Watch out for the OX lads hes world class they only got him for 15million bargain! please smash them

Moddaws wrote:Watch out for the OX lads hes world class they only got him for 15million bargain! please smash them

Will do.

Yeah, we've heard about ox, hopefully Abate keeps him quiet. We don't really have any other wing-backs who could match that pace. If Abate struggles, I suspect Allegri will direct van Bommel to help him out by dropping back from midfield.

Ideally, we will keep possession for most of the game, limit supply to the strikers and watch out for their counter attacks, which is how Wenger will most likely aim to get an away goal. If van Persie gets enough ball, he is bound to score or assist, even if T. Silva is playing on him. We can't risk that, so our midfield and forwards have to constantly press Arsenal's ball-carriers to force them into playing a predictable long-ball game down the flanks.

Whilst we should worry about Ox, Arsenal should worry about El Shaarawy, we paid $10mil for only half of his rights! Has scored or assisted in every game he has started.

Arsenal and long balls don't mix. We're not Madrid

Lex wrote:Arsenal and long balls don't mix. We're not Madrid

That's true, I rushed that a bit... substitute 'long balls' for 'long passes'. Long balls sort of implies aerial passes I guess.

Well this thread has become more positive lately

Wouldn't suppose that has anything to do with the buzz surrounding the Pharaoh?

Provided all fit,

--------------Abbiati----------------
Abate----Mexes------Silva----Mesbah
----------------MVB-----------------
---------Nocerino-----Seedorf-------
----------------KPB-------------
----------SeS--------Ibra-----------

Urby at LCM is also an option, but for me I like a little more experienced midfield in Europe. If everyone were 100% fit my midfield would be MVB, Aquaman, Nocerino and KPB.. but that is not going to be possible.

Also I know you guys are thinking "Seedorf, oh G*d no!" ..but lets not forget, the man is Mr. Champions League for a reason. Whatever A-game he has left, he is going to bring it in Europe.

Don't want Nesta, even if fit, purely for tactical reasons. Arsenals forwards are too quick, they are going to blitz him.

No Binho please! We might not get many chances and we need to be decisive when we do get them

Pato is optional, if available from injury, but I wouldn't start him because he usually take 2 games to get back in the groove before he is injured again by the 5th game

Stats favour us, BPL teams have not been great in Europe this year. Spurs out of the Europa League and City and United didn't make the round of 16 in CL.. all of which are doing better than Arsenal in the league.

THINK POSITIVE!

Gio did u see Mexes struggling gainst Di Natale coupla days ago?Nesta maybe slow but the man is like an old fox.He saved us bunch of times against barca.

red&blacklegion wrote:Gio did u see Mexes struggling gainst Di Natale coupla days ago?Nesta maybe slow but the man is like an old fox.He saved us bunch of times against barca.

fair enough... but then again, who can't Di Natale burn for pace? I just meant Mexes will be more mobile.

im hoping that allegri doesnt field all DM defensive lineup in midfield. nocerino van bommel is assured but i hope allegri doesnt field ambrosini. when we got battered by lecce, and again by lazio, its because 3 of them featured in our lineup. it would be excruciating to see all defensive lineup in midfield suffering with slow pace, and catching up; where we are suppose to be more fast, more creative.

on forward zlatan will surely feature, and i hope its el sharawwy with boateng who completes the forward lineup. robinho has been in poor form of late, and would rather like to see him coming as a substitution.

and hopefully in left back mesbah features. zambrotta possibly might make the starting lineup which i fear because he cant keep up with the pace of the likes of walcott, or chamberlan whoever plays there.

im hoping to see us playing with comfort and confidence not suffering too much counterattack. and lately nocerino has been playing too attacking than defensive so hope he finds balance in defensive and attacking stance.

our CL record for couple of years has been absolutely horrendous, and it all started off from arsenal ties. arsenal are the favourites in media, and amongst neutrals, i hope our players realize the importance of competing at world class level and live up to fans and board expectation to do well in CL. its been long overdue in european front that we have peformed at high level. and its time we do it now.

im really counting on allegri to make things right this time around. in serie a there has been lots of up and down for him, and in fairness he has been unlucky and left with not much alternatives because of injury but now atleast he has got few players back. i am believeing in allegri he makes sensible and right decision.

+1

I think we all pretty much have these same concerns. I do agree that while Ambrosini and Zambrotta still have an important part to play in the squad, they have no business starting against a side like Arsenal who have a very speedy and direct counter-style in away games. They're going to get burnt badly.. I even fear for MVB as well, but his positioning is immaculate which allows him a more balanced game even though he is not the quickest either anymore.

im not expecting a win,but if boateng doesnt play,im going to expect a loss.our midfield is shet without him,and shet midfield=not so good performance from strikers.

