Showing posts with label Arsene. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Arsene. Show all posts

March 5, 2012

Lee Dixon: Arsene Wenger's AC Milan dilemma

Champions League RSS / / 05 March 2012 / Leave a Comment

Main men. Theo Walcott and Robin van Persie train ahead of the Milan game but will Arsene Wenger risk them both?

Main men. Theo Walcott and Robin van Persie train ahead of the Milan game but will Arsene Wenger risk them both?

"The dilemma Wenger has is whether to play his best team in this game. If he does and they somehow go through he’ll be hailed a genius."

Arsenal's team selection will be the main talking point ahead of this match because only the most optimistic of all Arsenal fans will believe progressing is actually possible. If it's a good XI, at least the Gunners have a really good chance of winning the match.

In between the devil and the deep blue sea. In between a rock and a hard place. That's the situation in which Arsene Wenger finds himself going into the second leg of this Champions League knock-out match. Arsenal were destroyed 4-0 in the first leg in Milan and, if they were to find a way of progressing, I suspect they might consider re-naming the Emirates Stadium the Arsene Wenger Stadium because it would go down as one of the biggest turnarounds in European football history. But before we get too ahead of ourselves, let's remember the Betfair market makes the Gunners [34.0] to progress and that price is actually considerably shorter than what it was; they were matched at [50.0] to go through in the aftermath of the first leg and have been shortened on the back of those two fine domestic wins against Spurs and Liverpool .

The dilemma Wenger has is whether to play his best team in this game. If he does and they somehow go through he'll be hailed a genius. If he does and they win but still don't go through he'll be praised for keeping the team's winning streak going, which is a good thing in terms of morale and motivation with plenty still to play for in the Premier League. On the other hand, if he does and they lose at home or worse still, a couple of key players get injured, he'd be slated for it. Imagine if Robin van Persie was one of them. What about if he plays a weakened team? He'll get criticised for not giving it a go having come this far and accused of a lack of ambition. I wouldn't want to be in his shoes over the next 24 hours.

But reading between the lines in terms of what he's said since the Liverpool win I suspect he'll play pretty much his best team, with the exception of any players who are carrying a knock. As Arsene said himself, when asked about starting van Persie: "I would not be very credible to tell you that we want to score five goals and that I will leave Robin van Persie out."

And if he does go for it by picking his strongest side, there's no reason why they can't win the game, if not the tie. Especially considering the names who have been ruled out for AC Milan: Kevin-Prince Boateng, Clarence Seedorf, Pato, Maxi Lopez (all injured) and Massimo Ambrosini (suspended).

As the away team in a game like this, your first priority is to keep things tight and to go into the break without conceding. But Milan will have an eye on an away goal, which really would kill the tie for once and for all. And I think they'll get it. Arsenal aren't the greatest at defending at the best of times and they'll be even more exposed than usual with the pressing need for goals themselves. Given that and the fact Milan put a 'mere' four past them at home, backing both teams to score is the even better bet than the Arsenal win.


3 pts Back both teams to score @ [1.7]



2 pts Back Arsenal to win @ [2.16]

AC Milan have thrown away convincing leads before, and Arsenal have a good historic record against Italian sides, but is there any way back for the Gunners? Here's what Opta say......

Chelsea's miserable form continues at they go down 3-1 to Napoli, whilst a late goal in Moscow means it was a night of huge prices being landed....

No English club has ever won at the San Paolo and Tobias Gourlay is not convinced that Chelsea are the team to put that right...


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October 5, 2011

Lee Dixon: Give Arsene time

Premier League RSS / Lee Dixon / 05 October 2011 / Leave a Comment

Do you agree with Lee?

Do you agree with Lee?

Arsenal legend Lee Dixon is not joining those clamouring for a change in management at the north London giants

Former Arsenal star Lee Dixon does not believe the club will not qualify for the Champions League this year.

But falling a tricky start to the season, Dixon does not agree with calls for Arsene Wenger's head and backs the current regime's transfer policy, despite it being the principal reason for the club's fall down the league table.

"Confidence is low," said Dixon.

"There's no doubt that Arsenal's standard has dropped, but is it time for Arsene Wenger to go? No, I don't think that's true.

"He's built a legacy there and he's got to be given time."

The Gunners are out to [75.0] to win the league this year and [5.3] to finish in the top four but Dixon does not think that is likely, branding their chances 'doubtful'. However, he does not think relaxing the purse strings is the right move at this time.

"I do believe in trying to keep a cap on wages. But with the buying power of other teams you are going to fall behind."

Dixon has good news for another London team, suggesting Chelsea still have a hand to play in the title race. Watch the full video here.



We also asked Lee for his views on the current England set-up and while he believes Daniel Sturridge to be an omission, he's glad to see a blend of youth and experience in the team.

A Champions League place rather than a fight for first is Liverpool's main objective for the season, according to star man Luis Suarez......

Michael Lintorn was one of Newcastle's biggest cheerleaders in pre-season but even he has been left shocked by their superb form......

The one thing that Arsene Wenger has always delivered to Arsenal is Champions League football, but Dan 'The Betting Man' Fitch thinks that they have no chance of qualifying this season and will lose more top players as a result....


Betfair website