With Arsenal having a few players struggling with injuries and their recent form being a bit patchy, I reckon they are there to be beaten. Unfortunately I don't think we have the team to do it!

They haven's scored that many recently, apart from one at the weekend and two last night. They gave away a two goal lead, so they would be a bit nervous if they really had to chase a game.

-- Anonymous, December 06, 2000

Answers

They looked pretty good last night apart from the 2 conceded.... not that we are likely to capitailise on defensive errors! I think we'll get stuffed.

-- Anonymous, December 06, 2000

Geordie, when I say that sort of thing, people accuse me of not being a fan. Anyway, I have to agree that they are just waiting to stuff someone and our good fortune won't hold up at the back for too much longer. However, I thought they'd stuff us last year and one of my proudest moments last season was that brave draw. Orchestrated to be fair by Franck Dumas. Could have won it had Kevin Gallcher not missed a sitter from about a yard out.

-- Anonymous, December 06, 2000

Doug
You can be realistic and still be a fan. So, surprise, surprise, I also think we'll lose on Sat. In fact I think we'll get the biggest seeing to of the season. Probably similarly so against Leeds as well. Not sure about Bradford and Derby. I'd be more confident of a win if the Bradford game wasn't at home. Derby's anybody's guess.

-- Anonymous, December 06, 2000

I think we'll lose as well...anything less than 5-0 will be a bonus. We may have made a few squad changes by the time Leeds comes up.

-- Anonymous, December 06, 2000

Dougal, I can't remember anyone claiming you're not a fan for being pessimistic. Quite the opposite. So long as you don't say that the Hackems are a better club ;-))

-- Anonymous, December 06, 2000

Their 2 goals were very skillful indeed. But the jorman's defence was all over the place and overcommited allowing Arse the chance to show off.

The Munich goals should give us hope, though, as well as the Arse's suspect temperament...they're turning into Newton Heath with all the petulance and bad temper!

-- Anonymous, December 06, 2000

Dougal, what are you saying? "Anything less than 5 - 0 will be a bonus". Have we really sunk so low? The post-smoggy game euphoria wasn't that long ago and, yes, we haven't been playing brilliantly, but surely beating Liverpool and grafting for a point at Villa in our last two games doesn't suggest a massacre on Saturday. That said, I'm quietly confident we'll lose.

-- Anonymous, December 06, 2000

Ignore the Boro game we caught them at their absolute low, that has been shown by our performances and theirs since that match.

-- Anonymous, December 06, 2000

If we pressure them and give them no time on the ball and play 5-4-1 we can stifle a 0-0 bore draw I rate Hughes and caldwell highly.

-- Anonymous, December 06, 2000

If we try to play offside against the pace in their attack we are doomed. 5-4-1 sounds ok to me. At least try for 0-0

-- Anonymous, December 06, 2000

4-5-1 for me. Stick to the back four which seems to serve us better given the personnel. Three central midfielders with two of them holding back. Say Speed and Acuna. Bassedas a touch further forward. Solano on the right and Dyer on the left. Cordone up front. Dyer and Solano can burst forward to support Cordone, if we hit them on the counter. Unfortunately no Shearer to hold the ball up, but we'll have to change things eventually and it might as well be now. Given

Griffin - Caldwell - Hughes - Barton

Acuna - Speed

Solano - Bassedas - Dyer

Cordone

If this fails then chuck on Lua-Lua for Bassedas and go for broke with Dyer, Cordone and Lua-Lua all up front, drawing players out of defence everywhere!

-- Anonymous, December 06, 2000

Manninger was very iffy on saturday - didn't see last night's game, but saw the goals this morning, and he didn't look impressive on one of them.
His big weakness on saturday was his kicking (It's not just Given!!) - but generally seemed to lack confidence and presence. If we can put Arsenal under any sort of pressure, and stop them from getting into their stride, the crowd will get restless (it'll be three home games in a row illustrating only too clearly that they've a mountain to climb if they want to challenge for the Premiership or European Cup).

-- Anonymous, December 06, 2000

Got an impression from somewhere - maybe last night's highlights - that Manninger won't be playing on Saturday.

-- Anonymous, December 06, 2000

I'm more worried about Leeds after seeing their game last night. Kewell on the way back from injury, and Viduka. Just as well I'll be jetlagged out of my mind for that one. :-o

Also have a feeling we'll lose Sat. Arsenal need a win and we're very good this season at giving other teams the wins they seem to need. *sigh*. I'll be every bit as excited if we manage a draw as I was last season. We CAN do it. Just a matter of whether we want it mroe than them...

-- Anonymous, December 06, 2000

I have to agree with most on this point. Saturday I think we will get stuffed, it always happens. An opponent has a poor result midweek and gives us a hiding the next game. From what I understand we were lucky against liverpool only poor finishing and excellent goaltending kept birmingham from putting 5 past us. Arsenal with henry, bergkamp, kanu yeah we'll get stuffed. Of course having said that we will now win.

-- Anonymous, December 06, 2000

4-5-1 for mealso as i said above howver id have a slightly different formation. Given

Griffin - Caldwell - Hughes - Barton

Solano - Acuna - Speed - Domi

Dyer

Cordone

Lua lua on for Bassedas if it dont work and put dyer back into right centre next to nobby.

-- Anonymous, December 06, 2000

Against Arsenal we will have to change we play. No build up because we have no Shearer type who can hold the ball up. We'll play differently for this game and might see some encouraging signs of passing and moving. However, when Shearer comes back we'll revert to the same game.

Wouldn't it be nice to think that Shearer would come in and adapt to the way that was developed against Villa and Arsenal.

-- Anonymous, December 06, 2000

Nahh. Nothing to be afraid of. We'll get a point at least.

-- Anonymous, December 06, 2000

OOPS i mean lua x2 on for acuna as bassadas isnt on pitch..

-- Anonymous, December 06, 2000