Birmingham vs. Arsenal

leninbenjamin

vs.

15.00, 27th March, St. Andrews Stadium, Birmingham, England.

Brum without Murphy, Arsenal without Vermaelen (not including the long term crocks).

Anyway, McLeish has been talking the usual ****e about going in hard but fair against Arsenal. No 'rough stuff' mind you, but they've "got to be making tackles." We all know what that means. :rolleyes:

Then of course there's the whole 'Eduardo going back to Brum' for the first time since they ****ed him up!

Either way should be a bit of bite to today's match. Birmingham will be looking to take advantage of Arsenal's weak defensive situation to restore their home record, and the Gunners will undoubtedly have half an eye on the midweek game, despite the necessity of the 3 points if they are to maintain the title challenge.

Looking forward to this, should give a good indication of the mental strength of this Arsenal side.

racso1975

yeah have to fancy gunners for this. Brum not been too hot lately plus good thing about the defence prob is they have only scored 15 at home this season. Reckon like most smaller squad teams season is taking it's toll.

CHD

1-1 please

leninbenjamin

CHD wrote: »

1-1 please

Christ, I'm a pessimistic ****er, but this is probably what I see in store for us!

gebbel

Like all games now, this one is critical for the gunners. A win here keeps them firmly in the race and will give the team even more belief before Barcelona. Birmingham have had a good enough season and aren't in the relegation dogfight. So they may not be as motivated as those below them. Either way, their home record is excellent and they will want to bounce back from their midweek defeat to Blackburn.
Arsenal are on a great roll and should win but need to be careful defensively without Vermaelen. It won't be easy but I believe they will do it.

killwill

Got a feeling Birmingham will get off to a great start and go in 1-0 up at half time, get all us United fans excited but to lose 2-3 in the end. Fabregas, Nasri and Bendtner to score for the Arse.

keano_afc

Would love us to get an early goal. A lot is going to depend on our OAP centre half combination.

Come on the Gunners.

Vokes

2~0 to Arsenal. But depends on Bendtner being available I think - is he fit to play?

Pepe LeFrits

I'm extremely wary of this one and will be absolutely delighted if we can come away with a win. It's a real test of the team's title ambitions (most of the ones recently were self inflicted).

PHB

I'm really hopeful about this game!

Pepe LeFrits

Shut up Dave.

cson

PHB wrote: »

I'm really hopeful about this game!

Go 'way with your bad kind of hopeful. :mad:

everdead.ie

Don't know if Arshavin is going to feature today because I just saw him in B&Q I swear :pac:

Nervous about today, but hopeful for a win for a win for the gunners.

Le King

Can see Arsenal winning this. Birmingham aren't in the form they were in pre-March.

Pot Noodle =

Brum all the way but me tinks a 2.2 draw

L'prof

Pot wrote:

Brum all the way but me tinks a 2.2 draw

Brum all the way as in you can't see them losing or you just want them to win?

Pepe LeFrits

Arsenal
01 Almunia
03 Sagna 17 Song Billong 31 Campbell 22 Clichy
15 Denilson
02 Diaby 04 Fabregas
14 Walcott 52 Bendtner 07 Rosicky

Substitutes
21 Fabianski, 27 Eboue, 30 Traore, 08 Nasri, 23 Arshavin, 09 Eduardo, 12 Vela

hmm.

Pepe LeFrits

Just noticed no Silvestre at all. Looks like Arsene may have lost faith in him (though maybe that's me thinking with my heart!)...

leninbenjamin

Here's Birmingham's team for anyone interested.

Brum
* 25 Hart
* 02 Carr
* 06 Ridgewell
* 14 Johnson
* 15 Dann
* 04 Bowyer
* 12 Ferguson
* 18 Fahey
* 33 Gardner
* 10 Jerome
* 16 McFadden

No Silvestre, Song in CB with the old man, interesting.

Has Chucho been playing for Birmingham of late?

Pot Noodle =

jasonorr wrote: »

Brum all the way as in you can't see them losing or you just want them to win?

Yup BCFC fan here

Arsenal1986

Resting Arshavin and Nasri for Barca??

