Tottenham Hotspur v Arsenal FC - Tuesday January 22, 8pm

[ibby]

One of Fabregas, Hleb or Flamini along with Gallas have to start this game.

 

[the dawn raids]

NO, we all saw what happened to van persie, rushed back or not. white **** or not. this competition just isnt worth the potential loss for what weve got coming over the horizon.

no cesc. no hleb. no gallas. and hes playing so well right now im tempted to say no rosicky as well.

 

[banduan]

Definitely no Rozza. Please!

AW knew he'd made a mistake playing some 1st teamers in the CC last year. Now he's made the same mistake yet again (even though it was for the seemingly valid reason of giving RVP a runabout).

No 1st teamers in this one, I don't mind losing faced with such a decision to make (though losing vs Spuds sucks no matter what the case).

 

[Zico]

Rozza will probably play. If not, there will be changes on the left flank regardless.

The last time Diaby and Traore played together was a disaster. The big fella keeps drifting into the centre of midfield, leaving Traore alone to deal with Lennon. If Lennon and Chimbonda are in top form, then we will bleed on our left side.

Given the quality of their strikers, and the absences of Song, Toure and Djourou, I would favour Hoyte plus one of Senderos/Gallas for this game. I would go with Senderos just to help get a run of games and improve his confidence.

Gallas, Adebayor, Fabregas on the bench just in case sh!t happens.

 

[Gooner_Stu]

The Lad's have beaten Newcastle (H), Blackburn {A} and both used first or near first teams, tnight is not much differnent aside from it being a Derby. I think Wenger will play it like he said he always would, playing the youngsters. Im not saying he wont include some experienced players,
Im optomistic we can get the result, but i dont think it will be easy.

 

[CrazyInLoveWithArsenal]

What we need is Gallas, Fabregas and Flamini. That is the heart of the team and should be enought to beat Sp**s....

 

[HollandGooner]

Well, at first i dont hope we will risk some first teamers but also some first teamers need some games because they have not played that much together in this month.

Maby a start for Cesc? to boost his confident, and his creativity and influent can help us, with Denilson on his side or Gilberto it will be Alright.

Gallas, well he is needed there, we could play Gilberto there but Gallas need a game but if you look really at the importants of the game we should rest Gallas if he is injuryd then our Title chances could be increased while Toure is gone to the AFNC.

Well, conclusion Cesc and Gallas could be start but injury,s would be vital for us.

 

[Lukazan]

Pffffff.. being honest I can't see is winning this one without including atleast 2-3 first teamers - which I don't want to happen anyway. Why risk key players who will be vitally important to us if we want to win the Premiership?

I said it after the first leg that the situation is different this season. Last season it was pretty obvious the Carling Cup was our best and most realistic chance of winning something, but this season we have a genuine chance at the Premiership, can obviously grab another FA Cup and the CL is something we'll always be pining deeply for so long as it continues to elude Wenger.

It'll hurt if we lose to Sp**s, and don't get me wrong, I'd love for us to win if not only to laugh at Sp**s because that never gets old, but we really do have bigger fish to fry this season.

 

[Illusion]

I want a win here and I am happy to risk any first team players necessary in order to get it.

Beating Sp**s is a big thing, it's a Semi-Final of a competition we almost won last season.

I know Wenger will go with the youth and I hope they have a good game and give Sp**s a schooling like last season.

The only loss I will accept is an away goals loss and that means a 0-0 at worst. Perhaps a penalty loss is also something I can deal with, although if it gets that far I would really expect us to win a penalty shootout.

I want our team to win this game, get in the final and get revenge against Chelsea, who will most likely make it past Everton.

People can write off the Carling Cup and say it's not important, it is important, all trophies are important. I might not be so upset if we fail to win this one, but it's still a trophy and I still want us to win it. I wont suddenly say how it's a mickey mouse cup if we lose, like so many people tend to do, especially Man Utd fans.

 

[Beany]

What we need is Gallas, Fabregas and Flamini. That is the heart of the team and should be enought to beat Sp**s....

I think you've knocked it on the head there.

Any team constructed around that spine would have a good chance of beating Spuds, although I suspect we will see Bert instead of Cesc., who'll maybe start on the bench.

Definately no Hleb, Rozza or Ade, though.

 

[Alfonso]

Im stuck in the middle about this fixutre. In some ways I think its only the Carling Cup and it will be a hinderence if we get to the final (like last year) and its not a major trophy to brag about. However, on the other hand I think due to the fact we havent won a trophy in 2 seasons we shouldnt look down on the Carling Cup as we have a good opportunity to win it. Also, there is no gurantee we will win any of the other major trophies this season either.

Furthermore, I feel that winning the Carling Cup could be the springboard for further sucess. When we won the league Cup in 87(or was it 88?) under Graham that really was the stepping stone for us winning the league the year later. Chelsea and Man Utd have also done the same in recent years. Like Frank Lampard said in a recent interview, winning the Carling Cup in Feb gives you that extra confidence and winning mentality that can be used as a foundation for the rest of the season.

