A good win against Fulham who rarely threatened to be frank but 3 points none the same which is great. Back to the CC we’re ridiculously short at the back without 4 centre backs. I have mixed feelings about Gallas stepping in. It does solidify the back four but if he gets injured now; we’re in a big big soup. Unfortunately this happened to Sendy when he was really playing well. This is what happens all the time when he’s got a chance and then when he has an iffy game on coming back; people have a field day cursing him. Anyway Myles Palmer predicted a Spurs - Chelsea final; hence I feel confident it’ll be a Arsenal - Everton final ;). Spurs rested a few players on the weekend didn’t they? Will the rest backfire and will they feel they have this one wrapped up against a makeshift Arsenal back four? I hope so.
There really is nothing in this and its not that we cannot score away from home; specially at WHL. Remember that away goals count after 120″ here; so if its 1-1 after 90″ we still have a chance. I sincerely hope he plays Diaby and Denilson central midfield but I’m sure he won’t and will play Gilberto central and Diaby left wing YET again. Which is sad actually..because although I understand he’s trying to develop Abou’s left side he is not great wide left. Someone said that Lansbury might get a game; haven’t seen much of him. Did like the look of Merida and Barazite when they came on against Blackburn..Merida especially …great calmness on the ball…
Anyway I’m too tired to write more its 12:30 midnight here…so I’ll stick to the squad AW will probably put out:
Fabianski
Traore Gallas Hoyte Sagna
Diaby Denilson Gilberto Lansbury/Randall
Bendtner Theo
Subs: Mannone,Norveidt,Rosicky,Hoyte,Lansbury/Randall
Spurs at home in a semi final will be tough but I have a feeling they’ll bottle it as usual and we’ll nick it 3-2 on aggregate.
Spurs 1 - Arsenal 2
123 Responses to “Spurs - Arsenal (CC Semi Leg 2)”
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January 21st, 2008 at 5:11 pm
I reckon it will go to penalties, Spurs will be up for this one
January 21st, 2008 at 5:38 pm
Just for a laugh I’m going to give pre-match ratings and see how accurate they were after the game.
Score will be 3-1 Tottenham.
Fabianski (7) Made 3 great saves but could do nothing about the goals
Hoyte (6) Adequate
Gallas (8) Rock at the back but couldn’t save Arsenal’s skin despite his goal
Gilberto (7) Couldn’t cope with the trickery of Keane & Berbatov
Traore (6) The boy has a lot to learn
Lansbury (6) Ineffective
Denilson (7) Some nice passing but didn’t get enough tackles in
Diaby (7) Some decent long distance efforts, but no Vieira
Merida (6) Looks to have bright future, but not the game for him
Bendtner (7) Missed one great chance, didn’t get the service
Walcott (6) Played like a ferret on acid
January 21st, 2008 at 5:48 pm
I know I’m a lone voice and a broken down record player but I REALLY want to win this and the final.
When I look at your line-up LDE I don’t see a lot of natural goal threat from midfield. I hope Dudu is in the squad - in fact I’d like him to start. Perhaps I’d go with……
Fabianski
Traore Gallas Gilberto Sagna
Walcott Denilson Diaby Lansbury/Randall
Bendtner Dudu
Gallas and Sagna give us stability at the back.
Gilberto has been a waste in midfield, playing at the back with the skipper might gee him up.
Let Denilson and Diaby have a run in their best positions.
Walcott and Dudu can interchange positions - Dudu provides a realistic goal outlet no matter how well our general play is going.
January 21st, 2008 at 5:54 pm
Danny, Merida has joined Real Sociedad on loan thru to the end of the season - so your right “not the game for him”
January 21st, 2008 at 5:56 pm
I can see penalities or a 1 goal difference….either way we win.
January 21st, 2008 at 6:11 pm
Senderos usually reserves his worst games for the fourth or fifth match in his little run in the team. The idea that he gets better with games is a complete myth. He usually starts off well but then has to be taken out of the side for his own good.
Logic dicates that Tottenham should win tomorrow. They are a far better side than the team we are likely to trot out tomorrow. However, Tottenham are indeed masters of screwing up leading positions so in all honestly I wouldn’t be surprised to see Arsenal pull it off tomorrow. But if Tottenham keep their nerve they will probably coast through, taking into consideration that they always score early against us at White Hart Lane.
January 21st, 2008 at 6:32 pm
Careful Mazza, one might be tempted to think you are the master of myths.
I would have thought a little circumspection was due regarding Senderos. Predictably the forecasts of woe for our defence have proved to be exaggerated, the world didn’t fall in, so now we roll out a new theory to justify our basic dislike of the guy and to cover our wonky predictions.
The lesson is to chill. Accept that Senderos is neither the devil nor a saint, just a young backup CB.
January 21st, 2008 at 6:47 pm
Kiwi, I was describing the past. What I have stated did happen. Who knows what the future holds. Just pointing that Senderos has had plenty of opportunites to prove himself, and rustiness has played no part in his inability to do so. If Hleb and Rozza keep playing as they are Sendy might get an easy ride until Toure comes back.
January 21st, 2008 at 7:18 pm
What I can state ‘did happen’ is that when Toure departed to the ANC, the herd mentality kicked in and a tribe of posters came out with grand predictions of our defensive demise due to Senderos fundamental uselessness (their analysis not mine).
It seemed to me to be OTT at the time and I said so. Defence is a collective responsibility and I did not believe that the insertion of Senderos into a well functioning defence would equal collapse.
