Lineup vs Arsenal

[Sona]

Fair enough then mate, but honestly think we cant just ape another team, we are what we are now, and we will play the same way we always try vs them, get the wingers and fullbacks at them, and win the midfield battle and disrupt and press them off the bat

Now this I can certainly agree with! If we press them from the off, we'll win it. Arteta isn't exactly mobile in the middle of the pitch for them, get the pressure on him and prevent them playing through the middle of us.

I've never been so confident going into a match v Arsenal. We owe them one for the Cup game too. COYB!

 

[bluestevon]

Now this I can certainly agree with! If we press them from the off, we'll win it. Arteta isn't exactly mobile in the middle of the pitch for them, get the pressure on him and prevent them playing through the middle of us.

I've never been so confident going into a match v Arsenal. We owe them one for the Cup game too. COYB!

Same mate, arsenal away from home are a way different team than on their own patch as well, can stuff them if we start fast

 

[king louis IX]

Wow, what a contradictory post!! Talking about Arsenal being the narrowest team in the prem, then saying that we should play as wide as possible!! We'd be completely overrun through the middle of the pitch!

As I said, Coleman wouldn't be "doubling up", but would rather be pressing high up the pitch. He has more defensive nous and a better work rate than any of our other AMR options.

I would leave Stones at RB v their left sided midfielder, with McCarthy inside.

Coleman and Mirallas starting as our wide attacking mids, with both playing narrow when we're without the ball to prevent Arsenal coming at us through the middle.

We are at home and the possession we generally have should allow us to dictate the terms to them. Playing with players who like to stay wide and pushing full backs forward will force Cazorla and one other (Podolski I reckon) into unnatural positions for them, reducing their effectiveness.

And besides, for better or for worse, setting teams up based on opponents is definitely not the Martinez way of doing things. He lets them worry about us and that is why this season has been so refreshing.

 

[AaronTheBlue]

Howard
Coleman Stones Distin/jagielka Baines
Mirallas McCarthy Barry Mcgeady
Naismith
Lukaku


Deulofeu and Barkley [if fit] coming on with 25 mins to go.

 

[royalblue66]

How many tickets did they receive ? Hope their allocation was reduced.

 

[bluestevon]

Howard
Coleman Stones Distin/jagielka Baines
Mirallas McCarthy Barry Mcgeady
Naismith
Lukaku


Deulofeu and Barkley [if fit] coming on with 25 mins to go.

If fit mate Barkley has to start, delefeou too, need to get at them fast early on and shake their confidence, plus Barkley has been terrible from the bench this year like

will also admit im superstitious and the fact we've won every league game Dele has started makes me wanna go with him for this one

 

[toffeestillidie]

I think part of the effectiveness of the Naismith substitution is how different of a player he is than Barkley. Barkley will hold up the ball and dribble at a defender while Naismith is much more likely to distribute the ball quickly and move. The latter is very effective against tired legs, so I think Naismith needs to be our super sub.

Deulofeu has been great recently, and while I think he's generally better off the bench he's a similar player to Mirallas so having Mirallas as our super-sub instead is fine by me.

I'm still not convinced McGeady has the work rate to be starting in the premier league, perhaps he would be worth bringing on in the 70th minute depending on how the game is shaping up.

I wouldn't throw Jagielka in against Arsenal when he hasn't played for so long, hope he makes the bench though.

I think Martinez will opt for 3 players rotating and drifting interchangeably behind Lukaku:

-----------Howard
Coleman Stones Distin Baines
--------McCarthy Barry
-----Del Boy --Osman---Barkley
-----------Lukaku

Deulofeu will hug the touchlines and get down to the end line leaving loads of space for Coleman to get forward and cut more centrally, the defense will have trouble adjusting to Deulofeu's speed, Barkley's physicality and Osman's creativity as the three of them roam about. Barkley drifting inside will leave Baines with space to get forward and whip crosses in. Off the Bench we have Naismith, Mirallas, McGeady all as great options.

Defensively the most important thing will be preventing arsenal from getting a passing rhythm going, and I think that having 3 very different players moving about interchangeably harassing their back 4 will make it difficult for them to play it out the back on the ground.

This is ours to win, despite repeatedly failing to rise to the occasion this season, we still by some miracle control our own fate. No less than a win is acceptable, COYB!