The funny thing is Hull City was resting their best players too, yet Arsenal couldn't beat them anyway. I wonder what would have happened had Hernandez and Diame played at the Emirates against this pitiful version of Arsenal
The difference between Arsenal & the real champions (Barca, PSG, Bayern) is that the real champions win games they're expected to win. La Palmas 1 - Barcelona 2: ...PSG 4- Reims 1:.... Bayern 3 - SV Damstadt 1:... with NO excuses about upcoming Champions league fixtures. Same old rubbish struggling Arsenal who couldn't scrape a win against Hull City Tigers?!? The Spurs would've put this game to bed in 45 mins with all those chances with an FT score 5-0.
@Red_Card Hull is a bigger club than Las Palmas. Compare the total budgets of Las Palmas and Barca too and its incredibly unfair. Messi and Neymar alone earn more than the entire Las Palmas team!
@Red_Card- Completely forgetting the games Barcelona lost against Celtic when they employed identical tactics as Hull did (9 outfield players behind the ball at all times when defending including a 6-at-the back defensive formation camped on the edge of the 18-yard box, not looking to commit too many players in attack etc) and Barca had their best team out, within 1 player?
@Red_Card You are right about Arsenal, this was ridiculous. Looks like Wenger is scared of Barça.
But Spurs didn't do better in their UEL match, did they?
So there's no evidence whatsoever that "Spurs would've put this game to bed in 45 mins".
@tacuru87- Looks like Wenger is scared of Barca. Er what? If Barcelona were playing a Copa del Rey game today rather than a league one then they would've rested key players guaranteed. It's only because they played a league one that you saw largely a full-strength team, barring those suspended of course. Had we played a Prem game today rather than an F.A Cup one then it would've been the first XI because there is more chance of us winning the league than the Champions league.
Hull defended very well but we had more than enough chances to win. Some good saves by Jakupovic but still, we had good enough chances to ensure he got nowhere near saving them. It's the same thing which we've done all season, created good chances but just haven't converted them. I didn't like the formation of the front 3. I would've played Campbell in the 10, Iwobi on the left, Walcott on the right and Welbeck in the middle. Bruce is a cumbersome player, I would've fancied a big, strong and quick striker like Danny to get the better of him. Sanchez looked like crap when he came on. Not sure whether he's just out of form or carrying a niggle. He's the type of player who can go from out of form to back in form after 1 goal, so it's hopefully the former. A replay is not what we wanted but it's obviously better than a loss. We just have to start converting the good chances otherwise we don't stand a chance against Barcelona.
@tacuru87- Heard the same crap before the Bayern game and they give you less chances than Barca do. Pretty sure if Celta Vigo can score 4 against them then we can too. Barcelona wont stick 6 across the back like Hull did either.
I do not understand Ox at all, he's blowing hot and cold and cannot really show at least a good run. Giroud's header pass to him in the box, an attacking footballer playing at Arsenal should find target in that position 10/10! he missed and shot wide! My question is when will these players become reliable and lethal? literally they cause no problem for the opposition because they provide little threat! I am not sure about many Arsenal prospects. to play at the top you must be able to convert even half chances let alone open goals!
@albgunn- Yep. Chamberlain has been better recently though so hopefully his next start will be better. Our chance conversion is a joke. We'll likely create 6 or 7 genuine goal-scoring chances against Barcelona, like we did against Bayern. We realistically need to take 3 or 4 of them if we're to go to the Nou Camp still in the tie.
In 2014, my then five year old boy was in tears as the second Hull goal went in. He said I can't believe Hell City is beating us. I felt like laughing and crying. I told him, stay behind our team, in football anything can happen. He turns eight tomorrow and tells me when things seem tough he always remembers that day. That kind of thing is why football is great.
Ozil rests and Iwobi shines once again in a FA Cup tie, maybe even scores. Mike Dean is appointed as a ref, so I wouldn't be surprised, if we do not win. We hate this little spud.
I think we'll see serious rotation for this match, as the Dreaded MSN & Barca are but a few days after. Welbeck, Campbell, Gibbs, Chambers, El Neny, Ospina, Flamini - they all may start and play some part in this game. Iwobi may also get some minutes. Such a large disruption mean the match is tougher to pick.
@Overmars Yea i would ring in up to 9 changes, retaining only Per and Sanchez. Sanchez needs this run of games to rediscover his form after returning from injury. Ospina, Chambers, Gabriel, Per, Gibbs, Flamini, Elneny, Campbell, Iwobi, Sanchez, Walcot. Don't think Welbeck is ready to start here; it'd be safer if he comes on the last half an hour. Arsenal to win 2-0. Sanchez MOTM.
This will be the 4th time in 7 years these 2 have faced in the F. A Cup and the 3rd time in 3 seasons. We won the 3 previous encounters but all 3 were tough games and I don't expect this to be any different. I'll go 2-0.
@Overmars- Yep, this will be the 12th total time in 8 calendar years the 2 have played yet Hull haven't been in the prem for a total of 4 seasons (including this) of the 7. Getting sick of the sight of them! Ha
The funny thing is Hull City was resting their best players too, yet Arsenal couldn't beat them anyway. I wonder what would have happened had Hernandez and Diame played at the Emirates against this pitiful version of Arsenal
The difference between Arsenal & the real champions (Barca, PSG, Bayern) is that the real champions win games they're expected to win. La Palmas 1 - Barcelona 2: ...PSG 4- Reims 1:.... Bayern 3 - SV Damstadt 1:... with NO excuses about upcoming Champions league fixtures. Same old rubbish struggling Arsenal who couldn't scrape a win against Hull City Tigers?!? The Spurs would've put this game to bed in 45 mins with all those chances with an FT score 5-0.
