Fresh Blood, Or A Reshuffle For Arsenal At Wigan?
Mar 8th, 2008 by 'holic
Have boots, will play. That could be Arsenal’s motto as they prepare to take on Wigan Athletic at a bumpy JJB Stadium.
We are down to the bare bones in midfield and if Alex Song fails to regain fitness it would not be a surprise to see one of the next generation of youngsters, perhaps Nacer Barazite, promoted. The Dutch youth international made his bow at Sheffield United in the Carling Cup and may be considered for one of the wide berths.
The alternatives are not that attractive. A return for Gilberto would require either Cesc Fabregas or Mathieu Flamini to operate out wide. The only other option would see Justin Hoyte or Armand Traore called in at full-back with either Bacary Sagna or Gael Clichy pushed forward.
Up front it would be a surprise to see Robin van Persie starting given the condition of the playing surface. Similarly I would not expect to see Kolo Toure rushed back, particularly given the impressive form shown by the back four in his absence.
That means a likely starting pairing of Emmanuel Adebayor and Nicklas Bendtner up front. In other circumstances that would be a concern, but it may not be a bad thing to play them together and look to hit early balls into the box and behind defenders.
Wigan have become a difficult side to beat under Steve Bruce, with just one defeat in their last four outings. We know what we will face against the combative Brown and Koumas in the middle of the park, and exploiting the flanks may yield rich pickings with the two big men up front.
Holic’s pound is going on a second successive 2-0 away win. The surroundings may not match the San Siro, but the result will be just as welcome. The chance of taking a four point lead at the top of the Premiership must not be missed, particularly on the weekend when Manchester United have fallen at home to the Arsenal Old Boys, sorry, Portsmouth, in the FA Cup.
Enjoy your weekend ‘holics.
12 Responses to “Fresh Blood, Or A Reshuffle For Arsenal At Wigan?”
Manchester United are imploding. After losing at home, purpotedly invincible United would not be deemed by the press to be imploding. But if it were Arsenal it would be incontovertible proof that we’ll win nothing this season!
Song for Ronaldo or `holic
“If the river was whisky and I was a diving duck,
I`d dive to the bottom and mama I would never come up”
The Diving Duck Blues.
Canned Heat/ Taj Mahal.
`holic sorry to put you in the same sentence as the plunging Madieran.
ManU beaten by Portsmouth in FA Cup is bad for us. Now their focus is limited to the PL and CL but with a bigger squad than ours. We cannot afford any slip-up.
They don’t have a bigger squad, they have fewer injuries.
Nacer Barazite?
You made that name up surely?
Not only is Nacer Barazite very, very real — he’s also very, very good.
And just before he was injured — now fully recovered — he was racing up the ranks toward first-team play. He started in a Carling Cup game v Sheffield United.
Barazite is a Dutch youth international who can, a little bit lie RVP and a lot of Dutch forwards, play either on the wing or up front. He’s scored more goals than anyone on Arsenal’s payroll this year except Ade — and from various positions.
I just watched him in a Reserve game against Reading — who have the best reserves for some odd reason — and Nacer not only looked to be older than his real age, he looked as though he was too good for that level of competition. He laid on a goal for Jack Wilshere — another prospect you’ll see at the Emirates — in a 1-1 draw against a Reading Reserve team that beat Arsenal 5-0 earlier in the year.
Barazite wouldn’t be the least bit out of place at the JJB — and it probably could help to use a guy who’s used to lumpy pitches.
If Arsene wants to keep Cesc and Matty together in the middle, he could put Hleb on the wing and let Barazite partner Ade to start.
Or play that 4-4-1-1 with Hleb behind Ade — with Bendtner and RVP on the bench — and Barazite on the wing. I’m guessing Nacer would give us more on offence than Denilson.
It’s ironic, but Kieran Gibbs probably could start this game on the left wing if he weren’t wasting his time at Norwich.
Let’s just get out of Wigan with three points and nobody injured by the pitch or that lunatic Michael Brown.
Fingers crossed.
california steve ur post was better then the original one on here. and that idiot saying is nacer barazite even a real name. you call urself a fan?. have u heard these names son, carlos vela, fran merida, hordveit, nacer barazite. these are some of the most talented youngsters in the world.
Thanks Steve, and Mike, I know you cannot see someones face when you are reading a comment on a blog, but did it ever cross your mind that Jackster might have been making a little joke?
We might need Gilberto in the middle of the park,because Browny and Palacios are quite physical and we would need to balance it out but i feel that will reduce our attacking prospects,so its best he starts on the bench in a starting eleven like this
__________Almunia
Sagna__Gallas__Senderos__Clichy
Denii____Cesc___Flamini____Hleb
_______Bendtner
___________Adebayor
Barazite should come on to show us what he can do,the last time Denii was playing before he got injured he wasnt impressing me i hope today his going to burst into life we need guile today.
Hahaha good stuff Steve.
lol btw, shite result against wigan, but….
Happy St. Totteringham’s everyone!!!
xxxxxx