Written by Mean Lean on Tuesday, 23 November 2010 10:44

As I flick my laptop open trying to think about Braga later on this evening, I end up thinking about a way to get through the piece without mentioning what happened on Saturday lunchtime. It isn't really possible so I have decided to get it over and done with once and for all. A kind of saying goodbye at the airport moment I guess.

Arsene Wenger and his troops set off to Portugal with more than qualifying in mind, it is more than a case of getting into the next round of the most important cup competition in domestic football. The players will know that much more will be expected from them when the referee blows that whistle.

Every player will have to run that extra yard, snap into tackles with that little extra bite and more importantly than anything else, keep giving everything from the start until the finish. It will take more than a result and performance in Portugal to wipe away the pain but moving away from last weekend is the only thing that the players, manager and equally the supporters can do. The players need to use it for extra motivation, not that extra motivation should be needed but that is all. Thinking about the wrongs too much can lead to anxiety or nerves when in similar positions in future.

Wenger will make a few changes from the weekend, some forced and some down to sharpness issues. Well at least that is the official line. Andrey Arshavin who played 90+ minutes for Russia last weekend and then most of the London derby on Sunday will be left behind. Gael Clichy has a return of his achy breaky back problem so Kieran Gibbs will surely come in and we all cross our fingers that he can complete a full game without damage being done to his feet.

Robin Van Persie will be left behind to gain match sharpness which sounds a little strange to me. Surely you gain match sharpness from playing in football matches. After playing 45 minutes for the Dutch and then coming off the bench against the Spuds you would have thought he was in perfect condition to start the game in Portugal. As long as he has no injury problems and we win the game then it is no major problem.

Nicklas Bendtner is likely to grab the opportunity to lead the line, hopefully better than he managed in his last Champions League away match in Donetsk. Theo Walcott is probably likely to get a start also on the right. Jack Wilshere will also come back into the side but it is unsure as to whether Cesc Fabregas will join him. Arsene has spoken about not wanting to risk any hamstring problems so he may take his place on the substitutes bench alongside form creator Samir Nasri who has played a lot of football in a short space of time.

After the previous result and the need to qualify as quickly as possible, it could be a risk to make so many changes to his team but with the international game in between Everton and Tottenham, Wenger may feel it necessary to in an attempt to prevent injury and fatigue.

Mean Lean's Predicted Line Up

One to watch: Tomas Rosicky

One of my favourite Arsenal players should be on show tonight, with the midfield likely to consist of both Jack Wilshere and Denilson, it should make for quite a quick passing and flowing midfield.
Rosicky couldn't make the difference when he came on at the weekend but hopefully he will be raring to go probably from the left attacking position. He is more than due a goal and I am backing him to get his name on the score sheet at some point during the 90 minutes.

Mean Lean's Match Prediction

Braga 1 Arsenal 3 (Bendtner, Walcott, Rosicky)

Needless to say, a good performance and result will be vital if the players want to move on. Qualifying as group winners will be important as the sides topping the rest of the groups look very strong and Arsene will want to do all he can to avoid being drawn against one of the bigger sides in the next stage.
Braga will be a much better side than they were at the Emirates earlier in the season, especially with Arsene possibly rotating a few of the squad but hopefully we will show the required desire, intelligence and ability to get the victory.

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Comments (22)

• 23-Nov-2010 11:22 | | Ole Gunner
  

  Well, match fitness might come from playing but if playing means playing at half-steam in a crucial game, then you might not be asked to play.

• 23-Nov-2010 12:15 | | omasdon
  

  mean lean.what's your say on arsenal f.c having a teamB playing in the lower divisions it could help instead of putting huge pressure on these young lads that do understand the pride being a gunner.Arsene Wenger is more of a daddy than manager to the players.

• 23-Nov-2010 12:23 | | MeanLean
  

  It would be a good idea and an idea that. Arsene has championed for some time. I suppose the loan system is the closest thing to it. It certainly helped Jack.

• 23-Nov-2010 12:27 | | MeanLean
  

  I hear what your saying Ole but at the same token it is a little catch-22. All games are important from here on in and Robin needs football to get to his brilliant best.
  
  I am sure Arsene has his reasons and I am not about to doubt him as he knows his condition better than I do, but I would have loved him t have started.

• 23-Nov-2010 12:39 | | rosicknote  - "As long as he has no injury problems ... then it
  

  Wow...... RvP, no injury problems?
  
  May you please share with me whatever you're having please.... I need some of those especially after Saturday.

• 23-Nov-2010 12:43 | | rosicknote  - Koscielny is not ready
  

  I don't think Koscielny is ready yet to be a first 11 in our side. The only good game he's had is our CC victory at St James Park, which was basically against Newcastle's reserve team.
  
  Since the start of the season, he's had 4 yellows and 2 red cards. He's physically not ready yet, and I don't think it's arguable to say that he hasn't adapted as well as Vermaelen did last season.

