Premier League 1st-2nd & 5th March Discussion Thread

Tough game for Arsenal. Will Toure be fit?

Must win game for us Wigan at home, no excuses we have got to take all 3 points. Wont be easy cos they have impoved a lot under Bruce but if we are to challenge for a UEFA Cup spot then we really need the win, esially as Villa go to Arsenal and Everton play Pompey.

Richards, Bojinov and Petrov will be out so i expect Castillo to start on the left and Corluka will come in for Richards....shows how we are getting strength in depth. Also fingers crossed Johnson might make his comeback after playing for the reserves last night. Also i expect Elano to come back in for Vassell or Ireland, most prob Ireland, who had a shocker against Everton.

Come on City .

From what I gather Toure is still two weeks away from full fitness. I just pray that we don't rush him back like we have done with the others so often in the past.

Should be an interesting matchweek. Man Utd are vastly superior to Fulham, be they will be battling for points for survival, so it's not a given result in that one. West Ham is always tough place to go, Chelsea really have to win this one to really keep the pressure on for the title.

For me the game of the week is Everton at home to Portsmouth. Two sides that have greatly improved over the last two years and looking for a European tour next year. Liverpool will be watching that one with interest!

Sadly I'm going to miss the match, going skiing in the Rocky Mountains and my flight leaves Sat. morning.

Wonder what the Manchester United midfield would be .. Carrick nevertheless should start, Says I !

Bolton away

We tend to lose there so not much optimism for the game, but hopefull Nando will hit the back of the net once again and all will be happy.

---------------------Reina

Finnan------Carra------Hypia--------Aurelio

Pennant---Gerrard----Macherano---Kewell(probably Babel though)

----------------Torres------Kuyt

Is what I expect.

No Benayoun what is this a joke

Vertonghen wrote:No Benayoun what is this a joke

Picked up a knock apperantly during the week.

If he is fit I'd play him.

Two of 3 cracking games in a row for us, and I fancy us to take something.

I'm not sure on the team for Saturday. The back 5 will be the same, but we have many options in midfield...up front I'm not sure about. Depends if Zamora and Camara are fit. I can see Curbishley going 4-5-1 or 4-4-1-1.

With no Martin Talyor for Brum, I hope the chance of any of our players getting fucked up like Eduardo is significantly reduced

Sebastian Larsson from 30 yards .

i reckon we can get a draw at arsenal. it's a tough fixture, but there's less pressure on the players after winning the last couple.

could do with everton dropping some points.

@ Whoever added the Liverpool vs. West Ham fixture



Arsenal team news

Injured: Kolo Toure, Robin van Persie, Tomas Rosicky, Johan Djourou, Alex Song

Suspended: Emmanuel Eboue (two match ban)

The only player that will return to the squad since the Birmingham City game is Abou Diaby. Thankfully it appears no one has got themselves injured during training this week, it would have been so typical for someone to pick up a knock.

Most of the XI should pick itself, the only question mark is if Walcott plays, where will he be positioned. Personally I would rather have him as a winger and let Bendtner have a game alongside Adebayor. Despite the AC Milan game being on Tuesday, I can't see Wenger resting anyone, and rightly so.

Cesc wrote:@ Whoever added the Liverpool vs. West Ham fixture



Arsenal team news

Injured: Kolo Toure, Robin van Persie, Tomas Rosicky, Johan Djourou, Alex Song, Eduardo

Suspended: Emmanuel Eboue (two match ban)

The only player that will return to the squad since the Birmingham City game is Abou Diaby. Thankfully it appears no one has got themselves injured during training this week, it would have been so typical for someone to pick up a knock.

Most of the XI should pick itself, the only question mark is if Walcott plays, where will he be positioned. Personally I would rather have him as a winger and let Bendtner have a game alongside Adebayor. Despite the AC Milan game being on Tuesday, I can't see Wenger resting anyone, and rightly so.

Cesc wrote:@ Whoever added the Liverpool vs. West Ham fixture

No probs Wanted to make sure it got the right coverage . Where else will everyone be celebrating a Liverpool defeat?

WEST HAM UNITED VS CHELSEA
UPTON PARK


West Ham striker Bobby Zamora is a doubt after suffering a blow to his knee in a reserve game and Lee Bowyer and Matthew Etherington are still out.

Henri Camara is in contention to feature, as is promising England Under-19 striker Freddie Sears.

Chelsea have no new injury or suspension problems ahead of the trip to Upton Park, with Andriy Shevchenko included in the Blues squad.

Scott Sinclair has moved on loan to Charlton and will not feature.

West Ham (from): Green, Wright, Pantsil, Neill, Spector, Upson, Ferdinand, McCartney, Faubert, Ljungberg, Noble, Mullins, Solano, Boa Morte, Cole, Ashton, Camara, Sears.

Chelsea (from): Cech, Cudicini, Hilario, Ferreira, Belletti, Terry, Carvalho, Alex, Ben-Haim, A Cole, Bridge, Lampard, Makelele, Essien, Sidwell, Obi, Malouda, Wright-Phillips, Drogba, Shevchenko, Pizarro, Kalou, J Cole, Ballack, Anelka.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Curbishley reckons Zamora will be back, and he was taken off just as a precaution.

