Boro-v- Arsenal

kmart6

Boro go in with the goal advantage but I can'y see them coming out with it.

Your Predictions?????????

0-2

Also Reyes is set to start

Your Thoughts?????????

AthAnRi

I'll stick my neck out and go for a 0-0 and Boro to go through. I don't think Arsenal give 2 sh1ts about this competition.

Pacifico

Yeah 2-0 . Vieira is to figure also.

jank

2-1 to the arsenal

reyes will bag his first with bently or edu scoring

arsenal to go through with a semi reserve team
expect viera toure to play somepart in the game

Pepe LeFrits

If the game had been when it was originally scheduled i'd have definately fancied Boro to go through. Now, with circumstances allowing a stronger Arsenal team, i'm not quite so sure, but i suspect they still will win... I hope i'm wrong though.

BBC.co.uk says the Arsenal squad is: Stack, Holloway, Lauren, Toure, Cygan, Keown, Clichy, Cole, Vieira, Gilberto Silva, Edu, Parlour, Pires, Reyes, Bentley, Owusu-Abeyie, Thomas, Smith, Skulason, Papadopulos.

However i'm not so sure that its particularily accurate considering Thomas is now a Charlton player. From a couple of comments made by Wenger (can't remember source), i think Vieira and Reyes are starting... so there is definately a chance. I think Cesc is injured though

mr_angry

Originally posted by AthAnRi
I'll stick my neck out and go for a 0-0 and Boro to go through. I don't think Arsenal give 2 sh1ts about this competition.

I think the youth team that he will put out definitely care about the competition. Its great experience for them - a run in the team, playing competitive matches against Premiership opposition, on the telly a couple of weeks in a row, and the possibility of getting to and playing in a major domestic final - a fantastic opportunity at their age. I hope they make it to the final, and Wenger decides to stick with the youth team.

Pepe LeFrits

Originally posted by AthAnRi
I'll stick my neck out and go for a 0-0 and Boro to go through. I don't think Arsenal give 2 sh1ts about this competition.

I don't think its really sticking your neck out tbh. It's clear that the senior players don't really care, and the young players aren't in the senior squad yet for a reason. This is Boro's last chance for silverware, the Arsenal young players may like to win it but it really is a case of men against boys. Just so happens that the men aren't terribly good

eirebhoy

Originally posted by jank
2-1 to the arsenal

reyes will bag his first with bently or edu scoring

arsenal to go through with a semi reserve team
expect viera toure to play somepart in the game

I was typing my predictions and my computer restarted (don't ask), but I said it would be 3-1 to Arsenal with the same goal scorers as you have just named.:)

robbie1876

I can't see Arsenal going into tonight's competition half-hearted. They will be there to win, and I predict exceptional performances from Viera, and possibly Reyes, but I've a feeling Reyes will be playing in midfield.

Is in extra time and penalties tonight, or a replay?

Mossy Monk

3-1 to arsenal tonight i feel

jank

I was typing my predictions and my computer restarted (don't ask), but I said it would be 3-1 to Arsenal with the same goal scorers as you have just named

freaky or what!
might put a wager on it too

AthAnRi

Posted by mr_angry
I think the youth team that he will put out definitely care about the competition

Ya exactly my point, Arsenal doint give a sh1te about this competition. Hence the youth team.

and the possibility of getting to and playing in a major domestic final

Major domestic final, What planet are you living on. I bet you weren't saying it was a major domestic final last year when Liverpool and Man U were in it or when Tottenham were in it.

come on really!

Pacifico

Arsenal's defence is a joke! 35 mins gone and it should be 2-0

Pacifico

Well done martin. Thats how you play football:mad:

Traffp

monkey face gone!!!!

kida

old ugley mug (keown) just sent off.

Reyes looks like a waste of money-potential my ar$e

_blank_

... Arsene saw it?.....

Emboss

Originally posted by seansouth
... Arsene saw it?.....

Judging by the look he gave him I think he did

Typical Arsenal bull really he should have been booked earlier for the drag back on Zenden,

Boro Should be 3-4 - 0 up at this stage

delighted to see that ugly cheating love child gone

COME ON BORO!

_blank_

Good save from Stack for the Maccarone chance?

Pacifico

Originally posted by kida
old ugley mug (keown) just sent off.

Reyes looks like a waste of money-potential my ar$e

What a stupid comment

_blank_

Look, it's the lads first start ffs.

Don't start getting on his back already, the way people have taken against Ronaldo at Utd.

