Morning guys.
It’s a big weekend in the Premier League. Chelsea host Utd, the return of Mourinho to the club which sacked him, twice! No doubt Mourinho will go all out not to lose as that’s what he does away from home against the top sides. Chelsea might be struggling a bit but even so, the under tall man will not want to be beaten by the reigning league champions. Points are going to be dropped for one or both that’s for sure so the onus is on us to try and close the gap on the teams ahead. Totts face Palace at Wembley and who’d bet against Roy Hodgson springing a surprise? Home win surely.
Similar in Manchester I believe although Tony Puilis and his team have given us hope as did a good Napoli side. City can and will concede goals if they are put under pressure and Arsene Wenger has said he fully intends to do just that. His team are not going to sit back and let City play, no, the team are going to attack City, just as they’ll attack us.
“I wouldn’t like to come out on [our approach] but of course we will try to play our game. We will not hide,”
“When we go there, we want to defend well but you cannot go there and only be focused on just defending. We want as well to play, have the ball and create dangerous situations. The best way to defend sometimes is to attack.
“When you want to play football, you have to accept the risk and you have to play. If you want to play football, when you walk out on the pitch you have to accept the gamble and the risk. It is part of the game.
“After, you have to rate the risk. Is it a bigger risk only to defend than to attack if a team is very strong in attack? Maybe it is a bigger risk only to defend.”
I think Arsene is right, it’s a risk to go to The Etihad and just defend because we neither have the players or nouse to do so. Arsene Wenger is hardly renowned for his defensive coaching skills or tactics is he?
But to attack them could leave us wide open at the back as it often does. Lose the ball on the edge of their box and with City’s pace and slick passing, we could very well be undone with ease.
Can we do to City what we did to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge but take any chances that present themselves? Can we for once show discipline, organisation and a bit of cohesion within the team. If we can, we’ll come away with something, even if it’s only pride for not taking a battering. If we can’t, it could be a disastrous afternoon in Manchester.
Today’s game is about two managers, both of whom aren’t too many years away from retirement imo.
For one it’s down to age. His better and more successful days are far behind him. He goes into a game treating it the same regardless of whether we play Doncaster Rovers or Bayern Munich. Or certainly that’s how it seems from the outside looking in. He has a squad lacking key players in key positions and I fear that will again be highlighted this afternoon.
The other is younger but already he’s been there, done it and pretty much won everything. He’s smart, forward thinking, studious and he leaves no stone unturned as he strives for glory. After City, I’m not sure he’ll go anywhere else because after Barcelona, Bayern and of course City where else is there? Maybe he’ll manage the Spanish international side because a World Cup or Euros is one of a few things, if not the only things he hasn’t conquered.
But wouldn’t it be great if the old dog turned up at The Etihad with a few new tricks up his sleeve and for once got the better of team which appears to have very few flaws?
As Kevin Keegan once famously said, ‘And I’ll tell you, honestly, I will love it if we beat them. Love it……’
Back then it didn’t happen but if we have a good day with every player well drilled, focussed and at it, and City aren’t fully on the ball, perhaps today it will…
Perhaps…..
Apparently, Leon Goretzka is out of contract in the summer so he’ll be free to negotiate a deal with overseas clubs. Wenger is reported to want him, but so is Pochettino. I wonder which club he’ll choose to join, if either…
Enjoy the game guys, if you can bare to watch it…. ?
Morning Rico. On paper, there’s only one winner but, every now and again……
Good things do happen. 🙂
Morning all.
You’re right, Adam, and the fact the game isn’t played on paper gives us a little sniff of hope lol
It could get very ugly if our boys don’t show up, and there’s no excuse for them not to be fired up, but we’ve said that dozens of times these last we seasons only to be let down.
Let’s hope they have a decent crack and if so, even a loss won’t be as hard to take as if we roll over.
Rico, what do we know about Goretzka?
Ps-I’m with you in that we can’t sit back v Citeh.
We aren’t capable, imo.
Morning Adam. I reckon we’ll shock City today, beat the Totts and then lose our next league match against a lower league side… ?
Apart from him being German Scott, I know nothing about him but I think he’s more of an attacking midfielder..
https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/leon-goretzka/profil/spieler/153084
Rico, I just had a peek and it seems some massive clubs are looking at him so if the rumours are true, he must be pretty good.
We’ve been linked to him before Scott but as he’s out of contract, Wenger might fancy his chances. Lol
To be honest, if he’s going to sign anyone, I’d have thought a couple of defensive signings would be better than another attacking player. But he’ll probably spin us more tales and end up with nobody.
