Reading FC Vs Arsenal FC | Mon,Nov12th, 8pm | Madjeski Std

[MDGoonah41]

If Wenger plays a 4-5-1 against Reading, I think he's conceding that this team isn't good enough to win the title.

 

[Clrnc]

i think we will thump them. reading has been poor this season

They are in the same position as they were last season.

nowhere near as good as last season.

this season theyhave been shipping goals for fun

 

[ibby]

i think we will thump them. reading has been poor this season

They are in the same position as they were last season.

nowhere near as good as last season.

this season theyhave been shipping goals for fun

Still. They are no better/worse than last year (yet), the table never lies.

 

[cescthebest]

If Wenger plays a 4-5-1 against Reading, I think he's conceding that this team isn't good enough to win the title.

I hate statements like these, 4-5-1 does not mean you are scared of the opposition. Teams change tactics depending on the opposition strengths and weakness and the personel available etc.

 

[qs]

If Wenger plays a 4-5-1 against Reading, I think he's conceding that this team isn't good enough to win the title.

I hate statements like these, 4-5-1 does not mean you are scared of the opposition. Teams change tactics depending on the opposition strengths and weakness and the personel available etc.

Top teams don't change tactics to suit a game against Reading. **** it the best teams don't change to suit anyone. You impose your own game on people. The 4-5-1 hasn't been a success over the last 3 games and if van Persie was fit it wouldn't have been used at all. If we're at it again on Monday its a huge statement that Wenger desn't think Eduardo, Bendtner or Walcott are good enough to play up front for Arsenal. If thats true then its an admission he got it wrong in the summer not bringing in another striker.

 

[MDGoonah41]

If Wenger plays a 4-5-1 against Reading, I think he's conceding that this team isn't good enough to win the title.

I hate statements like these, 4-5-1 does not mean you are scared of the opposition. Teams change tactics depending on the opposition strengths and weakness and the personel available etc.

While I understand your point, I don't agree. We're not a mid table team who will be on the wrong side of the talent ledger, hoping to get a result. We're one of the best teams in the league and one of the best teams in Europe. Our team needs to dictate tactics to the other team. A player like Eduardo or Bendtner would be starting for probably 3/4 of the teams in the EPL, not sitting on the bench or not even making the bench. We thrashed Slavia Prague, we beat Sevilla at home playing a 4-4-2. Why do we have to chance tactics because RvP is injured? Sure, he's more talented than Bendtner and he's better settled than Eduardo, but you have to give those guys a run out.

Teams have to fear us, and have to fear a thrashing. If we played a 4-4-2, are you really afraid of Kevin Doyle hurting us? Reading's attack pales in comparison to a team like United. If our goal was to just secure a top 4 spot, then I guess being conservative and just hoping for a draw would be fine, but we're challenging for the title. Playing a defensive minded system against anyone, let alone a mid table team is just not acceptable to me.

 

[EMIR8_SOLDIER]

We need 6 points from these two games against reading and wigan before our break

Can not drop points and I agree with MD, were challenging for the title so lets go 4-4-2, 4-5-1 is not acceptable against the likes of reading no disrespect

 

[Wenger14]

Almunia
Sagna Toure Gallas Clichy
Hleb Fab Flam Rosicky
Eduardo Adebayor

Lehmann, Gilberto, Eboue, Walcott, Bendtner

We'll win this game with that team.

Hope Man Utd drop points against Blackburn, but we all know they'll just win it 4-0.

 

[qs]

Almunia
Sagna Touré Gallas Clichy
Hleb Fab Flam Rosicky
Eduardo Adebayor

Lehmann, Gilberto, Eboue, Walcott, Bendtner

We'll win this game with that team.

Hope Man Utd drop points against Blackburn, but we all know they'll just win it 4-0.

Perfect line up.

 

[awooga83]

I agree that we should be going to Reading for the win and without fear of them, not complacency or underestimating them simply the confidence in our own team to get a result playing the best and most natural way for our players. It should not be 4-5-1 I still hope it was only for use against the top teams recently, we shall see.

