Premier League Matchweek 25 (Feb 11-13)

[Kush]

Saturday 11 February

12.30pm Arsenal v Hull City (Sky Sports)
Referee: Mark Clattenburg

3.00pm Manchester United v Watford
Referee: Robert Madley

3.00pm Middlesbrough v Everton
Referee: Mike Dean

3.00pm Stoke City v Crystal Palace
Referee: Martin Atkinson

3.00pm Sunderland v Southampton
Referee: Paul Tierney

3.00pm West Ham United v West Bromwich Albion
Referee: Michael Oliver

5.30pm Liverpool v Tottenham Hotspur (BT Sport)
Referee: Anthony Taylor

Sunday 12 February

1.30pm Burnley v Chelsea (Sky Sports)
Referee: Kevin Friend

4.00pm Swansea City v Leicester City (Sky Sports)
Referee: Jonathan Moss

Monday 13 February

8.00pm AFC Bournemouth v Manchester City (Sky Sports)
Referee: Neil Swarbrick

 

[Kush]

Could be an important week for us as we can finally move up a place (or two) in the table with Liverpool hosting Spurs at Anfield and City facing a tricky away game at Bournemouth.

 

[RedMaestro]

Could be an important week for us as we can finally move up a place (or two) in the table with Liverpool hosting Spurs at Anfield and City facing a tricky away game at Bournemouth.

Aren't Bournemouth a lot weaker now that Aké has returned to Chelsea? So I don't think City will have a problem with them...

 

[AgentP]

Aren't Bournemouth a lot weaker now that Aké has returned to Chelsea? So I don't think City will have a problem with them...

Yes, just last week Everton thrashed them 6-3. City will win this. Arsenal have more chance of losing points than City. Hull have been in top form in the last few weeks.

 

[Kush]

Aren't Bournemouth a lot weaker now that Aké has returned to Chelsea? So I don't think City will have a problem with them...

You make a good point regarding Ake but Bournemouth aren't know for their defensive solidarity and they have a pretty good home form. They beat Liverpool and were minutes away from beating Arsenal so I think there's more chance in City dropping points than say Arsenal.

As good as Hull are playing, they are being bailed out by some heroic goalkeeping and last ditch defending. I don't think that level of resistance is maintainable and Arsenal have a tendency to do just enough to get three points versus these teams.

 

[Damien]

Monday's time is wrong @Kush

Definitely think there's more chance of Arsenal dropping points against Hull than City dropping points against Bournemouth but I don't expect either to.

 

[RedMaestro]

Monday's time is wrong @Kush

Definitely think there's more chance of Arsenal dropping points against Hull than City dropping points against Bournemouth but I don't expect either to.

Must say that Hull looks really strong at the moment. Interesting new players too, Ranocchia and Grosicki. Silva has done a great job so far. Read somewhere that Maguire says the players are working harder than before - it's showing. So I wouldn't be too surprised if Arsenal would drop points.

 

[Santi_Mesut_Alexis_87]

Could be an important week for us as we can finally move up a place (or two) in the table with Liverpool hosting Spurs at Anfield and City facing a tricky away game at Bournemouth.

Bournemouth are conceding goals for fun. Easy for City.

 

[zeekey]

Richard Madeley referreeing our game.

 

[Klopper76]

We might be without Lovren and Lallana tomorrow. I can't say I'm feeling remotely confident about our game.

@SirHenryPercy @GlastonSpur How do you see the game playing out?

 

[Pexbo]

My first thought was that Hull might nick a point off Arsenal but I bet Arsenal are 3-0 up by half time with Sanchez scoring twice.

 

[GlastonSpur]

We might be without Lovren and Lallana tomorrow. I can't say I'm feeling remotely confident about our game.

@SirHenryPercy @GlastonSpur How do you see the game playing out?

Spurs will be without Vertonghen and Rose, which means a likely back four of Walker - Dier - Alderweireld - Davies.

I'm unsure about this game. Our record at Anfield is not good and Klopp will be looking for a reaction from the Liverpool players following on from your recent games. But on the other hand Liverpool have been fading a bit of late and Spurs are in decent form.

In a way it's a game that suits both teams, because it's likely to be an open game, rather than attack vs defence. Your defence is more vulnerable than ours, but then you've scored a few more than us and are the home team.

I think the tactics employed by both managers will be the key, more so than the player selection. Who will outfox the other? Both teams like to press and play at high tempo, but I hope Pochettino will tell our weakened back four not to mess about too much trying to always play out from the back and not be afraid to hit it long more often than usually.

