Morning all.
Pat Rice has been awarded an MBE in the Queens New Years Honours List and Wenger is thrilled:
I am absolutely delighted because if someone deserves it, it’s Pat Rice.
He had 100 per cent genuine commitment every day and you respect that when you see that from somebody, and he is someone you could go to war with. You would love to be in the trenches with Pat and those are very difficult qualities to find in modern society.
Rice greeted the news with shock and joy:
I’m delighted and honoured to be receiving an MBE. The news of the award came as a complete surprise and I’m just so flattered to be included in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours List.
Football and Arsenal have been my life and I have so many fantastic memories during my career. I have been lucky to have played and worked with so many great individuals, and through hard work I have enjoyed some success along the way.
According to reports in The Metro, Arsenal are planning a move for Anthony Knockaert in January and the same newspaper claims that Arsene Wenger is looking for three new signings in January,the Leicester City winger being one of them, M’Vila and Henry being the other two.
Then of course there is Demba Ba, Arda Turan, Alessandro Matri, Sunzu and many many more…
Anyway, the only ‘three’ we Gooners are truly interested in today are the three points on offer for today’s game against Newcastle, the ‘Wee Club’ from up North…
Sorry, but what a joke. A ‘wee club’? Newcastle are hardly that are they, they have huge home and away support, they are a club with vast tradition and just because they haven’t been gifted won all that Fergie has, it hardly justify’s the insulting comments the Scotsman directed at them yesterday does it?
The sooner Fergie hangs up his hair-drier the better!!
Of course those comments came after he needed referee Mike Riley’s assistance to win three points against Newcastle on Boxing Day and how he escaped a punishment from the FA is beyond me.
Anyway, Newcastle were robbed on Wednesday and they could cause us masses of problems today too, the only plus for us is our defence is not quite as bad as the Mancs. It’s not great I know, but we haven’t conceded too many of late (how I don’t know) and if we keep up that kind of record then who knows what could happen today.
Stats for those who care about them, personally I think they mean little:
Head-to-head
- Arsenal needed a Thomas Vermaelen stoppage-time winner to complete a 2-1 comeback win in the corresponding fixture last January.
- The Gunners have lost just one of their last 10 matches against Newcastle (W4, D5, L1)
- The Magpies have won on four of 18 Premier League trips to Arsenal, latterly in November 2010 when Andy Carroll headed the winner.
- This is the third time the two clubs have met on this date: Arsenal won the previous encounters in 1984 and 2004.
Arsenal
- Arsenal are on a three-match Premier League winning streak – their best form since March.
- They have won 18 league matches in 2012, their joint-lowest tally in a calendar year under Arsene Wenger. They also recorded 18 victories in 1997.
- If Arsenal lose against Newcastle, they will equal their most defeats in a calendar year under Wenger – 10, set in 2006 and 2010.
- The Gunners have kept seven clean sheets in 18 league games, a record bettered only by Chelsea (eight) and Stoke (nine).
- Theo Walcott has scored 11 goals in all competitions for the club this season, just two shy of equalling his most prolific campaign in 2010-11.
Newcastle
- Alan Pardew’s side have lost seven of their last nine league fixtures, collecting six points out of the last available 27.
- Newcastle are yet to record an away win this season (D4, L5). They have lost their last four fixtures on the road, conceding 10 goals in the process.
- The Magpies have scored in each of their last six league games, their best scoring run of the season.
Newcastle outs:
Mike Williamson is suspended, Vurnon Anita, Jonas Gutierrez, Yohan Cabaye, Hatem Ben Arfa, Steven Taylor, Ryan Taylor, Dan Gosling and Haris Vuckic are all injured!
Arsenal outs:
Fabianski, Diaby and Santos.
On paper it’s a home victory!
But this is Newcastle we are facing, a team with more spirit within it than a tin of Carlsberg Special Brew and if our players think that they will roll over and surrender the points easy then they need sacking.
The Emirates needs a convincing victory with a really good performance!
Will they get it?
That remains to be seen……..
Have a good day all…..
Morning all…
Still buzzing
Welcome HC, hope you join us on the new one…
Morning all….
New post up…
Some of the fans’ comments on red faced/nosed are spot on. He likes to belittle other teams and thinks he has a divine right to win all games and trophies except the cl using the billions.He shd take up the challenge of some unfashionable team and turn them into champs. Unfortunately he wouldn’t dare.
As for Arsenal ,it could have ended tragically .Me thinks against BM,if they don’t see to the defence
they would be severely punished. Hopefully after this display,Walcott would sign,
I tend to go with Scott and think its to early for Theo to go and i think he might know that – as long as Wenger does not buy any strikers, he’ll stay
very happy with the score last night – defending was abysmal at times and as Rico said Newcastle were gutted by injuries and yet still controlled periods of the game and Ba could easily have had 2 more. If we continue to defend like this January will be a tough month. Bad result as far as the transfer market goes because we’ll gloss over the fact that we were in trouble for 75% of the game against a depleted and tired side.
Night Kev.
Sleep well, as all Gooners should!
That’s me done Digger.
G’nite mate…
Personally, I believe we have to have him signed by January 20th.
If not then the chances of him staying will be very slim indeed.
With the stark choice of selling him before the 31st or losing him for nix next summer.
Morning/Evening Scott…
I really don’t know about Theo, he is saying all the right things, but we’ve been here before with RIP…
You could look at the way he did a lap of honour at the end of today’s game in two ways.
A, he was saying goodbye to the fans ( a bit early to be doing that, but he could be gone before we play City on the 13th January? )
B, he could have been winding up the pressure on the club, to accept his demands, by grabbing the limelight. A great photo opportunity wasn’t it. Bound to be in all the Press on Sunday…
“Talks are ongoing, and i’m sure something will be sorted”-Theo after todays game.
Sounds positive to me.
Sign it Theo!!!
I should say THIS WEEK i think he will stay 🙂
Morning Kev.
With Giroud and Theo together, we don’t need Ba in my opinion.
I still think Theo will stay.
Demba Ba going to Chelsea it now seems?
David Villa going to Man City or Chelsea also?
Nani staying at Old Toilet insists The Ogre.
Theo? Who knows?!
Arsenal favourites for Shaw of the Saints… For now!!!
Must be the January Window…
Welcome to the House of Fun…
Roll on Tuesday… 😉
4 in a row……we needed it though.