• 23-Nov-2010 13:11 | | kayo Gunners  - Go Gunners
  

  I believe Djourou should be allowed to start cos i seem to prefer Djourou/Squilaci combination

• 23-Nov-2010 13:25 | | Peter  - I agree
  

  Squi and Djourou have played 8 together and won 7. Only lost was Shaktar away. They have been very consistent.
  
  Also playing Gibbs is a good omen. Last 2 seasons - played 11, won 11.

• 23-Nov-2010 15:14 | | kelly
  

  I still can't believe JET didn't even make the squad to Braga. maybe if he was a 19year old from France who cost 5m pounds he would have made it and then receive rave reviews from the boss for a mediocre performance. in my opinion he's better than Diaby by miles.

• 23-Nov-2010 21:58 | | Really Pissed Off!
  

  BRAGA 2 - ARSENAL 0
  
  PARTIZAN 0 - SHAKTAR 3
  
  WTF is going on??? Needing only a draw to qualify for the knockout stage, we somehow managed to throw this game away. Truly pathetic! Why is it always the same problems all the f#$%ing time? Arsenal dominates pouring everybody forward in search of a goal (no matter the scoreline) and BAM!!! we get hit on the counter. Why can't our defenders just sit tight and defend when things are not looking good for us??? Something definitely needs to change. I really pity Wenger. He puts so much faith in these prima-dona players and always defends them, but they are don't reciprocate by showing toughness, heart, desire, and hunger. It's like they are just too spoiled.
  
  Now it is all down to the final Matchday against Partizan at the Emirates. A win is a MUST... since we are now leveled on points with Braga.
  Un-freaking-believable!

• 24-Nov-2010 07:21 | | cheshuntgooner  - stop conning us wenger
  

  Saturday we lost according to clueless because they had a go at us and every pundit said that if you get at Arsenal we are weak, last night Wenger reckons we lost because they camped in their own half..you are making yourself and us as fans look stupid..so basically it would appear unless a team sits in the centre circle and refuses to defend or attack we lose !!...SOMEONE KILL THEO WALCOTT !
  see ya later Wenger 5 years and soon to be 10 , just had enough now.

• 24-Nov-2010 11:27 | | Rambo
  

  We have a defensive strategy based on a house of cards! If Wenger doesn't hire a defensive coach, I don't know how much longer I can defend him.

• 24-Nov-2010 12:09 | | richie
  

  Couldn't bring myself to post yesterday didn't have the energy, ML said yesterday that if we battered Braga silly we'd all feel a lot better..................
  (All feeling lowly after our collapse against the Spuds) We'll never know now if it would've cheered everyone up, not with our collapse/mugging in Portugal.
  
  Learning from our mistakes or not?
  
  Not! would be the obvious first respose because we've seen this before we've been here before more than once. Chelski mugged us this way last year and way back when a certain Mr Owen playing for the pool did what Braga's Brazilian Mat did to us last night. Why are we not learning from our mistakes?...........
  
  Well if you are gonna play full out attacking football then a defense thats shit hot is the order of the day! Otherwise a mugging is a distinct possibility. Barca play full out attacking and they have a horrible bod that plays for them called Puyol he's a niggly type that plays as near to our own old Mr Granite Keown as I've seen. Someone all strikers hated to play against. Not only that but he's very rarely caught out of position. He's an international to boot as our National strikers know to their cost only too well.
  
  A few observations 1st we haven't had that type of defender for a good while. Next its no good us Gooners thinking that Arsene bought Kos & Squilla to roll alongside TV & Djourou with the CL in mind. Bearing in mind that none of our CD's are really bread & butter premire league defenders of our traditional "Center Half" mode, because our best defensive pairing we have currently in the PL "statistically" didn't /couldn't cope in the CL. Obviously that arguement don't hold water.
  
  Our problem in simple footballing terms is that we sure can attack we've got all the flair players for it who are brilliant technically, but we can't defend! Not as a team & not as individuals. When we had the famed back five, Strikers of that era will tell you they hated playong playing against them. Gallas for us was a great technical defender but no one hated playing against him, likewise our guys now.
  
  Another Mr Granite we might not get or even need, but then we will have to modify our style of play, our technically gifted players will have to defend as a team. (As the great all out attacking teams of Ajax did in the past) Otherwise we will have to play the type of crackerjack football that depends on our attack scoring more goals than our defense lets in. Suicidal! Like many of us have felt recently.

• 24-Nov-2010 12:50 | | richie  - Is it lack of concentration or lack of formation?
  

  One further point we seem to hear time and again this old chestnut "Lack of concentration". How can it be that the whole team lacks concentration?
  The joke is Xbox / play station.
  Well the joke truely is on us because our attack lacks concentration otherwise we must score! Our defense lacks concentration and there for we concede.
  Tactical formation anyone? All great teams are built on a sound defense!

• 24-Nov-2010 12:55 | | yidahoy  - message for richie
  

  you have just described us mate, we are all out attack and cant defend either , so maybe you are not better than us after all !
  
