Boro at Emirates

I know that there’s a lot of talk about the Champions League draw, the upcoming schedule, the 39th game, and Aliadiere’s suspension but first thing’s first: Arsenal face Boro today in what Flamini and I see as a must win if Arsenal are going to win the League title.  It’s really that simple.  Arsenal must win against Boro, to get revenge for the first meeting, to show intent in the Champions League, and to keep pace in the premiership.

The good news is that RvP, Toure, and Walcott are back.  The bad news is that Rosicky is still out with a bad hamstring.  Oh yeah and Eboue is back to cunt up the right wing.  God, he’s like a bad Chicken Tikka Masala — he never seems to go away.

On the other side Aliadiere is back in the team.  We all know how former Arsenal players love to come back and try to punish the team and Ali does have the pace and power to get in behind the Arsenal defense.  Let’s hope his finishing is the same as it was when he was at Arsenal.  Which is to say, utter shit.  Also worrying is that Boro held a “clear the air” meeting after their defeat at the hands of Cardiff.  No doubt Southgate will have the team ready to play against Arsenal, and with our recent form against them I expect an extra tough match.

I’d really love to see Arsenal play a 4-5-1 with Hleb slotted right behind Ade, but without a left winger (Eduardo, Diaby and Rosicky are all out) I can’t see it happening.  So look for the 4-4-2 with Adebayor starting with Bendtner (which I do think is a poor pairing) up front, Eboue on the right, Cesc on the left and Flamini and Gilberto in the middle.  Around the 60th minute I’d look for Walcott and van Persie to come on for Eboue and Bendtner  — especially if they are a goal down.

And that’s the team news ahead of the match: here’s to 3 points, after the match against Milan, you have to say that the boys have it in them to win, but they have to be up for it.  I’d love to see a 7-1 thrashing right now.  Since I have football practice at 9am I’ll be at Doyle’s for the match, which kicks off at 10:15am.  Come on down and tip a pint with me if you like.

Now.  I would be remiss if I didn’t at least mention the controversy surrounding the Champions League draw.  I first heard about it through the internet in a TotalFark thread I submitted.  I mean, what are the odds of randomly figuring that out? 1 in 56?  That’s CRAZY ODDS!!!  Plus, what if, and just hear me out here, what if the blogger messed with his time stamp?  And then there’s also a huge question about what exactly it was that they fixed?  I guess they could have made sure that Barca, Man U, Chelsea, Liverpool, and Arsenal didn’t all meet and leave the possibility of a Roma v. Fenerwhatever final or something.  But even if all those teams met, you’d still have giants versus minnows in the semi-final.  At some point, even if the fix is in, the giants play the minnows.  My point is, it seems like they have a ton to lose and so little to gain.  I can’t see it.

As for the run in and the possibility of the top four teams playing each other 100 times each in the next three weeks Wenger said pretty much the same thing I said yesterday: this is not cause for concern.  Instead, this run in will be an opportunity for Arsenal to show what they are made of.  I agree.  Arsenal is about as full strength as can be expected at this time of the season and so, no excuses, let’s just play our asses off.

The 39th game is deader than Kevin Keegan’s coaching career.  Good.

And finally, Aliadiere doesn’t know why he got a fourth match ban.  He makes some pretty good points.  Like, why did he get a 4th match and Essien (who elbowed someone in the face and then protested the ban) didn’t get shit.  Good point: Essien IS a cunt, why is that?  Is that something the teach in training at Chelsea or does Chelsea just amass the largest pack of hideous cunts possible?  A. Cole, J. Cole, Essien, Ballsack, and then king cunts Drogba, Lampard and Mikel.  Terry’s a cunt too, but I’d love to have that cunt in my squad so I can’t fault him for anything other than his fashion sense and choice of teammates.  Maybe it’s one of those chicken-or-the-egg things?

Where was I?  Oh yeah, getting ready for practice.  And with that I’m off, here’s to 3 points and a famous win.

Up the Arse!

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