Rico, back to your earlier comments, i agree we need to keep grounded, but the players seem to be and that is important.
Similarly, they seem to have handled the supposed crisis brilliantly.
I just saw the goals again…..you’d search long and hard to see better quality goals all scored in one game.
Bugger all has been mentioned of it, and i can see why, but Theos second goal was great.
Jacks run then chip from the byline was simply incredible, and at first look it seemed Theo just hit the shot and it skewed in the roof of the net.
Wrong.
He balanced up and picked his spot perfectly…this is only seen from behind the goal.
Podolskis pass to put Theo through for the first goal was brilliant.
Oxes finish from a great Santi pass was brilliant.
Theos cross on to Girouds head sowed what a great winger he will make one day 🙂
I was cheering before Giroud made contact…it was never going to be anything less than a goal.
Theos solo effort was just world class…..nothing more to say.
Yes, Newcastle were tired but my point remains that Gooners do not accept this as an excuse when Wenger uses it, so is it fair to hold it against us after such a display from an opponent?
Personally, i do accept it as a factor, both when we are flat and when an opposition team runs out of steam.
It happens, and players are only human.
Great win, great result and another 3 points in the bag.
Just a shame Girouds hattrick shot hit the post…both for him and for the pearler of a pass from Ramsey…had to throw it in, but it was a cracker.
I’m off too
Night Adam…..
That is me finished here for the day…
Another three points in the bag, a goal feast for the home fans so who could ask for more?? 😉
Me, stop conceding…..
Night all, ‘Til tomorrow…..
Night Rico and Kev. Have a lovely evening.
Ba looks very good Adam, but his knee is a worry…
Saying that, he’s fit right now….
Ba is a handful and gets plenty of free-kicks as he goes down under the lightest of touches. Tiote knitted so much of Newcastle’s play together too. I’ve always thought that if he could sort the discipline out he is very useful. Watching him today was interesting.
I hope Kev has dried out by now.
Not sure what to make of TW’s ‘Crisis, what crisis’ comment after the game though….
Ak, maybe that is why TH14 has been drafted in….
To convince Theo to stay ….
Yes JM, and the ‘just in’ on Sky from Aw doesn’t convince me otherwise…
I am Ak, I’ll be having a word with Adam for spilling all 😉
Looks as if we’ll have to blame Theo’s greedy agent.
I wonder if any other club will pay him £5/6m to ease thru a deal.
Theo could be about to make the biggest mistake of his career, thanks to his parasitic agent…
So Rico, are you a bit of a Cava girl.???
Funky!
I quite like a bottle of that.
Podolski had a good game I thought.
As did Wilshere.
yes, that’s true and with the ball of the match in his hands.
Hi Ak, I said the very same thing about TW earlier….
🙁 🙁
Well, that was a funny old afternoon’s entertainment.
Spooky, how Adam said to me before the game, that he fancied us winning 7-3..!!!
Adam is quite perceptive…
I thought 3-0.
Not sure what to make of old Demba?!
But at £7.5m, he’s worth a punt.
Theo paraded around the stadium at the end, applauding the crowd.
He reminded me of RVP doing likewise at West Brom last May… 🙁
Yes Adam, but that won’t be until next Christmas now. have a bottle of the ‘proper stuff’ lurking, but that’s for next month…
After that it’s back to zero in my house 🙂
rico, Pardew hadn’t nothing in the bench but the first sub (the young black guy) broke the team and the second (Marveaux) was only the Newcastle best player on the pitch. Did Aneoby touch the ball?
Rico. You’ll be able to afford another couple of bottles of Cava then?
Evening Adam – you and me both. really annoyed I can’t get my money until Monday ….
Wenger post-newcastle
on Theo Walcott…
He has done very well and it just typifies what I think he can do. He can play through the middle, I am convinced of that, and he can only get stronger in there. Overall I am pleased with his performance.
on his finishing…
Yes, determination and running into the box, dribbling, short dribbling. I believe he is a good finisher, that he has learned a lot because he is an intelligent player. And because he is intelligent, he will continue to improve.
on his contract talks…
You know, the intensity of my desire [to extend his contract] is exactly the same as it was before the game. My desire is to extend his contract, he belongs here and hopefully we can do it.
on how Saturday’s performance affects the situation…
I don’t know, I think the commitment for a club is a long-term process. I don’t think it should depend on one game. Should he have had a disastrous game today, it would not have altered my determination to extend his contract and to sign him. That does not depend on one game.
on the influence of Thierry Henry…
I believe Theo takes advice from Thierry, of course, because Thierry has played in that position. But Thierry arrived yesterday in training, he didn’t practise with us, but it’s good when you need to talk to someone who has played in there. [Theo’s first goal] was a Thierry-type goal.
on the ongoing negotiations…
I do not want to talk about that [the negotiations], it is enough in the public place. I believe there is no need to talk about it. Yes [I understand why people want to talk about it] because he was man of the match today and he made the decision. But I would like to talk more about his footballing qualities than about money and speculation.
on the fans’ response to Theo…
I think he loves the club and the club loves him, and the reciprocity in love is the most difficult to find.
on Olivier Giroud…
Yes, he came on very sharp. He looked dangerous on crosses, he looked mobile, technically sound. He had as well an impact when he came on.
on Newcastle’s performance…
I agree with you [that they played their part]. The game was not as comfortable as the result indicates. We suffered for big parts in the game, especially in the first half when I felt we played with the handbrake, we were a bit nervous, not free of the chest. We had problems to win the ball back from them. Every time they came back but we kept going and in the end of course it became easy, but it was a difficult game for us.
on his concern over the goals conceded…
Yes, because we were three times in front and three times they came back, but they are a team that is good going forward. I was impressed today by Ba, he had an excellent game. The midfield as well, I felt that Marveaux had a very good game. Tiote as well, they were strong. They are a strong team.
Evening Rico. Lucky I had a tenner on that score today. 🙂
emma, I agree re Santi, he is too easily found out and stopped. Thats when the coaching staff should be ready. See who marks him and how its going and when its not right for him, move him.
By doing so, it will pull an oppo player totally out of position and out of his comfort zone and we win that battle…
Wenger/Bould don’t think ahead ahead imho. Or if they do,they don’t react, they are reactive sometimes, but they need to start being more proactive….
That will win us games….
Scott – I think a DM is a minimum, to be a real contender, we need more, but not too many.
