Weakened Arsenal Will Still Be Too Strong For Brummies
Oct 16th, 2009 by 'holic
Well, not surprisingly we are missing a few faces for the visit of Birmingham City on Saturday. As well as the injury picked up by Gael Clichy while on duty for France we are without Carlos Vela, returning late from the Mexican squad. Eduardo, Samir Nasri, Denilson, Johan Djourou, and Lukasz Fabianski are also still absent and Nicklas Bendtner has picked up a knock in training on his return.
There is the chance however that we will see a return for Manuel Almunia. That may be seen as a tad harsh on Vito Mannone, but the third choice ‘keeper has time on his side. Manuel will be fully aware of the pressure he is now under to perform if he is to maintain his place in the side.
Birmingham arrive with almost as many injury issues as us, and can ill afford to be below-strength. Up until this season you would have perhaps given them a chance of lining up with ten men back and frustrating us, but this current Arsenal squad appears to have far too many options going forward to be shackled by an average side.
The outcome may be determined by just how early Arsenal can achieve the breakthrough. As we saw against Olympiacos a determined opponent side gifted with luck can hold out until the latter stages, but the ‘holic pound will have to be punted on another impressive tally at the Grove.
I like the look of 4-0, available at nines with Stan James. A back up quid may be ventured on a speciality bet with Paddy Power. Alex Song to score (he is due a goal) and Arsenal to win is 8/1. Interesting indeed.
Our last meeting with Birmingham was emotional for all the wrong reasons, and has been well covered elsewhere. If you are going to the Grove I hope you are in for an altogether more enjoyable day out. I have a feeling you will witness another impressive performance.
Arsenal TV Online
I have to offer a quick welcome back to the Friday night schedule. As I type the fans forum has just started, and it is good to see the best programmes from Arsenal TV being broadcast on the online channel. However, don’t rest on your laurels, Arsenal. We need a bit more than just one night a week of programmes to be returned.
Have a good one, ‘holics.
18 Responses to “Weakened Arsenal Will Still Be Too Strong For Brummies”
First drink.
Pint of cider, please.
Welcome back proper football, I missed you so much.
So Almunia; Sagna, Gallas, Vermaelan, Gibbs; Song, Cesc, Rosicky; Eboue, Arshavin, van Persie? And a bench of Fabianski, Senderos, Silvestre, Ramsey, Wilshere, Merida, Walcott ?
The last Birmingham game is burned too brightly in my mind to be optimistic about this game. We should win but football rarely works like that unless the players do their jobs. Personally I’m glad to see the English get some game time (Gibbs and presumably Theo) to carry on their development for pretty much the first time this season.
A Bulleit on the rocks ‘holic, please.
whys that samuel.not like foriegners
Who has any update on Walcott’s injury?
WHATEVER HAPPENED 2 BARAZITE??!! I WOULD DEFINITELY GIVE HIM THE NOD AHEAD OF MERIDA COZ ACCORDING TO ME,HE IS A BETTER PLAYER THAN MERIDA.HE IS MORE OF A ROSICKY TYPE OF PLAYER AND HAS MORE CONFIDENCE AND COMPOSURE THAN MERIDA
Got a funny feeling that Mannone will play. Will be a wake up call for Almunia if nothing else.
A Blackburn performance without the errors and Birmingham could go the same way. It is a shame that Eduardo is not fit. Could have been a good game for him to feature in. Be interesting to see any crowd reaction to some typical shite Brum tackles.
Confidence is high. Nothing but a good win on the cards. Very much looking forward to it.
Kep the faith.
Yeah, I’m a right xenophobe me. Nah, I just like the lads. Theo is incredibly local, he was originally coached by my sis’s best friends dad as a young’n and they have a v. good attitude about them that makes me want to see them succeed. Also we all just had to put up with 2 boring bloody England games that as a gooner, I just couldn’t find myself caring about and the likes of Gibbs, Theo and Wilshere will start to change that.
I have nothing against foreigners and if I did I wouldn’t be an Arsenal fan! We are the world like a bad 80s charity song.
Great stuff my man. See you on the 31st.
I think Manonne should play. Almunia would have to play a blinder against Liverpool in the CC to be considered in PL and CL games.
Sorry Samuel, but the last 2 birminghman games burn brightly in my mind..
A home game we could only manage a 0-0 score line and the 2-2 away draw that did the ultimate damage inlcuding the fateful injury to eduardo
that was the season 07/08 i know but we were also in top flight at that stage and those games when u should win just come undone..
Im hoping for at least a 3- 0 win tomorrow but the boys must be on their toes again for this one.. Birmingam are nuisance value for sure but they can be stubborn on the field too.
oz_gooner out..
Did anyone notice united will be without Rooney and Liverpool without Gerrard and Torres …. we might pick up some points on them if our attack performs as expected
‘Holic does anyone offer any odds on Almunia starting the match and having another blunder?
De Don should start today. He has to. Almunia should sit on the bench, may be it will make him understand how important this season is for us. He has to compete for his place. Long May You shine Don Vito!
Mannone should be definite starter with Almunia” poised” for a slow return to action in the Carling cup game against the Scouse reserves.
The Italian Stallion, who exudes confidence at such a young age, is considerably more capable than both Almunia, the mediocre and Fabianski,the explosive.
He is on a par with Jack the Lad Wishere and it’s just a matter of time before he becomes a World Cup winner with Italy (unfortunately, something that may never occur for Jackie, Gibbsy and Theo given the inherent lack of intelligent leadership in Ingerland teams, John Terribollocks,for example) .
As for Birmingham Shitty, I have been waiting for this meeting. I expect that the lads have too and with Cesc and RVP rested from International duty, looking forward to seeing them tearing the Brummies defence to tatters.
6-0 minimum at half-time!!
Viva Saint Eduardo!!
Watch Brum put up a blue wall in front of the goal…All 11 behind the ball and ultra defensive anti-football like the Italian national team from the 80s.
I hope we forgive B. Shitty and focus on our play today because I think Edu has already done that. Anger cost us at ManShitty.
What’s for breakfast?
13ASNLthruNthru
Good to know fellow Gooners don’t overhype our youngsters! Bloody hell my man, he going to overtake Buffon and win a world cup? It was only a month ago when Arsenal fans thought that Chesney was better than him. Let him compete with Almunia for Seaman’s jersey and if he comes out on top, then we can hype the guy.
Also, Wilshere, Gibbs, Theo and co have much more of an opportunity to win the World Cup compared to their Italian counterparts. Whereas Italy only have a handful of young, potential world class players (santon, balotelli, macheda, de ceglie, giovinco spring to mind), we have the makings of a squad picked out (hart; richards, rodwell, gibbs; wilshere and the fa youth cup winning midfield; walcott and sturridge – not to mention rooney is only 24, ablongahor, delph, milner and young are still in their early 20s etc.) that if they keep their cool and have an astute manager could achieve the best.
Would love to see Ramsey get a start, i reckon if he got 3 starts he would cement his place…and maybe even challenge RvP to the odd free kick.