Apart from the slight groin strain picked up in training by Theo Walcott and the slight knock received by Danny Welbeck during the Scotland v England friendly, it has been a pretty good international break for the Arsenal players, who should all have arrived back in north London in a positive frame of mind.
But perhaps more important than that has been the chance for Arsene Wenger and his coaching staff to work with the players not on international duty. Because the Gunners still cannot call on the first choice French defenders Laurent Koscielny and Mathieu Debuchy.
However, because of Per Mertesacker retiring from the Germany national side after the World Cup and with Nacho Monreal, Mikel Arteta and Mathieu Flamini not being called up, Wenger and Steve Bould will have been able to get some serious defensive training done with these four players and with Hector Bellerin at right back and that could pay dividends against Man United in the Premier League clash at the Emirates stadium.
Hopefully the last two weeks will have allowed Monreal and the BFG to forge more of an understanding and there are few centre backs that read the game better than the German. And with our two main deep lying midfielders available to train with them, there is less chance of the Arsenal defensive unit looking like a bunch of strangers.
Add to that the fact that Calum Chambers knows United’s left back and his game very well from their time at Southampton, as well as the pace and form of Gibbs down the left and the Gunners should be able to put on a much more solid showing against Louis van Gaal’s team. But will it be enough for Arsenal to claim all three points?
Hmm. That’s a good way to look at it. But let’s be honest, things haven’t been the same since Koscielny got injured. I’m just hoping we score more goals than we let past Woj.
Love these supposedly season changing matches, gives a reason to fight… At least I hope we will tomorrow and come out “Victorious”. Seriously what we have here is a second or actually third chance of totally destroying Man Utd once and for all in league play. We had that chance twice last season and shanked it “TWICE”. Lost 1-0 away and tied 0-0 at home to probably their worst team in years, we couldn’t even score 1, not a 1. We’ll see how far we have come tomorrow for sure, we will see…
Our defense will have to be very focus for this one! We have to keep it “water tight” at the back, and most important “dont switch off”! Coyg!
@greg you should start giving the pre-game speeches for sure.
The only thing on my mind right now is a arsenal victory! Coyg!
Lets make the emirates an intimidating atmosphere for man u tomorrow! Come on gunners!
Who should start tomorrow?
Ramsey (thumbs up)
Wilshere (thumbs down)
i will break ur thumb
Wilshere for me In The middle. His form with The 3 lions is a good reason. Ramsey should be on the bench tomorrow.
His 3 lions form?
England haven’t exactly played any tough games.
Even average players can look good against rubbish opposition.
What teams do the Scotland internationals play for?
Answers on a postcard to ‘only lower league clubs at wise up’
Premier league is a completely different ball game.
Wack will be back to his fall over and get dispossessed game if he starts against UTD.
An Arsenal win 2morrow will
be a huge confidence boost.
Everyone will start to believe again.
On paper and on form we should win.
I think our last home loss in the EPL
was Villa in August last season.
Just can’t see us losing although
RVP and Rooney are big threats.
Its gonna be the same back four that consistently did bad in the previous two games.
If we play mert and chambers together arteta and Wilshire together we wont lose…..but the wining part depends on our front 4…look like it pick itself…welz chamberlin and Sanchez pick them self….but me personally wanna see Sanchez on that left roaming like carzola do….im just trying to find a solution for our left side….and no..podolski and jeol is jot the answer sorry…for me there not good enough for starters
Ahead of tmw degea tweets on the train with di maria. I’m delighted to see a lot of the mu defenders are confirmed as not fit enough to return, (rafael, jones, rojo, shaw maybe). With Walcott and welbeck likely out and a question mark over sanchez wheres gnabry? We may need his pace and strength tomorrow. Really hope wenger starts chambers at cb and gives bellerin a shot at rb, (start this way at least). Per will need help from callum and bellerins pace will be needed on the flank, (remember montero v swansea?). We need to be quick out the blocks get in amongst them and believe. Always fearful playing at home recently as sometime this is just more pressure on our slightly under performing team. The Emirates needs to be loud and rocking. Coyg lets get one over on rvp and shrek for once! Score first and keep things tight at the back and we stand a good chance. Hope jack starts and spends the game all over Rooney!
Fingers crosses for chambers to start in the central defense role with mert…
Chambers decision making is not up to the scratch though he is a very good player. The number of fouls he gives away are just astonishing. We don’t want those fouls inside the box now, do we?