Yes, many refuse, but judge today on today, that’s all I ask…..
Just like many said ‘judge what happened at OT on the side we were forced to field’…..
Feet on the ground I say….
rico – Tiote easily bamboozle cazorla from the ball in the midfield
rico – DM is a must
Rico, plenty Gooners refuse to show Arsneal that leniency when we are in that position though.
Rico, i mean that is all i think we really need.
I reckon our entire game will change.
Everything else will flow form there.
Wenger has done well to have us where we are without a DM, but it was he who put us in this position.
Arteta will be like a new signing if we get one in 🙂
There aren’t many sides who we will face so crippled by injury. They were exhausted by 80mins and that’s when we made it count…
Enjoy this victory, but don’t be fooled ……
Scott – haven’t we all been on that DM bandwagon, you haven”t been alone…
We need one or two more though but I doubt we’ll get them this month….
😆 emma…
Newcastle have scored 3 goals twice in a row and have nothing to show for it.
Surely this wouldn’t happen very often.
When it was 3-3, Pardew did say “No more goals”. And Newcastle didn’t score, so he got that right 🙂
Rico, i have been on the DM bandwagon for months.
We don’t need many changes to be a top side,imo.
DM would be the primary signing for me.
Anything else, depending on Theo, would be a luxury.
Will, Sagna offers more in attack than Jenks, but i believe that is due to Jenks reigning in hat part of his game to get his defensive responsibilities in check.
if you believe he is anywhere near his best than that is fine.
I reckon he is nowhere near it.
Scott – the first half was awful. the second, well blow me down, who’d have thought it.,…
But yes, what a bloomin game after the final whistle….
Worth £10?? Yep, i think so 🙂
I’d rather we were just stronger in defence and had a player in midfield who has the ability to organise and break down the opposition…
emma & Ts, I am beginning to think I need to buy a hat 😆
Scott, I still feel like you are being harsh on Sagna. Its not as if Newcastle were a constant threat down the right due to Sagna being shit. They weren’t. and thats largely due to the fact that, despite being turned inside out on one play, Sagna did the job well for the vast majority of the 90 minutes.
Secondly, you mention his overall play since returning. I dont know anyone who thinks we have had right back problems since he came back. How many games have we lost due to hispoor play specifically? How often has he been the cause of our defensive problems? Maybe you can help me out here because I can’t think of any. Seems his comments a couple months ago and the emergence of CJenks has put the blinders on a few of u. I have no worries about the right back position. Nobody is superman.
True Scott it’s nice that we share the scoring but i’d rather have consistent scoring than erratic thumpings
True Scott it’s nice that we share the scoring but i’d rather have consistent scoring and erratic thumpings
What a game!
tsGH – 🙂
yes Emma. the restraining order in french is in the post for you… 😀
tsGH – 😉 you know what i want Capoue/sissoko
Colin Gordon wants his fee for doing f all though. 4-6 million I am hearing…
Ts – Wath was saying a couple of days ago, its all about £5k….
I said the same earlier Scott. TW has been given what he ‘wanted’ – now sign!!
Agents fuck the game.
39 goals in 19 games this season.
35 goals at the same stage last season.
How the hell are we going to score goals without Van Persie??
Rumours are its the agents that are holding up the deal for |Theo. TW is happy with the offer but his agent wants the fee he will get if Theo was to leave…
AW- we tried to win the ball further up the field…’ stop playing SC19 there and get a DM ie Capoue for Emma…
Since Theo is now playing where he wants to, if he leaves, we now what it was all about…..cash.
Still, maybe the board will watch todays game and upgrade their offer….maybe !!
Debunchy wants to come and I think he is better than Sagna at 23…
Did Aw watch the match at all. He spent the whole 90minutes fiddling with his sleeping bag…
😆 Sp
Finally, and I mean finally, Theo seems on the up. Even Kevin Keegan admitted that he didn’t start truly learning his game until he was 23 years old….
Ts,
Totally agree. Credit where it’s due for Arsene Wenger. He got everything right today in the end…..
Well done AW, we knew you’d get there in the end, it’s only taken SIX years
😛 😛
One last word…i promise…on Sagna……
Have a look at his turning speed.
The Titanic spun around quicker.
Attitude or injury?
I do not know.
Ginge, if we sold Sagna, i’d be all for getting a replacement in.
Jenks is getting better, but still not the finished article.
JM, Pardew had nothing on the bench, they have so so many injuries….
Theo should bring good money now we can sell him with 2 footballs
Watching the Sagna alleged fault again I think he did what RB are told to do i.e make the player go on his weaker foot. Unfortunately the former manure player is 2 footed…
That is Wenger not signing a Striker 😉
emma – Theo isn’t alone there though is he?
Not disagreeing about his input Scott but CJ25 can not play with young Ox or TW14 ahead of him because when you compare how Poldi covers Gibbs our RWers do not do that at all on the RHS…
That is why AW plays Ramsey on the RHS when CJ25 plays in most crucial games…
It wasn’t a happy look goonie…. i wondered if he knows he is off …
credit to Monsieur Wenger for spotting what Emma and I said at half time by swapping SC19 and JWE10’s positions to stop Tiote dictating play…
Take a bow Mr No Plan B…
Arsenal players had listen HH at half-time! 🙂
Gibbs was awful in covering back.He hadn’t any idea of the positon of the forward in the last two Newcastle goals.
Fortunately for us, Newcastle manager lost he match wth the replaces.
Ginge, whatever the reason, Sagna is playing at around 60-70% of his full capacity.
If the injury has taken its toll, how long can we wait?
If it his attitude, same question applies.
He is just not there, i reckon.
It is not mistakes he is making, the effort or urgency just are not there.
Still want the DM.
Walcott still has a lot of improvement to make. He needs to see those passing options.
Kos is also to blame for their second, he should have hoofed their cross into row z……
what look maam? what are you talking about?
😉 Sp
I know Brad but, that has to stop….
esp, agree, on a day like today it works out ok though…. just 😉
Rico, Who 🙂
ESP you and me both, never a dull moment indeed! what a game. hey ginge howdy pal? still creaming my man, still creaming.
I didn’t like the look Jack gave Theo when he presented him with the MOTM award 🙁
freaky freaky game. Sagna and Gibbs decided to chose today as an off day defending. Glad we won
But Jack too, the way he fought and got the right ball into the box for Pod… awesome…
Never a dull moment being an Arsenal fan.
