Morning Gooners,
A few words from ‘Mad Jens’ throughout today’s post:
We once played Inter Milan and nearly got knocked out of the Champions League. We knew we had to get a result and all of a sudden this team really stood up. We beat them 5-1 in Milan, and so it showed us at the time how great we were as a team. The team spirit was vital to achieve such things.
Prior to this campaign, when did we last see the team spirit that Jens experienced?
Maybe in the odd game or two is my answer.
Certain players have stood up, but seldom have Arsenal stood tall together as a team, with each and every one giving their all to ensure we secure a victory or hang on to a crucial point.
Of course many of you will no doubt say, what about this game, or that game and of course you will all be right, but the team spirit Jens refers to was witnessed from beginning to end of the 2003-2004 Premier League season.
When you see Robin van Persie, a player who wants to leave for money and probably because he thinks that somewhere else it is easier to win, you have to let him go.
The bad apples are no longer with us and ‘our bunch’ is no longer being spoiled.
Apart from the little saga with Theo Walcott, every player wants to be at Arsenal and that is what most of us have been asking for, for many seasons. The age of the more experienced players is right, the younger ones, well most of them are Gooners or like Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, they have reiterated their own desire to be at the club for years.
We have togetherness and judging from what we have seen so far, we could finally see the team spirit that we witnessed back in the days of Mad Jens.
This could be the season that ‘things’ really start to tick and it’s fixtures like today’s that will show us how far we have come and how deep the team are prepared to dig in order to get a result.
‘I said pull yourself together Gerv’ not…….
Man City haven’t lost a game at home since December 2010 which is why I suspect that no footballing fan, other than Arsenal ones of course, expect us to get anything from the game today but what do they know eh?
The future will tell us, along with what will come into place next year with the introduction of Uefa’s financial fair play rules. Then we will see how these rules actually come into play for clubs like Chelsea and Manchester City. It could turn out that clubs like Arsenal are all of a sudden far ahead of their rivals.
Why wait until then?
We have a strong squad, Wenger suggests it’s his strongest ever squad:
It is true that the squad has maybe more strength than I have had before. At centre-back, yes, but also in midfield.
City may have all the money and all the super stars, but what we have is worth more. We have stability, a group of players who look happy and we certainly have no ‘off-field’ arguments rumbling on. We even have players on the bench who have the ability to come on and change games, something we haven’t had for a few seasons now.
So are they ready to stand up and show that later today?
We’ll soon know the answer…….
That’s it for another day, hope it’s a great one.
Morning Gooners,
Big day for the Arsenal…..all we ask for is total commitment. Play for the shirt play for the great Arsenal.
COYG
Good post Rico, think Jens is bang on…..we need some spirit of the unbeaten run.
Morning Erick and All…
Amen to that Erick…..
Thanks Erick, I too agree with Jens, back then they would all dig in, Paddy made sure of that.
Today will show us just what kind of a squad we really have….
Big test for Jenks and Mannone….
Giroud could open his goal account today, Citeh are all over the place at the back…
Morning Rico 🙂
Manciy have been poor but believe me they will be up for this one.
We need to be vert cautious but stick to our game, a draw not the best but a win would be lovely.
I do not like the little Russian, think this kinda of games are made for AA.
Theo too, 80K is enough for him…good squad player.
They’ll be up for this big time, but if we are too, we can get at least a point…
I’m not sure what to make of AA, has he even made the bench this season?
My own view is that Theo will soon sign, I hope he does, like you say, good player to have from the bench and as the season goes on, we will need him and AA.
Morning Rico and all. Fingers crossed for today.
Morning Adam, we are crossing everything….just for the three points.
Good post Rico. I agree with most of the sentiments and am excited about this team. I am not sure we need to start labelling the team as his strongest ever as it puts unnecessary pressure on and then looks silly if you come up short. I think we can look at it and say we are stronger than we have been in a while now and lets see where it takes us. It may be we are still 1-2 players short to win the EPL, who knows?
I think if Giroud chooses this game to start to find his scoring boots we can win today. If he needs more games to get going then I think we may struggle a little and it might come down to them having more established goal-scorers, and therefore take the chances better. I don’t think there will be too much to choose when you look at possession and chances created and it will be those fine margins like who was more ruthless with the chances that fell to them. I also wonder whether Hart vs Manone will be decisive. While Manone has improved I still don’t feel completely confident when he has to command a high ball in a crowded box and this could be another subtle difference that could swing the game one way or the other. I do however think we are one of the few teams capable of beating them there and I bet their fans are not quite so confident and cock sure.
Morning Adam, everything crossed, so much so, I just fell over 😉
Rotten weather here, raining, dark and chilly so going to light the logburner and have a day in front of the television watching mostly football 🙂
Hope you are right Rico, I like Theo…..but he’s asking for too much, yet he has yet to prove his worth.
Morning Gb, thanks..
I am unsure why AW says the same thing each season about his squad as it has been glaringly obvious that he fibbed.
But, this season, even though in my own opinion we are at least 2 players short, it appears to be the strongest we have had for a while, certainly the strongest in depth.
I have a sneaky feeling Giroud will open his goal scoring account, he’s been getting closer and what better that to beat a keeper like Hart to get his first goal…
Do we really know what Theo has been asking? It’s all newspaper speculation. I read yesterday that the stumbling block is he wants a little more in his pay packet each month because the club use him as the ‘Poster Boy’ as he’s a good looking guy…
Are we to believe that? 😉
He is reported to have told close friends that he is very happy at the club, should he depart, I suspect it will be Wengers decision rather than his….
Rico easy, we need more post…..no injuries like you know who.
Gooner B spot on, am a little worried about Mannone. The small things will make a big difference.
Rico. Best to stick to fingers only being crossed.
Don’t we hear the “strongest squad” spiel every year? Bit tiresome if you ask me.
Log burners are very posh Rico. 🙂
But quite efficient apparently.
Poster boy 🙂
Think Aw does not think Theo is worth his effort….Aw has been ruthless.
rico – Good post
I see us getting all 3 pts or at least a draw. Gervinho and Cazorla will be on fire today
COYG’s !!!
I’m being positive Erick 😉
Adam, very tiresome and as said, so very untrue, but this season, I’d say we are stronger than last but are we strong enough?
Log burners are the bees knees, not posh though….
Jck is back now Erick, he’ll take over the ‘poster boy’….
Not sure, why didn’t he sell him in the summer, we could have got £12M for him, I think AW wants him to stay…
Morning emma, thanks and I too think we’ll come away with something.
Swings and roundabouts Rico. Stronger in some areas, weaker in others.
I would like a log burner but don’t have any remaining chimneys so I will have to stick to central heating. It is still dry on this side of town, but depressingly grey.
