I can confidently predict that I will be as nervous as a grouse on 12th August by tomorrow morning. Truth be told, I’m fidgeting badly and staring blankly and we’re still over a day away. I’ve already had twinges of severe ‘noia, and if they’re a portent of what’s to come, then I’m in for right old day. Our biggest rivals over the last ten years, and finally we meet them in the cup final. As Wenger said, it’s a miracle it hasn’t happened already.
We’ve had typically bullish stuff from both camps, with one player or another – from each side – confessing they are going to win. Clearly, someone is lying here. The only thing that matters is that we translate our form of late onto the field tomorrow. If we do that, we’ll be in for a cracking game.
The line-up’s still not easy to predict. I still reckon – assuming the ink from his tattoos hasn’t caused him more gip – Freddie will start on the right, and Bergkamp will start with Reyes up front.
The Mirror is claiming Senderos is facing the axe, with Wenger choosing instead to stick with the more experienced pairing of Toure and Campbell, and while it would be harsh on Senderos if this were the case, I can see the logic behind it. Let’s just be grateful we’ve got the choice – earlier in the season, we were fretting about Cygan and Toure’s performances in front of Manuel Faulty.
There’ll be no East Lower flag in Cardiff tomorrow, but my flat cap will be there, atop my head, as it was in the semi-final. Then, we destroyed an overly-physical side by playing good football. How I’d like that pattern repeated tomorrow.
I assume Jens Lehman will play in goal tomorrow. The policy in the past has been to play the second choice keeper in the FA Cup. Lehman has only played so far because he has either been the second choice or Almunia has been injured.
I hope we stick with Lehman, who has looked good of late and we can’t start changing what has become a solid defensive unit at this stage. It will be a tense, close match and I can’t see Almunia going 90 mins without a costly mistake.
Wenger did break his “second choice keeper for the FA Cup” rule when he picked Seaman ahead of Richard Wright for the final.
We need our strongest team tomorrow, and that does not include Almunia in my opinion.
I read this with dismay. Then had an idea…
“ARSENAL and Manchester United have become used to looking up at Chelsea this season and even at Saturday’s FA Cup Final they will have no respite. Sixty fans of the West London side have clubbed together to hire a plane that will fly over the Millennium Stadium with a message reminding Arsène Wenger and Sir Alex Ferguson that their teams have missed out on English football’s main prize.
A banner with “Chelsea FC Champions 2005†will be flown in two ten-minute bursts over Cardiff between 2pm and 2.30pm. The stunt has cost the Chelsea fans a total of £1,100 and has been organised by John Drewitt, a supporter since 1971 and a season ticket-holder. “It’s just a gentle gibe at our friends from Arsenal and Manchester United,†he said after gaining financial backing from his fellow supporters via the internet. “I hope the United fans take it in the same spirit that we’ve taken their gibes over the past 30 years.—
May I suggest all Gooners take a surface to air missile launcher along tomorrow…
I hear that it will rain tomorrow. Which means that they will shut the roof – and we won’t have to see the message.
“10 men blew a grand, blew a grand at Chelsea……….”
cant you just tell air-traffic control that they are carrying some dangerous chemicals on board?
Re the Chelsea plane stunt:
I suppose if you only win the league every 50 years you would get a bit carried away. Just indulge them.
If it rains, as expected, the stadium roof is likely to be shut anyway.
But I’m sure we will all be able to see coverage on Sky!
I don’t think Ljungberg should start. With Cesc on the right flank, we are better equipped to take on united, and I honestly think the young Spaniard is better. Up front RVP should play instead of Bergkamp. When has he played a good game against ManUre ??
Thats a fair shout bka about bergkamp. He is honestly my favourite arsenal player, but cant say i remember him doing to much against the filth since ’98.
however, i do still think that i would start with him ahead of rvp. i think think the adopted yanks are going to try and wind up our little dutch maestro.
Ljungberg is shit…i don’t care if he scores the winner tomorrow…cause the fact is he’s lame and holding back our progression into a total football team. His technique is shit and I don’t care how many goals he scores, theres examples of players who score and are still shit inzaghi, owen, lineker….we need some skill down the right like we have down the left. fabregas should start then wenger should buy jesus nadal from seville.
ljunberg, owen, lineker are all shit? you obviously know your football dave!
Ljungberg’s already scored twice in cup finals. Nuff said I reckon.
Hi, esp to farnbrough gooner, always nice to see another from the same area. Ive already stalked the boys on arseblog but I think they are all too busy being in forgeign countries to reply 😉
Anyway, Ive been exciled in Swansea Uni for 3 years now, but am off to Cardiff, even though I couldnt afford the ticket. Any of you guys know any gooner pubs etc??
I hope Senderos starts ahead of Campbell. Sol’s already been done by Manure twice this season and they don’t know Senderos that well.
I don’t RVP should start, although he’s been having a great time of it lately, he can easily be wound up and do something stupid.
Start with Dennis and Reyes, bring on RVP later when some Manc defenders are already on yellows.
If Freddie isn’t 100% he shouldn’t play. They will have a strong midfiled so i’d play fabregas or Edu (pires on the right) to counterbalance that. We need the team to turn up tomorrow. The match at old trafford is history- they beat us well at highbury without too much physical stuff. If we lose tomorrow forget about referees and tackles it will because the players didn’t turn up to yet another game that mattered. Its ok beating everton 7-0 in a nothing game- we need big games performances from our so called big players. Stand up and be counted lads. Come on the GOOOONNNNERRRSSS!
The Sun: Sol axed! I really want Sol in the first XI today…………………………..