Hoping to see Freddie Sears, another fantastic product from the best academy in England .

How many points do people think teams will need to avoid relegation this season?

None of the relegation threatened teams have started putting a good run together yet this season, and instead are struggling for points currently. It was often said that 40 points would secure safety, but this season it isn't inconceivable that 30 points could be enough and I think 35 points will be enough.

I'd say 4 wins and a draw from 11 games...with Birmingham being 17th on 23...I'd say 36 points.

Grant to try a new 4-1-3-2 formation at West Ham, though from the sounds of the likely starting lineup I think it'll end up being just like Mourinho's dull diamond midfield which he used a lot last year - packed with central midfielders just trying to bulldoze their way through a crowded centre

http://football365.com/story/0,17033,8652_3212893,00.html

I hope we don't try 4-4-1-1 FFS...

The 4-1-2-1-2 was actually very successful imo but for the wrong reasons. It was too "robotic" - there was very little flair BUT it was a system where Lampard & Ballack could play together and more importantly could play well together. Still, it seems like Grant's going back to all Mourinho's old tricks, despite what was promised at the beginning.

S4P wrote:The 4-1-2-1-2 was actually very successful imo but for the wrong reasons. It was too "robotic" - there was very little flair BUT it was a system where Lampard & Ballack could play together and more importantly could play well together. Still, it seems like Grant's going back to all Mourinho's old tricks, despite what was promised at the beginning.

S4P in truth Chelsea cannot play any other way because the the players in their squad. To play attacking entertaining football you need fast talented players Robben was your last winger. The whole team is set up with a controlled pragmatic game plan. Grant cannot make a Nani or a Ronaldo out of Cole, Malouda, SWP, good players in there own right, there style of play is different imo.

Brian2468 wrote:

S4P wrote:The 4-1-2-1-2 was actually very successful imo but for the wrong reasons. It was too "robotic" - there was very little flair BUT it was a system where Lampard & Ballack could play together and more importantly could play well together. Still, it seems like Grant's going back to all Mourinho's old tricks, despite what was promised at the beginning.

S4P in truth Chelsea cannot not play any other way because the the players in their squad. To play attacking entertaining football you need fast talented players Robben was your last winger. The whole team is set up with a controlled pragmatic game plan. Grant cannot make a Nani or a Ronaldo out of Cole, Malouda, SWP, good players in there own right, there style is play is different imo.

They have 5 or 6 good central midfielders (the definition of good is obviously up for debate on each one) but not one of them can be called technically accomplished. Added to this is drogba, who although obviously brilliant in his own right, is also a donkey on the ball at times and does not really allow flowing football to go through him.

Roman will have to spend another 200 million if he wants to change this

COTR,Watched your Video of Torres. The greatest players have one extra special skill that puts them above the rest of there peers just the same in Ice Hockey. It is a subtle skill most I feel never catch onto how important and it can be used so differently. Faking

COTR wrote:

Brian2468 wrote:

S4P wrote:The 4-1-2-1-2 was actually very successful imo but for the wrong reasons. It was too "robotic" - there was very little flair BUT it was a system where Lampard & Ballack could play together and more importantly could play well together. Still, it seems like Grant's going back to all Mourinho's old tricks, despite what was promised at the beginning.

S4P in truth Chelsea cannot not play any other way because the the players in their squad. To play attacking entertaining football you need fast talented players Robben was your last winger. The whole team is set up with a controlled pragmatic game plan. Grant cannot make a Nani or a Ronaldo out of Cole, Malouda, SWP, good players in there own right, there style is play is different imo.

They have 5 or 6 good central midfielders (the definition of good is obviously up for debate on each one) but not one of them can be called technically accomplished.

It was only 6 months ago that you guys were singing "We've got the best midfield in the world" Essien is more technically accomplished than any Pool midfielder too (possibly one of the best technical CMs in the Prem).

COTR wrote:Added to this is drogba, who although obviously brilliant in his own right, is also a donkey on the ball at times and does not really allow flowing football to go through him.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hASJMTkDiSE

Brian2468 wrote:COTR,Watched your Video of Torres. The greatest players have one extra special skill that puts them above the rest of there peers just the same in Ice Hockey. It is a subtle skill most I feel never catch onto how important and it can be used so differently. Faking

Interesting thing to notice. Surely there is a little more to it than simply faking here and there though? as anyone could do that. Is there an art to faking in ice hockey?

@ sp

when you watch essien you don't think

"wow, he is really skillful or what a pass"

You think

"wow, he can run very well "

Stop referencing back to Liverpool. My comment had nothing to do with Liverpool

L r d wrote:

Brian2468 wrote:COTR,Watched your Video of Torres. The greatest players have one extra special skill that puts them above the rest of there peers just the same in Ice Hockey. It is a subtle skill most I feel never catch onto how important and it can be used so differently. Faking

Interesting thing to notice. Surely there is a little more to it than simply faking here and there though? as anyone could do that. Is there an art to faking in ice hockey?

They call it a "deke".



Goal @ 1:21