You have alway been positiv Rico 🙂
Gooners very positive, we have a good squad…..time will tell if we can deliver.
Erick. I agree. Rico is always supremely positive :).
Go you roaring gunners…go do what you knw hw to do best…just make us proud…COYGS
Am already getting nervous guys…….COYG
Keeper and striker situation worries me Adam….
That’s a shame about the chimneys, they nick anything in London don’t they 😉 😉
I try Erick, I try….
Rico. As you know, I agree and feel a post coming on.
You country girls love to chip away at us townies don’t you? 🙂 You should try London sometime. I could show you the sights. 🙂
I thought we showed great spirit last season after the dreadful start.
There was the odd mishap,but in general,our spirit got us through to a top 3 finish.This season we have more class,so if we can mainain the spirit,we could finish even higher.
Morning all.
Spot on Mafc..
Don’t be nervous Erick, it’s gunner be good 😉
You know me Adam, prefer the countryside that the bright lights of London and I saw London Bridge years ago thank you 😉
I reckon theres a 50% chance of us winning,50% chance of a draw,and 50% chance of a loss.
An even bet,me thinks 🙂
Was that the old London Bridge with the heads on stakes Rico. 🙂
One of the benefits of the countryside is having a log burner , If you use all the cardboard packaging to light them as well they save on land fill too. As for the Arsenal it is stand up and be counted day, 100% from everyone should see us leave with our heads held high and hopefully 3 points in the bag.
Morning Scott,
And lack of it cost us in certain games….
True guts and spirit wouldn’t have let happen what happened at OT… and true guts, proper team spirit would have seen us get 3rd spot long before we did….
Just think it’s different so far this season….
Big day for Diaby…. He says he is more like Yaya than Paddy, well let’s see today eh…
It was Adam, I believe you were stood behind me that day 😉
You have it in one Potter, especially the big boxes which the numpty councils won’t recycle
Ooooh. These country girls can be vicious. 🙂
We have had this discussion on OT before Rico,and we must agree to disagree on that one.
Overall,we showed a lot of spirit last season.
Yes,we are a different squad now,and an improved one….no pussy foot prima donnas left,and they have been replaced with workers….guys who are prepared to put in.
For sure Scott, but the point I am making is we seldom saw a team fight – we’d always have a few that didn’t pull their weight.
Whereas so far, every single player is pulling their socks up and putting in a bloody good shift….
Adam, we learned from the City folk 😉
Fair enough Rico.
The fact we have a stronger all round squad with competition for every spot means they must fight.
Morning all,
I think that the egos have gone, there is no-one who thinks he is head and shoulders above the rest, the whole squad are prepared to play for each other in a way that has not happened for a long time.
Last season there was too much reliance on the Little Dutch boy, now everybody has to take responsibility in their own way.
Today will be a big test and will give a genuine indication of what we can expect this season. I think we will win today or at least go down fighting.
C’mon The Glorious gunners!!!!
COYG’S !!! Keep the faith. We will bag all 3pts
Good girl Emma….love THAT spirit 🙂
today arsenal will be reborn again! we will witness an arsenal team that play like real champions and will be victorious and will never look back watch out rivals arsenal are coming! Arsenal All day all year
emma,
COYS? are you a Spud in disguise? 🙂
I am pretty confident we can get a result,but disappointed nobody picked up my 3 lots of 50% earlier….you all must be too excited!!
Too right Scott and if they aren’t up for that fight, Bouldy will soon give AW suitable advice 😉
@emma…COYS?
Morning all, Nice one Rico,
Have my grandsons Christening today so will miss the build up and the game but i will record and watch our win when i get home, fleeting visit i know but may catch you all laters COYG’s
Another fake Emma??
What have you done with the real one??
Hi JW –
I think you are right, and the departure of Alex ‘Messy’ Song has helped too…
Scott,
I did notice your 150% but didn’t want to draw attention to it as I thought that maybe in Oz you have a different way of calculating things, and you have been below par heath-wise lately. 😕
Have a great day Steve…another Gooner to the fore!!
Morning Steve, little Gooner shirt in hand I hope 😉 Have a fad day…
The typo has been rectified ….
Hi, Rico,
I watched some of the Barca game last night and noticed how Song stuck to his job as a centre-back. Even when they were flooding forward he stayed back. Somebody has taught him some discipline. Even so, I’m not sorry he has gone.
Haha JW….i feel amazingly well today considering how downright terrible i was yesterday!!
Maybe Bould would have instilled some discipline into Song,but we took good money or him…no great loss.
Scott – I saw it too, just thought were still suffering from man flu 😉
JW – he did for us as CB, wonder if they bought him for that role only, if so surely he won’t be happy….
Scott – I think Bould was the reason behind him being sold, maybe even he knew there was no chance
What time is kickoff?
TT
4 o’clock.
Liverpool v Manure up first – might have to watch that…
Will they or won’t they shake hands? 😉
Good Morning my Esteemed Fellow Gunners.
Today is not the first real test. Today its the fifth test of the season. We have to overcome 38 tests for us to say we are a real T.E.A.M.
Well done for a great motivational post Rico. Are you sure you would not like to be a Ladies team coach?? you would make a fine one too. And you would leave the hairdryer for your lovely curls I am sure!!! 😉
Rico,i agree on Song!
Morning Devil….how do you read our chanCes tonight?
Rico,
The pre-match handshake is a totally meaningless gesture, it is a contrived device to expose the Barclays banner to the attending cameras, purely an advertising gimmick.
I would far rather see the players shake hands after the game as a gesture of good sportsmanship, although I suspect that some of them would be more willing to shake their opponents by the throat.
Did you see that Pulis is moaning about a bad late tackle on one of his poor players? Pot calling kettle black comes to mind. 😯
Morning devil – I’d give my right arm to be the ladies coach, but only if you join me to go through the tictacs 😉
I agree its not the first test, but it’s the one which will show us fans what this squad really is made of…
JW – Agree there too, why they do it amazes me, after the game is when the handshakes should take place and even then, if players don’t want to then they shouldn’t be forced too..
Don’t suppose that Ramsey would have been too keen to shake Shawcross hand a couple of years ago…
I know I wouldn’t…
Pullis is a plank, he was moaning about the Chavs diving too, mind you, he has a point there….
Rico,
Talking of diving I thought a certain Spaniard was lucky not to have been booked for a dive in Granada’s penalty box last night. He seems to have learnt a bit of the thespian’s art since his move back to his boyhood club. 🙂
I think that if we keep Yaya from making the late runs plus keeping the ball plus taking chances we will surely win. Shitty are no longer a surprise now and will surely loose a two or three games by the end of the round.
Erm Rico I will gladly join you providing I will also be the masseur. 😉
JW…the diving comes with the DNA.
