Going For A Song?
Sep 14th, 2007 by 'holic
The best laid plans, and all that. My intention to build up to THE derby game has been knocked off course by other matters. Thanks to those of you who have left your comments on the last blog.
Nonetheless the game is now so close you can touch it, and looking around the other blogs it is clear the sense of anticipation is as high as ever.
Most judges seem to think we will line-up with Gilberto Silva alongside Kolo Toure at centre-back although he only returns from his latest jaunt with Brazil today. There seems to be a general concern that the likeliest alternative to this is Alex Song. Every now and again Wenger produces a little surprise, and this time could we possibly see Bacary Sagna switched to centre-back with Matty Flamini continuing at right-back?
Flamini, of course, is a likely starter alongside Cesc Fabregas in midfield. This game is probably too early to blood the new boy, Lassana Diarra. Abou Diaby would relish the opportunity to play against Spurs and would be my pick if Flamini were to be used elsewhere. Alexander Hleb and Tomas Rosicky should start in the wide positions if they have avoided knocks in the week.
Up front I would be very surprised if Robin Van Persie and Emmanuel Adebayor did not start. Eduardo knocked in three goals in two appearances for Croatia this week, and I’m sure we will see him coming off the bench for the last twenty or thirty minutes to run at the Totts lumbering central defenders. Adebayor scored for fun against our neighbours last season and should be given the opportunity to extend that record.
So I hear you say, what will the ‘holic pound be on this week? In all honesty form and logic could go out of the window for this encounter. The Totts usually raise their levels of effort against us, but will that be enough for them? I’m hoping not and will plump for 1-2 to the Arsenal, with a back up fifty pence on 2-2 just in case Song does play!
Because of my personal circumstances I probably won’t be back until Sunday, so can I take this opportunity, a day early, to celebrate a year of Goonerholic with you, and thank you all for coming along to read this drivel regularly. The first post attracted a handful of readers and less than four hundred turned up in the whole of September 2006. I can get that many in an hour these days, for which I owe my sincere thanks to all of the other sites that have provided me with links. Hopefully I am now starting to send one or two in the opposite direction.
Have a good weekend all, please let us be drinking in celebration come Saturday afternoon. Up the Arse!
10 Responses to “Going For A Song?”
very good comments, I think our class will show in the end, call me optimistic, I’ve got £150.00 on arsenal win, with some Tottenham fans.
Hmmm…….i was hoping that willie would be back for this but gilbo will have to move, i hope this doesn’t limit clichy’s marking of lennon. The flamster should start next to cesc with diarra and diaby on the bench. my money’s on a scoredraw.
Sincerely wish you the best of luck with the family Holic!
Aside from that congrats with your one year Goonerholic baby, and long may it grow till it becomes a spotty teenager and beyond!
Back to the NLD, and however warm I’m feeling about our team, I feel we may well draw here. I don’t like Gilberto coming back half-asleep to play at CB, and its a bit worrying that Sagna “has some pain, but should play if required.” I hope Le Boss is being quietly understated.
Come on you Gunners!
Arsenal need to play well, and they should have a comfortable victory. Arsenal is loaded with excellent players, and barring bad luck, they should brush Tottenham aside with a multiple goal victory. How many of the Tottenham players could get a game in Arsenal’s side? Berbatov, Lennon?
I wish you the best with the Mrs, Holic.
Yours is one of the few sensible and the most readable blogs on Arsenal. Thank you for sharing your thought.
I think Gilberto’s comments regarding Spurs are worth repeating here:
“I notice errors in defence, less control in midfield and little success in attack.â€
I love a good roast. Just keep the egg off your face, Mr. Silva, and let’s have a great victory in grand style.
Congratulations on the one year, ‘holic.
On the game, I am also a little worried about Song at CB, lets hope Gilberto is fit enough to start. Wenger said that even though Gilberto might be suffering from all that travel, CB is more a position where you need focus and concentration, rather than pace.
Its going to be a cracker of a game, really looking forward to watching it, if I can get one of the live internet streams working. I think it will be a draw, though a high scoring one. Arsenal might just nick this one 2-3 though, but we will see a few goals scored, of that I’m sure.
Happy Birthday, not a bad present the lad’s have delivered.
It’s great being great. Innit.
Hope everyone got to see the game. Unsolicited comments posted at http://www.arsenal-france.blogspot.com/ if you like that sort of thing.
433, I have corrected your link. Hopefully you will get a visitor or two now!