Morning all.
Well that was a feisty old battle at The Etihad Stadium yesterday evening. I enjoyed it as it’s great to see a bit of passion out there on the pitch. City missed the chance to be crowned champions purely because they were so wasteful in front of goal, Martin Atkinson missed a stonewall penalty after Aguero was on the end of a really bad tackle from Ashley Young and after that, it all kicked off. I’m quite surprised the top two sides in the league finished the game with eleven on the pitch.
Anyway, before they were going hammer and tongs, Burnley won again which leaves us looking over our shoulders as the gap between them and us is down to just two points. Does anyone really care if though if they overtake us or not? Not sure I do as apart from a place in the Europa Cup, there’s little between the two places and in any case, it’d be no more than we deserve. We’ll earn less money by finishing further down the league I think but so what? If it gets the attention of Stan Kroenke then good. That and the concerns over the empty seats at The Emirates might just be enough to convince him that change is desperately required. That’s if he not already convinced and he should be by now.
The bad news from the club surrounds Henrikh Mkhitaryan, who looks to have played his last game this season. He’ll be a big miss, certainly in Europe as that competition seems to suit him. It did last season and is again this time around and I’m not sure how Wenger will fill the void he’s left. Today perhaps, with such an important game on Thursday, Reiss Nelson will get his chance, either that or Wenger will tell Merts to get his boots on…
Another decision the Frenchman has to make today surrounds Petr Cech. With David Ospina ruled out through injury for a couple of weeks, does he risk the Czech or let him sit this one out to ensure he doesn’t miss the trip to Russia? I’d like him to show faith in Matt Macey because he could do with a game before Thursday as he’ll be on the bench for that one. I wouldn’t be at surprised to see a few changes from the side which won on Thursday night because regardless of us holding a decent lead going into the second leg of the Europa Cup quarter-final, the last thing we need is to be heading to Moscow with an under strength side. Out there, and with thousands of home fans behind their team, we need experienced players to keep their heads and not give the home team a sniff of a chance.
As for today’s opponents, well they’ve been in awful form all season which is why they’re in a relegation battle and why Mark Hughes has recently been given the task of keeping them in the Premier League. The team from the south cost haven’t won a match since February 3rd, we though are on a roll having won five out of five in all competitions. Pff!
One of the many fixtures we’ve lost this season was against Stoke City and we all know who was sat in the managers chair that day. Well, he’ll want to get another victory against Arsene Wenger but somehow, I can’t see it. We nee a victory but not because of the league, we just need to keep the confidence levels up for the sake of the Europa Cup.
I want Arsene Wenger to leave, of course I do but I want the club we all love to lift that big trophy at the end of the season too. Get back into the Champions League but with a new manager at the helm.
Someone who might actually be able to get us past the first knockout stage…
First.
Morning all!
I’ve wanted Wenger to leave since the end of the 2010 season. Although I’d love us to win the Europa League this season, I think it will mean that Wenger will still be our manager next season.
He doesn’t believe in leaving on a high, otherwise he wouldn’t have renewed his contract after we beat Hull or Chelski in the FA Cup finals.
Martin Atkinson missing that stonewall penalty showed, in case anyone was in doubt, why the current standard of refereeing has plummeted in England under the stewardship of the useless Mike Riley and why there are no English officials at this years World Cup.
Manx, surely it’s gone too far downhill for one Cup to make a difference. Any plans for the club should have been made by now and not just a reactive decision if we get knocked out of Europe.
Then again, Wenger is a reactive eh…
Did you watch it Kev, he was dreadful and as you say, no wonder they’ll be no Englishman in Russia..
I think that if they got rid of Wenger at the end of the season, it would still be ok as our recruitment would still move forward without a manager appointed and who knows they may have already agreed with someone.
I think that the empty seats and our league form will see the end of Wenger. There were empty seats for a QF for Europa, so the empathetic fans have spoken and if he stays on, it will only get worse next year.
Morning all, just!
I’m sure we help Soton turn their season round. The Arsenal charity machine will probably go into full inertial surrender just to give them a chance of staying up. I mean a trip to the south coast can be quite enervating! No, not really. This is a game we should win by some distance, anything less would be considered rank failure. Mmmm.
A man who had a good connection with reality would know his race was won and he’d reached the time to hang up his track suit and search out his slippers and smoking jacket! There’s a bit of me, a very little bit, that thinks he will go at the end of May but, sadly there’s a far larger bit that thinks he will stay, even though he knows he’s lost his mojo and has lost the dressing room as well as the fans. A bit like an old disliked potentate from 150 years ago!
Ho hum we shall see. I just can’t wait for the end of May to arrive, I really can’t. We live in hope.
