Arsenal A Shoe-In At The Reebok?
Jan 16th, 2010 by 'holic
If there is an advantage to playing on a Sunday, a day after your title rivals, it is that you know exactly what is required by the time you get to kick-off. That may not be much of an advantage this week, having just seen the bus stop in Fulham and the Salford Bankrupts run up big wins against lowly opposition.
Tens of Private Fraser impersonators are wandering around aimlessly muttering, “Goal difference. We’re doomed I tell ye”, forgetting that we have two games with Bolton to restore our advantage in that respect. Yes, Bolton, not Brazil.
I’ll gloss over the goalkeeping berth because you will probably know I would favour a recall for Lukasz Fabianski right now. I don’t think that is likely, however. The back four should be unchanged, although Gael Clichy could make a welcome return to action from the bench, if circumstances allow.
Whilst on that subject it was interesting to read of Kerrea Gilbert’s loan move to Peterborough. With Emmanuel Eboue currently collecting red cards in Africa we will not want to see Bacary Sagna picking up any sort of knock in the next few weeks.
It seems only yesterday that we were proudly proclaiming our strength in depth in midfield, but with Alex Song and Eboue on another continent, and Denilson and Aaron Ramsey likely to be ruled out by injury, and two of Andrey Arshavin, Samir Nasri, or Tomas Rosicky required up front, we are now down to the bare bones.
Arsene has the chance to sit Abou Diaby in front of the back four and pray the Frenchman has the positional discipline required for the role. The skipper is fit to return after his hamstring strains, and either Nasri or Rosicky is likely to partner him. I suspect it will be the former with Rosicky pushed further forward. Eduardo and Arshavin will interchange alongside Tomas, I expect.
Bolton will be without Davis, O’Brien, and Shittu (the centre-half, not the club motto!). I am not expecting them to change their tried and trusted methods despite this being the first match for new manager Owen Coyle. He may have got Burnley playing some good stuff along the deck, and he may slowly convert his new charges, but with a point required to take them out of the relegation zone I am not expecting an expansive display from the hosts.
I would like to think we will have enough in the locker to show Coyle the size of the task he has undertaken at the Reebok, and so I am being a bit bullish with the ‘holic pound. A 2-4 win for the visitors is available at 50/1 with sportingbet, and a little backup is going on 1-4, at 25/1 with the same firm.
So that’s it. As usual big respect to those of you making the trip with the travelling Gooners. I know you will do us proud. I’ve not experienced the Reebok, but had some cracking fun at Burnden Park before they moved. I’ll be watching with the management but still kicking every ball on the sofa, as she will confirm!
Have a good one ‘holics.
38 Responses to “Arsenal A Shoe-In At The Reebok?”
“shoe-in” lol
shoo in
Reebok make shoos?
If you want to get Holic seriously pissed off.Vote here http://soccerlens.com/awards/2009-soccerlens-awards/
you never know he might be forced to drown his sorrows
Spectacularly failtastic first drink.
I’ll have some pun-ch. please.
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Among the various Arsenal blogs I enjoy yours the most. Your reactions are always mature to whatever is happening on and off the pitch with no over-the-top emotional rants. Good to read!!!
Cheers,
Asif (from India)
PS: Are you on Twitter?
2 good wins against Bolton will see us wake up on Thursday morning top. Now that is worth thinking about.
It worries me that Bendtner always seems to be 2 weeks away from returning. Surely the time to strengthen the forward line is now? My one fear for Bolton is lack of strength up front. We will need cesc to be at his best with his distribution and we will need Arshavin firing.
3 – 1 to the Gunners. Sets up the return leg at The Grove nicely.
Keep the faith.
As If
6 pts and a plus 4 goal difference off Bolton over the next 5 days
and a certain, mighty football club eminating from the correct half of norf london will sit pretty at the top of the premiership
🙂
Hello, ‘holic. Nice work as usual. I’ll have a pint of Nigerian tonight if I may
Ramsey struck by the curse and with that we’re very likley to see Nasri dropped back. Not unhappy with that. However, it does rob Wenger of the opportunity to allow Arshavin to sit it out, since he has been playing with a foot injury. It will be a ‘miracle’ if we have a near full strength squad to select from this season.
Shittu (the centre-half, not the club motto)lol that made my day predicting a comfortable victory but i think we will concede 2 goals it is arsenal and almunia you know
Oh, and with all due respect to any Cameroonian readers, COME ON ZAMBIA!
Guess-a-holic….The crowd at Reebok and the return of Owen Coyle is worth a goal for Bolton. Sadly, Almunia is probably worth another although a Fabregas inspired Arsenal should win so, it`s 2-3 to the Gunners.
Vermaelen could always play in DM. It could be done. wenger has played defenders in there at times, but of course you break up the centre back pair. I just would not trust a midfield of Cesc, Diaby and Nasri. surely we would be wide open?
up front you could play Vela wide left as well, so we do have a few options.
There aren’t easy games anymore and this one, away against a team with a new manager will be a heavily-fought battle.
I too would like to see Vela given the left wing role and on his reserves prestation last week-end, I think many supporters would welcome a cameo by JET. In any case we absolutely need to win those games, first to overtake United and then to widen the gap between the top 3 and the pack of hopefuls.
Following `Holic, I’d like to join my voice to thank our away supporters. It’s not the only time I’ve said this but they truly make us proud, game after game.
@Btm: Chris from the TGH is not hopeless imho. He has is favourites but as well recognizes he was wrong on Diaby and Song so that makes him more cautious. He still can change his mind.
