ARSENAL (A) MON DEC 26TH

OutcastLondoner

He might not want time off after missing most of the season already.

IronHerb

Why would he need time off? It's not as though he has missed pre season.

steve

Just seems what clubs are doing ,stress and all that but hope he does play

buffybegood

I would hope and expect he'll play if he only missed the semi-final due to flu, assuming he comes through today's 3rd place play-off. He's had a very gentle first half of the season compared to many, so no reason for him not to play if he's fit, imo.

Slacker

Now then you lot, just because it’s a Christmas game don’t forget that good old negative vibe. You’ve had a month off so please make sure you’re neg. ready for Monday.
As a bonus there’s a real possibility that Antonio will play so that should help.

Giant_Hammer

Oh God, it’s Arsenal, I bet we pay them too much respect, everyone’s probably injured or they will be by the 5th minute. Expect we’ll get slaughtered and everyone around us to pick up points and we’ll be in the bottom three by new year. Sheffield United will sue us again cos it’s rained at Bramall Lane and their tootsies got wet and Avram is in the frame to manage us again.
Now for some negative stuff.

Slacker

Excellent negativity there Giant, but I think you forgot “ I bet we’ll play seven at the back”.

ASLEFshrugged

Arsenal will be without Gabriel Jesus, out for 2-3 months with a knee injury picked up at World Cup.

From Arteta's recent comments it looks likely that Eddie Nketiah will be given his first PL start of the season and he started all three December friendlies against Lyon, AC Milan and Juventus


I volunteered for a few shifts that no one wanted over Christmas/New Year in exchange for a Boxing Day shift that finishes at 6:40pm.

jay_in_cpt

Ref : Michael Oliver
VAR : Darren England

Fortuneseeker

jay, He will be in a bad mood as he got sent home early from the World Cup.

buffybegood

A couple of reports saying the swelling on Scamacca's ankle was so bad it couldn't be scanned yesterday 🤔🤔🤔

Whitehorsehammer

Sounds like he will definitely be out for the rest of the season (How am I doing Slacker?)

Slacker

Whitehorsehammer said:

Sounds like he will definitely be out for the rest of the season (How am I doing Slacker?)

Reasonable effort but I think it would’ve been improved with “ but he’s rubbish anyway so no biggy “.

jay_in_cpt

Fortuneseeker said:

jay, He will be in a bad mood as he got sent home early from the World Cup.

Then let’s hope he’s got it in for Arsenal 🤣

Lukerz

Fabianski
Coufal - Dawson - Ogbonna - Emerson
Fornals - Soucek - Rice
Paqueta
Bowen - Benrahma

Is what we are probably looking at? I think Rice comes straight in, as does Paqueta. Given the amount of time Coufal & Ogbonna have had in pre-season I doubt Kehrer & Aguerd will start. Doubts over Cresswell, Antonio & Scamacca.

Lukerz

Hopeful that this break in the season will benefit us. We clearly had no real rhythm at any point before the WC, but now we’ve had 6 weeks with the whole squad (minus 5 players) working together. We’ve looked quite decent in the friendlies, albeit only friendlies. This will be the best time to play Arsenal as they will, like all clubs, need to get back into the groove. Jesus is absent. Aguerd seems like he’ll be available after that injury scare; he will boost our defence & compensate for the loss of Zouma. I am sure players like Soucek will have benefited from the break.

Regardless of the result, I’m hopeful of an improved second half of the season & feel Moyes should see it out regardless.

buffybegood

Can't see Ogbonna starting unless there's really no alternative imo. Aguerd if he's available, if not Kehrer with Coufal at RB (Coufal's crossing in the friendlies seemed better than it has done for a while so no issue with him at RB, or Johnson for that matter).

ASLEFshrugged

I don't see why Kehrer wouldn't start, he only played 70 minutes against Spain almost a month ago, it's not like he needs a rest

Lukerz

I think, given the unconvincing nature of his performances for us, I’d imagine Coufal will get the nod as a sharper option having been here & played in the friendlies. I don’t see all the World Cup players starting at Arsenal given they’ll only have a week with the squad.

ASLEFshrugged

The Germans flew out of Qatar on 2 December and there was a suggestion that Kehrer might play in the Fulham match

By comparison Fulham's Tim Ream played the first hour of our friendly despite playing the full 90 minutes in the USA's three group stage matches and the round of 16 match

buffybegood

Looks like Antonio is training with the squad, so hopefully will be available for this:

https://www.whufc.com/news/pictures-world-cup-stars-return-training

Bazshuayi

Phew that fulfills our half fit, wont score striker requirement crisis then

#Negs best
#Moyes Out

ASLEFshrugged

Zinchenko missed Arsenal's friendlies with a muscle problem and Takehiro Tomiyasu picked up a hamstring injury with Japan. If neither are available Kieran Tierney is the third LB option

There also seems to be doubt over William Saliba as he hadn't returned to training when Arteta held his press conference yesterday. Rob Holding partnered Gabriel in defence during the friendlies

Best guess

Ramsdale
White Holding Gabriel Tierney
Odegaard Partey Xhaka
Saka Nketiah Martinelli

Lukerz

Antonio’s been training so I imagine he’ll play.

Aguerd seems to be available (maybe bench) & he seems to suggest Rice & Paqueta will come straight in.

I’m going

Fabianski
Coufal - Dawson - Ogbonna - Cresswell
Soucek - Rice
Bowen - Paqueta - Fornals
Antonio

Randolph, Aguerd, Kehrer, Johnson, Emerson, Coventry, Downes, Lanzini, Benrahma

buffybegood

Lukerz said:

Antonio’s been training so I imagine he’ll play.

Aguerd seems to be available (maybe bench) & he seems to suggest Rice & Paqueta will come straight in.

The presser, as reported on BBC rather than the OS, suggests it's a maybe for both Scamacca and Antonio:

"Gianluca [Scamacca] has got an ankle injury and Mick [Antonio] had a calf strain. We're hoping they both have a chance, but they are doubtful."

I agree though, I'm optimistic 😱😱😱 that one (probably Antonio given he's been training) will start.

buffybegood

I never knew the One and Only Chesney Hawkes is a West Ham fan, both he and Chris Sutton reckon we'll get a point:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/63955609

chicagohammer

Slacker said:

MrsGrey said:

I have no strong feelings about Arsenal.

Chelsea, Spurs...

That's pretty much it.

I loathe Arteta, but he's just some guy.

The thing with Arteta for me is that he comes over as a decent bloke when interviewed but when he’s on the touchline I want someone to give him a straightener.

I just had an image of Arteta and CR having it out with each other - well I can dream can’t I?

steve

Match day ,lets go get them

Yeoldhammer

buffybegood said:

I never knew the One and Only Chesney Hawkes is a West Ham fan, both he and Chris Sutton reckon we'll get a point:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/63955609

Sounds like the biggest Cope since Spurs thought they were winning the league and champions league.
This game is going to be damage limitation and hope we don't slip into the relegation zone.

buffybegood

I'd be very happy with a point tbh, especially with the injury issues we've got; apart from Zouma being out we've got doubts, some of them big ones, over Aguerd, Cresswell, Cornet, Antonio and Scamacca.

I wonder, especially as we're against the league leaders, if we'll revert to 3 at the back:

Fabianski

Johnson Dawson Kehrer

Coufal Soucek Paqueta Rice Emerson

Bowen Benrahma