 

[Alfonso]

Well most of the reading fans are expecting a drubbing , lets hope we don't disappoint them.

http://hobnob.royals.org/forum/viewtopi ... 23&start=0

Im suprised they have a relatively active forum and so many supporters for the club of their size. Although it is known that Reading fans second team is Arsenal.

We havent won outside of London yet in the Premier League, so I hope this changes come 10.00pm on Monday night..:wink:

This match has potential 'banana skin' written all over it, and I hope Ade has his goalscoring boots on. He owes us a good peformance. Last season Reading played in a very naive way against us. They gave us space and made life easy for us. After watching the Prague game, I think Coppel will perhaps try more cynical tactics this time, and their players havent played in 10 days, so they will be mentally and phsyically fresh.

It's either going to be 1-1 or 0-5 to us.

 

[albakos]

With Rooney out for 4 weeks, I definitely think that Manure will lose points against Blackburn in form, althoiugh history is against this claim.

Back to our game, this will prove to be a very tough fixture. I am fearing a draw, but Wenger will surely outwit everyone and get a hard fought one-nil win. Bendtner will score.

 

[tactica442]

Almunia
Sagna Touré Gallas Clichy
Hleb Fab Flam Rosicky
Eduardo Adebayor

Lehmann, Gilberto, Eboue, Walcott, Bendtner

We'll win this game with that team.

Hope Man Utd drop points against Blackburn, but we all know they'll just win it 4-0.

Perfect line up.

I third that lineup.

Hope that the team will get three points, after that players can either off to int'l duties or stay training and rest in the club.

 

[KingKolo]

Reading away on a Monday night, damn why am I nervous? In fairness, we’re easily the better team, and our head to head competitions, and league standings have always proved this, so why am I nervous? Well, one of many reasons, really. Arsenal’s history of dropping points against the ‘lower’ teams in the league keeps me on my toes, and despite smashing them last season away, I can’t help but feel this game is nowhere near a full gone conclusion, and unless we’re on our toes, we may have to settle for a draw.
Firstly, I can’t see us losing this game, the fact of the matter is, our attack is too good for them to score more goals than we do. Toure and Gallas look solid, and Adebayor seems to shine in these kind of games, so I think he’ll offer the firepower we need to win this game. I also see Eduardo as an option to start this game, Wenger has more or less admitted his tactics against Manchester United were not right, and we can’t see the best of our team with Adebayor up top alone.
Adebayor = Creates Space
Space = Eduardo pounces in
A match made in heaven, you’d imagine.

So then, I’d like to see a team very much like the teams we played before the Liverpool match, and despite the fact we don’t have Robin, a 2-man forward partnership is a necessity. I would give Eduardo the nod, for now, Walcott should be limited to home games only, away games is a good experience for him to have under his belt, but considering the fact Manchester United will most likely beat Blackburn, this is no time to experiment.
I think a 4-man midfield should once again be re-introduced, and the arrival of Hleb, Fabregas and Rosicky should be in place… there creative abilities can be invaluable for this sort of game, and one killer pass could make all the difference - the killer pass that all four of the above players are capable of making.
I’d also like to see a full strength backline, which would mean introducing Kolo Toure and Bacary Sagna back into the scene, as we will have to be wary of Reading’s lethal strike partnership… on paper, there nothing to be desired, but they have a good mixture of pace, finishing and aerial abilities, so our defence will have to be on the top of their game - mark my words.