He (Reyes) looked ok against the massive on sunday.

Or were you on about the "Ugly mug" comment, Henry_14?

thats not stupid....he is a bit of a monkey in fairness!!!

Pacifico

The reyes remark. So sad.

And regarding Martin. I personally dont find his resemblance with a monkey a problem.But if thats what your into.........

_blank_

Scorpy because they're losin?


Look, are Arsenal really arsed about this comp anyway?

super_furry

Arse denied a pretty clear cut peno there, maybe it's not going to be their night. Personally I wouldn't like to see them in the final after the lack of respect they've shown to the competition throughout.

Pacifico

Yep nice start from the "waste of money" Reyes:rolleyes:

_blank_

http://i.timeinc.net/time/magazine/archive/covers/1994/1101940314_400.jpg

a bit topical???

Emboss

Originally posted by Henry_14
What a stupid comment

Far from stupid nail hit on the head

Pacifico

Originally posted by Emboss
Far from stupid nail hit on the head

Care to explain?

Emboss

Originally posted by Henry_14
Care to explain?

Well it's no secret about monkey head

and reyes looks well he's playing against boro....

and he looks...


well...like a waste of money.....

Pacifico

Originally posted by Emboss
Well it's no secret about monkey head

and reyes looks well he's playing against boro....

and he looks...


well...like a waste of money.....

Yeah i agree cos i expected him to be better than Henry. Especially afther leaving spain just last week. Playing up front with another young guy. Well see when he plays with players like pires and Henry.

Emboss

Originally posted by Henry_14
Yeah i agree cos i expected him to be better than Henry. Especially afther leaving spain just last week. Playing up front with another young guy. Well see when he plays with players like pires and Henry.

if he's as good as he suppose to be..it;s ok don't cry...

it's only loosing to boro it happens....

if you're good you're good he shouldn't need to playing with henry to make a difference

The Muppet

Yeah i agree cos i expected him to be better than Henry. Especially afther leaving spain just last week. Playing up front with another young guy. Well see when he plays with players like pires and Henry.

Funny then how you expect Ronaldo to be the finished article after a few months in the premiership.

Did yez lose, I missed the game unfortunately and I could have done with the laugh.

Pacifico

Did i where did i say that?

elbow316

Well actually it was without Lehmann, Campell, Pires, Gilberto, Ljungberg AND henry.....

Well played Boro tho, those front 4 attacking players they had tonight - Juninho, Maccerone, Zenden and mendieta looked dangerous.

smemon

Originally posted by jank

reyes will bag his first with bently or edu scoring

spot on jank! edu scoring for arsenal, reyes scoring for boro. nice finish too from the 20m pound so called 'best young player in the world'. sure looked like it tonight.

i know, i know, before anyone says it - give him time to settle:rolleyes:

qwertyup

Reyes certainly knows where the net is...

Pacifico

Originally posted by smemon


i know, i know, before anyone says it - give him time to settle:rolleyes:

Crazy ai'nt it

robbie1876

Boro deserved to win against a spirited Arsenal side. It's a shame really that Arsenal have got this far, I would have preferred them to be knocked out early in the competition rather than come this far and have nothing to show for it.

Bad players:

Keown was appalling up to and including when he got sent off. His positioning was non-existent. Kept giving the ball away in stupid positions too.
Reyes showed very little promise tonight. Didn't look at all comfy on the ball and done nothing creative. Well, at least we know the lad can finish.

Good players:

Cygan had a superb game without actually making himself noticed. His short passing game under pressure is superb and he made some good tackles.
Edu was Arsenal's best player, I think he deserves to be partnering Viera ahead of Gilberto.

Viera had a stunning second half, but where was he in the first?

Well played Middlesborough.

Pacifico

Originally posted by robbie1876
Boro deserved to win against a spirited Arsenal side. It's a shame really that Arsenal have got this far, I would have preferred them to be knocked out early in the competition rather than come this far and have nothing to show for it.

Bad players:

Keown was appalling up to and including when he got sent off. His positioning was non-existent. Kept giving the ball away in stupid positions too.
Reyes showed very little promise tonight. Didn't look at all comfy on the ball and done nothing creative. Well, at least we know the lad can finish.

Good players:

Cygan had a superb game without actually making himself noticed. His short passing game under pressure is superb and he made some good tackles.
Edu was Arsenal's best player, I think he deserves to be partnering Viera ahead of Gilberto.

Viera had a stunning second half, but where was he in the first?

