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: Hull City: Played: 11 Wins: 8 Draws: 1 Losses: 2 For: 20 Against: 9 GD: 11 Last 6 Meetings: Hull City 1 - 2 Arsenal Arsenal 3 - 0 Hull City Arsenal 2 - 1 Hull City (FA Cup) Hull City 1 - 3 Arsenal Arsenal 1 - 2 Hull City Arsenal 3 - 0 Hull 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
---------Chezzers--------- Sagna--Kos--Merts--Gibbs ------Arteta-Wilshere----- -Gnabry--Cazorla--Rosicky ----------Giroud--------- I'd be tempted to start Theo over Gnabry fitness pending or at least give him a good run out later on. You'd have Ãzil, Ramsey and co all available if needed but that's still a strong enough side (you'd hope). Should things go well I'd like to see Theo/TV and Jenks get game time.
I don't think Wenger will under-estimate Hull as much as some of you seem to, they are a tough team to break down.
For you, maybe. In their six away games, they have conceded 12 goals. So hardly a 'tough team to break down'.
Hull are also likely to be without two of their first choice CB's. Curtis Davies is suspended, while Paul McShane is injured.
I think we'll have too much for Hull on Weds night. I'd be tempted to rest a couple of players, one of Mert or Kos and give Vermaelen some game time. Nacho at LB and I'd also start with either Gnabry or Walcott. We can keep the players rested on the bench and bring them on if needed, but as SJW mentions on another thread, we've got Napoli and then City just over two days later, so this might be a good opportunity to rotate.
Spuds would have trouble breaking down a door made of tissue paper so you can see why they think this way
I also think you will have too much for us. However, I also hope you underestimate us like Liverpool did yesterday! Having said that, if you play anything like you are capable of you will take the points as we are not as strong away from home and we are without 2 first choice centre halves as someone has said already. Fortunately for us our season doesn't hinge on what we do against top teams like yourselves.
I don't we'll underestimate you lot, hopefully Wenger has learnt his lesson from this in the past. I would play our same back four, with rotation in midfield. We don't really have too many options up front so that will remain the same.
From a City perspective, I'm expecting to see a similar line-up to Sunday; -----------------McGregor----------------- -------Bruce-----Faye-----Figueroa------- Elmo--Meyler--Thudd--Livermore--Brady -------------Koren------Sagbo------------- However 2 of our 3 goals on Sunday came when we changed to a more conventional 451, so that could also be a possibility. When on song, our central midfield three can be a tough nut to crack, the problem being Meyler has been a bit-part player up to now and Thudd's performances had dipped of late. Hopefully they pick up from where they left against Liverpool on Sunday! A draw would be a fantastic result for us. 1-1
I can see this being a comfortable win against Hull Tigers, especially as they are missing their 2 centre backs.
I think if Hull were to play 3 at the back we'd take them to pieces. Liverpool tried it against us and couldn't handle our midfield and I can't see it being any different for Hull. When we struggle it's against two organised banks of 4 who like to hit on the counter. From the sound of Wenger it looks like TV will start and obviously Jenkinson will too at the expense of Sagna (hope it's not serious). Good news about Podolski starting training again though!
We don't play with just 3 defenders though, Brady and Elmo act as wing backs and against you guys they'll stay back a lot more to make a solid back of 5. They've both got bags of energy to get up the pitch quickly if we sniff a counter attack, depends on how knackered they are after a brilliant performance on Sunday though. If you don't start Ozil or Ramsey I can see you struggling to break us down, you'll probably still win though.
The nice thing about having wing backs is that they can assist at the back, in midfield or lend extra width up front. It's a high energy role as you say, but you'll have to be careful your wing backs aren't caught out of position or else you'll be caught cold at the back. Liverpool tried the same system but they didn't really have the players for it.
If I could pick the team I'd go with: Shezza Gibbs TV Mert Jenkinson Flamini Ramsey Rosicky Cazorla Walcott Giroud
On a more important note, any tips for somewhere to grab a few beers for those of us coming down by coach?
