Premier League Discussion 8th/9th November

Saturday, 8 November 2008
Arsenal v Man Utd, 12:45
Hull v Bolton, 15:00
Liverpool v West Brom, 17:30
Sunderland v Portsmouth, 15:00
West Ham v Everton, 15:00
Wigan v Stoke, 12:45

Sunday, 9 November 2008
Aston Villa v Middlesbrough, 15:00
Blackburn v Chelsea, 13:30
Fulham v Newcastle, 16:00
Man City v Tottenham, 15:00

Finally, a one not started by Luis.

Arsenal-Man United is obviously the stand out fixture but there are pretty even matches spread across this weekend like Hull-Bolton, Sunderland-Portsmouth, West Ham-Everton, Villa-Boro and Man City-Spurs. Wouldn't be suprised to see quite a few away wins.

Program biased towards Saturday instead of Sunday after a UEFA Cup week, good news.

Dwarf wrote:Program biased towards Saturday instead of Sunday after a UEFA Cup week, good news.

TITO wrote:Finally, a one not started by Luis.

I believe the last 3 or so were started by someone else.

3-0 to Manchester united is my prediction.

Pool and Russians to draw their games.

Arsenal without Ade and RVP? Well the title was never an option for them anyway

Pool to win with Torres scoring the 2,3 and 4th goal...what a legend

ManC vs Spurs..a cracker as well, I think Spurs will win this one. Hairy Jol to get the sack!!

I'm going to Fulham v Newcastle and QPR v Cardiff this weekend.

Pulsating 2-2 I reckon.

Robinho to rape us, Modric to rape them.

David Plouffe™ wrote:Pulsating 2-2 I reckon.

Robinho to rape us, Modric to rape them.

Modric couldn't rape a cat.

Unless Torres is absolutely, positively 100% I'd leave him on the bench.

Hopefully it will be...

Reina
Arbeloa
Carra
Agger
Dossena
Pennant(sigh)
Gerrard
Alonso
Riera
Kuyt
Keane

Would put Babel in there but I don't see it happening

Ade Alves wrote:
Pennant (wistful sigh)

Cooper, I trust the Boro will be rolling over to the Villa again this year?

Actually, that's only at your place isn't it. You usually put some effort in at Villa park.

f@ck. OFF.


We did well at your place last season I remember..vaguely. I remember Downing tearing you apart like dogs tear paper(they do, easily). Then I remember us getting fucked over towards the end bu some homosexual in black..giving the worst penalty decision since Ronaldo's vs Bolton and it was before that even happened so work that out.

I think you'll do us at every set piece to be honest..unless our defence is really really up for it, we've been $h!t defending set pieces all season. We go forward quite well most of the time though, so hopefully it'll end 5-6.

it's hard to know how we'll play. If we play like we did vs Newcastle, it's yours for the taking. I didn't see our game Thursday but it was a much changed team, and supposedly a reasonable performance. This may mean you get the likes of Sid Sidwell and Zinedine Salifou unleashed against ya. I don't think even Stewart 'The Dog' Downing will stand a chance in such circumstances.

Im hoping you'll have a bit of a Euro hangover so we give you a good thrashing.

Sid"vicious"Well better get out whilst he still can.

Why is the Wigan/Stoke game on early?

1200: ARSENAL v MANCHESTER UNITED LINE-UPS
Arsenal: Almunia, Sagna, Gallas, Silvestre, Clichy, Walcott, Fabregas, Denilson, Nasri, Diaby, Bendtner. Subs: Fabianski, Toure, Vela, Ramsey, Song Billong, Wilshere, Djourou.
Man Utd: Van der Sar, Neville, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Ronaldo, Anderson, Carrick, Park, Rooney, Berbatov. Subs: Kuszczak, Giggs, Nani, Rafael Da Silva, O'Shea, Evans, Tevez.

L.r.d wrote:1200: ARSENAL v MANCHESTER UNITED LINE-UPS
Arsenal: Almunia, Sagna, Gallas, Silvestre, Clichy, Walcott, Fabregas, Denilson, Nasri, Diaby, Bendtner. Subs: Fabianski, Toure, Vela, Ramsey, Song Billong, Wilshere, Djourou.
Man Utd: Van der Sar, Neville, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Ronaldo, Anderson, Carrick, Park, Rooney, Berbatov. Subs: Kuszczak, Giggs, Nani, Rafael Da Silva, O'Shea, Evans, Tevez.

Interesting how SAF uses Park in these types of games, i.e looking to win balls back, hustle players.... but not typically in his starting line-up. This suggests to me United will look to pressure Arsenal on the ball quite high up the pitch, looking to counter from the 2nd to 3rd part of the pitch upon winning possession (the idea).

I can't see anything but 3 points for United here... providing they score first, United have a tight defence and a more clinical attack currently.

This game will really display the character of Arsenal, if they can take something or even impose themselves on this game, it will give them hope. But i just can't see it.... The only positive if i were Wenger would be the lack of mobility in Carrick through the centre of the park, but i can't see him exploiting this because of Arsenal's natural game using width through the 2/3 of the pitch.

