Arsenal build-up thread

[dww]

Have to say I'm excited but worried.

I really think Arsenal have hit the wall mentally with a young side who have had to play nearly every game. However this may apply merely to the PL and the change is as good as a rest has worked for us in terms of form in the last few years in the CL - the games against Chelsea obviously being both the source of my occasional waves of confidence and alternate fears that Arsenal will pull a performance out of the bag like they did against Milan.

The key for me is to break the supply line from back to front. Flamini is the key and we have to make him work hard and put him under pressure. I think we can be good at containing individual flair players like Fabregas so long as we force them to work in the areas they aren't most dangerous and that starts by making it hard for them to get the ball, making them go deep and wide. As such key for us is Gerrard occupying Flamini and giving us an out ball. ANother key will be Babel giving us pace on the break.

I think 4-2-3-1 is the way to go but I have some concerns about Babel's work rate in defense and the form of our fullbacks and lack of a settled back four in general. The holding players have to be the mighty Mascherano and Alonso. It is the ideal game for that pairing IMO.

[Joe King]

This will be a very different game from the one on Saturday after because of one ingredient: the referee. The game I believe won't flow as much, the game will be at a European tempo which should suit us.

The way Arsenal play is to play very narrow and with all players coming close to feed on a one two. Because of this as dww said, Mascherano and Alonso hold a very key role for us as they got to make sure that nothing goes past or around them. As I said, Arsenal play the narrow game so it might be the case for Benayoun to play to try and suffocate Arsenal further and bring on Babel as a substitute to stretch the backline. The obvious way to play against Arsenal is to set up two lines for four and squeeze the space whenever Arsenal try and move the ball around. Zonal pressure as well meaning sensibly press players like Fabregas and Hleb who are the most creative players and force them backwards or sidewards.

[ivan]

I'm 100 percent confident we'll be in the semies. This is CL and Arsenal has no chance, plus their form is low at the moment.More worried about Chelsea

[BigChief]

They have Fabregas, we have Gerrard.

They have Adebayour, we have Torres.

The rest are insignificant. One major difference is: they have Wenger, we have Benitez. And this game ain't about the league...so only one winner here.

[Marky]

They have Fabregas, we have Gerrard.

They have Adebayour, we have Torres.

The rest are insignificant. One major difference is: they have Wenger, we have Benitez. And this game ain't about the league...so only one winner here.

Hleb, Van Persie and Walcott can also destroy us.

[SB]

I'm worried but confident at the same time.

It all depends which Arsenal team turn up. They can play pathetic for weeks but they always seem to step up when we play them. They do look beatable at the moment and if we can put a couple of early goals past them they could implode IMO.

[Guest]

Yeah whatever mate. I'm sick of your pro Arsenal and anti Gerrard posts. Armchair fans like you wind me up. We'll **** on your beloved Arsenal and get through to the semis.

[kop-al-74]

Yeah whatever mate. I'm sick of your pro Arsenal and anti Gerrard posts. Armchair fans like you wind me up. We'll **** on your beloved Arsenal and get through to the semis.

[Kenneth]

Arsenal are not in good shape. Despite what the media are pushing regarding the BOlton game, a run of something like 5 without a win and then a scabby win over relegation fodder does not constitute an upturn in form.

[Kenneth]

Hleb, Van Persie and Walcott can also destroy us.

Walcott is wank. I hope he plays.

[el matador]

Have to say I'm excited but worried.

I really think Arsenal have hit the wall mentally with a young side who have had to play nearly every game. However this may apply merely to the PL and the change is as good as a rest has worked for us in terms of form in the last few years in the CL - the games against Chelsea obviously being both the source of my occasional waves of confidence and alternate fears that Arsenal will pull a performance out of the bag like they did against Milan.

The key for me is to break the supply line from back to front. Flamini is the key and we have to make him work hard and put him under pressure. I think we can be good at containing individual flair players like Fabregas so long as we force them to work in the areas they aren't most dangerous and that starts by making it hard for them to get the ball, making them go deep and wide. As such key for us is Gerrard occupying Flamini and giving us an out ball. ANother key will be Babel giving us pace on the break.

I think 4-2-3-1 is the way to go but I have some concerns about Babel's work rate in defense and the form of our fullbacks and lack of a settled back four in general. The holding players have to be the mighty Mascherano and Alonso. It is the ideal game for that pairing IMO.

That's what I was trying to say. The arsenal games make me nervous because they play at a high tempo and have a lot of pace in their team. We always seem to be one step behind them and never take the initiative. I would be tempted to play Babel on the right to stop clichy getting forward and give him something to think about when he goes attacking.

I wouldnt play kuyt at all because I dont think he would offer anything against them.

This would have been a game for the moomins coco.

[Kenneth]

That's what I was trying to say. The arsenal games make me nervous because they play at a high tempo and have a lot of pace in their team. We always seem to be one step behind them and never take the initiative. I would be tempted to play Babel on the right to stop clichy getting forward and give him something to think about when he goes attacking.

I wouldnt play kuyt at all because I dont think he would offer anything against them.

This would have been a game for the moomins coco.

[Guest]

That's what I was trying to say. The arsenal games make me nervous because they play at a high tempo and have a lot of pace in their team. We always seem to be one step behind them and never take the initiative. I would be tempted to play Babel on the right to stop clichy getting forward and give him something to think about when he goes attacking.

I wouldnt play kuyt at all because I dont think he would offer anything against them.

This would have been a game for the moomins coco.

It's hard to take the initiative against Arsenal because their counter attacking game is excellent. We managed it fairly well in our home game earlier this year and we penned them back for long parts of the game. But we played at a very high tempo then. It will be difficult to do that at the Emirates and I don't think Rafa would want that to be honest.

He'll most certainly devise a plan to sit back and hit them on the counter.

[el matador]

my son couldnt say mo sissoko as first and called him moomins coco. Hence the name stuck. It was pretty funny as he looked nothing like the moomins (the little puffy white mash mallow thingies on ITV about 20 years ago)

People can say whatever they like about mo, there is nobody in world football who is a better ball winner than him. Mascherano is the best defensive midfield in the world without any doubt and a better player but mo is the best ball winner.

We really needed him sitting on fabregas denying him space, getting the ball off him and getting it forward.

I know im gonna get slated for this one.

My team would have been

reina, finnan, carra, skrtel, riise, alonso, masher, momo, gerrard, babel and torres.

Where gerrard replaces kuyt on the right.

[Kenneth]

my son couldnt say mo sissoko as first and called him moomins coco. Hence the name stuck. It was pretty funny as he looked nothing like the moomins (the little puffy white mash mallow thingies on ITV about 20 years ago)

People can say whatever they like about mo, there is nobody in world football who is a better ball winner than him. Mascherano is the best defensive midfield in the world without any doubt and a better player but mo is the best ball winner.

We really needed him sitting on fabregas denying him space, getting the ball off him and getting it forward.

I know im gonna get slated for this one.

My team would have been

reina, finnan, carra, skrtel, riise, alonso, masher, momo, gerrard, babel and torres.

Where gerrard replaces kuyt on the right.

That's quite endearing

And my only criticism would be the selection of Riise.