As for a delayed demise theory after 4 or 5 games - maybe that should be 5 or 6 - Senderos has played the last 4 in a row.
I don’t want to get into a silly tit for tat string of arguments, but it does appear that some posters (and some journo’s) have lost their ability to reason when it comes to Senderos. They’ve obviously lost patience in his development. From my perspective he’s a backup player whose development has dipped. But I don’t forget the good runs he has had in the team, nor the good performances he puts in.
How will he turn out? No idea.
But importantly with regard to the period of Toure’s absence Senderos in a defence with Gallas, Sagna and Clichy is most likely adequate. Particularly with the energetic Flamster in front of him and the relatively calm Almunia behind him (compared to Lehmann).
January 21st, 2008 at 7:33 pm
Kiwi, when I talk football with you I don’t regard it as tit for tat. Your interested in the football, not scoring cheap points. In that context, minor disagreements add a healthy spice to the site.
As for Sendy, I think most fans know that he can defend well 80% of the time. It’s just that when a team keeps knocking he usually folds. In fairness, I think Danny T noted that our fixture list in Toure’s absence was rather kind and we shouldn’t be effected too badly by it. Man City is probably the hardest game in that sequence and I think they are tailor made for us if all our key players are healthy. Tomorrow would have been a great barometer of his progess- defending well with that weak midfield in front of him.
Personally, I don’t think Senderos playing will make or break us. I’ve thought all along that it comes down to Hleb and Rosicky’s fitness.
January 21st, 2008 at 7:44 pm
I don’t want to sound like a broken record (does that show my age) but I am still waiting for anyone to name a better third-choice centre-half than Senderos from a team outside the top four and that would be prepared to come to Arsenal to fight for a place against the never-injured but always at least very good Toure and the rock-solid captain Gallas.
Tomorrow’s match will be interesting. It would be great if this team could go one better than last year but it is an uphill task. If we win well, it would answer some of the questions about our depth.
January 21st, 2008 at 7:59 pm
Fair enough Mazza.
Hleb and Rosicky are lovely footballers, no doubt. I think they have Wengers confidence too so only persistent injury will undo them.
I have to agree with you that their well-being is vital to Arsenal, cause the backup alternatives at this stage are at best pretty raw converts to the smart wide role that Wengerball requires. Only RvP comes to mind as having the footballing nous to cover for them. Eboue is limited (& away), Walcott is struggling, Dudu is a striking predator, Diaby & Denilson are central players. All of them on their day can fill a role out wide but doing so for a series of games is another matter.
January 21st, 2008 at 8:42 pm
The great thing about this tie is that all the pressure is on Sp*rs. Without this cup, their season is basically over (barring a miracle against ManUre).
January 21st, 2008 at 8:46 pm
Well, Senderos is a moot point as he will not be playing tomorrow.(p)
And I think we too quickly forget that Senderos was part of a Champions League record defensive team. I don’t have a problem with big Phil, he’s a revelation compared to the dreadful Gilberto or the even worse Eboue.
January 21st, 2008 at 9:42 pm
Wasn’t Eboue part of that record Champions League defensive team? Brilliant comment. You managed to make a point and then completely undermine it one sentence later. You should run for president. I think there is still time.
January 21st, 2008 at 11:52 pm
I have to agree with Irishgunner’s assessment of Sendros, can’t think of any teams outside of the top five who have a better backup central defender, While Senderos may never be a star, gets exposed at times and does make silly mistakes, he is very good positionally, excellent in the air and when coupled with Toure/Gallas, Sagna and Clichy we still manage to present a capable back four.
Unfortunately, we are missing four of our CB’s either due to injury or the ANC. Fortunately, we still have options in Gilberto and Hoyte. While this may tide us over for a game a two it will leave us exposed over time.
The starting lineup looks like it will be
Fabianski
Hoyte, Gilberto, Gallas, Traore
Randall/Lansbury Diaby, Denilson, Eduardo
Walcott, Bendtner
Subs: Lehman, Hoyte, Sagna, Cesc, Lansbury/Randall
Blurb from Arsene earlier in the day:
“On the bench you might find a high number of players who have played a lot of Premier League games,” said Wenger. “Cesc could be involved. Last year at White Hart Lane [in the first leg of the semi-final] he became very influential when we were 2-0 down and gave strength in midfield and quality in the final third to help us come back [to 2-2]. We always have that kind of belief when we go over there. It’s a semi-final and, even when you’re down, you just have to go for it.”
By all rights, Spurs at home should beat us. However, I just have this sense that the Gunners will surprise all with a 2-1 victory.
I’ll be at the Morehouse Cafe in Atlanta imbibing a few pints of Guiness with fellow Arsenal fans for the 3:00 pm EST start.
January 21st, 2008 at 11:56 pm
Gilberto is going to have a good match. I think he’ll SCORE.
I think he’ll provide some much needed experience for what will be a young squad. I like him and Gallas on the pitch together for this one.
Yes. Should be interesting indeed.
I think if we can start well, and not fall behind early, we can win it.
January 22nd, 2008 at 12:08 am
I would like Gilberto in defense but that will leave our midfield totally weak - Diaby, Denilson, Lansbury and Walcott/Eduardo?
January 22nd, 2008 at 12:32 am
Nipuna, on paper Bert adds experience to the midfield but in reality his form is pretty lousy so I’m not convinced we lose anything from a Diaby/Denilson combo……maybe we gain a bit by playing them in roles they prefer.
