Gooner Talk

Marseille and Arsenal have both started slowly domestically this season, but the Champions League has provided a welcome distraction, with the duo looking to be the teams to beat in Group B.

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The Gunners have a terrific record against Sunderland and with Robin van Persie on fire are not surprisingly long-odds on at a best priced 1.5 to bag a vital three points (see the latest Arsenal betting odds).

They have won seven and drawn three of their 10 home Premier League matches against Steve Bruce’s men and the Black Cats have failed to score in their last three visit to the Emirates.

However don’t expect a a feats of goals as the stats reveal that there have only been 8 goals in the last seven Premiership games between the two sides.

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I looked at the date for this fixture in the diary at the beginning of the football year when the dates were released. I looked at our run in, and, convinced we would be in a strong position at this point of the year, saw this home game against United as the platform upon which our players would strike a blow against Manchester’s very best.

Ultimately Arsenal aren’t that close to United and as such have lost the flowing momentum that had building up behind us earlier in the season.
 
Against Bolton, despite possession; there was not a cruel, cold blooded goal scorer to put away the chances we created. We did not have an Ian Wright or Javier Hernandez to change to the score-line. Once again despite possession, Arsenal were undone by set pieces.  A familiar pattern we have faced for some years now. No other side have conceded a higher percentage of their goals, 56%, from set pieces in 2010-11.
 
Wenger said in his Thursday lunchtime press conference “There is more at stake on Sunday than just the mathematics.” This game, at this stage of the season will set the momentum for United’s final run in. Do well in this game against Arsenal and they could well carry this form through to Wembley and overwhelm Barcelona. Find themselves against an aggressive, competitive team that refuse to lose and put them on the rack – who knows? Arsenal could dent their confidence and undermine their focus.

Furthermore the match, should it be won, can serve as the motivational tool Wenger can use to persuade big players to join and our best players to stay. It would set a great precedent for the next season and give the team (which is unlikely to change greatly, despite paper news) a driving platform to begin the season 2011/2012 from.

Arsene Wenger also said “It is important for us to show some fighting spirit, some fighting attitude and some pride.”

That’s very true, it is vital for the players and their careers too. If Wenger cannot back them to perform on a nice warm day at home when their is no pressure to deliver (comparatively as no title at stake now) then when exactly can these men, who have so much ‘potential’ as we are told, deliver to their supporters?
 
Johan Djourou has had a great season, and I am loathe to criticise him but if he is the commanding centre back we have been looking for, he did not look it against Bolton. A great game from him in this match could prevent Wenger from signing a Cahill or Hangeland.
 
United will force the ball out wide by packing bodies down the centre. Balls crossed into the box for Van Persie on his own will be bread and butter for Vidic and Ferdinand, the best centre-back combination of the last 20 years in the Premier League. Van Persie is on an excellent run of scoring goals and has natural link up play, however, despite being good in the air when he makes contact with a cross, he is far from an aerial threat. Van Persie does not even put himself into the right positions to meet the crosses to score from. Still in his heart more Dennis than Thierry, his genetic DNA withdraws him form the attrition zone to the playmaker areas. Note that forced to play the target man in the world cup, with less flexibility, he did not score. At least Hernandez makes the right runs that allow him to compete for such crosses. As it is the little Mexican punches above his weight. Arsenal could play a traditional target man in Chamakh who has been wildly out of form. Against Liverpool, we finished with a cross completion rate of 0%, from 27 attempted crosses.
 
This is how this match will likely play out; Arsenal have lots of possession, United sit back and use Nani and Rooney to counter. Park and Anderson close our midfield down running likely 400m runners. Vidic might hit the post from a corner. Van Persie or Nasri will get a chance and THIS is where the game is to be won or lost. Against Clichy and two talented (but not dominating defenders), I am sure United will score. We must take our chances to win as at some point Rooney will probably find space on a counter attack to test Szczesny.

Everything is at stake; Individual careers, our sanity and the team’s momentum for next year.

