Which team will turn up against Wigan?

[Chippy]

i am putting on my flak jacket and stab proof vest in starting this thread. I am as over the moon as anyone about the performance on Tuesday night. In its context it was one of the best Arsenal performances ever. But, and I hate to bring people down, will we play like that on Sunday or more likely, like we played against Brum and Villa?

Now this is where I am taking my life in my hands. I think it depends on that god Cesc. Don't get me wrong I am a big fan but lets be honest Tuesday is the first time he has played well since he came back from injury.

Obviously we need Hleb to be on top form. No Eboue, so Theo should get another start RvP could get a run out. But i think so much will depend on Cesc.

i have moved and had plastic surgery. my family is out of the country so do your worst.

[Magic Merse]

Personally i think we should be on enough of a high to play wigan off the park. But there is always that chance that we will underestimate wigan and more importantly, their pitch. The game against milan done nothing to ease my worries about regaining our composure in front of goal. So if, as expected, there is a wigan shaped bus infront of the goal. then much will come down, (yet again) to our ability not to panic and keep our heads on and focus on the gaps that will be there.

Come on boys fucking have it!!!

[SPUDMASHER]

Well, one thing you can be sure of is that Wigan will 'get stuck in' and 'hassle them off the ball' so we 'cannot settle and play'. Heskey will kick anything within the same postcode if the home tie is anything to go by and the pitch will be freshly ploughed the night before to prevent any football being played on it (much the same as will happen at OT in April).
I would think it will be 4-5-1 with Ade on his own up front with the usual suspects across the midfield. Theo will get on at some point but I still don't think we will see more than 5 minutes of RVP even if we are lucky.

My prediction..........TS will kill me if I predict a score so I'm not going to. (He's admin you know and can banish you to the official club forum if you're naughty)

[Red Gunner]

I think we are going to play well against Wigan. The momentum is now there to take until the end of the season. Van Persie will also be back for the match and the morale is quite high so I am confident.

[Chippy]

Nobody commented on my point about Cesc yet. Does that mean you all think I am tqlking out of my arse it happens regularly

[Hagbard 23]

...flak jacket... stab proof vest..plastic surgery...
...my family is out of the country so do your worst.

Fcuk me, what kind of people do you think we are on here ?

Don't be so nervous about getting flamed!

If the question you are really asking is 'will we play shit against Wigan?'
My answer would be probably, yes. After a great display, like in Milan, Its not
unusual for the next game to be a rather mediocre affair!

Could be wrong mind you, Stranger things have happened!!!

But make no mistake Wigan will have a huge Bus,(metaphorically speaking of course) parked right across the mid-field. It'll probably be a pretty boring game.

Still, can't see them being too much of a problem for us.

2-0 to the 'Arse I say, (sorry shouldn't make predictions!!!)

[Magic Merse]

Nobody commented on my point about Cesc yet. Does that mean you all think I am tqlking out of my arse it happens regularly

Agreed. It's no coincadence that when fabregas is playing then arsenal play. He is undoubtably the player we need to perform more than anyone else. If he turn's up at wigan then we should't have much to worry about. well apart from ade's hair cut.

[Chippy]

...flak jacket... stab proof vest..plastic surgery...
...my family is out of the country so do your worst.

Fcuk me, what kind of people do you think we are on here ?

Don't be so nervous about getting flamed!

it was tongue in cheek but there have been some pretty intense exchanges on here and I was dissing the guy who has just been re-anointed the Messiah.

BTW you might need all of the above. You made a prediction TS will be banishing you to hell (WHL) as we speak.

[Wayno]

I think we will play shit and struggle against Wigan Unlike AC, Wigan will look to play a more physical game and we will not have so much time on the ball. Me thinks this will be a nail biting.................okay no score prediction, I would hate to upset TS

[DERRY GOONER]

strange as it may sound, but the wigan game will be harder than the milan game, for a number of reasons. 1stly the mess their pitch is in at the min, why dont they just built a stadium of their own, instead of sharing with the rugby league warriors. they will get in our faces unlike milan, and i believe we may have 2 go direct in this game, thus playing bendtner up front with ade. wouldnt want risk brittle bones (rvp) on that surface or we may not c him again this season. tough tough game, but we should sneak it.

[exiled in notts]

...flak jacket... stab proof vest..plastic surgery...
...my family is out of the country so do your worst.

Fcuk me, what kind of people do you think we are on here ?

Don't be so nervous about getting flamed!

If the question you are really asking is 'will we play shit against Wigan?'
My answer would be probably, yes. After a great display, like in Milan, Its not
unusual for the next game to be a rather mediocre affair!

Could be wrong mind you, Stranger things have happened!!!

But make no mistake Wigan will have a huge Bus,(metaphorically speaking of course) parked right across the mid-field. It'll probably be a pretty boring game.

Still, can't see them being too much of a problem for us.

2-0 to the 'Arse I say, (sorry shouldn't make predictions!!!)

Fair comment Hagbard. I was at Ewood Park 2 seasons ago, the Saturday after the 1-0 at the Bernabeu. We lost 1-0 to Blackburn and the game was dire. Although that probably had more to do with Mark Hughes' vision of how the beautiful game should be played than anything else.

Anyway, where's everyone going to be drinking pre-match on Sunday? I normally go in that sports centre bar right by the away end, but given that we've sold out our allocation of 5,000 it might get a bit on the snug side.

[RocastleRock]

I also think he will go two up front for this one. Its going to be very tough if we dont score early.. Could probly do with abit of muscle upfront so think nic will get the nod.

Confident of a win tho.

[green gooner]

With ManUre not in Prem action this week it woulb be great to get the three points and get a bit of breathing space again. Points in the bag better than playing catch up.

However I am in no doubt we will struggle and the excuse will be a hangover from our great win in Milan. We appear to want to gift Man USA with the title as our performance against Villa showed.

All things being right we should blitz Wigan but I doubt it, hope I am totally wrong but.

[clockender1]

Wigan away is not the ideal chance for RVP to shine on his comeback or for Theo to start.

the pitch and weather will be crap and they'll kick lumps out of us.

Arsene said he wanted the lads to have"belief and humility" - this is the Humility bit.

Fab and Flam need to get stuck in, senderos needs to stand up for himself and adebayor put himself around a bit more.

forget milan, a gritty 1-0 or early goal is whats needed.

[U.F.G Anfield '89]

aren't there certain stardards required of the pitch in the premier league, i seem to remember someone not being promoted because of it. if it's not up to the standard then they should find somewhere else to play or forfeit all their matches until the pitch is brought up to spec.