Morning all,
Start with today’s gossip:
Arsenal are ‘exploring an audacious swoop for Barcelona striker David Villa’ according to The Daily Mail. The cunning plan is a loan until the end of the season and if all goes well, we’re going to try for a permanent deal. Apparently Villa is getting fed up with warming the bench at his ripe old age.
Would that be the kind of signing you’d love to see?
It sure would me, add him to Henry, who is sure to join us again and we should score a few goals..
The same paper suggests that the manager is not happy with the level of competition for Wojciech Szczesny and link us to another goalkeeper, this morning it’s the Sunderland custodian, Simon Mignolet!
Most newspapers suggest that the race for Wilfried Zaha is a two-horse one between Wenger and Fergie next month – yawn!
Onto some real news:
Arsenal Ladies manager Laura Harvey has confirmed she will be leaving the club in January to take up a new role with American side Seattle Reign FC, in the newly formed National Women’s Soccer League.
Laura first joined the Arsenal Ladies set-up in summer 2008 as first-team coach, and was appointed manager midway through the 2009/10 campaign. Under Harvey, the Ladies have won three consecutive league titles, two Continental Cups and one FA Women’s Cup,.
They have also made it to the last four of the UEFA Women’s Champions League on two occasions.
Not a bad record in short period of time. I guess America is too big an opportunity to turn down.
If only the men could achieve what the Ladies have….
Talking of which, another tough test up the Northern part of the country today as we face Wigan Athletic.
Here are a few statistics courtesy of the BBC:
Head-to-head
- Wigan have won just one home Premier League game against Arsenal (W1, D2, L4) – a 3-2 victory in April 2010.
- The away side won both fixtures last season – Arsenal 4-0 at the DW Stadium and Wigan 2-1 at the Emirates.
Wigan
- The Latics have won just one of their last seven Premier League games (W1, D1, L5).
- Roberto Martinez’s men have kept just two clean sheets in the league this season.
- Wigan have lost 10 out of their 17 Premier League matches this season. They have only lost more matches at this stage in a top-flight season in 2007-08, when they had lost 11. They finished that season in 14th place.
- Ali Al Habsi is on the brink of his 100th Wigan appearance, and his 100th Premier League appearance.
Arsenal
- Victory against Reading gave Arsenal back-to-back league wins for only the second time this season – they have not won three consecutive Premier League games since a seven-match winning streak in February-March.
- The Gunners have won just one of their last five Premier League away games (W1, D2, L2).
- Only Manchester City (6) have conceded fewer goals away from home in the Premier League than Arsenal (8) this season.
- Theo Walcott has scored 11 goals in all competitions for the club this season, leaving him just two short of equalling his most prolific season, when he netted 13 in 2010-11.
Injuries:
Wigan: Caldwell (doubt – hamstring), Alcaraz (doubt – groin), Ramis (hamstring), Lopez (hamstring), McCarthy (ankle), Crusat (knee), Ryo (ankle, ineligible anyway) Watson (broken leg).
Arsenal: We don’t have any players keen to join Diaby, Fabianski or Santos.
Wigan are in a horrid position, they sit 3rd from bottom in the league and they have suffered five defeats in the last seven league matches and they will be desperate to put a halt to that, especially in front of their home fans. They have been conceding goals at an average or two or more in each of their last seven fixtures!!
Last season we won this fixture with ease, with Arteta, Vermaelen, Gervinho and Van Persie sealing a 4-0 victory and today we need to to do something similar.
We all know that Roberto Martinez likes to play the game in a similar style to what we used to play, so no doubt that will make for an open, attacking game, one in which we should create enough chances to win.
Will Giroud come back into the side with Walcott on the right, or will Wenger stick to playing the side which put five past Reading on Monday night?
I don’t know but I hope it’s the latter as we looked so much better with pace and width in the side and why change a winning team?
With the Boxing Day fixture postponed, these players won’t play again until next Saturday, so plenty of time to rest their little legs!
Wigan will want to win this game. They will be up for this from start to finish and we need to match them.
We need commitment from each and every player, a good strong performance as a team and above all, we need three points!
All our fans who are travelling to the DW Stadium in this awful weather deserve that don’t they?
That’s about it for another day…
Let’s hope it’s a good one…..
Morning all…
I like the Villa rumour but know it’s too good to be true…
Off out to buy my veggies, need to get the brussels on later 🙂
Back shortly….
Let’s wenger know dat we need adrian lopez, jesus navals, defensive mildfieder and centre back defender and we don’t him to change the squad dat play against reading.
