CL: Arsenal vs Rosenborg | 07/12/04

[seb_afc]

with three crucial points vs Birmingham we can now concentrate on the champions league game against rosenborg, which will hopefully get our champions league on track. this should be an easy win and one i'm expecting us to breeze past. although many arsenal performaces in europe mostly end with disapointment. but we will surely win this one wont we??

 

[patrick42uk]

i dont see how any arsenl game in the cl ca be described as easy. we are also missing two key players, likely to be replaced by inexprienced ones. it will be far from easy but i believe we will qualify simply because i cant see pana beating psv in the form they are in.

 

[Sammer]

i dont see how any arsenl game in the cl ca be described as easy. we are also missing two key players, likely to be replaced by inexprienced ones. it will be far from easy but i believe we will qualify simply because i cant see pana beating psv in the form they are in.

Yep, it will be tough, full of nervousness and we will face a opposition that will defend with 10 men on the pitch. Easy? Vice versa: very tough

 

[kel varnsen]

flamini instead of vieira; yuhu!

 

[Canuck]

Should be a nail biter for the first bit. The inclusion of the younger players for Lauren and Paddy should actually (in theory) help to bring together the rest of the squad in what I expect to be a monumental team effort! At least it had better do that...Hopefully the lads can find the fire (or catch it from Freddie) to take control of this match from start to finish. We would really like a convincing win to send us through to the knock out with confidence high.

 

[zodos]

Patrick42UK - "Can't see Pana beating PSV"
But PSV have already qualified and therefore have nothing to lose!!!!!

 

[Dr. Alban]

Rosenborg hasn't won a game in the Champions League since autumn 2001, at home against Celtic (ok, they didn't play last year, but still..) Away they're something like 0-1-14 in their last 15 away games in the Champions League group stages, as I've mentioned before. Domestically Rosenborg has been quite poor this fall compared to earlier seasons.

I don't say this often, but this is a game Arsenal should win. Anything else will be a big failure. It's as easy as that, Champions League or not..

 

[Mark]

Well it's been said before, if we don't win this game then we don't deserve to qualify. Let's hope that isn't the case. I would go with this lineup:

Lehmann

Toure Senderos Campbell Cole

Ljungberg Flamini Fabregas Pires

Reyes Henry

Any chance that Bergkamp or RvP will be back for this one? I don't fancy Reyes starting again, he has just been so poor lately.

I'd say it's more likely that Hoyte would start, but I'd like to see Senderos play.

I think we'll do it. A nice 2-0 win with goals from Fabregas and Ljungberg to set us up nicely for the Chelski game.

 

[Arsenal316]

I can't see Wenger experimenting with Senderos in the most critical game of our season so far. You'll see Hoyte at RB, Toure will be in the middle.

My midfield would be Ljungberg and Flamini, only because they are by far the most experienced midfield we could field.

My long-shot of a line-up proposal:

Lehmann

Hoyte, Campbell, Toure, Cole

Bergkamp, Flamini, Ljungberg, Pires

Reyes, Henry

Assuming Bergkamp is fit, I would put him on the right. If not, then I'm afraid Ljungberg will play on the right, and a tired Fabregas will start in the middle....such an inexperienced midfield duo doesn't appeal to me.

With so many injuries, I don't know if Pennant and RVP will make the bench. If they can't make it, and the fact Gilberto and Edu aren't available.....all I know is that Almunia, Clichy and Cygan make up 3/7 of the bench. I'll leave it up to the rest of you to fill in the last four spots.

 

[Unbeaten]

Lets not underestimate Rosenborg..

 

[patrick42uk]

Well it's been said before, if we don't win this game then we don't deserve to qualify.

sorry but if we qualify without winning, we would have deserved it. the table never lies.

 

[patrick42uk]

Patrick42UK - "Can't see Pana beating PSV"
But PSV have already qualified and therefore have nothing to lose!!!!!

psv have kept something like 11 or 12 clean sheets in a row in the dutch league, a new record. they also won 4-0 today away from home. i watched themon thursday and they look like chelsea, organised with pockets of flair. hiddink wil no want anything to jeopardise their form and i find it extremely difficult to see how pana can win this game. a draw and we qualify irrespective of our result. we are in a good position. although the flip-side is that a pana win means we can top the group. that is also motivation for psv to do well and avoid the big boys in the next round.

 

[Shomo]

Patrick42UK - "Can't see Pana beating PSV"
But PSV have already qualified and therefore have nothing to lose!!!!!

psv have kept something like 11 or 12 clean sheets in a row in the dutch league, a new record. they also won 4-0 today away from home. i watched themon thursday and they look like chelsea, organised with pockets of flair. hiddink wil no want anything to jeopardise their form and i find it extremely difficult to see how pana can win this game. a draw and we qualify irrespective of our result. we are in a good position. although the flip-side is that a pana win means we can top the group. that is also motivation for psv to do well and avoid the big boys in the next round.

don't be surprised by that, there is a possibility that hiddink might give his 2nd chance to play which will another advantage for panathanaikos

anyway i have this feeling we are not going to fail in highbury
FORZA ARSENAL

 

[baccy_man]

i would not mind seeing Almunia in goal because Lehmann has made some of his biggest howlers in the champions league matches

 

[malagar]

Hoyte is as much as experimenting as Senderos .
And actually Hoyte doesnt look good enough in my eyes

 

[seb_afc]

surely any arsenal team we put out should be able to beat rosenborg???

 

[Dr. Alban]

Rosenborg has major injury problems in defence going into the Arsenal game, their last game before a two month winter break. Worst case, they might have to play an 18 year old midfielder with a minimum of experience as a CM and/or pull back one of their midfielders or forward to play defence.

In addition, the arguably two best midfielders in the team are out as well.

 

[OneProudGooner]

I can't see Wenger experimenting with Senderos in the most critical game of our season so far. You'll see Hoyte at RB, Toure will be in the middle.

My midfield would be Ljungberg and Flamini, only because they are by far the most experienced midfield we could field.

My long-shot of a line-up proposal:

Lehmann

Hoyte, Campbell, Toure, Cole

Bergkamp, Flamini, Ljungberg, Pires

Reyes, Henry

Bergkamp on the right? Are you kidding might aswell play Pennant there we can't be moving too many players from their normal positions.

 

[JazzG]

Personally I would like to see

           Alumunia

Hoyte   Kolo     Sol     Cole

Pires  Flamini   Cesc    Clichy

         Freddie
               
                 Henry

or if Dennis/RvP is back

             Alumunia

Hoyte     Kolo       Sol       Cole

Pires  Freddie   Cesc/Flamini  Clichy

       Bergkamp/ RvP
                
                     Henry

Really think young Reyes needs to sit a few matches out, he is going through a right horrible patch and by making him play again we are just making it worse for him!

I think the time has come to move Freddie from the right wing, his best performances have come playing on the left or centre. Positions where he has the license to be free and move about. That is what his game is all about, movement. On the right wing he is kind of bogged down there, against the brum he really came into his own when he was moved upfront.

Not sure about Alumunia either but then again he did keep a clean sheet and his blunder didn't result in a goal

 

[Dr. Alban]

I hope someone will get off the injury list for this game. If not we'll have the same squad as today as well as Hoyte, minus Lauren and Vieira. Could almost be a problem to fill the seven seats on the bench...