Arsenal vs. Villarreal - CL quarterfinal discussion thread

when everyone is fit its

Rossi
Nihat
Llorente
Franco

So to add to their defensive problems, even Djourou was stretchered off for Arsenal today. That means a back 4 of Sagna-Toure-Silvestre-Gibbs. Villarreal will fancy their chances of an away goal, and it makes the tie much more interesting.

Yeah that makes it interesting. We were very shaky at the back today. Gibbs really struggled, and we all know Silvestre is crap.

Agreed. If it wasn't for the fact that we are starting to find the back of the net more regulary I would be seriously worried.

Huge game for Gibbs on Wednesday, as long as Silvestre gets the basics right I will be more than happy.

If Djourou is out for the match I hope we play.

Sagna - Toure - Song - Gibbs

Van P - Cesc - Denilson - Walcott

----------Nasri
---------Adebayor


We won't, but that what i hope.

You knows the line up will most likely be

Fab

Sagna - Toure - Silvestre - Gibbs

Walcott - Denilson/Song - Fabregas - Nasri

RVP - Ade

Yeah massive game for Gibbs, hope he put in a good performance. Silvestre should step up too.

BTW: Maybe this should be asked on the Arsenal thread, is RVP suspended for the Chelsea encounter next week after picking up that yellow card(think it's his 5th of the season) today?

shazlx wrote:If Djourou is out for the match I hope we play.

Sagna - Toure - Song - Gibbs

Van P - Cesc - Denilson - Walcott

----------Nasri
---------Adebayor


We won't, but that what i hope.

Looks good

The Professor wrote:

shazlx wrote:If Djourou is out for the match I hope we play.

Sagna - Toure - Song - Gibbs

Van P - Cesc - Denilson - Walcott

----------Nasri
---------Adebayor


We won't, but that what i hope.

Looks good

Wouldn't mind Eboue at RB and Sagna at LB.

I thought of that, but again I thought maybe it's better not to change things around too much, at least we have a stable right side(RB + right sided CB) of the defence. Stability at the back is very important.

As long as Cesc and Denilson hold their position and make it more of a 4-2-3-1

Big news - it seems Senna got injured during Villarreal's game at the weekend, and is likely to miss this game. Real blow for Villarreal if he can't make it, because he's their captain and arguably best player as well.

Pellegrini has announced the squad traveling to London.

CONVOCATORIA

Porteros: Diego López, Viera
Defensas: Ángel, Javi Venta, Gonzalo, Godín, Fuentes, Cygan, Capdevila
Centrocampistas: Cani, Ibagaza, Bruno, Eguren, Pires, Mati y Jordi Pablo
Delanteros: Joseba Llorente, Guille Franco, Nihat, Rossi

I think this will be their midfield


--Pires---Eguren--Cani--Ibagaza

Not sure, Cani is actually struggling with a muscular injury as well (so is Mati Fernandez for that matter). The finished the match against Malaga with a sort of trivote with Ibagaza playing just behind the front pair:


----Eguren----Senna----J. Pablo

---------------Ibagaza

I'd have thought Bruno would have a good chance of making the XI in place of Senna. But who knows, Pellegrini may well opt for the experience of Pires it's just that he has rarely played 90 minutes this season.

injures are have really fucked up their chances of progressing, wasn't aware of cani and mati's injures, but arsenal have a lot of injures as well, so they can't complain.


thats probably where ibagaza feels most comfortable and is most dangerous, so lets see how it works out if thats what pellegrini plays

Fantastic news for us that Senna is missing. If we fuck this up now we only have ourselves to blame.

Tweedle wrote:Fantastic news for us that Senna is missing. If we fuck this up now we only have ourselves to blame.

The Professor wrote:I thought of that, but again I thought maybe it's better not to change things around too much, at least we have a stable right side(RB + right sided CB) of the defence. Stability at the back is very important.

Just reading this is getting me nervous. V concerned about Gibbs at left-back after the weekend – call me conservative but my suggestion would be:

Fabianski

Sagna, Touré, Song, Silvestre

Walcott, Denilson, Cesc, Nasri

RVP, Ade

in a vaguely sensible 4-4-2 which doesn't miss anyone too obvious out. Unsure about Diaby, Eduardo, Eboué.

Sagna has played left back before hasn't he? I'd rather swap him over there and play Eboué right back.

Tweedle wrote:Sagna has played left back before hasn't he? I'd rather swap him over there and play Eboué right back.

Diaby back for Villareal

I hope we don't have to resort to starting Diaby.

IMO we should start the game out playing 4-3-3 with a midfield of:

-----------Denilson-----Song------------

Walcott------------Cesc----------Nasri

---------------------Ade-----------------

Then, if things do get a bit pear shaped, we can go for a more conventional 4-4-2. We're in the driving seat with this one, but the last thing we want to do is let Villarreal score early and then have to break our way through a parked bus.

Perhaps you'd like to explain the thing about leaving out our best player before I lose my temper.

dont explain! Bring on Angry Allez

From a tactical perspective I'd rather start with Walcott.

Villarreal are probably quite used to dealing with technically astute, medium paced players but not so much with the raw pace of Walcott.

What I think is meaningless anyway as we'll play 4-4-2.

Looks like both Cani and Mati Fernandez will be available for the match tonight. Good news for Villarreal. Marca are predicting the following lineup:

-------------------D. Lopez

Angel-----Gonzalo-----Godin-----Capdevila


Cani------Eguren------Ibagaza------Pires


-------------Llorente-----Rossi

Thanx. they're dead wrong about the Arsenal line-up. They've Clichy & Gallas starting

I didn't see the first game, but I can't see Arsenal losing this. With Cazorla (their best player this season) out + Senna, their midfield looks very weak.

Shush!