Its been a quiet week in terms of there not being any Arsenal games at all. I watched a bit of the Boro game and a bit of the Spurs game and in both games I turned off the TV halfway when Boro and Spurs were leading. This was because I knew it would at least be level by the time it ended. True to the script ManU got a penalty and the easier team in the semis and Chelsea refused to quit .. yet again and evened it up with some help from Martin Jol. Kinda wished that we were playing specially after Blackburn beat City but maybe its good in a way that the kids are playing with a little bit less pressure of a game every 3 days.
We have 7 players out but with the Flamster and Hoyte coming back to the squad it means a bit more solidity defensively. Toure and Clichy both out suspended which means that we are without our first choice back 4 YET AGAIN. This is the primary reason why we’ve been leaking goals from everywhere.
I expect Djourou to start in the center with Gallas with Traore on the left and Hoyte on the right. My only fear is that Agbonlahor plays wide right in a 4-3-3 for Villa and is pacy so Traore has to keep up with him and try not to foul anywhere near the area.
Mozart will probably come off the bench and Walcott as well. If Walcott starts it will be up front not on the wing. If this happens it means almost a guaranteed bye-bye for Ali in the transfer window that he can’t make it even as a fourth choice striker. I’d like to see Ali wide left ahead of Freddie be given a go but it probably wont happen.
If Gilberto plays as center half I’d love to see Diaby get a go, ahead of Flamini playing alongside Fabregas. Don’t know if it’ll happen though. Hleb needs a good game especially after 80% of the entire Arsenal internet community feels that he is the sole reason we lost out against PSV. Total rubbish if you ask me but that’s the way it goes…sadly.
Gallas has come out and shot his mouth off. Ground preparing to get out to AC Milan?? I don’t know but I think he’s still mentally in the Chelsea mode where everyone slated everyone in public which motivated them. Doesn’t always work with kids though..which is probably why AW doesnt do it.
AW says “He’s lost a little bit” . I can understand where he’s coming from and while its a sign of weakness to many I hope that he knows where the problematic 5% is. If he does then I’m not really worried at all because I know he’ll fix it.
Titi staying for life…Great news. Period. Wishing he comes back to full fitness by August next year.
This is what I expect the Professor to put out against Villa though:
Walcott Baptista
Freddie Gilberto Cesc Hleb
Traore/Flamini Gallas Djourou Hoyte
Lehmann
Bench: Almunia , Mozart , Ali , Denilson , Sendy
A lot has been made of John Carew and the fact that he dumped us out of the CL a few years ago. I remember me just starting to watch Arsenal seriously around that time and feeling bad that we were losing but not as bad as I feel nowadays. I feel they’ll score at least 1 .. point is Can we outscore them??? I don’t know…I don’t feel confident but we still might do it. Just about. Petrov is a decent fit wide left as is Agbonlahor on the right and Villa are a very resilient team under O’Neill so we’re gonna have to grind this one out.
I think we’ll do it…JUST…
Aston Villa 1 - 2 Arsenal
24 Responses to “Aston Villa v Arsenal”
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March 14th, 2007 at 9:41 am
4-1 Villa.
March 14th, 2007 at 9:55 am
I'm not sure why, as I usually hope for the best but fear for the worst, but I actually feel optimistic about this. Villa 1-2/3 Arsenal.??
March 14th, 2007 at 11:20 am
Come on, even if we lose … it would not be 4-1 .. maybe 2-1. I dont recall any team beating us with more than 2 goals (beside - Bolton). Can you recall any in the last few years?
March 14th, 2007 at 11:38 am
Expect nothing and be surprised.
1-1.
March 14th, 2007 at 12:02 pm
Alex Hleb is out too, so that means Walcott will play wide right.
But I want to see this team tonight:
———-Lehmann————-
Hoyte–Djourou–Gallas–Traore
———-Gilberto————-
—Denilson–Cesc–Rosicky—-
—–Walcott–Baptista—–
If Rosicky can’t start put Diaby in the line up. I think we have a good chance to win this game.
March 14th, 2007 at 1:18 pm
Still smells like a 1-1 draw to me.
Did I miss something? Who’s Mozart? Did we exhume & sign Wolfgang Amadeus?
March 14th, 2007 at 4:08 pm
I’ll assume you’re joking.
If not, you’ve lost your mind.
March 14th, 2007 at 4:40 pm
I was 50% right, not bad really.
March 14th, 2007 at 4:48 pm
C’mon. By that standard, you’ll rarely be wrong.
March 14th, 2007 at 4:48 pm
One nil to the Arsenal!
March 14th, 2007 at 4:51 pm
1-0 to the Arsenal baby…
i had to follow the game on ESPNsoccernet, but it seemed like a tough game and we scraped this one.
Really happy to get the points with such a depleted squad though, now let’s just get on with it and focus on Everton this sunday.
