Match Day Thread Arsenal vs. Manchester City Official Match Thread

please log in to view this image

please log in to view this image

please log in to view this image

Venue: Emirates Stadium
Saturday, September 13 2014
KO Time: 12:45PM BST​

please log in to view this image

Head to Head Against Manchester City:
Played: 164
Wins: 84
Draws: 39
Losses: 41
Goals For: 275
Goals Against: 183
Goal Difference: 92

Last 6 Meetings:
Arsenal 3-0 Manchester City (Community Shield)
Arsenal 1-1 Manchester City
Manchester City 6-3 Arsenal
Manchester City 1-3 Arsenal (Pre-Season Friendly)
Arsenal 0-2 Manchester City
Manchester City 1-1 Arsenal

please log in to view this image

Starting XI:​

please log in to view this image

Bench:
Ospina
Chambers
Gibbs
Arteta
Oxlade-Chamberlain
Cazorla
Podolski

Prediction: Arsenal 2-1 Manchester City

 

Lovely post. You think Welbeck is going to start ahead of Sanogo?

I predict another draw. Maybe a nil-nil.

BTW, where in the USA are you Oxo?

 

The most likeliest result is a draw but I'm going for an Arsenal loss. We haven't clicked yet and our defence has looked iffy against lesser attacking teams. City just lost against Stoke at home but i'm putting that down as a freak result, as they beat Liverpool a game before. But I fear that Wenger's tinkering of putting Ozil on the wings and not having a fixed CF is hurting us. Also Flamini was chasing shadows in the last game and against City he needs to be tuned in. Hope I'm wrong and we romp to victory, but if we play like we've been playing in our last games then we will lose. We need our best players Ozil and Ramsey to hit some form, as they are under performing at the moment.

 

Is Arteta due to be back by then? If so then good, providing he's fit enough as he is so much more disciplined than Flamini. Ditto Gibbs too, will be great if he's healthy and available to play but I don't want to see us rush either player back. Assuming everyone is fit that's the team I'd start with. I know AOC brings pace and power but he's too inconsistent for me to start in a game of this magnitude. I'd rather use him as an impact sub and develop him carefully in other matches.

Weirdly, I actually think we'll win this but have nothing to base that on going on our current form!

 

I'm tempted to change my prediction to a draw but I know we'll lose 2-1 if I do..

 

Please put predictions in the correct thread so they can be seen by me

 

I bloody hope he starts ahead of Sonogoals. In fact I'd start the tea lady up front instead of Sonogoals.


Good work oxo. Congrats on modship btw.

 

Yeah nice thread OXO

 

I'm in Athens, GA man. It's a nice college town though it gets unbearable during UGA American Football games.

I always put them there. I just put it on the Match Thread because reasons.

Thanks Magic Man. Yeah no way in hell a fully fit Welbeck gets dropped for Sanogo other than in Cup games. And thanks as well lazarus20000.

 

Really not confident about this game. Unless of course Welbeck clicks immediately.

 

I think this is one of those games that will prove what we are about this season. A cliche I know but City will be determined to show they are still the best team in the country. Our problem with City has always been the middle of the park but I think this season we are certainly stronger in that area. If Welbeck starts then I wish him all the best! He couldn't have a better team to start against IMO He still has that rivalry in his blood against City so I'm expecting him to come out firing!

 

Must win game, don't want to hear anyone on here saying 'it was a good point' if we draw, after our abysmal record against the big sides last season, we are owed a win against a big team, and if we are genuine title contenders then you have to be beating your rivals at home, and last but not least, we've only collected 2 points from a possible 6 from our last 2 games, so therefore a win is required.

Wouldn't surprise me though to see the usual spin job comments should we fail to win of "oh it was a good point bla bla bla".

 

#1 it's a good point against tough opposition
#2 it's a good point as we're away from home after playing Europe midweek
#3 it's a good point given the state of the pitch
#4 it's a good point because we almost got none

 

Bloody well hope so? You don't spend £16m on a new striker to put on the bench.

 

You don't spwnd £40m on an AMC to play him left wing either

 

I didn't realise Ospina was fit - he played against Brazil apparently. At least we've got a player out of the physio room - hopefully a few more will follow

 

Plus Physio Rooms has Ozil down as injured! and Walcott's return as the 20th Sept

 

Ozil picked up an ankle injury in the internationals.

 

No. He didn't.

He didn't play.

 

He picked his injury up against at Leicester last Sunday.