Man Utd (H) Wednesday 12th February

[Dan_85]

We missed a trick with Matic who has improved the chavs midfield ten fold.

Don't you know that "players were not available in January"?

[goonertux]

As others have mentioned, maybe Vermaelen could be the answer at Dm. But not for this game, too early. This has always been the biggest game of the year for me, and I just hate everything about them. Come on Arsenal FFS! Restore some pride and rub their noses in the shite! Please!

[g88ner]

As others have mentioned, maybe Vermaelen could be the answer at Dm. But not for this game, too early. This has always been the biggest game of the year for me, and I just hate everything about them. Come on Arsenal FFS! Restore some pride and rub their noses in the shite! Please!

This idea of playing Vermaelen at CM has come up time and again but I've not seen any evidence that Wenger is seriously exploring this option.

Before Vermaelen, it was Kolo Toure being talked up as a CM... and before that it was Eboue as a winger... oh wait, that farce actually did happen

[QuartzGooner]

Bearing in mind we have Liverpool and Bayern coming up so need to rotate, if I was boss this would be my choice to play Man Utd, set out to go for the win for the kick-off.

------------Szczesny-----------

Sagna --- Mertesacker --- Koscielny------Gibbs

-----Wilshere-----Arteta-----

Gnabry-------Rosicky-------Podolski------

-------------Giroud-----------


Bench: Fabianski, Jenkinson, Monreal, Vermaelen, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Cazorla, Bendtner

I would rest Ozil completely for this one.

[Edit: Thanks Falkirk, had Flamini but he is still suspended]

[falkirk goon]

I think flamini is still suspended quartz so it'll prob be arteta in there

[Herd]

We cannot start with the same line up as Saturday ,Rosicky must start and either wilshere or ozil must be dropped or possibly both and start gnarnaby !

[goonersid]

Should win, but won't, Wenger will see to that. Watch out for another top performance from Jack (the future of english football) wilshire.

[rodders999]

This match should be billed like those old wrestling promotions in the 80's, Wenger v Moyes - "Loser Leaves Town". The battle of the incompetent buffoons

[goonertux]

As others have mentioned, maybe Vermaelen could be the answer at Dm. But not for this game, too early. This has always been the biggest game of the year for me, and I just hate everything about them. Come on Arsenal FFS! Restore some pride and rub their noses in the shite! Please!

This idea of playing Vermaelen at CM has come up time and again but I've not seen any evidence that Wenger is seriously exploring this option.
Before Vermaelen, it was Kolo Toure being talked up as a CM... and before that it was Eboue as a winger... oh wait, that farce actually did happen

But then have you seen any evidence that Wenger is exploring ANY options other than same old, same old every week!
I think it would work if he got a bit of confidence back. He's strong, can tackle, can run with the ball, and can shoot. Why not?

[TurnipMasher]

Hard to call, I want us to beat these arsebandits so badly that it is clouding any rational thought. Should beat them 2-0 or 2-1, but will prob end up losing 3-0.
If we are on the receiving end of another stuffing though it's got to be curtains for Wenger, surely?

[The Knowing One]

Next 3 games, all 1-1

[Gunner Rob]

Hard to call, I want us to beat these arsebandits so badly that it is clouding any rational thought. Should beat them 2-0 or 2-1, but will prob end up losing 3-0.
If we are on the receiving end of another stuffing though it's got to be curtains for Wenger, surely?

you would think so but unfortunately that will not be the case even as I suspect we could well lose our next 3 games at home.

all that will happen is that the spin machine will come out and by May most of the Emirates goldfish will be celebrating another top 4 finish as we hold off another late challenge from Spurs

[Its Up 4 Grabs Now]

As others have mentioned, maybe Vermaelen could be the answer at Dm. But not for this game, too early. This has always been the biggest game of the year for me, and I just hate everything about them. Come on Arsenal FFS! Restore some pride and rub their noses in the shite! Please!

This idea of playing Vermaelen at CM has come up time and again but I've not seen any evidence that Wenger is seriously exploring this option.
Before Vermaelen, it was Kolo Toure being talked up as a CM... and before that it was Eboue as a winger... oh wait, that farce actually did happen

But then have you seen any evidence that Wenger is exploring ANY options other than same old, same old every week!
I think it would work if he got a bit of confidence back. He's strong, can tackle, can run with the ball, and can shoot. Why not?

His positional sense and discipline have both always been suspect, he doesn't read danger that well and he tends to dive in giving away stupid fouls in dangerous areas.

Even when he's been good for us he's always played on the edge, like a kid on a sugar rush. I love his commitment but everything has the feel of panic stations. The number of times I've seen him slice a clearance in desperation when we were under the cosh and really just needed someone with some composure to steady the ship and defuse the situation. The DM in a "system" like ours has huge part in dictating the the tempo and flow of our play. Admittedly all too often we could do with someone upping the tempo but Vermaelen's too far the other way.

And on top of that, he's our ONLY back-up centre back! We actually cant afford to play him and risk him getting injured. Which is utterly fucking ridiculous in itself.

[Its Up 4 Grabs Now]

Big teams respond to bad defeats like a wounded animal. I have no doubt that we will, I'm just concerned that wounded animal might be a burst hedgehog.

We dont exactly have a great record in that regard. For some reason though I'm more confident of a result in this one than I was before Saturday's game.

[Bradywasking]

The stench of the 8-2 at Old Trafford still hangs over Arsenal, that is compounded by Saturday's embarrassing disgrace. Wednesday offers many opportunities , mainly to get the challenge back on the road, also to exorcise the historical thrashing in Manchester and the recent one in Liverpool. In late 1990 Arsenal played Man Utd at home in The League Cup. United were an average team and Arsenal were on their way to being champions. United stunned Highbury with a very quick start and lead 3-0 at the break, Arsenal started the second half much better and scored two early goals, they then went chasing the game and conceded another three before full time. It was a massive shock to the system, how did Arsenal respond ?, by destroying Liverpool the following Sunday in one of the displays of the season. Not alone did they exorcise demons , they also proved to themselves that they were far superior to their only challengers to the title.
On Wednesday we cannot and probably never can prove that we are superior to our challengers, but we can exorcise a few demons and most importantly the people who get paid a fortune to wear the shirt of our great club get a chance to prove their worth and to accept the responsibility that goes with that shirt.
Anti Wenger rant here, (I know there is a place for it) but Saturday proved that buying big name players is not enough and I am more convinced than ever that as long as he is manager it doesn't matter who Arsenal sign we will continue to suffer on the biggest days. I am not verbally abusing the man, I did on Saturday but in ways I have sympathy for him on a human level, but his reactions Saturday were not those of a top flight manager. If he gets a three year extension then it's three more years of false promise and spectacular failures.