You had me wondering who you meant for a minute there JW, thought it couldn’t be Cesc as he would have been on the bench 😉
That’s what I think too devil, he is their orchestrator, if he is kept quiet, we’ll get something…
At the back they are really all over the place….
The teams or mine devil 😉
Obviously the team’s Rico. But if you want to have a free one no problem.
Deal devil….
It’s disappointing we missed out on Hazard,as he has proven himself a very,very quick learner….he already dives with the best of them!!
When is someone,somewhere going to have the balls to bite the bullet and out these grubs??
Rico and Deil will be quiet for a few minutes….just taking cold showers 🙂
So is DEVIL!!!
Nah Scott. I was busily indulging myself in a plate of rice with mushrooms and carrots. plus a bottle of wine mate. the shower later on today.
Enjoy mate.
I am off for two hours kip.
Maybe i should watch the start of the Utd v Scousers match…sleep would be surely soon to follow.
Talk soon guys.
back shortly…
wait for me Rico…… 😆
😆 Scott, not a shower, but lunch…
Sleep well, but I bet you don’t….
Ha ha devil…
Hello gooners,
the manures are struggling
Hi Tsgh, you watch them after the half time hair-drier treatment 😉
Good morning Rico and All.
Why do referees always give ManU the leading boost in games?
Hi Ng, have the mancs scored??
Rico. No, but the referee sent someone off with a red card.
true rico especially 10 vs 11
Afternoon all,
Feeling quietly confident about this one, no clean sheets for Citeh this season, think we have a real chance, I’m going for 1-2 today, c’mon Arsenal.
afternoon gooners
good post Rico..and yes so optimistic about today’s game .. 3/1.
.the boys gotta show that togetherness and fighting spirit and we shall come victorious..COYGs
Just caught the update guys, thanks – Shelvey off for the dippers….
Hi Micko
I’m feeling quite confident too, not sure why going there when then haven’t lost since 2010…
Hi hak, thanks re the post…. can’t wait tbh…
Scousers 1-0 up.
Liverpool 1-0
10 men but Liverpool are ahead. Glen Johnson is stopped when he tries to burst into the box down the left but the ball squirts into the path of Steven Gerrard near the penalty spot, to slam the bouncing ball home with a low finish past Anders Lindegaard.
1-1 ….
Reina is rubbish. Excuse my language. Thinking we had a bid of 15m rejected to 2 seasons ago.
rico, unlike this time last season i think we’re a match for any team, no need to fear anyone.
Mannone will have to be on the top of his game though, he will have to show his mental strength today.
I hate the dippers and want them to lose.
I hate RvP and want him to lose….
What to do eh??
true Rico …..hate both too…a draw will be good result for us i think
A draw Rico will do fine
He certainly isn’t the same keeper he used to be Tsgh, I heard he wants out of Anfield….
Can’t disagree there Micko, Anfield showed us that…. I worry about the keeping situation all around, even with Ches.
Think we missed a trick in the summer not getting an old head in there….
Ok, draw then but maybe with a few reds thrown in 😉
Suarez is such a cheat…..
We should have got Jussi in summer. it would have sent Rico to the Royal University of Masseurs even if its campus was on the moon.
Sure would devil….. How many times did i struggle to write his name, and after getting it right finally, we didn’t even sign him…
Big Tony back tracking already?
Tony Adams told Goals on Sunday why he twice snubbed offers to join Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United.
The former England defender was a one-club man during his playing days making 669 appearances for Arsenal, winning four league titles and three FA Cups.
His achievements have recently been recognised with a statue at the Emirates Stadium, but he told Ben Shephard and Chris Kamara how Ferguson twice tried to tempt him to Old Trafford.
He explained the first offer came too early in his career and when United came in for him on a second occasion in 1996 he was persuaded to stay at Highbury.
“Alex came in twice,” Adams said.
“The second time was 1996 when the club was in a tricky situation. We hadn’t got a manager at the time and I’d just got sober. I’d sobered up and was leading quite a decent life.
“We hadn’t won a trophy for 18 months at that point and I was kind of questioning their ambition. Luckily enough David Dein and Daniel Fiszman came into the club then and injected some cash into the club.
“They said they wanted to win things. Dennis Bergkamp came over, David Platt joined the club and they said this was a club with ambition.
“[The first time] Bryan Robson came to me and I think I was on £75,000 a year and he was offering me £90,000 to go up to Old Trafford.
“At that time I was a London boy and I was probably a bit scared in those days as well. There was a bit of fear and I was very comfortable at Arsenal.
“My life off the pitch wasn’t particularly great at that moment in time and change was probably a bit scary.”
Special
Adams says it is rare for players to spend an entire career at one club these days and suspects his appearance record at Arsenal is unlikely to be matched.
But he said there was rarely a thought in his mind that he might leave his hometown club.
“It’s a very special football club,” he said.
“It’s a big club and I didn’t feel the need to go anywhere else. They were very ambitious and wanted to win things and I was getting paid very well, so why go anywhere else?
“I’m a London boy and I couldn’t see any other club in the world bigger than the Arsenal.”
Jussi, Boruc, Isaakson, Given, Scwarzer could all have helped the present tea.
However for me it should either have been CESAR from Inter or Jussi. Cesar would have made our defence unstoppable and unbeaten.
Tony Adams was on £75,000 a week in 1996, crikey…
So basically, he would have gone had he not just recovered and the club hadn’t convinced him to stay…..
Rico, 75k a year was the first time not 1996
I got the Boruc story wrong devil… but some keeper who was out fo contract has just signed for a PL club….
Cesar was available wasn’t he?
As was the Rangers keeper or Craig Gordon….
Rumours going around that TV5 is out
Mancs awarded a penalty
No, please no, not TV….
poor refereeing.
Shocking decision….
So earlier than 1996 Tsgh?
yeah rico. I think it was between 89 – 91
I really hate that Manc number 20!!
i think Tony Adams just trying to cool the waters after his snap at
the club’s transfer policy …. the swift and robust response he found from AW must have had opened Tony’s eyes to mind what he says.
AW said”we have enough humility & intelligence to know what’s is good for this club”
there you have it Tony ! if you are not intelligent enough ….!
That’s a lot of money back then Tsgh….
I hope the verminator news is untrue. But then again if he is not 100% then he shouldn’t start
That’s about 1.5k a week Rico
Straight red card that should have been for the traitor, shocking biased refereeing …..
Oops, sorry, I thought you meant a week Tsgh 😆 😆
Van pursey will be thinking that is why he join the manures. Even when playing poorly, the ref is behind them. Especially on a day like this in Enfield
Yep, it’s Merts and Kozzer today.
Where is emma, she normally gives us the team news by now…
Afternoon all!
Another black MU supporter on the pitch at Anfield.
TV is out?