@Gazzap: so TV has never played in midfield in his entire career but you think/know he would perform better than Diaby in the DM position? Im curious to read your arguments and also why a paring of Gallas/Silvestre or Gallas/Sol would make you comfortable…
It could be quite a tough rubber, but let’s hope an inspired Aresnal can make hush puppies of their crowd, and leave them and their Doc Martens down at heel, with three points for us in the box.
I’ve little doubt that Cesc will be able to lace some passes through their mid-field to give old leather face Coyle the horn and make them look no more than clarks. Can we expect Adi Diasby to play with sole though? We can’t have him making cobblers of the DM role, even if his loft will be an advantage when Bolton get footweary.
When, at last, the tackets are down, we can’t play like puss in boots and expect to take the three points home. We’ll have to winkle pick our way through a packed defense to score and put the chelsea boot into the Fulham bus stop’s goal difference. That’s patently obvious.
Will Arsene, in a brogue Francais, ask the little uns up front to play in high heels to achieve elevation? If so, let’s hope we don’t get caught flat footed. Ideally, we would have Theo moving faster on the wing than Michael Schumacher in a Ferrari. He’s worn out though, on the pile, and in need of a retread.
Just as wellies the snow’s melted and our travellers can dispense with their snow shoes as they go a wandering with their nap sacks on their backs. I don’t think we need to suede it, the ‘Holic pound is in pretty good style with, on the left foot 2-4 and, on the right foot, 1-4. If that pair fails, Holic can always take his sandals down to Dr Spock and get them vulcanised.
Something to stave off the rather unpleasant taste in the mouth of two games against Bolton in four days please, barman.
Bergkamp the Man, I think that ends the thread!
I didn’t think you would slip on that particular invite, BtM, and you didn’t disappoint. Thought you might have mentioned the opportunity for Tomas to un-Ravel their defence. I did put a fiver on both of those bets, although that stake is a bit loafer me. A friend, James, often bet on oddball scores like that, and I found myself asking, ‘Which one would Jimmy Choose?’
Manolo Blahnik! How could I miss Jimmy Choose?
I feel caution is the key ‘holic’, along with patience no doubt. Bolton will be playing not just for a result, but also for their careers; so no underestimating the opposition.
As you allude, the real area of interest will be the middle of the park. If Diaby can resist the urge to wonder out of position, I see no reason why we cannot get a win.
NB. Leave Verm at the heart of defence where he belongs.
I’ll have another bottle of Grolsch please barman and have a drink for yourself!
Shittu (the centre-half, not the club motto)! lol!
Despite Bolton being a bunch of sh*t KICKERS from the north, I must say I am glad to that big ugly UGG Davies is not available tomorrow. We really must have more FAITH in Arsene.
You’d better not have jinxed things ‘holic or I’ll have to use my spoon … it’s polished and ready to go.
I can’t believe that with all these shoe puns floating about that no one wants to see Sol play……….
Pedigree please……
Bergkamp’s the Man better get some sticky snowshoes on because he’s treading on a dangerous slope by almost upstaging ‘Holic. For some reason I got a better feeling about the Bolton game after Everton beat Man City (not feeling as bad about last week’s draw) but it’s a dangerous thing to play the same team twice in a few days so let’s make sure to stick the boot in.
my prediction for this afternoon’s game…3-0 to us….i have a good feeling about the two ties….
I would just like to clear up the fact that the Davis who is out of the game is Sean Davis, not Kevin Davies, big difference.
That twat was laid low with a virus all week but is expected to play according to most reports i have read.
Vermaelen MIGHT make a good DM, given his strength and tenacity. That would really be robbing Peter to pay Paul though, and as of right now Peter is flat broke – even if Sol is the 3rd best available defender, there is no way he can last 90 mins. If we had better defensive options it could be worth a look but I wouldn’t think it would happen this season.
Please please please Mr Wenger…. play Eduardo through the middle. I know that I’m not a legendary manager, but it just seems so obvious that he and Andrei will get more out of that switch. Still hoping that a big lump is signed, really don’t think that we can rely on much from NB – always little niggles after a long lay off.
I’m tempted to start following the ‘holic pound as a new and interesting way of frittering away my cash, but not sure they have bookies here in Spain! Blogger?
Cafe solo and maybe a cheeky cana to kick start the day please..
Don, apologies, for the second time recently your post ended up in the moderation queue for absolutely no reason. As Scotty would have said to Captain kirk, “I cannae fathom it oot’. Stay with us!
Please Arsene, make sure the boys win this afternoon. The woospoon is a weapon to be feared, to be sure.
Ramsey looking likely to sit behind cesc and diaby in midfield today.
The young dragon has a big task to step up from his below par performance against the scousers last week.
Song will be badly missed today… if we don’t score first, i can only see us gettinga draw.
Huge game, huge first goal!
Apologies for changing the subject, but anyone else think a cheeky but break-the-bank bid for Torres would be very interesting right now?
eastmond gets the nod for DM
And he did well to deserve it!
We could have had a hatful this afternoon and should probably have had one, if not two penalties. I thought we played with a level of maturity that has been lacking sometimes this season. I have to confess to thinking Arsene was making an error in bringing off Eastmond as it took a good 4-5 minutes before Diaby dropped deeper, which left us a little exposed, but Cesc also dropped back and between them they let Merida have the free role. It turned out well in the end.
Thought Rosicky looked excellent today as well, always hungry, always looking to drive forward and genuinely disappointed to be subbed. We have missed that drive and experience in my opinion.
A large glass of red please barman.
Not trying to overlok the contribution of Captain Fabtastic, btw, just don’t have the superlatives in my locker.
😉
No probs ‘holic. I think your server has it in for me….clearly I need to step up my game in terms of the quality of my contributions!!
😉