Dembele and Wanyama could overpower your midfield, but the worry is that they get caught on the ball and lose possession in a dangerous area - Dembele is prone to that sometimes as he always thinks he can dribble past and/or hold off opposition players: usually he can but sometimes he gets over-confident and lax about it.

Right now I'm going for the safe option and predicting a draw, which I'd be quite happy with ... because your attacking three - Manè + Firmino + Coutinho? - are formidable.

 

[OohAahMartial]

Real chance of Arsenal slipping up here. Their form is poor while Hull will believe they have a chance. Arsenal struggle against parked buses.

Not sure whether Liverpool losing or drawing is best for us but I guess Spurs are out of reach really so best to get ahead of Liverpool. We can think of Spurs if we get 4th spot and they show signs of pressure later on. And we still have to play them in the run up.

 

[AlecHDR]

Let's hope the dippers keep it together and get a draw. Wanting Liverpool to lose is too short term. We benefit the most by keeping most of the current top 5 within touching distance. That increases our probability of making top 4 (more teams that could slip up).

If we win and they draw, we will be above pool in the table, three points off Spurs, and at most two off Arsenal.

 

[Santi_Mesut_Alexis_87]

Hull to park the bus and hit us on counter. Same old story.

 

[NYAS]

Hull to park the bus and hit us on counter. Same old story.

Partly correct, but you didn't continue the story. Indeed, they'll hit you on the counter and score in the 87th minute, 0-1. Then, as is typical with Arsenal in these kinds of games, 8 minutes of injury-time will be added on. Koscielny will tap one in after a 'spillage' in a crowded box in the 93rd, and then Arsenal will win a penalty in the 97th minute which Sanchez will calmly convert straight down the middle of the goal. FT 2-1. Wenger will then mention the term "mental strength" every 20 seconds during his post-match interview, in yet another attempt to convince himself that Arsenal's biggest weakness over the years has finally been addressed. This is the "spark" Arsenal needed, pundits will say, title challenge re-ignited, write them off at your peril against Bayern. Monday morning will see the release of a prank video involving the players, it's all good and everyone's happy at the training ground, nothing could ever go wrong again. Finally, on Tuesday morning Arsenal will announce the signing of an academy player called Ademola Jackson-Wills. Then it'll all come crashing down after the Bayern game.

 

[Smudge]

Let's hope the dippers keep it together and get a draw. Wanting Liverpool to lose is too short term. We benefit the most by keeping most of the current top 5 within touching distance. That increases our probability of making top 4 (more teams that could slip up).

If we win and they draw, we will be above pool in the table, three points off Spurs, and at most two off Arsenal.

You share my point of view exactly.

I have always wanted us to close the gap to 2nd place which means that there are more available positions in the Top 4.

If Spurs keep winning we will end up with 2 positions with 4 teams fighting it out rather than 3 and 5

 

[Nighteyes]

Partly correct, but you didn't continue the story. Indeed, they'll hit you on the counter and score in the 87th minute, 0-1. Then, as is typical with Arsenal in these kinds of games, 8 minutes of injury-time will be added on. Koscielny will tap one in after a 'spillage' in a crowded box in the 93rd, and then Arsenal will win a penalty in the 97th minute which Sanchez will calmly convert straight down the middle of the goal. FT 2-1. Wenger will then mention the term "mental strength" every 20 seconds during his post-match interview, in yet another attempt to convince himself that Arsenal's biggest weakness over the years has finally been addressed. This is the "spark" Arsenal needed, pundits will say, title challenge re-ignited, write them off at your peril against Bayern. Monday morning will see the release of a prank video involving the players, it's all good and everyone's happy at the training ground, nothing could ever go wrong again. Finally, on Tuesday morning Arsenal will announce the signing of an academy player called Ademola Jackson-Wills. Then it'll all come crashing down after the Bayern game.

 

[Santi_Mesut_Alexis_87]

Partly correct, but you didn't continue the story. Indeed, they'll hit you on the counter and score in the 87th minute, 0-1. Then, as is typical with Arsenal in these kinds of games, 8 minutes of injury-time will be added on. Koscielny will tap one in after a 'spillage' in a crowded box in the 93rd, and then Arsenal will win a penalty in the 97th minute which Sanchez will calmly convert straight down the middle of the goal. FT 2-1. Wenger will then mention the term "mental strength" every 20 seconds during his post-match interview, in yet another attempt to convince himself that Arsenal's biggest weakness over the years has finally been addressed. This is the "spark" Arsenal needed, pundits will say, title challenge re-ignited, write them off at your peril against Bayern. Monday morning will see the release of a prank video involving the players, it's all good and everyone's happy at the training ground, nothing could ever go wrong again. Finally, on Tuesday morning Arsenal will announce the signing of an academy player called Ademola Jackson-Wills. Then it'll all come crashing down after the Bayern game.

