Arsenal Transfer Rumours And General Chat

herbieflowers · 14-03-2008 11:11AM

yeah Arsenal haven't had the best of luck with injuries...what's up with van Persie?

Evil_Clown · 14-03-2008 11:41AM

herbieflowers wrote: »

yeah Arsenal haven't had the best of luck with injuries...what's up with van Persie?

He has had to overcome a strange scouse illness called 'michael owens disease' but we are all praying he is through that now, and will remain injury free for a while *

So the Draw is coming up soon,
Who would people like ????
I would personally would like Roma cos they are Italian and we seem to be good against Italian sides in recent years.

So heres hoping for Roma, imo anyway

*Touch a massive piece of wood

herbieflowers · 14-03-2008 11:48AM

haha, don't touch too long now...

gosplan · 14-03-2008 11:54AM

I'd love to see Barca, Roma or Liverpool.

Obviously Shalke or Fenerbache woudl be good but we've probably a better record against the 1st rate teams in recent years.

I would love to see either Liverpool v Man U or Man U v Chelsea. They'd be great games.

I'd hate to have to sit through another 180 minutes of Liverpool v Chelsea.

predictions:

Roma Fenerbache
Liverpool Man U
Arsenal Shalke
Chelsea Barca

MBC · 14-03-2008 12:16PM

Liverpool it is............not too bad imo.

Evil_Clown · 14-03-2008 12:18PM

So here is the draw:

Arsenal v Liverpool

Roma v Manchester United

Schalke v Barcelona

Fenerbahce v Chelsea

Of the English sides i would have preferred the Pool so thats not too bad,
god damn Chelsea and their f*ckin easy draws
United should beat roma and barca should also go through me thinks

Overall could have been worse I think, we can take the Pool over 2 legs and with the PL game aswell we will be sick of playing them soon

Royale with Cheese · 14-03-2008 12:21PM

Well Pool would have ranked in the middle of teams I'd want Arsenal to face. Would have preferred Schalke, Fenerbahce... and maybe Roma. Definitely didn't want Barca or United. Would still prefer Pool to Chelsea.

Then I'd prefer Chelsea over United or Barca in the semis so all in all not a terrible draw for Arsenal. Still would have been nice to get Schalke or Fenerbahce.

Mr Alan · 14-03-2008 12:22PM

Hello boys!

KevIRL · 14-03-2008 12:36PM

What a fortnight for Arsenal!!!!!

April01/02 Liverpool in the Champions League
April 05 Liverpool in the Premiership
April 07/08 Liverpool in Champions League
April 13 Man Utd in the Premiership

Wreck · 14-03-2008 12:38PM

Liverpool, sweet. After Shalke and Fenerbache, Liverpool would have been my 3rd choice. Not a gimme by any means, but I'd expect Arsenal to go through.

Looks like there will be 3 premiership teams in the semis again.

gosplan · 14-03-2008 01:41PM

Should be a great game. Would have been more confidant about the result if it wasn't for Liverpool's recent run of form and the emergence of Torres.

If I had to pick a team to lose to in the CL it would be Liverpool. They play the game in a pretty good spirit.

We play them what, 3 times in 10 days? - savage!

Edit:

Actually it's 6 games in 21 days - liverpool three times, also away to Chelsea and Man U and Bolton. Yikes!

yahoo_moe · 14-03-2008 03:12PM

well, it's not going to be a dull period anyway...

As nice a draw as Schalke could have been, Arsenal thrived on the tough Juve and Real draws a couple of years ago and seem to be doing the same this year so I don't mind missing out on the "soft" teams all that much. Plus, you'll only ever really get one soft tie (at most) in the four knock-out rounds it takes to win it so I don't feel particularly hard done by. In fact, personally I would have preferred Barca as they seem to be struggling a bit and always give you chances to score

I think Liverpool are beatable for sure but they've been rotating, have hit a patch of good form recently and haven't got that much to concentrate on domestically (even the battle with Everton seems to be slowly drifting in their favour) - none of which Arsenal can claim for themselves... far from a walkover but you can't expect easy ties and Agger is now out for the season so they're not at their absolute best defensively.

