Arsenal - Opposition Views

[CHOULO19 24,332]

The members at http://www.onlinearsenal.com/forum.php'>Online Arsenal were kind enough to take the time to answer a few questions ahead of our match against Arsenal on Sunday (so be nice in your replies!). Here's what they had to say:

-First, how long have you been a gunners' fan?

TheDoctor- Could say forever as I'm from Highbury, But I really got interested in the early 00's.

Anubis- 7, maybe 8 years now.

Threelions- 20 years. Christ I'm old

Gunning from Italy- Since 1998.It's a shame that i could never go to Highbury;

-What have you made of your season so far and where do you think you can improve?

Eddy- Same old inconsistent Arsenal expept we are slightly worse than I've seen us in a long time, but when we turn it on we can still demolish teams every now and then, but then we go and lose to some team that we should be beating, like I said, same old Arsenal.

JohnnyH- Disappointing, defensively we are all over the place.

Sol- Season has gone as you'd expect really. We were a top 3/4 team with last season's squad so losing RvP and Song is going to knock you down a rung or 2. I do think we've replaced fairly well but not enough to mitigate the loss of RvP. Cazorla especially has been very impressive despite suffering from a lack of consistency (you expect that from a foreign signing in their first year to be fair).

Midfield Maestro- Below average season so far. We need to improve both in the final third (be more clinical in front of goal) and also tighten up at the back.

-It looks like it'll be a race between Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham, Everton and WBA for two CL spots. How do you rate your chances of finishing in the top four? And who do you think will get those two spots?

TheDoctor- I feel this will be the year that Arsenal finally don't make it into the top 4. I think Chelsea and Tottenham (ARGGGH!) will get the 2 places.

Calum- 30% for us atm. I would predict us and Chelsea.

TA#6- I would say 50/50....Think it will end up being between Chelsea, Scum and Arsenal

Sol- I see Chelsea as favourites for 3rd with Arsenal & Spurs competing for 4th. And as it stands, I don't fancy us pipping Spurs to 4th unless we add a couple of players in this window. Giroud and Podolski are good forwards but we lack that special player in attack to give us an edge.

-What business, if any, do you think you should be doing in this winter transfer market?

Gunning from Italy- Howedes, Fellaini and a dream: Cavani

Sol- Top priority is a forward, preferably versatile enough to play at CF and in a wide forward role. Second priority is a versatile CB who can double as a DM, such as M'Biwa. We're down to 3 trustworthy CBs now that Djourou has been loaned out. I did want cover for Arteta but my demands for that have been diminished slightly after being reminded of Coquelin's potential. He was very good against Swansea on Wednesday and has impressed whenever he's been given an opportunity.

Santi and Lukasz- I think we should be buying top class players like Falcao, Fellaini etc.

Eddy- New striker is a must but won't happen. Would love a big name to boost morale but its just unrealistic.

-Chelsea were quick to wrap up the Ba deal early. How do you rate him?

Anubis- Highly. A strong, powerful forward who has a keen eye for goal. I would not have complained if he'd ended up with us, though I would still have felt we'd need a world class striker too.

TA#6- Ba is very good, just not sure he is good enough for the top TOP level.

Calum- Great striker much better than Torres

TheDoctor- Very good striker, For a very good price! Will probably turn out a better player for Chelsea, Than £50m Torres.

-Is a derby match of particular importance to you or is it just another league match?

Calum- This Spurs and Stoke are the 3 games I want to win the most.

TA#6- There is certainly an extra Edge to it....Especially when you are in the ground, the Atmosphere is up a notch

Anubis- It's important to me, but the fact that it's a match between rivals for top four is more important to me. I'm not from London though, which may explain my answer a bit!

JohnnyH- Derby games are always bigger for me, Spurs being the biggest, however since Chelsea got oil money, it is NOW a big game.

Eddy- I don't consider you guys a derby, same as I don't consider Fulham or QPR either, Tottenham is the derby game to me, you guys are just another league match. I do despise the way your club is run, but each to their own.

Gunning from Italy- Not as important as our game against Tottenham, but still a derby to win;

-Who has been your standout player this season?

Santi and Lukasz- Per Mertesacker

Threelions- Gibbs.