Overcast here, again, not too cold though, yet!
iPad interference correction…………his race is WON……ffs!
RUN not won!
33
Cech (c)
24
Bellerin
21
Chambers
20
Mustafi
31
Kolasinac
35
Elneny
29
Xhaka
17
Iwobi
61
Nelson
23
Welbeck
14
Aubameyang
Read more at https://www.arsenal.com/live#!timeline#e01CcURRLHtzhmCR.99
Read more at https://www.arsenal.com/live#!timeline#51D64OCRK1I0rzLP.99
Does it make a difference ? I suppose it does in as much as it gives us Arsenal matches to watch midweek . 3 points today not only stretches our lead over Burnley but puts us 2 points behind the Chavs who have to entertain West Ham later today. Who knows we could get 5 th ……………………….Whoopie doo.
Subs: Macey, Holding, Monreal, Wilshere, Ozil, Lacazette, Nketiah
Ha ha Potter but is another match in midweek a good thing? Lol
Afternoon all. Good, if optimistic opener rico.
He isn’t going, I’ve come to that conclusion.
Well after a wobbly start as per usual, the team look to be settling in to the game. Lots of empty seats, which if I’m honest looks sad. Sad and bad.
After my disappointment yesterday at not seeing Napoleon and Sanchez get shot down in flames, I’m still a bit glum. Pep certainly misjudged that, and Sterling should be ashamed, along with the ref.
Hey ho, at least the weather is improving at last.
Empty seats is good Meerkat…
Oh dear…
Well that was something. .
Wilshere has been terrible last few games rico.
.I wonder what’s going on in his head .
Still our defence didn’t cover themselves in glory. .
Mustafi remains a liability. .
Welbz miss and hit moments, but he does work hard for the team. .whether that is good enough or not I am not sure. .
I think it’s too early for Nelson. .he still has long way to establish himself in the 1st team..
Marina is another proof of the poor standard of English referees. .
I am just happy we stuffed mark hughes..
I reckon he’s leaving Kk
Just seen the goals, wtf does Mustafi think he was doing for that first goal ffs? Did you see Cech go ballistic?
Ok, Southampton are fighting for their lives, but if we are in fact bringing in a new manager next season, he’ll have to spend any dough he has from KSE on defenders…
School boy stuff from Mustafi..
Rico. Me too. If only because the board must consider this alarming drop off in the crowds. More of the same next season and they’ll have to used piped cheering.
I meant Jack Adam, but yes, Wenger too.
The board and owner must be terribly concerned about the number of bums not on seats…
Rico. Jack too. 🙂
In fact….
Evening all and thank you Rico.
Them stayaways are missing out on something !……………………….apparently todays 3 goals means that Arsenal have hit three goals or more in five successive home games for the first time since 1958-59, almost 60 years ago !……………………..Wenger is on fire……….we`ve never had it so good !
🙂
We don’t speak with us in the pitch? Was between Cech and Mustafi in the goal, was later between Welbeck and Lacazette in front of the goal (Lacazette is just behind him in a better position), was Elheny and Welbeck, was Iwoby and Bellerin…
We had played with 10 after the sub. When Wilshere came in, was a disaster. He is completely out of form. He didn’t attack, he didn’t defend, he lost all the contacts, he didn’t run, he is too slow, he is without reflexes. He is tired or hides a injury?
Where is Maitlan Niles?
Iwoby and Nelson were poor.
None of them “grabbed” the game. In addition to being little defenders, they rarely saw themselves on the field. The “heart” and “thinking” of the game was gradually to be left to Xaxa and Elheny, when I think it was mainly for Iwoby to be the “strategist” that he lacked. In the second half, Elhemy advanced in the field, unbalanced the midfield and the defense, and Nelson and Iwoby continued to play no part. Wilshere came in to “lead” the game, “save the ball”, “think” the game but it was a complete disaster. The game was unbalanced: 10 versus 11.
Andd we got lucky again.
? Adam
Hi Lc, if this is good, I’d dread to see bad… lol
Jm, maybe they’re keeping themselves for Europa.. lol
I wonder how many of the stayaways as you call them will turn into don’t go backs.
Good question. I suspect they’ll be back once he’s gone..
Perhaps a good idea would be for th3 club to ask the fans…
“I believe we have a good side and there is no need to buy players in that level because of course we also have young and promising strikers but we will see that at the end of the season.”
What about the other end
They won’t like the answer. Rico.
Of that we can be sure Potter..
Nighty. Enjoy the Masters…
On a different subject :- JM what’s going on at Sporting Lisbon , will they have a team to play against Atletico.?
