Up the Arse! Goons thread. :)

[Arsene Wenger]

i reckon thats about right benno altho the balance doesnt look right with flam and gilberto. However having said that, I think Wenger will look to man mark Kaka with FLamini (ie follow him everywhere) allowing gilberto to play further up.

So probably your XI or maybe one of these ways...


Lehmann
Sagna Touré Gallas Clichy
Eboue Fab Flamini Hleb
Ade Eduardo

or

Lehmann
Sagna Touré Gallas Clichy
Eboue Fab Flamini Eduardo
Hleb
Ade

I think eduardo is more suited to being alongside ade. Will he push Cesc into a wide role? will he gamble and play walcott outwide

have to see in the morning i guess..

go u gooners - for the record i think we will win 3-1

 

[belfast_bomber]

What Cesc said was true. Blackburn play shit football. Barca do not. Therefore what Blackburn played was not Barca football.

Nani did the footballing equivalent of spitting in our faces. I don't deny he's a very good player - he is. But he's an arrogant tosser.

Well, your lot sure as feck "weren't playing Arsenal football" at the time, so maybe it was the equivalent of spitting in someone else's face. So that's all right then!

 

[Arsene Wenger]

Well – a few hours after – it aint as bad a result as I thought. Im happy we didn’t concede at home, but boy if only Ade had stuck that one in with only seconds to go.

Milan did as almost all expected. Sat back, absorbed plenty of pressure. Arsenal were sluggish in the first half and didn’t really create much of note, but as Nipper pointed out elsewhere Ade had a great chance to slip in Cesc for what would have been a formality, however, his touch resembled that of Peter Liddy.

Start of second half was much brighter. It was obvious Wenger told them to play with greater pace and to move the ball quicker, It worked and Milan looked susceptible to conceding. However, you can only play at such a pace for short bursts and once Milan weathered the storm a draw was the inevitable outcome.

For Milan, you cant fault their back 4. Quality throughout, particularly Maldini, the man is getting on in age but his quality never dips… super super player. Pirlo was average, not that I particularly rate him anyway. He prodes himself on pinpoint passing, but was found wanting on more than a few occasions not to mention caught in possession a few times. Gattuso was Gattuso, just worked his bollobks off. Kaka was quiet but showed flashes of his brilliance. Ambrosini meh – nothing much. Pato looks like he will be a good player. 18 years old playing up top on his own, he looked v comfortable and dangerous too at times.

For Gooners, I think Eboue was very good as was Hleb. Senderos did well when he came on to replace Kolo. Sagna and Clichy provided their usual width and also defended v well. Two massively underrated players IMO.
Ade was not great and should have scored at the very end. Cesc was a bit wasteful and had a couple of half chances he hit straight at Kalac. Perhaps he thought that was the way to beat kalac given his World Cup blunder v Croatia.

Anyhow – probably deserved the win but an away goal at the san siro makes it very difficult for Milan.

Gary Bloom (Commentator) has already confounded us to the exit door. Nil all at home in first leg of any game is never a bad result.

 

[VanBerlo=God]

Well – a few hours after – it aint as bad a result as I thought. Im happy we didn’t concede at home, but boy if only Ade had stuck that one in with only seconds to go.

Milan did as almost all expected. Sat back, absorbed plenty of pressure. Arsenal were sluggish in the first half and didn’t really create much of note, but as Nipper pointed out elsewhere Ade had a great chance to slip in Cesc for what would have been a formality, however, his touch resembled that of Peter Liddy.

Start of second half was much brighter. It was obvious Wenger told them to play with greater pace and to move the ball quicker, It worked and Milan looked susceptible to conceding. However, you can only play at such a pace for short bursts and once Milan weathered the storm a draw was the inevitable outcome.

For Milan, you cant fault their back 4. Quality throughout, particularly Maldini, the man is getting on in age but his quality never dips… super super player. Pirlo was average, not that I particularly rate him anyway. He prodes himself on pinpoint passing, but was found wanting on more than a few occasions not to mention caught in possession a few times. Gattuso was Gattuso, just worked his bollobks off. Kaka was quiet but showed flashes of his brilliance. Ambrosini meh – nothing much. Pato looks like he will be a good player. 18 years old playing up top on his own, he looked v comfortable and dangerous too at times.

For Gooners, I think Eboue was very good as was Hleb. Senderos did well when he came on to replace Kolo. Sagna and Clichy provided their usual width and also defended v well. Two massively underrated players IMO.
Ade was not great and should have scored at the very end. Cesc was a bit wasteful and had a couple of half chances he hit straight at Kalac. Perhaps he thought that was the way to beat kalac given his World Cup blunder v Croatia.

Anyhow – probably deserved the win but an away goal at the san siro makes it very difficult for Milan.

Gary Bloom (Commentator) has already confounded us to the exit door. Nil all at home in first leg of any game is never a bad result.

well it means we only have to score away, something which we have had absolutely no problem doing this year.
Milan had won every away game for the year except for their last away game, so to draw them I would say is a superb result.
As for ebough - a touch more flair, and if he keeps playing like that, he will make the squad every game and be a quality winger, no more feet in first bullshit.

