Reading v Arsenal - FA Cup Semi-Final

[The Southbank]

Win or lose, we're at Wembley and I plan on having a cracking day regardless of the result.

 

[Dazza]

1-1 Reading to win on pens.Not that i will be a fit enough state to remember it.

 

[Dazza]

In all seriousness probably 3-0 Arsenal and that is me being optimistic.

 

[SC49]

Reading have been terrible recently haven't they? there's really no excuses for us not to win this, almost everyone is available and we're in great form.

 

[Dazza]

We have been terrible most of the season.The last few weeks we have looked solid at the back but we don't create very much despite having a lot of the ball.You should win easily.If Arsenal get an early goal then it could be 5 or 6.

 

[SC49]

I honestly doubt it'll be easy, we always make things difficult for ourselves. It certainly wont be 5 or 6.

I'd be surprised if we scored more than twice. 2-0 or 2-1.

 

[Whitechapel]

7-5 Arsenal. Reading to take the lead early on, with Walcott banging in a lifeline just before half time.

 

[Dazza]

If we can get 5-0 up then we may have a chance

 

[The Southbank]

How are you getting to the game, Daz?

 

[Dazza]

Train from Ascot with 6 others.Going to decide where to drink on the day.A fair amount of our supporters have mentioned The Torch Pub.

 

[The Southbank]

Train from Ascot with 6 others.Going to decide where to drink on the day.A fair amount of our supporters have mentioned The Torch Pub.

Aye, I've seen that. The place looks like a dosshole, but it has a garden which might come in handy for the nice weather. The Met will have a busy day, what with Chelsea and Man Utd playing played just down the road at the same time.

 

[thespus]

I'm expecting a difficult match similar to Wigan last season. I'll opt for a 2-0 with a late comfort goal.

It will be nice to see Wilshere and Walcott get a run-out. Debuchy and Gibbs should replace Bellerin and Monreal for rotation and to increase competition at the fullback spots. Maybe give Koscielny a rest and plug in Gabriel.

Szczesney
Debuchy - Mertesacker - Gabriel - Gibbs
Ramsey - Coquelin
Cazorla - Özil - Alexis
Giroud

 

[SC49]

No way we rotate that heavily. I think it'll be the same starting eleven it has been for the last two game bar Szczesny who's a confirmed starter which I find stupid and maybe Debuchy.

Szczesney
Bellerin - Mertesacker - Koscielny - Monreal
Coquelin - Cazorla
Ramsey - Özil - Alexis
Giroud​

 

[thespus]

You've dropped Monreal for Gibbs, too, and acknowledge Debuchy over Bellerin is a possibility (imo, it's the most likely of any defensive changes), so really we only disagree on Gabriel for Kos which is fair enough given Koscielny is arguably the most important player in the side. I just fear putting to much stress on his achilles. That is the sort of injury which lingers until it snaps, and we desperately need him the rest of the season.

 

[SC49]

You've dropped Monreal for Gibbs, too, and acknowledge Debuchy over Bellerin is a possibility (imo, it's the most likely of any defensive changes), so really we only disagree on Gabriel for Kos which is fair enough given Koscielny is arguably the most important player in the side. I just fear putting to much stress on his achilles. That is the sort of injury which lingers until it snaps, and we desperately need him the rest of the season.

I c/p your team and forgot to change Gibbs. Debuchy for Bellerin is the only change I'd be tempted to make at the back but I think I'd stick with Bellerin in all honesty.

 

[Madejski]

We'll probably go:

Federici
Gunter Pearce Hector Obita
McCleary Williams Chalobah Mackie
Robson-Kanu
Pogrebnyak​

Only doubts are Pogrebnyak and Williams with injuries. Clarke has said Pog should make it.

Karacan could start, but after not starting a game in 569 days, it would take a lot to start 3 games in 8 days surely.

 

[Dazza]

Aye, I've seen that. The place looks like a dosshole, but it has a garden which might come in handy for the nice weather. The Met will have a busy day, what with Chelsea and Man Utd playing played just down the road at the same time.

I might be going to the Globe pub by Baker Street tube station instead and then getting the Met Line one stop to Wembley Park.Shame i no longer get free tube travel.

 

[Dazza]

We'll probably go:

Federici
Gunter Pearce Hector Obita
McCleary Williams Chalobah Mackie
Robson-Kanu
Pogrebnyak​

Only doubts are Pogrebnyak and Williams with injuries. Clarke has said Pog should make it.

Karacan could start, but after not starting a game in 569 days, it would take a lot to start 3 games in 8 days surely.

Yeah i would go with that lineup except i think Clarke will go with Karacan instead of Williams.

 

[SALTIRE]

Reading 1 - 3 Arsenal

 

[The Southbank]

I might be going to the Globe pub by Baker Street tube station instead and then getting the Met Line one stop to Wembley Park.Shame i no longer get free tube travel.

We went there in 2011, good plan. Although we finished up with a few tinnies walking to the ground.

Might find a few pubs around Waterloo, getting the early train from Portsmouth.

 

[Avatar]

form goes out the window with the FA cup, we struggled last season against Hull and Wigan, who knocked out big premier league opposition themselves. Coquelin is key for this game, he cannot get an early yellow.

------------Sczezsney
Debuchy----Mertesaker--Kos---Monreal
-----------------Coq-Bloq---
--------Cazorla---------Ozil--
Ramsey----------------------Sanchez
-----------------Giroud-

Theo will come off the bench.

 

[SC49]

WEMBLEY, WEMBLEY, WE'RE THE FAMOUS ARSENAL AND WE'RE GOIN' TO WEMBLEY

 

[Avatar]

rumors of Debuchy starting...

 

[SC49]

Szczesny, Debuchy, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Gibbs, Coquelin, Ramsey, Cazorla, Ozil, Alexis, Welbeck

Not happy.

 

[SC49]

No idea why Giroud isn't starting and 3 changes at the back is worrying.

The team is still more than good enough to beat Reading, I wont let the starting eleven upset me too much. The bench is very strong.

 

[Bottega Don]

Sancheeeeeeeeeeeeez

 

[GodsGift]

Lovely ball from Ozil.

 

[Bottega Don]

READINGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG

 

[Super_horns]

Reading deserve that!

 

[BCFC Jordan]

I don't expect it to happen but how great would it be for Reading to get to the final?