Wigan Vs Arsenal - Saturday 11th April, 2009 - 1500hrs

[vantoure]

This is my first ever match thread - woohoo!!!. So i might be a little inexperienced (like a few of our players )

Last year's corresponding fixture was also after an away european fixture and it was not pleasant, i hope it'll be different this time (fatigue and all) so we can put further gap between us and whoever comes to 5th by the end of the weekend (Everton/Aston Villa)

I also hope we dont get any additional injury from this match cos the next 3 matches are crucial to the climax of the season.

Team

Fabianski
Sagna Toure Djourou Clichey
Song
Walcott Fabregas Arshavin
Adebayor Bendtner

I'll go with the team above so
1. Denilson can rest (he's played a lot this season)
2. Adebayor does not get overworked


Any kind of win will do. 8))

 

[ibby]

It'll be interesting to see the predicted line-ups here.

As far as mine goes,
Fabianski
Sagna - Toure - Djourou - Gibbs
Eboue - Denilson - Fabregas - Nasri
Bendtner - Arshavin

Should be strong enough.

 

[Lord Dula]

Who if anyone will be back for this?

Pretty much another must win - as all our games seem to be.

 

[True Gooner]

Wigan haven't been in good form this year, have they? On the other hand, the JJB (or whatever it's now called) is always an unpleasant place to visit - mainly because they play on a potato field that they try to pass off as a football pitch.

 

[atmosphere]

It'll be interesting to see the predicted line-ups here.

As far as mine goes,
Fabianski
Sagna - Touré - Djourou - Gibbs
Eboue - Denilson - Fabregas - Nasri
Bendtner - Arshavin

Should be strong enough.

Why would you rest an in form striker (Ade) and why Gibbs in for Clichy?

 

[ibby]

It'll be interesting to see the predicted line-ups here.

As far as mine goes,
Fabianski
Sagna - Touré - Djourou - Gibbs
Eboue - Denilson - Fabregas - Nasri
Bendtner - Arshavin

Should be strong enough.

Why would you rest an in form striker (Ade) and why Gibbs in for Clichy?

Adebayor and Clichy ran their ass off yesterday and both their positions have sufficient cover in order to rest them.

 

[Clrnc]

Obviously Ibby tries to rest players because Villarreal match is just 3 days later.

I do agree with his lineup though.

 

[atmosphere]

Personally I'd like to see:

-------------Fabianski------------
Sagna---Toure---Djourou---Clichy
-------------Denilson-------------
Walcott-----------------Arshavin
-------------Fabregas-------------
---------Ade-------Eduardo-------

If Eduardo's not fit, then RvP. If he ain't fit then Vela. I went to this game last season and Bendtner and Ade together just didn't work.

It was one if the most depressing 0-0s ever, made worse by getting completely shat on by a hailstorm on the way back.

 

[atmosphere]

It'll be interesting to see the predicted line-ups here.

As far as mine goes,
Fabianski
Sagna - Touré - Djourou - Gibbs
Eboue - Denilson - Fabregas - Nasri
Bendtner - Arshavin

Should be strong enough.

Why would you rest an in form striker (Ade) and why Gibbs in for Clichy?

Adebayor and Clichy ran their ass off yesterday and both their positions have sufficient cover in order to rest them.

I can see your point when it comes to Clichy in that case but seeing as Ade's been in the stands for 2 months and will have only played 3 games (4 if you count Togo) by the time we meet Villareal again, I think he can take it. Plus he's in form so I'd play him to keep up the momentum. Maybe take him off if we can get 2 early goals...

I would worry about Gibb's ability to cope with Valencia though.

 

[M+D]

Gibbs has already coped with Valencia once this season tbf.

My Team:

------------ Fabianski -------------
Sagna -- Toure --- Djourou --- Gibbs
Nasri -- Song --- Denilson -- Arshavin
-------- Vela --- Bendtner -----------

That team should be good enough to beat Wigan imo, while resting some crucial players for Villareal.

 

[atmosphere]

Gibbs has already coped with Valencia once this season tbf.

Early Carling Cup's a little bit different to Premier League run in though.

 

[TomasCR]

------------ Fabianski -------------
Sagna -- Touré --- Djourou --- Gibbs
Nasri -- Song --- Denilson -- Arshavin
-------- Vela --- Bendtner -----------

That team should be good enough to beat Wigan imo, while resting some crucial players for Villareal.

Agree with this except the middle part. Looking at it from other point of view, I do think Cesc should play as much as possible. He is not the kind of player who struggles with these annoying groin injuries and since his young body is strong enough, there is no need to rest him in a key month of the season. He has had enough of rest already, it makes me think.

Also, I´ve noticed in the Villareal game that he lacks a bit of confidence on the ball, lost a few balls he wouldn´t have lost had he been match fit"ter". Nasri could be given a bench place as well, not so sure about Vela.

 

[raidersoftheark]

Not feeling this one for some reason. 1-1.

 

[IBL]

Gonna be a tough game, they're a physical bunch and we gotta keep our fragile reducing squad in tact. Expect a lot of players to be rested

 

[General]

Wigan haven't been in good form this year, have they? On the other hand, the JJB (or whatever it's now called) is always an unpleasant place to visit - mainly because they play on a potato field that they try to pass off as a football pitch.

I think it's often ruined by their Rugby team. They always lay on new surface for United though. Brucey being an old boy and all that.

Not feeling this one for some reason. 1-1.

Where is the positivity? We are in good form. Sometimes, it's best to keep these negative thoughts to yourself . I think we'll play 4-4-2 and eventually overwhelm them. Hopefully we get a few players back from injury. Diaby, Eduardo and Robin.

 

[qs]

-------- Vela --- Bendtner -----------

Thats always your frontline against mediocre sides


I'd go


------------------- Fabianski -----------------

Sagna ------- Toure --------- Djourou -- Clichy


Walcott ------ Fabregas ---- Denilson --- Nasri

--------------------- Arshavin ----------------

--------------------- Adebayor ----------------

This is no time to take risks and with Al and Gallas out I think we need to play our best possible defence, so no Gibbs. If Robin or Eddie are fit it may require a rethink but I don't think Ade needs any resting. If either of those are fit maybe rest Nasri and play Shava wide.

 

[Jameel46]

-------------------- Fabianski --------------------

------------ Djourou -------- Silvestre -----------
Sagna --------------------------------------- Gibbs
-------------------------- Song -------------------

------------------ Cesc (c) -----------------------
Eboue ------------------------------- Arshavin ----

-------------- Vela -------------------------------
-------------------------- Bendtner ---------------

Mannone
Toure
Clichy
Ramsey
Denilson
Walcott
Adebayor

That team should be good enough to beat Wigan, there may be a question mark on the central defensive pair I've chosen but if there's going to be another CB getting injured I would much rather have it be one of them rather than Toure, wrap him in cotton wool until the 2nd leg against Villarreal!

 

[GaelForce22]

Gibbs has already coped with Valencia once this season tbf.

Not really, Valencia had the beating of him in that match. But he's one of the best right wingers in the league so that's not too much to be worried about at the moment.

Loving the look of QS' team. But I think Theo and Nasri will start on the bench.

 

[banduan]

Uuuugh Wigan. Bad memories of them last year and their pigsty horsewallow ploughfield of a pitch.

 

[graham_ka]

----------------Fabianski

Sagna------Toure-----Djourou-----Gibbs

---------Song------------Cesc

Eboue------------RVP-------------Arshavin

---------------------Ade