Morning all.
Injured, rested, rotated, left behind so they are fresh to face the neighbours at the weekend? I’ve no idea, but Nacho Monreal, Theo Walcott, Hector Bellerin and Santi Cazorla will be watching tonight’s fixture against Ludogorets from the comfort of their own home, a bit like most of us.
Who comes in for Bellerin remains to be seen but Carl Jenkinson must surely be the favourite after doing ok against Reading last week. He’s certainly in the squad although Arsene Wenger hasn’t made his mind up yet:
He is in the squad. I have not named the team yet, I will decide that tomorrow. He is in the squad. I have plenty of right backs in the squad, three or four.
I guess the other two options are Mathieu Debuchy and Ainsley Maitland-Niles.
I’ve no idea what kind of team we’ll see tonight and with the NLD in just a few days time, Arsene Wenger might just be tempted to rest a few more than just those remaining in London. Granit Xhaka is available for this one and the weekend as he’s now served his three match ban. Alexis, the man who just refuses to rest really could do with sitting this one out and now Ollie is back, maybe he will. Ozil too could do with a break. Ramsey must be in contention to start having made a brief appearance on Saturday.
Arsenal need to be careful though as Ludogorets were quite lively in the opening stages of the last fixture and cause us a few problems. We went ahead early through Alexis but it was far from comfortable. Walcott made it 2-0 just before the break and then in the second half, when the opposition appeared to tire after their first half efforts, four further goals were scored. Oxlade-Chamberlain with one, Ozil with his first ever hat-trick.
In front of their own fans, Ludogorets will want to impress and if we go there thinking it’s over before a ball is kicked, we’ll shoot ourselves in the foot. Ludogorets boss Georgi Dermendzhiev has already said that his side will approach Arsenal with more caution so perhaps we’ll see a much more defensive setup from the home side.
We will probably be more cautious. The difference will be that now we know better the way Arsenal play. We have seen it on the pitch and they know what to expect. We will do our best to try and play nice football.
We have really good players, we conceded a lot of goals but some of that was because Arsenal have great players, some were because we made mistakes.
Dinamo Zagreb taught us a lesson last season. A club which had never defeated an English side before beat us 2-1. That result, coupled with a disastrous loss at home to Olympiacos a few weeks later, ended any chance of topping our group. We very nearly missed out on second place too but for a much better performance and result in the return leg.
This campaign though we’ve started a lot better, perhaps the best since 2011/12 or going back further, 2005/06.
And we all know how far we went back then.
White rabbits:- ,Hit them hard hit them early and put the game to bed by half time , then shut up shop and pass them to death for the second half. It used to work for Liverpool that’s how they back passed their way into European history.
Doh, I forgot the white rabbits…
So it’s official, it’s November!!
What about pass them to death and nick it at the end…. 😉
I don’t think we can really rest too many players and though we have a stronger deeper squad,not in the goalscoring dept, that is my concern.Sanchez and Oail must play IMO and we need a win, a draw is just not acceptable.
oh I see there are one or two on here older than me 😉
I don’t think he will rest many more, ‘injuries’ have caused changes – Looks like Giroud will start though…
I take nothing away from the goals Giroud scored against Sunderland and also allowing that he has been injured and furthermore he is more than capable to score tonight but I will only be convinced that he is a prolific goalscorer when he scores VITAL goals against others in the the top 6.His record is dreadful.
Scoring number 3 or 4 against a mid table or relegation team is quite different,so that’s when i would acknowledge he add to goal power. i am not talking about his hold up play.
Mark Clattenburg for the NLD…
Good or bad news?
Obi have you read Frank de Boer has been sacked by Inter Milan…
another manager whose ‘ego’ got ahead of him… imho; as we have discussed in the past CoCu is far better; sad if one subscribes to the Ajax vs PSV divide…
Afternoon all
Another 2 goal win for the boys…
Trouble is Kelsey, Alexis can’t play every match so with Lucas and Akpom injured, Giroud is going to have to start some matches. I’d rather he played tonight and keep Alexis fit for the weekend.