I know Rico but between the profit wenger needs and no player has signed when wenger says they will stay and the rest of history repeating over and over. I doubt Walcott will sign now.
Hi goonie still creaming like….
Great news goonie, I bet you were like Santa for your Mamma 🙂
Agree there Scott, and thats not just me being biased…
Scott a tad hush on Sagna there….
When we play with CJ25 we play a flat back 4 when we have Sagna the winger ahead of him tucks in-field to allow him to offer the width. Again it is the lack of DM with legs to cover the fullbacks when they go forward that causes those problems…
6.30 here Oz…..no sleeping now….bugger!!
😆 Sp, Theo is rubbish though eh 😉
am good maam back home in arherm mama was so pleased to see me. my does she look frail. howdy rico, am glad for your boy theo. you re so chuffed huh?
Theos last goal must go down as an Arsenal all time classic.
To be honest, i turned to see the ref give the penalty, looked p and the ball is in the net.
Even after watching the replay, i still can’t understand how he did it.
Even the little dink was sublime!!!
well worth sitting up to see, off to bed at 3.32am happy – night all!!
gooooooooonie, how are you??? 🙂
oops merry christmas HH, its a bit late but hey am that’s why am the goonster!
Brad next year when Yao Gerv goes on a nastry like run with 18 monthsto go on his contract some here will be blaming AW or the new manager for not signing him up early enough…
Take a bow Rico…
What a game.
Will, Sagna has not been good since he came back from the second break.
I do not base anything on one game, but he seems slack,lethargic,lazy……i am not sure, but whatever the reason, he is not good enough at the moment.
I will say it again and stand by it, Jenks would have shut his opponent down and stopped the delivery….we would have won 7-1,in my opinion.
He either wants out or just hasn’t come back,and at his age, can we give him much more time??
I know i predicted better results but bugger me. 🙂
what a game of football! crikey i was jizzing all through the 90 mins. COYGS! Poldi, theo and kozzer were immense. what a game!
Sure am Ts..
Esp, sign a first class DM, that would stop half our probs if not more….
If Wenger can only spend £20M in Jan, sign a bloody beast in midfield and be done with it!
Then, just spend what he makes over sales, which I think will be a few…..
Brad – he hasn’t gone yet, let’s wait and see what happens…
😆 Oz…
That TW goal for his third was just superb… That’s contender for goal of the season in my opinion….
We do need to make that defence more solid.
Newcastle allowed the game to become stretched looking for another equaliser which in turned allowed us to find more space and run riot.
OG12 7 game non-scoring run ends another 2 or 3 more goals in 4 matches before another barren run….
yes Scott we did it…………….. 😀 😀
Rico bloody pleased with your Berkshire class mate?
i heard a big bang – was that Wenger cheque book slamming shut? hahaha
Esp – but for the bar for Giroud, gutted for him….
Scott, agree on the pass and the ref and the subs…….
Seems players perform for us just before they leave.
I’m quite glad I’d had faith in our number 14…….
I hope that wave to each section was not his goodbye 🙁
based on a single bad game Rico? Worse yet a bad 15 minutes total?
Heartbroken that Giroud didn’t get the hattrick.
Walcott did very well today.
That was the xmas present I was hoping to get!!!
Also, credit to the referee……did a great job.
Indeed Scott!
What a pass from Ramsey….bloody post stopped Giroud getting his hattrick.
Dare i say it…..credit to Wenger, his changes have been perfect.
Will, I love him but I think he wants away from us, just like others….
3-4-2-1 formation from the best manager Scott… 😉
Now that was classic
Well, i have to say that was pure world class from Theo!!
What a goal!!
What super super football Theo….. So deserved and I’m bloody happy for him……
why the harshness towards Sagna? I dont get it.
Thats nasty on Giroud, but had he reacted quicker to Jacks ball, that wouldn’t have happened….
so he does have a right foot!
what JW10 did to Tiote is what an AM should be doing to a DM 8/10 times…
I did Wavy, just thought they’d be shared 😉
I think he could yet stay, I sure hope he does and this run central will prove if its about where he plays or not…
What a game!! Theo man of the match. Give him what he wants, if he leaves it’ll be a travesty!
Tennis anyone?
Thank you Rico lol
😆 😆 Scott, I’ll give you that one….
Well I didn’t see this bucket load of goals coming!
Walcott will he stay or will he go?
Ramsey??
Newcastle are out of legs now
Great control and finish
Yahoooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Giroud 🙂
Who will get a hat-trick??
Giroooooooooo
That Theo shot was a massive deflection…..his shot was headed straight to the keeper.
The deflection made it look decent.
Sensational cross from the lad…….might make a decent winger one day 🙂
That’s what he’s signed for Brad 😉
best cross theo has ever hit. GIROUD!
Stunning stunning goal from the cross to the finish!
That boy can header!
Giroooooooooooo
Ramsey was so so slow getting back there but….
Giroud 😛 😛
Great cross Theo….
So so unlucky Theo…
Bit of Henry training rubbing off 😛
Left wing this time. Wahaha, when’s Ramsey’s turn as striker?
Ok, Ramsey is obviously our defensive midfielder.
Just hope that day is today Scott!
All game if you ask me Scott, his head is long gone.
Ramsey is on, that should solve all the midfield probs 😉
Aaron is coming on to save the day 🙂
We need a beast in midfield signed in Jan Brad…. Arteta is good, but he’s not good enough to do what is asked of him and he shouldn’t be asked to either….
Yes, Gibbs was to blame also…..it shouldn’t have got that far, imo.
Sagnas lack of effort,care…whatever…is allowing the cross to come in.
Whats the best way to defend a cross…stop the bloody thing getting over, and Sagna was going through the motions both times.
somebody plz check if pat rice is still alive up there
We need Rosicky on to have a cool head, no control in the middle.
Gibbs was as fault for the last as much as Sagna, he went to sleep at the back post….
Sounds a fair call rico
15 mins to go, anything could happen…..
Gibbs was also to blame surely Scott?
We need at least one more I’d say 😉
Do not concede anymore!!!
Give Walcott what he wants Arsenal!!!
If he’s crap next season, sell him, simples!!!
Awesome theo!