If worst came to worst we could pull Fabregas off the bench to bolster things in the 2nd half.
January 22nd, 2008 at 12:52 am
randall played 90 minutes monday night so i doubt he will make the team tuesday. its likely to be just gibbs, mannone and lansbury from the reserves.
i really hope one of rosicky or hleb starts - the other should be on the bench, let us at least have a strong option on the bench. adebayor should also be on the bench.
gallas and hoyte is safe enough. sagna beside them makes things even safer. traore is a weak link though.
bendtner and walcott should be OK i guess.
as for midfield gilberto is currently the definition of the word - disaster. i really wish we had another option. gilberto is like an additional man for spurs so get prepared to be playing 10 against 12 spurs. the worst part is that he and denilson will create zilch - that aspect will be so painful to watch.
i hope one of diaby or lansbury or hopefully hleb or rosicky can do something. if not a bendtner header might be our main recourse.
if we put out this team against any team in the PL i would think its a sure loss….but spurs are legendary in their bottling so there is still hope yet.
January 22nd, 2008 at 12:57 am
i hope the following team is chosen:
fabianski
sagna - hoyte - gallas - traore
diaby - lansbury - denilson - gibbs
bendtner - walcott
bench: mannone, clichy, hleb, eduardo, adebayor.
but am sure wenger will squeeze gilberto in there…….unfortunately!
January 22nd, 2008 at 1:03 am
Ivory Coast v. Nigeria: 1-0. Kalou scored after weaving past 3 to get into the box. Toure had a solid game. Interestingly, Eboue was started at RMF and had absolutely zilch offensive impact when compared to Kalou at LMF. He then was dropped to RB when the incumbent picked up a yellow card bringing down Martins.
Randall will not play in the CC. He was part of the Reserve team that lost to an experienced laden Birmingham City team tonight.
Denilson and Diaby need to step up. Will Gilberto play like a matador? How many FK will he give at the edge of the box. How many ’successful’ passes will he make to Sp**s players? Will our strikers see the ball in the final third or will they be spectators to a slaughter?
AC Milan win a second in a row. Not a good thing.
January 22nd, 2008 at 1:15 am
I think Cesc would have started this game except for the fact that Denilson is not injured and is supposed to play in the Cesc role. So Cesc will be on the bench. Considering Rosicky’s injury record, I doubt he will be risked in this game. One od Eduardo/Ade will surely be on the bench. I would love to see Gibbs start.
January 22nd, 2008 at 3:00 am
Unless forced by Injury..I’m of the opinion that Wenger should play all the youngsters that have played a part in this tournament earlier and are available for the game.
I know that Spurs at the moment are a tough proposition….but i hope Wenger continues with his philosophy of playing youngsters especially when it has worked so far.
If he tries to mix and match and get a few senior players in at the cost of a few youngsters…just because we should not be losing against Spurs…then I’m afraid that i’m going to have a really bad feeling about this game.
Hoping for the best though
Cheers
January 22nd, 2008 at 5:49 am
The intensity of comments by Wenger on Hoyte are slightly surprising. Hmm
“…..and overall I refuse categorically to give him up.”
http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=556086
January 22nd, 2008 at 7:34 am
It’s not that big a deal playing some first teamers tonight. Tottenham are not usually a dirty side, in fact relations between the two sets of players seem very cordial. Also, we’ve got the F.A Cup on Saturday. The Walcotts and Diabys could conceivably be wheeled out again and take on Newcastle. So, the first teamers could rest up then.
January 22nd, 2008 at 8:24 am
Kiwi, I think the key is this comment “I have big respect for Justin because he is a player that does not talk too much, but every time I play him he is quality.”
I guess over the years AW has been really fed up with all those personal egos. And to be fair to Hoyte, he does look like a good professional among the new generation (or some might suggest “unambitious”).
anyway, i think AW appreicated Hoyte’s attitude. though personally i don’t rate him that much, I do really hope he will make it at Arsenal. Perhaps as a central half. As a full back, his game is too limit to cut it there.
January 22nd, 2008 at 9:28 am
Why is Wenger is talking up Hoyte? Because he’s English. He wants Hoyte to stay in case UEFA impose a limit on foreign players. He has a player who is a half-decent shoe in, happy to not even be included in the squad for the majority of matches and never complains, a manager’s dream.
From my perspective, I look at a player like Hoyte and think “loser”. He is just sitting on his arse and picking up the money. Will he ever take Eboue/Sagna’s place? No. Will he ever take Clichy’s/Traore’s place? No. Will he ever be an Arsenal centre back? No. What future does he have other than putting his feet up for 80% of the season and watching Arsenal on the sofa?
I have more respect for Diarra, who was burning to play the game he loves, “football”, and would do anything to play it, anywhere. Confident enough in his ability that he will have to take a step down to make a step up.
With Hoyte, and like Aliadiere, the longer a player hangs around to the detriment of their career the less and less I think of them.
January 22nd, 2008 at 10:00 am
Still, a player like Hoyte is invaluable in the squad. A guy that loves Arsenal enough to the extent where being in the squad for the odd game is justification enough to stick around. United have had a truckload over the years like Fletcher, Eagles, and Brown and they perform an important role. In Hoyte’s case, Wenger likes to use him to help bring the kids along in the Carling Cup and also act as a role model in terms of how to accept competition. Hoyte also gives 100 % when he plays and doesn’t give the impression of a player coasting along enjoying the ride. I would like to have ‘problems’ like Hoyte.
