Birmingham vs. Arsenal Preview 22 February, 2008
Posted by lasagnechef in Premiership.trackback
There has been alot of excitement this week over the AC Milan fixture but you could argue that tomorrow’s match at St. Andrews against Birmingham City is of much more importance. We play in the early kick off which means we can open a 8 point gap on Manchester United with an away win. United travel to St. James’ park later in the day, hopefully Kevin Keegan can start his winning run this weekend.
The team news ahead of the game is as follows, Kolo Toure is out for two weeks, not the initial month first thought. That’s good news. Whilst Senderos is playing like his is at the moment the injury doesn’t really bother me too much to be honest, I never thought I’d say that! Almunia’s back in the squad after recovering from illness however Arsene has a decision to make on who will start. Lehmann hasn’t done a lot wrong since he’s come back into the side and if Almunia does start tomorrow Jens will feel a bit hard done by. I’d go for Almunia but it is quite lucky we have two decent ‘keepers to choose from.
Hleb and Adebayor picked up knocks against Milan but are alright to travel to Birmingham. Also Eboue can’t play because of that red card so I guess we’ll see Theo Walcott at right midfield. So I’d be pretty surprised if the team was a lot different from this:
Sagna - Senderos - Gallas (c) - Clichy
Walcott - Fabregas - Flamini - Hleb
Adebayor - Eduardo
Birmingham came to the Grove not so long ago and got away with a draw. We didn’t play too badly but the visitors got their tactics right and made it difficult. They know how to stop us now so we need to play well. Every Premier League game between now and May are massively important so somehow we need to transform that hype the players got to play the European Champions and transfer it to tomorrow’s game in the cold and wet English midlands. A tough task but Wenger’s on the case.
I’m not going tomorrow, decided not to bother as I need to save money for Milan and it’s on TV anyway. I’m working again but I’ll still be able to watch it 
Hopefully it’s a much better performance than last Saturday’s.
Anything other than a win will be a massive disappointment. If we drop points United can close the gap and I’m sure they wont waste that opportunity if we slip up. Chelsea are of course evolved in that cuntfest at Wembley on Sunday, I hope no Gooners are having to attend that one. Not just because it’ll be horrible, no, because I’ve ordered an air strike on the ground for about half four.
Right see you later people, happy Friday.
I wouldn’t be at all surprised if Arsene selects Denilson ahead of Walcott for the vacant right midfield slot against Birmingham tommorrow.
come on the gunners!!! lets go 8 points clear!
Walcott may not start, maybe denilson or Gilberto may come in! Playing Walcott in an away game any away game for that matter whether Birmingham or Stoke city is like playing with ten men!
Mark my words, walcott will play and have a stunning performance against the blues. Having watched theo against milan, i can confidently say he has matured over the last months. Kick me if i am wrong 2morrow.
I wouldn’t trust Walcott over 90 mins now .. perhaps over the last 20 mins he can open up a game as always when legs are tiring. I think Arsene will put Eduardo on the left, Hleb on the right. With twin towers upfront in Adebayor and Bendter. They are probably slightly jaded from the Milan game and will be wise to cut down on their pass and move game a bit. The style takes a helluva lot out of the players. To play it smart and lessen the fatigue factor, they go should mix that with some direct Route One balls as the two big guys will prove to be good targetmen. If Eduardo cuts in from the left, he could profit from a knockdown or two.
theo will start as a striker, and bag a brace,
BOY WONDER is about to take the premiership by storm…..
watch out…….
we all want theo to do well!! Theo if you read this then i want you to think carefully about what i say. CHANGE OF PACE!! watch the greatest players in the history of football. Slow the pace when running at an opponent, then just when he slows with you, zipp past him. also TURN AWAY FROM YOUR OPPONENT! Theo has the potential to be one of the best players in the world. Please just realise your potential and believe in yourself and your remarkable ability. We know that you are humble, but you have a talent that you should not be afraid toshow off. to be the best in the world requires humility as well as creativity, skill, intelligence and passion. Be a winner! Don’t end up wasting your talent being overwhelmed by your team mates and their qualities. Strive to fullfill your destiny. YOU CAN BEAT ANY DEFENDER IN THE WORLD!! I only wish i could!! Good luck Theo!! I do believe the performance against Milan on ‘weds. was excellent and i believe we will go through at the san siro.
we made a very good side look average. Thought Maldini was ace though, he really is a legend in our time!
