Diaby & Reyes in?
Arsene Wenger takes Arsenal to the Bernabeu tonight with crucial decisions to make.
Will he play Reyes up front with Henry in a 4-4-2? Or do we need Reyes' commitment in midfield?
Will he play Ljungberg AND Pires in the same midfield away from home?
Will Diaby play? Will he play Flamini at left back or opt for Djourou?
To my mind, if Reyes is fit. He must play. Real are scared of him as he destroyed them when playing for Sevilla. Plus his pace on the break will be a good asset as Pires and Ljungberg can no longer effectively keep up with Henry.
Diaby also is a must. He hasn't proved anything yet but he offers good defensive protection and particularly away from home his driving runs beyond the front player, dribbling ability and directness are essential.
I would sacrifice Pires, Ljungberg or Gilberto who have been lacklutre this season at best.
Walcott and one of the former can come off the bench to provide an attacking threat, as well as Djourou if the midfield or defence needs bolstering.
I would play a back five of:
LEHMANN
EBOUE SENDEROS TOURE FLAMINI/LARSSON
The midfield is where the problems lie, in terms of personnel and formation. Why not play a central midfield 3 with Gilberto sitting in front of the back four and Diaby and Cesc just in front of him. Allowing Diaby and Cesc both to get forward and support Henry.
GILBERTO
DIABY FABREGAS
This would mean Ljungberg/Pires on the right, in a wingers position, high up the field, ready to support the attack and com in off the flanks to help Henry in the centre. Not to get pushed too deep and keep Cincinho and Carlos quiet by making them defend.
PIRES/LJUNGBERG REYES
HENRY
That leaves Walcott to come on as either a winger or as a central striker if we switch back to 4-4-2, which will also mean Hleb, Pires/Ljungberg can come on as the 4-4-2 seems to work better later on in games and Pires in particular has made an impact when coming off the bench.
Whatever formation we play and who fills it, we needs to show passion, pride and a good work ethic. If we get a bit of luck we can get a result and keep the tie alive. That's what it is about tonight, everything to play for when the injuries have eased and some reults come together. Then anything can happen. We must try our best to score as we saw against Wigan, if you don't score away you leave yourself susceptible.
posted by JoeBoni @ 10:27 AM
22 comments
22 Comments:
Did you cath the great one's quote about the Arsenal Madrid game.
Something like.
If I was Ronaldo I would not worry myself over Philippe Senderos.
Jose, worry about your own team and dont single out players.
Can you see AW saying, if I was Ronaldinho I would not worry myself about Huth???
Exactly, let's get behind the boys. We just need a solid start and keep tem quiet for the first 10 then we can impose our own game. We will have chances to score, at least 1 golden chance we need to take it & a bit of luck & we can make a tie of it. If we score we give ourselves a chance back at Highbury. I just hope AW plays Diaby and not Pires. But who ever plays we can do a job, for sure, just keep the faith. Henry to cause havoc and Reyes to finally shine brightest.
Why does everyone want Bobby out of the team tonight, he is 10 times the player Freddie is. When Freddie doesn't score (ie the whole bloody season) what does he bring to the table? Nothing. Whereas Bobby is awesome, he links up with Terry Henry like nobody else in tonights squad. I would play the following team
LEHMAN
EBOUE TOURE SENDEROS FLAMINI
FABREGAS GILBERTO DIABY
PIRES REYES
HENRY
I know whenever we have played this formation before we have looked toilet, but what hope have we got with 98 first teamers injured?!
I have to agree, I would play Pires and have Ljungberg as an impact substitute. As Pires, like Bergkamp, brings the best out in Henry.
Lehmann
Eboue -- Toure -- Senderos -- Flamini
Fabregas -- Diaby -- Gilberto -- Pires
Reyes -- Henry
COME ON YOU GUNNERS!
Its gonna be tough tonight with many injuries and alot of First Team players not living up to their reputations (Pires, Gilberto, Freddy, even the great Henry at times). But i just have a sneaky feeling about the game tonight....the more i think about it the more i think we might suprise most of the footballing world and get a win!!
I know people have mentioned Reyes - but come on guys he has gotta be the biggest waste of space (and money) on the pitch each week and i just cant see the guy getting any better..... great skill, great pace but no end product...we've seen it all before ( dare i mention a certain Glen Helder!) ... where's the goals, where is the key passes, where is the skill of actually taking it round a defender instead of falling on the floor!???!!
When Reyes came to ARSENAL who can forget the two goals against Cheski ?? But what has the guy actually done since?? Nothing! Pires may be getting old now and stalling on the new contract but at least when he is up for it he gets his name on the scoresheet..
There are others in the team that just arent good enough...I've tried but i cannot stand Gilberto.. the guy is useless..name another Brasilian who has no skill, no control and is incapable of passing to another team mate??!! I cant think of one either! We must have bought the only one!
Anyway, hopefully we at least get a draw or even a win tonight...and i cant wait to see Walcott in the first team...
Come on you Gooners!!!
My formation.
Lehmann
Eboue Toure Senderos Flamini
Pires Fabregas Diaby Reyes
(Sub Walcott)(Sub Gilberto)
Henry Lupoli (Sub Bergkamp in 65 min)
I agree, Fabregas is not a right sided midfield player. Pires or Ljungberg to play right mid. To have both in the midfield away is suicidal these days. Reyes as a left winger and Pires just behind Henry?
mourinho didn't say that, the d*ck of a reporter in the sun said it.
senderos is having a hard time of it, but so did big TA in his first few seasons.
FFS He's only 20!! I remember John Terry making loads of mistakes when he first started and look at him now.
