Fulham’s depleted squad should be swept aside by Arsenal
While Abou Diaby and Tomas Rosicky look to have been confirmed as available for the Gunners, Fulham – Arsenal’s opponents on Saturday evening – have far more significant injury concerns.
Republic of Ireland international Damien Duff is out of the clash at the Emirates with a calf problem and countryman Stephen Kelly’s groin injury keeps him on the sidelines too. On top of this, ex-Chelsea midfielder Steve Sidwell is “still recovering from his hernia operation”, thus also missing the match.
Nestled in amongst the bottom six, Fulham are struggling to maintain any level of form, with no consecutive victories since July. Even this set of six points in two games was against minnows Crusaders in the Europa League. Add to this their abysmal record away at Arsenal – which shows not a single win in 25 meetings there- and there seems little reason why the Gunners’ strong home record should be at all threatened this weekend.
While it seems likely that nothing less than a win will do, even conceding to Martin Jol’s side could well be considered a disappointment for a team aiming high once again. Johan Djourou is one player that sees Arsenal as potential title contenders, saying “I’m not saying we’re going to win the title but every game we have, we have to take seriously and game-by-game because we have a chance”.
Should the top sides concede at home to a team with such a poor away record? Their only away win of this campaign so far came at Wigan, who currently languish in the depths of the league table and are little threat to any Premier League side. With this record proving how ineffective the Cottagers are on the road, should now be the time for Arsenal to prove that they really are title contenders with an easy win at the Emirates?
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i want RVP to score at least a hatrick sn that he will be able to wipe of that henry and shearer record. Arsenal till tom catch jerry
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We need to improve our dismal goal difference in this game.
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We shouldn’t concede and RVP will go for the double at least. Hopefully gerv will bludgeon the ol onion bag for a change. Regardless I can’t wait to see who wenger fields and the gunners continue their cohesion. Gunner til I die
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We need to approach the game with respect for the opposition.
We have lost too many points in the recent seasons where we have considered the points in the bag just by turning up.
With more players fit they should all be fighting for their place.
Keep the momentum going and be more ruthless in front of goal should be the marching orders.
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I think RVP will have a double and Walcot should be on target today
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we shouldnt care about goal difference or anything silly, all we is the 3 POINTS.
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I think this article shows just how far Arsenal have come this season. After losses to Blackburn and nervy 1-0 wins over newcomers Swansea, Fulham might have seemed like an uneasy, tense proposition, regardless of their position in the table.
Fortunately those days are gone, and now this is a match that we should win, given our current form, and if we don’t win, it will be considered to be a big disappointment, as it will not aid our chances of a top four finish.
In conclusion, ARSENAL ARE BACK ON TRACK!
Gunners forever
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Arsenal should field a strong team. We need goals and points. This season can be determined by goal difference. Ox posibly will be needed in 2nd half. Go arsenal.
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Goal diffrence will improve during the season 3 points is what matters and finishing above that team who play in white yuk.
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Lets not get too ahead of ourselves here. yes, we’ve had a good run of form but in football you can never be sure of what is to come
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We should have one on tuesday cos that is a trophy that we can win given that beating the most consistent team of the season will make our path easier. i would play a midfield of coquelin diaby and rosicky with a front 3 of benayoun park arshavin. at the back i would play djourou somewhere giving one of the other 4 defenders a much needed breather. djourou could come in at right back o centre back
sczcesney
koscielny djourou vermaelen santos
coquelin
diaby rosicky
benayoun park arshavin
fabianski mertesacker song frimpong walcott.rvp chamakh
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we all thought this last year and only a double from nasri saved our ass’s. bottom line is its a london derby aginst a well organised team regardless of who they put out, we must take control of the game right from the start and give them nothing to get in the game with. form and confidence are high but this is when complacencey and lack of focus can strike!
best tactic will be to let santos have freedom and kosh drop in to make it 3 across the back, at home this looks like it could be a killer tactic! ive been so impressed with santos and its so obvious when he looses the extra weight hes carrying he will be on par with danny alves, what a quality sighning by wenger for practically peanuts!
arsenal 4 fulham 0
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Even if Fulham has a fully strengthened squad, Arsenal should be able to sweep aside fulham ..
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At least 5 goals please!
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I hope to God this is true
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Robin should be rested i think, he enters in 65 minutes only for emergency… we’ll be needing him fresh for tuesday. gonna blast the City with our Guns !
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We tend to struggle against fulham as they usually sit back against us so another win is all we should be looking for and we should not take them too lightly as this could be our downfall
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No easy games in the premiership. We had a hard game on Wednesday..this game is not a given..expect one or two changes
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