@Red_Card Hull is a bigger club than Las Palmas. Compare the total budgets of Las Palmas and Barca too and its incredibly unfair. Messi and Neymar alone earn more than the entire Las Palmas team!
@Red_Card- Completely forgetting the games Barcelona lost against Celtic when they employed identical tactics as Hull did (9 outfield players behind the ball at all times when defending including a 6-at-the back defensive formation camped on the edge of the 18-yard box, not looking to commit too many players in attack etc) and Barca had their best team out, within 1 player?
@Red_Card You are right about Arsenal, this was ridiculous. Looks like Wenger is scared of Barça. But Spurs didn't do better in their UEL match, did they? So there's no evidence whatsoever that "Spurs would've put this game to bed in 45 mins".
@tacuru87- Looks like Wenger is scared of Barca. Er what? If Barcelona were playing a Copa del Rey game today rather than a league one then they would've rested key players guaranteed. It's only because they played a league one that you saw largely a full-strength team, barring those suspended of course. Had we played a Prem game today rather than an F.A Cup one then it would've been the first XI because there is more chance of us winning the league than the Champions league.
Hull defended very well but we had more than enough chances to win. Some good saves by Jakupovic but still, we had good enough chances to ensure he got nowhere near saving them. It's the same thing which we've done all season, created good chances but just haven't converted them. I didn't like the formation of the front 3. I would've played Campbell in the 10, Iwobi on the left, Walcott on the right and Welbeck in the middle. Bruce is a cumbersome player, I would've fancied a big, strong and quick striker like Danny to get the better of him. Sanchez looked like crap when he came on. Not sure whether he's just out of form or carrying a niggle. He's the type of player who can go from out of form to back in form after 1 goal, so it's hopefully the former. A replay is not what we wanted but it's obviously better than a loss. We just have to start converting the good chances otherwise we don't stand a chance against Barcelona.
@SteveHyland You don't stand a chance against Barcelona either way
@tacuru87- Heard the same crap before the Bayern game and they give you less chances than Barca do. Pretty sure if Celta Vigo can score 4 against them then we can too. Barcelona wont stick 6 across the back like Hull did either.
I do not understand Ox at all, he's blowing hot and cold and cannot really show at least a good run. Giroud's header pass to him in the box, an attacking footballer playing at Arsenal should find target in that position 10/10! he missed and shot wide! My question is when will these players become reliable and lethal? literally they cause no problem for the opposition because they provide little threat! I am not sure about many Arsenal prospects. to play at the top you must be able to convert even half chances let alone open goals!
@albgunn- Yep. Chamberlain has been better recently though so hopefully his next start will be better. Our chance conversion is a joke. We'll likely create 6 or 7 genuine goal-scoring chances against Barcelona, like we did against Bayern. We realistically need to take 3 or 4 of them if we're to go to the Nou Camp still in the tie.
Home win about 3 - 0
Not a single word about Özil in the preview. What's with him?
@neumi17 hes resting for the CL game
This is becoming a tradition. Play Hull, win the FA Cup.
In 2014, my then five year old boy was in tears as the second Hull goal went in. He said I can't believe Hell City is beating us. I felt like laughing and crying. I told him, stay behind our team, in football anything can happen. He turns eight tomorrow and tells me when things seem tough he always remembers that day. That kind of thing is why football is great.
@Khanya Who would dowmvote this? Scummy Barca fans?
Ozil rests and Iwobi shines once again in a FA Cup tie, maybe even scores. Mike Dean is appointed as a ref, so I wouldn't be surprised, if we do not win. We hate this little spud.
@ramsey- Mike Dean? Crying out loud.
@SteveHyland Mike Dean? Hull's teeth! Hopefully their only ones. I hope we're not dean for again ...
I think we'll see serious rotation for this match, as the Dreaded MSN & Barca are but a few days after. Welbeck, Campbell, Gibbs, Chambers, El Neny, Ospina, Flamini - they all may start and play some part in this game. Iwobi may also get some minutes. Such a large disruption mean the match is tougher to pick.
@Overmars Yea i would ring in up to 9 changes, retaining only Per and Sanchez. Sanchez needs this run of games to rediscover his form after returning from injury. Ospina, Chambers, Gabriel, Per, Gibbs, Flamini, Elneny, Campbell, Iwobi, Sanchez, Walcot. Don't think Welbeck is ready to start here; it'd be safer if he comes on the last half an hour. Arsenal to win 2-0. Sanchez MOTM.
@Valor Gabriel and Gibbs are both out due to injury, so it's gonna be tricky to choose the defense line up.
@shahab Gibbs started at LB.
This will be the 4th time in 7 years these 2 have faced in the F. A Cup and the 3rd time in 3 seasons. We won the 3 previous encounters but all 3 were tough games and I don't expect this to be any different. I'll go 2-0.
@SteveHyland Interesting that Hull were in the Premier League for most of the ties.
@Overmars- Yep, this will be the 12th total time in 8 calendar years the 2 have played yet Hull haven't been in the prem for a total of 4 seasons (including this) of the 7. Getting sick of the sight of them! Ha