I wish you both the best with Arsenal. I think they're the right side but I don't trust them with their recent "lay down" efforts in Champion's League matches. That pathetic performance at home vs Inter Milan showed why this Arsenal squad won't go anywhere in the Champion's League. You have to come away with points in your home matches because it's very difficult to get results on the road when you're playing against the high caliber teams that are in this marvelous competition.
I question both Arsenal's heart and their class at times. I hope they get maximum fines and suspensions for that disgraceful display they put on at Old Trafford. Martin Keown is a thug who is a total defensive liability. Sol "Red Card" Campbell isn't much better and has no business being in the national side. Not even on the bench. Robert Pires is one of the biggest "divers" in the league. Patrick Vieira disappears for long periods of a match and the entire team is weak defensively.
Arsenal will still cash tickets when you play on them in certain spots and play plenty of overs but they will go nowhere in the Champion's League and I feel will finish third behind Manchester United and Chelsea in the Premiership.
I question both Arsenal's heart and their class at times. I hope they get maximum fines and suspensions for that disgraceful display they put on at Old Trafford. Martin Keown is a thug who is a total defensive liability. Sol "Red Card" Campbell isn't much better and has no business being in the national side. Not even on the bench. Robert Pires is one of the biggest "divers" in the league. Patrick Vieira disappears for long periods of a match and the entire team is weak defensively.
Arsenal will still cash tickets when you play on them in certain spots and play plenty of overs but they will go nowhere in the Champion's League and I feel will finish third behind Manchester United and Chelsea in the Premiership.
Bob & Matahari,
I definitely don't like having you guys on the opposite side! But it looks like Alex and I are not the only ones backing The Gunners - the price has dropped from 2.00 to 1.83 at Sportingbet, from 1.95 to 1.83 at Pointbet and from 1.855 to 1.826 at Pinnacle.
I think the difference in class between the 2 teams will show in Moscow even though the Arsenal players are not clicking 100% as Bob points out.
I definitely don't like having you guys on the opposite side! But it looks like Alex and I are not the only ones backing The Gunners - the price has dropped from 2.00 to 1.83 at Sportingbet, from 1.95 to 1.83 at Pointbet and from 1.855 to 1.826 at Pinnacle.
I think the difference in class between the 2 teams will show in Moscow even though the Arsenal players are not clicking 100% as Bob points out.
I question their consistency, thats what makes them fundamentally different to Man Utd. With Man Utd and other 'great' teams, you can expect them to play relatively well game in and game out. With Arsenal, their form can drop almost as fast as the NASDAQ at any given time. I remember last season they went on a 4 game losing streak (EPL + CL) and that was after a few months of people laying money on Arsenal to go undefeated in the Champions League.
So overall, Arsenal are a terribly difficult team to predict...but I believe they will pull through in Moscow because they have to.
So overall, Arsenal are a terribly difficult team to predict...but I believe they will pull through in Moscow because they have to.
I think that whole french colony thing with arsenal has hurt their effectiveness very much, while french footballers have always been amongst the most talented, unlike the english ones say, they 've also been the most inconsistent (as alex points out), verbose in their games and chokers in crucial match ups and big events. While say the english, and i think manchester is a quintessential english team despite the foreigners playing there, have made up for lack of talent with effectiveness in their play, much like the germans, and hence managed to win countless more trophies than any french team has or will ever do.
Having said that i too will be on arsenal in moscow, because they are a hugely talented team and the odds imo have been overlayed for their recent bad form and trouble.
Having said that i too will be on arsenal in moscow, because they are a hugely talented team and the odds imo have been overlayed for their recent bad form and trouble.
Some helpful info from Soccernet.....hope it helps
Arsenal are facing major injury problems ahead of their Champions League tie away to Lokomotiv Moscow, as Patrick Vieira and Fredrik Ljungberg looked set to join Sol Campbell in being ruled out of the game.
Campbell has been absent from full training following the death of his father and is understood to be targeting this weekend's game at Liverpool for his comeback.
Vieira and Ljungberg, meanwhile, picked up injuries during last Friday's home win against Newcastle.
Vieira is suffering from a thigh problem, while Ljungberg has injured his ankle.
Robert Pires and Edu therefore look set to come into the side, but manager Arsene Wenger will be hoping that his injury woes are not magnified even further.
Martin Keown and Ashley Cole are trying to overcome shin and knee problems respectively after also picking up knocks against Newcastle.
With Arsenal having lost their opening Champions League fixture at home to Inter Milan, Wenger can hardly afford further disruption to his plans, especially in defence, where Pascal Cygan is on standby.
Wenger observed after Friday night's game at Highbury: "At the moment, it could be miraculous if we could get all four players fit. If it all goes badly, we could be without all four of them for Tuesday. It's certainly a possibility."
Wenger had been hoping that Campbell could rejoin the squad in time for the Moscow game but that now appears unlikely and, just to make matters even worse, Dennis Bergkamp is not in the squad due to his fear of flying.
