I don't think I've dreaded a NLD at home like this for a long long time. Really can't bear another thumping. Even though I'm expecting it, it doesn't make it any easier to take.
I'm incredibly apathetic about today's match which is really sad. I think I'm just at that point now where I've written the season off - the players don't care what happens anymore and already look as if they're thinking ahead to May/June. I'll be happy to quote this post later tonight if we have a good performance and win but I just can't see it.
I'm not dreading it. We're going to get humiliated, today, by a team that has a manager who knows what he's doing. What's to dread? Never be afraid to face reality. Today's defeat will be one step closer to Sherwoodie getting the sack and, hopefully, Levy realising he cannot take us further and resigning.
Our team: Lloris, Naughton, Kaboul, Vertonghen, Rose; Sandro, Bentaleb; Chadli, Eriksen, Townsend; Adebayor Naughton, Bentaleb and Chadli all on the pitch. Arsenal's first XI today: Szczesny, Sagna, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Gibbs, Rosicky, Arteta, Oxlaide-Chamberlain, Cazorla, Podolski, Giroud Think I might just go out.
At the beginning of the season I was thinking if you did a combined Arsenal Spurs team we would easily get 5 players in there. Now I would struggle to argue a case for any of that team to get in Arsenals.
Lloris; Naughton, Kaboul, Vertonghen, Rose; Sandro; Townsend, Bentaleb, Eriksen, Chadli; Adebayor Subs: Friedel, Walker, Lennon, Paulinho, Sigurdsson, Kane, Soldado I think I can agree with about four of the players in that starting line-up.
Agreed - why aren't Lennon and Paulinho starting? Sherwood has named 2 DMs, which will stop any link to the forwards. Adebayor will get even less service from Townsend compared to Lennon as well. I know Walker has an injury but a crocked Walker is still better than a fully fit Naughton.
Four? Lloris, Kaboul, Vertonghen, Rose, Sandro, Eriksen and Adebayor seem like fairly hard choices to argue with, given our options. I don't think that Walker's anywhere near fit, so he doesn't want to risk him.
Lloris: great keeper, but Arsenal will make him look like a monkey if he tries that "sweeper" malarky, today. Naughton: boy. Kaboul: great player, provided he keeps his discipline and stays back to defend, because he's far too slow to keep getting forward, especially against Arsenal. Vertonghen: already, he's dreaming about playing somewhere else, and has become a massive liability to us. Rose: boy. Sandro: the only player in whom I have any faith. Townsend: boy - what the hell happened to all of that potential, at the start of the season! Bentaleb: boy. Eriksen: boy. Chadli: boy. Adebayor: I'd like him more if he scored goals on a regular basis.
Lloris, Kaboul, Sandro and Ade are the only ones I'd agree with - the rest are either on the pitch because there's nobody else (Rose, Naughton), because Sherwood is hoping that if he plays enough we'll forget their playing while unregistered is the reason we got booted out the NextGen (Bentaleb) have been known to go missing in games (Eriksen, Townsend), and in Verts' case his form has been poor since he was rushed back from injury and he's been playing in a huff for a few weeks. Also, no cover at centre back? One of Capoue or Vejlkovic should be on the bench for that exact reason.
The on-paper sentiment : win to put some pressure on the Goons (game in hand or not) . The real sentiment : just not looking good for today (that line-up or not) . Can only hope the players raise themselves to the occasion of a home NLD.
Capoue's injured, but having no real defensive cover does seem like a poor choice. Is Fryers injured too or something?
"Also, no cover at centre back? One of Capoue or Vejlkovic should be on the bench for that exact reason." Unless Veljkovic is injured, there is no reason for him not to be on the bench. It also kills dead the Bentaleb debate (Timmy has favourites and objective judgement on talent/necessity is not there) .
