Just wondering about the game on saturday. Who will play with Shearer? Is Cort fully fit or even ready for such a big game? If not Cort who else. Robert up front and Bernard on the left wing, or Shola up front with Big Al? I'd like to see Cort play but he's been out for so long.

What do people think? I really reckon we can take them. To see Wenger winge after suffering defeat would be perfect.

-- Anonymous, February 28, 2002

Answers

I think Luax2 will get the chance upfront with Al. Cort should be on the bench and maybe play if we are struggling in the second half.

-- Anonymous, February 28, 2002

It's actually a very tricky decision, and a critical one - we must not allow Arsenal to take all three points.

It would be logical to try to maintain the same playing system that has served us well. That would argue in favour of Luax2 replacing CB to preserve speed up front. That approach assumes that Luax2 is an adequate replacement for CB - I don't think he is.

I would simply play the best available striker - even if that did require an adjustment to the team pattern. With that in mind, I'd play Cort alongside AS and tell Robert and Solano to get to the by-line and get the crosses in.

It is unlikely that CC will last the game, so we can have the option to replace him like-for-like during the 2nd half with Shola. Alternatively, if things are not going well, we still have the option of reverting to our more normal style with Luax2 coming off the bench to play up front.

-- Anonymous, February 28, 2002

Bobby always seems to think of Ameobi first.

-- Anonymous, February 28, 2002

Bobby picks the side alphabetically ?

-- Anonymous, February 28, 2002

I'd think he'd start with Ameobi and look to bring Cort on.

-- Anonymous, February 28, 2002

It`s a really difficult one this - what a rotten time for Bellamy to get an injury. (:o|

-- Anonymous, February 28, 2002

It is possibly one of the best times for Bellamy to get injured.

Obviously I'd prefer him to be fit, but in Ameobi, Lua Lua, Cort we have two pretty decent and one who I'm sure would be wanted by many teams if he was available.

We even have Robert if desparate.

Think back to a month ago, Lua Lua was in Mali and Cort was completely injured. That would have left us with just Ameobi.

I wish Bellamy wasn't injured, but in terms of available replacements it couldn't have come at a better time really.

-- Anonymous, February 28, 2002

Would this be an opportune time to remind everyone that I think LLL is a bit shit?

-- Anonymous, February 28, 2002

I don't think L2 should be starting against Arsenal. Not enough experience or control. Shola stepped up when he was needed last season, this would be a good time for him to do so again.

-- Anonymous, February 28, 2002

My preference would be Shola with Cort off the bench. I think YBR will do the opposite.

-- Anonymous, February 28, 2002

On second thoughts, bugg@r it, it has to be Chops flying off AS' shoulder, with CC or the Ameoba off the bench. That'd give that @rse Stepanovs something to worry about

-- Anonymous, February 28, 2002

Dan, you are a voice in the wilderness talking sense. Luax2 will never be good enough.

-- Anonymous, March 01, 2002

l2 isn't up to it, neither is Ameobi, especially for these games. It has to be Cort or Robert.

-- Anonymous, March 01, 2002

Cort...I know people are saying don't rush him back but he's NOT being rushed back...he's been brought back over a period of 3 weeks and built up over at least 3-4 reserve games...

-- Anonymous, March 01, 2002

How about 5 in midfield. Solano, Jenas, Speed, Acuna,Robert and shearer up front on his own. This would give Jenas, Nobby and Robert freedom to support big Al and leave us with Acuna and speed to defend. This may seem a bit negative, but having seen Arsenal rip us apart in the first half at the Library, and what they did to the germans I ma a little nervous about their attacking prowess.

If we stifle that then Arsenal begin to look a bit ordinary esp. at the back

-- Anonymous, March 01, 2002

Lua2 is the perfect sub, changes things, does tricks the opposition don't like, is a free spirit, he is not the player to have on form the start and to be found out, slowly subdued, then slowly subbed as a demoralised lightweight

Cort and Shola offer the same physical presence (I could only tell them apart from their boot colour). Shola has more pace, does have the ability to take players on, but Cort has a better record at finishing, somehow.

What Bellamy has is a willingness to take people on, put defenders onthe back foot, he then tries the step overs but it is raw pace which gets him away. Shola has the skill to beat a player in the box, that I don't belive Cort has.

We need to have them worried about our options, I don't see them worried about Cort, if there defenders are bright enough I don't see them worried about Lua2, unless it is the last ten minutes and they are feeling the pace, Shola is the in between option, steady, works hard, a trick or two, and deecptively pacy.

Has to be Shola

-- Anonymous, March 01, 2002

Mac - Shola has more pace?? Sure you've got them the right way round?

-- Anonymous, March 01, 2002

I think it's about time we used the pace and skill of Lua2. This is whha Bellamy provided and I feel Lua would be the best person to step in. Pace and guile are the weapons to use against Arse and it worked against them down there with both Bellamy and Dyer. This time round Nobby and Lua must be the ones to provide.

Many of you will cry out asking of Robert but I feel he will have a quiet game while taking two Arse players out of the game while they close mark him.

-- Anonymous, March 01, 2002

Stepanovov (sp?) vs Cort
Shearer vs Campbell


More importantly I hope to hell that Nobby is up for it bearing in mind the arse are down to their 5th choice LB by all accounts the Ukrainian switching over. Give him hell down the right flank and see if he can lunge in and get carded early on.



-- Anonymous, March 01, 2002

I'd like:

............Given....
Hughes...Dabz...OBrien...Distin
Solano...Jenas...Speed...Bernard
.................Robert
.......Shearer

subs:Harper, Elliot, Acuntildea, LLL, Cort

-- Anonymous, March 01, 2002