Also, I never ever want Sp**s to progress ahead of us. If we win tomorrow at least we stop Sp**s winning a trophy!

Finally, I have looked at our fixtures for the weekend of the Carling Cup final and I am not too confident that we will beat Birmingham away anyway as its a 12.45 kick off and we would have played Milan on the Wednesday night before. So given that we get to the final a rescheduled EPL game may suit us better. Then again Man Utd will be ahead of us by some points so it will be extra pressure on us regardless of having a game in hand.

 

[Rohit]

I will be very surprised to see either Senderos or Gallas on the pitch, either one of them gets injured and we are in trouble. I would hate to lose to Sp**s but i would also hate if this game results in first team players getting injured. Ideally we should play have a mix of first team players and youngsters. Its a lot about bragging rights, we win we brag, we lose with our second team and we can pretend that we had more important matters at hand, we lose with a few first team players in the team and they brag about being better than us. We have a game on the 26th, on the 29th and then on the 2nd after which there is an international break. Then we come back and have another Premiership game and then Milan. Its a tight schedule, playing a few first team players even means rotating for games which are arguably more important. I think we are likely to see

Fabianski
Hoyte Gallas Gilberto Traore
Randall Denilson Diaby Rosicky
Bendtner Walcott

I think that team can beat Sp**s away, its a good team and Denilson and Diaby destroyed Bolton last season. Diaby needs to be on his game.

 

[Original_AAA]

Norwegian papers are printing rumours that Haavard Nordtveit will start this game. The young defender has been training with the first team in the last few weeks and his advisor is hopeful that he will start in this fixture.

While the League cup is not a trophy I hold highly, it is still a trophy and it is still Sp**s. However the most important thing is that we do not lose in the first 90 minutes. I want 21 to become 22 to say it like it is. :wink:

Arsène: I may use some first team members.

Arsène says that the bench on Saturday will play. The subs were * Jens Lehmann, Justin Hoyte, Abou Diaby, Gilberto and Nicklas Bendtner.

He also says that he will probably start with 1 or 2 of those who did play as we have few defenders at full health and in England. Perhaps a starting line up that looks something like this:

Fabianski

Hoyte - Nordtveit - Senderos/Gallas - Clichy

Walcott/Randall - Gilberto - Denilson - Diaby

Bendtner - Walcott/Eduardo

I'm just guessing, but it seems a possibility at least.

 

[celestis]

I am happy with Rohits team to tell the truth , Diaby and Denilson need playing time and pressure same with Walcott and Bendtner , got a lot of important games coming up .

 

[Rohit]

Fabianski

Hoyte - Nordtveit - Senderos/Gallas - Clichy

Walcott - Gilberto - Denilson - Diaby

Bendtner - Walcott

Not the first time that i have seen 2 Walcott's in a team on Arsenal-Mania. Am i missing out on something? :wink:

 

[Original_AAA]

Fabianski

Hoyte - Nordtveit - Senderos/Gallas - Clichy

Walcott - Gilberto - Denilson - Diaby

Bendtner - Walcott

Not the first time that i have seen 2 Walcott's in a team on Arsenal-Mania. Am i missing out on something? :wink:

No, no it is not like we are attempting to clone him or anything. :whistling
The point was that Walcott was to play in one of those two positions, but I forgot to add another player next to his name :wink:

 

[RocktheCasbah]

Furthermore, I feel that winning the Carling Cup could be the springboard for further sucess. When we won the league Cup in 87(or was it 88?) under Graham that really was the stepping stone for us winning the league the year later. .

It was 87. In 88 we lost to *cough*Luton*cough*.

Can you imagine a result like that today, what would this place be like? Hari-kari live on Arsenal-Mania, no doubt..

Anyway, agree with the sentiment. This team needs to win something, who gives a f'ck if it's the Carling Cup?

 

[j'nuh]

1. There is absolutely no way Wenger will play Nordveit, get a grip guys.

2. Im quite strongly of the opinion that it will be a huge mistake to play any first teamers. Playing RvP in the CC has already cost us this season, and last season losing Hleb after he played in this fixture was another (quite large) nail in the coffin of our season. Play the youngsters, if Sp**s beat us then let them brag all they want - we'll see what they say in may.

 

[Original_AAA]

1. There is absolutely no way Wenger will play Nordveit, get a grip guys.

Just repeating rumours from the cold north, rumours that carries some weight considering they are coming from his personal advisor. However I agree it is unlikely that he will play.

 

[GoonerGurjit]

Norwegian papers are printing rumours that Haavard Nordtveit will start this game. The young defender has been training with the first team in the last few weeks and his advisor is hopeful that he will start in this fixture.

Harvard is playing for the reserves against Birmingham tonight, so him playing tomorrow is unlikely.