Wtf is going on lol
The midfield and Walcott have no understanding between each other…. YET, that really really needs sorting out fast…
Theo, from back to goal 🙂 🙂 🙂
Wud be nice if we had some players who new how to defend.
Wtf is Sagna doing?
Piss him off.
He is playing like he does not give a shit.
Bloody heck!!
Ffs
We are still losing the midfield….
Class jack! Class!
Well played there Jack, never gave up and look what that got us!
We need his creative spark today Ts, no point in worrying about 3 weeks time if we can’t win today….
3-2 🙂
Not enough though Oz…
Agree Scott, Sagna’s head is somewhere else, sad isn’t it….
selfish Theooo
Agreed Scott he doesn’t look like he wants to be there does he.
That was good defending then!!
For fuck sake!
Well, you can have Sagna.
He has lost it.
SC19 off even after assist. We need him more towards end of January imho…
Did you see it Rico? Twp goals from the saints academy today
Oz,i noticed that as well.
Theo saying “see ya soon” ??
Ox
Much better lads. A bit of urgency. Ox finally makes something stick, great finish!
Sorry JW, don’t know what happened there….
Great finish Ox….
Nice pass Santi….
You suggesting Walcott is off to Newcastle Oz? 😉
shot from gibbs rebounds, and every one of our lot watch the ball…
pffff…
Guys, who do you want to come off for Rosicky? You all want him on, but for who?
Well we don’t have Oscar tsGH.
And if you knew me, you’d know i’m not a huge fan of JW10 either.
And if you want to know what I think the route of all this is, it goes back to Wenger, there is no motivation no drive, hell anyone could go on and play 60+mins at Arsenal and not fear been taken off, because every knows he doesn’t make changes.
No you are not Oz. Arteta never does hi 5 with opponents even VP but he did with Ba when he fell him…
Poldi playing like a true inside left…
Ts, as I have always said, stats made denislon look like messi and we all know that wasn’t true…..
tsGH – Cazorla should be moved to the right. Ox has done a podolski. Podolski has being active today. Rosicky should come into the middle.
Why is a player who can never put 3 passes together i.e Tiote dictating play?
we havecreated the better chances. we should be 3 up. I’m happy we are creating, but wedon’t look like atop team. Ox, Sagna don’t combine well. not so far atleast.
did anyone notice the little smiling interaction and words between Walcott and Ba after the Ba goal. or am i making that up?
Do half this team even want to play for us?! They better show a bit more in the second half!
If you go by that stats then Ramsey has scored more goals and assists than JW10…
Hmm, Esp if you compare him to young Oscar playing the same role, Oscar makes sure the opponents DM does not get a game like the chavs did against us but all the matches we have lost or drawn Fulham (sidwell) Tettey (Norwich) Chavs (obi) the DM have had their best games against us so…
Who would you take off then emma, Jack?
did you miss the two headers from Ba Scott? He should have scored both really, easily beat the CB both times – Caz needs replacing with Rosicky and we’re making hard work of a depleted side – not impressive at all to the half again
SC19 and/or Wilshere must control the midfield.
TW isn’t a central forward… and not defend!
Newcastle had maybe 7 shoots against 2 or 3 of us..
this team and football have poor quality. We watched the others teams and they have also 11 players but in Arsenal there are players completely unknow in the ptich.
The game that tells me we are playing 9/10 vs 11 because some players are coasting…
Esp – Santi is very average today, but he’s a great player in my eyes….
But again, too many are very average….
Okay ……….. so last year Arron Ramsey played 44 games scored 3 goals and had 8 assists.
Santi Cazorla has played 24 games for Arsenal this season with 7 goals and 5 assists already… thats what he brings to the team, we didn’t buy him to have to tackle. Thats the job of Jack Wilshere and Arteta…..
Ts & Scott, what game are you watching?? 😉
I think we all need a break, I’m going for a beer.
Why am I in moderation? I haven’t upset anyone have I?
Hi Emma, I think SC19 needs a break
No Esp. I am not just calling a spade a spade! 4 great games in 25 does not make great in my book. He does not tackle and his passing is either excellent or very poor. He does not look the player he was that won him a move from Villareal to Malaga 2 years ago….
Hi Scott,
We will still win today but TR07 needs to replace SC19 for me pronto. He said he wanted a winter break and SC19 is playing like he is on one…
Our midfield has gone Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Move Cazorla to the wing and bring in Rosicky in midfield. Otherwise this match will slip away
Wilshire ducked out of that, he should have faced up!
tsGH are you having a laugh?
We have created some very good chances, and destroyed them.
They have scored of a wicked deflection from an ordinary freekick….we are going fine.
Just need to finish off the chances.
What does SC19 bring to this team that Ramsey did not do last season?
Another spinless performance so far, well use to it at this point, Newcastle totally dominant in midfield. And of course they are, look at the size of the players in the team. I say half of them need booster seats to drive their new porches around.
Deserved goal
Flippin heck!!
Half time team talk. Try and keep the ball for more than 2 passes oh and close the other team down yeah?!
You know what is sad Lewis? Some won’t care as long as we are winning…..
Shocking pass Theo, just shocking….
That’s it lads just let them play. Not like Ur at home or anything.
Just a bit….
Agree re both Lewis….
Hope things brighten up after H/T, paid £10 to watch this, a mere fraction of what the tickets cost…..
Bit shit aren’t we.
There are many many empty seats…..
Too many easy passes going astray!
Too light in midfield. So obvious that we need a physical presence to boss the middle of the pitch.
We really are average though aren’t we.
The Ox is losing the ball a lot.
Get in there theo!! Sign him up.
Theeeeeoooooo.
You can tell how down-hearted our fans are….. 🙁
Steve – I can’t stand the Espn commentators either, they are so so anti…..
Morning all….get in there lads.
It doesn’t take me long to remember why I won’t subscribe to ESPN – before it’s even started the commentator claims the contest is unfair, because Arsenal’s game against West Ham was called off.
coyfg… do not show ba or cisse the goal
Rico, I’m never confident with this current Arsenal team…sad,sad indictment to where we are as a football club, but as a money making machine we’re grrrrrreat!
RVP scored the second for MU at 90.00 minutes
ok, I’m now concentrate at the tv set.
Catch you all at half- time
off to watch the proceedings as well – bloody 1-30am pfft
Hiya Gooner family,
All set for our last game of the year?
