Porto Arrive In A Storm
Sep 29th, 2008 by 'holic
The month started on ‘holic with an advertisement for the Samaritans. There has been some action on their hotline tonight. Those of you who, like me, are watching our exceptional reserve side letting in three first-half goals against their Villa counterparts will not have had your faith restored after Saturday’s shock defeat by Hull.
The mood will only be lifted this week if Porto are sent packing and three valuable Champions League points are secured. A draw in Kiev on matchday one has put some pressure on the Gunners to win all three home games at this stage.
Any Portuguese readers will, I hope, forgive me if I concentrate on the likely Arsenal set-up for Tuesday night. The two sides met just a couple of years and Arsenal took four points out of six and will be favourites to match that this time around. The visitors have started their own domestic campaign slowly, but the side that definitely needs to demonstrate an improvement in attitude and execution is Arsenal, following their second competitive defeat at the Grove.
The verdicts have been delivered on Saturdays performances and different writers have suggested a variety of potential changes to the starting line-up. I will say I would be very surprised to see Arsene Wenger make any change to his back five. He is usually fiercely supportive of his under-fire players, and in all honesty I have this sneaky feeling that the only change he is considering would involve a debut for Mikael Silvestre, but in place of Kolo Toure rather than the woefully out-of-sorts William Gallas. Knowing how unpopular this would be were it to backfire I think the gaffer will send the same players out with an instruction to redeem themselves.
The options in midfield are relatively clear given that Jack Wilshere and Mark Randall are featuring in tonight’s second string game. One change is likely with Samir Nasri set to return after injury. Popular choice would be for him to replace Emmanuel Eboue, but I fear Theo Walcott will be the player to make way. Another possibility I see would be the inclusion of Alex Song for Denilson, but this would be more of a rotational move with an eye on protecting the young Brazilian from too many games in a short space of time.
*Update, Apologies, I missed the news that Song is not available due to injury. Reduces the options further. Thanks FCdeM.
The logic that would see the back five retained could also apply to the front two. Many are arguing for at least Robin van Persie to be rested, but it may well be that the misfiring strikers are given a vote of confidence. If I am right about Walcott being rested it would not make sense to go with Adebayor and Bendtner, although Carlos Vela would remain an interesting option.
The ‘holic pound has been a curse all season, and this game could be anything. Rarely though do we put two poor performances together, and I am looking at 3-0 to the Arsenal this time around. That gives you one bet to avoid, I would imagine.
Spirits need to be lifted, speaking of which I have a particularly fine single malt in front of me, and I have delayed the consumption long enough. Here’s hoping we can all enjoy the game a damn sight more than this reserve contest. 4-1 to Villa, what’s that all about then?
21 Responses to “Porto Arrive In A Storm”
I don’t doubt for a second there’ll be a reaction tomorrow and that we’ll win. But I think in four games time or so you’ll see another listless performance, it’s a cycle I see continuing all season because the squad isn’t big enough to keep the mainstays on their toes. Wenger talks about his young players but we used 13 players against Blackburn, Bolton and Kiev. Tomorrow night I’d go with Almunia–Sagna-Toure-Djourou-Clichy–Walcott-Denilson-Song-Fabregas-Nasri–Adebayor.
Agreed Dutch. I would make only one change to your side if it were my call. I would go with Vela instead of Denilson and maintain a 4-4-2. Easy game from an armchair, isn’t it? I do believe Le Boss will get fully behind the players we are all pretty much slaughtering. You have to respect his reasons for doing that.
i hope that wenger see’s that eboue is a just a squad player and not a first team regular, because no matter if he has had decent performances (not against hull mind) this season, he is still a useless diving and totally pointless player who needs to wear a reserve top or better yet a top saying “sold to gillingham”. That would be nice but knowing my luck and seeing as i have got tickets to go (i went on saturday it was an absymal display) eboue will retain his place and light up the emirates! sarcasm aside a few changes need to be made and players made aware that they are not guaranteed places. especially the likes of rvp and ade. Cesc was poor by his standards i suppose u can’t be brilliant every game! hopefully a better performance for us gunners lucky enough to go to the game is in order. Come on you gunners!!!
Song will not be available for the Porto game. Walcott wasted several good chances last Sat. I would keep Eboue and drop Walcott. van Persie should be rested for this game. Bendtner and Vela deserve to play. RvP and Ade were pretty poor in the last game. Hope to see Nasri play.
Yeah just seen Song is injured. In which case I’d put Eboue in a central three, Walcott showed on Saturday that he’s still not great tracking back and tucking Eboue in could help out. But then, what the fuck do I know?
