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EPL: Arsenal vs. Leicester - Sunday 14.02.2016 - 12:00

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SA Gunner

Hates Tierney And Wants Him Sold Immediately
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Country: South Africa

Player:Nketiah
No offence SA Gunner, but you seem to be an eternal optimist...

Before they played Pool you were seriously discussing whether they might lose their next 3 games! They've lost 2 all season, and there was no way that would happen. They are playing all of their games to win. No reason they can't beat Arsenal too. Leicester don't have anything to worry about. They can just keep on dreaming and playing as they are. For the past 11 seasons, the team that has topped the table at the start of February has gone on to win the league. No reason to doubt themselves sitting 5 points clear.

Fair point man, I was hoping they would drop points and they havent.

They deserve massive credit for that and are looking ominous at the moment.

Still think that ourselves and City (unfortunately) have more in our lockers than they do, and with so much left in the season to play for, you cannot completely hand the title to them.

It is going to be difficult to get past them, but we are at home and a better side. Other than confidence and momentum there is nothing else that they have over us, and thus my silent confidence.
 

Braydz

Active Member
No offence SA Gunner, but you seem to be an eternal optimist...

Before they played Pool you were seriously discussing whether they might lose their next 3 games! They've lost 2 all season, and there was no way that would happen. They are playing all of their games to win. No reason they can't beat Arsenal too. Leicester don't have anything to worry about. They can just keep on dreaming and playing as they are. For the past 11 seasons, the team that has topped the table at the start of February has gone on to win the league. No reason to doubt themselves sitting 5 points clear.

Still 13 games to go, no need to just give up right now.
 

Yousif Arsenal

On Vinai's payroll & misses 4th place trophy 🏆
Trusted ⭐
As well as Kante, Drinkwater and Albrighton. They have a quality team that plays with the harmonic cohesion of a world class symphonic orchestra.
nope these 3 are the key if the balls don't go to them then we are alright. if give them space to these 3 to run we will be in trouble.
 

RandyMarsh

Established Member
Surely we play Theo up top for this one? We destroyed them last time with him up front.

biggest game of the season so far for me.
 

RandyMarsh

Established Member
We have to start with Giroud up front simply because we lack height in the box if he doesnt play. Yes it reduces our potency on the break but we do still have Özil, Alexis, Ox, Ramsey, Bellerin who can all break. No way will Wenger trust Walcott at CF in a game like this, and neither would I.

I think Wenger will play the same team as today, hopefully he plays Coq but you just dont know with Wenger. Despite nearly putting us down to 10 men early in a game, Flamini is a Wenger favourite.
We have to start with Giroud simply because we lack height in the box? Sigh.. We're better than this. We beat them 5-2 last time without height in the box. We don't need height in the box.

Plus, Giroud will get dominated by Morgan and Huth, they're monsters in the air.
 

redwhiteAustrian

Tu Felix Austria
Administrator
Truth be told, I don't think we'll win this.

We need a huge improvement on our 2016 performances to beat Leicester, and I just can't see it suddenly evolving throughout next week. Sure, the win vs Bournemouth will have eased the pressure, but I don't think there's enough momentum yet to really be confident for this tie.

I cannot believe that we're going into this as underdogs, with an eye on the table, but maybe that's a good thing after all.
 

GOONER1991

Established Member
We will beat Leicester if Wenger doesn't go full ***** with his team selection.

Walcott up top. Coquelin central. Mertesacker reinstated at the back.

Alas, Wenger will go full *****, Giroud up top, Flamini central, Gabriel at the back.
 

Dave

Member
Fair point man, I was hoping they would drop points and they havent.

They deserve massive credit for that and are looking ominous at the moment.

Still think that ourselves and City (unfortunately) have more in our lockers than they do, and with so much left in the season to play for, you cannot completely hand the title to them.

It is going to be difficult to get past them, but we are at home and a better side. Other than confidence and momentum there is nothing else that they have over us, and thus my silent confidence.

I'm not saying it's over, but Leicester fans can continue to be optimistic...

Other things they have over Arsenal and/or their other rivals
  • Less pressure and expectation.
  • No European or Cup football so they already know exactly how many games they have to play and it will be at least 3 games less than their rivals.
  • The league's highest scoring striker. A player with genuine pace who will score more than 20 league goals this season.
  • An attacking midfielder who has scored 10+ goals AND assisted 10+ goals.
  • Absolutely nothing to lose, everything to gain.
 