Imo I’d prefer Ozil and Sanchez resting and being replaced by Ramsey and OG12. A fresher Ozil and Sanchez will do us alot of good in the derby. Xhaka in for Coquelin too.
Agreed there marshall but it looks like our line-up will be:
Ospina
CJ25, Kosser, Mustafi, Gibbs
Elneny, Xhaka
Ozil, Ramsey*, Chambers
OG12
It will be Sanchez* starting in place of the boy wonder…
Ts, I read it yesterday that he was going to be fired today. I was not surprise when you are losing to Cagliari, Atalanta and Sampdoria and barely beating Torino and you are inter, that is not acceptable. I really do know what happened with? I can see Mourinho heading on the same path.
Ts seems like we’ll need Ozil to put a shift in this one. Hope we finish it early and he can get to rest after an hour.
Afternoon Rico and the House.
Its half time in the U19 game and we are winning 1-0. Reise Nelson the scorer.
Strange team some one named Reine-Adelaide is playing its about time he played for us.LOL
Here we go again with the Giroud bashing…. lol, Kelsey. I always wonder why some fans bash Giroud. For starters I am not a Giroud fan because of the damn flicks he keeps doing. But when you check his goal scoring stat he’s more than adequate considering the way Arsenal uses him, and the fact that we have players who haven’t been able to across to save their lives. At Montpelier, they played to his strength and he scored goals, Arsenal bought him and AW changed the way he plays. Sergio Aguero to me is the most prolific striker in the EPL, here is some comparison (league goals): OG – 2012-13 11 goals, 2013-14 16 goals, 2014-15 14 goals and 2015 -16 16 goals (this for a striker who is not the focus of the offense and does not take penalties). Aguero for the same periods had 12, 17, 26, and 24 goals – he is the focus of the offense and takes penalties. Considering how Arsenal uses Giroud, this is a really good return. We rave about Alexis, but Alexis outputs in previous 2 seasons are 16, and 13 goal; he shoots more than Giroud and takes free kicks. The notion that Giroud is a bad striker is way over-exaggerated. Especially when we are debating whether or not if he should start against Ludogorets. Wow!!!
Mark Clattenburg for the NLD…Rico, I think considering the bunch, he’s the best of the crop. He’s more fairer than all of them and doesn’t have more than one or two bad game a year… lets just hope its not on Sunday. Really good communicator so the players know from the onset what to expect. I like it.
So do I re Clattenburg Obi.
Afternoon all
Anyway, if we win today we go ahead on the Champions and we can rest next two games.
Harry Kane back for the NLD…
No surprise there…
Koscielny and Mustafi will have to do to Kane, what they did to Costa…
If the Euros showed anything, it’s that Kane isn’t as good as he is touted by his sycophants in the media…
Kev none of the English players are as good as touted by the media.
Kev, great line “If the Euros showed anything, it’s that Kane isn’t as good as he is touted by his sycophants in the media…” Then again was any one on that team as good as touted….lol.
Hi all
We have stuffed up before by playing a weakened team in Europe so a big word of caution there! Apart from that I have had this feeling since the draw was made that we will win the group and get drawn against the runners up in the Real Madrid/Dortmund group!
We can beat both of them Bob… lol
U19 Finished 1-1
Bad result against a very poor side.
Afternoon from blazing Cornwall.
A win would be nice tonight, but to tell the truth I`m too busy building the worlds largest Sofa to hide behind ready for Sunday !.
So the Spuds come out with the news that they are going to maybe play Kane on Sunday to try and scare us !……………….two can play that game !………I`m going on a Spud Blog to say that Sanogo is fit for Sunday !……….who`s scared now ?
Ts, Chambers is out on loan… lol
Afternoon Rick and all…
It`s obvious then that tsgh is the Gooner who was on my talkSPORT link yesterday !……………………..Podolski and now Chambers ! hahaha
Just recieved my Arsenal membership pack through the post of which the contents are………………………1) Official handbook (which has some stuff about the 10 years at the Emirates)………………2) Ten postcards for 10 years at the Emirates…………………………3) The Romford Pele autobiography and ……………………4) a red Arsenal snood !!!……………..well I think it`s a snood as it`s too big for a willy warmer ! hahaha
Ha ha LC. I’m sure Ts meant Chamberlain…
We`ll let him off then Rico ! 🙂
I think so LC… ?
