Arsenal v Newcastle United - Official Build Up / Match Day Thread

You may well be right about it being a game too far, but how refreshing is to to have an injury crisis like this and be able to put people in who don't make us utterly panic. None of the names you mention would fill me with dread about them being in the team, and that is a huge step forward.

I do worry for the youngsters that when it bursts it might burst big time and we might get a real spanking. I keep waiting for it to happen though and it hasn't yet....

 

Filthy beast!

I agree the young lads coming in have handled it amazingly well this season and far, far better than I had expected. But equally, I think Arsenal might rip up open this week.

 

I agree - but I thought that against Chelsea too

...and was convinced at half time that we were in for a frightening 45 minutes.

Just shows how scary it could have been if we'd had a s**t manager instead of Pardew!

 

To be fair that is how Pards has seen it this season re: Dummett/Willo. It depends on training etc but I'd go Dummett/Colo if possible. I'd only play Colo if 100% tip top.

 

I'd sacrifice a slightly weaker side against Arsenal & Spuds if that gives some players the chance to fully recover and be fit ready for the derby match. We (Pards especially) need that one more.

 

Abeid still out with injury by all accounts.

 

Koscielny and Ramsey out for Arsenal. With Monreal out too it'll most likely mean Debuchy plays CB for them!

Good news for us.

 

Sounds like both teams could do with switching to wheelchair football for this one.

 

Plus Chambers suspended, so that's 3 of their main defenders out. Plus a whole international level midfield missing (Ramsey, Wilshire, Ozil, Walcott, Arteta). Just a pity they have TWO whole international level midfields in their squad!

 

Am I the only one who'd play Cabella for this game? It seems to me that playing him in the #10 role could be good for him given Arsenal's lack of defensive midfielders and general defensive liabilities.

 

I think we want as much pace as possible through the middle to throw at Mertesaker. He's got the turning circle of the QE2 so get on his shoulder and look for the ball through from Colback. Maybe even throw Sammy through the middle behind Perez.

 

Love how Sky Sports keep going on about Arsenal's injury list. Yes, it's awful. So is ours!

Including those looking 'doubtful' we could be missing:

Krul
Elliot
Colo
Raylor
Saylor
Santon
Sissoko
Obertan
Aarons
Abeid
De Jong
Jonas

Plus a number of the youngsters who might ordinarily get a chance die to the above list, such as:
Campbell, Ferguson, Good

Plus some out on loan, such as MYM, Benni, Marveaux and then Darlow & Lascelles.


Yes, it's poor, poor Arsenal, but we have a whole match day squad unavailable.

 

If we can keep them away for 25 minutes then I think we may sneak a draw, or even, God forbid, a win.. Abeid in for Sissoko is fine by me, when the lad has come on, he has done amazing!! Just hang on in there for the first quarter lads, frustrate the hell out of their fans, and hit them on the counter attack!!


Prediction..


2-1 arsenal.......................


.LOL

 

Match day!!!!

 

I've got a bad feeling about today and unfortunately Arsenal will score, that means we'll only win 3-1.

 

If we win 3-1 today I'll go and kiss that baldy head of yours.

Anything to be away from Fenwick's, where Albert's backside will be on display.

 

Alright lads been reading these forums for a while but thought i'd give commenting a go! I may disappoint a few when I say my first prediction is a loss.. can only see a bit of a drubbing here.. expect it to be 2 or more. We've been playing out of our skin the last couple of months but simply don't score enough still, regardless of results. For me it's the defence that has secured the points in recent games and I think that the Arsenal team will be too good and too slick for our back four. Would love to be proven wrong but I'm gonna say 2-0 to Arsenal, which I wouldn't actually be THAT gutted about as long as we don't pick up and injuries or suspensions.
Think many people are also overlooking just how important Alnwick will be, for good or for bad. Personally I think there is probably a reason he is behind even the likes of Elliot unfortunately, and think this may be exploited by better teams.
Anyway, here's hoping I'm wrong and looking forward to commenting on here more!

 

Welcome aboard gabe. Always good to have more posters adding views.

 

Jak Alnwick is the ****test keeper I've ever seen live, and while he's improved a little since then, to be honest it's a ****ing travesty that our keeping situation is like this. Krul is premier league standard, but not exactly a world beater, but then the quality just plummets to lower league Rob Elliot, and then probably Non-league ability Jak.

I finally watched the highlights of the game last night, and wasn't surprised to see the praise was a ridiculous overreaction. If he doesn't make every single one of those saves, he shouldn't be given any sort of wage as a professional footballer. He was squarely at fault for the goal, and he was exceptionally lucky the other two times he went to punch it didn't have the same result. We dodged one massively! Even more so a fantastic result given the circumstances!

Nice moment for him, sure, but I really don't fancy our chances versus Arsenal with him in the nets

 

After all the nice things he's said about you, you go and stab him in the back!