Match Day Thread Arsenal v. Swansea

Arsenal v. Swansea City

Venue - Emirates Stadium
Date - 15 October 2016
Kick off - 3pm

Swansea's first match following the dismissal of Francesco Guidolin and the immediate appointment of Bob Bradley is the daunting prospect of a visit to the Emirates to play an in-form Arsenal who lie 3rd in the PL.

However, since entering the PL, The Emirates has been a relatively happy hunting ground for the Swans, having chalked up 3 victories and a draw from their 5 visits - the sole defeat came in the Swans maiden season in the PL when an unfortunate mix up between Michel Vorm and Angel Rangel "gifted" the only goal of the game to Andrey Arshavin.

The Swans & the Gunners have played each other on 19 occasions, with Swansea winning 8, Arsenal 10 and just the one draw.

The last fixture between the clubs was the corresponding fixture played in March this year when the Swans ran out 2-1 winners:

Joel Campbell slid to hook the Gunners into an early lead and they had looked set to make up ground on leaders Leicester. However, Swansea - with boss Francesco Guidolin absent through illness - levelled when Wayne Routledge side-footed home.

Olivier Giroud and Alexis Sanchez struck the bar before Ashley Williams pounced to earn a crucial Swansea win.

Looking ahead to the fixture itself, Bob Bradley will be hoping to start his reign with the 3pts, but I suspect he would be delighted with a draw. Whilst The Emirates has been, as I wrote earlier, a happy hunting ground, I can't see anything other than an Arsenal win by 2 clear goals.

 

This game is a good first fixture for Bob to get his teeth into and show him how the pace of premiership football is played at that he will not have experienced before. He will have plenty of advice from people like Curtis and he will have looked at a number of games against the gunners but there is nothing like being there with your own game plan and the players he chooses to play to see the intenticy of premiership football......I think its to soon for Bob yet to get the players playing the way he wants so im not expecting to win but you never know......2-0 Gunners....

 

Can't see us getting anything here. Even if Bradley turns out to be very good for us in the longer term this game comes little too soon and is a tough baptism of fire. 2-0.

 

I am hoping that again the performance away from home is better than the 2 against Leicester and Southampton. So looking a bit more organised and not looking like we are going to concede everytime we are attacked will be an improvement. Still mega hard game, but going to be confident and go for a 1-1

 

3/4 - 0

 

I see us winning this fixture, we are the Gunners bogey team, and as long as Taylor is not in the starting line up, we have a very good chance......




1-2 win for the mighty Swans.

 

Make that as long as he is not in the squad.

 

Not to worried about results the next 4 games , only that Bradley gets his feet wet ...any points are gravy IMO .
The game after that till the New Year is our season IMO , if we don't get a super amount of points during this period ....its pretty well over for us I think .
Still , ill hope for a 1-1 score

 

We cant afford to lose another 4 games on the trot. We need to start winning games from now as the nature of football says we wont win all of them anyway....We need points on the board asap to put confidence in the team and to stay in the pack of the teams around us, We cannot let them get ahead of us and try to put points so we can put a gap over them....

 

Fab
Naughton , VDH , Amat , Kingsley
Barrow , Cork , Siggy , Routs
Baston ... LLorente
The era of "The long balls " begins .....

 

Bob told you that did he....

 

Jon Moss is the referee...

 

Per Lawro:

I am expecting an energetic performance from Swansea's players in Bob Bradley's first game in charge.

It sounds like Bradley was very convincing in his interview but I still see his appointment as a gamble.

The Emirates Stadium is obviously a difficult place for Bradley to get started, especially against an Arsenal team who have won their last five league games and are on a great run of form.

The Gunners did not start the season very well but most of their players who were at the European Championship are back available now, and Aaron Ramsey is not far off a return either after being injured in the first game of the new campaign.

One of the things this Arsenal side has got is competition for places in every position and the fact their players are fighting for their place is definitely helping them at the moment.

Lawro's prediction: 2-0

 

Llorente and Montero still unfit apparently..

 

For once i agree with lowro but only because we have not seen what Bob is all about yet. I am still feeling more optimistic about Bob and who knows we may even win as we have won there before....This is a game i would not use on my football coupon....

 

Fabianski
Naughton De Hoorn Amat Kingsley

Cork Fer
Barrow Routledge
Sigurdsson

Baston

Only one im unsure of is Right back. Head says 2-0 heart says 1-3.

 

Fabianski
Rangel/Naughton De Hoorn Amat Kingsley/Naughton

Cork Britton
Barrow Routledge
Sigurdsson

Baston

That's my pick, nearly. Its a toss up between Rangel and Naughton, I think Rangel gets the nod because he has been playing very well of late. Naughton played well on the left but even so I think Bradley should concentrate on Kingsley and provide him with every opportunity to achieve his potential.

I think Kingsley is our best left back regardless so it would be very disappointing indeed if Taylors' mouth got the nod over his talent.

2-0 Arsenal if we stand off 1-2 Swansea if we get in their faces

Has the team been officially announced yet?

 

Team will be officially announced at 2pm. Until then, only speculation and (informed/uninformed) rumour.

 

No change there then eh Taff