please log in to view this image please log in to view this image Team News: (To Be Updated) Form Guide: please log in to view this image Three Key Match-ups: please log in to view this image please log in to view this image please log in to view this image Overall Record vs: Cardiff City: Played: 43 Wins: 19 Draws: 14 Losses: 10 For: 64 Against: 44 GD: 20 Last 6 Meetings: Cardiff City 0 - 3 Arsenal Arsenal 4 - 0 Cardiff City (FA Cup) Cardiff City 0 - 0 Arsenal (FA Cup) Arsenal 2 - 1 Cardiff City (FA Cup) Cardiff City 1 - 3 Arsenal (League Cup) Arsenal 2 - 1 Cardiff City (League Cup) please log in to view this image Manager's Views: (To Be Updated) My Team: please log in to view this image
Time to claw back GD and be utterly ruthless. I want +4 GD at least please. Cazorla, Pod, Walcott and Wilshere to all get on the scoresheet and a double from Nicklas. I'm going 6-1.
I can see City and Chavski slipping up so NOW is the time to capitalize.We have a run of games that we can blitz through and give ourselves a big gap before we play the likes of United, City, etc...
Watched Cardiff's game against Sunderland and they were pretty good for most of that game, but they bottled it big time towards the end. They were a nervous wreck and for me that shows the pressure that their players are under, probably cause they have a nutter as an owner. If we start fast and go at them early, then we can pin them back into their own half and take advantage, because against Sunderland when that happened, they just kept dropping deeper and deeper, so a goal was inevitable.
I think an early goal will demoralize them. Don't give them hope and kill it early. Knowing us we probably won't score until the end of the first half, have a nervy period n the 2nd but score and see off the game. That Mutch guy is their main threat and if we take him out of the game that should nullify their attacking threat.
Love that goal too, great strike and brilliant celebration afterwards. I think we'll have more than enough to see off Cardiff at home.
Talk about eye of the needle assist pass from Ozil too. Inch to the right and the first defender would have got it... Inch to the left and the slide tackling second defender would have got it.
Yep it was perfect. I think Ozil has come in for a bit of unnecessary criticism this season. In every game he plays in he produces at least one moment that creates a goal scoring chance, also it's his first season in the PL and he'll only get better. Very dangerous player to have in our team. I still have to pinch myself sometimes when I think that Mesut Ozil is and Arsenal player.
Agree with the OP's team selection. Only thing I would consider is trying either Pod or Walcott as our CF and see what they do. However, I'm sure Bendy will do a job and a rest would be good for the ever working Giroud.
I would caution against making too many changes - it may seem an easy game, but if our chaps approach with the near complacent attitude that some of these posts are leaning towards, they could get a shock a la Villa - I think that Wenger and Bould have learnt lessons to a degree and are not allowing that complacency. On paper we should have more than enough as many of you have said - but the game is played on the park. A controlled performance is required to consolidate position and set the platform for January. These are looking like they can be good times.
I don't think we will rest Giroud. I think AW will leave him out for the FA Cup and give him a (nearly) 2 week rest before Aston Villa.
Giroud is a doubt for this game: http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/team-news-who-is-fit-to-face-cardiff-
I'm hoping we don't get complacent for this game, because these are the type of games where you usually see some points dropped because of a bad attitude. Also with today being New Years Eve, will some players decide to party a bit, and therefore not be as match fit as they should be 2morow? I think that's what happened last year when we faced Southampton away on New Years Day.
