Wigan Athletic vs Arsenal (Sunday 4pm on Sky Sports 1)

[dublingunner]

3 likelihoods I reckon:

- We perform brilliantly, the midweek match clearly having rebuilt our swagger and blow Wigan away 3- or 4-0 despite the pitch.

- We suffer a hangover, don't look up for it after the glamour of midweek but prove our title credentials by hanging in there and scraping a 1-0 win.

- Wigan fluke an early goal and we never recover, they deploy frustration tactics which work a treat against us and defend very deep. We never get into any kind of stride but manage an equaliser near the death.

Needless to say, either of the first two will do just fine!

 

[vin de guerre]

At least Wigan RL did not play at the week end at home. The pitch could have been even worse!

 

[vin de guerre]

I just hope the storm that is forecasted for today holds off until after the game!

 

[Illusion]

The pitch thing, just like the dirty tactics are widely seen as ways to 'stop Arsenal playing' and making sure that our players are uncomfortable during the match.

It's just another dodgy method of getting a result against us and something that should be regulated against.

Pitches should all be a certain standard of quality, for the players safety as much as for a good quality game. You wouldn't see Lords cricket ground looking like some of the Premier League football pitches our team has to play on. It's not like the clubs in the Premier League don't have enough money to fix up their pitches. It should be said however that money doesn't necessarily mean a nice pitch, especially if you think about the new Wembley pitch, it's not very good and probably cost loads.

 

[lagos]

This is a big big game for us..

Somebody says this in every match thread, (though they tend to use just one "big"). Fact is to win the premiership every game is a big game

 

[Clrnc]

lets hope we score early and kill the game off asap.

then we can rest 3 players

 

[tam1886]

lets hope we score early and kill the game off asap.

then we can rest 3 players

Problem is, we'll probably have a bench consisting of the headgroundsman, team chef and receptionist from the training ground to make the numbers up.

 

[vin de guerre]

The pitch thing, just like the dirty tactics are widely seen as ways to 'stop Arsenal playing' and making sure that our players are uncomfortable during the match.

It's just another dodgy method of getting a result against us and something that should be regulated against.

Pitches should all be a certain standard of quality, for the players safety as much as for a good quality game. You wouldn't see Lords cricket ground looking like some of the Premier League football pitches our team has to play on. It's not like the clubs in the Premier League don't have enough money to fix up their pitches. It should be said however that money doesn't necessarily mean a nice pitch, especially if you think about the new Wembley pitch, it's not very good and probably cost loads.

This is not quite true for this pitch since it is now in use week in- week out either hosting EPL games or Superleague games of Wigan RLFC! In fact this pitch comes in for some hammering other than the fact it is p!ssing it down all the time in Wigan and the ground staff prefer to indulge themselves with Black Pudding and Wigan Pies rahter than have a pristeen pitch! :roll:

 

[Gautam_bhatia]

Anyone know the squad that traveled? Is Denilson in?

 

[vin de guerre]

By the way if we dont lose then this will be the earliest St T's day ever ever!

 

[stuart]

Seems some of us are making excuses already! So what, the pitch is crap, get over it. Theres 2 teams playing on it. One is a hell of alot better than the other.

 

[Big Poppa]

As long as Wenger keeps the same back four, doesn't cave in on any temptation to break the Cesc-Flamini partnership, and plays with 2 strikers up front then we should have too much for Wigan - even on a quagmire pitch. Who plays on the wings has become the least important piece of the puzzle.

 

[USArsenal]

we also have the ability to play the longer ball directly to Nik or Ade (aka Route 1 football).... we showed it against Everton.. that bypasses the sh*t pitch

 

[vin de guerre]

we also have the ability to play the longer ball directly to Nik or Ade (aka Route 1 football).... we showed it against Everton.. that bypasses the sh*t pitch

That would be ironic to beat Wigan with an "Up and Under" ala Rugby League style right on Ade's tosh!

 

[vin de guerre]

In fact i wonder why certain tactics have been dropped out of the modern game. For example I remember Docherty's Manure using the speed and the danger of fast low level crosses into the box from such as Coppell. I just can imagine what would happen if someone launched a bomb (Up and Under) ballistically into the penalty area. I can imagine the noise of the crowd as the ball goes up and rockets down onto the head of some sad defender sh!tting his shorts wondering where the ball will end up and will he be able to explain his faut pas!

 

[entropy13]

@vin: you mean faux pas?

 

[vin de guerre]

@vin: you mean faux pas?

Mon faux pas monsieur! ops:

 

[SAKURABA]

does the game start in 40 minutes or in 1h40 minutes...

confuse with the new time...

 

[vin de guerre]

does the game start in 40 minutes or in 1h40 minutes...

confuse with the new time...

1h 40 mins

 

[lagos]

what new time? have the clocks changed?