Sevilla V Arsenal - Tuesday November 27 - 7.45pm

[RC8]

The game is in 2 days, so we might as well open a topic to discuss the game.

Unfortunately Nadz has tons of work to do... And I will be on a plane for 10 hours in a short while. So I myself was only able to do the opening graphic.

Before kick off we will be posting some statistics and a predicted line-up here in the opening post.

I personally expect us to approach this game calmly. A 0-0 result would not surprise me. But hopefully we can grab a win. It will be interesting to see how much of the old Sevilla is left now that Juande Rata has left to manage the oh so glorious spuds, who sit proudly 2 points above the relegation zone.

 

[GoonerGurjit]

It will be most interesting to see what Wenger's team selection will be for this game.

Personally I would go for:

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

Sagna----Senderos----Gallas----Clichy

Eboue----Gilberto-----Cesc-----Eduardo

-----------Walcott------Bendtner

 

[thegame24]

yea a 0-0 bore draw wont suprise me either.

we cant afford any injuries.

i dont care who we get in the next round, however, i would rathe have the home game to be 2nd leg

 

[tam1886]

I think we can win it with a slightly changed team. I'd like to see a few rested ahead of the Premiership games coming up.

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

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

Eboue-Fabregas-Diarra-Rosicky

--------Bendtner--Eduardo

I think we can win with that team. Fabregas gives us back our creativity and I think it's about time Bendtner and Eduardo got a start to show us what they can do.

I think Bendtner is good enough to play, but he needs to prove it in this game. I want to see him in the first team, surrounded by first team players rather than a CC team. It might be a risk putting him in but we have qualified. At the end of the day he is going to have to get a start somewhere along the line and I don't think there's any better place than in a CL fixture against good opposition. It's about time he proved to us that he is deserving of a a game, and he should be able to prove that against good opposition. Theres no better game for him.

 

[ibby]

Cesc won't play. Song has more of a chance to start than Cesc. Seriously.

 

[tam1886]

I was thinking about that myself, and personally I would like to see him rested, but I don't think Wenger will. I also didn't want to be the one to cop the backlash for not including him since we lacked creativity with Denilson and Diarra. They would be my preferred pairing though.

 

[Macho]

Cesc won't play. Song has more of a chance to start than Cesc. Seriously.

You think so?
I am interested to see who starts up-front. Thinking abaout it, midfield too. It may be just the back four who stays the same I guess.

 

[sesquioxide]

It looks like the big clubs (Madrid, FCB, Inter, Milan) are all heading towards the first place position in their groups, so all those people who scream for a glamour tie would actually want us to lose the game. :twisted:

Actually, I want Sevilla out of the tournament. They can come back to haunt us. I hope we beat them and then give them a painful tie in Prague as Slavia will likely beat Steaua and will give everything to beat them if it was still mathematically possible for them to advance.

 

[ibby]

http://www.teamtalk.com/football/story/0,16368,1766_2920088,00.html

"Some players will be rested for Sevilla. I will rotate and it will be maybe a similar side to that against Slavia," the Arsenal manager said.

"It is an exciting match because it gives some players the chance to show how good they are in a very different context because first place is at stake. I think it is an important game to play."

 

[tam1886]

http://www.teamtalk.com/football/story/0,16368,1766_2920088,00.html

"Some players will be rested for Sevilla. I will rotate and it will be maybe a similar side to that against Slavia," the Arsenal manager said.

"It is an exciting match because it gives some players the chance to show how good they are in a very different context because first place is at stake. I think it is an important game to play."

Pleased with that. Hadn't seen it before.

 

[Juicy]

I will eat my elbow if Gilberto doesn't play. With games he will be superb again. I'm not going to predict the lineup because everyone who does is going to end up looking like a mug. Sevilla will want this a lot, so this will be a tough game if we play a young team. Surely Walcott will play, and I expect Eduardo will start as well. I'm gradually realising we have too many good young players, we can't get them all on the teamsheet. Not a terrible problem to have, though. I really can't think of any position that needs strengthening, people say left wing, but we do have Rosicky Hleb, Walcott and Eduardo who can play there very capably.