Really means we need to get our act together now in the league though so we're still competitive by the time the nightmare run of games hits, don't want to trying to make up points on Chelsea/Utd while also battling hard in Europe

Mr Alan · 14-03-2008 03:47PM

gosplan wrote: »

If I had to pick a team to lose to in the CL it would be Liverpool. They play the game in a pretty good spirit

I'd say the same about Arsenal tbh

Galvasean · 14-03-2008 04:08PM

gosplan wrote: »

Actually it's 6 games in 21 days - liverpool three times, also away to Chelsea and Man U and Bolton. Yikes!

We're done for..

gosplan · 14-03-2008 04:51PM

That's one way of looking at it.

I'm an optimist.

Pepe LeFrits · 14-03-2008 05:45PM

We need our whole squad fit and fresh for that period or we're boned.

While I didn't want another English team, Liverpool isn't the worst draw. Statistically playing the second leg away from home is a disadvantage, but taking into account the styles of play of the two sides, playing the first game at Emirates could prove to be a positive. Liverpool's CL successes have usually been based on getting a lead in the first leg and just killing the game in the second leg. Playing at Emirates first will give us as good a chance as any to take a lead to Anfield, where Liverpool would have to come at us, which would suit us more than it would suit them. If we don't have any lead going to Anfield, we'll most likely be out.

Galvasean · 14-03-2008 08:20PM

Mr Alan wrote: »

Hello boys!

So I reckon we'll be seeing a lot of you then?

Enjoy your stay, just tidy up after yourself when you're leaving

dc69 · 14-03-2008 09:25PM

yahoo_moe wrote: »

I think Liverpool are beatable for sure but they've been rotating, have hit a patch of good form recently and haven't got that much to concentrate on domestically

1-Benitez has stopped rotating as much ,only 1 player usually
2-domestically we are more desperate then you,we need 4th place,for the money and the cl qualification

I have every confidence we can beat you,You are my favourite team to watch and I would be rooting for you if we hadent drawn you but I think tactically over 2 legs benitez will be better than wenger and the second round is at anfield.

PHB · 14-03-2008 11:57PM

I think it's not a bad draw not a great draw. IMO the top three teams were United Arsenal and Barca, and Arsenal are on the other side of the draw. IMO they have the best chance of getting to the final out of United/Barca/Arsenal, and I think if Arsenal play to their abilities, they will beat both Liverpool and Chelsea, but ya know, anything can happen

Peyton Manning · 15-03-2008 02:43AM

KevIRL wrote: »

What a fortnight for Arsenal!!!!!

April01/02 Liverpool in the Champions League
April 05 Liverpool in the Premiership
April 07/08 Liverpool in Champions League
April 13 Man Utd in the Premiership

You could go one further than that and add the previous week to get:

Sunday 23rd March: Chelsea Away
Saturday 29th March: Bolton Away
Wednesday 2nd April: Liverpool Home
Saturday 5th April: Liverpool Home
Tuesday 8th April: Liverpool Away
Sunday 13th April: Man Utd Away

Crikey!!

Mr Alan · 15-03-2008 04:32AM

PHB wrote: »

I think if Arsenal play to their abilities, they will beat both Liverpool and Chelsea, but ya know, anything can happen

is that fence comfortable?

PHB · 15-03-2008 11:51AM

It's not on the fence.
I think Arsenal will beat Liverpool, but you know, maybe Fabregas will get sent off, maybe Liverpool will score a dodgy goal in the first minute and defend for the entire time changing the dynamic of the game. Ya never know

Galvasean · 15-03-2008 12:43PM

Ah the funny old game...

dc69 · 15-03-2008 01:56PM

PHB wrote: »

It's not on the fence.
I think Arsenal will beat Liverpool, but you know, maybe Fabregas will get sent off, maybe Liverpool will score a dodgy goal in the first minute and defend for the entire time changing the dynamic of the game. Ya never know

Fabregas doesnt need to get sent off,masch will put him in his pocket like he did with kaka,who is a hell of a lot better than fabregas and if flamini plays ( who i thought was brillaint against ac) it will be a very good battle between him and gerrard but I think gerrard is too good for him.

