Morning all.
October 2018 seems a lifetime ago now but in the world of football, it was only last season. Unai Emery was just a couple of months into his Arsenal career and Mesut Ozil was in the mood. This was last time Arsenal faced Leicester City at The Emirates in the League.
The ‘new manager syndrome’ was in full flow as Arsenal went into this fixture with nine victories behind them. Claude Puel on the other hand was finding life tough at Leicester. Even so, his team started this game well and we were 1-0 down just after 30 minutes. Hector Bellerin with an own goal from a Ben Chilwell cross. Alarm bells sounded, Arsenal woke up and Mesut Ozil equalised just before the break. Puel was still moaning about the penalty decision which they didn’t get as both sets of players trundled off for tea and stickies.
I would say a different Arsenal came out after halftime but that would be a fib. Same Arsenal, just more awake. Aubameyang came off the bench to score two goals, both of which Ozil had some kind of involvement in and the Arsenal players walked off at the end with tails in the air and three more points to our fast growing tally. Mesut Ozil was our man of the match. We’d popped back into the top four and would have been seen as being strong candidates for a return to Champions League football the following season.
Oh how things change in a relatively short space of time. Brendan Rogers has since replaced Claude Puel and Mikel Arteta of course, replaced Unai Emery. Leicester are third in the League, Arsenal are just a few places below them. Both squads have changed a bit since that 3-1 victory too and of course, Mesut Ozil and Matteo Guendouzi aren’t in Mikel Arteta’s good books. Out of the two, Ozil is in my opinion, the one more likely to see his his name in the squad one day. According to David Ornstein, young Matteo is training on his own and will be sold as soon as this summer transfer window opens.
Arsenal’s injury list remains the same. Mesut Ozil is still struggling with his ‘sore back’ – believe that and you’ll believe anything but Nicolas Pepe should return to the squad after becoming a Dad at the weekend.
Ben Chilwell and James Maddison are major doubts according to Brendan Rogers although I suspect they’ll both make a miraculous recovery before the Leicester City squad jump on their bus. After a dismal restart to this season for Rogers, his team finally managed to win a fixture just a few days ago. That was at The King Power Stadium though against Crystal Palace. Away from home, their results haven’t been good, in fact they’ve not won on the road since New Years Day.
Arsenal have been ticking along nicely. After a horrid restart, things have settled a bit with four victories under our belt. All very different performances too. The scrappy yet much deserved defeats of both Southampton and Sheffield Utd came before smashing four past Norwich. They were followed by perhaps our best result and performance under Mikel Arteta which came just a couple of days ago at Molineux. Beating Wolves away from home is a rarity for any club. For an Arsenal team/squad going through such change is hopefully a mark of what’s to come. That being, no longer soft centred away from home.
Leicester have one of the biggest con merchants in the game up front. He’s quick and dangerous in his own right but the slightest over touches in the box and he’ll go over as if he’s been hit by Mike Tyson. Ben Chilwell is dangerous too but hopefully he’ll be too focused on his big summer move away to cause either Cedric or Bellerin problems.
But we’re at home, so perhaps Brendan Rogers will approach this game with caution as let’s be honest, Arsenal are a threat going forwards themselves. The pace of Aubameyang, Pepe or Nelson, the closing down, hassling up front of Lacazette and Nketiah, whichever one starts and of course, the dangerous Saka whose name is on everyone’s lips these days. In behind them is Ceballos who together with Xhaka look a more organised central midfield and then there’s our defence and the in form Martinez, all of whom will need to be careful around Vardy. Be strong and decisive but don’t give the officials a decision to make.
I hope this Arsenal team/squad, whoever plays, can tear Leicester City apart from start to finish. Aubameyang will want the Golden Boot again so this is an opportunity to get ahead of the rest. Bellerin has a point to prove after being replaced by Cedric in our last game and if Ceballos wants to stay on at Arsenal, another big performance will help his cause. I’m loving the battle between Nketiah and Lacazette up front because it’s what every player needs to keep them on their toes. Actually, not just those two battles because Nelson will be after Pepe’s place, Willock will no doubt have one eye on Ceballos and Holding will be desperate for another start.
A battle for the right to play is healthy and it’s already clear that Mikel Arteta isn’t afraid of change.
Yes, I’m almost enjoying being an Arsenal fan again…
See you in the comments guys.
Good morning Rico another matchday, they seem to come round quicker than a Mike Dean yellow card for an Arsenal player.
This game will be an opportunity to see what we can do against a team with Champions League ambitions, Vardy, in my estimation, is a trifle over-rated but is a threat if allowed space and freedom to run beyond our defence and must be stopped in midfield. If we can stifle him he will become frustrated and ever more likely to try to con the ref into awarding free kicks and, God forbid, penalties.
