As we're unlikely to see terraces again at football, this is the virtual equivalent where you can chat to your hearts content about all football matters and, obviously, Arsenal in particular. This forum encourages all Gooners to visit and contribute so please keep it respectful, clean and topical.
Well whether Gilberto's red card was justified or not we have to live with it now so what do you think we should or will do?
Will he play the terrier that is flamini? Will Alex song be given a chance to step up to the plate next to Cesc? Will be go bold and slot in the beast leaving us with two attack minded midfielders? Is Diaby fit enough to be thrown in at the deep end? Will he bring someone like Rosciky or maybe even hleb inside? Change things completely and play with eboue and clichy as wingbacks?
My guess would be Flamini, i just hope he can reproduce some of his top form like he did in the champions league and he won't take any crap against bolton, one fantastic positive is the way cesc seemed to have realised against blackburn that he is that damn skillful he can play around tough midfielders no matter how quick they close him down
Either way I have every faith in the team, we usually end up playing big games without Henry and that usually turns out for the best so why should the vice captain be any different
I think Flamini deserves it - especially after his good form last season and the good work he has done when coming on as a sub this season.
The big games we have coming will be a good indication as to whether Flamini should become a first team player or a squad player. This is his time to prove himself further (dont wanna put too much pressure on the kid lol).
Diaby would be a good shout,(if fit) but to throw in a player after that length of time out in one of the biggest games of the season would be stupid, and that's why Arsene won't do it. It HAS to be Flamini. The only other option would be to move Cesc back and play Baptista in the attacking midfielder role, but we all know that won't happen. Anyway, a bloke called John Corso wrote in a Article on the website a few weeks back that Gilberto's shit and shouldn't even be in the team. He rekons we're better of without him. Obviously John Corso is a F###ing Prick and a waste of Oxygen and would be better off down the road supporting that Shower of shit where he belongs.
I think playing Flamini there at home would send out the wrong message and suggest we would be happy with a draw.
I think he did a great job for us last year (especially in the champions league as a full back) but we really do a need a better holding player as a back up for Gilberto. Flamini's touch is not good enough, neither is his passing. he will do 'a job', but is that all we should expect at The Arsenal?
Has to be Flamini for me. Too early for Diaby, Baptista would leave us too open and Song just isn't good enough. Hleb and Rosicky I fear would also leave us too light weight in the middle if moved inside.
I don't see Flamini as a negative move, it's like for like as you're simply asking him to do the exact same role we'd want Gilberto to perform.
I think Flamini is a good squad player. I hear what people are saying about him not being good enough, but every team needs regular starters plus also back up players who don't necessarily get regular starts but are still happy to be part of a squad. If Gilberto's back-up was that good he wouldn't be happy to be back up and would probably look to move elsewhere.
We've therefore got to accept that at times, a player coming in to fill a gap won't necessarily be of the standard of the guy he's replacing.
Final point. I just love Flamini's attitude. Never shirks a tackle and never hides in a game.
My justification for describing it as more as a negative move is due to the passing ability. Gilberto's passing is underrated. Glimpses suggest that Diaby could be more pentrative... although maybe it is a risk...
I too admire Flamini's attitude, its just that other big teams seem to manage having big midefield players on the bench, so I see no reason why we can't?
i think based on the performance against Liverpool that Flamini has to play. I think against United there will be a lot of hustling them and to a certain degree him sitting in front of the defence or giving extra cover against Giggs and Ronaldo is vital.
Diaby would certainly be my preference if fully match fit, and from the little we've scene of him so far I think he could be some player. Once fully fit, Gilberto could possibly be under pressure for his place? That's a little way off yet and Gilberto experience is proving vital right now, but the future is bright!!
But for Sunday I agree that we just need Flamini to do a simple, but vital, role of mopping up in front of the back 4. Hopefully messrs Fabregas, Hleb and Rosicky will provide the passing game we need!
looks like Flamini has it and quite rightly so i'd say
He is going to be vital though with Rooney giggs and ronaldo all going to be causing havoc around 25 yards out flamini is going to need to have one of the games of his life and boss that area
Goonanana wrote:He is going to be vital though with Rooney giggs and ronaldo all going to be causing havoc around 25 yards out flamini is going to need to have one of the games of his life and boss that area
nah, we just need Hleb, Cesc and rosicky to work as hard as they did up at Ewood park and help him, while TH and RVP pick them off up front.
then last 15, swap rosicky for Theo and sit back and watch him tear them apart.
Do the 2 people that said Diaby actually understand football. You want a bloke who's been out for the best part of a year to come back into the side in one of the biggest games of the season that will be travelling at a hundred miles an hour and pick up Scholes, Rooney, when he drops deep, and the rest of Manure's midfield. All this even though he was STILL settling in when he was injured!!. You were just joking right??.