January 22nd, 2008 at 10:03 am
I would like Arsenal to have MORE problems like Hoyte, I meant.
Edit option would be really helpful on this site.
January 22nd, 2008 at 10:10 am
Whatever Danny. If that was the case we’d have only Einsteins in this world; everyone would be geniuses. If that was the case everyone would want to keep switching jobs lifelong. But you stop when you go and get married nad have kids and want a settled life at some point. Why?? How about every Einstein then coming up and saying that he has lesser and lesser respect for you as years go by? Doesnt makes sense at all..
January 22nd, 2008 at 10:12 am
testing soemthing..ignore
January 22nd, 2008 at 11:12 am
Arsenal squad to face Tottenham:
2 Abou DIABY
3 Bacary SAGNA
4 Cesc FABREGAS
9 EDUARDO
10 William GALLAS
13 Alexander HLEB
15 DENILSON
16 Mathieu FLAMINI
19 GILBERTO
21 Lukasz FABIANSKI (GK)
25 Emmanuel ADEBAYOR
26 Nicklas BENDTNER
30 Armand TRAORE
31 Justin HOYTE
32 Theo WALCOTT
40 Vito MANNONE (GK)
Enough strength to have a good chance of winning.
January 22nd, 2008 at 11:29 am
Gilberto is a disaster!
yes. you probably slagged him off in past years as well… he is one of the best positional defensive players we’ve ever had… and definitely can provide experience in a squad of kids.
He’s a definite positive to have in our team… and on the bench for insurance.
January 22nd, 2008 at 11:37 am
team for tonight should look like this:
fabianski
sagna hoyte gallas traore
hleb/walcott denilson gilberto diaby
bendtner walcott/eduardo
subs: mannone,flamini,fabregas,adebayor,hleb/eduardo
one of eduardo and hleb is going to start. if eduardo starts, walcott will start on the right. if hleb starts, walcott upfront. Most probably hleb because eduardo has played alot recently. fabregas and adebayor to come on if needed.
January 22nd, 2008 at 11:37 am
Hoyte has seen the likes of Bentley, Owusu, and Upson who gave up jumped ship when it seemed the chance to play for Arsenal was a silly dream. Hoyte is showing a bit of patience and perhaps maturity considering the circumstances.
If Upson had waited six short months we may not even know how good of a CB Toure is.
Bentley’s situation looked hopeless when he had Ljunberg, Wiltord, Reyes, Pires, and van Persie all in front of him; and then Hleb came in on top of that. But in two short years, look at how quickly things change in football. Wiltord, Reyes, and Pires are gone and van Persie’s a striker. He’s better than Walcott or Diaby and could be playing Champions League football right now.
Hoyte’s decision to stay hardly shows a loser mentality or lack of ambition but patience. He’s seen others screw up leaving too soon and doesn’t want to make the same mistake. If he’s not playing at 25 then he’ll definitely need to leave but for now he’s still young and has got the boss’ backing. Maybe he’ll be a late bloomer. Maybe Sagna will blow a cruciate ligament next weekend and he’ll get a chance. If he can string a few impressive performances together then we’ve seen from Flamini what that could lead to. Time will tell what the future has for him.
January 22nd, 2008 at 11:49 am
I know Tottenham have got a good chance to win tonight but it feckin amazes me how before every single game between Tottenham and Arsenal, Spurs fans and fomer Spurs players predict a Tottenham win time after time. For the last six years they’ve been predicting victories at the Lane and yet every year we school them and teach them a lesson. Yet still, they keep on backing Spurs with scant regard for our superiority. I really hope we embarrass them tonight and finally put them in their place.
January 22nd, 2008 at 12:00 pm
This match borrows from the same theme as all those other infidel teams that have decided to glorify the pig in its most ignoble form as a HAM. I guess it makes sense to use HAM because Westsausage or Birmingweiner, doesn’t have the same ring. Although “tenderloin” has a nice quality to it: Full_and_tenderloins — that might be a stretch but hey!
Personally, I think today’s match will be like my first Fetal Pig dissection back in high, really high school. Think about it: fetal meaning an infant or TOT and pig being HAMS. Now I also hasten to point out that all fetal pigs have their tongues sticking out. Why, well because there fetal.
By the end of the match, Totenschnitzels will have their tongues hanging out from the dissection that our squad is going to hand them.
Like casting, pearls before swine and who’d want a silk purse made from a sows ear anyway.
January 22nd, 2008 at 12:14 pm
I have to come down on Hoyte’s side here. You do realize that about 70% of PL players dont play more football than him.
He is an hardworking and genuine player but quite limited - he knows that. He loves the club and to be honest he is not that different from P. Neville was back in the day. Same with all those “water carriers” like Butt, etc who stayed on the sideline in the Man U glory years. They were ESSENTIAL players who didnt rock the boat - and hence allowed the team to concentrate on winning.
Imagine if back in 1999 the likes of Butt, P.Neville, Nick Chadwick, Blomqvuist, Soljaer, Greening, David May and the rest all moaned and gave deadlines to the boss. They would have left - yet they didnt and they did play the BIGGEST MATCH EVER in the 99 CL final due to numerous injuries and suspensions.
So basically you need hardworking, loyal players like that. If the likes of Greening, Neville and Blomqvuist were not “losers” why should Hoyte be considered one?
