Gilberto and 4 3 3 for Slavia Prague

By 1970’s Gooner

Arsene Wenger has hinted that Walcott may get a start tonight against Slavia Prague. Although there is no doubt that Theo has been playing well recently I doubt whether Wenger will go for this selection.

Let’s start at the beginning.

Eduardo should be “dropped”. His performance last Saturday was disappointing to say the least.

He has not yet adapted to the pace, tight marking from behind and in your face type of English football. He could not hold the ball up front with the result that he couldn't connect with Adebayor nor bring other players into the game.

Eboue should also be dropped. He was neither decisive nor penetrative enough. Rosicky who is now fit should take his place. So far so good.

But does Wenger go for 4 4 2 again and play Adebayor and Walcott up front?

Interesting; and a combination we would all like to see at some stage. This is likely to come sooner than later.

Walcott himself revealed in one of his very recent interviews on Arsenal TV On Line that his training regime involves him playing up front through the middle.

The other option is to play a 4 4 1 1 formation with Hleb behind Adebayor. Eboue or Walcott could be the other wide midfielder.

But in my opinion Wenger should select, for obvious reasons, the formation and the players he wants to go with in the next two crucial Premier League games coming up: Liverpool away and Manchester United home.

And you wouldn’t choose to start with Walcott for these games would you? I would also not start with the underperforming Eboue for these two games either.

Which leaves as the only viable selection option for the Champions League game the 4 3 3 formation and the recall of Gilberto in the line up.

Adebayor could then be flanked by Hleb and Rosicky. Fabregas and Flamini pushing forward in support as and when the occasion demands.

This formation would be ideal for the games coming up as we need to be compact in the middle of the field and additionally have the option of bringing impact players, Walcott and Eboue, off the bench if needed.

Prediction: Arsenal Vs Slavia Prague 3-0

Wenger’s selection dilemmas coming up for the Liverpool and Manchester United games

By 1970’s Gooner

It is slightly unfortunate that Arsenal are now entering the most important series of games in their calendar without their main striker in Robin Van Persie.

It is a period where this young team will have to show its credentials against the big boys of Liverpool and Manchester United. The latter following an away game in the Champions League to Slavia Prague.

It’s not your first team players that win you trophies but your squad. But just who can adequately replace Van Persie for these games has now assumed major importance following Eduardo’s very disappointing display against Bolton.

He has not yet adapted to the pace, tight marking from behind and in your face type of English football.

He could not hold the ball up front with the result that he couldn't connect with Adebayor nor bring other players into the game. He reminds me of similar performances put in by Adebayor in his first season in this League.

Eduardo was similarly ineffective on the last occasion he was given a start which was against Blackburn away.

All this poses serious selection dilemmas for Wenger who has other options of course.

His first is to play Hleb just behind Adebayor in 4 5 1 formation with Rosicky and Eboue/Walcott as the wide midfield men.

He reverted to this when he made the inspired match winning changes against Bolton. It was also the formation that served him well at the beginning of the season. It served Hleb as well.

The second option is to bring Bendtner on to partner Adebayor in a 4 4 2 formation.

I watched Bendtner perform very well for Denmark in the Euro qualifiers and his direct physical style is at the moment more effective than Eduardo’s ball to feet approach.

The more unexpected but interesting option is to reinstall Gilberto into a three man midfield, in a 4 3 3 formation along Fabregas and Flamini.

Adebayor could then be flanked by Hleb and Rosicky. Fabregas and Flamini pushing forward in support as and when the occasion demands.

Judging by Wenger’s actions in team selection so far he is likely to give Eduardo every chance to prove himself.

He will probably select him for the Champions League game in Prague and give him the chance to show what he can do and hope he can get a goal which will prop up his confidence level.

But these types of games cannot be compared to the pressure of facing the Liverpools and Man Utds of this world.

Arsene Wenger has some serious thinking to do.


Out of the walkway and onto the motorway. Can Eduardo propel Arsenal to the title starting today against Bolton?

Are you English or Goonerish?

Arsenal’s weaknesses Vs Tottenham’s. Preview and Prediction

By 1970’s Gooner

You are only as good as your weakest link. And for Arsenal's last game we did unfortunately spot the weakest link in our preview. Senderos's red card nearly jeopardised a fine performance by this young, but now determined to prove everyone wrong, squad.

Arsenal’s weaknesses are today centered in two positions. In central midfield the enforced deployment of Gilberto brings with it two problems.

The first is jet lag and fatigue. He did not get back to St Albans, his home, till yesterday afternoon which does not really allow him much recovery time.

Remember he did play the full 90 minutes for Brazil against the USA last Sunday and 75 minutes on Thursday morning against Mexico in Boston.

The second problem is Gilberto’s relative lack of pace which may be exposed against Spurs’ very quick front two of Berbatov and Keane.

I am worried about this and I hope that his experience, astute positioning awareness and Toure’s cover will get us through relatively unscathed.

Arsenal’s second weakness may be a self inflicted one. For some reason Wenger has put Flamini ahead of Diaby in the pecking order.

It is bleeding obvious that Diaby is a far superior player on all counts which are too numerous to mention in this posting.