OG12 starts I m hearing
Bugger – thats a bit of a blow Micko…
Enfield Tsgh 😉
Team in full: Mannone, Jenkinson, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Gibbs, Arteta (c), Diaby, Cazorla, Ramsey, Podolski, Gervinho.
Substitutes: Martinez, Djourou, Santos, Coquelin, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Walcott, Giroud.
Ramsey starting, why??
I’m not feeling so confident …..
Yeah JM, we may have to get the Carabinieri in to do some investigation. This can not be going on year in year out.
rico says:
September 23, 2012 at 3:17 pm. I mean a remembrance day for the 96.
what happened !? ..TV out?…and Ramsey starts?
Where is TV5??
What are the odds that Cazorla plays on the right wing with Ramsey in the hole…..
RVP is scum, that should have been a straight red.
United need the ref to beat a 10 man liverpool team, worst united side I have ever seen, never a peno, awful ref.
Rico. Ramsey make give us a bit of more running around and defensive cover on the right.
playing 10 vs 12 is hard even at home. lol
I hope not TSGH, Ramsey covering ground is one of the signs of the apocalypse.
yes, Ramsey is in the line-up, TV out. Kos in, Manone in.
Di Natale scores again! Udinese 2 Milan 1
You may be right Esp. A bit more power in the middle considering EF29 is not ready.
playing Ramsey to combat city’s midfield ?
i prefer him coming from the bench …will be a test for him…but he is capable of doing well….
still unfazed …roll the money city over…COYGs
eastsidepaul says:
September 23, 2012 at 3:25 pm. The 4th horseman
There it is, the eight seal: And there I did see Arron Ramsey returning to cover his defence, lightening struck, the earth cracked in half from mighty quakes, and forth came the four horsemen of the apocalypse…
End of days and United still have every ref in the land bought.
😆 Tsgh re 1996…
Liverpool were robbed of a point, and replays show that Suarez was caught, that’s the problem for Suarez I guess, his reputation goes before him and the refs give him little….
Ramsey just can’t go toe to toe with Yaya. We seen that game played before. Yaya just bully him from the ball.
Now we are at the Etihad, the referee is Mike Dean, another plank who could change this game….
And today is why I fear at the back, an injury to Kos or Merts and on comes Djourou…..
Please please don’t let that happen…..
Mancs always get away with it ….times and times again
Prophet Esp.lol.
About referees being bought, becareful, the internet has eyes and ears.lol
Rico not Mike Mr Bean
still good feeling about this game…we will do great..COYGs
Ramsey??
We have Ox and Coq on the bench…. Doesn’t make sense to me but hey, what do I know…
Yep, jasper lookalike carrot…. Mr *********** Dean…..
AW thinks Ramsey is a french african from Senegal.lol. His fave player
COYGS
Anyone watching Plat and Mankini with the SS’s guy in the restaurant?
Both in green jumpers, how sweet!
W*****s!!
Best I call him and tell him he is Welsh!
come on Arsenal!
Meet you after the match
This is the reason we been talking about a defensive midfielder the size of Bruno the boxer. TV5 is out, we need Bruno to cover the back four.
COYG’s
Please do Rico, and whilst you are at it remind him he said he was going to buy in december even though the transfer window opens in January.
Still positive. COYGs
Might have to retract my 2.30 after seeing the team news, feeling a bit sheepish now.
Come on Micko. Stay positive
TalkShiteGingerHater says:
About referees being bought, becareful, the internet has eyes and ears.lol
Yes they are bribed, corrupted etc. I am not afraid to say that, and if one looks around Europe he can find referees who were disciplined due to game fixing.
What is with the Diaby/Yaya cuddle in the tunnel???
Come on, this means too much for all that ‘love-in’…
Soft heads!
Come on Arsenal!
I will Tsgh….
Hi Ak, confident?
Micko, you and me both…. i was but now I am not….
Game on. COYG’s! Strong bench today.
Bloody alarm!!
Morning all!!
Rico, i am quietly confident…..
I think we can get a point from Wastelands, at the very least.
Aguero is my only concern, Koscielny will need to be at his very best to stop the Argentinian….
Hi Will….
Hi Lewis, Scott…
Hope you are right Ak, see you all at H/T
Hey Rico and all.
“but i play for Citeh now,souldn’t that go my way?”……..2 times ALREADY….Scott Sinclair!!
Have a go kieren!!!!
Look at the positive…we ripped the apart…deep breath!!
SHIT,!!
BFG…..
Uncle Bouldy’s defence…
Amazing….on season of success,and every prick in blue sitting in the stands suddenly thinks he’s a Utd fan and should get EVERY decision lol!!
We look decent atm.
Gibbo is having a brilliant game.
3 points on offer today.
Santi is rediculous.
Mr Bean is hanging,Too many pies
Poor mans Silva lol!!
Ramsey is a different player this season……Cazorla is THE reason!!
That is what Ramsey offers. Fitness
That’s better Gervinho.
Gerv’s touch today???!!!
Spuds losing 1 nil
Why did Mannone come out??
Nowhere bloody near it!!
Fuckin bullshit!
Playin well tho. One bad moment.
Everyone…the players,coaching group and fans,should take heart in the fact we had the better of the play.
A disappointing goal to concede….marking was ordinary and i do not know what Manonne was chasing,but gee whiz….500 million pounds for a headed goal??
We can grab one or two.
All from Abu Dhadi’s poor pass to MA8.
Still positive though
Oh dear…. Steve Bould will not be very happy….
This looks like a game for TW14
Arsenal have created enough chances to have scored, but it’s not happening at the sharp end today…
Why ffs doesn’t Diaby and Ramsey put their effin foot thru the ball and have an effin shot instead of chickening out and passing the effin ball instead?…
Losing, we should be 2-0 up… effin joke…
Diaby = one minute brilliance, the next he dawdles on the ball 🙄
I don’t blame Mannone entirely, one of the defence should have challenged Lescott and before then, someone should have given a ‘leave it’ to Gibbs…
Then, no corner, no goal!
not over until its done ! little bit of composure in front of goal….COYGs
We are still in this. One really poor moment, but we have by far, been playing the better football. COYRs!!!
One goal down but not out. The team is playing well and the goals will come if Gerv focus.
Why no penalty with the handball??
Kev, an out and out goal scorer would make all the difference.
We were by far the better team that half, Citeh look very ordinary, we just got mugged.
Because neither have bucket loads of confidence Ak….
When was the last time we won a match with Mr Bean in charge?
Accidental Scott….
Tsgh, if it’s still 1-0 with 30 to go, I’d bring Theo and Giroud on….
Oh, and OC
Jenks has been superb first halt, so much so, Sinclair switched sides….
See you at F/T….
Mick, maybe today is Giroud’s day???
Bloody hope so, but why oh why don’t our players have a fcuking shot???
