Arsenal build-up thread #3

[Shaggy]

Under 72 hours to go until the third and final instalment in the Arsenal 'trilogy'.

Two very good results for us thus far but defeat on Tuesday will render them both meaningless.

Does Rafa revert back to the 'strongest XI' we've become familar with of late, or has today's good performance given him any headaches?

It's clear Arsenal don't like playing against Crouch and there is a case to be made for him starting the game alongside Torres. It won't happen of course, and I'm not sure it should but, if we're a goal behind with half an hour to go, he will be the 'go to' option from the bench.

If we 'revert to type' the only real issue is who plays at right back and centre half. Do we go the same way and shift Carra back to right-back or opt for Finnan or Arbeloa - both of whom were impressive today.

Personally, with us not needing a win, I'd opt for solidity and go Carra-Skrtel-Sami-Aurelio.

[AFII]

-----------------Reina
Carra-------Skrtel----Hyypia------Aurelio
---------Masch-------Alonso-----------
-----Kuyt--------Gerrard----Babel------
-----------------Torres----------------

I would be very surprised if this won't be the starting XI. Fabregas played the whole game yesterday and he looked very tired. Masch will take him out without that much problem IMO.

[El Jefecito]

-----------------Reina
Carra-------Skrtel----Hyypia------Aurelio
---------Masch-------Alonso-----------
-----Kuyt--------Gerrard----Babel------
-----------------Torres----------------

I would be very surprised if this won't be the starting XI. Fabregas played the whole game yesterday and he looked very tired. Masch will take him out without that much problem IMO.

Fabregas expects to be shadowed again by Javier Mascherano, who missed yesterday's draw between the teams because of a ban.

"Mascherano is amazing," said the Arsenal star. "I could feel his breath on my neck all the time."

[Shaggy]

Fábregas warns of Liverpool's 12th man - the fans


Benítez has recent history on his side for Anfield return - and that crowd too

Duncan Castles
Sunday April 6, 2008
The Observer


The Kop will be fully behind their team again when Liverpool entertain Arsenal.


Whisper it around north London, but Arsenal's players may be happier playing in the maelstrom of an Anfield European night than at Ashburton Grove - to rid themselves of the pressure generated by some of their hyper-critical supporters.

That was the suggestion of Cesc Fábregas in the wake of Wednesday's 1-1 draw with Liverpool in the home leg of their Champions League quarter-final. The game had been marked by a significant percentage of the home fans loudly criticising their own players for perceived errors in passing, control and finishing, or demanding personnel changes from Arsène Wenger. The limited vocal support contrasted sharply with that coming from the away section.

Talking to Spanish television station Antena 3, Fábregas drew a contrast between the two supports. 'It is incredible the passion with which Liverpool fans live their games,' he said. 'Even the smallest cup game has a great atmosphere there, it is as if they played with 12 men. 'Let's see what happens [in Tuesday's return leg]. The good thing about playing away is that we don't have the pressure from our fans. Sometimes you don't get one or two passes right and...'

The value of Liverpool's support was a common theme among the participants last week. 'For me, the atmosphere there is the best in the world, it's unbelievable how the team and the crowd act in the same way together,' said the Arsenal goalkeeper Manuel Almunia. 'I think our supporters could help pull us through,' argued the Liverpool left-back Fábio Aurélio, while his manager laid the ground for a continuation of the tactics that delivered away-leg success.

Rafa Benítez's side are at their best when frustrating more talented sides, then picking them off in moments of over-commitment. He is keen for Anfield to back patiently a repeat of such methods. 'The fans must be key for us,' Benítez said. 'In terms of pushing the team and also to understand how we play.'

It is a style that has regularly frustrated Arsenal this season. The groundwork laid by Sir Alex Ferguson in a 2-2 Premier League draw in November was built upon by Tottenham's Juande Ramos in three carefully plotted encounters culminating in January's 5-1 League Cup semi-final annihilation. Since then Aston Villa, Birmingham City and Middlesbrough have successfully adopted the strategy of dense eight-man defending coupled with rapid counter-attacks.

Benítez admitted to taking notes. 'We were watching them. Two or three things you can learn from the other teams, but at the end of the day, it depends on your players. You can learn how they play with [Cristiano] Ronaldo or [Dimitar] Berbatov, but after you will have [Steven] Gerrard and [Fernando] Torres so you need to use your players.

'Arsenal have a style that everybody knows. They can have plenty of possession, they can play long with Fábregas, they can play in between with [Robin] van Persie or [Alexander] Hleb. So we knew we needed to work hard.

'We knew they would have possession, so we needed to control, regain and play counterattack. Sometimes if you don't have the pace or ability they have in some players, you have other qualities you need to use - the pace of Torres, the quality of Gerrard and the rest of the team needs to work hard.'

Aurélio, who nullified the threat of Emmanuel Eboue and Theo Walcott in London, expanded on the group defending required to frustrate Arsenal's passing. 'When you play teams like that it's very difficult to mark them because they move the ball very quickly,' said the Brazilian. 'So what you have to do is to close the gaps between your lines. That's what we look for - being really compact and organised so they don't have any spare space.'

