Arsenal prediction and match thread

[Ian Royal]

Coppell shocks fans by bringing in fae, cisse, bikey and convey with harper, gunnarsson, doobs and hunt

Who are the other 2 to play?

I think you'll find there are 11 starting players per team.

I thought the word "outfield" wasn't actually required, but there you go.

In the same way that WR wasn't required to show all players names - just the players brought in?

I'm interested in who that leaves, presumably Hahnemann. But playing with 4 central midfielders, 2 left wingers and 2 centrebacks, means being a little short of full backs or strikers, particularly if another of the missing 2 outfielders are Sonko.

Oh and given our defensive record, and arsenal's scoring record, this screams 0-0 to me. That or about 2-5

[crossie]

According to the OS, Convey will play on the right, Ingimarsson partnering Sonks at the back.

[ShrewsandRoyals]

According to the OS, Convey will play on the right, Ingimarsson partnering Sonks at the back.

So say Setanta.

[higher]

teams:
1 Marcus Hahnemann : Manuel Almunia 24
2 Graeme Murty : Bacary Sagna 3
5 Ibrahima Sonko : Kolo Toure 5
16 Ivar Ingimarsson : William Gallas 10
3 Nicky Shorey : Gael Clichy 22
17 Bobby Convey : Emmanuel Eboue 27
6 Brynjar Gunnarsson : Francesc Fabregas 4
15 James Harper : Mathieu Flamini 16
10 Stephen Hunt : Tomas Rosicky 7
12 Dave Kitson : Alexander Hleb 13
9 Kevin Doyle : Emmanuel Adebayor 25

22 Andre Bikey : Theo Walcott 32
20 Emerse Fae : Nicklas Bendtner 26
32 Adam Federici : Gilberto Silva 19
24 Shane Long : Lassana Diarra 8
11 John Oster : Jens Lehmann 1

Good to see Sonks and Ingi reunited!

[LUX]

no Lita anywhere?

[Royalee]

Brilliant Coppell, play our best left winger on the wrong side and waste Shorey with someone in front of him who can't link up or cross the ball.

Fabregas is going to make Harper and Gunnarsson look like schoolboys tonight, thank Christ I decided against going.

...And why the hell isn't Lita even on the bench?

[RobRoyal]

...And why the hell isn't Lita even on the bench?

Coppell must be officially bored of him.

[cmonurz]

4-4-2? Or 4-5-1 with Hunt tucking inside Doyle? Is Rosenior injured?

And no Lita, but Long on the bench.

Oh dear.

[Arch]

4-4-2? Or 4-5-1 with Hunt tucking inside Doyle? Is Rosenior injured?

And no Lita, but Long on the bench.

Oh dear.

If we're level (or ahead!) late in the game, I believe Coppell rates Long as the best option to provide outlets that kill time.

btw, the midfield could be

Doyle Harper Gunnarsson Hunt Convey

from right to left.

[LUX]

look, there are weak links in that team. Flamini, Sagna, Almunia, even Touré and Eboué. Clichy?

I accept they have some absolute class too.

[cmonurz]

4-4-2? Or 4-5-1 with Hunt tucking inside Doyle? Is Rosenior injured?

And no Lita, but Long on the bench.

Oh dear.

If we're level (or ahead!) late in the game, I believe Coppell rates Long as the best option to provide outlets that kill time.

Ok.

I'd have Lita as stronger and quicker than Long, but fair do's, Sir Steve knows what he is doing.....

[cmonurz]

look, there are weak links in that team. Flamini, Sagna, Almunia, even Touré and Eboué. Clichy?

I accept they have some absolute class too.

Flamini and Toure are two of the most under-rated players in the league imho.

[LUX]

oh well, there goes that straw.

[Arch]

look, there are weak links in that team. Flamini, Sagna, Almunia, even Touré and Eboué. Clichy?

I accept they have some absolute class too.

Flamini and Toure are two of the most under-rated players in the league imho.

Toure, for sure. I can't see him as a weak link at all.

[mattyougg]

The team looks ok.

[cmonurz]

oh well, there goes that straw.

Well, we still have the full-backs. Now we just have to actually attack down the flanks without leaving ourselves short at the back, and we'll be fine.

[Betty's Biscuit]

There's nothing about Lita on the Official Reading FC website. Is there any comment on the radio about what has happened to him? (I'm 225 miles away)

[Arch]

oh well, there goes that straw.

Well, we still have the full-backs. Now we just have to actually attack down the flanks without leaving ourselves short at the back, and we'll be fine.

Keeping Sagna and Clichy honest is absolutely essential, which is why I wanted Oster and Convey to start. The other essential thing is successfully patrolling central mid from the halfway line to our penalty area, but that may be a lost cause

[LeicesterRoyal]

Anybody know the last time Bobby Convey started a league game?

[seahawk10]

1 Marcus Hahnemann
2 Graeme Murty
5 Ibrahima Sonko
16 Ivar Ingimarsson
3 Nicky Shorey
17 Bobby Convey
6 Brynjar Gunnarsson
15 James Harper
10 Stephen Hunt
12 Dave Kitson
9 Kevin Doyle

On the pre-game they mentioned that nine of our starting lineup were regulars in the team that won the championship. Who are the two that didn't start? Hunt and Gunnarson right? With Sidwell playing instead of Gunnar and Hunt coming off the bench while Convey was the starter at LW?