Morning Rico and all. Three points, but Arsenal were awful yesterday. I do wonder how on Earth this can continue when so many, who have already paid a lot of money for season tickets, simply can’t be bothered to show up anymore.
Morning Adam, putting all the gloom to one side, both in terms of the weather and Arsenal, how did you rate Reiss Nelson during his 64 minutes he was on?
He hardly got a mention on MotD, who cut the highlights to the bone it seemed after I’d seen a better job done on Arsenalist via my phone.
Btw, I’m having a lot of trouble loading comments on HH, is it just me?
Kev. I thought he looked overwhelmingly average. The boy obviously has talent and I hear lots of reports about him but, like many of our new players, why on Earth they just don’t go out and have a real go. I hear he is super-quick and likes a dribble. Go and do it! Make it impossible for Wenger to overlook you. But no. All I saw was him stuck to the wing swapping backward and square passes with Hector. For a new, youthful and supposedly dynamic player, he looked remarkably staid. Get out there and get stuck in. Ask the defenders questions and use your talent. The crowd will be right behind you if you give them something to get excited about. The fans are longing to see it.
How much of this crushing negativity and boring football we are becoming masters of is down to Arsene’s coaching? I really can’t work out where this club is heading under Wenger.
They are very slow to show up Kev.
I thought he looked a good prospect but the way we were playing he had little to do other than join in the short passing game. As soon as he went round Tadic he got a smack on the ankle that must have been painfull ( not seen by Marriner ) slowed him down a bit.
He Maitland Niles and Nketiah look like they could break through but they need proper games to come on properly.
Anyone know why Elneny’s push was any worse than anyone else’s. Was it seen by Dean ? i don’t think Marriner was going to send him off until something was said in his ear.
potter: Sporting played yesterday with is full team and won 2-0. the problems goes on but probably the president will be deprived by Sporting members 8more then 100.000).
Elneny was sent off because not retired when he must did it.
Yes Kev I’m getting, .a problem was detected and the site is being reloaded” this can occur 3 or 4 times on the trot and then the site loads but very very slowly! Noo idea why although it does occasionally behave the same on other sites but not often. I think Rico’s been fiddling with the clocks and dials again!
As for yesterday’s bore feste, the paying pundits are right to give games the cold shoulder. What I saw from the comfort of my sitting room, was barely worth the cost of the electricity leave alone a £200 round trip to watch that kind of shite! There’s better entertainment watching the emulsion dry on the aforementioned walls! However, the goals, theirs as well, we’re worthy efforts Auba’s and Welbeck’s first were proper ‘Arsenal’ goals, but the rest was all very poor entertainment!
Weger out! The Ropey cup must not be seen as any kind of contract extending success. The man is now presiding over the dying embers and ash of his formally moderately worthy tenure and watching it and the Arsenal good name evaporate into the ether. Perhaps never to be rekindled. A hideous thought but, quite possible. Further slippage could be the beginning of the end! Imo.
Afternoon all.
Cheers Adam, I guess that Nelson has to fit in to the pattern that Wenger wants or he doesn’t get a chance.
Young players need to have some latitude to express themselves
Potter, he might have played a lot of games, but most of them were as a wing back, so he still hasn’t really had enough exposure to show what he can do and I guess that’s Wenger’s fault for not letting know that they can take a risk or two.
So maybe Nelson played it safe as he was scared of getting dumped if he fcuked up?
Wavy it can take me ages to load my email address and name…
I’m not sure if Bristol Street Motors is slowing everything down? ?
If you have ever tried buying parts from them you would know it’s quite likely. Often the telephone bill costs more than the part.
Afternoon Adam and all.
Is the site really struggling to load? I only ask as mine is fine…
A bit late but a new post is up now..
Evening Rico and the House.
Rico just like Kev I have been having trouble -posting for about a week hoping tonight I have better luck
I only watched the Soton game when I found out Reiss was playing .
To be honest I am not a happy bunny at some of the comments being made about him.
I think Adams comments about him very harsh and unfair
In this year (2018) he has played 5 games for the U23’s and 3 for England u19’s and ony in 2 of them has he started in his best position,
Reiss is not a winger or a defensive midfielder he is a no 10/midfielder, and untill
they start playing him there you will not see him at his best
Kev for most of the game he was stuck on the wing and only received the ball facing his
own goal and his only option was to pass the ball backwards . Now saying that there were two movements that
most viewers missed (I didn’t)
He moved inside recieved the ball went past a defender passed the ball to Iwobi and run into open space expecting a return pass , what did Iwobi do pas the bloody ball back toElneny on the half way line .
As I see it he thinks a lot faster then most of th first teamers I would love to see him play with Ozil.
Rant over for tonight Good night All