By age 25, after he has won a medal or two at the club he loves, Wenger will allow him to leave for free (to maximize his new wage) to some team in the Fulham or Sunderland range - where they will make him captain.
January 22nd, 2008 at 12:19 pm
I cannot bring myself to respect someone who tried to moan his way into the first team. And when failed, just left. Respect a guy like that? No way. Bottom line here - if every footballer thinks the same way as Diarra, there will be no football team. Only starting XI, forget about the back up.
January 22nd, 2008 at 12:19 pm
@ stag: do you really want to argue with me over this?
Instead of actually watching how a player has actually played you mouth inane comments like “he is one of the best positional defensive players”. Nonsense!
The only experience he is giving the “squad of kids” (which you never thought will make it by the way) is the experience of passing the ball to the opposition.
Slowly returning back to your idiotic comments form of the summer, arent ya?
January 22nd, 2008 at 12:27 pm
Well, I’m not much for predictions but it would be a nice afternoon for a win.
The key will be if we give up any goals to mental mistakes. Usually that has been our undoing in cup matches. Today I hope we keep our heads, and have out feet in the right position.
Spurs’ problem is that they see red when playing Arsenal, and don’t stick to their game plan…they give Arsenal too many chances to escape with goals we don’t deserve. I think the match will be close, and I think we have a good chance to nick this away from these “bottlers.”
Oh, and I’ll be watching the match in Dallas TX at Trinity Hall at Mockingbird Station (Mockingbird & 75)…I think things get riled up at about 1:30 CST.
Up the arse, kiss the crest, believe!
January 22nd, 2008 at 12:38 pm
Fred. You don’t like differing opinons.
We all know that. Too bad.
Why don’t you call me a few names, then you’ll feel better.
Oh, you did already.
Its people like you that ruin good sites.
Gilberto is a very good defensive player. He plays for the world’s best team. Brazil. You don’t have to like him, or his current form, but that doesn’t change facts.
Enjoy yourself.
January 22nd, 2008 at 2:48 pm
Squad will probably be:
Fabianski
Sagna Hoyte Gallas Traore
Hleb Denilson Gilberto DIaby
Walcott Bendtner
Subs: Mannone, Adebayor, Eduardo, Fabregas, Flamini
January 22nd, 2008 at 2:49 pm
Am with Kiwi@3 — Would love to win the thing…seriously. But NOT AT the cost of a title bid derail
January 22nd, 2008 at 3:32 pm
from BBC……..Arsenal include William Gallas, Alexander Hleb and Bacary Sagna as the trio add experience to the youthful side the Gunners usually play in the Carling Cup. Arsenal also have Emmanuel Adebayor, Cesc Fabregas, Mathieu Flamini and Eduardo da Silva make up a strong bench.
January 22nd, 2008 at 3:34 pm
I’m ‘just loving’ the fact Hleb is there, and the fact the bench is so strong.
January 22nd, 2008 at 3:49 pm
Just because Gilberto plays for Brazil doesn’t make him a great player NOW, as we speak. The fact is, he’s demotivated, knows he will be dumped by the club in the summer, and it shows in his quite dreadful recent performances. So it doesn’t matter who he plays for Internationally, or what he’s done in the past - and he was a very good player - but at the moment he’s drivel and no use to Arsenal playing like this.
As for Hoyte, I stick by what I said.
live_dont_exist mentions what’s so wrong with player settling down in his job and staying put at the club he loves. Well first of all, I’m cynical about players who profess to “love the club”, and second, yes, some players do settle down, when and want to stay put, usually at 30+ years old. Not 23. Where’s his job satisfaction? He only features in 10 games a season and half of them are usually Carling Cup games.
Anyway, I haven’t got anything against Hoyte, seems a nice lad - just can’t understand why he doesn’t want to play football. A painter wants to paint, not sit watching the canvas.
I’m not surprised Wenger has gone with a stronger team tonight, injuries have played their part, but he knew we were on a hiding to nothing if he put too similar a team out to the one he did 2 weeks ago.
January 22nd, 2008 at 4:05 pm
Some players need REGULAR football to play to their proper level. You can’t expect everyone to drop in… and produce… like Solksjaer in his day.
Gilberto can and will be a useful player. He is a PLUS to have in the squad… in my opinion. Thats all. Its simple. And playing for Brazil lets you know that he IS at a top player. They have so many options, but they know his worth. So take it for whats its worth. Its opinion. I don’t accept that Gilberto is a “disaster”. That isn’t fact, its opinion. we all have our own. We’ll see how he does tonight.
January 22nd, 2008 at 4:08 pm
spurs score. 3 minutes.
January 22nd, 2008 at 4:10 pm
hmm whoops looks like they got the good start I was talking about
January 22nd, 2008 at 4:12 pm
Denilson lok like he did his hamstring on the Jenas goal.
January 22nd, 2008 at 4:20 pm
We always spot Spurs a goal. I am not worried.
January 22nd, 2008 at 4:25 pm
Nope he seems okay
.. and I’m going to bed…its 2:00am here..hope to see a win when I wake up…
January 22nd, 2008 at 4:36 pm
0-2. Bastards.
