Daily Bits and Bobs

A chance for Steve Bould to show he’s not morphed into Arsene Wenger…

Posted on by rico

Morning all.

So a four match ban and a £25,000 fine for Arsene Wenger. I thought it might have been worse than that, certainly the fine but it is what it is and Arsenal won’t be appealing. Actually, not a lot about Arsenal is yet here we are, second in the league, still in the Champions League and in with a chance to progress further in the FA Cup later on this evening.

Beggars belief really but just goes to show what an unpredictable league this can be. Leciester proved that last season but look at them now, struggling to get points, heading for a relegation battle and now the back pages have a headline which suggests Ranieri is facing the sack. Amazing.

Chelsea look red hot favorites for the league title but all the time we have a slim chance, we have to keep plugging away getting results and hope Lady Luck turns against the west London side.

Today we head to St Mary’s to face a Southampton side who know how to beat us in front of their own fans. Our last trip there in the league back in 2016 was an embarrassment to say the least. Arsenal weren’t in the right frame of mind, they weren’t focussed from start to finish and in the end were battered by Ronald Koemans side. He’s long gone though and it’s Claude Puel who Arsene Wenger is up against. Well, Steve Bould actually as he’ll be the one barking orders from the touchline.

I don’t imagine much will change though just because Arsene Wenger will be sitting in the stands, Bould will have been given his instructions and I doubt he’ll stray from them. But what he can do is talk and in a different way to the Frenchman.

Get these players fired up from the off, make it clear what this club and  competition means to him and the fans. Show us all he’s not just a yes man who has slowly morphed into Arsene Wenger and if he dare, make changes if the game requires them and not just because the clock tells him to. I wonder who will be by his side, Sir Bobby perhaps….

I’ve no idea which players will start this match for Arsenal but bearing in mind we have another fixture on Tuesday evening, I’d imagine there’ll be a bit of rotation today. Walcott is back, Welbeck and Perez are desperate for a start and in defence we have Holding, Gibbs and Debuchy all challenging for a place. Oxlade-Chamberlain needs a good game if he starts, in fact they all do.

I love the FA Cup and really hope we get through this tricky tie to survive another round which is why I hope Wenger selects a very strong side.

Have a good day guys…

 

rico

83 thoughts on “A chance for Steve Bould to show he’s not morphed into Arsene Wenger…”

  4. potter says:

    Don’t expect much and you won’t be disappointed.If we are lucky a draw might be on the cards. 2 : 2 I reckon.

  5. AndrewH says:

    Morning rico. Nice to have a bigger squad to choose from. Except CM. Whatever we think of the Ramsey / Coq partnership who else can we rely on? If they get injured we really are struggling for any experience.

  7. Marshall says:

    It will be a tough game for us esp if Ramsey, Ox and Iwobi will be in the starting 11. But they are our better options (with the Tuesday game in mind). Bould has the opportunity to drill it to them about defence and being economic with possession.

  9. DB10 says:

    Want to win but if I had to choose would go for the 3 points on Tuesday. Plus, we have Bayern and Chelski on the horizon, so for me, it is time for rotation.

  10. Wavy says:

    A game we should win but I don’t think we will lose…….so that’s the draw then! So long as we are in the hat on Monday I shall be reasonably happy, if only to keep me interested. Said to a mate this morning that Arsenal keep me involved every year…….until April, as we slowly slide out of all competitions, one by one until April, when we finally concede that the EPL is beyond us again this year! C’est la vie! Or should it be déjà vu?

    Morning all. Miserable here, cold and wet, dour.

  11. Chokulate says:

    I don’t see why arsenal should make more changes. Winning over Southampton is a morale booster to the team. Our players are professional athletes who get paid heavily so they gotta deal with it. South win Watford win chelshit win . It’s a win win win win from now onwards no matter our selection. Up the Gunners!

  15. Obi says:

    Morning All:
    I was actually surprised that AW got 4 games. Having watched the video several times, the 4th official actually was the instigator, including following AW into the tunnel area, and it wasn’t a push it was more like a brush….lol, but we know you are not suppose to touch the Ref…..but the FA went after him more for the abusive language…huuuumm.

    Marshall at 11:01, I agree with you with Ramsey, Ox and Iwobi together, for me that’s the only way we loss. Start: Perez, Welbeck, Theo, Iwobi, Coq, Ramsey (we have no choice) Bellerin, Mustafi, Holding, Gibbs, Cech.
    Bench: Gabriel, Sanchez, Ozil, M-Niles, Ospina, Giroud, Monreal

    I guess Sanchez to Juve rumors can go away now. The word is Juve have re-sign Paulo Dybala long term.