PHB

Campbell and Song at CB provides some hope

Pepe LeFrits

Ugh Ridgewell, hopefully he won't break any of our players today.

Arsenal1986

Any streams lads?

L'prof

Pot wrote:

Yup BCFC fan here

Ah right, no wonder!

Arsenal1986 wrote: »

Any streams lads?

There's a few here.

ShamoBuc

This is a real make or break game for Ars. People see this as one of the 2 or 3 games in the run in that they will drop points, would love to see a 3 goal victory to really pile the pressure on for Utd. Any kind of a victory would do them but a convincing one would be nice.

Souless

Arsenal1986 wrote: »

Any streams lads?

http://sportfree.net/channel3.php not the best quality but its in English, tis the best I could find that isnt on sopcast

L'prof

Crap, early card for Song. Deserved to be honest.

Souless

Walcott should of done much much better with that chance ffs :mad:

L'prof

Souless wrote: »

Walcott should of done much much better with that chance ffs :mad:

Are you Houghton in disguise?

RandolphEsq

I hate low camera positions filming matches

L'prof

Don't agree with Clichy's yellow at all, Gardner knocked it to one side of him and then ran straight into him!

Souless

jasonorr wrote: »

Don't agree with Clichy's yellow at all, Gardner knocked it to one side of him and then ran straight into him!

exactly he couldn't get out of the way, the reason he got a yellow was the roll on the ground by the city player.

x PyRo

Mr. Almunia doing well to save the shot from Jerome there.

L'prof

Fúck it, Fabregas struggling after being caught! Think he'll come off!

L'prof

Haha, that wrecks my head - "You're watching Barclay's Prem-ear league!"

Pepe LeFrits

It'd just be typical if Fabregas didn't emerge for the second half and then was absent for a month.

Need a much improved performance in the second half. Way too many pointless ****ing punts into the box. Sagna is playing way too far forward also; he's leaving Campbell exposed and compressing the space for Walcott, who hasn't been great but has been our only threat.

Bukman13

jasonorr wrote: »

Fúck it, Fabregas struggling after being caught! Think he'll come off!

He looked to be struggling alright, would be a massive blow if he has to come off. Not only for the 2nd half but he would be a doubt for Barca too.

Jerome causing all sorts of problems.

Pot Noodle =

Not a bad first half for us

x PyRo

Eboue and Nasri would be nice right about now, bring them on!

leninbenjamin

Frustrating first half from an Arsenal p.o.v., although no more than I expected.

Birmingham (surprise, surprise) have raised their game for this, working very hard off the ball, making the interceptions and working the counter really well to get Jerome and McFadden in. Even though they haven't created many clear cut chances though, you get the feeling they aren't far off scoring. They do lack a bit of creativity though.

Arsenal on the other hand playing cack. Touch is heavy, taking too long on the ball and not working hard enough off it (Bentdner's movement in particular has been disappointing for me, perhaps he's still protecting the injury). Some heavy challenges going in unchecked by Webb too, Cesc has clearly picked up a knock because of that unnecessary follow through from Johnson(?). All in all, it's going to be tough for them to get a result, they really need to up their game.

L'prof

Pot wrote:

Not a bad first half for us

Doing exactly what ye need to do defensively and a few chances on the break.

SDTimeout

Think we're going to get an early goal here. Outside of the box from rosicky

leninbenjamin

SDTimeout wrote: »

Think we're going to get an early goal here. Outside of the box from rosicky

Can't see it happening myself, looking very laboured. Thought Brum more likely to get one from a set piece.

SDTimeout

As a team yes, i think rosicky diaby and walcott are full of zip out there. Clichy too
Very pleasing to see Rosicky running about making and winning challenges after everything he has been through

L'prof

SDTimeout wrote: »

Think we're going to get an early goal here. Outside of the box from rosicky

Haha, nearly did it too!!!

SDTimeout

jasonorr wrote: »

Haha, nearly did it too!!!

commentator even used the word zip :pac:

x PyRo

Anyone else think Eduardo will come on and score ?!. 'Mon Arsenal.

L'prof

Fair play Rosicky, hate when players "shield" the ball out of play! Always seems more like obstruction to me!

x PyRo

Oh my fucking god. Close from B'ham.