My prediction: Arsenal 2-2 Manchester United

If you’re looking to place a bet on the game then make sure you use a bet calculator to calculate your return on various betting odds from bookmakers.

For all Arsenal chat, transfer news and discussion about Arsenal join me on twitter and follow me @Detective82.

Arsenal are on their annual poor run of results which seems to show it’s ugly head at this time of year with upsetting regularity. The full inquest, however, will be done at the end of the season rather than now. I hinted in my last article at just a few of the problems I felt were in our way. For the remaining games, let’s just win and not make it easy for Manchester United. We have already given them a cushion which will be exceptionally hard to recover. 

Against defenders who like to try to play football but lack the ability to do it very well under intense pressure a prudent tactic is a high line to close their space and to be pressuring their rearguard in possession. Since they want Charlie Adam on the ball, they pass on the ground from the back. An additional striker could assist Van Persie with closing them down at the top of the park. I would advocate playing Chamakh alongside him. Bendtner, I’m told is being sold this summer, so I’d focus on developing the Morrocan more for this league.

I fully expect Arsenal to score against Blackpool because our team have had a good break from their last game so I anticipate fresh legs to test the home team. If I operate my prediction from the standpoint that Arsenal will score, the game will be won if Arsenal can shut down their star player – Charlie Adam and keep Campbell’s chances to a minimum. 

Adam is a sparky, skilful Scotsman with a wand for a left foot and one hell of an engine. He seems to relish being the best at Blackpool, who will surely sell him to a Premier League heavyweight this summer. He deserves it. His free kicks are the best in the league, perhaps. 

Blackpool’s recent poor form is down to the fact that teams have grown wise to the fact that if you shut down Adam, you have a better chance. 

Regards DJ Campbell, he’s a handy and nippy forward but nothing special. If Arsenal are league contenders a guy like him should reside in Koscielny’s pocket. Returning to my earlier tactic about a high line to pressure their defence, that leaves us open to long balls over the top to Campbell. Squillaci will not catch him but Koscielny should.

My prediction: Blackpool 1-3 Arsenal.

By the way for all Arsenal chat, transfer news and the odd bit about my career as a Police Officer follow me on Twitter @Detective82. All tweets, feedback, views welcome.

That might have been a very successful interlull period for Arsenal. A miserable run of results and downbeat players given some breathing space for Wenger to tell them they can start afresh in April, forgetting the past 5 weeks or so. Furthermore; Walcott, Song and Fabregas all got time the needed to return to fitness. Each of the 3 are essential to the power and tempo Arsenal endeavour to operate at.

Fingers (permanently) crossed for Robin van Persie. Early news was he was taken off due to bruising and should be fit for Blackburn. He will want to play, he has an astonishing scoring record against them.

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Arsenal face a trip to West Bromwich Albion this Saturday in the Premier League. A disappointing previous three weeks has just ended with the news that Jens Lehmann set for a deal until the end of the season. 

I wonder if Wenger will appoint Lehmann with his old job of collecting player fines, such as for mobile phones ringing and lateness. I was told he had a few heated confrontations making people pay up, once with Freddie Ljungberg. I think having a player around young players who are learning, (probably old enough to be a father figure to many of them) is a great thing. Other than this he brings his ferocious winning attitude and hunger to challenge others to compete at their highest level. In summary I believe that Lehmann will inherit a fatherly mentor figure and be encouraged to push youngsters to be at their best more consistently. 

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For those of you thought that fantasy football was something that you entered at the start of the season and then go bored of by Christmas – think again. Picklive is the most intense and exciting fantasy football game on web, and takes place in real-time during televised matches

To get started simply visit goonertalk.picklive.com during Sunday’s game and sign-up for a free trial. By picking the three players who you think will contribute the most to the action within a five minute period.

Maybe you are enough of a footballing aficionado to strike out on your own, but if not then here is some friendly insiders advice from Pickive:

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