  26. Rick says:

    Rico
    A feisty game at Colny this morning.
    Our u18 beat Reading 3-1 with goals from Nketia Malan and Coyle.
    Reading finished with 10 men could have been 9.

  27. Le Coq Monster says:

    Evening all and thanks Rico.

    Shame about Spud bastards, but nice Bindippers are out and Klopp will give them hell to beat Chavs midweek.

    I was confident about winning today thinking we`d put out a full team, not so confident now and think Wenger`s not taking cup serious…………………or maybe it was Bouldie picking the team!……….as Wenger is nowhere to be seen !

    Although from this link it wouldn`t surprise me if Wenger is in someone`s loft ! 🙂

    https://twitter.com/Cataphonics/status/825294640677011456/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

  33. Obi says:

    I told people about my boy Perez. The dude’s football interlligence is very high….He’s special, if he was English he would’ve cost 50m.

  56. Le Coq Monster says:

    I`m in shock !!!…………..and all that without Sanogo !…………………….bet our first choice team would have lost !…….. 😆

    Players coming back……….could we………………………no, dont be silly, Watford will kill us ! hahaha

    Lot`s of decision`s for Bouldie to make for Tuesday, hope he is on Wenger`s wages for the 4 games !

  59. rico says:

    Yes Kev, he should but the controller will be back in his seat… lol

    Seriously, apart from sitting in the stands, nothing changed as Wenger was in contact with Bould throughout….

  60. Le Coq Monster says:

    Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain ( Conservative), Ainsley Maitland-Niles ( Conservative)and Jeff Reine-Adelaide (French Nobility)…………………when was the last time we had a midfield of double barrelled names ?………Royal Arsenal…….1930`s…………..
    Upper class conservative midfield and…………black !……………..love it ! 😀

  63. allezkev says:

    That’s true Rico, but maybe Bould does a bit more coaching from the technical area and spends less time fiddling with his zip.

  70. Meerkat says:

    I had a chuckle before the game, when on BT Sport it filmed Le Prof going into the changing room.
    Just to the right of him, standing waiting patiently, was his ‘dresser’, LOL.
    A bloke stood holding Arsene’s grey puffa coat over his arm, ready to help the man on with it when he came back outside. What a pampered little life they lead, having a servant stood holding your ‘matchday’ coat when you arrive.

    Also on BT, what a nob Chris Sutton is as a pundit. Fell out with Robbie Savage (another nob actually) today, and last week fell out with David James.

    This week Chris the nob, suggested le Prof should have been punished more, on par with the Di Canio push on the ref (Mike Reilly?). Le Prof’s was a mere ‘move out the way’, shove. It didn’t put him on his arse.

  72. Obi says:

    Last week I suggested that AW should go with Perez, Sanchez, and Welbeck upfront, today we saw a glimpse of it (barring Walcott of course). Speed, strength, workrate and high football IQ guys. I have said all season we have the right squad, it all about selection and tactics. These 3 plus Ozil, Elneny, Xhaka/ Coq – till Santi comes back.We will be in every game.

  73. gnarleygeorge9 says:

    Where is Raygooner when you need him? Ray if you are floating about out there is cyberspace, when was the last time English players scored all 5 goals for The Arsenal?

  76. Obi says:

    What a day to be a Loserpool fan, out of the FA cup and Mane misses the deciding penalty in the quarter finals in AFCON vs Cameroon. I hope he comes back with his confidence shot.
    .

  77. gnarleygeorge9 says:

    Rick

    Ray would be able to answer that 🙂

    Obi

    Need Mane up for Tuesday, then he can sulk afterwards 🙂

    Have a Nice Trip 🙂 I mean day!

  78. scottfromoz says:

    As far as Aussie Football fans go, Liverpools are the biggest wankers around.
    All they ever do is mention Europe-that’s it.
    The PL doesn’t exist in conversations with them….I kind of understand why lol

  79. potter says:

    Pretty much the same here , the Liverpool support is growing older as few youngsters are really getting involved . Now it’s the two Manchester clubs , The Arsenal, Chelsea and Spurs . The scousers success is a generation away

  81. ScottfromOz says:

    Do you know anything about him, Potter???
    I must say, as much as I admire and respect the man, I do hope he leaves at seasons end.
    Retire gracefully.
    Let someone else take us forward as he’s done enough.

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