Partizan Belgrade v Arsenal

[7Brady]

Champions League
Partizan Belgrade v Arsenal 19:45
Venue: Stadion FK Partizan Date: Tuesday 28 September Kick-off: 1945 BST

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/footbal ... 036382.stm

[7Brady]

Arsenal goalkeeper Manuel Almunia will miss Tuesday's Champions League trip to Partizan Belgrade with an elbow injury.

Almunia, who was at fault for two goals as the Gunners lost 3-2 at home to West Brom in the Premier League on Saturday, will be replaced by Lukasz Fabianski.

[stevedon]

"elbow injury"!

Wenger knows his confidence is in pieces and his form is, shall we say, patchy. Only answer = drop him and replace him with our number 2. Unfortunately he replaced him with our 4th best keeper, so lets hope we can keep the shots against to a minimum.

[Curt.B]

Arsenal have announced an 18-man squad for Tuesday night's Champions League clash with Partizan Belgrade.

Kieran Gibbs is back in the squad after recovering from the foot injury he sustained during the Carling Cup win at Tottenham last week.

Meanwhile Manuel Almunia's injury has opened the door for Lukasz Fabianski to start in Serbia with Polish keeper Wojciech Szczesny also in the travelling party.

Arsenal squad to face Partizan Belgrade:

21. Lukasz Fabianski
53. Wojciech Szczesny
3. Bacary Sagna
22. Gael Clichy
6. Laurent Koscielny
7. Tomas Rosicky
8. Samir Nasri
11. Carlos Vela
15. Denilson
17. Alex Song
18. Sebastien Squillaci
19. Jack Wilshere
20. Johan Djourou
27. Emmanuel Eboue
23. Andrey Arshavin
29. Marouane Chamakh
28. Kieran Gibbs
46. Henri Lansbury

[Sp1r0r]

Strongest team to go and win it. Wenger has said there will be changes, starting with the keeper.

Fabianski
Sagna Squillaci Koscielny Clichy
Song
Wilshere Nasri
Rosicky Chamakh Arshavin

SUBS:
Szczesny
Gibbs
Eboue
Djourou
Denilson
Lansbury
Vela

I'd like to see us win this comfortably and then give the likes of Vela and Lansbury a run out.

[Curt.B]

I'm not looking forward to this at all and I think Fabianski is going to make several important mistakes in front of their crowd which is sure tbe raucous.

But then again, that's like predicting you'll need to take a piss in the morning.

[Sinbad]

Fabulous Fabianski Saves Arsenal

Partizan Belgrade 1 - 3 Arsenal

* Cleo (pen) 33* Arshavin 15 * Chamakh 71 * Squillaci 82

Arsenal beat Partizan Belgrade 1-3 to maintained their great start to this season’s Champions League.

Andrey Arshavin fired Arsenal ahead before Cleo levelled for Partizan with a penalty after Denilson’s handball.

Marko Jovanovic was sent off for a foul on Maroune Chamakh in the box, but Arshavin missed the penalty but Chamakh made amends with a header.

Sebastien Squillaci’s header from a corner extended the lead before Lukasz Fabianski saved Cleo’s late penalty.
Ratings

Fabianski : 9/10 (Great night for the young keeper. Super pen save and then his confidence grew. Didn’t put a foot wrong) Man of the match
Sagna : 6.5/10 (Pretty solid at the back but wasteful with his crossing)
Squillaci : 7.5/10 (Poor start to the game and weak header back, But 2nd half was super and scored a fine header)
Djourou : 6/10 (Very poor start to the game and almost cost us when he was bulled off the ball, But better 2nd half)
Gibbs : 6/10 ( Not a great night for the young LB, Gave away a soft pen)
Rosicky : 7/10 (Super cross for the key 2nd goal, worked very hard )
Denilson : 6.5/10 ( Gave away the first pen for handball, made a great tackle in the first half )
A Song : 6/10 ( Very confused to what his role was tonight? Seems to be going forward alot and giving the ball away)
Wilshere : 8.5/10 (Great game, Set up the first with a amazing bit of vision and keep the ball well, Was kicked all over the park)
Arshavin : 6.5/10 (A very up and down night for the little russian, Scored the first then missed a load of chances and a pen)
Chamakh : 7.5/10 ( Worked very hard up front and scored the key 2nd, Also won the pen)

[Curt.B]

Gibbs deserves more credit in my opinion. Aside from conceding that sloppy penalty I thought he was really good tonight. He was twice the player on defence to what Clichy has been showing us in recent games.

[stevedon]

I would have made Wilshere MOTM. It was nice to (finally) see Fabianski play well but I wouldn't be putting money on him playing like that every week....still, well done to the lad. Wilshere is showing a lot of promise and seems to be improving rapidly. Song seems to have decided he is a creative midfielder but unfortunately he isn't - he needs to sit and hold rather than trundle forward and give the ball away.

Nice to win 3-1 away in the CL, and to be going into the Chelsea match with more confidence.