RandyMarsh

Established Member
I mean, why wouldn't we go with the formula that served us so well last time, right?

Alexis- Theo- Campbell
--------Özil
Ramsey-Coquelin

That's as close as we're going to get to the team that beat them 5-2.
 

SA Gunner

Hates Tierney And Wants Him Sold Immediately
Moderator

Country: South Africa

Player:Nketiah
I'm not saying it's over, but Leicester fans can continue to be optimistic...

Other things they have over their Arsenal and/or their other rivals
  • Less pressure and expectation.
  • No European or Cup football so they already know exactly how many games they have to play and it will be at least 3 games less than their rivals.
  • The league's highest scoring striker. A player with genuine pace who will score more than 20 league goals this season.
  • An attacking midfielder who has scored 10+ goals AND assisted 10+ goals.
  • Absolutely nothing to lose, everything to gain.

Arsenal are indeed underdogs, if we are fair. We are expected not to win this game on the weekend.
 

Dave

Member
Surely we play Theo up top for this one? We destroyed them last time with him up front.

biggest game of the season so far for me.

Are people deliberately blocking out the fact that Leicester had a porous defence in their first 12 games but have had an incredibly mean defence over recent months? Be realistic.
 

Mrs Bergkamp

Double Dusted
Dusted 🔻
I'd probably go with Aevius' team but I might put Campbell in for Ox ad he's defensively better. Or put Elneny next to Coq as he seems able to transion better and shift Ramsey to the right.Alexis will by have to improve massively. He barely tracked the Bournemouth fullback today. Theo only starts because Giroud lacks pace. Leicester's front six look great whist we only have Özil fit and fully performing in ours. We need players who can track back with pace as the ball over the top/diagonally will open us up. Ramsey being disciplined, Alexis being fit and in form and Walcott being clinical needs to happen.
 

Gael Clea-show

Active Member
This will be a completely different game. Leicester will sit deep and attack us on the counter. Giroud scores more than Theo, and is a big threat off set pieces. He must start.
Yes, given Giroud's current goal threat, it is imperative he plays.

Didn't you see how effective he was against a Bournemouth team that does not like physical challenges and is terrible in the air?

Play Theo as CF so Sanchez gets something against them.
Play on the counter against the most attacking team in the league, do not be fooled into possession with them.
 

RandyMarsh

Established Member
Are people deliberately blocking out the fact that Leicester had a porous defence in their first 12 games but have had an incredibly mean defence over recent months? Be realistic.
Realistic about what? i'm not suggesting we're going to destroy them. I'm saying it worked so well last time. What makes you think Giroud will be any better? Huth and Morgan will absolutely love playing against him, just like Terry and Cahill do.

Theo up front brings the best out of the players around him too. Giroud's not in the sort of form right now where he's undroppable.
 

Rimaal

Mesmerised By Raccoons
Trusted ⭐
nope these 3 are the key if the balls don't go to them then we are alright. if give them space to these 3 to run we will be in trouble.

You control a game in midfield, for that you need to starve the 4 midfielders not just the 2 strikers. Disrupt their transitions. If we lose the midfield, we lose the match next week.

If you watch Leicester's change in formation when they are on the defensive, that's exactly what they do. The move from a 4-4-2 to a 4-3-2-1, or a 4-2-3-1 thus choking out the midfield and preparing for the counter. That is exactly what we should do next week in defence. Choke out and starve their mid.

Coq has to play and play well.

We won't be blitzing next week, I don't think. I think Wenger will be going for a strong defensive side against Leicester. He'll want to starve them of goals and knick one late in the game when they tire.
 

Dave

Member
Realistic about what? i'm not suggesting we're going to destroy them. I'm saying it worked so well last time. What makes you think Giroud will be any better? Huth and Morgan will absolutely love playing against him, just like Terry and Cahill do.

Theo up front brings the best out of the players around him too. Giroud's not in the sort of form right now where he's undroppable.


I'm not necessarily disagreeing with you. It is just the way you said 'we beat them last time with Walcott'. This will be such a different game. Their defence has gelled frighteningly well which is probably the single biggest reason why they should be feared as title rivals and for that game. This game will be very far away from the last one and that is what you need to be realistic about...
 
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