March 14th, 2007 at 4:56 pm
on another we would have lost by at least 2 goals….this was a terrible match…..but very very good experience today…as they had to defend a LOT of freekicks and corners. we were lucky to come out of this with full points.
actually this remaining 10 games might actually be good for the team….little pressure…we could finetune our game and re-find ourselves in them.
PS: lehmann!! dear lord. the guy is a great keeper and shotstopper and all….but he might actually be a major reason we are this weak aerially….he always mistimes coming out. and is he the only goalie in the prem??? why does he always complain about every nudge or foul…i have never seen another keeper do it. even almunia doesnt do it.
he is a major reason we are weak in the air. yeah, our defenders are not good headers but it doesnt help them having lehmann behind them. he is 38 so there is no chance of him improving. and when u count the number of utterly unnecessary and dangerous rushes out of the box…it might not actually be a disaster that he is leaving in the summer.
March 14th, 2007 at 5:07 pm
I am happy with this 1-0 win even it was a deflected goal. And Villa played much better. Simply, when we need to win, it should happen any how. We need learn to win thing like this.
A Clean sheet is also good. 3rd right now ..lets see how close to Chelsea we can finish.
March 14th, 2007 at 5:07 pm
Ugly. Could/should have lost. Other than win (which as many here state is only thing that matters), not much positives on display. Negatives I saw were
Djourou (he’s simply not meant to play right wing, he’s got no offensive tendencies and he’s not aggressive), Gilberto (he’s ok as center back but please only in emergency), Hoyte (don’t play him out of position, he’s only learning how to play right back), Ljunberg (not to belabor the obvious but his best days are long in the past), Aliadiere (those misses killed me). Positives I saw were Diaby and Baptista (who looked somehow faster to me than in past.) This was a great one to steal. Hopefully, return of Toure, Clichy and maybe Hleb will mean Wenger will play the regulars in defense and midfield against Everton and will only be forced to use substitutes in the front.
March 14th, 2007 at 5:17 pm
I’d also add that Fabregas and Denilson did not impress today and while Rosicky looked dangerous, he missed a couple of shots that could have put away the game. Finally, as always, Flamini was useless offensively and, at least on one occasion, endangered Lehman with sloppy play.
March 14th, 2007 at 5:46 pm
Well I was a bit flippant saying 4-1, but I thought the defence would be an utter shambles and to be honest it was, very lucky not to lose lose 2-1/3-1.
March 14th, 2007 at 5:49 pm
Agreed. Defense was shambolic. Three of the four were playing out of position. On Sunday against Everton, Wenger can start 4 defenders in position: Hoyte, Toure, Gallas, and Clichy. Eboue is suspended for that game but he’ll be back for Liverpool.
March 14th, 2007 at 6:14 pm
Have said many times here that Lehmann’s decision making in coming out for crosses and handling them is not great. Either we change keeper (get British as they are used to handling crosses) or bring in a strong header and penalty box organiser like Woodgate. Bet Wenger will take the easy way out and give Lehmann another one year. So much for improving the defence against setpieces.
March 14th, 2007 at 6:16 pm
3rd with superior goal difference compared to Pool and an extra game to boot. I can live with the season ending today.
March 14th, 2007 at 6:40 pm
Lucky not to lose 3-1 and unlucky not to win 3-nil. It all depends on how miserable one's perspective.
March 14th, 2007 at 6:42 pm
I don’t understand some of you guys. How can you say that we should have lost when Aliadiere could/should have scored at least two goals. We didn’t play well, but who cares, we won. When we play great and we don’t get the three points all of you are moaning that we should learn to win in these kind of games, and today when we won you complain that we played badly. I just don’t get it.
March 14th, 2007 at 7:06 pm
In case you are still looking for the answer — Rosick?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom%C3%A1%C5%A1_Rosick%C3%BD
Not sure when he got the nickname though.
March 14th, 2007 at 7:15 pm
I’m ecstatic we won. I love when we win; I also love when we play beautifully and don’t lose. I’m only sad when we lose. I think it’s exciting and wonderful to root for Arsenal in the Wenger years. He builds teams in his own way and we should all be grateful for him.
I’m not complaining, just noting that we got away with one and that’s great. I never complain when we play well and don’t win.
Hopefully, on Sunday against Everton, we can play with four defenders who are playing in their regular positions (Clichy, Toure, Gallas and Hoyte; three of whom are regular starters) and with our ideal midfield (Rosicky, Fabregas, Gilberto and Hleb). I’m just waiting for Baptista to explode although perhaps since Wenger is going to buy him anyway, it’s best he not attain Drogba-like success until he’s safely obtained from Real Madrid. Aliadiere tries hard, has pace, and it was sad to see him miss repeatedly today. It does not mean however that Wenger should keep him.
March 17th, 2007 at 2:58 pm
Thanks! Didn't know that…