I think part of the change in Torries is due to the arrival of Eto, Here is your typical "Jose" player and someone Jose knows well and trust's and yet Torries is being picked, I think that has been a shot in the arm for him. Also we are slowly getting better as a team and that will also help, We showing more and longer flashes of what he and Roman want the end product to be. Players are getting use to their roles better.

Its still not perfect and I dont think will be untill at least the start of the new year. I think handing out a real beating will be a great help (Please be the Crystal Palace game).

Thats quite a team - the best "b" team in the league?


I think come the run in, our strength in depth will see us pull away from teams like arsenal and united, who are always two injuries away from mid table.

I agree.

This team needs to really tonk someone like palace, 6 or 7 goals. It would do wonders for morale.

3 or 4 would do me. As long as we played really well for 90 + minutes. Good passing,Good attacking play while defending well just wanting to see a good high tempo thoughout the whole game. The team are more then capable of doing that, We just to click into gear as at the moment its very stop start and its going to cause us to drop points like it nearly did yesterday.

While at the start of the game I would have taken a draw but as the game went on a draw would have been a major disapointment and in my view self-inflicted.

By far. Highlights the need for another CM though - still far from convinced by Lampard as Ramires' partner.

What a result on Sunday. I actually said before the game to my OH, it would be so great if Torres scored the winner, as he is great in Europe, but not in the league, and especially not in big league games.

The hunger and determination that I am seeing, it's so great to see.


So, tonight. Wenger has never beaten Jose in a competitive game. We are bringing 9000 to the Emirates...let's do this!

Its always good to win, but i would not loose much sleep over being knocked out of the cup.

Lets give our B team a good run out, Mata and Eto'o need to step up and play for their places again.

Regardless of how little the competition means to fans it would be a bad result to be knocked out if we start with a team like the one I posted yesterday.

absolutely!

do we have team news?

I agree. We coped well on Sunday, both sides cancelled each other out in midfield. But that required a lot of hard work from our attacking players, as Mourinho requires. We managed to keep Yaya Toure quiet for most of the game as well.
A top class CM would give us a chance of cruising through games in the way we used to during Mourinho's first spell at the club. The Man City game was great to watch, but it's difficult to maintain that level of commitment, game after game.

Looking forward to tonight's game and very much hoping we progress. With a squad our size we should be fighting on all fronts.

Will be interesting to see the side he puts out but i would imagine it will be the "b" team, some "B" team we have when it will be filled with Ba, Mata, Willian, De Bruyne, Essien, Luiz, Schwarzer, Azpi !

Not sure whether he will start Ba or Eto'o, its a difficult one, but if Ba doesnt start tonight its hard to see where hes going to get a game at all.

I would give Ba a start, and sub Etoo own in the second half

Looking forward to this match tonight.

Schwarzer; Azpilicueta, Cahill, D Luiz, Bertrand; Essien (c), Mikel; De Bruyne, Mata, Willian; Eto’o

Blackman, Ivanovic, Kalas, Ramires, Hazard, Torres, Ba

Kalas back from injury. Forgot he was here tbh.

Glad Eto'o is starting and what i expected. Nothing against Ba but it's clear Eto'o is above him in Mourinho's pecking order so it makes much more sense for him to start. I wouldn't be surprised to see Ba shipped out in January so I don't think Mourinho will really worry much about keeping him happy between now and then.

Oscar, terry, cech and lamps not on the bench

I guess they are our confirmed a team.

Arsenal: Fabianski; Jenkinson, Vermaelen, Koscielny, Monreal; Ramsey, Wilshere; Rosicky, Cazorla, Ryo; Bendtner.
Subs: Viviano, Sagna, Hayden, Yennaris, Ozil, Giroud,.

They've gone for a pretty strong line up, particularly in midfield. Should be interesting.
Bendtner up front though, Cahill and Luiz can take the evening off.

Good to see Azpi score his first goal for the club.

Missed most of the first half. Saw the goal and that was about it
Any standout performances?

Not really, pretty solid performance all round tbf.

we need another, i'd bring on Nando for the last 30.

We've been solid but not spectacular, Arsenal coming back into it now. Willian has looked the most lively for us so far though. We have looked dangerous on the counter though

What a player. He should be in our first 11 every game!

Was a good goal and great finish but I wasn't particularly impressed with mata up till then, few sloppy passes and I still question his defending which Jose clearly wants our attacking players to be fully involved in. No doubt of his skill or talent though.

Oscar and Hazard are firmly 1st choice and then the question is do you play Mata, Willian or Schurrle

I agree. But his confidence must have taken a hard hit. He has seemed a little rusty. He almost seemed a half a yard behind.

Imo, give him more games, and he'll soon be back to his old self. I hate to say it, but i'd sacrifice Lamps in favour of Mata.

Good goal from Mata. 6 wins in a row now.

Mata would be my choice ahead of Schurrie or Willian. I get the point about his defending, but I've never doubted his work rate and commitment. I suppose it depends on how much you want to compromise. For me Mata is just a superior all round footballer, and it just seems illogical to leave him out.
It does show we could play any 3 from the 5 and not weaken the side too much. But De Bruyne does look as if he has a bit to learn before he challenges for a place.

I also thought Essien had a good game, they kept saying he looked a bit rusty, but he kept going and didn't do a lot wrong. Michael certainly may be a possibility in place of Lampard, even if it's only to give Frank a rest. I'm still not impressed with Mikel, he holds and shields the ball well, but his positioning and reading of the game is still suspect.

Anyway, it was a good result against a fairly decent Arsenal side. We forced them to bring on Ozil and Giroud, but in the end it looked a comfortable win.