JohnnyH- Cazorla to start with, now Wilshere.

Sol- You'll get a lot of opinions on this but for me, it would probably be Arteta. He's been brilliantly consistent in the DM role. After that, it's probably Cazorla. A player that has surprised a lot is Jenkinson - he has been excellent every time he's started and a real prospect.

-If you can have one player from Chelsea at Arsenal, who would it be and why?

Anubis- Tough one...I'd say probably Hazard as he's a fantastically talented winger. Mata is a very close second though.

Calum- Mata as he is brilliant your best player and would be great here with Jack and Santi

TheDoctor- Mata, Because we were in for him and reportedly made an Arsenal record bid for him, That and he's just brilliant.

Sol- This is a tough one. I'd probably pick Ivanovic (although I really like the look of Oscar). It's an odd decision given that I rate Mata as your best player but I think we already have a similar player in Cazorla, so I'd rather take something from your squad that we don't have i.e. a world class CB.

Threelions- Torres, despite people slagging him off now I think he'd suit Arsenal.

Santi and Lukasz- John Terry, I know he is a bit of a p***k off the pitch but he is a great captain with great leadership.

-What formation and line-up is Wenger likely to put out on Sunday?

JohnnyH- 4 3 3 Ches, Sagna, Mert, Verm, Gibbs, Diaby, Coq, Wilshere, Podolski, Walcott, Cazorla.

Patrice- The modified 4-4-2 we used to dominate Swansea's midfield.

Sol-

Szczesny

Sagna Mertesacker Vermaelen Gibbs

Coquelin Diaby

Wilshere

Podolski Walcott Cazorla

TheDoctor-

Usual 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3, Whichever you see it as. Szczesny, Sagna, Mertesacker, Vermaelen, Gibbs, Wilshere, Diaby, Chamberlain, Cazorla, Podolski, Walcott. Though, Now Theo has signed the contract, Wenger may put him out wide and bring Giroud in for Chamberlain.

-Finally, please predict the result.

TA#6- I will be there, Cant see us winning, but can get a 1-1.

Anubis- 2-0 to Chelsea.

JohnnyH- 3-3

Threelions- 1-2 Arsenal

http://www.talkchelsea.net/_/opposition-views/arsenal-opposition-views-r198'>Click here to view the article

[Spike 12,049]

Let's smash them and move on.

[Hutcho 8,443]

He wants torres... WOW. We could really mess arsenal up, give him to them on a free...

[KonohasOrangeFlash 2,607]

LOL at the idiot who thinks they can sign Falcao.

[Spike 12,049]

LOL at the idiot who thinks they can sign Falcao.

He actually said that the club 'should be signing those players' not that the club is actually able to.

[KonohasOrangeFlash 2,607]

He actually said that the club 'should be signing those players' not that the club is actually able to.

Not like their (Joke of a) club could anyway.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

LOL at the idiot who thinks they can sign Falcao.

Not like their (Joke of a) club could anyway.

I said BE NICE!

[edetarod 2,155]

-If you can have one player from Chelsea at Arsenal, who would it be and why?

Threelions- Torres, despite people slagging him off now I think he'd suit Arsenal.

what the...

[CHOULO19 24,332]

He wants torres... WOW. We could really mess arsenal up, give him to them on a free...

what the...

I actually see this every time I do opposition views. A lot of different fans seem to still rate Torres and want him at their clubs.

..Crazy Brits

[Rmpr 8,977]

Why there are different people answering the questions this time?

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Why there are different people answering the questions this time?

Most of the times it is several people answering the questions unless I can't find a forum that allows me to post them.

Thanks for letting me you never read them, Rmpr

[Rmpr 8,977]

Most of the times it is several people answering the questions unless I can't find a forum that allows me to post them.

Thanks for letting me you never read them, Rmpr

No it is not, it is usually the same guys that answer from top to bottom, with some nimor changes.

This one is completely different...

[Rmpr 8,977]

Double Post.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

No it is not, it is usually the same guys that answer from top to bottom, with some nimor changes.

This one is completely different...

Oh, didn't understand what you meant. I got replies from 10 different posters, so couldn't fit them all in. So I tried to choose the best answers while making sure every poster got at least one answer chosen.

[Rambo 1,729]

anubis is a wise man