Morning all from wet Colchester!!! I’d take Villa in a heartbeat…..three points and we’l bel third,unbelievable!!!!
Lee. Dat is de trooth.
Good morning all,
Thanks for the post Rico, careful with those sprouts, if you are only going to start cooking them today they may be a bit underdone come Christmas lunch. 🙂
More good news in the Metro today, Inter Milan and West Ham are to go head to head in the fight to sign Morrocan wonder striker Marouane Chamakh. That would open up a squad place for David Villa. Wonder if we could do a BOGOF deal to include Squillaci. 😀
Morning Gooners…
Morning Rico. Brussels eh? Windy old Berkshire…
Morning Adam. Or should I say Henry VIII…
Moaning Lee. Bah humbug.
Kev. Henry VIII will do nicely thank you. 🙂
I just read a warning about sprouts for those who are taking blood thinning medication actually. Too much vitamin K apparently inhibits the meds.
Adam,
I read that too, the morning after being told by a dietician just how good for you sprouts and other leafy green vegetables are, and I’m on those meds! 😕
JW. Perhaps best to give them a miss. There are plenty of other things that must be good I would have thought. Grapefruit too has inhibitive properties and also marmalade for those on statins. Seville oranges apparently.
I must warn Lee about eating curry with Viagra. 🙂
Adam,
Oh no! Not marmalade! Frank Coopers Original is a vital part of my staple diet. 😥
Adam,
Viagra with curry is OK, but only with take-aways, it may be all right if the restuarent has over sized table cloths. 😀
JW. I make my own marmalade and was shocked to hear that it was, in certain circumstances, not great if you take Statins. It seems as if the medical profession likes everyone over 40 to take Statins too. This means that in 10 years time Kev will be on them. 🙂
JW. 🙂
I take it that will be the second time around for the old fella. 🙂
Gotta go now, back after we have secured three points ooop noooorth.
C’mon The Glorious Gunners!!!
Hello again all…
Hi Rico. Torrential stuff here.
😆 JW re the brussels….
I didn’t know that about Statins and Seville oranges.. oops!
Hi Adam, here too, many of the back roads are flooded. Had to turn around and take a different route to the supermarket earlier…
morning all…
nice upbeat post.
AW:-“The Mayans were wrong – the end of the world came at Bradford!”
Hi Rico. I just said to my wife that I was going out in all this rain. When she asked why I told her it was to buy her a birthday card for tomorrow. She nodded approvingly until I asked if she could lend me some money to buy it.
Hi Ts – his world nearly did 😉
😆 Adam, you are all heart…..
Thank you Rico.
News is that TW starts up front….
Sky Sports News @SkySportsNews
Arsenal team v Wigan: Szczesny, Sagna, Mertesacker, Vermaelen, Gibbs, Arteta, Wilshere, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Cazorla, Podolski, Walcott
Unchanged from Reading… Good!
Morning Gooner-familia,
Audacious swoop or desperate measures? Viva Villa? Not for me. He could’ve joined us at the right age still being a forcefield. But no, he was adamant to ink for Barfa. Since he hasn’t produced fitness let alone form. We need reliable squad depth. Not a toothless tiger on paper.
Evening all.
We are celebrating our first cricket victory of the season…and you all reckon Arsenal are having a dry spell 🙂
4-1 to the Arsenal with Podolski the first scorer.
Hi Dg, but Wenger didn’t want him did he?
You can always tell when Liverpool have lost, Tommo has a go at Afc, today he thinks other clubs will tempt Jack to move …
Pfff!!
Hi Scott…
Afternoon Rico,
Doesn’t that make it all the more worrying Arsene wants him close to pension? Rather think it was his price tag that made Wenger shy.
Hi Rico.
Got a guy from cricket here and he already has an Arsenal shirt on!!
No watching the Arsenal without one!!
No OG12?
Good morning all
I’m in front at TV now.
Kevs lucky day, they are dishing out £10 to the away fans 🙂
Hi guys. I’m actually awake and watching the match. interested in seeing Theo up front.
It does Dg as he was one of the best around and yes, AW should be looking to sign that kind of a player, even Cesc hinted…
But back then, there was no chance….
Suggestion is it could be a loan until the summer, I’d be thrilled if that happened….
Good man he is then Scott… 🙂
No Ts – would like to have seen Giroud up front with TW, but we won Monday, so if its not broken, don’t fix it I say….
Hi Will, me too and he needs another good game…
Wigan Arsenal on line!
Catch you later
Jon Moss has put a bit of weight on since his drumming days…..
Giroud is poorly….
We’ll see come January, Rico. I wonder if Villa would be eligible for CL footie?