We, as a club took a lot of stick for the f.a cup result and performance and quite right too! However i don’t believe there are too many fans or players who believe the f.a cup was a real priority. If we had won that game against utd and lost to Milan i think we would be in turmoil for the rest of the season because i have a feeling that i’m not alone in my belief that we have at least one major trophy in our hands this season. That’s not to say i don’t want the f.a cup because i do. It’s just that we all know it is the third choice in competitions for us this season. We also know that a treble would be tremendously difficult for our squad to achieve, especially when the competion is of such a high standard.
As for the premiership, it is in our hands. It is almost March now and it is a 3 horse race . utd are strong, my hope is that we will will go to old trafford and give them a game for the first time this season. Chelsea i’m not worried about. Old trafford is the key this season!
I hope we do birmingham tommorow, ironically it was the first fixture i saw as a lad but it was at highbury in, maybe 83? and it was a 0-0 draw and after the initial walk up the steps and being in awe of the stadium, i wondered if this was for me. I wondered why we had made the effort for a game which nearly pushed me towards more academic pursuits. Thankfully i stuck with it and have been rewarded with some of the best football ever witnessed in this country. I said before the season started, after watching the emirates cup that we will win the league and i will stick by it. We do have a better squad than we are given credit for.
I will leave everyone with a terrifying thought. What if Arsene had gone somewhere else? When i hear critisism of the boss from any Arsenal fan, it makes my arse clench and brings a tear to my eye. Do we really appreciate exactly what Arsene Wenger has done for our beloved club? Herbert Chapman was an exceptional man of his time. As was Thierry Henry, however, for me, in one of the most rapidly changing times in football history, Arsene Wenger has catapulted an above average club into one of the best clubs in Europe. IN ARSENE WE TRUST!!! There are few clubs who have the privalege of such an exceptional Manager and it pains me to give credit to him but Alec is one of modern footballing great manager’s, along side ARSENE WENGER. I know who i prefer.
I doubt anyone is actually reading this far but just in case you are, on a positive note, Arsenal inspires me, in my private life and at work. When we play shit, i feel shit. When we play well, i do well. I hope the players realise what an effect they have on a supporters life. I am pleased to say that my outlook on the rest of my life is positive, probably due to my outlook on my beloved club.
THERE’S ONLY ONE ARSENE WENGER!!
COME ON ARSENAL!!!
clichy, sagna, flamini, fabregas, hleb, adebuyor (give him the ball and he will score!)
I am also quite sure that aw will play rvp either against the blues as a sub for 10-20 mins or against the villains as a starter for 60 mins. Then again he will play rvp as a sub against milan. Know who said it…Brian. Http://exofire.freeweb7.com
Walcott may not be where we all hoped he would be by now, but he is still young for fuck sake. Just because Cesc (who should not be able to play football this well at 20 years of age) made the grade very young, dosnt mean that if everyone else dosnt, then they are a flop.
Walcott is held in very high regaurd by Wenger and Stuart Pearce, Liverpool are reportedly still sniffing around and a whole host of clubs want him on loan if we were to let him go - this dosnt sound like a player who has no chance of making it.
Well said Nucs, any NY gooners going to Nevada Smiths for the game tommorow? Am here for the weekend and will relish a pint or 5 at 8am
Well, not a great result from todays match. I’m angry bout arsnl conceding on two spot kicks, moreover 1 in stoppage time!! Anyway both my predictions proves right. Walcott had a great match and rvp will need to be rushed back to the squad 4 the villains. Catch me at my website 4 arsnl articles: http://exofire.freeweb7.com
when will this lot learn how to close a game out? no good blaming clichy, we should have had the game sewn up ages before the penalty. Adebeyor has been superb but today we got to see why we need a worldclass striker that can score and pass !!
good riddence to a shit week!!
get well soon eddy
To be fucking honest with you fuckers, I couldn’t give a fuck about the result. I’m too fucking distraught over our erstwhile Brazilian fucker, Eduardo da Silva. Fucking hell, that’s the kind of fucking injury that can end a fucking career. I’m glad Walcott scored a brace, and I’m disappointed we couldn’t win the game,but for fuck’s sake… sometimes football is fucking meaningless.
hey !! do post the comments i make here. I wonder how you are so obsessed with Adebayor and always say shit about Eboue. Do you realise the chances that asshole Togolese squanders in each game. The missed chances could always give us the needed win. Fuck off Adebayor !!! When are you ever going to play like a man and stop that crave for skill instead of goals. Look, i get sick when i think about him. Arsene, go and bring Karim Benzema on and sit him on the bench or even the stands………………..
Eduardo, we wish you a speedy recovery. We wish you will up early enough for the EURO 08 which you put in a lot for qualification. God be with you.
And what is Peter Crouch saying about the tackle? Has such cruel acts also being introduced by foreign players? Think about it Tall-Man !!