Never seen one given like that Rico??
Different club….different ground…..different ref lol
Rico, the whole team has been superb; let them continue this way the goal will come.
Something is starting to go wrong, we need a change…
Scott, did you not sense my sarcasm?
Need to move it quicker.
Diaby is finished, he is tired and needs to go off, keeping him on will just make him a target for some fans abuse imho…..
Did you sense mine…different ref lol??
Touché Scott 😉
Agree on Diaby..he looks tired alright.
Theo, OC & Giroud
Diaby, Ramsey & Gerv
Poop or bust I say 😉
We’re gonna do well to get a point outta this game…
City are just soaking up our pressure and hitting us on the break…
No point bringing on Theo, City are too deep.
Need something different, Giroud imho…
I think Ramsey is just out blown out as well.
Giroud is warming up i think….
Make some changes arsene.
No point trying to pass ‘thru’ City’s defence, they love that, they just soak it up…
Need to go over the top occassionally, try some crosses, just mix it up a bit…
Aguero takes that on the shoulder…play on….
We’ve lost our edge, think it might be asking a lot of Giroud to turn the game around in just 22 minutes.
September and Diaby is tired, oh gawd !
What I’d give for a Cazorla special right now.
Zabaletta is world class at playing through the back of his opponent and getting away with it.
Micko…it is exactly why Diaby shouldn’t be playing CL atm in my opinion….too much too soon.
Not sure about Podolski coming off!!
Agree Digger, i would not have taken off Podolski…
This little bald headed won’t give us an inch!!
Well defended and great save Vito.
Theo isn’t in it…..Ox please!
Pish poor crossing from Walcott !
Of Shud have come on, not theo.
That was bloody close.
You FUKKING BEAUTY,!!!!!!
Ox*
Park the bus, park the fooking bus !
yesssssssssssss
Just ordered my away shirty with Koscielny 6 last week lol!!
If we go on and win,it will be worth ten times as much lol!!
COME ON!!
I just woke up the neighbours!!
And my wife……..and you can guess who was the most pissed off!!
Why coldn’t Giroud be on the end of that…Gervinho..at least force a save.
He is so much better on the shot when he has no time to think…..too much like Theo!!
Did anyone pick up the world class headed flick on from Giroud….Coquelin simply didn’t read it,unfortunately.
We were robbed of 3 points 😉 😉
Big Fcuking German,
We’ve Got a Big Fcuking German,
Big Fcuking Ger-man,
We’ve Got a Big Fcuking German
That is a sensational result,and no betterhan the mighty Arsenal deserve.
Rico,you called for spirit and the guys produced it in bucket loads.
We totally outplayed them in the first half,and heads could have easily dropped after conceding.
We lost rhythm early in the second,but managed to drag one back.
That is spirit.
am happppppy
Well played lads. If Gerv cud shoot we would’ve battered them!
AK….next time you hear anyone bag Metrs,shove a dvd of this game fair up their arse lol!!
good spirit may last long…refreshing
Match report finished. look into your inbox Lady.
Gerv could easily had 3 goals today, but… that first heavy touch hit the self confidence button and he couldn’t get it back….
fighting till the end….i like it !
devil, you really are a gem, thank you so so much…..
How many sides will go to the Etihad and get a point??
We did……
Mert and kos were awesome!
must admit Ramsey was awesome today…credit due where it is
We can take even more outta that result, than the win at Anfield imho…
Ramsey had his best game in an Arsenal shirt since he broke his leg.
Gerv was, well Gerv, could have had a hat-trick, and on another day, he’ll do just that…
And Jenks lewis, i thought he was outstanding…
Rico, how many sides will go to Wastelands, ‘go a goal down’ and take a point????
hak, Ramsey was good, got in Jenks way once but yes, credit where it’s due….
None Ak, none…..
Merts MOTM 🙂
There is a reason why Kozzer is my favorite player of this lot. 🙂 🙂 Yay!! Zabaleta got away with a lot.
Ramsey still has a way to go,but i said all last season he needed that time under his belt and would be better this time around.
He went terrific.
I kept thinking that Jenks had kept his passing simpler,and looked better for it.
He was awesome.
Kozzer…well,ive always loved him.
Bugger it..i am not going through them all….we all know they went terrific,and that includes Gervinho,barring one touch and one shot lol.
He is looking very,very dangerous.
Night all….hyped up now…..reckon i will get two ours sleep before work??
Me neither 🙂
Yeah whole back 4 were great.
Giroud made a difference when he came on as well.
City looked comfortable against our passing game in the 2nd 45, but Giroud changed the dynamics of our attack and it shook up the City back-four, who were staying deep…
RAMSEY=Die hard spirit. Never say never, fight to the end.
Kozzer clearly frustrated Aguero; the latter was rushing his shots; and generally fluffing his lines. Silva who??? Cazorlove, what a fantastic buy, he has been.
Hello, all!
Rico, eventually you’ll get an Arsenal shirt with Mertesaker on the back… 😉
Good call Kev,and you made it before he went on!!
I am seriously every bit as excited as if we’d won….it’s a massive result!
Agag,i was thinking during the game how long til Mankini makes a bid for Cazorla,with Silva(the rich mans Santi) as a sweetener!!!
Agag, quilt cover with Koscielny on order i suspect?
Night Scott, you should sleep well after that….
Night Digger, now try, just try, to get some shut-eye…. 😉
Kev @ 5:53
No profanity please 🙂
Welcome back, Ramsey!! Giroud holds up the ball really, well. And he’s quite easy on the eye, too. :oops.
AK, you sound so stoked. 🙂 It’s been a while since we had a back four that didn’t worry me. Bring on Chelsea; we’ll slaughter those overrated, overpaid chavs.
I dunno, don’t think Wenger is doing much for Giroud’s confidence, he’s only getting 15-20 minutes, not easy to take for a striker, how many times did he actually touch the ball when he came on, must be hard for him at the minute.
ok, I like the first half, the second wasn’t so good, but many players, in both teams , were completely tired tired, reflecting European games in midweek.
Little clarity, many passes failed, too long time with the ball, etc..
As Kos has not played in midweek, was the best in the pitch 🙂
Diaby worries me still….
Ak, no chance, couldn’t afford it 😉
Nasher, i humbly apologise….. 😀
A shirt will do me, Kev. 🙂 Scott, I thought Silva’s passing was atrocious and he didn’t seem interested in the game. “Poor man’s Silva.” Riiiiight. Who outshone who tonight??
Hi agag…
Micko, why do I so often agree with you. Giroud imho should have started today, show the player that AW believes in him.
what a way to celebrate me birthday….COYGS!!!!!!1 YEEEAAAAH.
@Micko, to be fair to AW, he gave Giroud almost the full game in France. Giroud’s time will come for him to open up his account.
rico, I think Diaby did well in the first half. Was quiet after the break, though.
