It is clear that Arsenal simply have to beat the champions of Belgium tonight, not just to keep us in with a chance of winning the group stage ahead of Borussia Dortmund, but to get the confidence flowing and get the season back on track after a string of disappointing results.
The Gunners need a similar sort of morale boosting result as the 4-1 drubbing of Galatasaray in our last group game. But even that game showed why we have struggled so far, because despite dominating the game we could not keep a clean sheet. And that goal came with a red card for Wojciech Szczesny and with David Ospina ruled out with injury, Arsenal will have to start with the inexperienced youngster Emiliano Martinez.
So with our first choice right back Mathieu Debuchy and centre back Laurent Koscielny out as well, it is not hard to see where our biggest weakness lies. That is why I think that Calum Chambers and Mathieu Flamini have huge parts to play for Arsenal tonight. I expect Chambers to partner Mertesacker in the centre of defence and Flamini needs to offer them as much protection as possible. If they play well, Arsenal should win.
I’m confident that our attacking players have got what it takes to breach the Anderlecht defence, but can we keep them out at the other end?
Flamini key to success at Anderlecht ?
Then we are truly f***ed.
How true!! We are relying on an extremely poor player – a Milan reject ( and you know Milan is the destination these days for other teams rejects) to rise up to the occasion.
So what if he does? say he plays one good game – so what? He will play 5 bad ones next. Flamini at DM is the shame of Arsenal.
Have anyone seen the line-up for today’s CL match whilshar and Ramsy in d middle again and Casolar at d Left….What a manager Arsenal have….he will die by his own sward….
Advice for Fans pls if you know ur have heart problem as well as hypertensive in nature should pls not watch today’s match or others for now till changes are made cos only when u are alive will u see the change….Don’t hope much with Wenger in charge
Wenger is key. We need top, top level management performance from him tonight. From the starting lineup, right to the substitutions. COYG!
@Twig
Exactly. The “trickle down effect”
@ twig
Wenger is no longer capable to have top level management performances.
We might scrape in to the top four because Manu and Liverpool suck pretty much as bad as us but it wont be because of Wenger’s top level management. That’s in the past.
If Wenger listens to his former Nike coat he will win
Well, I may not be very impressed by Flamini but he’s much better than Arteta.
Against Chelsea, Flamini wasn’t bad and I just hope ijn this game he would come good.
“Flamini wasn’t bad ”
You see this is our problem.its time that players stop being “not bad” and be very good or excellent
Agreed! it is scary that we are all becoming used to mediocrity. Beginning to sound like a Spurs forum here.
Need to play well. Away from home. Dont take it as easy 3 Points. Defend well and find the right balance in the attacking front.
The league table to my right looks awful. Did the @ADMIN change the font or something?
No Wenger changed his system. That’s why it looks bad to gooners
Ahahaha! Epic! @Payslip
Of course we need performance from Flamini and Chambers.
One is basically the only DM left in the group (Thanks Wenger!)
The other still learning his trade, but need to rise to the occasion because the manager was too lazy (as usual) to do his job.
Can you believe that Chambers played 22 games for Southampton (as a cover) and he is already “first choice” at Arsenal (no matter how good and reliant he is)…It just shows “how strong we are as a team” when you have unexperienced 19yo competing at the highest level and his CB partner is a slow and finished German international…!!
Anderlecht is a good team, but not very competitive (due to their “average league)… Even with our pill of injury, we should be able to pass the test, hopefully…
Wenger is 65 today…
Hope it is his last contract at the club.
I don’t know about the rest but I do want to win leagues and CL.
I honestly think Managers should retire at 65. It is very rare to see one as successful as Fergie was in his later years. I just think it becomes harder and harder to adapt and learn after a certain age and the hunger goes away as well.
For me Wenger today is giving the wrong image to Arsenal and his players. He looks frustrated, he looks foolish, he is unwilling to accept his mistakes and learn from them, he seems out of his depth. The football world has passed him by.
Too right.. Wenger is nowhere near as successful as whisky nose yet he believes he can emulate him because he has age related history.
Whereas fergie built successful team after successful team and had players actually wanting to play for him and the badge.. Wenger has bought mediocre players – never replacing like for like – instead patching up gaping holes and creating average teams and average players only coming to the club for he money…
Whereas fergie allowed players to leave under ‘his’ terms our master manager allows the players to dictate to him when ‘they’ want to leave..making a mockery of this proud traditional club..
Wenger allows things to happen just like losers.. Fergie made things happen.. Just like winners..!
