Friday 20 January 2012

Dejavu feelings + Man U Preview.

Top of the morning to y'all

Sorry todays post is coming late. Lagos roads turned out to be one fat bitch this  morning or how else do one explain spending three and half hours on the road to get to work.

First with some team news for the game on Sunday. It seems that Thomas Vermaelen and Thierry Henry are the only ones with a chance of playing Man U. Having Vermaelen back would be a major boost to the already thin back line but am sure Henry was fit he would have probably started on the bench and he is definately a much better option to have from the bench than a certain skinny Moroccan that plays like a rain drenched chicken. Oops.

Mikel Arteta would be unavailable for the game and that is a big blow as his abscence was glaringly evident in last weeks loss to Swansea. The team lacked an enforcer in midfield, someone to break the opponents play and peg them backwards and as much as you cant fault Ramsey for committment, you have to question his output. I cant blame him much though, he is beign asked to step into the big shoes of Cesc and thats a weight too big for his young shoulders.

Arsene Wenger said in his press conference that he has watched a re-run of the 8-2 loss to Man U earlier in the season to 'keep in touch with reality'. If am not wrong, what Arsene is saying is that he is presently not in touch with reality and needs to watch that game again to keep him up to speed. The statement means that Arsene is probably in an Utopian state where Arsenal have no injury worries, 9 points clear at the top of the premier league and odds on favourite to win the champions league. Wrong. Wake up Arsene or I think he has already woken up to watch that game and see the glaring deficiences in his squad which were present then as well as now.

Arsenal were in a similar injury hit situation during their trip to Old Trafford last August and the manager's stance not to sign players in areas that obviously requires filling and his faith in players that are under performing seems to put us in a similar situation as we were at the reverse game at Old Trafford.

Man United are not playing rosy football recently winning just once in their last three league outings loosing consecutively to Blackburn and Newcastle before defeating Bolton in their last game. They have had their share of injury problems but the only thing that concerns the Arsenal faithfuls would be picking maximum points on Sunday.

Miquel looks set to continue to deputize in his role at left back and I expect Rosicky to start following Benayoun's lily-livered showing last weekend. The Ox would start from the bench and i fully expect to see him run at the United defense for the last 20 mins of the game. Baring any new injuries, I expect the starting eleven on Sunday to be. Szczesny- Djourou, Mertasacker, Koscielny,Miquel- Song, Ramsey, Rosicky,- Walcott, Van Persie, Arshavin. 

So gotta get back to work now. Wish the lads good luck ahead of the game.. Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @nigeriangunners and like our Facebook page at Gunners Nigeria.

Till Monday for a review of the game

God bless the Arsenal Iree o

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