 

[beepos]

I want us to get 2nd in our group. Then we'll get a big team, who we can beat.

 

[GoonerGurjit]

I just want us to avoid defeat. Maybe Sevilla will rest a couple of players too.

 

[sesquioxide]

I just want us to avoid defeat. Maybe Sevilla will rest a couple of players too.

Defeat wouldn't actually be too bad, GoonerGurjit. While I wouldn't us to lose on purpose, it might actually be better to have a glamour tie in the knockout rounds than to face Fenerbahce or Rosenborg or Shaktar. Those away games in Istanbul or Donetsk (where we can be certain to face 10 men behind the ball puzzles) can be awfully tricky and uncertain ties.

 

[GoonerGurjit]

I just want us to avoid defeat. Maybe Sevilla will rest a couple of players too.

Defeat wouldn't actually be too bad, GoonerGurjit. While I wouldn't us to lose on purpose, it might actually be better to have a glamour tie in the knockout rounds than to face Fenerbahce or Rosenborg or Shaktar. Those away games in Istanbul or Donetsk can be awfully tricky and uncertain ties.

We need to keep our magnificent unbeaten run going. 28 and counting. I think the players have forgotten what defeat feels like, and I don't know how they would react to one. Having said that if we're lose a game, then it might as well be this one.

 

[Alfonso]

If we play the same side that we played against Slavia away then we will get beat. Before I was thinking I did'nt mind coming second and facing a big team in the next round. However, thinking about it again, loosing in Seville will not only stop our current momentum(we are approaching a crucial point in the season with games coming thick and fast, its the worst time to loose), but we will have more chance of winning the CL if we play 2 big teams instead of 3, i.e. lets try and finish first to optimise our chances of going through. Also, having the second leg being at home is quite crucial.

So I would like a more or less first team against the Spaniards. But would resting players on Tue give us more of a chance of beating Villa on Sat? Im not so sure. A win in Sevilla could actually give us even more momentum for the tough month coming up. I dont mind resting the odd full back, but I dont want Wenger to take the piss and play a Carling Cup team. We dont want to look back and say 'if only we finished first in our group'.

 

[GunnerBP]

Whatever team we put out should be able to win this game. Sevilla is a good team, but they aren't playing well at the moment. The game in Prague for us was in awful conditions, and for many of the players it was their first European game.

A lineup of

Almunia
Hoyte - Song - Senderos - Clichy
Walcott - Gilberto - Diarra - Denilson
Bendtner - Eduardo

should be able to win.

 

[Alfonso]

Defeat wouldn't actually be too bad, GoonerGurjit. While I wouldn't us to lose on purpose, it might actually be better to have a glamour tie in the knockout rounds than to face Fenerbahce or Rosenborg or Shaktar. Those away games in Istanbul or Donetsk (where we can be certain to face 10 men behind the ball puzzles) can be awfully tricky and uncertain ties.

You shouldnt have that mentality man. Why shoot ourselfs in the foot for no reason?

Playing the second leg away in the San Siro or the Nou Camp will be a lot harder than playing the second leg at home to Fenerbache.

 

[Lukazan]

It's a real shame we won't have RVP, Hleb or Flamini(?) fit because I reckon Wenger would have played a full strength squad here and it would have been really interesting to see how we'd fair against a quality European side away from home.

Still should be a good game though, and if we manage to win it, or come away with a draw and a decent performance I'll be very happy.

 

[Alfonso]

Whatever team we put out should be able to win this game. Sevilla is a good team, but they aren't playing well at the moment..

We cant be that complacent. Seville will rip our Carling Cup team into shreds, I can tell you that now. Lets not underestimate this team so much.

Despite last nights result, they have been playing very well, and did they not defeat the then undefeated Real Madrid. On their day, they are one of the best teams in Europe. Techically, this could be the hardest game we face all season. I dont know how and why ppl are taking them so lightly, I think you guys will be in for a shock on Tue if you think all we have to do is just show up in order to get the 3 points.