Specially when Seedorf is being extremely poor.

frankly i don't have very high hopes mostly because of allegri and his disappointing lineups and poor tactics but i do have faith in our players(SES92, lopez, T.silva, pato and prince) these awsome guys are capable of turning things around for us, so i believe in them...


if it was up to me i'd start with the following lineup:

abiatti

abate mexes silva mesbah

nocerino MVB boateng

SES92

M.lopez pato



i just hope seedorf, ambro and robinho dont' start because if they do we're doomed, especially robinho and ambro, robinho should only start when we're winning 3-0 or something or just to rest SES92 because he's nothing but a wasteful joker.

lopez could be the man against arsenal because virtually unknown, very unpredictable and most teams won't know what to expect from him, he should defenitely start, ibra on the other hand is very predictable and he usually flops when it things get hot in CL, add to that that he's been hitting poor form recently, pato with his pace could cause arsenal plenty of troubles, theie backline are known to have issues with pacy strikers, pato with M.lopez and SES92 could rape their backline, however knowing dummy allegri this will defenitely won't be the case, just my thoughts..

Reports are saying that slowdorf is going to start as a am,Robinho is going to start instead of SES,and antonini is going to start instead of Mesbah. Someone please kill me before the game starts.

milanfan7 wrote: Reports are saying that slowdorf is going to start as a am,Robinho is going to start instead of SES,and antonini is going to start instead of Mesbah. Someone please kill me before the game starts.

if that's true then we're doomed, there's no need to even waste our time and watch the frikkin game, you really ruined my day with these news Milanfan7....

Some reports are saying that Silva is injured and Mexes will be accompanied by Bonera in the CB slot,.

Potential wrote:Some reports are saying that Silva is injured and Mexes will be accompanied by Bonera in the CB slot,.

Where did you read that? Couldn't find that anywhere.

Some reports are suggesting MVB and Ibra are sick....

While others are also that we will line up like this:

Potential wrote:While others are also that we will line up like this:

Roma
Antonini Bonera Yepes Zambrotta
Ambrosini Emanuelson Nocerino
Seedorf
Robinho Lopez

Okay now I know you're trolling wasn't sure for a second there.

Assholes. You could just ask for sources you know. No need to act like a bunch of children.

allegri said he doesnt think boateng will start.mind tricks hopefully.

i hope mesbah starts.....i think he will since he started vs udinense

milanfan7 wrote: Assholes. You could just ask for sources you know. No need to act like a bunch of children.

holy shit ramsey starting...another famous person is gonna die now...

milanfan7 wrote: Assholes. You could just ask for sources you know. No need to act like a bunch of children.

I can understand Robinho starting to an extent... cause pato just came back and SES is young... but antonini? c'mon.... mesbah was been perfect for us so far.

Also Seedorf over Boateng after his performance over the weekend? Surely Allegri is not that stupid.

The only choice I like is emmaneulson over Ambrosini... but Mesbah and Boa HAVE to start. I would personally also start SES, I think he's ready to go to the next level, while Robinho has shown he can't do anything...

KR10 wrote:

milanfan7 wrote: Assholes. You could just ask for sources you know. No need to act like a bunch of children.

I can understand Robinho starting to an extent... cause pato just came back and SES is young... but antonini? c'mon.... mesbah was been perfect for us so far.

Also Seedorf over Boateng after his performance over the weekend? Surely Allegri is not that stupid.

The only choice I like is emmaneulson over Ambrosini... but Mesbah and Boa HAVE to start. I would personally also start SES, I think he's ready to go to the next level, while Robinho has shown he can't do anything...

I agree on Robinho starting over SES as the later is very young and needs to grow without too much pressure. But why the hell is Antonini starting?

In my opinion it should be; Prince, Robinho and Pato as super subs, I don't think Prince and Pato will be fit enough to start for this match

---------------------------------Abbiati
Abate----------------Nesta---------------Silva----------------Mesbah

---------------------------------Van Bommel
-------------------Emmanuelson------------Nocerino

---------------------------------Seedorf
-------------------------EL92---------------Zlatan

really i m baffled antonini will start .... its a joke that in LB no one is assured . mesbah is miles better .... really i dont understand cause seriously the whole `experience' thing is overestimated...

i would rather put guy who plays with confidence and comfort and thats definitely mesbah and NOT bloody antonini

Milantildeath wrote:In my opinion it should be; Prince, Robinho and Pato as super subs, I don't think Prince and Pato will be fit enough to start for this match

---------------------------------Abbiati
Abate----------------Nesta---------------Silva----------------Mesbah

---------------------------------Van Bommel
-------------------Emmanuelson------------Nocerino

---------------------------------Seedorf
-------------------------EL92---------------Zlatan

i wished this was the lineup MTD.. if boateng were not to play