First a win today. Swamps play Stoke could be a leapfrog opportunity.
Not the best start….
Live Stream Links. Sorry being late. Enjoy. COYG!!!!
http://www.ronaldo7.net/live/sports/watch-sports-live-stream.html
I doubt we’ll get him Dg, unless Barca pay half his salary 😉
Come on Theo, bit sharper in front of goal please, you reckon you are a striker!
Adam 11.11, cheers mate… 🙂
Marmalade and sprouts, bloody hell…
Arsenal could do with some sprouts it seems…
That was painful viewing.
Good job Wigan couldn’t cross or finish in that half…..
Are you at the match Ak??
Nothing in the game.Wigan are going ok,and we are just ok.
Still, a win beckons!!
Theo hasn’t quite grasped the art of hold up play. this looks like a Giroud kinda game but he’s not there today. Im still unimpressed with our midfield cohesiveness. we.re getting caugt in some situations that we should be getting out of with simple off the ball movement.
Chamakh to West Ham, on loan, till the end of the season, with Arsenal paying a percentage of his wages.
Not perfect, but if it saves us £40k pw then i’d vote for that.
Seems as if Podolski is having another nondescript game.
Why doesn’t Poldi and Theo switch positions during the game?
Mix things up.
Hell, AOC can switch as well.
Be radical, think for yourselves, or has that been coached out of them?
We need to step up our game big time….
Is that for sure on Chamakh Ak?
Wonder if Diame is being talked about when the negotiations are taking plac.
Gibbs is having a off game too….
Not at game Rico, my mate couldn’t get any tickets, thankfully. 😉
Phew eh Ak 😉
my last post was eaten by the internets. basically theo must learn to hold up play and arsenal must be able to pass and move.
Afternoon All, nice one Rico.
This team is a complete embaressment, no idea what so ever. Walcott is a complete waste of space plays like a scared rabbit midfield can only pass backwards BFG a complete carthorse.
Arggg, that should have gone in….
I found it Will 😉
Totally agree re a lot more movement, we have no outlet when we get the ball, sloppy and lazy….
Hi Sp, you are not happy with that 45 mins then…
No i’m not I can watch more creative football down the local park. Proffesional footballers i couldn’t trust them to wash my car
Our passing is shocking….
It’s not the most pleasing on the eye Sp….
Not sure I’d have given that decision….
Good penalty though from Arteta…
no way Rico, very fortunate
we need a second….
I’m sure we played better when Wilshere was injured
Great result.
Very average performance….
Shocking referee….
First 3 consecutive wins off the season in the league. Yessss
3 points maybe, but pathetic.
Not sure about that Sp…
Incredible really, we are now 3rd….
Hope Pullis can do some damage at White Hart Lane….
How was Wilshire booked for that excellent tackle and some of the players that fouled him got nothing?
Horrible performance but three points-somehow.
they always say that being able to win in spite of poor play is a trait of quality teams. so even tho we werent great, ill take 3 points away to wigan on a wet day anytime u give it to me.
Ahhhhhhh bah humbug.
Be happy with this Christmas gift peeps. Santa hurry down the chimney for a swampy defeat.
Sorry you guys are so hard to please.
Thought we worked very hard today and I can’t find fault in that.
Boo!! At last, we are grinding out results. 🙂 🙂 Hello, all!! rico, Brussel sprouts. 😕 Adam, done with your Christmas shopping? I have recommendations for you. Lol. Hiya, SSP. Long time. Howdy?
oh there it is rico. knew I could count on you. 🙂
I’ve hated playing wigan for 3 years now when they capped our season ending implosion. so im relieved. Every win, fortunate or not, gives us one more week to try and right the ship.
come on you gunners!
Hiya, Dutch. 🙂 I’d rather an ugly win than a beautiful loss, anytime. 😛
I’ll take 3 points anyday.
At last, we finally seem to be getting a bit of luck from referee’s…
Glad I didn’t go, but I bet our great away fans are rocking all over Wigan… 🙂
Got my tickets (defo) for Swansea. Up for d’ Coop
Agag. Hi, how are you? It’s Mrs Adam’s birthday tomorrow so we are off out for a Thai meal this evening with a few amigos. Presents? It’s a Guerlain and Chanel thing this year. I bought myself a Reliant Robin. 🙂
Kev. In town today I suppose. Must be mental in the West End?
Adam – totally agree re the Jack tackle…
Steve, not hard to please, just want us to do better….
Hi agag and good point, the league just says three points and the mancs do that every season…
Off out for a walk in the rain, laters…
Hiya Adam, yes I am doing my duty, not as manic as you would think..