Lol Rico… you read my mind re. Chambers/Ox Chamerlain
LC- now I haven’t listened to Talkshite for awhile now…
The odds are against us tonight; or should I say the odds are loaded in our favour to ensure we finish 2nd behind Psg based on past performances on match day 3 or 4 in the UCL
Marshall- r. NLD and the ref. our best win ratio is when Kevin Friend is in charge
Obi
It is not Giroud bashing if you read my comment again,You are good at stats tell me how often he has scored vital goals against the other top 6 sides were we win the match.Nothing to do with how many goals he scores it’s against who.
Kelsey- without wanting to speak on behalf of Obi, I think you have posed a very complex question…
Looking at hard facts, OG12 is a flat pack bully when we consider his goals or lack of goals against the so called top 4 or 6. However if you factor in Arsenal’s performance plus goals under AW especially since 2008, then RVP who was the sick note has the highest ratio even ahead of TH14.
If one is to be critical of AW hierarchy one has to compare the performance of TH14 to Drogba and analyse how often TH14 went missing in all big games especially in finals for both club and country…
My point is yes; you and most OG12 ‘bashers’ 🙂 are right to say OG12 goes missing against the better teams but so has most of our top strikers and even better players that is why we have mainly been disappointing.
TH14 scored 7 goals against Yanited
Compare game vs goal ratio vs Rooney and rooney may appear a far better striker.
Th14- 10 goals against Chelsea. His best tally is against the bin dippers i.e against the so called bigger teams.
Considering TH14y was the number 1 scoring option at Arsenal when he was with us; I think it was an average return and goes to show how the big teams easily negate our better players.
Every other player was geared to help Henry score (not that he needed it a lot of the time!) Rooney was usually the second scoring option. RVN, then Ronaldo, then Tevez, then Berbatov, then RVP were the first scoring option for Utd.
In my view AW’s approach to certain games plays a bigger role than the individual players…
Saying that having had a quick scan through a database, our better players have all flopped against bigger rivals even when wearing other jersey’s either before they joined us or after they left us except RVP
Kelsey
I bet you will agree with me that in most “big games” since Giroud came on board – Spuds, Chelsea and United, we beat City and Loserpool – our supply lines have been usually cut off. The midfielders disappear hence the big man gets no service. Second I do not think AW playing a lone striker against those with an ineffective midfield helps.
Before it is misconstrued that I aam claiming Wooney is a better player; I am not saying that!
If we factor the number of goals out of the first 376 games each played then it simply shows one class player from a stats point of view.
If one is averse to TH14 he could factor in how old Wooney was after 376 games vs TH14 plus how many games he played for Everton etc
TS, I posted my comment before I saw your 5:51. Well said.
Giroud is Giroud, why not just accept him for who he is and what he’s capable of doing?
He’s got a fantastic quiff too.
Obi- admittedly I am an Og12 and AW apologist so… 🙂
As someone who can honestly say he watched OG12 at Montpellier; I think OG12 is very underrated by Arsenal fans…
I wonder what the red tops would have said if Og12 had chosen Chelsea ahead of joining us…
I recall loads of ex-players and commentators calling for AW to sign Stevan Jovetic; there was even a video where a fan was telling AW to sign Jovetic if he knew talent..
When Jovetic signed for man City and was flopping and missing games due to injury I never heard any of those pundits admit AW was right not to have bought Jovetic though.. 🙁
Those who watched him then knew he was a sick note but the mirror and the sun claimed we had to sign Jovetic and so AW must have been unambitious not to have signed him…
In my view the media make signing a top striker seem like going to buy a top range luxury car;
Adam- has that quiff been patented? 🙂
TS. 🙂
Has he Adam? Lol
Fifa ‘rejects England & Scotland request to wear poppies on armbands’……………………probably dont want to upset any Nazi`s who were traumatised at not winning the war !