The team I would play is thus:

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Almunia - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Sagna - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Toure - - - - - Gallas - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Clichy

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Gilberto - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

- - - - - - - - - - - - - Hleb - - - - - - - - - - Fabregas - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Rosicky - - - - - -

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Eduardo - - - - - - - - - - - Adebayor - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The main change in this team is simple - the re-introduction of Gilberto to this starting line-up, and I can’t reiterate enough just how vital this could be. He offers us so much to the team, he’s more than just a good player, but a natural leader, he offers us an aerial presence to deal with the likes Kitson and Doyle, and his positioning is a fair bit better than Flamini’s. Flamini often leaves gaps in the middle of the park, and away from home, this would most definitely be exploited. Gilberto is a professional, he knows exactly what he is doing, and he is the perfect man to use as an anchor for this particular game, Flamini has not been as impressive as he was at the beginning of the season, and I feel it’s only a matter of time before Gilberto gets the nod, Monday vs. Reading will be that time.

My prediction
I think we’re going to win this game 1-0, but there is a lot of possible score-lines that this game could deliver. As has been discussed above, it’s a game we could possible draw or lose, but we’re also more than capable of pounding them 3 or 4. We’re the better team, end of, our midfield is too strong, and as long as our defence is at the top of their game, which I feel they will be, we WILL win this game.

Who will score?
In all honesty, I’m hoping for Eduardo or Rosicky, as a goal for either of these two could deliver an invaluable amount of confidence for either of these players. Just one goal could lead to a run of goals, a little like Rosicky at the end of last season, where he scored in 2 or 2 goals running, I feel he has the scoring abilities in him, he’ll just need to stay away from injury.
As for Eduardo, we all know what he’s capable of, we’ve seen his record for Zagreb, we’ve seen his international form, and we’ve seen glimpses of what he can do in the Carling Cup, all that is left for him to do now is to make his mark on the Premiership.
Monday Night, away at Reading… a more suitable occasion?

Why?
It’s not rocket science, is it? We’re the better team, end of discussion. We’ve been on a marvellous run of games, and look to be finishing off all of our chances. We are also looking to be solid at the back, something that could’ve been perceived as a weak spot last season, but is now a strength now. The purchase of Sagna looks to have balanced our team, and he really emphasis what is good about our back line.
Strong
Fast
Good going forward
No nonsense
- As long as we don’t concede, we will win, as we can’t stop scoring.

COME ON ARSENAL!

 

[True Gooner]

lol @ the rections on the Reading forum.
Its either 1-1 or 0-3 to the Arsenal..
4-4-2 is a must.
Rosicky to have a great game (finger crossed)
Ade to miss a sitter and may make amends. Who knows?

But I expect Reading to use the long ball tactic against us..theyve been doing that a lot this season. Well not exactly the England version of knock down though..they play some good football but only once they get it back down. In essence they miss out the midfeild when they attack, usually anyway.

 

[Tony Montana]

These games can't come soon enough. I wish we played tomorrow at 3pm.

 

[RC8]

Well most of the reading fans are expecting a drubbing , lets hope we don't disappoint them.

http://hobnob.royals.org/forum/viewtopi ... 23&start=0

Im suprised they have a relatively active forum and so many supporters for the club of their size. Although it is known that Reading fans second team is Arsenal.

Well, recently I'd say it's 50% Arsenal and 50% Chelsea. I know some headhunters are actually from Reading, and follow Reading as well as Chelsea. But then again some of Arsenal's most famous Gooners, like Nick Hornby, have been raised in near Reading and grown up supporting us, with Reading being their local team.

 

[tam1886]

These games can't come soon enough. I wish we played tomorrow at 3pm.

I hate waiting for the games. I'm glad the Man Utd game was Saturday because I would have went nuts had I needed to wait another day.

 

[famous no 10]

Fair play to those Reading fans, must be one of the most pessimistic {or realistic?} and funny match threads I've seen.

...but they're right, I reckon...I think we'll win by at least 2 clear goals.

 

[tam1886]

I just had a look at that Readin forum. It should come with a health warning. They were pessimistic about everything from the weather to the scoreline. One of them even predicted a 0-0 where they miss a penalty! Reading doesn't sound like the happiest of places.

It's a shame as well. I hope we win convincingly without embarrasing them, because I do quite like them and the manager. Someone get them a prozac though, and quick.