Norwich City v Arsenal (home) Sunday 29th November 2015

[morty]

​

Norwich City vs Arsenal

Premier League Fixture

29th November 2015, Kick Off: 16:00

Carrow Road

 

[morty]

Well what do we do with this?

Alex said at the AGM last night that he is willing to modify his attacking policy to ensure we survive in the league, was that with one eye on the upcoming fixture?

Do we play them like we played Man City and Chelsea away? Or do we say F-you Arsenal, we're the home side, bring it!?

 

[Canaryboy]

Arsenal sides always look really lightweight to me so my only idea is to fill our eleven with our hardest players and kick them.

Lafferty was good at taking players out with two feet from behind in the Old Firm games, so maybe just start him and borrow Bradley Johnson for the day? 

We aren't going to win the possession game, and we aren't going to beat them for pace, so setting out like we did against Chelsea for the first 75 minutes and then trying to smash and grab at the end if it goes well sounds like a plan to me. 

I'm actually being half serious though, Arsene Wenger always used to have a big old moan about Stoke not letting them get the ball down and play so lets go full-on Tony Pulis and have our players watching videos of Shawcross and Whelan on repeat.

 

[Canaryboy]

(ps. thanks for starting the match thread again!). 

 

[KIO]

Hoping for at least a point Sunday ideally we need a minimum of 4 points from the next 3 games, difficult but do-able IMO

 

[eatonparkboy]

It is easy and quite nice to be a supporter. We can speculate about Sunday's line up and tactics and say I told you so if we make a lucky guess.

And I am thinking Sunday is where AN might want to be a supporter and guess. The Gunners have just had a very good win after a miserable defeat. Giroud is their only striker but Sanchez is back scoring after a drought. Ramsey is fit again but Coquelin is out for a lengthy spell. And despite their dominance last night, they did look shaky at the back at times. Zagreb attacked with pace and precision at times and Arsenal weren't in total control util the third went in.

We have approached the top clubs with a different emphasis. Partly because we didn't have enough points from our comfortable start to be ambitious. And AN admitted at last night's AGM that he would probably approach all the top teams with a degree of caution.

I think he knows that he is not going to outpass them. He can't go through them either. But of course he could go over them a la the style Wenger has criticised so much. A style he criticises because not only is it alien to him but he doesn't seem capable of countering it. Arsenal's lack of a comparable defensive stopper/protector does make the vulnerable in that gap between a slow central defence and a talented but lightweight midfield.

I would like to see Jerome and Mbokani with Wes behind them. Brady Mulumbu Howson with the same back five.

I think it is a game the pundits will be expecting us to lose and I think it could be a game to try something different as I'm certain Arsenal will be expecting a repeat of last weeks defensive system.

Of course it is nice be a supporter with the luxury of being wrong.

 

[Canaryboy]

Arsenal do look strong this season but they did lose away to West Brom 4 days ago, they aren't unbeatable.

 

[dj161]

Arsenal are a funny side to play against, you need to press them and not let them have any time on the ball, yet at the same time you can't go pressing to hard as they can quite easily pull you out of shape/position and exploit the gap that has been left, for me we need to start with Tettey-Mulumbu partnership in the center of midfield for this one, as we need some real ball winners in there if we're to stand any chance, and as mentioned above with the lack of a top defensive mid in the Arsenal side the best bet could be balls over the top to try and get behind them, I'd quite like to see us play Jerome-Mbokani together up front to see if the Arsenal defence could deal with balls over the top with those two's strength and hold up play to deal with, yet at the same time I want Redmond to play to bring that bit of pace in to our counters

Tough decisions to make for Mr. Neil, this is what I'd go for if you're reading boss

Ruddy​

Wisdom Bennett Bassong Brady​

Tettey Howson Mulumbu​

<<<Redmond>>>​

Jerome Mbokani​

thats a free role for Redmond to work both flanks

 

[Dubai Mark]

I get where you are coming from dj161 but think it would be high risk and inviting trouble, that said what the fcuk do I know, I would play a back five and one up front which is probably crazy.  

 

[KIO]

Home win 2-1, Redderz with the equalising goal, Dave netting the winner in added time

 

[Fenway Frank]

I admire the way Arsenal play, just a shame that their supporters suffer from the level of arrogance known only to those that follow the top four or five clubs. 

 

[KIO]

I admire the way Arsenal play, just a shame that their supporters suffer from the level of arrogance known only to those that follow the top four or five clubs.

I would say that Arseh*le supporters are THE most arrogant

 

[Killiecanary]

I can see a repeat of the Swansea tactics at home more the Man Citeh away...concede ground, compress the space in our final third, try to go long when we do get a chance to try and turn their back line which I agree is their weakest area.  I agree with dj above - if we let Arsenal draw us out too far they will stretch us.  

Anyone know if Russ is available?  (I'll happily avoid the debate as whether he should play or not for tonight!)

 

[GJP]

Russ is available.

But he's no longer the answer at RB and, imo, if he was good enough at CB you wouldn't need 3 CBs/2 CBs and a sweeper.

 

[dj161]

Alex Tettey is out this weekend, so I'd guess that means Mulumbu will start alongside either O'Neil or Dorrans, both offer different things, I'd probably go for O'Neil, bit more defensive minded and takes an excellent corner, which could be key to us getting on the scoresheet

 

[Wiz]

Apparently, in the last 10 outings that the ref for this game, Jon Moss, has refereed Arsenal...........they've won them all!

Hmm?

 

[GJP]

Arsenal do win a lot of games though.

 

[gerryinromania]

Will be a hard task,but I think we will get something. AN seems to have a good tactical brain, not his fault that some on the team are not on the same level. Used to work with a John Moss, really nice and fair guy. Sure he's not related to the Arsenal supporting ref. Have a good day out people, enjoy the game, and all be smiling afterwards. I will be watching from Romania, snow falling and whisky glass in use

 

[ZLF]

Whats great is wenger cant have a clue how we will set up,  other than having a single striker;   will it be last weeks deep 451, the swansea more attacking 451,  a return to a 541 of the etihad or a more progressive 3-6-1 with russ back in the middle as a sweeper and flooding where arsenal are strongest and detailing mulumbu on ozil?      It could even be a martinez-esque 352 but I dont expect that we will start with 2 up top.

Personally I havent a clue how to approach this one but could go a diamond in the middle (could easily be wes at the tip and or Jerome up top)

                     Ruddy

      Bennett   Martin   Bassong

                     ONeill

Wisdom   Hoswon    Mulumbu      Brady    

                   Redmond (for pace)

                      Dave

I remain very nervous about the defenders - all prone to a mistake or lapse of concentration or two,  which against ozil sanchez (if fit) and giroud will be fatal

 

[It's Character Forming]

Whats great is wenger cant have a clue how we will set up,  other than having a single striker;   will it be last weeks deep 451, the swansea more attacking 451,  a return to a 541 of the etihad or a more progressive 3-6-1 with russ back in the middle as a sweeper and flooding where arsenal are strongest and detailing mulumbu on ozil?      It could even be a martinez-esque 352 but I dont expect that we will start with 2 up top.

Personally I havent a clue how to approach this one but could go a diamond in the middle (could easily be wes at the tip and or Jerome up top)

                     Ruddy

      Bennett   Martin   Bassong

                     ONeill

Wisdom   Hoswon    Mulumbu      Brady    

                   Redmond (for pace)

                      Dave

I remain very nervous about the defenders - all prone to a mistake or lapse of concentration or two,  which against ozil sanchez (if fit) and giroud will be fatal

interesting idea - I agree , AN has some big choices to make, I think 3 at the back would make sense.  Looking forward to watching it.