Fcuk FIFA……………….both teams wear short sleave shirts and the players can have temporary poppy tattoo`s !
That’s a disgrace!!!
Great idea even if I say so myself !……………..jobs worth bastards !
Good luck Gooners, I`m off to local running club, should be back by 2nd half unless I`ve been run over by a FIFA official !
Have fun LC..
Team to face Ludogorets: Ospina, Jenkinson, Mustafi, Koscielny, Gibbs, Coquelin, Ramsey, Xhaka, Ozil, Alexis, Giroud.
Subs: Cech, Gabriel, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Holding, Iwobi, Elneny, Maitland-Niles.
I wasn’t far wrong then kelsey lol
Piss poor defending but how the feck is that a free kick?
A free kick that wasn’t and defending that wasn’t. Looks like the ref is a greek philosopher, either Homer or he has lost his Aristotle.
Bollox!!
Oh my
dear oh dear,same old Arsenal. get a better manager who can prepare european nights, had enough for now,goodnight.
What is going on??
losing our 3rd ucl game ends up places us 2nd in the group..
talking about conspiracy
Night Kelsey
About that deep squad, Ramsey giving it away too often.
Awful attitude again summed up by Ozil’s pathetic attempt at a finish at 0-0
oh well granit gives us a chance maybe 5-7 would do
Ramsey was always going to be key tonight and hasn’t had a good game since the season before lasy mainly due to injury and hollywood passes.
lol pep is also getting nailed…lol
We’re so open.
Living dangerously in midfield and the wings
This is an absolute example of an Arsenal under Wenger away performance in Europe against poor opposition. Weakened team, poor attitude, soft goals. See it time and again. Just need a soft red card to seal the deal.
Boy wonder and OG12 connect.. yes!
Bob. Spot on!
Alexis being investigated for tax fraud then… could be jailed…… however..
I know Ramsey has been out for a while but how can he keep passing to the other team?
I think it has been over-egged- Rico?
Crying out for the legs of Ox, Iwobi and Elneny in the last 30 minutes
Lionel Messi, Javier Mascherano, Samuel Eto’o and Adriano have all been sentenced but not gone inside. Looks like alexis and Neymar will be next to swell Madrid’s coffers.
I think you know the answer to that Bob..
Ts, no idea but just posted it as the news has just broken..
Catch up tomorrow guys- night all….
Meanwhile the ref continues to indulge the cheating bastards
Night Rico
That’s what you get for underestimating the opposition…
There’s no goals from the bench that I can see…
I just don’t think you understand…
He’s Arsene Wengers man…
He’s better than Zidane…
We’ve got Mesut Ozil….
Oxlade-Chamberlain on now…
Bring on some pace…
(That’s if he ain’t on yet, listening to the radio ? )
Basel down to 10 men, still hanging on to 1-1
Bollocks, PSG 2-1…
Spawny but 3 points
2 Nil then they $&@?ed it up 🙂
My what a goal by Mesut Ozil? We started off awfully wasn’t the best of games but really when was the last time we came from 2 nil up? That is major character.
Still creaming on Mesut’s goal.
tsgh 8.12, all the top class managers have a claw hammer in their lockers for such occasions these days, Arsene prefers a tin of WD-40 unfortunately !
As for Ozil, he’s simply light years ahead of his time.
PSG at home in a few weeks time is gonna be mouth watering……Ooh to be a season ticket holder !
Nite Gooners.
That goal is the me for the ages.
Unbelievable skill and vision, and more reason we must break the bank to keep him.
So much time and money wasted on building a top squad…not quite a great one yet….that losing Ozil would be taking 5 steps backwards.
What a player.
I know 99% of us here only care about Arsenal, but to all of the “beautiful” football fans out there, I just finished watching Barce run circles around City and for the most 1st half City looked lost. But 2 broken plays and a set piece, City 3 – Barce 1. Point? Football is all about result. Just win Arsenal.
Obi, football is all about players like Ozil, for mine.
Goals like his yesterday are what separates the game from all others 🙂