Mikel will no doubt have the tombola machine in operation to help his team selection but two numbers won’t be in the drum, 10 and 29.
I’m cautiously optimistic as to the result.
Excellent read, Rico! I was beginning to think you’d gone awol 😄
Ah yes that 3-1 against Leicester, what a game that was! Was hoping to see Ozil do the biz again tonight, but no chance… Dani it is then!
Vardy… urgh… just joined the 100 club and has 9 goals in 9 starts against us….how he’d love to score tonight! You’re right, he does go down like a sack of spuds… out of interest I wonder who the top 10 divers are in the league? Vardy for sure…along with Salah.. and after last night I’d definitely say Richarlison!!
And yes, we can definitely expect to see Maddison and Chilwell in the starting 11 🤣
Hoping Auba bangs in a couple more…COYG!!!
Good morning Rico. Well said the competition in the team will make every player really put in much. In midfield Torriera and AMN are waiting for match time. Leicester must fall.
Morning Cicero, Sue, Paddy and all.
Not awol Sue, never. Lol
Fekken diving bastard-I hate Vardy!!!
Morning all.
Paddy, it’s good to at last have a bit of a battle going on despite so many injuries. Long overdue. Next season should see more out there proving their the one for Arteta to pick.
I would like to hear from Arteta why Matteo Guendouazi has been dropped if it is for getting too many yellow / red cards then I agree How ever if he was dropped for standing up for him self and a team mate then stuff Arteta Because this will show the opposition players that our player are weak and not aloud to stand up for them self
Sorry Hi Rico and All
Thanks Sue btw. I’d like to think VAR will be on the ball should Vardy or anyone for that matter go down in the box a bit too easily..
Hi Geoff. That’ll never be disclosed imo.
Geoff, he’s petulant and has a poor attitude.
He’s also just not that great.
He runs around a lot waving his arms around while not doing that much
Cash in, get an upgrade.
Don’t look for reasons to criticise Arteta because you didn’t want him to get the job.
Geoff, are you in total lockdown?
How far from Melbourne are you?
Andrews has done a hell of a job on Victoria.
Hi Scott we are in total lock down the funny thing is the main people in the Victorian government all seem to live in area’s that are not in lock down, If i could say out loud what i think of our premier he would lock me up for life, he has made so many different rules for different suburbs every one is confused.
Hahahahaha
That’s an amazing coincidence mate, surely 🙂
Andrews is just looking worse by the day.
Anyway, stay safe champion!!!
It’s all
You can do.
Scott I used to like Guendouzi but admit he has not improved much in the last year how ever Arteta should say why he is not being selected and as I said will judge Arteta at the end of next season but I don’t want to see any coach stop a player for sticking up for them self or another team mate
Geoff, he can’t really say he’s selling a player for such and such reason as that’ll just lower the value imo.
I defended Guendouzi when he stood up for Leno, but it was correctly pointed out that he did it after the game when it meant nothing, and seemed an act of petulance more than anything.
At least we should get decent money for the guy.
Why Geoff? The player knows and it’s likely the rest of them do too. We don’t need to be told and neither does the rest of the world. Especially if the club are planning to sell.
If Arteta want to sell him fine I am happy for that to happen but he should play him by not playing him show other clubs that he does not like or rate him there for they will not offer much for him as they now Arteta wants to get rid of him
If his attitude is wrong, no way should he play. Imo.
Reading v Huddersfield tonight, Rico. ESR starts….
Chelsea’s kit is horrible!! Was hoping Palace would spank them…. not looking good
Zaha, you beauty!! 😉
Thanks Sue
https://mobile.twitter.com/Arsenal/status/1280565957648408577
What a goal Welbz scored for Watford 👌
Well, blow me down – Maddison and Chilwell didn’t make it 🤣
I’ve just eaten humble pie 😂
It’s not quite happening for us yet..
Nice…
Auba 😍😍😍
With a big help from Saka, Sue.
Almost one Saka supplied by Aubameyang.
Good ball from Ceballos
Lacazette turns again
👍 Cicero
How good has Ceballos been?! 👌
Saka and Auba being good goes without saying, btw 😁
Good start by Arsenal and could have had an early goal. Then Foxes had a little spell before we got back on top a scored a lovely goal. Some more good chances were created before Vardi and Co. started to kick their way into the game. The ref must have left his yellow card in the locker.
Ceballos has been excellent imo.
Should be 3-0 up lol
One thing worth noting, we have actually been winning tackles in midfield, an entirely new concept for Arsenal. 😉
Saka looks knackered.
How many times does Tierney whip a ball into his near post? Yet our players don’t make a run to meet it.
I bet it’s a red…
Shucks….
Big 20 odd minutes now. Obvious I know…
Bollox!
Gutted…
Bollox!