Sorry I’m a bit busy. Just popping in to post live stream links. Enjoy!!!
http://www.ronaldo7.net/live/sports/watch-sports-live-stream.html
COYG!!!!!!!!
I think AW left that room Ts….
Back at H/T, just off to get the dinner ready 🙂
Lets see if ‘arry blinky blink can rescue QPR again from relegation as he did with the scum 4 years ago..
ha ha ha…. that’s why I love HH…
I saw you left room to slate the tactics…
Evening Lee, you confident?
Ts – If he’s crap and not changed early, of course I’ll moan!
Lewis – we should never ever have sold him, but he would have stayed had the club shown more ambition….
Just hope the Mancs win F-All!!
He does indeed Mr. Lee but I didn’t here Le Tissier and Merson say 1 man team when he was brought on to replace a £18M flop this afternoon as always..
We should of never sold that Dutch geezer…..scores when he wants!! 😉
So no moaning from you if we don’t win Rico about selection? lol
Yes TW as center forward against Coloccini?
Bloody pleased he’s sticking with Walcott up front, just wish Giroud was up there with him…..
Some rumour I heard claim Cabaye refused to play for NUFC so the alleged groin surgery is Cesc-ish….
Djourou!
Walcoot again central forward
Again I’ll say it, we’ll glad we sold RVP, pretty much the missing piece in utd’s puzzle.
Time for theo to step up!
COYG’s!!!!!
I wish SC19 was replaced by TR07 especially in this weather he will go missing again…
interesting indeed.
Team in full: Szczesny, Sagna, Koscielny, Vermaelen, Gibbs, Arteta, Wilshere, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Cazorla, Podolski, Walcott.
Subs: Mannone, Djourou, Coquelin, Ramsey, Rosicky, Gervinho, Giroud.
Djourou back on the bench, interesting before the window opens…..
Kos replaces Merts, the latter is ‘sick’…
we can’t afford anything other than three points – at least they got a truck load of injuries
I hope the arse will stick it up the “wee team”‘ but I fear it will be a close run thing………1 – 0 to the Gunners. And a turgid boring game to boot!
Hope I’m wrong though and it’s an exciting epl game with Arsenal winning 4 – 0
We’ll see.
A pint is fine, ta. A virtual pint that is!
I hope Oz, for the sake of my very close second club…..
Marinello 😆
Rico, Aston Vanilla, the team everybody licks…….
did you give Villa a chance, i mean really Rico? lol
Hopefully the prize will be picking up 3 points later on against the Geordies Wavy….
Saying that, if it was possible I would buy you a pint for answering that one.
Any predictions on the score later, I am going for a 3-2 win for the Arse.
Marvellous!
Any new year’s prize?
Wavy, you are correct. Terry Venables was capped at every level for England, including England Amateur.
Darn it, Wigan have scored again…..
Or Stanley Matthews 🙂
Joe Hart?
Otherwise, no idea Marinello….
Laurie Cunningham, played for Real Madrid i think 🙂
I like my pubs
Was it Venables? – not so sure about te amateur cap?
Here is a quick pub quiz question for all you football experts.
Who is the only English player to have been capped at schoolboy, right through to Under 23, senior, including Amateur. A feat that will never be repeated…..
That’s a shame then…..
nastry off
Nasri sent off!
Come on Villa….
Stoke 1 Saints 3
😆
Reading are 1-0 up 🙂
It looks like raining goals today in the PL. Hope it keeps up for our match as I’m off to the Emirates soon 🙂
Norwich 2-1 now
Who are City playing JM?
I’d rather they win the PL than the old Scotsman….
Sando was immense! Sandro and Dembele make the necessary balance between defense and attack.
A clear fault by Kompany and 2-0 for city. I’ve seen this year players sent off with equaly fault…
3 points at the end of the day Oz, and not sure they really played that badly. Lardy missed a few….
ugly win but they all count i guess Rico
All finished, another win for AVB…
oh my bad… I forgot about that.Hmmm, a draw then…
Good to see Bale get booked for trying to win a penalty by diving again……..
Sunderland are like us, can’t pass the ball to their own player….
Bit early for that Ts, being a 5.30 KO 🙂
I love Charlie Nicholas. Honest always…
I know Oz – trust me 😉
No point in signing players who are no better than our best in any position…
Where is Ms. Emma to provide team news? lol
the scums…
sums equalise
Rico – its not whether he signs anyone its who he signs and then how he plays them and there by lies the tale of Top Four Trophy Arsene Wenger over the last 7-8 years.
don’t often watch other games but am watching Sunderland and Spurs – boring as – Spuds trying to play football (they don’t do it very well) and Sunderland, well god knows how they beat City
Hi Marinello – hope you are having a good time over this festive period too and thank you re HH…..
JM – I’m not fussed about Nani either
Great that Pat Rice got the MBE, apart from a brief stint at Watford where he performed admirably and brought experience and a hardness to a fairly young team, he has served Arsenal well, as well as Northern Ireland.
I remember chatting to Don Howe, Geordie Armstrong and later Terry Neil who told the same story… Pat used to live just around the corner from the Arsenal Stadium in Avenell Road. His Parents had a fruit and veg shop close by, and most Youth training nights, Pat would be outside the entrance to the training pitch under the Clock End terrace, begging for a game. The Club being what it was, most Youth players were school boy internationals or at least County or Islington School standard etc and he was politely told that it wasn’t possible for him to join in with the training. Pat never gave inThen one night, someone on the training Staff, gave in and finally his persistence paid off, and he was invited in
to train. The rest is history.
So well done to Pat, the loyalty, and his sheer passion for football has finally been rewarded.
Sunderland ! 1-0
yes o’shea
Hi Marinello,
A happy belated seasonal greetings to you and your family too.
Definitely not a good look for a Sir Monsieur Wenger. lol
Bruce Forsyth, Terry Wogan and Ealmon Holmes were all active GMMC at the Chelsea lodge..
Hi Rico, Steve, tsGH, frednerk, and SP, belated happy Christmas to you all!
With regards Ol’ Red nose abusing refs and 4th Officials, I thought there was a rule whereby the FA can look at what happened during and after the game and still reprimand, fine and ban either offending players and Managers…. But then again it is Ferguson and he does appear to have a special relationship with the FA.
