Arsenal v Manchester Utd: The Wednesday Preview

Well Sunday marks the biggest weekend of the season so far, with Liverpool against Chelsea and of course the main event which is Arsenal versus Manchester United.

And the great thing is both teams are in sensational form.

Manchester United are top of the Premiership with a 6 point gap over Chelsea and Arsenal have really started to find their feet domestically with two comprehensive wins at Anfield and a great win against all odds at Ewood Park.

The only real fact about the team news at the moment is that Gilberto will miss the game as he will be serving a suspension for flicking at Robbie ‘Honest’ Savage. Gilberto will be a big miss as he’s possibly been our most important player this season but if we can overhaul Blackburn Rovers with 10 men then the confidence in the squad will be sky high.

I suppose the best scenario for us this weekend would be to obviously beat Manchester United (by a good few goals) and I’m still undecided about the Chelski match. If Liverpool win we won’t be able to get up to third this weekend but if Chelski win, well, I hate Chelsea! I suppose a draw in that game would do me.

As the big game draws closer then the mind games will start and Rio Ferdinand has come out and said that the man to fear most is Adebayor and not Thierry Henry. There’s no doubt that he was sensational at United (and Chelsea as well) so it’s a fair comment but I’m sure he also knows that it’s likely Adebayor will be on the bench with Van Persie and Henry starting so he hopes that it might cause a little tension in our team.

Adebayor is an effective player in a 4-5-1 formation but with Wenger persisting with two men upfront even with 10 men against Blackburn I’d be surprised if we saw anything else than a 4-4-2 system against United. You never know, Van Persie has failed to score in his last couple of games so could make way for Ade upfront. It’s good to have options anyway!

The other squad news is that Eboue hopes to return for Sunday and apparently William Gallas has declared himself fit. Not sure if Eboue should return after his antics against Liverpool and Hoyte has been playing well so don’t be surprised if Wenger gives Hoyte the nod.

Toure has been a rock recently and Djourou has looked strong and confident at the back, while Senderos has made a few mistakes which were luckily unpunished against Blackburn and Liverpool – althought Djourou has played well it would make sense to have Gallas in the team, especially with Gilberto out.

Flamini will replace Gilberto in the centre which could leave us a big light in the middle, so expect to see Van Persie play a slightly deeper role behind Thierry. You can’t fault Flamini’s work rate and he has improved over the last couple of seasons. His attitude is spot on as well so I have no problem with him next to Cesc against Manchester United – and he scored against Liverpool and Chelsea his season so he’s got an eye for scoring in the big games!

I’m surprised Fergie hasn’t had a go at Arsenal or Arsene yet to stoke the fires before the big game but there’s still a few days to go yet!

 

8 thoughts on “Arsenal v Manchester Utd: The Wednesday Preview

  1. its not cut and dried that RVP will start up front. Ade has a good shout.
    at the back I dont think it matters whether its senderos or Djourou. they are both having good seasons and big phil has had a good couple of games so it might be worth using that momentum.
    The flamster has not let us down in the big games as you say, so I am happy with that replacement.
    whichever striker he goes for I really hope if we are behind or drawing after 55-60 minutes, wenger changes it round to bring the other one on. sometimes a change in striker can make a big difference to the way the team functions.

     
  2. I hope Hoyte plays on Sunday because Eboue is a liability! Against Rovers and Liverpool we focused on winning and did the job, but Eboue dives around and messes about!

     
  3. If Gallas comes back, it will compensate Giberto’s loss. Eboue has not grown up and so he should stay on the bench. Of late, Walcott has gone of the boil too. I predict 2-1 for the Arsenal altho’ I am praying for 6.

     
  4. People have been too quick to write Eboue off…when he’s fully fit he provides another attacking dimension and links superbly with Hleb…they could also keep ronaldo pinned back and limit his threat

     
  5. fair point, eboue was brilliant against united at OT as he gave us that something extra on the right and personally I think eboue is probably better equiped to cope against giggs or ronaldo depending who’s on the left wing. if eboue is fit wenger will pick him.

    just hope we can contain ronaldo because i hate to say it but that guy has been awesome this season! but he’s the only real threat because rooney has gone off the boil this season and scholes and giggs are past it.

     
  6. I would play any of Eboue, Denilson, or Djourou in Gilberto’s position way ahead of Flamini if the centre backs are any of Toure/Senderos/Gallas.

    United need to be mauled and torn apart and that can be done with tigers (Denilson), jaguars (Djourou) and panthers (Eboue) rather than with a barking and biting silky terrier.

    Maybe we will see one or two surprise selections.

     

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