If he’s off in the summer though, best not to waste any more money…
Kolasinac also came from Schalke on a free.
Seems their handling of contracts is of similar quality to ours.
Rico, yes it seems strange we are looking at about their attacking midfielder.
We should just trot out 11 of them lol
I thought similar about Schalke Scott but I bet their wage bill is nowhere near as high as ours..
Alexandr Golovin was the one I thought Wenger was going for back in the summer..
How can we be expected to keep up with our “targets” lol
I doubt Wenger even knows what he’s going to do in January…
Morning All, I’m really looking forward to today’s game, these are the games that put where we are into perspective, no hiding place, no excuses, on the face of it no chance.
We’ll need the rub of the green as we enjoyed last Spring at Wembley, good goal disallowed (Stirling) and all that jazz…
I think we can get a draw if we score first, but if we concede it could be something like 4-2, 5-3 to City, a bit like a few years back. If we’re chasing the game you can just see de Bruyne tearing our pathetic midfield to pieces, all that pace bearing down on our defence, OMG… ?
But I’m gonna enjoy it, no point hiding behind the settee with your dumb bells, take it on the chin like a man… ?
Great post Rico, Goretzka is off to Barca I reckon.
Morning Kev, thanks.
I think today will hush a few fans… 🙂
Top of the morning all,
Haven’t really followed Pep’s career but I bet he hasn’t got off to such a good start in his time at either Barca or Bayern goals wise that is, two hopes today, slim and none.
Top of the morning to you too Micko..
I dread us going behind early. Nearly as much as I’m dreading watching City’s pace against Merts…
I know rico, didn’t wanna say we’d be doing well if it was still 0-0 after 15 minutes ! It’s definately gonna be entertaining today.
I think we’d all love it if we could beat them but my money is on Wegner having a rabbit in the headlights look come 4pm.
Looks like Dele Alli will be nice and fresh for the NLD in a couple of weeks time.
Of course the game is to be watched, it’s the only way to put our position into perspective. Anything other than defeat will be a bonus , anything other than a total hiding will be par for the course.An annihilation will be disappointing and will heap more pressure on the powers that be. They have many top players whereas we have a couple . If ours perform to their best and a few of theirs don’t ,anything can happen. My advice is to go into the match with hope but not expectation
Looks like Dele Alli will be nice and fresh for the NLD in a couple of weeks time
Best we fit a springboard at the clock end then.
Morning Rico and All
Looks like Arsene will continue with
the 3/5 at back against City.
This could be mean we are out numbered
in midfield,with City playing a back 4.
We have the ammo up front to score,
but is this midfield goner track back.
Arsene is right to say”we have to attack”
but then he hasn’t a clue how to defend
…..Has he….fingers crossed then…..
Looks like goals……On paper.
Potter, has it ever occurred to you that the lad just might have a problem with his inner ear, that might explain why he keeps falling over in the box.
Could be that the glue on those eyebrows has softened and they keep moving to one side or the other.
Afternoon Fred and all.
Micko, maybe he’ll get crocked whilst playing for England, Kane too with a bit of luck…
Lacazette on the bench! Coquelin, Ramsey and Xhaka in midfield…
Afternoon Rico
Part of me thinks winning today is just a hinderance for the winner specially if that moaner get 3 points at Chelsea.
Looking just at the Santi pics of his injury and the lie and spin around it……how can we justfy to win it when Pep worked relentlessly the entire TW and our one working in lies and deceats ?
Arsenal XI: Cech, Bellerin, Koscielny, Monreal, Kolasinac, Ramsey, Coquelin, Xhaka, Ozil, Iwobi, Alexis
Bench: Macey, Debuchy, Elneny, Wilshere, Walcott, Giroud, Lacazette
Hi Alex.
Wasn’t Lacazette our marquee signing this summer ?
rico, spurs withdrew Alli this morning.
I thought he was Micko.
Oops, didn’t know that re Alli, shame…
Afternoon all and thanks Rico.
That line up tells me we are playing four at the back !……………….what happened to the three at the back system ?………………..oh well, I`ve alweays said about horses for courses systems, so let`s see what happens…………………..dont like that there`s no Holy Trinity !
We`ll also see about Mansour City being fatigued after a CL game and opur boys being rested………………….Wenger did say Chavs had an advantage last season, so in theory we should be a lot fresher………….over to you Mr Wenger…………you`ll ether be praised or ripped apart come 16:15 pm ………………..
Ozil saying his prayers won’t do much good… 😉
Wow…to think AW learned a lesson with his Liverpool selection, smh. Does he thinks about matching up?
