Play Fantasy Arsene Wenger - we owe Sp*rs after last year
By Avenell Dave
Well, there's no doubt about it, this is one of the games we all look forward to, taking on greater significance after T*tt*nh*m's start to the season.
It didn't take long, did it, for their players to start spouting off about how much better than us they are, but more of that elsewhere today.
The fact is, while they aren't really rivals this year any more than in the last decade, we have had a few bitter results against them in recent memory.
The 5-1 defeat at Shite H*rt L*ne may have been in the Carling Cup with a few kids playing, but it's a result Le Boss shouldn't have let happen.
I almost ripped my chair out last season when we let a comfortable lead slip at home, let alone conceding four to them, and hopefully that will be all the focus we need to put indifferent results behind us on Saturday.
The big question is whether Manuel Almunia should start, and the media seems to think he will.
Arsene Wenger hinted that he knows who his number one goalkeeper is but would not say, so I expect to see Almunia back tomorrow or his Arsenal career is finished.
That said, I'm going to stick my neck out and still go with Mannone, who I keep maintaining is a better long term prospect.
Other than that, the team picks itself.
Samir Nasri played the 90 minutes on Wednesday mainly to build up his fitness and I expect him to come in, hopefully for Diaby, although it could be further forward on the right.
This is the sort of game we really need Tomas Rosicky and I'm gutted he is still out. He makes a real difference and it's no coincidence his absence has led to a wobble.
Eduardo wasn't on fire on Wednesday but I still think he brings something to the team, including goal poaching.
If Ledley King or Jonathan Woodgate fail to recover from their perennial injuries, this could be a great day for us Addicts.
We need to remind a few of them, clearly, where they truly sit in the big scheme of things, so I expect us to shove it down their throats tomorrow lunchtime.
Addict XI
Mannone
Sagna Gallas Vermaelen Clichy
Song Fabregas Nasri
Arshavin RvP Eduardo
Who do you think should play tomorrow? Let us know in the comments section below.
David Alexander
Reader Comments (16)
Almunia
Sagna, Gallas, Vermaelen, Clichy
Fabregas, Song, Ramsey/Arshavin
Eduardo, RVP, Bendtner/Arshavin
I totally agree, thomas is a massive miss. i said it all year that the team would not click until he came back. when he started playin this season everything was almost perfect. and the last 2 games hes been out and we dont finish the job. He's an emence talent and i hope arsene gives him a contract very soon as well as marida. But i do think that we have a good replacement in samir nasri. although i do think he will start in midfeild , thats if he does start. there is one thing that really annoys me. i dont understand why he doesnt start eduardo as a out and out front man with some support. we all no how good a finisher he is. i would lover to see eduardo and vela up front a few times this season in the league. In the cups last year the two were as good as iv ever seen to be honest. the link up was fantastic. and he is without a doubt our best finisher. he needs to give the two guys a real proper go of it in proper positions.
almunia
sagna gallas vermaelen clichy
song diaby OR ( nasri )
fabregas
eboue arshavin
v.persie
I think wenger will start with eboue on the right if he plays nasri in the center. if nasri doesnt start in the center i think he wont start.
It will be (not what I would choose)
Mannone
sagna verm gallas clichy
fabregas song diaby
arshavin rvp bendtner
mannone
sagna gallas vermaelen clichy
song
rosicky fabregas
eduardo arshavin
RVP
Mannone
Sagna Gallas Vermaelen Clichy
Song Fabregas Diaby
Bendtner RvP Arshavin
this is the team he will pick, as Mannone has not lost a match yet, i would prefer Nasri to Diaby but best is 2nd half appearence, and we will see more of Nasri in Europe next week, Ramsey will be rested but on bench, i prey Eboue does not come on at all as he is a hot head in these matches, i do not think we will keep a clean sheet, but we will win by 2 clear goals.
If Mannone has a good game and becomes a hero, i feel he will be kept in for a while, and i see potential in this guy, if he gets through the next 5 games mentally he could be really good, as for Almunia, well he could end up being 3rd choice, as he would of had a game on Wednesday if he was going to play on Saturday.
Almunia
Sanga Gallas Vermealen Clichy
Song
Cesc Diaby
Nasri Van the man Arshavin
nasri won't start - he'll come off the bench.
mannone
sagna gallas vermaelen clichy
song fab arshavin
eduardo rvp bendtner
I want Vela to get a game or he will leave Arsenal. Agree with poster above re him and Eduardo. Vela is a rare talent and hope AW thinks so too.
And anyone but Diaby, hope Nasri takes his place. AW has weird fascination with Diaby.
Almunia in goal although none of our keepers is exactly world class.
the team will be
manone
sagna tv gallas clichy
song
fabregas diaby
eboue arshavin
van persie
he will notplay nasri and eduardo insted of diaby and eboue, because of the liverpool game..maybe almunia in goal who knws.
......................mannone.......................
eboue.............gallas .....vermalen............clichy
............................song................................
................fabregas..............merida................
.........van persie.......arshavin.........nasri.............
vela/bendtner/eduardo/*sagna/diaby/senderos on bench
*rest for UCL
......................mannone.......................
eboue.............gallas .....vermalen............clichy
............................song................................
................fabregas..............merida................
.........van persie.......arshavin.........nasri.............
vela/bendtner/eduardo/*sagna/diaby/senderos on bench
*rest for UCL
So i think Almunia is in way back to goal for this clash ....
Almunia
Sagna-Gallas-Vermaelem-Clichy
Song
Eboue-Fabregas
Van Persie-Bendtner-Arshavin
Subs, Nasri in for Bendtner, Eduardo to replace Van Persie & Ramsey in for Eboue
Hope Arsenal to Crash them 4-0, with Bendtner, Nasri, Eduardo & Arshavin
I feel gutted not seeing Vela on anyone's starting team sheets. I wonder if his absence from Wenger's lineups of late is injury related (which I have searched for and found no evidence of) or rather is indicative of the fact that we will lose him in the January transfer window. I certainly hope not. I think he is truly class and if we see him leave we will be watching a future SUPERSTAR at the European and International levels leaving us. I would love to see him come on and bag a couple late goals tomorrow, his pace against an already thin Tottenham back-line would do just fine for me.
My starting XI tomorrow:
.........................Mannone...........................
Sagna......Vermaelen......Gallas.....Clichy
..................Song................Nasri................
...........................Fabregas........................
Vela..............van Persie.............Arshavin
subs: Eduardo, Bendtner, Ramsey, Almunia, Diaby, Senderos, Eboue
In that lineup i think we have the strength in the center of the park with Nasri and Song as well as an attacking front to tear Tottenham to shreds. Also, in the lineup above DuDu and Vela are interchangeable, I see them in a very similar mold except perhaps Vela a little more of everything than Edy. Either way one of them should come on as a sub for the other and exploit tired defending. Lets hope that Vermaelen really understand the gravity of this game as I think he is really our fulcrum. When he plays, we play. I expect an exciting game, maybe an eight goal thriller? Nah, 3-1 to the men in red will do me just fine.
--------------mannone------------------
sagna----gallas---vermaelen---clichy
-----------------song--------------------
--------cesc------------nasri-----------
arshavin----van persie------eduardo
subs:almunia,gibbs,eboue,silvestre,diaby,ramsey,bendtner
Guys, Vela was interviewed ahead of the Carling Cup game but did not feature. This is because he now has a knee injury. I'm sure he'd have been involved otherwise.
Mannone
Sgana, Gallas, Vermaelen, Clichy
Song
Eboue, Fabregas, Nasri, Arshavin,
RvP.