Not much hope of getting a similar result to last season next week. History shows that the relegation battles of 1985, 1995 and 2005 put us away at Arsenal during April. We lost all three and went down. Time to change this, at least this year doesn't end in a '5'.
Arsenal are not world beaters, and we might be able to pick something up if we can contain them for the first half. This looks like one game where CH's negative tactics might be appropriate.
We will shock everybody and win 3-0. In reality they are making their inevitable and tedious snail crawl to overtake Spurtz and finish fourth.
Arsenal are on good form at the moment and we aren't. The heart says it must change, the head says not next weekend.
Lets hope the score line doesn't have a five in it? At least that German mountain won't be playing after his red card yesterday!! I would love to see Ch go two up top and really go for it...... But then again we don't even do that at home ?!!
Is this the misfiring arsenal who have won four on the spin, including 2-0 in Munich? Bad time to be playing them, I can see them marching on to finish third in the PL so don't expect us to get anything there on Saturday regardless how well we play. I'm personally budgeting for no points, the Villa, Stoke and Reading games are the massive ones that we should be looking to win
Football is full of surprises thank goodness and hopefully with nothing to lose in a sense we just might nick soemthing and that would be invaluable. That said, Reading is an absolute must win and those three points would cast a totally different complexion on the league.
I think we'll get nothing, but I can't help fantasising about us coming out of the traps like a set of Holt and Morison greyhounds as we did at the then high-performing Swansea in early December, and roaring to a second 3 - 4 away win. Nothing to lose next week, and a lot to gain if we, for once, play with no fear right from the start. And what I'm on is readily available over the counter at Boots.
well, i am upset that he will be missing. they will now re-instate Vermaelen, who i think is a much better player.
I reckon we have a decent chance of a result. Arsenal have been doing OK with Giroud and Gervinhio in good form and Rosicky actaully scoring. History suggests that these things will last about as long as an Ipswich promotion push. Any disruption to their defence can only be in our favour even though Mertesecker has the turning circle of the Ark Royal. Cue 4-0 reversal with Rosicky hat-trick....
I actually think there is quite a lot to lose. If we lose 1-0 or 2-0 no big deal. We dust ourselves down and move onto the next game. However, if we concede a hatful, which with Arsenal is always a possibility, then we lose any remaining momentum we had as we stumble towards the finish line. The pressure intensifies and confidence will be at an all time low as we go into the biggest must win game of our season. Definitely squeaky bum syndrome time!
also a hammering will worsen our goal difference, which could be crucial compared to villa and wigan come mid-May (stokes and sunderlands are better anyhow)
I agree, but Vermaelen's form has been terrible this season, hence he is behind Mertesacker in the pecking order. This can only be a good thing The only other thing to add is that Arsenal have three games in quick succession to pull away from Tottenham. There are likely to be rotations and they will be under some pressure (or, equally, we may benefit from their conceit). I think we have a long shot at getting points here, but not completely unbelievable. Didn't Swansea get something?...