Tottenham’s weaknesses lie in defence and in the midfield areas. The absence of King and the forced deployment of the inexperienced Dawson and newcomer Kaboul leaves huge gaps at the back.

In midfield they lack a creative midfielder which Jenas clearly is not but there is also not enough penetration on the flanks.

Lennon’s absence has cost them a lot. I do not think he will start today and that leaves Melbranque and Bale to fill these positions. The first lacks quality and is not penetrative enough and the other is too young.

Conclusion

If Gilberto wakes up in time and manages to put in a decent performance aided ably by Toure then it will be another North London triumph for the Arsenal.

Prediction: 1-3 to the Arsenal


Mind games from Jol and Wenger

Gilberto’s international call up may leave a huge gap in Arsenal’s defence to face Spurs

By Eros and 1970's Gooner

It seems that Wenger’s decision to let Djourou go out on loan to Birmingham may come back to haunt him.

His thinking was of course admirable. The lad needed games and Premiership experience and at the time it did not look like he was going to get it at Arsenal.

Now a red card picked up by Senderos during the Portsmouth game added to Gallas’s injury two weeks ago has suddenly left the club without a recognised central defender to partner Toure.

And to add insult to injury, as it were, Gilberto has been called up by Brazil for international duty. "Surprisingly" his call up is omitted from the list of players on international duty mentioned on Arsenal’s web site.

Gilberto has proved an adequate deputy in central defence in the past and he did fill in very well when he slotted in next to Kolo Toure due to Senderos’s send off last Sunday.

But Dunga, the ex Brazil star and current Brazil coach has included Gilberto in the list of players for two international friendlies.

The first is to be played this coming Sunday 9th September in Chigaco against the USA and the Wednesday after that on the 12th September in Boston against Mexico.

Gilberto will be accompanied to the States by another two Premiership players, Alex of Chelsea and Elano of Manchester City. Julio Baptista of Real Madrid, the ex Arsenal loan player, is also in the squad.

The full call up is:
Doni, Julio Cesar, Maicon, Daniel Alves, Alex Silva, Lúcio, Juan, Alex , Kleber, Gilberto, Gilberto Silva, Mineiro, Josué Fernando, Elano, Kaká, Julio Baptista, Diego, Ronaldinho Robinho, Vagner Love, Afonso

Gilberto will probably be travelling back to the UK after the Wednesday game but of course distances being what they are he will not be back to base until Friday afternoon with the Spurs kick off the next day at 1.30 pm.

This is because Wednesday in Boston is really early hours of Thursday morning in London. Add to this the time taken to drive to the airport, flying time to London and driving time to get home at St Albans and Gilberto will probably not snuggle into his bed until Friday afternoon.

Wenger has in the past followed a policy of resting players after such long journeys due to the effects of jet lag and fatigue. Will he do it this time?

If he does select him to play will Gilberto be up to the task of performing at his best when he comes up against a Spurs forward line of Berbatov and Keene?

Another way out will be for Arsenal to request that Dunga selects Gilberto only for the first game, against the USA on the Sunday. This arrangement will give him enough time to travel back and get a proper rest before the derby game at White Hart Lane.

We are assuming of course that in the meantime no injuries are suffered either by Gilberto or indeed Toure. The latter is due to play for the Ivory Coast against Gabon in a qualifying match for the African Cup of Nations on Saturday 8th September.

If for whatever reason Wenger needs another central defender to start the Spurs game he does not really have too much choice.

It includes Hoyte who played there once before against Norwich at Carrow Road a few years back when an injury during the warm up deprived Arsenal one of its central defenders. He played well but it was newly promoted Norwich after all.

The other choice would be Sagna who although injured at the moment could be fit for the game. His height and lack of recent exposure in this position would be a concern though.

Diaby, Diarra or Denilson will be fighting for a place alongside Fabregas in the middle of the park.


England will probably never be a world football power

Denilson runs the show but Fabregas does it again

By 1970’s Gooner

Arsenal didn’t start well and allowed Manchester City to settle in the game in the early stages. The very late substitution during the warm up of Senderos with Gilberto was probably part of the reason.

Gilberto looked slow and kept making positional mistakes during the first half hour which put the back line under unnecessary pressure. He did however pick up the pace as the game wore on.

It seems that what we all thought was behind Wenger’s decision to let Djourou go out on loan is probably true. He is intending to use Gilberto in this position when needed.

But the turning point of the game was not the penalty miss as you may have thought but Sagna’s injury (inflicted by Flamini).

This forced Wenger to move Flamini to right back (who performed excellently) and bring Denilson on in midfield. He run the show! This boy is going to be a wonderful Arsenal player.

Prior to this Arsenal again did not really dominate the midfield the way we have been accustomed to. I pointed to this possibility in the preview of the game. When Diaby and Gilberto get fit Arsenal will revert to the levels of domination we are accustomed to.

Again Arsenal lacked width as the wide players were not that penetrative. Hleb in particular has reverted to old ways: almost always coming inside rather than going passed his player (except for the penalty)and again afraid to shoot.

Come back Eboue and Walcott. The latter mysteriously not even on the bench.

Overall it was again an anxious striven win; the goal coming at the later stages of the game to liberate all of us from what we feared will be a nil nil draw.

Let’s hope we improve when the missing players return to action.