So all we need are a couple of goals in the second half to win this on away goals…
January 22nd, 2008 at 4:44 pm
@ 43: this is the same kind of idiotic opinion u used to spout all over this site in the summer when you predicted our total collapse without henry and if we didnt any alleged “proven” players…..i guess gilberto is your “proven” player.
you have got all your silly “predictions” in the last one year all wrong….one would think you wont come back to continue the nonsense talk. i am happy to humiliate you on your points all over again. lol.
playing for the national team means absolutely nothing.
January 22nd, 2008 at 4:46 pm
the score is just as i expected. i was hoping we could nick an early one though.
adebayor should come in for walcott….and gilberto should leave the pitch for eduardo. lets go all out in the second half….we have no other choice.
January 22nd, 2008 at 4:51 pm
We’re very lucky it’s not 3/4-0 at half.
We’ve been here before, but…
January 22nd, 2008 at 4:54 pm
the stage is beautifully set for an Arsenal comeback…….the bench is loaded…….just think how far down Spurs will fall when we come back and beat them.
…….I know, I know
January 22nd, 2008 at 4:57 pm
You guys believe me about Diaby now? Useless!
January 22nd, 2008 at 4:58 pm
Even Tottenham can’t fuck this one up surely.
Unfortunately, the kids (Walcott, Bendtner, Hoyte, Traore, Fabianski, Diaby) are playing like kids. Hats off to Gilberto though, he’s making them look like Maradona, every pass he plays further than 2 yards goes to a Tottenham player.
It would be nice though if when an Arsenal player gets wide instead of midfielders and strikers running away from the box, they run into it.
January 22nd, 2008 at 4:58 pm
It can happen, but this is quite a hole to climb out of… as far as shovels go, Eduardo or Adebayor (should either ot both come on) is/are going to have to have a bulldozers job in hand.
January 22nd, 2008 at 5:01 pm
Fred #57 - Unloading the bench on them by the 75th is what I want to see. Otherwise, why have first-teamers available on the bench?
January 22nd, 2008 at 5:02 pm
This is what I mean about Arsenal being the most idiosyncratic team of the top four. I mean, who else would concede such stupid pathetic goals? Firstly that ancient relic Gilberto, with a bone age of 1000 yrs old it seems, doesn’t even bother to close Jenas down. And then dopey Bendtner heads in his own net.
Can’t see us getting back into this. Tottenham defend alot more intelligently under Ramos. And we haven’t got Robinson to bail us out.
Also, Hleb needs to stop passing the ball to inferior players after doing all the hardwork of going past three players. I know he always does this but he should be at the stage now when he takes more responsibilty and stop following the doctrine so closely.
January 22nd, 2008 at 5:03 pm
They’ve put double the work rate in compared to Arsenal. But if Tottenham tire, start to sit back and let Arsenal nick one, they’ll shit themselves.
Although this time, I don’t think it’s gonna happen, they very clearly want it more.
January 22nd, 2008 at 5:05 pm
Ramo is doing his job, and is using his resources wisely unlike his poor predecesors. Having said that, the spuds have improved and we shouldn’t expect a cakewalk from now on.
I don’t see us coming back on this one but I still like us to go all out in the second half and give it a shot.
January 22nd, 2008 at 5:08 pm
Ledley King also makes a big difference to their normally retarded defence.
January 22nd, 2008 at 5:10 pm
@Mazza, #64
Well, the starting back 4 is half comprised of reservists. Gallas and Sagna can’t do all the work. Agreed about Gilberto though…
January 22nd, 2008 at 5:10 pm
Buy a keeper in the summer, Fabianski went down like a spastic.
January 22nd, 2008 at 5:10 pm
f**in ‘ell.
January 22nd, 2008 at 5:11 pm
I hate to call it now, but may as well put a fork in ‘em.
January 22nd, 2008 at 5:23 pm
4-0. Gilberto didn’t track Lennon and he scores.
January 22nd, 2008 at 5:24 pm
gulp
January 22nd, 2008 at 5:24 pm
Well, the good news is we can concentrate on the, er, FA Cup.
January 22nd, 2008 at 5:25 pm
guess AW was figuring it was a lost cause going into the 2nd… save Ade and Eduardo for the weekend.
January 22nd, 2008 at 5:26 pm
What Gilberto did then was so pathetic he should be sacked.
January 22nd, 2008 at 5:27 pm
Why the fuck is Wenger putting Adebayor and Eduardo on? 4-0 down, what’s the point of getting them injured?
January 22nd, 2008 at 5:28 pm
perhaps I spoke too soon.. but exactly what’s the point in subbing ‘em in really…
January 22nd, 2008 at 5:30 pm
What I’d like to know is why AW has stood pat so far in signing at least a defender in light of the fact that down Toure and Eboue, we appear quite thin at the back end so far as replacements go.
January 22nd, 2008 at 5:31 pm
silly. let the kids rot and get spanked so they learn their lessons!
I hope ade and edurado don’t get tired or injured… fingers crossed. We need’em for the league and FA cup games versus the Toons!
January 22nd, 2008 at 5:32 pm
Adebayor, the new Drogba. Fuck me, what a goal!
January 22nd, 2008 at 5:32 pm
Danny, it’s his DNA I guess, his instinct is to attack, I wouldn’t be averse to us pulling back a couple of goals.
January 22nd, 2008 at 5:33 pm
Cue the Bronx cheers… a concession goal from our top boy.
January 22nd, 2008 at 5:33 pm
…..1 back
January 22nd, 2008 at 5:35 pm
It’s almost worth going 4-0 down to watch Tottenham shit themselves.