Lokomotiv Moscow
UEFA Champions League Top Scorers
Mikhail Ashvetia 2
Sergei Ignashevich 1
Arsenal
UEFA Champions League Top Scorers
Lokomotiv Moscow
UEFA Champions League Results
Aug. 13 at Shakhtar Donetsk 1 - 0
Aug. 27 v Shakhtar Donetsk 3 - 1
Sep. 17 at Dynamo Kiev 2 - 0
Sep. 30 v Arsenal -
Arsenal
UEFA Champions League Results
Sep. 17 v Inter Milan 0 - 3
Sep. 30 at Lokomotiv Moscow -
* goals per match - home matches for home club and away matches for visiting club
* goal stats include goals scored in Champions League qualifying matches
Arsenal are facing major injury problems ahead of their Champions League tie away to Lokomotiv Moscow, as Patrick Vieira and Fredrik Ljungberg looked set to join Sol Campbell in being ruled out of the game.
Campbell has been absent from full training following the death of his father and is understood to be targeting this weekend's game at Liverpool for his comeback.
Vieira and Ljungberg, meanwhile, picked up injuries during last Friday's home win against Newcastle.
Vieira is suffering from a thigh problem, while Ljungberg has injured his ankle.
Robert Pires and Edu therefore look set to come into the side, but manager Arsene Wenger will be hoping that his injury woes are not magnified even further.
Martin Keown and Ashley Cole are trying to overcome shin and knee problems respectively after also picking up knocks against Newcastle.
With Arsenal having lost their opening Champions League fixture at home to Inter Milan, Wenger can hardly afford further disruption to his plans, especially in defence, where Pascal Cygan is on standby.
Wenger observed after Friday night's game at Highbury: "At the moment, it could be miraculous if we could get all four players fit. If it all goes badly, we could be without all four of them for Tuesday. It's certainly a possibility."
Wenger had been hoping that Campbell could rejoin the squad in time for the Moscow game but that now appears unlikely and, just to make matters even worse, Dennis Bergkamp is not in the squad due to his fear of flying.
Lokomotiv Moscow
UEFA Champions League Top Scorers
Mikhail Ashvetia 2
Sergei Ignashevich 1
Arsenal
UEFA Champions League Top Scorers
Lokomotiv Moscow
UEFA Champions League Results
Aug. 13 at Shakhtar Donetsk 1 - 0
Aug. 27 v Shakhtar Donetsk 3 - 1
Sep. 17 at Dynamo Kiev 2 - 0
Sep. 30 v Arsenal -
Arsenal
UEFA Champions League Results
Sep. 17 v Inter Milan 0 - 3
Sep. 30 at Lokomotiv Moscow -
* goals per match - home matches for home club and away matches for visiting club
* goal stats include goals scored in Champions League qualifying matches
I love reading these write ups, but what I continuously miss though is that no one ever mentions any (%) chances of winning, but just refers to the price they bet on with a certain book.
In regards to the Arsenal match personally I think it is a dead-on 50/50 chance for them winning or losing. I see absolutely no value whatsoever in betting on them or betting against them, even if I can get either side slightly at odds against, I will still not have a bet. Obviously Arsenal's team news is very important, but there will be others that get to know that team news sooner than I do and those guys will throw that money in on a place like Indosoccer and in regards to a team like Arsenal Indosoccer (and those betting with them) do not only know sooner, bet even know much better than I do what the value is of certain players playing or not playing, so best to follow them.
This is a typical match where it is just a matter of catch as catch can as soon as the market moves (usually before the news) come out. British books these days are quick enough to adjust their price. You will find better catches in the Caribbean. I will not mention any names and also do not start crying, if one of them turns out not to pay.
My tip of the day is Galatasaray. I think they have about 56% chance of winning. Duckstabber spotted this one early at -1/4 1.95. That price has gone, but at 2.125 giving 1/2 goal, I will still bet on them.
In regards to the Arsenal match personally I think it is a dead-on 50/50 chance for them winning or losing. I see absolutely no value whatsoever in betting on them or betting against them, even if I can get either side slightly at odds against, I will still not have a bet. Obviously Arsenal's team news is very important, but there will be others that get to know that team news sooner than I do and those guys will throw that money in on a place like Indosoccer and in regards to a team like Arsenal Indosoccer (and those betting with them) do not only know sooner, bet even know much better than I do what the value is of certain players playing or not playing, so best to follow them.
This is a typical match where it is just a matter of catch as catch can as soon as the market moves (usually before the news) come out. British books these days are quick enough to adjust their price. You will find better catches in the Caribbean. I will not mention any names and also do not start crying, if one of them turns out not to pay.
My tip of the day is Galatasaray. I think they have about 56% chance of winning. Duckstabber spotted this one early at -1/4 1.95. That price has gone, but at 2.125 giving 1/2 goal, I will still bet on them.