Well played Middlesborough.

Cygan was appalling. Cole was good. Overall the defence was really bad though

Pepe LeFrits

Much as I expected really. I knew all the usual morons would be going on about Reyes, i'm surprised there hasn't more of the "another red card!" and "another brawl!!111" type stuff though. Time to add a more balanced view on the game:

Arsenal had 2 problems tonight: 1) having to chase the game from the result at highbury, and 2) the lack of players in the final third who were able to hold onto the ball. Arsenal missed the likes of Pires and Henry badly tonight, without them Arsenal had no real front line, and as such Vieira and Edu had to push forward to help out. This meant the back 4 had fup all cover all night and were pretty ragged.

Individual performance wise; Bentley wasn't up to it at all, he was barely there all night. Clichy looks pretty good, he faded in and out of the game though and doesn't look to be a left midfielder, he'd be much more at home at left back. Edu and Vieira did well, they tried their best to give Arsenal some bite in attack, a role they aren't usually accustomed to providing. Parlour isn't suited to right midfield at all, he's not a winger.

Cole and Toure were very good. Keown and Cygan had very poor games, so many times they fumbled and arsed about in front of the goal, Keown paid for it with the red.

Finally Reyes, contrary to what all the Manc supporters who desperately want him to fail will propagandise, didn't do much wrong. Scored an OG which will probably become famous, but Parnaby had it 100% regardless anyway. Up front he showed promise - should have had a peno, and had a few good runs. His main problems were two fold - he didn't have an adequate partner and was working with scraps because he had virtually no supply from the midfield all night, and he was still playing in the mode of a winger... every time he got the ball he went route one, which he's been doing all his career, but from midfield. If he had been partnering Henry it could have worked, but because he was partnering Bentley he became the lead striker and had no experience in the position.

Boro deserved the win, but it wasn't a bad performance by the Arsenal reserves.

smemon

i wonder if any player has ever scored an o.g on their full debut? cant remember any. reyes doesnt look a team player from what i saw tonight, only became interested when the ball was in the box. mr. forlan could teach him a thing or two.

oh, and what a blatent dive too, no contact was made so the ref culdnt give a peno, is reyes stupid or what? why didnt he stay on the ground and then go down when there's contact rather than jumping over the tackle?

Pepe LeFrits

um, there was contact, thats why his trajectory changed midair...

robbie1876

Cygan was appalling.

I was watching a different game then you so. He saved our bacon a few times, especially in the first 20-30 minutes.

The ref didn't give the peno because Reyes kicked the ball away from goal and hadn't got a chance of catching it if he'd stayed on his feet. This happened before the keeper made his challenge.

Pepe LeFrits

Cygan was hardly a rock. He made a few important tackles/inteceptions but he also made some bad gaffs. He wasn't responsible for either of the goals but he very easily could have.

Pacifico

Yeah he did a few times. He cant deal with long balls at all.

James R

It was no penalty. The 3 boys in the studio and the 2 commentators all agreed it wasn't. he hit the ball too far ahead of himself and it was actually on the line heading out of play when he leapfrogged over Schwarzer. I don't think there was even contact to be honest and if there was it was very very minimal and he was in the air by the time it came.

On the whole he looked very average - was unlucky with the og i'll admit. His attempts from the free and the corners in the first half barely got off the ground. Poor ball to Parlour in first half too when it ran outta play. Bentley did more I thought but was still pretty poor. I still remain sceptical as to whether or not he'll be worth it. I just don't think Spanish players adjust abroad.

Well played to Boro though. I thought that over the two legs they deserved it. Missed some amount of chances overall. Job should have scored in both legs.

robbie1876

It stands to him that he did so well considering he played the full game as the only central defender we had (that includes when Keown was on the pitch).

On a slightly different note, what do you make of all this talk of Bentley being the next Bergkamp? To me he's the next Jeffers, not afraid to get stuck in, but not tremedously skillful.

Pepe LeFrits

He needs to bulk up a bit and learn to hold the ball if he's ever to get anywhere. I still don't think he's gonna make it though.

ZENER

What . . Arsenal LOST !!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA !!!!!



Tinky

Pepe LeFrits

i feel like i support every other team in the football league now, wait... not yet

kida

The poor fella was sick according to Wenger - a new excuse even for him - what did he do look up and see Keown or just the thought he can't justify the amount of money paid for him.

Reyes was caugh in possession too much and didn't look like he had much appetite for the game(bit worrying on his debut - when you would expect him to be fired up)