January 22nd, 2008 at 5:36 pm
This will be the first game Adebayor scored that we didn’t win.
January 22nd, 2008 at 5:38 pm
yeah, adebayor is a confirmed spurs-hater. lol. at least let us get a second consololation so it looks respectable.
gilberto is the utter and complete definition of USELESS. pass the ball to an arsenal player for fucks sake.
lets get one more and make it a respectable 4-2 and get out of there.
January 22nd, 2008 at 5:39 pm
there is still 15 minutes to go. Thats a lot of football if u r playing spuds
January 22nd, 2008 at 5:42 pm
It comes down to this: with the exception of missing players due to the ACN, the starting lineup looked half-assed. I understand that AW likes to use his reservists and bench players more during cup competition, but if we seriously hope to win these things, why not bring out your best XI like everyone else seems to?
I mean, Berbatov, Jenas and Lennon & Keane all start for Spurs, and we counter with Walcott, Bendtner, Hoyte and Traore… while Ade, Eduardo, Cesc & Flamini are on the bench?
It’s the second leg of the semis, against our league rivals… not an early match against MK Dons or someone equally less spectacular.
January 22nd, 2008 at 5:42 pm
nah, this is certainly a bridge too far.
its funny, the only difference btw the reserve teams that played all the other CC games and the ones that played the semis against spurs is GILBERTO in for diarra.
we probably should have started with our first team thinking about it. but hey, it is a mickey mouse competition. i HOPE AND PRAY everton beat chelsea and beat spurs too!
January 22nd, 2008 at 5:44 pm
Spurs are wetting themselves, belting the ball anywhere, it’s quite pathetic, you’d think 4-1 allows you to be composed.
January 22nd, 2008 at 5:46 pm
I don’t care how lopsided the record has been against Spurs… true championship form is reflected in a side that would kill a fly with a sledgehammer.
Nothing was learned from the first leg, apparently… or AW just doesn’t care as much about the League Cup as we do.
January 22nd, 2008 at 5:48 pm
I’m not going to moan about the result, we had it coming. Wenger is right in his policy to play kids and stick to it.
You can’t expect this virtual youth team to churn out wins in this competition against full Prem sides time and time again.
January 22nd, 2008 at 5:51 pm
Bendtner and Gallas argued just before the free-kick was taken. Was that just frustration or Gallas say something to Bendtner? The ref was kind to let Ade stay on. Atleast he told Ade to calm down as opposed to sending him off.
January 22nd, 2008 at 5:52 pm
Normally I agree with sticking toprinciple…. but, principle, and what is done in the name of it, is far easier to tout when you’re not taking the first loss to a team in 22 meetings.
January 22nd, 2008 at 5:52 pm
exactly. i am waiting for the reactionary idiots to come out and have a good moan.
January 22nd, 2008 at 5:53 pm
Well Spurs will be so delighted that they will get thrashed at Manchester on the weekend and might even get ready for a relegation battle.
January 22nd, 2008 at 5:53 pm
From what it sounds like on the radio, it was Ade and Bendtner who were having words, and Gallas stepped in to mediate.
January 22nd, 2008 at 5:54 pm
i just hope that this loss is enough to light a fire under the first team to win the prem
January 22nd, 2008 at 5:55 pm
Thanks ryecatcher. But interesting to see the ref pull back Bendtner to say something. For a second there it looked like Gallas and Bendtner might have had a swing at each other.
January 22nd, 2008 at 5:56 pm
I like the policy of sticking with the young guns in the early rounds…..if we get beaten fair enough.
I think things become muddled in the semi’s. I’m not saying this because we are losing badly. But when we try and supplement the young with the 1st team we often look half baked.
Not sure whether there is an answer.
January 22nd, 2008 at 5:56 pm
no way
January 22nd, 2008 at 5:56 pm
Fabianski (2) Dreadful performance, positioning was a joke all night. We’ll need to buy a decent keeper to challenge Almunia.
Sagna (5) Worst performance for the club to date
Gallas (6) Poor by his standards, but was often trying to do the job of 3 men
Hoyte (4) Not a center back
Traore (3) Awful defending, awful coming forward
Hleb (6) Chose the wrong option in the final third time and time again
Fabregas (5) Didn’t look that bothered
Diaby (6) The better of the midfielders but not great
Gilberto (1) A disgrace. Lazy, passed like a quadroplegic, hope he never plays for Arsenal again
Bendtner (6) Apart from the own goal wasn’t that bad, started very well and hit the bar with a good effort
Walcott (4) Clueless, should go out on loan
Subs: Eduardo (6), Adebayor (80) Brilliant goal, played like he cared, unlike certain others. Denilson (5) Came off relatively early
5-1 now. Oh dear. Couldn’t care less to be honest. We have proper trophies to go for.
January 22nd, 2008 at 5:56 pm
It’s possible… Gallas isn’t really known for his cool headedness…but I’m listening to the radio call, so I didn’t see the video coverage.
January 22nd, 2008 at 5:57 pm
oh dear
January 22nd, 2008 at 5:57 pm
and that’s 5
January 22nd, 2008 at 5:59 pm
hope we somehow see them in the FA cup… hate to have the rivalry close on that note.
January 22nd, 2008 at 6:00 pm
Gallas was not happy with Bendtner about the own goal, not happy at all. Tottenham celebrating like they’ve won the world cup, hilarious.