Hiya, Micko. But if we had started Giroud ahead of Gerv who has delivered the goods the last two matches, then people would have been calling for AW’s head again.
He didn’t have long to play, but I thought he was infinitely better than Theo. 😉
Agag, me, stoked???
Now you know i’m calm……not.
I was singing to my PC with the away fans, they outsung the City fans….
What a great team we have, i haven’t been buzzin’ like this since 2006….
It’s coming home sweetheart, believe me… 😛
Ng, he’s our £10M striker signing, he should play and let him get better and better …. (imho of course 😉 )
We played brilliantly i think. Unfortunate to give up a soft goal. Mertesacker’s positioning was brilliant. Jenkinson looked a different man. The midfield was brilliant in driving us forward. Gervinho was lively but a bit too one dimensional as usual. City got away with one today. That game was ours. Looking forward to our next match!
Agree re Diaby agag, but AW needs to react a bit quicker to things like that imho, Diaby plays a crucial role and when he starts to fade, get him off, otherwise he could cost us 3 points….
Good result today. No Drogba for the chavs. Roberto Di tomato will be having nightmares until we play them.
the movement! I haven’t seen so much great movement in midfield in about 3 or 4 years.
Will, now we just need to make that movement count a bit more often…
On another day, Gerv could have had 3…..
I am being pedantic though, really chuffed with todays result…..
TSGH, next week’s game vs Chelski mate, that’s the one, win that and even Le Grove will start to realise that this team can win the EPL…
Mick, understand your reservations concerning Giroud, but Wenger is rotating and keeping our players fresh, although i worry about Cazorla and Arteta, who can AW really use to give them a rest, they really are the heartbeat of the team…
Nashua, Coventry Wednesday night, keep em peeled.
Goonster, pushing up 30 eh ! Have a drink on me.
I’m done for the day guys, got to pop out and see some friends…. You all have a good night and see you tomorrow for a Devil match report….
Great result, sleep well all….
‘Til tomorrow…
Night….
You going Weds’ Mick?
Could see a totally different XI from todays…
Gonna be a very interesting game…
Night Rico, i’ll order that shirt for you then? 😉
AK, very true re Le Grove, I think Giroud could cause Tom & Jerry some problems. Looking at their mdf, I think we can boss them.The Boss Kos will keep the 50m flop quiet.
Most impressive player today is CJ25. He kept both Silva and the 10 team man quiet the whole game. And silva is on 200k a week
Be good rico.
Rico, Giroud coming in the final third makes an impact on Mancity defense. The only problem today is Gerv not wearing his scoring boots. Podi didn’t make much impact in the second half.
We deserved at least that. Perhaps more.
Hopefully see some highlights on the box kev, looking forward it, more of a family outing these days is the league cup, great value for money, can’t knock it.
salut kev
looking forward to see some youngsters next wednesday..
then bring the diving chavs on..looking good so far this season.
Theo situation is having a negative impact on his game..he was
absent after coming on….needs to sort out himself sooner me think
Did you get it Rico??
If we have had the Gervinho of last wk against Southampton. We could have won the game.
Lots of positives. Don Vito, Jenks, Gibbs immense.
BFG great interceptor
Koscielny what a goal.
Cazorla, Arteta, Ramsey what a combo. That was the Ramsey we know before the leg break
Diaby was good in the 1st half but giving away the ball in dangerous positions in the 2nd. But could be better
Overall we were very good. We reacted well after going a goal down
The Totts star to climb up…
Don Vito is in to stay I think.
Laurent Koscielny struck with eight minutes remaining as Manchester City and Arsenal drew 1-1 at the Etihad Stadium in the Premier League.
Arsenal impressed for much of the first half, but Joleon Lescott’s header turned the game the way of the hosts, and gave them the advantage at half time.City had chances to put the game beyond the match in the sort of encounter Arsenal have often lost in recent seasons, but the Gunners held on and found their equaliser through Koscielny’s clinical shot following a corner late on.
Both sides preserve their unbeaten starts to the season, with identical records of two wins and three draws, but Arsenal remain in front of City in fifth place by virtue of goal difference.
Koscielny, not a first choice this season for the Gunners, only started the match because Arsenal captain Thomas Vermaelen had been laid low by flu in the build-up to the match.
City, meanwhile, left both Carlos Tevez and Mario Balotelli on the substitutes’ bench, with Roberto Mancini pairing Sergio Aguero and Edin Dzeko up front.
Arsenal made a very solid start, passing the ball around with confidence and class, even if chances were thin on the ground.
The first real test for either goalkeeper came when Aguero fired a snap shot from the edge of the area – Vito Mannone, standing in for the injured Wojciech Szczesny, could only parry it.
Two minutes later Gervinho had the first of several chances for the Gunners, played through by a weighted pass from Aaron Ramsey, only for a clunky touch to deny him so much as a shot on goal.
Lukas Podolski should also have done better when Carl Jenkinson robbed Lescott on the wing, drove to the byline and cut back, only for the German to sky his shot.
Santi Cazorla also did a great job playing Gervinho in, as did Ramsey once more, but the Ivorian got no closer than the side netting.
And Manchester City, who came into the match on the back of a 31-match unbeaten streak at home, took their chance when they got upfield.
Mannone came out to gather David Silva’s corner with no conviction, and nobody was able to prevent Lescott nodding firmly in at the far post.
The lead could have doubled moments later after Dzeko’s first-time shot from range, but this time Mannone managed a crucial fingertip save.
In the second half, the defending Premier League champions looked set to flex their muscles, with Aguero close from a tight angle, then seeing a shout for a penalty turned down with Koscielny beaten.
Gervinho, who got into excellent spaces time and again, continued to spurn half-chances and clear-cut ones alike, flashing wide at the near post with 24 minutes remaining.
But Arsenal did not give up on the game, and Arsene Wenger’s double-change, bringing on Olivier Giroud and Theo Walcott for Abu Diaby and Podolski, kept the momentum up.
It might have cost them when City broke with Yaya Toure charging down the middle with 10 minutes remaining, but he held on to the ball a fraction too long and left Aguero to snatch at his shot.
And after Cazorla had tested Hart at the other end with a powerful shot from range, Koscielny was on hand to drill in an equaliser from the resulting corner.
At 1-1 both sides had opportunities to win. Aguero spurned the clearest one after Vincent Kompany had seen a spectacular overhead kick parried by Mannone, firing wide of the far post.
Then, as the game entered stoppage time, Gervinho compounded a frustrating afternoon by blazing through the middle with panache, only to splash the ball high and wide with panic.
Both sides are four points off the league leaders Chelsea in the title race, but it is the visitors who will probably be happier with the character they showed to take something from the match.