A lot fella…
I think hell go with
Almunia – sagna – sylvestre – kolo – clichy – eboue – fab – denilson – nasri and vela and adebayor up top.
Well win this comfortably because porto aint the team they used to be, this wont make me feel any better about this years campaign as we are still short of a big solid center midfielder and a big solid center defender!!
Arsenal – 50 shots on goal
Porto – 2 shots
Arsenal-Porto 0:2
:-)))))))))
Almunia-Sagna-Djourou-Gallas-Clichy-Nasri-Fab-Toure-Vela-Ade-Bendtner; but it won’t happen.
can i have a pint of gin and red wine please.
Good post ‘holic. For some reason I think Djourou will play centre midfield, with Denilson, Walcott and Van Persie on the bench. Stranger things have happened…
Do you know what channel we’re on? And can I be cheeky to ask for a glass of your malt?
i wish vela and bentdner would get played together. it’s not gonna happen but frankly i’m bored of watching ade and rvp take up team slots when tehy aren’t deserving it. why cahnj’t they fight their way into the team by out-doing vela and bentdner rather than walking into it on reputation regardless of shit form.
both have been poor, ade has been exceptionally poor (although rvp has run him very close). just drop him/them for christs sake!
Hello Custard,
Strange you should appear today… Anyway, the game is (shock and awe) on ITV1. For viewers outside of the UK I expect there will be a plethora of streams on either Justin or UStream. I cannot get into the livefooty site just now to check for others.
Why is it strange? Am I missing something? But thanks, wow ITV1, Man Utd must be playing a pub team..
Come on you gunners!
About time we dropped that lazy african upfront Abe cant hit a barn door from 5 yards and he does not chase back
Has anyone watched the way Rooney chases back
Also RVP is way off form i would have bought him off in the first half against Hull
Dont know if Wenger has lost it Theo was the only one who looked likely to trouble Hull and he brings him off
Anyway i would like to see us start with with the following line up
Almunia
Sagna Toure Djuoro Clichy
Walcott Denilson Fabregas Nasari
Bentner Vela
Morning ‘holic.
I don’t believe we need to pack 5 men into midfield at home against Porto (sends out the wrong signal) so should stick to 4-4-2 and challenge ourselves to confidently get a result as we know best. Bendtner has had a positive start to the season so, for me, deserves a start. I think it’s too early to entirely through caution to the wind (it was after all only Sheffield United) so would still start with Ade….knowing we have the option of Vela if we need to re-jig the attacking line-up later in the game.
Almunia
Sagna Toure Djourou Clichy
Walcott Denilson Fabregas Nasri
Bendtner Ade
What? None of the regulars here yet?? *Tsk*
Good points made Mr ‘holic. I doubt there will too many changes… Nasri to come in I think with RvP being replaced by Bendtner.
Anyways, pint o’Strongbow please sir.
Hello Hazza, dangerous stuff that cider. You off to the game tonight?
I say there should be wholesale changes. Everyone played bad on sat with the exception of a few. Hell, even Clichy was below his usual standards.
I agree with you that AW will prob pick basically the same team but i want Fabianski, JD, Vela and Bendtner to come in. Maybe give Cesc a sub appearance. He has lacked match fitness all season due to his early injury and lack of pre-season.
Fabianski
Sagna JD Gallas(i suppose) clichy
Theo Song Merida(?) Nasri
Vela Bendtner
Im hoping Eboue is dropped and that Merida can get a game. Isnt he one of the best reserves we have like? Its a touch team to pick with all the injuries and with players needing a rest. I think Denilson has played all of our games bar 1 or 2.
Interesting Stu. All opinions I guess.
Although I’m surprised you rest Almunia. He has been a much improved player this season…do you not think?
Only 1 measley little change from the Hull debacle. At least its a playmaker coming in and not Eboue staying in. Im outraged that Ade and RVP keep theirplaces after their worse than poor performance against a promoted team. And as for Gallas, i expected Jd to come into the defence for one of Kolo or Capt. but no. AW sticks with Gallas, a french internatioal who cant keep hull at bay. IMO both goals were Gallas’ fault. Not both directly tho.
Think about it, if Tony Adams was captain on sat he would have kept the defence organised and prevented both goals. Gallas should have sent a midfielder out to deal with Geovanni before he had a chance to shoot. And the second- can anyone reading this honestly say that TA was ever beated to so many headers in any 1 game. Gallas won fuck all against Cousin and when he comes up against bigger forward like Drogba we have no hope.
PS: don, i picked Fabianski over Almunia because Fab is a more dominant keeper in comanding his area. Almunia rarely looks comfortable coming for crosses to me.