January 22nd, 2008 at 6:01 pm
Phew. The game is finally over. I can switch the computer off and even attempt to put this result away. But I am sure Arsenal fans in London might have to endure a few weeks of nonsense over this.
I am not that upset for whatever reason. The game went as per my worst fears, so maybe I had already set my expectations so low. Just hope the team can quickly forget this and get on with the business of the big trophies on hand. This Carling Cup was always the 4th on list of all the competitions as far as Wenger was concerned.
January 22nd, 2008 at 6:02 pm
Well, he is the skipper. I’d expect him to take it seriously.
On another note, if anything else wasn’t glaringly exposed tonight, we seriously need more depth at CB.
January 22nd, 2008 at 6:02 pm
……you see the gulf in the clubs, Spurs are acting like they have won the Champions League, beating us means so much to them, even against our cobbled together bitsa-team, in the lowest ranked competition. They can’t even appreciate the disdain with which Wenger’s treated them through his team selection.
Let them enjoy it…..this is as good as it gets for them, and it’s been so long since they bet us in anything.
January 22nd, 2008 at 6:03 pm
Yeah, and it hurts a lot more to lose in the final than the semi.
January 22nd, 2008 at 6:06 pm
Atleast Ade continued his streak of scoring against Spurs with a super goal.
Not surprized that Spurs are celebrating like that. Remember when Chelsea won the Carling Cup, they celebrated like it was the greatest trophy on the planet.
I do wonder if this win will make Spurs go over the top and lead them to get relegated? Although, the form of the bottom teams is so bad that Spurs can’t get relegated even if they tried.
January 22nd, 2008 at 6:07 pm
If we had won I wouldn’t even have celebrated.
January 22nd, 2008 at 6:08 pm
I still stick with AW’s approach to this cup competition.
Having said that, 1-5 to Spuds hurts.
No matter the side we put out there, Spuds didn’t let their foot off the gas like last year’s semi second leg. Ramos making a difference?
On to the weekend and another cup - this time against a side that is truly in trouble.
January 22nd, 2008 at 6:09 pm
Well no headlines like Arsenal make it 22 unbeaten games on Jan 22.
January 22nd, 2008 at 6:12 pm
kids or not, we lost 5-1, and that’s embrassing. This is a senior competition, just because Wenger decide to use it as a venue to blood in new youngsters doesn’t make this Cup less significant.
I will credit Spuds for playing well and rue our players for not giving it their all. I don’t want to hear any excuse about this result and anyone down playing it. We lost to a better team, fair and square in a Senior competition. And even if it was only our semi-fringe squad it doesn’t make accepting this loss any differently. I hate it when we Arsenal fans get accused of downplaying a loss in the Carling Cup or when we lost due to having many young players on the pitch. It’s almost make us seem hypocritical - boast about our youngsters when they win and downplay their failures when they lose.
We should all just accept defeat gracefully and move on. No more of this “oh it just a mickey mouse cup and now we can focus on the league, FAC, and CL”. There’s no gurantee we’ll eve reach the semis of the other cups and so for me this was an opportunity at silverware.
Don’t forget at the end of the day, all of our good work thus far this season means nothing if we don’t have anything to show for it.
January 22nd, 2008 at 6:13 pm
It does hurt more to lose in the final.
Although I am disappointed that Wenger didn’t play a stronger line-up (it’s the broken record again!) I really thought winning the CC would have been a significant milestone in this teams development (if not the clubs history).
Ade’s goal was a beauty. His progression since arriving at Arsenal has been excellent, in fact unusually linear. He has got better and better over time, not in huge leaps, more bit by bit. If he scores 25 goals this season it will do seriously good things for his head - it’s like a rite of passage, joining a club. Score that many goals and your credibility sky rockets. Everyone starts talking about you as the real deal. And strikers need the confidence that comes from that kind of respect.
January 22nd, 2008 at 6:20 pm
The size of the defeat is a bit galling. But it seriously underlines the case for a back-up CB.
January 22nd, 2008 at 6:23 pm
Personally, I don’t care about this cup at all. It’s a pointless cup, only shitty teams take it seriously, and if it was scrapped I for one wouldn’t really care. I would say exactly the same even if we won it. In fact I thought exactly the same when we last won it in 1992-1993.
January 22nd, 2008 at 6:32 pm
Well if we’re bearing our souls, the only competitions that ‘mean’ a lot to me are the EPL and CL. Even the FAC, despite its history, doesn’t add much kudos to a major clubs standing. To me the FAC and CC are ‘nice’, and a bit of silverware, but I don’t think they stamp a teams mark as being ’superior’. Only the EPL title does that.
The CL is all about glory - nothing more or less. It’s bragging rights, an elite club. That’s why I want it.
January 22nd, 2008 at 6:37 pm
I like the FA Cup still, it has great history - that’s still valuable to me as a supporter. It has enough kudos to brag about still, you can’t brag about the Carling Cup, you would feel smalltime bragging about it..
January 22nd, 2008 at 8:28 pm
I agree that the CC is the least of our concerns but we are a competitive team and want to win everything. I doubt very much we would not have been celebrating and having a good time right now if the score was reverse. To me a loss to Spurs hurts and worse when you consider the manner of the defeat. It would not be half as painful if it was Liverpool for instance for me personally. I really hope somehow that we meet them in the FA cup to atone for this. However this is merely from an immotional standpoint. The fact is in the grand scheme of things this cup is pointless. Does not make it any easier to face this though.