I keep wondering how any Arsenal opponent gets to the end of any game without a yellow card!
I’m so p.o’d… 2 points dropped.. Vardy gets his usual tap in…. really not happy….
Pictures show Vardy’s shoulder offside but possibly Mustafi‘a finger keeps him on.
Ever felt cheated?
Handicapped by yet another red card! But in this case at least we held out for the draw. Under all three of our previous managers we would have lost from the kind of position we were in.
A better result for The Gunners than most of the media hacks predicted.
So not all bad.
Good night folks.
I really am impressed with Ceballos and Tierney though…. love both of them!!!
I thought the red was harsh.
No intent, didn’t have any eyes at all on the opponent and I think it was just pure bad luck.
Turned the game but still, we should have been off and gone by then.
Sue,
Tierney is something special imo.
He does not dwell over the ball.
He heads to the byline and gets the ball into the penalty box.
Sounds simple, I know, but it’s too hard for many players to manage, and it’s damn effective.
Totally agree, Scott… and I love his passion… when one of their players booted his cross out for a corner, he roared!! He’s going from strength to strength… and proving to be a really sound buy!!!
Sue, let’s hope he’s over his direness issues and has a long career with us
Hear hear, Scott 👍
Fitness became direness, Sue.
My phone has a mind of its own 🙂
I knew what you meant 😉🤣🤣😜 hahaha
The more I see the Vardy boot to Mustafi’s head, the more pissed off I become.
If nothing comes of that, it’s an absolute disgrace!!!!
I don’t get it Eddie Nketiah gets a red card for his tackle yet 2 weeks ago our goal keeper gets injured in a similar tackle and not even a yellow card as for Saka I wonder if he need a rest he started looking a bit bugged late in the match
Geoff, it’s impossible to explain away so many bad decisions as anything but bias.
It’s been happening for too long to be anything else.
Morning Rico and all. Scott, Vardy figured he had a free swing of the boot as he was falling over when he estimated where Mustafi’s head would be. Eddie was trying to bring the ball down and caught the player. We are down to estimating intent again. I’ve seen Vardy do that sort of thing before though and reckon he knew what he was doing. I thought a yellow card and a stern word would have sufficed for Eddie myself as I saw no intent. Although, having said that, I thought that we should have been 3 up at half time.
Disappointed but not dismayed.
Adam, absolutely we should’ve been off and gone by the time nothin I didn’t occurred and it’s not an excuse for the result.
It shouldn’t been a factor but the overall performance is on the improve.
Agreed Scott. I would also ask how many fouls did Iheanacho and Evans commit, without much in the way of sanction from that twat of a ref?
Gee I need to check every damn time I post!!
These phones really do make things up as they go along!!
Adam, yes.
How long have we been watching similar scenarios?
Morning all, I think that the amount of time that VAR took over the Eddie incident just increased the pressure on the referee, Stockley Park bottled the decision, that’s how contentious it was, but when Kavanagh saw the slowed down version in all its Sam Peckenpah (?) glory he had no choice. If Kavanagh was a man of conviction then he would have stuck with his original decision because you get a feeling of the game in real time, but Kavanagh proved that he’s actually a man of straw and very much in the mould of his overlord Riley.
As said above, we should have killed that game before half time, finishing is still a major issue for us and for all his well intentioned efforts I’m afraid that Alex Lacazette isn’t good enough to lead our attack, as we’ll discover over the next few games minus Eddie.
Morning Adam, all.
New post up now.
For what it’s worth, I think Eddie’s was a red, but so was Vardy’s. The more important one was Vardy because Mikel Arteta would probably have used his subs in a very different way.
My problem with Stockley Park is we know who is in the ref’s ear but we don’t know who is in his ear.. Last night as the replays got slower and the tackle was made more dramatic Stuart Attwell , I believe , took far too long to advise Kavanagh ,so my question is who was talking to Kavanagh . Was it the same person who said ” Nothing to see here ” as Vardy caught Mustafi in the face ?
Anyone who has played football knows that if you want to leave one on an opponent the old falling down trick is as good as any. I don’t believe that it was a deliberate attempt to knock his teeth out but he was well aware of the swinging leg and it’s affect. But it begs the question of why it was not inspected .
Football is changing , apart from the Quatar drinks / advert breaks coming in the next world cup games are now being refereed remotely. As people like Riley retire and their on pitch bias is removed they have wormed their way into a position where they can continue to affect things and the man on the pitch is little more than a pawn with a whistle.
Kavanagh saw Eddie in real time and made his decision , someone else wanted it to be a red and the cicus went into overdrive. The decision was made well in the knowledge that it would affect the outcome of the game and it was made to slow down Arsenal’s and Arteta’s momentum . If you are to look at these decisions in isolation then possibly they were both reds or both yellows but not one red and one nothing at all.