It is in neither Wenger nor Arsenal's make-up to adapt their style to the opposition, preferring to hold to their 'beliefs' and trust in their football to prevail. On this, Fábregas toed the party line. 'I think it's going to be very difficult because they defend very well. Even more now with 1-1, I think all they'll want to do is catch us on the break.

'We want to attack. Just because the other team refuse to play we don't have to do the same. We want to stick to our football - that's what we'll do, even if we lose.'

[Marky]

People are getting too carried away with our result at the Emirates.
It was a good result but everyone's saying we're all but in the semi's already.
If Arsenal score first i really fear for us.
They only have to watch the result in the 1st leg then anything can happen.

Never write the Gunners off.

[anfieldanfield]

Personally I'd gamble, play Torres AND Crouch from the start and hit them with a high tempo pressing game looking for the early goal with the crowd in fine voice.

Rafa wont though. No way.

[Marky]

A goal to Liverpool doesn't really make a massive difference though that's the annoying thing.
Arsenal know thy have to score whether we score or not.

[Dhav]

People are getting too carried away with our result at the Emirates.
It was a good result but everyone's saying we're all but in the semi's already.
If Arsenal score first i really fear for us.
They only have to watch the result in the 1st leg then anything can happen.

Never write the Gunners off.

Marky, I dont know why you're being overly pessimistic there and talking up the Gunners. No wait I think I do, it's because you're a gooner

May I remind you that Arsenal also scored first in the first leg, and what happened? we equalised within 3 mins.

I dont think any intelligent Red believes we are all but in the semi-final, but likewise you must accept we are in a good position and have the psychological advantage, in spite of how dangerous Arse are. look at Wenger in the last few mins of the first leg, the look of desperation on his face as he's calling for his players to get forward and to get the ball in our box - arsenal ceded the psychological advantage right there because it was a tacit admission that 1-1 was not a good scoreline for them.

Yes it will be difficult, yes the job is not done and so we'll need to keep composed and on our toes, but we're in the box seat and we'd have been glad of the position before the 1st leg match

A goal to Liverpool doesn't really make a massive difference though that's the annoying thing.
Arsenal know thy have to score whether we score or not.

To an extent you're right which is why I disagree with Henry Winter who said the other day that one goal for us at Anfield and it's over. The goal is important to the extent though that if it is necessary to score twice, the first goal means the job is half done

[Nicey]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytkkK7lb4Xo&feature=related

End of Story.

[-V-]

Marky ya gooner, i think everybody knows fine well that we have to beat them on Tuesday. Rafa included. Liverpool will be going out to score atleast 2 goals

Were not going to worry about Arsenal scoring first because it will be us to score first, just like today. Arsenal are nothing special and we will beat them on Tuesday

Gerrard, Torres, Babel, Kuyt, Alonso and Mascherano all back fresh and ready to smash these gooners. And yet we could have beating them yesterday without all them lot.

Im confident

[Marky]

Marky ya gooner, i think everybody knows fine well that we have to beat them on Tuesday. Rafa included. Liverpool will be going out to score atleast 2 goals

Were not going to worry about Arsenal scoring first because it will be us to score first, just like today. Arsenal are nothing special and we will beat them on Tuesday

Gerrard, Torres, Babel, Kuyt, Alonso and Mascherano all back fresh and ready to smash these gooners. And yet we could have beating them yesterday without all them lot.

Im confident

I'm confident too.
Never write off a team containing Gallas. Toure, Fabregas, Hleb, Van Persie and Adebayor.
There's still a long, long way to go and the way we're defending atm esp from set pieces every Liverpool fan should be fearful. We've got away with conceding alot more goals than we actually have in recent games.
Defence will have to be rock solid.
Im really not convinced with Carragher at right back. Doesn't look comfy there.

[dww]

I have to say I agree to an extent that one away goal is not that significant as Arsenal would be a team you would always worry about getting one. It is however a slight advantage at this stage and I feel reasonable confident.

I worry about our defense of crosses but other than that over two games Arsenal have not made a huge amount of clear chances and have not had the swagger they played with earlier in the season.

I'd have Crouch on the bench but he would certainly be on my mind in terms of coming on relatively early in the second half. If we had a more natural set of players to revert to a solid 4-4-2 I would start him but as it stands I think taking out Kuyt would be a mistake from a defensive point of view and if he is willing to work and put himself in the box the way he did in the first CL game then basically the same team again but with more of a forward momentum would be what I want to see.

[tommyg]

would be gutted if we lost 2-1

[Joe King]

Get off to a fast start and test them with high balls and swing in a couple of balls into the box within the first couple of minutes. That should test their nerves and with the 12th man, they might be in for a shock.

If we are to get the first goal which we are more than capable of doing, we should just set up like we did in the last two games: narrow, compact and we should be playing Fenerbahce in the semis. (I'm clutching at straws, I know)

[Johnny]

I'm confident too.
Never write off a team containing Gallas. Toure, Fabregas, Hleb, Van Persie and Adebayor.

I`ll see your players and raise you Gerrard,Mascher,Alonso,Kuyt,Babel and Torres.