Anyway, onto todays game, I like most of you Gooners am never confident anymore, when it comes to any game, even home games. I only hope that the defence manage to do the job that they are there to do…., the midfield defend as well as push up, and the forwards keep Newcastle’s defence on the back foot. All simple really, but then Bill Shankley once said, “Football is a simple game, made difficult and complicated by the people who play it, Footballers…”
Here’s to 3 points today, and more importantly, well done to Rico for yet again giving up precious time in 2012 for Highbury House and us sad Ol Gooners.
Marinello.
But a French Sir Ts, surely not 😉
I’m not bother see Nani with an Arsenal shirt.
I’m watching now Sunderland -neighbours
Later JW
Is it Pilau Fred
😆 re Fergie and Scotland JW, that has truly tickled me ….
You have a good day…
JW, I think a few foreign nationals have been granted knighthood. Foreign nationals can not use the prefix Sir or Dame though. Examples include General Wesley Clark,Bob Hope and Colin Powell. 😉
Its the order the recipients are part of that determines the decoration not some poxy MP as most believe it is…
Vaclav Drobny has died after being involved in a sledge crash in Czech…..
That is so so sad, he was only 32 years old…
Matt LeTiss on Fergie:
Do we think that an opposing manager would have been sent to the stands at OT for behaving like that?
Do we think Mike Dean would have included the incident in his report afterwards has it be an opposition’s manager at OT?
‘One million percent yes he answered…….
Very true Rico, But Wenger would never ask for it 🙂
You suggesting a ‘Sir Arsene’ Sp??
He’s got no chance, took enough years for Brucie and Terry Wogan to be recognised 😉
Think it’s right to say on here everyone loves Pat(tasty goal) Rice
and we respect what he has done for the arsenal…
so i don’t want to upset the applecart and sound desrespectful,
But do you what his nickname was.
Off now
SP,
Foreign nationals cannot be granted a Knighthood, hopefully when Scotland gain independence Old Rednose will have his rescinded.
Forgot to add we broke the british transfer record for Bally
JW,thanks for the concern ..only joking mate
JW – the papers feed HH 😉
AW would be a fool now surely if he didn’t sign anyone. He himself has said he’s going to sign players….
Was there any small print at the bottom 😉
I am not up on what can be bestowed on a foreign person that has done a lot for a certain country. Wenger it has to be said has been a revelation to English football, Granted many supporters are calling for change and maybe they are right but they must appreciate what Wenger has done for the English game. Wenger is now bringing along English players and i have no doubts that some of them will end up in the national team. He has always been a forward thinking manager almost to the detriment of Arsenal but football has benefitted by his presence. Pat Rice has been Honoured and yes he has deserved the honour he has spent his career at Arsenal and has done his best for his Manager. I admire Pat for his loyalty his dedication and his love for Arsenal. Wenger is also a man to be respected he is known all over the world he is instantly recognisable as an English Manager more importantly the Arsenal manager. He has done some amazing things since he has been here, and it has to be said Arsenal are are up there with the best in the world, being included in the CL for every year since it started is remarkable and every team in the world know us. We are one of the richest clubs in the world some call us the club that should be copied maybe financially but at the moment not on the pitch eh. Wenger was a fantastic Manager he has brought trophies in the early years he has produced teams that have made history he has also produced some fine talent not forgetting some bad ones as well. He is a man that will stay at Arsenal for as long as he is asked to. and he will strive to make Arsenal the best it can be. Financially we are secure we have a good income that in itself will give the club stabillity for many years but we now need more success and i believe we now need to invest in the team, we are now in a position to buy what we need Wenger needs to release the reigns and buy the players and i think he will. I believe that Wenger should Be Knighted whether that is possible i don’t know but he has been emense for us and the Queen should recognise that.
Fred,
217 appearences, 52 goals.
Fred,
In the interests of your sanity ignore the papers, they know f*** all and just make it up, wait until Arsenal.com make an announcement. Of course you may read it first on Highbury House. 😀
opps…made his debut 5 days later..on the December 27th
Tranfer window once again,
wenger only after exceptional players
yet here we go again this one that one every newspaper got us down for someone..driving me mad already
For those of you who can remember back in the old days(no violins please),no tranfer windows to worry about.
December 22nd 1971..we signed Alan Ball 26 years old at his peak..did we know anything about no,
made his debut 3 days later..on the December 27th
Come on wenger surprise us get done early.
Evening Oz,
As it’s Saturday evening where you are how did Arsenal get on against Newcastle today? 😀
Oz, AW will be busy decorating in Jan, nowt to do with transfer deals 😉
Hi JM
tsGH,
You’re completely right of course, after all the only thing Pat did was his job, he got on with it without seeking publicity, without causing controversy, he didn’t get photographed falling out of night-clubs, he didn’t stub out cigars in team-mates eyes, nor did he hit them with golf clubs, he didn’t get done for drunken driving in a £400,000 super car, or racially abuse other players. Just an ordinary bloke getting on with his life.
evening all 🙂
Qpr have made an offer for Diame….
sought I meant
says it all really… What he actually means is, he ain’t got a clue what we need – last 5/6 years is proof of that. He simply can’t take the team forward. He’s like a man treading water hoping the others don’t catch up.
“We have the potential to be in the Champions League with what we have. We are open to strengthening the team, but the difficulty is to find what strengthens us. [You don’t always find that with] the players available on the market”
possible JW and I don’t want him either at 27 and a Diaby clone, a ticking time bomb to be honest but he has sort alternative remedy since the prognosis …
tsGH,
I really don’t think we are going to sign Ba, he wants too much in wages and his agents want too much in back-handers, oops! slip of the keyboard there, I meant legitimate fees of course.
I definitely don’t want to see Nani in an Arsenal shirt, in fact I wouldn’t want to see any ex-Manure player at Arsenal ever!
JW I am sure you are very clued up to know Pat Rice is not going to get awarded higher than MBE. He is not part of any order or an initiate as far as I am aware to be decorated higher than that.
Sir Elton John…… please?
Morning all.
Old fergie,
like the bit with sky sports news……
old fergie banned the reporting team from his pre-match briefing
yesterday,because they continued to show the incidents from the newcastle match throughtout the day.
JM,
For what Pat did, as an Arsenal player and coach, over such a long time, he deserved more than an MBE. Maybe it’s time that the club instigated an Honours List. True legends, not the odd player who sticks around for five or six years, but people like Pat should be made an Honorary Life President.
I have been analysing AW’s latest double speak against past one’s and I think BA may be a sure banker?