MAN OF THE MATCH: Santi Cazorla (Arsenal) – Even when the Gunners were behind, the accuracy and variety of Cazorla’s passing made him the stand-out player on the pitch.
PLAYER RATINGS
MANCHESTER CITY: Hart 6, Zabaleta 7, Kompany 7, Lescott 7, Clichy 7, Toure 6, Silva 6, Javi Garcia 6, Sinclair 7, Aguero 6, Dzeko 6 – Subs – Tevez 7, Balotelli N/A, Rodwell 6
ARSENAL: Mannone 6, Jenkinson 7, Mertesacker 7, Koscielny 7, Gibbs 6, Diaby 6, Arteta 7, Gervinho 5, Cazorla 8, Ramsey 7, Podolski 7 – Subs – Walcott 6, Giroud 6, Coquelin N/A
Gervinho 5??? Walcott 6???
Night You Happy Gooners…
Good night Kev. Hope you enjoyed today’s game habib. I did.
AW biggest headache BFG, Verm & kos. They all deserved to be in the first 11. omg
DNA i told you we ll be alright…..keep the faith. we are goona rip them once jw10 and tr7 returns…….COYGS.
http://twitter.com/DavidN75/status/249917214084431872/photo/1
http://twitter.com/GoonerTalk/status/249916078245941248/photo/1
http://twitter.com/mushari16/status/249947366419996672/photo/1
http://instagram.com/p/P7cNFuCYQD/
http://twitter.com/Kol_nexus/status/249946080035364864/photo/1
http://twitter.com/GoonRambler/status/249943650581245952/photo/1
http://arsenalist.com/video/?id=xttf6s
Not one seond have sleep was to be had……a little too pumped up.
Anyway,it was worth it.
Mornnag all once again.
Wenger: “Jenkinson has jumped from primary school to University in one year. You need special talent to do that.” #afc
you gotta love that
the pics portray crew love
Abou Diaby comes through the dark times and into the light at Arsenal
The French midfielder is finally over his terrible injury problems and excited about the future for Arsène Wenger’s new-look team
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Amy Lawrence
The Observer, Saturday 22 September 2012 22.00 BST
It is the little things that make a profound difference. Driving into the training ground, parking up and strolling towards the changing room instead of the medical centre. Waking up on match day with that twist of anticipation in your stomach, ready to play, instead of wondering if you can face going to watch yet another game from the stands. Seeing a supporter approach and feeling happy to chat rather than weary of the inevitable question about when you are going to be back.
No matter how sunny your nature, how positive your outlook, long stretches of rehabilitation are demoralising. Abou Diaby’s extensive injury problems got to him to the extent that occasionally he found it difficult being around his club. “I have to be honest and say sometimes I missed some games. I watched at home on TV,” he says, bashfully. “One year like this, without playing, is difficult.”
There is a kind of separation injured players feel compared with the rest of the group and Diaby felt it keenly enough to go abroad during some stages of his recuperation, to give himself at least some space from the world of the football crock. “I prefer to do my treatment away. I asked permission and the manager let me. I went back to France, to America, to the Middle East. You need to change because staying in the same atmosphere, mentally you will explode.
“I feel a football club is not for injured players. When you come every day it is to train, to play. But when you are out for a long time, it’s very hard to take. You see your team-mates training with a smile on their face and you want that as well. I was sitting on the physiotherapist’s bed. You can feel yourself a bit apart from the group. You don’t contribute to everything that is going on around the team. It is a strange feeling.”
Football clubs being a breeding ground for cheap jokes, once we had made our introductions it would have been easy to congratulate Diaby for actually making it through the door and all the way to the chair without suffering some kind of knock. But in this particular case, once this calm and gentle giant starts to detail what the tools of his trade – his body parts – have had to endure, it really feels like a miracle that he is able to play at such an elevated standard.
Diaby’s right ankle has been a cause of aggravation ever since an horrendous tackle by Sunderland’s Dan Smith in 2006. What made it worse was that it was so unnecessary. The game was almost finished with the score 3-0. The ball was in an innocuous area of the pitch. Sunderland – already relegated – had little to get fired up about. Smith launched himself at Diaby and inflicted damage serious enough for the Frenchman’s career to be on the line. He was 19 at the time.
The complications have gone on and on. His left leg is longer than his right and the years of having one stronger side compensating for the weaker has left him with knock-on biomechanical problems. Hence, Diaby suffered almost 20 different muscular injuries since his ankle was originally shattered.
Last summer he had surgery on the right ankle for the fourth time. The details are grisly. Some stray bone had grown – a new bone effectively. “It was causing a lot of pain. I had to take the bone off. To be honest, at the beginning I didn’t want to do the surgery, I just wanted to let it go and see how the ankle would respond but at the end I had to do it,” he says. “I’m fine now.”
Despite the encouragement of his family, his friends and his club, there have been moments when he thought he would never recover, and that a pair of football boots would no longer be needed. There are only so many setbacks that you can absorb. The rehabilitation was, at times, too demanding with too little progress. “It was getting too much,” he says. “When you do something and you don’t enjoy it, you don’t see the point of carrying on. Some bad ideas cross your mind. I had to keep going. I went through a downward spiral, but I had a really good pre-season and now I am very confident in my body. I am very focused.”
The example of Robin van Persie, who also wore the injury-prone label for years, was helpful. “Robin kept going and became one of the best players,” Diaby says. “He told me to keep going and do my treatment. He gave me some ideas and inspiration.”
That is a message Diaby is now passing on to Jack Wilshere. In all three cases, Arsène Wenger has proved determined to keep faith in players he believes in for as long as he possibly can. Diaby is sure that another manager might have given up on him. “If I was in another club I wouldn’t have this chance,” he says.
Now 26, it is a chance he is desperate to seize. He feels in good shape. He feels strong. But he knows that he needs to come through a season without any major problems to convince people that he is not an injury waiting to happen. He understands why there is scepticism. “The confidence will come back in their minds when I play 40 games in a year and have a successful season. Then people will forget,” he says.
He needs that reassurance for himself, too. During last season, when his handful of brief cameos invariably ended in yet another setback, he found himself trembling as he contemplated stepping over the white line. He never used to suffer from nerves but anxiety about getting injured again was palpable.
So far this season, that has not been a problem. He has been a solid regular, developing a fine midfield rapport with Mikel Arteta, and he gained a massive confidence boost the last time Arsenal travelled to the north-west, with an imperious man-of-the-match display at Liverpool.
Diaby is excited about Sunday’s trip to Manchester City, which he knows will be a fascinating litmus test of his team’s positive start to the campaign. “We definitely want to win and are going there with a winning mentality,” he says.
The match brings him up against one of his great friends in football, Yaya Touré. The pair of them met during the summer when they were on the same flight to Abidjan to visit family. Although he was born in the Paris suburbs, both Diaby’s parents come from Ivory Coast.
