EPL – Arsenal vs Sunderland – 3pm – 18/8/12 - Arsenal Player

Arsenal vs Sunderland

----------------------------------------------------Emirates Stadium
------------------------------------------------Saturday 18th August 2012
----------------------------------------------------Kick off – 3:00pm
------------------------

My Preferred Lineup:

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Szczesny
- Jenkinson - Koscielny - Vermaelen - Gibbs
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - Song - - Arteta
- Walcott - - -- - - - - - Cazorla - - - -- - - -Podolski
- - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - Giroud

Bench: - Fabianski, Mertesacker, Santos, Diaby, Gervinho, Chamberlain, Giroud


My Score Prediction

- Arsenal - 3 - - - Sunderland - 1
- Walcott - - - -- - -Sessegnon
- Giroud
- Diaby

Why is Jenkinson up there and not Yennaris/Coquelin?

RVP won't be there anymore.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Szczesny
---- Yennaris - Koscielny - Vermaelen - Gibbs
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - Song - - Arteta
---------- Walcott - - ------------ - - - - - Cazorla - - - -- - - -
--------------------Podolski- - - - Giroud

Woo... here we go. First match of the season. Shame we have to go into another season with question marks over some of our best players, but we're stronger than last season.

--------------Szczesny

Coquelin - Koscielny - Vermaelen - Gibbs

------------Song - Diaby

Walcott ------ Cazorla --------- Gervinho

---------------Podolski

Arteta is hit and miss over whether he'll get over his knock in time, and I don't want to force him to play and exacerbate that issue. Gervinho given the nod because he's looked sharp in preseason, as has Walcott. Podolski upfront. Van Persie didn't look fit.

Must win

Oh and we start looking so forward to it come on arsenal we want nice and winning start.

Chesney

Coq Kosh Tv5 Gibbs

Song Artata

Walcott Cazorla Podolski

Giroud/Rvp.

Fcking hell. Here we go again. Another 9 months that'll account for 3 years off my lifespan is almost upon me...

I hope Arteta makes it. I'm really happy with how things are looking, and can see nothing other than a perfect start here.

Here we fcking GO!!!

Must win

I miss this tow words.

Ferrari, you got the date in the title wrong mate.

Yeah, I dont want RVP anywhere near the team till some bizarre 180 occurs.
Also, I dont want Diaby, Art and specially OX to play against the Rugby boys.
But since they're the only ones we can depend might as well send the most fragile in there.

Chez
Kos-Per-Verm-Gibbs
Song-Diaby
Santi
Theo-Poldi-Gerv

Wouldnt worry too much about Gerv's end product, as long as he breaks the defense from the flanks Carzola and Poldi will take care of the rest.

Anyone but Jenkinson(at rb), Chamberlain in for Arteta if he hasn't recovered by then. RvP upfront(providing he hasn't left the club), Walcott,Podolski outwide and Cazorla CAM. Pretty much my preferred line-up.

Santi will be play Puerto Rico away 3 days before this, doubt he'll start

Santi will be play Puerto Rico away 3 days before this, doubt he'll start

I Don't think he will play full 90min, 45min is maximum i think.

Ferrari, you got the date in the title wrong mate.

Whoops, cheers for that.

Finally the pre season is over,can't wait to see us in action in some games that actually mean something.
I just hope our new players won't have any problems adapting to PL and about RvP-just get it sorted out one way or another please.
Come on Arsenal!

Have sunderland made any signings of note?

Santi will be play Puerto Rico away 3 days before this, doubt he'll start

I Don't think he will play full 90min, 45min is maximum i think.

Lets hope so!

Big game, as all season opener's are. Need to get the momentum going and avoid the start we had last season. This being Sunderland and O'Neil, they will try to make this difficult for us.

Based on what we saw today I'd like to see:

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Szczesny
- Yennaris - Koscielny - Vermaelen - Gibbs
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - Song - - Arteta
- Walcott - - -- - - - - - Cazorla - - - -- - - -Podolski
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Giroud

4-0 for us.

- Szczesny -
- Jenkinson - Koscielny - Vermaelen - Gibbs -
- Song - Cazorla - Arteta -
- Walcott - Van Persie - Podolski -

I expect a comfortable win.

Szczesny
Yennaris - Koscielny - Vermaelen - Gibbs
Diaby - Song
Cazorla
Walcott - Podolski
Giroud/RVP

Jenkinson not playing today tells me hes probably not going to be our starter. Coq i wasn't impressed with all preseason. I don't think hes as ready as he looked last year. I wish we would of experimented with Kos at RB, because starting our best 4 defenders would have Kos at RB and Mert at CB. RB is a glaring weakness until Sagna gets back

I don't personally think Arteta will be ready, and I think Diaby gets the start with him not there. Could see AOC getting a start here though.

Cazorla may be on the bench with that stupid PR game he has to play in. If Caz doesn't start I think Chamberlain goes in his place.

Have sunderland made any signings of note?

Theyre trying to chase Defoe and Steven Fletcher.

---------------------Szczesny------------------
-Yennaris-Koscielny-Vermaelen-Gibbs-
-------------------Song-Arteta-----------------
---Walcott--------Cazorla------Podolski---
---------------------Giroud----------------------

-Coquelin or Chamberlain in for Arteta if he's not fit
-Tempted to put Mertesacker in and shift Koscielny to RB
-Dont think RVP will still be here in time for the game
-Hope Cazorla doesn't play full 90 for the NT

We have to win.

Sunderland did get a 20 million a year shirt deal, though. Like wtf.

I expect us to win this one; can't wait!

Can't wait for the first game of the season.

------------Szczesny
Jenkinson---Koscielny---Vermaelen---Gibbs
---------Song-------Arteta
-------------Cazorla
Walcott-----Giroud----Podolski

Podolski to play a similar role like today. Slighlty off the left but very much active in the final third. I think Robin may start if Wenger & co. are serious about keeping him. Cazorla is in South America 3 days before the match so he may miss out.

Notice how interchangeable the front 5 can be with the right personnel and some squad depth. Not much drop in quality as well with the exception of Cazorla...but Ox is slowly proving to be an asset at that AM position.

Quite confident of a comfortable opening day win...especially as its at The Emirates.

Podolski and Gervinho to bang in the goals for a 2-0 win.

Didn't Cazorla have a friendly like 3 days before this? if so don't see him starting.

Can see Arsène not taking risks and deploying Kos as RB with Per and Verm as the CB pair.

Can't wait - oddly confident too

Yeah, I'd go with Koscielny at RB myself, keep our good players on the pitch. No way Yennaris starts anyway as Jenkinson and Coquelin are also available.

Think Robin will start this game and score.

Szczesny
Coquelin Koscielny Vermaelen Gibbs
Song Arteta
Cazorla
Walcott van Persie Podolski

4-0.

Not sure Cazorla will start to be honest. He's in the Spain squad for their friendly match away to Puerto Rico on Wednesday.

interesting to see if sunderland get anybody in before saturday. they dont have any strikers id be worried about at the minute, they might have to play sessegonn there.

Never enjoy playing martin o'neill teams. Especially after theyve had a break, theyl come out fighting like always, i expect a bit of a battle.

Theyl probably be playing richardson at left back, i could see cazorla(if he plays) allowing walcott to exploit that.

right back is a big position for us, mcclean could tear jenkinson a new one, and we havent really seen yennaris in many competitive, surely itl have to be le coq who starts