Morning all.
At the moment, I’m sorry, but we have to take the bullets. Dropping and dropping down the table is not the situation we want to be in. But this is our reality right now and we have to face it. We have to face it being brave, fighting and no-one giving up or anything. It’s not time to hide – it’s time to put your face and body on the line.
We are not winning football matches and I have to put my chest there and you have to hit me. You have the right to hit me because I’m not winning. So what else can I do? Put my head down, work harder and try to do things better and improve. That’s how we have to approach things, in my opinion. It’s natural. I accept the criticism and it’s part of the job. You can explain whatever you want but, at the end of the day, you have to win football matches and this club is too big to accept this many losses in the last weeks. So my chest is here – hit me, guys.
It’s been a week of talking. Since the Burnley debacle, we’ve heard Kieran Tierney take a swipe at his team mates and praising his manager and then Edu and Vinai come out telling us all that we need to be patience. Arsenal are going through a process.
That aside, which of course will have divided fans opinion, Arsenal need to win and wouldn’t it make a change for Southampton to be the team we break our poor run against rather than us being theirs?
If ever there’s an example of a new manager struggling but given time, can turn things around, it’s Ralph Hasenhüttl. A year ago, Southampton were second from bottom in the PL with just nine points from thirteen games. Hasenhüttl had been in his job for just over twelve months and along with Unai Emery, was tipped to be the next manager heading for the axe. Emery was fired, but Hasenhüttl, despite a 9-0 thumping by Leicester City, not only survived but has turned his group of players into a much stronger force. Time, patience and shrewd transfer business. Oh, and togetherness.
Fact: Southampton are fast starters. They’ve been ahead at halftime in seven of their 12 matches, scoring 14 goals which no other team has matched. They can though be vulnerable at the back, especially late in the game. Danny Ings is back and he’s a handful if he’s up to speed. Theo Walcott returns to The Emirates with his boyhood club.
Granit Xhaka begins a three-match suspension, Hector Bellerin is banned after totting up five bookings and Thomas Partey is sidelined through injury. However, Nicolas Pepe is out of the naughty corner and back into the squad. Everyone else is back in full training. Just one injury at this stage of the season is quite unusual for Arsenal just a real pain in the butt that that one player is Thomas Partey.
For Mikel Arteta it’s about who comes in for Xhaka and Bellerin. I’d imagine AMN has to be favourite for one of the positions although Cedric too must fancy his chances at facing his old club. At least there’s no Europa League to worry about which should make his team selection somewhat easier. If Mikel opts for a 442, he might surprise us with Cedric at right-back with AMN in front of him for a bit of protection. Will Pepe return or will Nelson finally get a start? My money is on Pepe.
As said earlier, this has been a week of talking. Mikel Arteta is going nowhere anytime soon so the players need to get over whatever it is they’re sulking about and start playing for the club and it’s fans. They might think it’s a good idea to try and force changes but the only ones who look stupid in all this in my opinion is those individuals who aren’t giving their all. They are being seen for what they really are, who they really are and it’s their reputation on the line.
Arsenal need a win, so go and get one and begin the long crawl up the table.
See you in the comments.
Morning Doomers 🙂
Morning Kev.
Ho di ho!
Just a thought Rico, something we can savour during our summer holidays, when Mesut Ozil finally clears out his locker and buggers off the club would have paid him £96,800,000 for his four years of ‘service’ give or take the odd bonus!
Take a moment to digest that, £96m and ask if we got value for money?
This club has to stop being mugged off by agents, no more 30 somethings on long, expensive contracts, our recruitment has to sharpen up, because as a club we’ve been royally bent over the kitchen table and you all know the rest.
We have to focus on a certain type of player at a certain age, the Martinelli, Tierney, Gabriel, Torrieira, Guendouzi type, obviously minus the amateur dramatics, we just have to be sharper in the market and selling Martinez and signing Willian isn’t very smart….
Now that’s a cheerful thought Kev. Although I’m hoping he’ll be gone next month.. 😀
Rico, if he doesn’t leave in January I’d be inclined to tell him to stay at home and stay away from the training ground.
Hi Rico and all It still gets me how people keep having a go at Ozil about how much he is getting paid for doing nothing yet he trains every week, it’s not his fault that Arteta doesn’t select him
Don’t get me started on Martinez again. Lol
As would I Kev, but as the club have to pay him anyway, just pay him off so he’s gone.
Hi Geoff, if the bloke truly loved football, he’d have gone.
Really Geoff, why does it get to you?
I mean do you think he’s been value for money for his 4 years and tell me in what way do you think that that’s the case because I think he’s been an unmitigated disaster and is symptomatic to the abject way Arsenal have been managed over the past 10 years.
Nobody on here has ever blamed Ozil for signing that contract, him and his agent must have thought that they had won the lottery – and in a way they have.
People on here use the example of Ozil, our record wage earner, as an example of what is wrong at the club and at how it’s been allowed to reach a stage where Arsenal are hovering above the relegation zone. Ozil is like a collective term for all the wankers we have on massive wages who don’t earn it and I include those among our management teams of recent years.
Your last comment is spot in Kev..
How are we meant to get value out of Ozil if we don’t play him, Auba play’s every match yet we are not getting value from him as a player or captain.
I’m kind of with Geoff on the Ozil situation, the whole situation is hardly his fault, and he is constantly being blamed. I do think the club should act decisively, and come to an agreement to terminate his contract.
The club seem to be just hoping he leaves in January – good luck with that. Why should he lose millions he is legally owed.