People keep banging on about the turmoil at manure after fergie left.. Bullshit.. Wenger isn’t and never will be fergie so get over it.. Look at how many managers Chelsea and city have had and how many titles cups etc to mr Wengers..
@ jim, your are so right, the football world has passed him by and a change can’t come soon enough!!
The Hull coach said he felt so unlucky to draw with arsenal!!! That he fells arsenal currently is a team for the taking 🙁 🙁 🙁
Imagine such unfarthomable blasphemy from hull on arsenal 🙁 🙁 🙁
Maybe Anderleitch are thinking the same… 🙁 How the mighty Arsenal has fallen 🙁
But I hope Flamini Chambers and all the rest including Martinez rises to the occasion and do a 7-0 🙂 🙂
Maybe Martinez will play sooo well and take up Scezs 1st spot
I know it will never happen but I believe we need to go to a 4-4-2 diamond
play 2 of alexis, theo and Danny as strikers in this formation and actually use ozil (when fit) as a no 10. This will mean we can get more time on pitch for all the CM players we have and use our wing backs to effect. The way we play now in a 4-2-3-1 the wing backs shouldn’t be up the pitch as much but if they aren’t we lose width. it also means we just need a better holding MF and some practise pressing as a team. buy Cech if possible and replace Mert next year if he starts to slow down further ( I think he’s doing fine but note many here disagree). We just need back to basics and not an overhaul but monsier W doesn’t seem to do basics.
Scoring goals and winning is the key
someone asked what has klopp done in last 10 years during his time with fc mainz he led the team to its first appearance in the Bundesliga, and qualification for the 2005–06 UEFA Cup
at bvb we all know what he has done yes he is struggling now that’s mainly due 2 injuries & despite struggling in bundesliga they destroyed us in cl game we could have easily lost 5-0 (his entire squad didn’t coast as much as ozil)
give him the squad that arsenal has + money & he will change us around
Amen brother!
@leo
Aren’t we plagued by injury also? Or does that only apply to Klopp and BVB? Oh yeah, right after they destroyed us, Mainz went and destroyed them so whats the point trying to be made here?
they destroyed us..Mainz destroyed them..what does that say about us?
Whats the problem with gooners on here who rather than discuss the topic turn it to wenger bashing?are you people this dumb that you dont know that wenger,players and the board dont read your comments here. My observation is that these anti wenger comments make y’all feel ok. I am praying for 3points tonight.
we will win this game 5-0 & wenger will be seen as genius again but what’s the use can we win cl doubt it pl looks difficult carling cup already out If lucky we will fa cup again & finish in top 4 is that what a club like ours deserve …….
@leo agree with everything you say, bur Arsenal deserves more. We have a crappy board and a has been manager and unfortunately they are dragging a wonderful club down to mediocrity.
wish the fans could own the club & run it properly
First of all, let me congratulate the boss, Mr Arsene Wenger on his 65 Birthday. Happy Birthday to you and many successful returns. Now, we all know we have defensive frailties due the injuries that plagued 2 of our key defenders in the persons of Debuchy and Koscielny. But we ought to realise that Arsenal are not totally short of cover. As we envisaged, Bellerin should start at right back while Chambers start at center back alongside Per Mertesacker. Gibbs should start at left back while Monreal will be his cover. The two recognized CDMS we have are Arteta and Flamini. I don’t know which formation the boss will adopt for this game. But whichever formation he chooses to employ, I am almost certain he will start tonight’s game with: Martinez…Bellerin…Chambers…Mertesacker…Gibbs…Arteta…Flamini…Sanchez…Ramsey…Wilshere…Welbeck. Let us see what percentage I will score when our team sheet is made known. But my worry is, who will cover our 2CB? Ajayi? What of Bellerin? Who covers him? Goodluck to our Gunners.
Arsenal team to play Anderlecht: Martinez, Chambers, Mertesacker, Monreal, Gibbs, Flamini, Sanchez, Wilshere, Ramsey, Cazorla, Welbeck
Arsenal subs: Huddart, Bellerin, Rosicky, Arteta, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Podolski, Campbell
Wenger is an OAP. Please be respectful to your elders. He is 65. Always respect the eldery as they are very wise, experienced and know how to do things properly
Good luck to the. Boys tonight let’s get three points and no injuries !
Arsenal fans in anderlect with Wenger out banner.pictures posted on twitter.
@mr lean
F**KN SAD…
Why isnt bellerin starting? why is monreal a cb when we have chamber?why wilshere is a no.10 when we have carzola? F*ck u wenger