Good banter

 

[AltiUn]

I fancy Arsenal, Liverpool and Everton to all drop points today. Be an excellent day for us if we could capitalise.

 

[Santi_Mesut_Alexis_87]

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Hoped for Welbeck to play.

 

[Needham]

Looking forward to Clattenburg's game, he's really been impressive lately, just hope he can keep it up through the cold weather. Mike Dean never let's you down, should be a cracker, he's got all the ingredients for a late push come the end of February. Not so sure about Jonathon Moss, second season syndrome. Michael Oliver, what can you say? World class, and he does it game on game on game on game. Neil Swarbrick to round it off? The kind of weekend to debrine your mott.

 

[VanGaalEra]

Looking forward to Clattenburg's game, he's really been impressive lately, just hope he can keep it up through the cold weather. Mike Dean never let's you down, should be a cracker, he's got all the ingredients for a late push come the end of February. Not so sure about Jonathon Moss, second season syndrome. Michael Oliver, what can you say? World class, and he does it game on game on game on game. Neil Swarbrick to round it off? The kind of weekend to debrine your mott.

 

[top1whoisman]

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Hoped for Welbeck to play.

He made a good decision to get from United’s bench to Arsenal’s.

 

[prateik]

Bellerin is alive?

 

[OohAahMartial]

Knowing our luck Liverpool win win and Arsenal lose but we lose too. We'll learn a lot about the bottle of the side today.

 

[OohAahMartial]

Looking forward to Clattenburg's game, he's really been impressive lately, just hope he can keep it up through the cold weather. Mike Dean never let's you down, should be a cracker, he's got all the ingredients for a late push come the end of February. Not so sure about Jonathon Moss, second season syndrome. Michael Oliver, what can you say? World class, and he does it game on game on game on game. Neil Swarbrick to round it off? The kind of weekend to debrine your mott.

Who's got who btw?

 

[RedMaestro]

Why isn't Giroud starting? Not good anymore?

 

[FireballXL5]

Arsenal v Hull....home banker.

 

[SteveJ]

Partly correct, but you didn't continue the story. Indeed, they'll hit you on the counter and score in the 87th minute, 0-1. Then, as is typical with Arsenal in these kinds of games, 8 minutes of injury-time will be added on. Koscielny will tap one in after a 'spillage' in a crowded box in the 93rd, and then Arsenal will win a penalty in the 97th minute which Sanchez will calmly convert straight down the middle of the goal. FT 2-1. Wenger will then mention the term "mental strength" every 20 seconds during his post-match interview, in yet another attempt to convince himself that Arsenal's biggest weakness over the years has finally been addressed. This is the "spark" Arsenal needed, pundits will say, title challenge re-ignited, write them off at your peril against Bayern. Monday morning will see the release of a prank video involving the players, it's all good and everyone's happy at the training ground, nothing could ever go wrong again. Finally, on Tuesday morning Arsenal will announce the signing of an academy player called Ademola Jackson-Wills. Then it'll all come crashing down after the Bayern game.

 

[paulscholes18]

West Ham got the short straw this weekend, couldn't happen to a nicer team

 

[Top]

#arshul

 

[Gause]

Surprised to see Bellerin on the line-up just 1 week after that knock out.

 

[Samid]

Why isn't Giroud starting? Not good anymore?

He is a useless donkey. Total misfit in Arsenal's style of play. Should only be used as an impact sub.

 

[Freak]

#arshul

 

[JinnerJamie]

Wouldn't it be nice for Hull to make us happy two weekends in a row... oh and Tottenham and Liverpool to kick seven bells out of one another in a 0-0 draw with red cards for everyone.

 

[OohAahMartial]

Liverpool v Spurs will be a terrible game to watch imo. They will press each other to death so much it will look like a League One game. Much like the first 15mins of our last game, the ball will barely touch the grass.

 

[Santi_Mesut_Alexis_87]

He made a good decision to get from United’s bench to Arsenal’s.

Yes, but when he is in form he is our best striker after Sanchez.

 

[Tom Van Persie]

Come on Hull!

 

[hellohello]

Really empty at the Emirates.