Don’t get wet Rico.
I suspect, Adam, that there might be a few disappointed shopkeepers come January.
Send Mrs Adam my fondest birthday wishes…
Very kind Kev. She says thank you and that she recognised a gentleman when she met you.
I might be wrong, but I just get the feeling that the sales now on, are mostly the shops clearing out all the old stock they don’t want anymore.
The good stuff is probably in the stock-room for the New Year…
Or am I just a cynic?
Many thanks Adam, there’s not many of us left are there mate?
If you are about, Up West, tomorrow, give me a bell Adam.
I owe you some noodles…
Duty calls, lata
Kev. Ok mate.
This referee is awful.
Wasn’t penalty and probably was one in ours penalty area.
The Wigan’s players could did everything , even in front of the ball at the free kicks, at 5 meters when we had a free kick always in agressive way, etc.
3 points. Only the good thing
Hiya Alice in Wonderland,
Tried on the irons at Time Square yet? Or Modern Museum of Art? You know they call an hour a New York minute. Truly the city that never sleeps.
Had to drag myself through the match, only near the end I felt some faint excitement being on the cusp of a draw or bagging the result on the break.
L’Artisan Parfumeur carries some really lovely scents, if Mrs Adam likes niche perfumes. 🙂 🙂 The new one smells lovely. 🙂 Chanel, posh as ever, Adam. 😛 did you get your new car?
Hiya, Kev, how can you be still busy? 🙁 rico, if the red Mancs do it, they show character, if we do it, we’re unconvincing, right?
Dutch, I quite liked the shops at SoHo. Yeah, the city that never sleeps. The museums are on mi itinerary, don’t worry. 🙂
Can’t complain about the results. 🙂
Adam
Wish you and the missus a sparkling evening. May she pluck many more stars from the heavens. Cheers, tonight after waltzing my glass I will raise my vinno bubble.
Hmmmmm SoHo Agag. Shopping for a mink coat? 😛
Happy birthday, Mrs Adam. 🙂 I’m sure you’ll celebrate in style. 🙂
Dutch, no shopping. 🙁
It’s wet out there 😉
The “undeserved” win headlines are now up. Pffft. 😉 Gosh, the English media are tiresome.
Thank you DG and Agag. We will drink a toast in Thai beer to all on HH this evening. Very kind and means a lot to us. Agag. Mrs A is a Guerlain L’heure Bleu and Shalimar kinda girl as she likes the classics, though a Chanel No 5 always goes down well. Yes, I did buy a new motor but Lee says it’s a hairdresser’s car. What a cheek.
I’ll make sure it’s a positive one tomorrow agag 🙂
Reading lost 1-0 to Man City, poor old McDermott….
Adam
You avoiding to call the model makes me swing my vote to Lee. Hairdresser limousine it is. 🙂
Agag
You can’t fool me. I’m pretty sure you’ve turned a few price tags since your arrival. Acting like you’re still in doubt. 😉
DG. Very cruel, very cruel. 🙂
Well I’m happy with three points! OK it wasn’t the best performance but it was a win and it was a clean sheet. AND it puts us above the swamp rats from down the road.
Some people are just never satisfied.
Happy birthday to Mrs. Adam, we all know your old man is a tight-wad, so watch out for the moths when he finally opens his wallet. 😀
Goodday gunnerpshere
Great win, 3pts and we are on the match. 😉
Reading 2-5 Arsenal “Reading are crap” City 1-0 Reading “93min winner that’s why they are the Champions!”. Mentality of the media
but was a clear fault, rico
Blimey. I am taking some stick here today. I was going to post my thoughts about today and Arsenal in general but in the spirit of Christmas harmony, I shall refrain and be thankful for the 3 points 🙂
I’m happy with the points honest, but surely we need to be concerned about how much space Wigan were given.
If the coaching staff just think that the three points are all that matters, other sides will do what Wigan couldn’t….
Guess I best join Adam in keeping quiet and just be happy with the points 😆
Hi JM, what for City?
Hi emma, not another march? 😉
Poor Reading. 🙁 rico, our home is mostly positive. I actually meant the newsnow updates. Pffft.
Adam, haha on the new car. 🙂 Get Mrs Adm to try white florals. they alwys smell so clean. Brilliant. Mrs Adam, if you are reading, you must have an “equivalent” purchase. You must. 😀
Hiya, JW and emma. How is the weather where you are? Dutch, I’m waiting for the post-Christmas sales. 😉
yes, rico. Barry’s goal was fault. My opinion
We have 4 teams with 30 points: totts,Everton. WBA ans us.