Dwarf wrote:Why is the Wigan/Stoke game on early?

There was a Wigan v Stoke game a few years ago that kicked off big time at the JJB - Wigan didn't observe minutes silence for Stanley Matthews and it went mental.

Maybe its still a bit charged and they don't want to give people 4 hours drinking time before KO.

Football Genius wrote:

L.r.d wrote:1200: ARSENAL v MANCHESTER UNITED LINE-UPS
Arsenal: Almunia, Sagna, Gallas, Silvestre, Clichy, Walcott, Fabregas, Denilson, Nasri, Diaby, Bendtner. Subs: Fabianski, Toure, Vela, Ramsey, Song Billong, Wilshere, Djourou.
Man Utd: Van der Sar, Neville, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Ronaldo, Anderson, Carrick, Park, Rooney, Berbatov. Subs: Kuszczak, Giggs, Nani, Rafael Da Silva, O'Shea, Evans, Tevez.

Interesting how SAF uses Park in these types of games, i.e looking to win balls back, hustle players.... but not typically in his starting line-up. This suggests to me United will look to pressure Arsenal on the ball quite high up the pitch, looking to counter from the 2nd to 3rd part of the pitch upon winning possession (the idea).

I can't see anything but 3 points for United here... providing they score first, United have a tight defence and a more clinical attack currently.

This game will really display the character of Arsenal, if they can take something or even impose themselves on this game, it will give them hope. But i just can't see it.... The only positive if i were Wenger would be the lack of mobility in Carrick through the centre of the park, but i can't see him exploiting this because of Arsenal's natural game using width through the 2/3 of the pitch.

Funny you mention the pitch width, because I do not think we use width well. We do not keep play as wide as possible. Quite often we are as narrow as the corners of the penalty box. We should always have 2 players keeping play as wide as possible, comes with the territory of playing a possession oriented passing game.

Walcott for example always drifts in when the ball is on the other side. This is dead wrong. You see it the moment when play switches to his side. Always the first thing he does is backtracking (going backways) to create space for himself. He should be on the freaking line, with chalk on his boots, coming towards the ball. Starting at the wrong spot reduces the chances of of getting a dangerous pass.

Nasri does the same. Our fullbacks do not cover the wide position as good as possible either. If you play our tactics you need to stretch the back 4 as far as possible at all times.

Almunia

Jesus! Thought the game started at like 1-1.30pm

Ronaldo FK's are improving, didn't hit the wall this time

Bender misses a great heading chance. Suberb cross from Clichy, though a little big too high..

ooooo! Arsenal are hitting back!

Rooney miss

Would have been a good goal.

Bad goalkeeping and bad misses so far.. Everything in the middle is fine, not so much at the two ends.

Rooney/Berba/Ronaldo must surely get at least 1 goal between them and 1 assist

De Guzman wrote:

Football Genius wrote:

L.r.d wrote:1200: ARSENAL v MANCHESTER UNITED LINE-UPS
Arsenal: Almunia, Sagna, Gallas, Silvestre, Clichy, Walcott, Fabregas, Denilson, Nasri, Diaby, Bendtner. Subs: Fabianski, Toure, Vela, Ramsey, Song Billong, Wilshere, Djourou.
Man Utd: Van der Sar, Neville, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Ronaldo, Anderson, Carrick, Park, Rooney, Berbatov. Subs: Kuszczak, Giggs, Nani, Rafael Da Silva, O'Shea, Evans, Tevez.

Interesting how SAF uses Park in these types of games, i.e looking to win balls back, hustle players.... but not typically in his starting line-up. This suggests to me United will look to pressure Arsenal on the ball quite high up the pitch, looking to counter from the 2nd to 3rd part of the pitch upon winning possession (the idea).

I can't see anything but 3 points for United here... providing they score first, United have a tight defence and a more clinical attack currently.

This game will really display the character of Arsenal, if they can take something or even impose themselves on this game, it will give them hope. But i just can't see it.... The only positive if i were Wenger would be the lack of mobility in Carrick through the centre of the park, but i can't see him exploiting this because of Arsenal's natural game using width through the 2/3 of the pitch.

Funny you mention the pitch width, because I do not think we use width well. We do not keep play as wide as possible. Quite often we are as narrow as the corners of the penalty box. We should always have 2 players keeping play as wide as possible, comes with the territory of playing a possession oriented passing game.

Walcott for example always drifts in when the ball is on the other side. This is dead wrong. You see it the moment when play switches to his side. Always the first thing he does is backtracking (going backways) to create space for himself. He should be on the freaking line, with chalk on his boots, coming towards the ball. Starting at the wrong spot reduces the chances of of getting a dangerous pass.

Nasri does the same. Our fullbacks do not cover the wide position as good as possible either. If you play our tactics you need to stretch the back 4 as far as possible at all times.

You maybe absolutely correct, it doesn't deter from the fact Wenger would like to utilise the width, naturally due to Arsenal's passing football, it stretches the pitch and allows space to pull the opposition players in and out of position.

You'll notice United exploiting their width, to push back your full-backs... win win for United, utilising their attacking talent, and pushing your full backs back to reduce Arsenal's width.