I thought it was a great game to watch, and adebayor did look a little off colour. Walcott maybe should of come on earlier.

 

[youngsaint]

Was a very enjoyable 2nd half. First was ok.

 

[Benno_900]

Kolo is out for a month with a calf strain. Phil has done well in his absence, so might not be too big a loss.

Also, I think Jens has shown enough to get his spot back. Almunia hasn't done much wrong, but I feel Jens is a better shot stopper and has quicker reactions. Reward him for staying at the club.

 

[PendlePie]

I just saw Adebayor's header that hit the bar - . Shocking miss to say the least.

Great performance by the boys though, despite the draw. Really good pressuring, shut down Milan's key players (including Pirlo) and played really good football. Great stuff to play so well coming off a thumping.

I'm happy with the 0-0 result but I can't help but feel like we let a big opportunity go by. But now the pressure is on Milan, and we may need only one goal to get through.

Kolo is out for a month with a calf strain.

This sucks. Are you sure it's a month?

 

[Benno_900]

Wenger's speculation:

"A calf injury that rules him out for, from what I've seen after the game, for three or four weeks at least. It was a bad movement, a consequence of the African Nations Cup, too much heat in the calf!"

 

[Darealrath]

Wenger's speculation:

"A calf injury that rules him out for, from what I've seen after the game, for three or four weeks at least. It was a bad movement, a consequence of the African Nations Cup, too much heat in the calf!"

That's awful news. Looked just like a bruised knee at worst at the time.

Should have won but we can get through on a scoring draw which is handy.

 

[DB10]

You guys forget though, in Arsenal time an injury like that is probably a season ender.

 

[youngsaint]

Wenger's speculation:

"A calf injury that rules him out for, from what I've seen after the game, for three or four weeks at least. It was a bad movement, a consequence of the African Nations Cup, too much heat in the calf!"

Gees he winges

 

[Corrosion]

Gees he winges

How exactly is that a whinge?

 

[youngsaint]

because he went to ACN and because of this his player is now injured

 

[Benno_900]

Well, he did get injured there and missed half of the ACN.

 

[DonMania#5]

Not that a bad result this morning. Boy, if Adebayor had scored that header in the last few seconds..

We should have Rosicky and Van Persie back by the visit to San Siro. An away goal will be the key.

 

[Corrosion]

because he went to ACN and because of this his player is now injured

There is a difference btween stating the truth, and whinging. Wenger is simply acknowledging the fact that Toure had already injured himself at the ACN, and the heavy schedule of games that came with it. Don't see how you think he is whinging.

 

[DB10]

Is this why Adebayor missed his header?

 

[DonMania#5]

Rematch

 

[giantroo]

Is this why Adebayor missed his header?

fuken cows.

 

[belfast_bomber]

Is this why Adebayor missed his header?

Because of the strange shape of his back?

 

[horj89]

Another Injury. Getting ridiculous now.

 

[Benno_900]

He was already leaning forward ... I don't think he felt it anyway.

 

[giantroo]

Ade, Hleb and Almunia all set for Birmingham

Birmingham City v Arsenal

By Richard Clarke


Alex Hleb and Emmanuel Adebayor are expected to be fit for Saturday's trip to Birmingham.
The pair picked up injuries in Wednesday's goalless draw with Milan at Emirates Stadium. The Belarus midfielder had a calf problem while the Togolese striker had a stiff neck.

But speaking at Friday's press conference, Wenger said: "They should be alright."
Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Eboue are both out. The only addition to Wednesday's squad is Manuel Almunia. However the manager was remaining tight-lipped over whether the Spaniard would start.
"From Wednesday night we have lost Kolo and Emmanuel Eboue through injury and suspension," he said.
"We have no-one really back from the squad who played in that game apart from Manuel Almunia."
When asked if the 30-year-old would replace Jens Lehmann, Wenger replied: "Come to the game tomorrow and you will see."

 

[giantroo]

Changes to four of Arsenal's April fixtures

Due to the fact that the fixtures against Liverpool, Manchester United, Reading and Derby County have been chosen for broadcast, the schedule has been changed. Details of the revised time and date for both matches is below.
Arsenal v Liverpool
Emirates Stadium
Saturday, 5 April
Kick Off - 12.45pm
Live on Sky Sports
Manchester United v Arsenal
Old Trafford
Sunday, 13 April
Kick Off - 4pm
Live on Sky Sports
Arsenal v Reading
Emirates Stadium
Saturday, 19 April
Kick Off - 12.45pm
Live on Sky Sports
Derby County v Arsenal
Pride Park Stadium
Monday, 28 April
Kick Off - 8pm
Live on Setanta Sports
In the event that Arsenal are participating in a Uefa Champions League Semi-Final tie on either Tuesday, 29 April or Wednesday, 30 April, this match will revert to Saturday, 26 April (Kick Off TBC).

 

[windyhill]

**** ! Bring on Adebayors mate............