PS I predict Big Phil 2 score a bullet header 2nite (u heard it hear first)
Even a blind man can see that Reyes is a very, very good player who is low on confidence. What he needs is to keep getting the support and belief from the manager, the team and supporters and his game will improve. even in our shitest season and form he has our leading assist, scored a few goals and works hard for the team which is more than pires, helb lundberg and bergkamp have done this season combined. so talk of him being a waste of space is well wide of the mark.
first of all i feel fabregas can play right mid. but as formentioned i wouldnt play him
LEHMANN
EBOUE SENDEROS TOURE DJORROU
LJUNGBERG GILBERTO DIABY PIRES
REYES
HENRY
I think our main problems have arisen recently that the wide players have looked poor, I think this has been majorly affected by the lack of support from the 4th/5th choice full backs. Ashley cole and lauren added support and choice to our attacks, and the defence has to help goig nforward otherwise we will see another onslaught in possesion and chances as we did at Anfield.
I htink this is our strongest team and Real should be attacked and we need to believe we can go and get a result. We have the men in the middle to steady the ship, all the others are there to add to the attack. I feel Reyes can do most damage here and hopefully Freddie will get a chance along with Bobby to try and dart in for the killers balls.
Anyway these are my thoughts.
Looking froward to it. Nerves kickign in already.
I just keep thinking of these words when everyone is writing us off, Arsene Wengers magic, he wears a magic hat.
Im pretty sure he hasnt the hat but he is magic, and tonight could be his greatest trick.
si
That would be awesome.. Faaaaaaaaaaaaaaabregas, Arsenal have the lead.. We will see...
In response to the "even a blind man can see Reyes is a good player..." comment.
I understand what you are saying but he has played the majority of the games this season, always been backed in the media by other players and AW and doesnt seem to be dropped or subbed when he is playing bad, clapped by the suporters each week and has his name sung even after the whole "Madrid Phone call" incident ...well if that aint continued support what is??! and in return he has "low confidence" and puts in mostly poor performances that anyone in the crowd could easily give!
i know he is young but compared to others in the team at the moment he is an experienced First team player who in this hard season has not put the effort required in during most of the games this season.
Dont get me wrong I hope he turns out to be some superstar and wins the game for us tonight but at some point you have to look at him and see that he just aint good enough at the moment. He'll probably throw his toys out his pram again in a few weeks anyway!!
50p says Reyes (should he play) is the first player who hit the deck in tonights game...
reyes isnt good enough, but in a game liek tonight he will be at his prime, its were he learnt his trade
whats more he is capable he hits the deck too much and ppl like henry have hardly made it easy for him, think hes been more of a hinderence in blossoming through potential stars, he likes being the big guy in the team (i bekieve)
si
Spot on, Henry is undoubtedly a great player, but he does seem to moan and give off the wrong body language if a pass ins't perfect. He is slightly spoilt having played with Bergkamp and Vieira as well as Pires, all great passers of the ball and on his wavelength. Instead of scorning a poor ball why not chase it or applaud the idea and build some confidence and moral? He is NOT captain material. End of.
Why does evryone want Senderos to play Djorou is miles better.
Lehmann
Eboue Djorou Toure Flamini
Cesc Diaby Gilberto Reyes
Freddy Henry
Henry's moans comment is spot on - he does seem to give that stare (u guys know the one) to Reyes alot.... and I have always beleived that a defender/midfielder should be a captain. As good as Henry is he just dont seem to have that "let grind the result out" attitude about him aka Vieira, Adams etc...and i dont always feel he goes to protect the younger players as much as other captains which i always find a bit of a disappointment.
Senderos/Djourou issue...
Big Phil has played more games but has tended to show himself up in most and am i the only one who thinks he looks like he is getting slower by the game?!!
Djourou looks very comfortable in the centre of defence but are we due to see a costly mistake from an inexperienced player??!
Difficult one but i think it may be:
Eboue/Toure/Djourou/Flamini
With big Phil on the bench..unless AW is playing mind games with the Ashley Cole situation?!
anon 3:38, Freddie up front? You off your tits? When has he ever played well up front? Even going back 2 or 3 seasons when he was banging them in for fun. Reyes IS a very good player, granted he goes down like bambi on ice, but his class. I'd definitely start him if he is 100% fit.
Lehman
eboue toure senderos flamini
cesc diaby gilberto reyes
hleb
henry
let hleb do what he does best. he can give good service to henry. let diaby and gilberto concentrate on breaking up Real's attacks and reyes and cesc can play forward on the counter. we need to attack this game and put up some goals. i think we should have a serious go at Real's defense. even if we lose scoring away goals will be a boon going back to highbury. losing 2-0 in spain makes a hard row to hoe going forward. if some trash spanish team can put 6 on madrid i don't know why everyone is crying about us not being able to score on them.
Come on Arsenal!!!
The main thing you want to see from a young, up and coming player is gradual improvement and slowly learning the Arsenal way of playing. RVP case in point. But Reyes just doesn;t seem to learn, is as far away from being in sink with his team mates as the day he arrived and continues to flatter to deceive.
On a separate note Senderos needs a rest. He's making mistakes because he's mentally tired. Get him out of the firing line for a while. Djourou looks good of late as he's fresh, just as Phillip was during his graet run in the side last season.
Walcott from the bench to make it 1-1 late on. Would be good!!
I just hope don't get a repeat of Bayern away last season.
Need to be composed and organised, but come on boys lets have a go at them!
fabregas and hleb start !
3-0 arsenal
real humbled.
just heard the champs league music
THIS
IS
IT
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