Manchester City Preview 24 August, 2007
Posted by lasagnechef in Premiership.trackback
So the latest news is Lehmann’s injury and Gilberto’s possible return. Diaby and Eboue I believe are still out. Also there was the news that we will play two strikers and not Hleb supporting Van Persie. Alex has done a good job there but Arsene has said a game like this needs us to have two strikers.
So I’m thinking this as the team: Almunia, Clichy, Senderos, Toure and Sagna as the defence. Then Hleb, Fabregas, Flamini and Walcott across the middle. Then Van Persie and Ade/Eduardo up front. I cant decide which one Arsene will go for, I’m gonna guess with Da Silva.
However Denilson could start ahead of Flamini possibly or maybe Gilberto will get his first game of the season but I think he will be on the bench to be honest. Adebayor is back but unless Arsene thinks he’s fully match fit I don’t think he will start him.
Jens Lehmann picked up an achilles injury after this weeks internationals. Whether that’s a blessing in disguise, something made up by Wenger or an actual injury we wont know but it does seem awfully convenient. Le Boss has confirmed that Almunia will start with a tribute to our no.2. I know Manuel can do the job and I have seen him perform many times. However the biggest positive I’m taking from this is that when Almunia came into he first team ahead of Jens before, it made Lehmann a lot better so maybe something similar will happen again, or maybe this time Manuel will really prove himself with a decent run of games and become our new preferred goalie.
Tomorrow should be very interesting anyway. Anything can happen. I’ll have a match report up soon. Until then.
Do you not get the impression you’re picking clothes out of the bargin bin ? We need natural wingers – then we can get excited.
I cant see Adebayor starting tomorrow, he has been out for too long to be thown into a game against a team who beat Man Utd. Gilberto’s selection is an interesting one as he has not been injured, so should be fit to play, however i think that Flamini has not done himself any harm in the few games he has played in so far – I know he is not as gifted as the others but he has a huge desire to win and you know what you get when you put him on the pitch.
Re Falmini, my hero this season so far is the “Flamster”. Unexpected but there you go. !
were fucked if senderos is playing……im off to church!!
and your choice of centre back with current fit squad would be…….?
ok lets go pragmatic here. Sign Kompany, sit him o the bench until needed ….. nope. Ok, sign Kompany and play him full time, play Toure midfiled until need at centreback….nope we already have a good midfield (centre)….Wenger Knows. a) we are good b) we’re lacking in width c) width is the MOST difficult part to find. Instead of ‘fucked’ our team, get behind the replacement who are prepared to sit it out, and concentrate on the problem areas.
I saw Senderos lead the Arsenal squad and I think he played quit well. Let’s give the lad a chance and see what he can produce.
hey im all for giving (forgiving) senderos a chance but he is a liability…..a mistake is just around the corner , seems he plays better for the swiss then he does for us!!!
Everyone who is queasy about Senderos remembers him for two things, and two only.
First, his inability to handle Drogba. Well, guess what? Nobody else has had much luck, either — and one of Drogba’s killer goals against Phil was a total fluke that he never saw. The ball just clipped his knee and changed direction.
Second, the goal from Benni McCarthy which knocked us out of the FA Cup. Two things about that: With any decent luck or referring, we’d have been through easily. We blew chances at home and then at Ewood, and had stone-wall penalties denied in each leg. Then after all that, we have injuries and suspensions so Senderos winds up playing right back. And McCarthy cuts inside him to shoot.
Just what on earth was Senderos supposed to do out on the right wing? How would the sainted Tony Adams have fared in that situation?
The truth is that Senderos has been generally very reliable in the centre, he partners Kolo very well — remember the CL scoreless run, abybody? — and he’s better in the air than Gallas.
This boy has gotten a very, very bad rap — on top of coming back from the same type of shoulder surgery as Theo. Because he’s a big, strong guy and we needed him at the time, Senderos was thrown out there when he wasn’t even close to match fitness.
The guy is also one of the most intelligent players in the league, speaks several languages — which helps with our defence, quite seriously — and has a maturity about him.
Feel free to take your shots at Senderos, but I honestly believe that when he’s fit, playing the proper position and given a run of games, he’s a first-class centre back. Do you really think the boy could have just been “lucky” during all those CL games?
Senderos is not a worry at all. Find something else to fret about.
yea i rekon he could start with da silva and bring ade off the bench on about the hour mark. I would start denilson instead of flamini because man city are not a aggressive side and dont rely on out muscling sides. Rosick if fit and hleb on the right with the back line that finished agaist rovers. remember senderos was part of that famous arsenal back line that did did nt leak a goal against the likes of the old lady real madrid and villareal. prediction 2.0 win goals either side of half time.
Carlfornia Steve
Good defenders are good anywhere. I bet you both Adams and Keown could’ve have played at right back if forced on them, same as Gallas. Sendy was beaten by McCathy with speed, the same Drogba use against him. Agger of Liverpool is able to handle Drogba so why not Sendy. Does it mean that he can’t handle Drogba so anytime we play Chelsea we should go and rent a centre back? He still has a lot of learning to do and need to improve his pace too. he’s been at Arsenal for too long to develop into a top defender by now. Time is running out for him and there are youngsters coming up; but from Blackburn game I think he’ll do well in the absence of Gallas.
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All you people still moaning about our squad, are you really fans? I personally would say we dont look too bad. think about it for a minute, the yids are looking sketchy to say the least and united have been getting the return for the luck they have had over the years. We go into this with a chance to assert ourselves as part of the title race so lets support our team shall we?
I for one have not lost the faith whoever plays. Senderos for me is good cover in the centre of defence and he was up to the job at Blackburn, like someone said a little more memory than his two mistakes is needed by those who are knocking him. When we beat city maybe you will start to believe.
laosgooner & califronia steve
are you telling me senderos has only made two mistakes!!
bollocks!!
the geezer is a good defender, but thats just it he is only good , we need a very good defender in there!!
One Nil to The Arsenal!!
Love it… great nailbiter. Now I can sit back and watch the scum get thrown to the hungry wolves up at Old Trafford today. Should be bloody