Cech
Bellerini, Kos, Monreal
Coq
Wilshire, Elneny, Koslasinac,
Ozil, Sanchez
Lacazette
Bugger!
Well, we held out for 18 minutes. I think we did very well!
Have the flood gates opened?
Afternoon all. Sunny here but not in my heart!
Iwobi isn’t having a good day…
Afternnon. Three CBs including Coq! Strange game to try a midfielder out of position. Well it lasted ok for 18 minutes! But when we unnecessary keep giving ball away, always going to happen
This first time lay off into trouble is annoying.Ramsey again.
And yet again we give them the ball Andrew…
We’re playing a really dangerous game…
Lucky only to be one down. Could easily be three or four.
Sanchez is having an off day too…
Sanchez awful corners. And don’t we want our top forward in the box?
Who is having an On day Rico?
That’s a tough one Andrew…
Yes, a shot!
Making them look better than they are.
Sanchez corners are off the training ground. Not working though.
Can’t remember consistently good corners since the days we used to knock at at near post for Smudger to complete.
Blimey, an early substitute…
Sometimes you have to play into space instead of feet to a marked man
Current score
Citeh 1
Arsenal 1
Referee 2
It’s hard enough without the ref getting calls wrong so decisively!
Don’t think we’ve played badly, so far. Let’s hope the final score reflects the team’s effort.
The difference between these two teams in my opinion, is that citeh play a series of one twos, like we used to, whilst the Arsenal are playing at least two touches and often more! One touch football is invariably more efficient and effective than two or more touch football, especially when the player with the ball is surrounded by the opposition!
In this instance we are technically inferior. Again imo!
Their 3rd was offside for me but don’t let that mask the gulf between the two teams….we are so off the pace it’s painful!
If we didn’t give the ball away so often, we might have done a lot better..
Dreadful officiating for their third..
Harsh calls from the refs, never a penalty, and their 3rd clear offside but our lot should have played to the whistle.
Think Oliver wanted to make mend for the cup semi final. .
saying that, we were inferior at every aspect of the game.
City were far the better team.
Another bizarre start up selection from you know who..
Ozil was absent and it was too bigger game for iowbi.
I don’t know if Giroud even touched the ball. .what a waste of substitution!
Long interlol break and even longer season!
Did City win ?
😆
We are already 12 points behind city ..and the goal difference is gazillion ?
Mourinho win and it’s a hatrick of misery!
Wouldn’t worry too much about the others ,we are our own problem.
Another game with Ozil and Iwoby in the line-up and another defeat.
We lost the League to Leicester because of this tactical error. I’ve said it a hundred times and I keep repeating it. Whoever has time, make the statistics of the games that we have lost points over the last few years to play with this pair from the beginning.
AW does not realize that he can have more attacking solutions (?) But defends the team a lot defensively and breaks the whole team. Spaces, the technical quality of the team, in individual terms, masks the error, but collectively the team never works.
No one can get him this message?
One always gets the feeling that one could produce more, balance the game, win, but collectively the team does not work.
So how did our rested refreshed team do against the knackered one`s ?…………………….I jest of course because for years I have never excepted this fatigue crap where top sportsmen cant play two games per week, it`s all bollox !…………….red zone !…….more bollox !……….as someone into fitness I know you should only do 2 high intensity workouts per week with easier workouts in between plus rest for the muscles to grow !………………………..two games per week should be no problem and remember, not all players run great lengths……….think goalie and CB……………………….and Giroud and Walcott and ………………………………………..fatigue bollox !………………………the real problem is we aint good enough…………….from Owner to manager to alot of players !……………club needs a real good shake up…….starting with Wengers neck !
Am I pissed off ?………….nope !………….I` ve become accepting of disappointment ……….accepting of our averageness…………….accepting of not being surprised anymore and worse…………….accepting it wont change anytime soon !
Although we have the entertainment of what could be a “Keystone Cops” January TW, it should be hilarious !
Just watching Cesc doing all the things that none of our midfield are capable of.
Xhaka, Ramsey, and ozil. .formidable midfield , ..who needs cesc!? Says the resurrected one!
Our midfield was woeful Kk, but the others weren’t much better, if at all…
Oh I see, we didn`t play a back four, but had Coquelin as a centre half !……………………….now let me think
💡
who was it that sold Gabriel ?………………………………..
https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/arsene-wenger-explains-why-he-started-francis-coquelin-in-defence-for-arsenals-loss-at-manchester-a3676891.html
I cant even blame Kroenke for that one !