Evening all…
great result and the scums managed a draw with the thugs…
Rico is the Sgt Major who can never be pleased… 😉
Phew agag 😉 And the sales have started in London 🙂
Lucky City then JM, shame for Reading, they need a bit of luck…
Yes, it’s all very close from 3 downwards, we really need to go on a good run from now. Newcastle next up a week today and at home…
Exactly Ts, perfection can never be found… Especially after a 1-0 win over Wigan and a soft penalty 😉
No Cabaye. Anita in midfield I think we can roll Newcastle over…
😀
And Ba looking for a way out…
Wasn’t that a song for Odyssey
Just off for dinner….
Okay, so I’ve just finished watching the match, as I was out today… okay….
Awful. Once again we idi not deserve to win. I feel it was a dive by Walcott, who did nothing today to deserve a new contract, but as the past weeks events will show at Arsenal you don’t need to show that you deserve a new deal, you just get it.
We need a real DM, I feel Coq would do a better job there than Arteta, who i think is far too light weight for a DM.
They were all awful today, people can say “tough win, was a tough game” but wait until new years day when United go there and beat them like the bottom 3 side they are.
Walcott is a coward, how many times can he go hiding in a match?! At one point we were defending a corner, ball is headed out and one of the wigan players comes onto it, and that bloody coward stands out of the way to allow him a free strike on goal, he is an entitled child, like most of the spoiled brats Wenger has coddled…
How does that man get paid 7m a year to be the most predictable person on the planet, if a regular tv watching bum like me can predict who is coming on and when, I just wonder how easy it is for paid professionals to know what that has-been is going to do next. Oh look Ramsey is coming on after 60mins…. again…
And who does he take off? Why only the player who is causing the opposition any real problem….
I’ve had enough, I’m sick to death of Wenger, we will NEVER win another trophy under him.
ES – The lads did well to get all 3pts in the bag. It might not be vintage arsenal but they had to dig in at Wigan. Pitch wasn’t the best and the weather was atrocious.Our game dropped off when the OX was substituted. Podolski was anonymous as usual. At least we should be happy with the win.
Rico I guess we will have to ‘march’ on to the next match with a smile on our faces 😉
Mourinho dropping Casillas to the bench. There must be a war going on at madrid. Looks like Mou needs a pay-off
Podolski was anonymous again. Also, when we played again with Cazorla-Ramsey-Wilshere (after the 75th minute) nothing happenned and we had only one solution: defend the precious advantage
Esp, hope you feel a bit better now after that…
It’s difficult emma, if we go on a good run, Aw will think that all is but we can clearly see its not.
I agree a lot with Esp, we lack a Dm, a proper striker as on today’s evidence, TW can’t play up then on his own. I’d still like to see him and Giroud but I guess that isn’t going to happen.
But not only was TW off his game, so were a few others again…
JM, did a few of us not fear that Podolski would struggle, he blows very hot and cold.
Another player who needs a season to adjust to this league…
Happy with 3 points alright, would just like to see step in the right direction been taken, but I am happy we won today.
I’m with you Esp, things need to change.
TW didn’t have a good game but then he wasn’t alone so I can’t single him out.
My gripe is not having a DM to organize our midfield which sometimes looks all over the place…
Something quite interesting from the Citeh v Reading fixture…
Richard Wright was on the bench for Man City
Stuart Taylor was on the bench for Reading…
That’s it from me, Saturday before Christmas, i got things to be doing 🙂
Night all, have a good one…..
‘Til tomorrow..
Giroud couldn’t play today, as he was ill with a virus.
I have read that Rosokcky has been suffering as well.
Lets hope it doesn’t spread or we might be facing Newcastle with half a team.
10 more days before TH14 re-signs…
What’s happened to Stan?
Maybe he’s in solitary?
Au revoir…
Kev, no Stan, no Micko, no Kt
🙁
The Gymnast won Strictly – Lewis……
Night all….
Firstly, we got the 3 points, and that was a must.
Think about it…..we ALWAYS struggle on wet pitches.
Several players were off today,our midfield was full of gaping holes again, Theo and Podolski were very quiet but we got the win.
I keep saying it……look at the teams around us because they all keep dropping points.
Apart from the Manchester sides, we are at least as good as anyone in the league.
No, it is not ideal, but it is where we are at.
3 wins in a row and people are complaining because we are not playing well, yet if we were playing great and dropping points, suddenly the points would be more important.
Emmas comment about the media was spot on, but it also describes plenty of Gooners.
A great result from an ordinary performance……yep, i will take it.
Morning all…
Happy Birthday Mrs Adam….
New Post up…