I did read somewhere that DC United in MLS want him to play and also run a soccer school in Washington, might appeal to him, he’s pretty much been semi retired for years.
I actually think we might get something tonight, Southampton play a very energetic, attacking style though so it will be a test.
COYG
My gripe with Ozil isn’t the money he earns because he’d have been a fool to say no when Wenger and Gazidis were handing out his big contract, but despite knowing he wasn’t going to be in the squad, he reportedly turned down offers to leave and play the game he keeps saying he loves.
G’day all from a very cold house. The central heating packed up over-night and the engineer can’t get to us until six this evening, just as Arsenal are due to kick-off.
These unfortunate things seem to happen in clusters. A week ago my wife’s hairdryer gave up the ghost, Monday morning the tumble dryer clanked to death, a replacement should be delivered tomorrow afternoon. The good thing is I replaced the hair-dryer and it is gift wrapped under the Christmas tree, I’ve also arranged for the tumble dryer to be delivered with festive ribbons and a holly wreath on it. I wonder if I’ll get away with it. 🤞
We can welcome back Theo Walcott this evening, he scored 108 goals in 397 appearances for us between 2006 and 2018. What’s the betting he gets one tonight?
You wouldn’t in my house Cicero. 😆
Leno
Holding
Gabriel
Tierney
Maitland-Niles
Ceballos
Elneny
B. Saka
Pepe
Nketiah
Aubameyang (c)
Evening Rico and All
Err we go again to-night.
Southampton Top four side at the moment,
The Arsenal Nearly bottem four at the moment.
The League never Lie’s..
Anyway after having a earful of that this morning,
I thought right lets get round the bookers and have
a punt…Well the bookers ain’t fools,all that rubbish
about us in a relegation battle has been ignored by
the men who smoke big cigars,we are favorites with
them to beat the saints.
So if your one of these who think we a bubbish team.
Fill your Boots.
Mickys made a couple of changes.he still feels a lot of
changes are not needed,he has to go with what he sees
in training everyday.
My opinion is we will turn this around,even with this squad,
Edu makes that point in his praise of Micky.
Crash helmet on,no finger nails left to bite.
Com U Arse.
Evening Fred, I’ve a feeling we’ll win tonight. Don’t ask me why though because I haven’t a clue.
Auba to finally break his drought up the right end.
Rico I always feel we will win..Mad Gooner.
You can see it’s christmas,
just seen a walnut with boots on.
Theooooooooooo.
Better looking team than Sunday, at least the hope in me says so.
I’ve started doubting a few times Fred. Well know within five minutes what kind of performance we can expect.
Three at the back would suggest Mikel has gone back to what was working. I like Eddie up front.
0-0 Is not the end of the world in
coaching terms teaching a new
born to run before it can walk is
foolish.
Is it being televised live? Where?
Amazon Wavy…… as Walcott chips in
Always said Walcott was a good player. 😆
Amazon coverage is terrible..
The Walcott… it had to happen, cicero called it. We started with good energy, I liked Nketiah taking a potshot. This is a real test
Throw in attacking half on the right, and not one person bothered moving away from their marker. Was is the matter with them?
Andy Townsend on commentary, he hates Arsenal with a passion.
Only they know. Our attacking play is really average.
Two centre backs on bench, would have liked to see ESR.
Have we just woken up?
Only took 37 minutes rico
Andrew, do you keep getting a bleeping sound on your coverage?
Yep, perhaps they thought it was a 6.30 ko Andrew.
No, lost sound for a few seconds but otherwise thought good quality, not Arsenal I must add 🙂
Have artificial crowd noise.
Yes, just had a squeaky noise twice!
Ditto, glad it’s not just me..
Southampton move the ball around with such ease yet much of our passing seems rushed and not always very good.
Need to chance to back 3. Get AMN in the middle and help Elneny. Midfield is over run and Celebos A. Is on a yellow and good Defensively.
Pepe needs to pull finger, look up and use his brain as he’s the only one getting space.
B. Celebos is not good Defensively.
Well played Saka! And finish.
Hallelujah
Another feckin red!
Silly silly man..
Great play from Saka..
Have Southampton had a booking yet?
First two bookings were Soton players, one very bad foul. Thought out first two bookings were soft. But, if you’ve been booked, why why why would you drag back on half way line.
Lucky escape, crossbar.
Really naive of Gabriel that’s for sure.. he’ll miss Everton now..
Luiz and Holding for Everton no Partey or Gabriel so it’s back to square one .
No Xhaka not that in itself is a problem but we have to find a spine that works .
Wonder what Arteta and Walcott were talking about
One point is an improvement on no points. I missed the first thirty five minutes, only tuned in for the second half in time to witness that rarest of events, a goal by Aubameyang in the opposition’s net, followed by Gabriels second yellow.
Mari, not Luiz, at the weekend please Mr. Arteta .
Central heating fixed, all nice and toasty now. Good night Gooners everywhere. 😴
Great play by Saka that led to Auba goal, both teams had their chance to win the only down side another red card
Morning all.
Bloody hell we need a win lol
We as in the club, squad, manager, supporters…….all of us.
It’ll come, and hopefully once the drought is broken, we can push on.
I haven’t lost an ounce of faith in the manager, remain very much doubtful of the future of plenty of players but also would be happy to be proven wrong.
We showed some fight, and really, that second yellow was for some try img we see a hundred times a game for no action at all.
Absolute joke imo.
I don’t like players tugging at shirts but why is it officials pick and choose when to pull them up?
Morning all.
New post up