Arsenal have been hammering lower opposition but nothing like that against the big boys,They are now struggling and Liverpool are getting into some good form,with this nice new formation rafa has discovered.

I think the fact that the second leg is in anfield is the key,this game is different than if utd or chelski were playing,it will be played in a european style because thats they way arsenal play albeit with a higher tempo and liverpool excel at breaking down european team.frustrating them and hitting them on the counter.

whatever happens it will be a brilliant match.

PHB · 15-03-2008 02:14PM

dc69 wrote: »

Arsenal have been hammering lower opposition but nothing like that against the big boys

Like Milan?

leninbenjamin · 15-03-2008 02:27PM

dc69 wrote: »

Fabregas doesnt need to get sent off,masch will put him in his pocket like he did with kaka,who is a hell of a lot better than fabregas

you're ignoring that the two play completely different games.

dc69 wrote: »

and if flamini plays ( who i thought was brillaint against ac) it will be a very good battle between him and gerrard but I think gerrard is too good for him.

aren't you forgetting that Flamini dominated the player you rate better than Cesc a few weeks back? a player much better at eluding markers, creating space and chances than Gerrard is?

dc69 wrote: »

Arsenal have been hammering lower opposition but nothing like that against the big boys,They are now struggling and Liverpool are getting into some good form,with this nice new formation rafa has discovered.

you're analysis is completely arsed up... it's Arsenal's failure to put away the small fry that's led to them giving away their advantage.

dc69 wrote: »

I think the fact that the second leg is in anfield is the key,this game is different than if utd or chelski were playing,it will be played in a european style because thats they way arsenal play albeit with a higher tempo and liverpool excel at breaking down european team.frustrating them and hitting them on the counter.

just like playing at the San Siro would?
and liverpool excelling at breaking down? is this a different liverpool to the one who just lump it down the pitch and hope Gerrard and Torres create something out of nothing? you'e a great defensive core, and mascherano will be key i think. but you're nothing compared to Arsenal and United at breaking down teams...

dc69 wrote: »

whatever happens it will be a brilliant match.

actually i think it'll be ****... fascinating from a tactical point of view but i think both teams will be looking to retain the ball as much as possible. i'm expecting a lot of back and forth in the midfield area that doesn't exactly lead to anything most of the time.

Galvasean · 15-03-2008 05:03PM

dc69 wrote: »

Arsenal have been hammering lower opposition but nothing like that against the big boys,

Sorry, what?

dc69 wrote: »

whatever happens it will be a brilliant match.

I hope your right about that.

Pepe LeFrits · 15-03-2008 05:12PM

Robin and Kolo both start today.

dc69 · 16-03-2008 05:12AM

i will finish on this note.I think Fabregas is a great player and will be one of the best in the world in a few years but I think people expect too much of him,he is not the best midfielder in the world and no,he is not better than gerrard as many like to say.
All of the newspapers and pundits are saying to stop Arsenal then you have to stop Fabregas,well in all honesty there is no better equiped team than liverpool to do this,mascherano and Alonso will play and fabregas wont be able to move.There is no other team in the world that are playing 2 defensive midfielders of the calibre of Mascherano and Alonso at the same time.

Fabregas is the core,much like gerrard is too us.I dont like playing arsenal because they are a very good team and very cable of beating liverpool BUT I think the odds being given are way too generous and the pundits arent looking at the whole picture.The new formation rafa has been playing will ensure that fabregas cant move by sticking 2 defensive midfielders.

PHB · 16-03-2008 12:07PM

Fabregas starts his attacks from deep.
Kaka starts his attacks just behind the strikers.

They are very different players.
It's like saying that if Liverpool played United, Hargreaves would deal with Alonso easily, while in reality, he'd be up against Gerrard.

Fabregas isn't quite as deep, but the only way to take someone like Fabregas out of the game is with someone like Fletcher, or somebody like Sissoko, who will just run at them constantly, and if the strikers are willing to drop deep and hassle them.

You stop Arsenal imo from the front, then hit them on the break.

Arsenal Transfer Rumours And General Chat

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