  PMSL !

• 24-Nov-2010 14:24 | | richie  - My neighbours ain't got Sky either yidahoy
  

  Obviously our poorer neighbours ain't got much Silver wear to talk about, so they wanna come on our blogs. It shows you up for who you are your yearly ambition is us, so you've had your cup final. The only one you'll ever get.
  There really should be a rule that bar's teams that ain't been Champions in their own country for over 50 years from the Champions league, shouldn't there? Don't you think?
  Likewise other teams blogs? I mean if you ain't got your own blog start one of your own up yidahoy.
  I suppose I could help you with a title if your stuck?
  But why not name it after your teams badge? You know the one proudly worn on your teams shirts. A Chicken isn't it?
  Like your lot I'm a big fan of Chicken.
  Stick to your own as your lot usually do
  stick to what you know interbreeding
  and lokshon soup

• 24-Nov-2010 14:46 | | yidahoy  - Richie getting twitchy
  

  I love you gooners , you make me laugh,, Fair play for winning the title and the double and that it is a great achievement , but In my honest opinion only the champions should be in the champions league and it should resort back to the old format, it has killed the world cup and the enjoyment in watching world class players like Messi etc, not spains sub Fabregas ..as he is not world class really but a hell of a player..
  we see them week in week out and it is boring, yes i admit we would never play in the champions league as we will never win a title,
  but you lot chop and change , suddenly you are all laughing at spurs because we win the mickey mouse cup, now suddenly it is acceptable to play a full strength side in the carling cup..you beat our youth and reserve team in extra time..dont even bother arguing that one as our first team beat you fair and square last saturday..so basically richie the only reason Wenger has a job is because you lot are happy to sit in 3rd going nowhere lacking ambition laughing at us..yes we may be behind you but we are moving forward..be careful because 5 years standing still means even shitty spurs are on your shoulder..how many nutmegs on eboue last night ? ha ha toilet pal !!!
  
  In wenger we trust ...??? yeah right !..not even his mrs trusts him now so why should you lot ?

• 24-Nov-2010 15:00 | | yidahoy  - richie
  

  dont bother coming back with a smart arse answer because what you really feel about your team is directly above mate , in your own words you lack concentration ,
  Now go and have a moan at your greek/russian board ...
  
  your club is sliding down the gurgler quicker than a chilean miner pal and your biggest allies are at home reading the paper, do you honestly think a russian and a greek has your best interests at heart? david dein leaving was the straw breaking the back and wenger has had the hump since ha ha..
  
  this article was sponsered by evian, wengers favourite tipple ..

• 24-Nov-2010 16:08 | | MeanLean
  

  I have to correct you Richie. They do not have a chicken on their badge, they have a cock and I must say it suits them very well.

• 24-Nov-2010 16:34 | | yidahoy  - meanlean !
  

  2-3 my son , wanted to brag a bit more but in truth I am gutted ,17 years we waited to beat you on your patch and when it happens we beat the worst Arsenal team I have seen in my lifetime (38 ) and we have to share that achievement with Newcastle and West Brom and if that is not bad enough even a pub team who play in a land fill site now beat you too, I wanted to brag about beating the mighty Arsenal but Im gutted !..
  Bendtner looks good , cant imagine defoe being on the edge of the area if theo delivered a ball like that can you ? ha ha..

• 24-Nov-2010 23:39 | | richie  - so your team has never won a title in your 38 year
  

  Its taken the chickens (sorry ML the cocks) 17 years to beat us at home. So brag! Brag all you want. You've had your moment of glory
  enjoy it while you can, after all we've enjoyed the last 17 trophe filled years, so like all the giant killing little teams bask in your flash in the pan glory by all means. I ain't gonna develope a nervous twitch over 1 loss in 17 years. If my team hadn't won the league in 17 years I'd probably be twitching like Old Harry The Red Napper. If my team hadn't ever won the prem I'd keep my head down. If my team hadn't won the national league in over 50 attempts I'd be like the low rider. Unless like the pool you could lay claim to fame by winning the CL. Only one club has won the FA cup more than mine. Only that same club has more prem titles. Only one London team can lay claim to having real History. You know who! Which is why you lot are making the most of your 1 in 17.

• 25-Nov-2010 07:28 | | yidahoy  - richie.
  

  Hate Harry Redknapp so slag him all you like West Ham pikey C*nt,
  History history history, didnt you used to laugh at us when we done that,
  It is normally a sign of a team that are shit in the present , well thats what you used to tell us anyway..Souness reckons we beat any english team right now.. he is probably right as we have already won at your place and you know you wont handle our first team in the noise at the lane..
  proof is in the pudding as they say and you are not where we are in the champ league yet pal..but you keep going on about all the pudding you enjoyed in the past if it makes you happy..YIDAHOY !
  
  breaks my heart to see us in the red section of qualifiers and you in a group with belgrade, braga and donetsk...and not through ! ..ouch sport hurts...

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