and while berbatov isn't necessarily a 'big man', I think Senderos wouldn't be able to cope with him.

 

I'm really hoping Gallas is fit for this match as the boys will need it. This is always a tough one as the scum seem able to take it up a notch playing Arsenal at home. Of course, there is no telling which sperz side will show up.

2-1 is my prediction, with the winner coming late.

 

Yeah, if you're going to take the piss, you might as well make your English teacher proud .

 

We have to hope so. Senderos is a major step down and Berto needs to be at DM not center half. He does OK filling in, but against quality sides it becomes a weakness - not that I'm calling Spurs a quality side. They are as dismally inconsistent as ever, much to my personal joy.

 

Well Gallas is probably iffy for this one. He should be healed but probably not match fit and i dont want him risking it and re-injuring himself like last year. Sagna should definitely be fit and i heard he can slot into the middle. So why not play Flamini out wide right? He did a great job defensively in the Portsmouth game while still getting forward and showed lots of energy throughout the 90 mins. I would feel comfy with a backline of Flamini - Sagna - Toure - Clichy.

 

I just don't want to see flamini in the midfield. If he has to play RB so Sagna can fill in for Gallas, then fine. However, when he is in the midfield Cesc disappears. If gallas is injured i would be much more comfortable with

Jens
Sagna Toure Gilberto Clichy

Hleb Fabregas Denilson Rosicky

Adebayor RvP

Walcott in for denilson and hleb or rosicky slide in the center, Eduardo comes in for adebayor. Sagna would shut down bale and we could dominate.

2-0 to the GUNNERS

 

Jens for Almunia?

 

Denilson i dont believe is ready to start a match of this caliber. I would at least put Diaby ahead of him but preferably i think we should go with...

Almunia
Flamini - Sagna - Toure - Clichy
Hleb - Cesc - Gilberto - Rosicky
Ade - RvP

Cesc and Gilberto are by far our best central pairing. As well with Gilberto buffering the back line i think it will help out with the unproven partnership of Sagna and Toure. This leaves little changed from the squad that won against Portsmouth. However, before i make anymore predictions im going to wait until the internationals are over. No telling who will come back injured.

 

IMHO Denilson is more than ready to start a match of this stature. Remember, he has played in the Carling Cup final already, & not forgetting his performance vs Tottenham last year.

I am not saying he should start but we should have more faith in him.

 

My point excatly but when Gilberto is fit he is always second choice I am afraid.

Correct me if I am wrong but I do not recall him ever having a bad game for us.

 

Why, may I ask, is everyone calling for Adebayor to start this match? Did you people see how he played (barring a very well taken penalty) in the Pompey game? Against the run of play he is just plain crap! He slows down counters and with his slow play and his slow mind. Leave him on the bench and let Dudu show Keane and Berbatov how it's done!

 

I loved watching Diaby in the Sparta match, he looked very much composed and very in control of his game. Denilson, Diaby, Fabregas, Gilberto....our CM spots look very solid. For our defense should be solid with sagna, toure, gil(cover), and clichy....i am very confident of our chances this match.

Dudu or Ade?
Jens or Almunia?
Denilson or Diaby?

those are the main choices for us this match, personally i think it is Ade, Almunia, and Diaby as my three.

your thoughts?

 

Not where i live .. I rely on Espn & Star Sports for watching live games .. And they've let me down, for the first time ..

He does all those things you mentioned but playing RvP and Dudu doesn't really seem to work .. RvP is more of a 'selfish' striker and Dudu is a player who makes excellent runs in the box .. We need Ade to distract defenders so that either of RvP or Dudu will eb relatively free in the box .. If Ade doesnt' start, I'd probably go with Bendtner .. He has better aerial presence, very physical and will give the opposition defenders a hard time ..

 

I'm not sold on Diaby yet as he loses possession carelessly in areas (usually in our 1/3 or the opponents 1/3), which he then immediately goes into a sliding tackle (his commitment is great, but he can be a smarter player), plus his final pass is horrendus. It's easy to point out his faults, but we can't afford to make those mistakes even though Spurm's midfield is shite. I'd rather have Denilson in CMF who can pass dimes, that is if Wenger goes with Gilberto as our CB.

I'd go with Gooner_for_Life's starting XI. I don't want to risk Gallas either and have him our for months.

 

I bet Song starts at CB.

 

I couldn't disagree with you more on Diaby. Everybody who tries to dribble out of trouble will lose possession once in while. i.e. Helb, Rosicky, Adebayor, etc. He is a little green but has the most up side of any of our midfielders. He athletic, great on the ball, fast, strong, good passer. Give him some games before you rip his game apart, because once he hits his stride like he did at the end of last year he will be very hard to deal with. And as far as his final ball, you must not of watched the Carling cup final.He had a pretty nifty pass to Walcott for the goal.

 

If Gilberto plays CB against tottenham, I would like to see this formation

---Van Persie-Adebayor
-----------Helb
--Denilson-Fabregas-Diaby
Clichy-Gilberto-Toure-Sagna
---------Almunia

Its maybe a bit ambitious, but ******** it. this would be and exciting squad to watch.

 

if i could figure out how to rep, i would rep that statement....its brilliant

 

If we play the same formation and stuff, I'd replace Ade with Dudu .. Hleb as the CAM with 2 strikers will casue enough havoc and i really won't be surprised if Wenger plays Hleb in that CAM role .. But all that without a DM like Gilberto ?

RvP--Dudu
Hleb
Rosicky-Gilberto-Cesc
​

Would be my line up ..

 

Yea, if you dribble you have a high chance of losing possession especially in the Prem, but Diaby sometimes loses possession in our own 1/3. I don't recall those players losing the ball in our 1/3 (maybe Hleb on a few occasions). I feel that sometimes his dribbling is counter-productive to our counter-attack, slowing down the flow of attack and/or losing possession. He's got great footwork/touch and a big frame to shield the ball, but sometimes he gets into situations where he's either rushed into passing (as they'll have a few players on him) or he lacks the concentration and focus to direct a pass.

I think he has only one assist(?) for the club and that was to Walcott in the CC Final, I wouldn't call his final ball good or great by any standard(s). He definately has the potential and the best manager to nurture him into world class, but for this game (and the early stages of the season) I feel more comfortable with Denilson and Cesc than Diaby and Cesc.

 

Well, I still think you're letting the few gaffe's he's had outweigh his superb overall game.

 

The idea for my post was that Gilberto would be in the backline because of Gallas (health) and Senderos (red card). So fielding the Denilson-cesc-diaby midfield with helb as the cam would offer more definsive qualities with the 2 way play of Diaby and denilson.