Diaby has the characteristics to play a similar role to the one Touré defines in the modern game. “We like to play deep but make forward runs,” the France international says. “It is a position I am really happy with. He’s a friend first of all but as a player he is one of the best in his position. What he is doing on the pitch is amazing.”
Diaby’s own technical standards are not to be sniffed at. He just needs the opportunity to show it far more than has been possible over his seven seasons at Arsenal. Wondering what might have been had he been a little more injury free is not a road he goes down. He never heard from Smith. But this placid, thoughtful man bears no obvious ill-will. “Thank God I am still here,” Diaby says. “This happened a long time ago. Now I am just focused on my future. I want to enjoy playing football because I love it. I just want to express my qualities. I am just looking forward.
“My first objective is to stay fit, then try to achieve something at the club. By winning the league or the Champions League we would make history and I want to be part of that.”
These are lofty aims, and the kind of ambitions that have led to team-mates leaving Arsenal in order to try to fulfil them. “We always expect some players to leave, we are used to that now,” Diaby says with a giggle and a shrug. “Arsenal always show they can respond. The good thing about the manager is he puts his trust in his players. We want to give him back the confidence he gives to us.”
Alex Song’s departure and the refusal to buy another midfielder were partly down to Wenger’s commitment to giving Diaby and Wilshere every chance to make the most of their talent. With his longer left leg and his rebuilt right ankle, Diaby wanders off eager to do just that.
Great article Kev. I pray he’ll stay fit. He deserves it.
Morning all….still smiling! Should of got all three yesterday!! We are now playing as a team and we’ve still got players coming back!!
See red nose mention in his pre-match comments about not getting penalties at Anfield…..low and behold, they get one!!
Good Morning my Esteemed Fellow Gunners.
The sun is shining today…….I daresay I even saw it smile warmly on us red shirts.
Seems as if we are making the other teams nervous. Even the toilet rags are getting nervous arent they??
Good. It makes you feel happy just to get under their skin
Morning Devil, glad it’s sunny where you are, it was raining pretty much all day on Sunday and it’s grey this morning!
This group of players are really starting to play like a team…..COYG!
Morning all, great result for us but shame The Gerve couldn’t have finished them off in the last few minutes we deserved it.
Just an observation but has anyone else noticed just how many penalties United are getting at this rate Van Persie could end up the highest goal scorer this season as well, bloody liberty.
“if i was in another club i wouldn’t have this chance”.
I hope Diaby tattoos this sentence on his forearm,and remember it when/if Citeh come ‘a knocking!!
Evening all.
Guess what i came home from work to….my Koscielny away shirt had arrived from Arsenal FC!!
Timing is everything!!
What a great day at work,even off two hours sleep.
I was buzzing all day long!!
It’s a joke Steve, as I said earlier the alchy says how manure never get penalties at Anfield…..hey presto they get one! Spooky coincidence, hey?
Devil,i sent the weather over your way mate….25 degrees here,and not a cloud in the sky.
Send it on!!
And it was another bloody soft penalty Lee…Valencia is another learning his trade well.
Divers should be identified and drowned at birth…i detest the lot of them….unless they end up in the pool,of course.
Hi Scotty, glad to hear your flying the colours in your homeland, and a great name for your shirt as well defender scorer and bloody good team player good choice 🙂
Good morning everyone. We got the draw but it could and probably should have been a win. That’s the best performance I have ever seen from ref Mike Dean, so often a thorn in our side.
Steve………….he will not last long mate. An injury is just around the corner for him. I will be amazed if he has another season like last one.
I have had many favourite players who wore our famous red and white. This year the top ones for me???
It has to be Jenkinson and Gibbs. I am happy for them to have made such a great start. Sagna will have a difficult time getting in. I daresay that Theo and Bac will be the next to leave.
But I am very fond of this team overall. Yes, even more than the INVINCIBLE side.
Hi Devil, your looking at the negatives, this season we look at the positives We have cover this season and i would like to think that Wenger will rotate and keep them all active a slight knock to one of them and he could just rest them for an extra week, i think our problems could be up front the two G’s have to start firering.
The camaraderie in the grop is plain to see,and i absolutely maintain a lot of it comes from the adversity we overcame last season.
Yes,the new boys definitely help,but they pulled together last season,and may just be starting to reap the rewards for effort.
Thanks Steve.
It was a toss up between Kozzer and Podolski,but Pods can wait til next season!!
Morning all…..
Did we win?? 😉
Feels like it….
I am speaking about Purse strings Steve. Not on any of our players. Yes we have good cover in all positions, however we do need another attacker. Especially if Theo and Arsh leave.
Good day lady. I sent you another email this morning.
Funny watching BFG lifting Santi at the end of the game!
I reckon Gervinho needs to score against a big club to see his confidence flow.
I am not worried at all about Giroud,because i think he is a certainty to score 12-15 goals this season…..once he pots one,he too will keep them coming.
I reckon Giroud himself needs to stop talking about…..sometimes you can sound like you’re trying to convince youself when you are trying to sound confident.
Sorry Devil misunderstood your comment you ment RVP i’m a plank at times 🙂
Giroud will fire soon. Only one needs to go in and voila. It will open for him.
Cazorla is pure,utter and total Klass with a Kaptial K!!
Kan’t explain the k,but hey,i feel like a bloody winner today.
We showed we can get a result NOT by hanging in there,but by playing beautiful football,and though we deserved a win,we made a massive statement,which is even more important,in my eyes.
I see it in Giroud big time,Devil.
Lee Santi looks like a midget against Merts, suprising just how tough santi is though and good morning to you although its pissing down here
I haven’t got it devil, do I need to wait to publish the match report??
No its nothing to do with the report Rico.
Something different…..regarding my job as a masseur!!! 😉
If I was AW, I’d play Giroud on Wednesday….
Joke the weather here Steve! Not much external building work to be done today…..
Ok, I’ll go ahead devil… I look forward to the email then 😉
Who have we got on Wednesday??
Cup game??
Rico. Giroud against Coventry is a good shout. He was in a perfect position yesterday if Gervinho had rolled the ball to him near the end instead of putting it into orbit.
The New Post is up….
Next Wednesday can see an attack of Walcott,Giroud,OX.
with a midfield of, Coquelin,Ramsey,Frimpong
and a defence of Yennaris,Djourou,Miguel,Santos.
Goalkeeper……..Shea or Martinez
Could be why he didn’t start yesterday Adam.
This Wednesday devil 😉
Great drop goal from Gervinho, Jonnie Wilkinson did the same against some southern hemisphere team a few years back! 😉
Bugger off Lee lol.
I thought I’d get a nibble!! 😆
You two toads 🙂
Podolski’s was quite good too….