My reason is that whenever the snake that is AW says that ‘we won’t do the deal’ when asked by journos i.e Mata, M’Villa you know a deal has been rejected or something along those lines…
On the other hand, when he pretends like he does not know the player or did not hear the question when asked as in Arteta or SC19 case we almost always do the deal.
On Ba he could have said we are not interested but what he said was ‘if you ask me I would say we are not interested’…
Mr JW,
I would not comment. Its probably written in vatican latin for only the initiates. 😀
Hi JM you are right there. Why that week I would ask? We could have played between 1st and 6th at least but hey…..
good morning
so, tsGH I’m right: we play versus WH between m.City and Chelsea…
Pat Rice receives MBE in Honour Lists. Congratulations!
tsGH,
Has an English language edition been published yet?
Thanks JW.
I too feel Dean should have grown some but he was stuck in Fergies pocket and wasn’t allowed out….
I’m no fan of Pardew either though, always thought those two were big big buddies…
Thanks Ts, it will be a big one….
Has any one read fergies Biography?
Morning Ginge, good points as always mate.
I must admit i must agree that we are getting a bit of help just lately, and yes your point may have some thing to do with it. I have to say at this point that i hope that that is just coincidental but i doubt it and i also think that Arsenals results will get better. I hope i’m wrong when i say that we may be looked at a little diferently by the FA and Europe as i would rather we had a stronger team and win our games fairly and squarly but i must admit the way we are playing i cannot understand how we are still in the fight.
Sir Steve you are not alone there.
You know how I get panic attacks when we have a 12:45 pm kick-off because the stats show our win ratio is less than 20%, then we have an almost 100% record when we play on MNF but Old Purple Face almost loses all his MNF. So how come Fergie and the F.A manage to fix all their crucial matches at home at 12:45 but play only 1 or 2 matches on monday nights only whilst all the other ‘big’ teams play as sky dictates equally?
And have you noticed that we are playing WHU between Man $hitty and the chavs in January?
Talking of managers with winning mentality as some slate AW for lacking, from the top of my head I can think of 4 matches(liverpool, Fulham, AV and Newcastle) that manure should have lost but… my maths tell me 12 points there at least so when we end up 13 points behind them at the end of the season we know why?
Good morning all,
Excellent post Rico and I shall be looking be looking forward to my spade/shovel 😉
Good point there Sir Steve.
The F.A are a bunch of vermins and that is why FI FA and BarcaUEFA laugh in our faces when we try to saddle our high horses…
Its funny how for in over 2.5 years we only won 5 penalties and none at home but the moment Ivan gets his stripe into Tavistock we get awarded 5 penalties in as many matches.
Morning Arsenal Fan, Rednose has a fantastic Record he has won more trophies than some Managers have had games. He is down as one of the most successful managers of all time, People as you know see trophies as the be and end of everything in football, While Managers like Wenger has been involved in building the sport to its present popularity, and introducing healthy training and eating, and all ways voicing his opinions to the rest of the football world, he has been bann’d for more matches than any other manager in Europe for voicing his views which we have all witnessed and also many that we have agreed with. meanwhile Ferguson has been walking on the FA’s red carpet and been escorted to victory after victory. I have to say that i have never seen another team in the world who recieves more penalties and free kicks but then again just my view.
Good morning all,
Nice post Rico,
I don’t think the FA is entirely to blame in respect (or total lack of it) of Ferguson’s rant. the referee concerned needs to grow some balls, he should have red carded the red nose immediately he stepped onto the pitch.
It’s strange that Ferguson gets away with not only a rant at the ref but also a pitch invasion, while on the same day poor Old ‘Arry gets his collar felt for suggesting that a linesman should go to Specsavers and Mancini is up before the beak for suggesting that the referee had too much to eat over Christmas.
The Govan Sloven, in Wavy’s wonderful words, has banned Sky Sports News from his press conferences because they repeatedly showed footage of the incident on their programme. Where does Ferguson reside now? The Kremlin?
And his side is very average these days Af, well, the defence…
Red faced thinks he is god and entitled to win every game.Maybe in the epl but not in the cl. Me thinks he is frustrated because he can’t dominate like in the epl.That is why he has lost the respect of non MU fans with his condescending remarks and ego.The latest about NU is really sickening.
I remember when Liverpool were all conquering in the 7os and 80s their managers were down to earth characters and were humble and respectful of other teams and managers.They won the euro more times than red faced.That is why red faced is the most hated face in the epl.
There are a few who like us Sp 😉
Doesn’t matter he’s paid by the FA 🙂
Thanks Sp, not bewildered honest, just surprised as all the media made so much of it….
Good point about today – who is the ref?
Morning all,
Good post Rico, You suprise me when you say that The FA have left you bewildered after not punishing Red Nose for his tantrums during the Newcastle game. This is not a thing which has not happened many times before and usually after securing all 3 points. Maybe i am on my own but i have seen many United Matches over the years and i am not at all surprised that for one, United won. and 2 that Red Nose has got away scott free. How the hell can you win the league these days without the help of the FA’s Referee’s. Red Nose called for a very long ban for an opposing player the other day, i am more surprised that that player is not doing his gardening than anything else. But when i think about it i realised that you were jesting as you know as well as everybody else that Red Nose and his club are being well looked after and have been for a cosiderably long time. My concern for today is how the FA repay Newcastle for all their wrongdoing as i believe they could be onto a few good decisions today.
Always a pleasure Lewis, but often a chore these days…
Morning all…
I like the way the newspapers and other managers are starting to turn on old red nose….
Long overdue!
Morning all,
Cheers for the post Rico.
Well said wavy, my sentiments exactly.
Newcastle are a worry today (as are every team we play these days), up top they have some top talent. Talent we would like! Hopefully our defence are up to the challenge and our attack are firing. We’ve had three on the bounce, another would really instilled some confidence.
Re old red nose. What became of the respect campaign? Why is he considered “untouchable”? The man is the walking equivalent of the serpent! What is the matter with the F A? Why do they let him get away with haranguing Refs the way that he does? On the street he could be accused if inciting civil unrest or even inciting a riot!
The FA’s blind eye tactics when dealing with the Govan sloven are disgraceful. A total abrogation of disciplinary responsibility.
Time for the FA to man up and deal with the cheating b…..d.
Or is it that he is too old and has got a dose of dementia?