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good post as usual. All we need is to be decisive in front of goal. Theo should come later on in the match or when we are one-nil up as he is only good if there is space to run into.
Previews
Written by Mean Lean on Wednesday, 10 November 2010 11:30
A game three days after an horrific home defeat could be just what the doctor ordered, but that is only if the players actually put it right at Molineux tonight.
An away match to promoted side Wolverhampton would have been seen as the perfect match to put things right a few years ago, this certainly does not feel like it in November 2010.
Another defeat could leave the players with a psychological bridge too far to cross, victory could heal part of some raw wounds and allow this Arsenal squad who are very talented to get back on track for a proper title challenge.
The proverbial handbrake must be released if Arsenal are to get back to their free flowing best that many of us got excited about in the early stages of the season. Wolves will know this and like many teams, a big part of Mick McCarthy's game plan will be to stop Arsenal from playing, stop Arsenal from finding our rhythm. This is not new to Wenger and the players, a finely tuned Arsenal side can deal with committed opposition by moving the ball quicker than their legs can carry them, the problem is finding the self belief to move that ball quickly and impose our game.
The good news is that we have not collected any new injuries from Sunday, Samir Nasri who limped off with a calf problem has been given the all clear to start the match. Arsene will have another midfield and attack choice to make. Andrey Arshavin who started the weekend on the bench probably ran more in his cameo than he has done for the whole season so far and I would imagine that he would be a likely starter on the left whilst I imagine Nasri will be moved back to the right, relegating Walcott back to the bench ready to make an impact late in the game when legs and minds get tired and spaces appear more frequently.
Wolves wide man Matthew Jarvis is a player producing the goods right now and will be a handful to both Clichy and Sagna. He tends to switch flanks and run at his full back, if Mick McCarthy is a clever chap then he will probably put Jarvis up against Clichy more than Sagna as Arshavin is less likely to track back and help his full back.
This would usually be the ideal game for Abou Diaby to come in for, but unfortunately his ankle still remains a major issue. Wenger has the choice to bring in Denilson to add stability for the midfield alongside Cesc and Song but as Jack Wilshere served a suspension, I would imagine that Arsene thinks that he is now capable of three games on the spin after the forced rest. Chamakh looked far from his best at Newcastle, he has run himself into the ground since the beginning of the season and I would not be surprised if his legs could not take him through the Newcastle game. Nicklas Bendtner could start in his place but I would not be surprised to see Robin Van Persie donning his number 10 shirt from the start as Arsene has suggested that he is looking strong and sharper in training. Koscielny is serving his suspension so Johan Djourou will come in to replace him. I worry about Djourou's lack of recent games, then to be thrown into the starting line up in such an important game.
Mean Lean's Predicted Line Up
One to watch: Cesc Fabregas
The manager has said that we will see a different Cesc tonight and I am taking his word for it. Cesc is our string puller, the player who connects the whole team together, the player who can single handedly split the opposition to shreds and we have not seen him at this best for some weeks now. With the likes of Karl Henry playing you can be sure that Cesc will not have much time on the ball so his sharpness will be very important. We are due a big captains performance, so lets hope it starts tonight.
Mean Lean's Match Prediction
Wolves 1 Arsenal 1 (Bendtner)
As much as I want to change the Wolves one to a zero, I cannot help but have a worried feeling about the game. We are out of form, they are in form and they are in front of their home support. It could be a gradual improvement from our boys and that will do as long as the improvement keeps happening and we do not revert back to West Brom, Newcastle type performances.
With Stephen Hunt and captain Karl Henry likely to start for the home side, I expect plenty of strong tackling, we are going to have to match their commitment, win the ball back from them early high up the pitch and take our chances. We simply have to move the ball quicker than in recent matches and then the likes of Arshavin, Nasri and Cesc have to make the difference in the final third.
This is a game we can win, lose or draw so let us hope that we can show everyone what we are truly made of.
COME ON YOU GUNNERS!
