Showing posts with label Arsenal Liverpool preview. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Arsenal Liverpool preview. Show all posts

Monday, 31 March 2008

Let's bring the ruckus

Liverpool have not set the world on fire this season, but they are a pragmatic side and will be hard to break down on Wednesday night. It will be interesting to see how they line up, will Benitez play a more attacking 4-4-2 or will he try to bore us with a more defensive 4--5-1? I don't think this should affect how Arsene approaches the game, I feel we should line up with a standard 4-4-2 as follows against Liverpool's possible 4-5-1:

Almunia
Toure Gallas Senderos Clichy
Eboue Flamini Fabregas Hleb
RVP Adebayor

Reina
Skrtel Hyypia Carragher Riise
Kuuyt Gerrard Mascherano Alonso Babel
Torres

Obviously the two predicted line ups are two very big ifs indeed. Arsene may well stick RVP on the flank, not the best place to put him in my opinion as his sharpness in front of goal is criminally wasted. Benitez may gamble by playing Crouch with Torres, however I suspect he does not have the balls to do this, Torres on his lonesome with Kuuyt ploughing a furrow on the right flank is more likely. And will Wenger go with Walcott or Eboue on the right hand side, or will he play Diaby on the left with Hleb on the right?

I think width will be important, Eboue will need to provide this on the right while Clichy's forward runs will be needed on the left. It's crunch time for Alex Hleb, his quick feet and trickery may be vital in what will be a rather congested central midfield area. Toure will have his work cut out against the erratic but talented Ryan Babel, while Gallas will need to use all his experience to shut out Torres. The midfield battle between Flamini/Fabregas and Mascherano/Gerrard/Alonso will be pivotal.

Liverpool are not a frightening proposition, but they will be hard to beat, but if we are top of our game it is a game I am confident we can win. Here's hoping, come on you Gunners!