Arsenal v Aston Villa Pre-Match Thread

[LeeB]

The media seem to be building this up into a do-or-die game for the Arse ...
... I see it as a free hit for us!

I agree, it certainly is a free hit for us.

the Arse msm narrative is very much, "they cant f**k it up for a fourth year running - can they?" - these are the games they have come unstuck before, so beating the Villa is one step above where they have been.

In terms of the title it will mean very little in reality as Arse will, of course, fall apart from mid March with competitive UCL games, and we will be 7 points clear when Liverpool come to Villa park.

I tend to think like may that tonight will just be asking a bit too much, but if we did pull it off I reckon it would properly fuck them up mentally for the rest of the season.

[olaftab]

Unai responded very well as usual to stupid questions in the Press Conf. He's right to say that talk of title at GW19 is just silly.
Furthermore there is a theme being repeated on media that tonight is a must win game for Arsenal, this is also silly. It'd not a must win for either team just now. 

[SaddVillan]

Team selection time.

Fill in the gaps/make changes from Saturday’s starting XI

          Dibu
 XXX   Ezri  Lindy  Maatsen
        XXX    Tielemans
McGinn  Rogers    Buendia
           Malen

Bizot
Garcia
Digne
Bogarde
Onana
Hemmings
Sancho
Jimoh-Aloba
Watkins

Wonder if Unai might do something  tricky

Will Torres be back
Could Harvey Elliott put in an appearance on the bench?


Here's a curveball

         Dibu
Bogey Ezri Lindy Lucas
      McGinn Tielemans
Rogers Onana  Maatsen
           Ollie

Bizot
Garcia
Hemmings
Sancho
Buendia
Elliott
Jimoh-Aloba
Malen

Maatsen playing on the left - covers Digne v Saka and Declan Rice played RB for Arse on Saturday Maatsen can use his pace to get in behind him.

One problem we have, is that there'll be sod all on the bench if we need to change things up.

[Dave]

The media seem to be building this up into a do-or-die game for the Arse ...
... I see it as a free hit for us!

I agree, it certainly is a free hit for us.

the Arse msm narrative is very much, "they cant f**k it up for a fourth year running - can they?" - these are the games they have come unstuck before, so beating the Villa is one step above where they have been.

In terms of the title it will mean very little in reality as Arse will, of course, fall apart from mid March with competitive UCL games, and we will be 7 points clear when Liverpool come to Villa park.

I tend to think like may that tonight will just be asking a bit too much, but if we did pull it off I reckon it would properly fuck them up mentally for the rest of the season.

If we were doing this with Pau, Cash and Kamara I'd feel very confident. As it is, I think that the thing that has seen us able to see out these games (being able to bring on nearly half a new team without reducing the quality on the pitch for the last half hour) will see them through tonight.

Then again - eighteen months ago we went there and started with a front six of McGinn - Tielemans - Zaniolo - Diaby - Rogers - Bailey - Watkins and ruined their title. So stranger things have happened.

[olaftab]

The media seem to be building this up into a do-or-die game for the Arse ...
... I see it as a free hit for us!

As I said it's not a do or die for any team however I don't agree that it's a free hit. There is damage if we lose or draw that bites you at the end like it did last season.

[Dave]

Maatsen playing on the left - covers Digne v Saka and Declan Rice played RB for Arse on Saturday Maatsen can use his pace to get in behind him.

In the 0-2 I mentioned above, Moreno played most of the second half ahead of Digne after coming on for Zaniolo.

So there's definitely precedent.

[rob_bridge]

We need a monster game from Amadou without Bouba. I'd play McGinn next to him.

I'd go for it with Sancho on the right ahead of Bogarde. Tielmans 10 role.

Ollie to start. I am assuming Torres not playing. 

[Dave]

The media seem to be building this up into a do-or-die game for the Arse ...
... I see it as a free hit for us!

As I said it's not a do or die for any team however I don't agree that it's a free hit. There is damage if we lose or draw that bites you at the end like it did last season.

It's a free hit in the sense that we've wildly exceeded everybody's expectations of how many points we'd get over whatever distance you want to stretch it back over.

We will lose a football match again - if it's this one, it's not the end of the world thanks to what we've already got in the bag.

[Sexual Ealing]

It feels like one that Arteta cannot afford to lose, and that a draw wouldn’t devastate us. 0-6.

[Chip Butty 111]

A draw at best I think tonight, unless Arsenal completely bottle it. I think we are too light with injuries and suspensions. Gooners are so lightweight they will be distraught with a draw, suicidal with a defeat. We need to hang in there until 80 mins, then its anybodies
.

[darren woolley]

I've also gone for the draw.

[LeeB]

The media seem to be building this up into a do-or-die game for the Arse ...
... I see it as a free hit for us!

I agree, it certainly is a free hit for us.

the Arse msm narrative is very much, "they cant f**k it up for a fourth year running - can they?" - these are the games they have come unstuck before, so beating the Villa is one step above where they have been.

In terms of the title it will mean very little in reality as Arse will, of course, fall apart from mid March with competitive UCL games, and we will be 7 points clear when Liverpool come to Villa park.

I tend to think like may that tonight will just be asking a bit too much, but if we did pull it off I reckon it would properly fuck them up mentally for the rest of the season.

If we were doing this with Pau, Cash and Kamara I'd feel very confident. As it is, I think that the thing that has seen us able to see out these games (being able to bring on nearly half a new team without reducing the quality on the pitch for the last half hour) will see them through tonight.

Then again - eighteen months ago we went there and started with a front six of McGinn - Tielemans - Zaniolo - Diaby - Rogers - Bailey - Watkins and ruined their title. So stranger things have happened.

And we'd had the first leg of the conference league on the Thursday before. I'd given us absolutely no chance of getting anything out of that game.

[ChicagoLion]

It’s the lack of options off the bench that will be the real challenge.
Maybe Emery goes for it early and then try’s to hold out.

[algy]

Think we have to get out of this “free hit” mentality. This game is a 6 pointer for both us & Arsenal right now. There’s more pressure on them than us.

We’re not in a title race right now - that’s months away for every club - but we are in a position where we *could* be in one come April. It’s a big ask, but it’s possible. Even if we don’t stay in it, keeping a nice cushion over the clubs in 4th/5th place is a good thing.

Anyway, regardless of the result here we’ve had a marvellous season so far. A win, and we’ll keep that nice gap between us and Liverpool & Chelsea, and the breathing room will be invaluable come the end of the season if we’re still in the UEFA Cup.

[Sexual Ealing]

Right. We have to fucking destroy them. On the Arsenal forum I've been haunting for the last few days I've just seen someone refer to "teta" and "nelli" and this cannot stand. No joy can visit these pricks. None.