Arsenal 1-0 Stoke City

Please post anything to do with the upcoming tough match with Arsenal in this thread please. Any other thread on the subject will be merged into this thread.

 

It will be interesting to see what TP does. Will he play what he considers his strongest side or will he leave a few on the bench, working on the view that Stoke are unlikely to get anything at Arsenal and that West Brom is a must win game. Given that there are 5 days between the two matches, I would play our strongest side and go for it. Arsenal are having to play on 4 different fronts and have the Carling Cup on the Sunday. Something will have to give from their perspective and you never know, tiredness may creep in against Stoke. One thing I would not do though is in any way risk Etherington on Wednesday if he is not 100% fit. To lose him for a few weeks would seriously weaken our chances in the home games coming up.

 

Walters will play, hopefully up front with Carew but I doubt we'll go 2 up top it'll be either 4-5-1 or 5-4-1 for sure

 

Its a massive game and only the strongest team should play.We are capable of getting a point and as its not WBA untill monday i think makes it a easy desicion for TP to make.Waiting with anticipation later lads to see who we get in the quarter finals really excited about the cup.

 

4-5-1.

Begovic
Wilkinson--Huth--Shawcross--Higginbotham
Pennant--Whitehead--Wilson--Delap--Pugh
Carew

 

I would like us to push them all over the pitch. They have a hectic schedule and if they change players around mistakes are likely, we need to be on the ball to capitalize, it may be the difference that gets us a point.

 

Conroy
You are correct mate, West Brom is Monday night televised game too although. I will be there supporting the lads.

So, agreed, WHY do we have to take a weakened team to Arsenal? IMHO Etherington should not have been risked v Brighton anyway. It was obvious he was struggling and my guess is. Tony P will say he's now not fit to face Arsenal.

Massive respect to Brighton but, Tony knew Arsenal were next up. Why did he have to start with Ringtone anyway I'm confused to be honest because it was really all over by half time.
I would also like to see both Carew and Walter's starting along with two wingers i.e. Ringtone and Pennant. If we go there for a pt to defend. We will end up getting battered. I think we may well do whatever team Tony puts out. But, let's FOR ONCE show some intent please Mr P. In other words go at them and a least give Arsenal something to think about.

But, I won't hold my breath in hope!

 

If Leyton Orient can get 1-1 with them, we should get SOMETHING from this game.

Fingers crossed, doubt we'll win but perhaps scrape a draw....

 

Won't you just sit back in your own half but pressure us like mad if we cross the half way line? Shame you got rid of Tuncay, I really liked watching him at boro

 

Prediction

 

Potts to hard to Call, depending on what teams BOTH managers send out.

But heart says draw, head says loss, then 3 points against the baggies a week today

ps were you asking if i had a pre-erection

 

I'm looking forward to the game, but not that much! Hoping for a draw but it's not the end of the world if we don't get it.

Hopefully their captain who in my opinion is the biggest disgrace to football going, will not be on the pitch.

I nearly wrote playing but if spitting, kicking, waving imaginary cards to the ref is playing then I don't want to watch.

 

What?! You seriously think Fabregas is the biggest disgrace on football? I don't understand this hate for Cesc at all, Viera was much worse yet he is held up as some kind of perfect captain .

 

I'm looking forward to it, I haven't seen us play Rugby for a while. . .

 

RvP's injured and we have no Koscielny either

Squillaci!

 

Sounds promising.
To be honest though, you're only decent defender is Thomas Vermaelen, although Djorou is decent and I rate him.
Van Persie is one of the best strikers in the league though and it's a boost he's out.

 

Djourou has been immense for us and if he was out, I'd be seriously worried. He, Verm and Kos are all very good defenders in their own right. Miquel is a real prospect too.

Theo's still there though

3-0/3-1 I reckon

 

My ARSEnil supporting friends do not rate him at all and they didn't rate Senderos either, i've no idea who they're expecting? Franz Beckenbauer maybe?
I think after Pulis has said on BBC Sport he wants us to "get at" ARSEnil then I don't think it will be an easy as you think it may be.
Pennant will play and Walters could start on the right.

 

I'm not thinking it will be easy

Pennant will be ineffective I hope!

 

Tone says we're having a go tomorrow. Wow, does that mean we'll go with, whisper it, one up front?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/stoke_city/9404797.stm?

Stoke City manager Tony Pulis will ask his side to "have a right go" when they travel to Arsenal on Wednesday.
But Pulis told BBC Radio Stoke he is realistic about their chances of victory after watching Arsenal beat Barcelona 2-1 in the Champions League.
"We know they are miles in front of us and we have to accept that. But it doesn't stop players from going there and having a right go," he said.
"For all Barcelona's dominance on the ball, Arsenal still had great chances."
The Potters have beaten Arsenal on two of the five meetings since Stoke were promoted back to the Premier League almost three years ago.
Ricardo Fuller and Seyi Olofinjana scored in a 2-1 victory at the Britannia Stadium in October 2008, while Fuller netted twice in a 3-1 win when Stoke knocked Arsenal out of the FA Cup at the same venue in January 2010.
Their two Premier League visits to the Emirates Stadium, however, have ended in defeat.
Matthew Etherington is a major doubt for Stoke, having lasted just 40 minutes of the FA Cup success over Brighton on Saturday.
The former Tottenham and West Ham winger is understood to have a defect in his jaw line, which has led him to suffering a back injury.