I think it all went wrong when we lost our mental strength !…………..we used to have so much of it as I remember Arsene talking about it every time in front of the camera, aint heard it for a while so obviously that`s why we are shit !
🙂
And how did Cech not stop their first from going in…?
Did you not watch Lc?
Yes I remember when we loaned Coquelin to Charlton as a centre half with a view to them buying him for £30M if it worked out, then he returned to us because of injuries and had to play an unfamiliar position of DM……………………
Haven`t got Sky Sports, Rico and I`m so upset I missed the action, so can only go on what I`m reading !
🙂
Before game it looked on paper that we were playing a back four, but as my link above says it was wrong as Wenger had a genius moment !………………………………actually wonder what may have happened if he had gone with a back four as Pep would have expected a back 3 !
Mind you, if you cant be the best you might as well be shit as inbetween is neither here or there and being shit gets more humourous with self piss taking !…………………………..I know this as all my nephews are West Ham supporters and they rip each other all the time !……………..
🙂
Lc, smart move not having Sky… lol
You didn’t miss much though, but City were quite good…
Catch up tomorrow guys, night all.
Seems I didn’t miss much.
4am start at work meant no 1am viewing lol
So it went as expected, I gather?
I just read Alexis lost possession 21 times.
True or false guys?
I also read Ozil was a shadow and nobody really played well at all.
Strange selections?
Can we say “at least he’s trying something” or more likely it’s desperation stakes?
Now days I decide to watch or not to watch base on the team selection….. I didn’t bother today because Ramsey, Iwobi and Ozil, minus Lacazette makes you scratch your head…… but then what do I know?
KK, totally agree our midfield is appalling….Ramsey,Xhaka and Ozil were woeful yet again.
Bring on the spuds…. hahaha!
Just showed what we already knew.The team is unbalanced careless with no discipline. Rather than take care they play their quick passing into trouble game ditching the responsibility onto someone else . Just playing through the motions.
Potter. I reckon your last sentence nails it and it’s been that way for a while with some players.
The only moan I have is with the offside goal, otherwise City were miles better than Arsenal.
What I’d like to know, was how Sky co-commentator Alan Smith can say that the 3rd goal was ok, or onside…!
What kind of offside law does he think he knows, or is there an offside law in his brain for Arsenal and an offside law for everyone else. What a total prick and from an ex Arsenal player.
I’ve lost all sense of respect for him, he’s just another Sky lap dog, fcuk him and all who sail in him.
Smith has been a disgrace with his lack of support ever since he got into the media. Whether he harbours a grudge for being shipped out as Wenger came in I don’t know but his comments yesterday left me fuming . Mind you this mornings news comment that said the goal might of been offside hasn’t helped. It was ! the lines on the pitch proved it , just say it. Who does it hurt now ? except the referee or in fact the lino or the fourth official or even the guy in the stands with the tv monitor.
However we were well beaten on the run of the game and got exactly what we deserved :- Nothing.
Evening all,
Ivan Gazidis & Sir Chips would be feeling vindicated. The Club is punching above its weight afterall?
Agree re Smith, what a plonker he is. Wonder if he thought Lacazette’s big toe was offside earlier this season?
Morning all..
Morning all.
Bright, sunny and cold in Launceston .
😎
Morning all.
I’m not even curious enough to chase down a highlight package because I pretty much know how we played.
Disappointing, but we are very predictable.
Bored as I`ve hurt my back squatting more than Arsene`s wallet,so I might give myself an hair cut………………….short back and sides, long on top with a quiff just to look like an Arsenal director or a ponce !
🙂
I’ll say this, what a cop out of a comment that was “punching above its weight”. The fact of the matter is Ivan Gazidis should go. 5th richest club in the world(correct me if I’m wrong) & Ivan & Co can’t compete ?
Heres the highlight !, Scott.
Sooner we have video Reff where every Goal, Offside and penalty can be challenged the better !.
https://twitter.com/BlackScarfAFC/status/927203077005959169?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Farsenalarsenal.net%2F2017%2F11%2F05%2Fa-serious-test-of-mental-strength%2F
The Board, The Yank & The Manager have lost the plot. No football plan, just revenue raising. To the numpties who are running The Club, hang your heads in shame!!!!
Stan has taken The Club from being @ one time invincible to “punching above its weight”. He should be ashamed!
“They’re all fat & old cheering for the House of Lords” Stale Sir Boring Old Farts. The Arsenal is run by a bunch of lightweights who should fall on their swords in the name Arsenal!
New post up.
Not sure why we all bother though..