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10-Nov-2010 13:56 | | DJ DragonflyI can see the boys winning 2-1 tonight.
Got a sneaky feeling that Wenger will rest some players tonight. I think he'll go with the following line-up:
Fabianski
Sagna Squillaci Djourou Clichy
Fabregas Song Denilson
Rosicky Bendtner Arshavin
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10-Nov-2010 15:05 | | Nkem Ogonsiegbe - Wolves/ArsenalIf we lose or draw this match then it is curtains 2 any challenge 4 d EPL title.We cannot lose 2 Westbrom,Newcastle and Wolves and realistically dream of the title.This is a make or mar match.
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11-Nov-2010 11:15 | | richie - Fabski's come backML You rightly pointed out last time out that a good GK will bounce back & put an unfortunate error behind them and I'm really happy that Fabski did just that. A much needed result & 3 points gladly bagged.
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11-Nov-2010 12:33 | | richie - Telegraphed nonsenseA quick footnote to the crap appearing in a national broadsheet.
We the Arse lead the line in the worst disciplinary record league.
"Are we "The Arse" the worst team in this regard?
As we have 4 red cards are we the pot calling the kettle black?
For me this is totally bogus. We don't have dirty players that are physical full stop. I have at times wished we had a talisman who would redress the balance "al la Patric" when teams have attempted to bully us out of a game because the can't out play us in footballing terms.
None of our players try to hurt other teams players because they are better footballers than our players, unfortunately the same cannot be said of others as we know to our cost.
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11-Nov-2010 16:13 | | dkgooner - Wonderful Fabianski
Just gotta give the guy credit where it's due. He had a stormer. Maybe he was partly responsible for the Newcastle goal (I say partly because there is no way Carroll should have got to attack that ball unchallenged), he certainly made up for it last night. It was really heart-warming to see his teammates surround him at the finish and give him the thanks and acclaim he deserved.
Overall an OK performance without being up to the highest standards. I thought the ref failed to get a grip early enough on some of the tackles going in and I can imagine that Cesc's nasty one was a bit of frustration. At least he was man enough to recognise it, go into the Wolves dressing room after the game and check the guy out and apologise. I wonder if AA got a similar apology from Henry - I doubt it somehow. Henry's in that group of total bastards who thinks that sort of tackle is OK, like the Bolton guy who crocked Diaby. I'd stand them all up against the wall and fire bullets all around them - wipe that smug smile off their faces. Don't like McCarthy either - the sort of guy who makes me want to side with Roy Keane - and who wants that, for christ's sake? Hope Wolves go down, with Stoke and Blackburn.
Thought AA had more energy about him and Rosicky was super. I feel we have more going for us with two of AA, Nasri and Rosicky out there. There is more movement and flexibility. Theo's frighteningly quick and cool when he gets a goal chance, but he can be a bit passive sometimes and too easily muscled off the ball. The other three give us more all round. Theo should be used as a sub when the opposition are tiring.
Well done lads - a tough one, but 3 points. 3 more on Sunday please. Everton will be tough in another way - they're not so dirty but they are industrious and have a couple of really good players in Pienaar and Cahill. I'll be happy with another clean sheet and a single goal from AA (or anyone else - let's be honest
).
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11-Nov-2010 17:07 | | seq - fabianskiI am really happy about the match , score and fabianski's performance. He impressed me a lot and i really believe in him !! No almunia , Fabianski is the man who will be our #1 GK i know !!
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11-Nov-2010 22:01 | | dkgooner - Wojciech Szczesny pens new long-term contractJust in case some of you haven't seen this yet - it's on the arse.com website so it's official. Wojciech says he's very happy.
Strange after all the fuss a few weeks back - can't help but think something got lost in the translation from Polish - or maybe Polish hacks are just as dumb as British ones and made it all up - who would have thought it?
Whatever - it's good news. Look forward to seeing him performing in an Arsenal team a bit more often - see if he can live up to the hype. I don't put much weight on his time at Brentford, except that it was good experience for him.
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