Daily Bits and Bobs

Arsenal players bomb Twitter with comments ahead of the NLD! Make it seven in forty nine….

Posted on by rico

Morning all.

It’s hard to believe that during Arsene Wenger’s twenty year reign as Arsenal manager, today’s opposition have only managed to win seven matches played between the two sides. Actually, it’s not that hard to believe really..

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So could they ever become a bigger club than Arsenal? Arsene was asked by Jeremy Wilson of the Telegraph:

I don’t think about them like that. I think about Arsenal and making us as big as possible, making us stronger. We have a strong fan base, maybe the strongest in London, and as long as we do our job Arsenal will always be the stronger.

There’s always only been one team in North London and despite a new shiny stadium heading their way which will hold a few more fans than The Emirates, we all know what that can do to a club. Admittedly, their is more money in the game than when Arsenal built their new stadium, but even so, they could struggle financially and I for one hope they do.

Just as I hope they struggle today.

The form of the two sides going into this match is quite different. Arsenal haven’t lost in any competition since the opening day of the season, whereas the opposition suffered a loss at Wembley against Bayer Leverkusen in midweek and apparently, they were pretty awful. We however travelled to Bulgaria and came away with maximum points, although at times, it didn’t look like we would.

We all know what tomorrow means. Focused – Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain

But in a derby such as this, form goes out the window. These matches are almost like a Cup Final when neither side can bare to lose. Of course, there’s no big trophy to lift at the end of the game, but there’s pride at stake, oodles of it too.

Tomorrow North London derby – doesn’t need any additional words – Mesut Ozil

Walcott, Bellerin and Monreal were all back in training yesterday which is great news, but no sign of Cazorla so I guess he’s set to miss out again. A great shame but for once, Arsene Wenger has options with Eleney, Coquelin and Xhaka all available. That rabble from the Seven Sisters Road have a few injuries themselves with Alderweiweld, Dembele and Lamela and Kane all major doubts, if not certain ones. The worry over that is players coming in for the injured and banned as in Sissoko’s case, who also misses this match, will be out to prove a point so there’s no way this match will be a walkover for Arsenal. One only has to recall the trip to Old Trafford last season to face perhaps the worst Utd and inexperienced side in years. Arsenal crumbled with ease that day. We can’t afford to approach this game in the manner.

My first North London derby tomorrow! Gunners, are you ready? Let’s do it! – Shkodran Mustafi

Start as we did against Utd at home last season, Chelsea at home just a few weeks ago, be clinical in front of goal, strong in midfield and defence and take this lot to the cleaners. Defend as a team, attack as a team and get at their defence with power, width, pace and movement. But as Alexis said yesterday, don’t get caught on the break.

So many times we have been labelled as being soft, well not today. I just can’t see the boys not being up for this game, I really can’t as derbies like this one today is what football is all about..

It is important you keep your discipline, that you focus on football, no matter how big the game is. It can sometimes get a bit tense, but sometimes you can have games that are heated from the first to the last minute. Sometimes you have just two or three moments in the game when it becomes absolutely heated but you have master the situation when it happens. – Arsene Wenger

As we’ve said all week, just keep eleven players on the pitch!

rico

135 thoughts on “Arsenal players bomb Twitter with comments ahead of the NLD! Make it seven in forty nine….”

  1. kelsey says:

    Morning all

    Have to say Chelsea were very impressive last night,glad we got one of their matches out of the way.What a transformation from the team we thrashed.

    So NLD finally arrives and will form go out of the window.The team with the meanest defence playing us who score 75% more than they do.It has been stated Kane and Dembele are fit but not sure about Cazorla for us.It’s always a nervous game for both sides but let’s hope Home advantage really counts and Ozil and Sanchez keep delivering and will Giroud start.
    The game may possibly be won by team selection and when to sub.Hopefully a win for us otherwise a fortnight is a long time to brew.

    Any thoughts on what you guys think will be our best line up.We had an extra day to rest from the CL but exerted more energy than we thought pre match and Spurs were absolutely dreadful at Wembley.

    Apparently we have drawn the last 4 matches with them.

  3. rico says:

    That’s not good news re Dembele kelsey, or Kane, I was hoping both would miss out.

    Still, if our boys are up for this which I’m sure they will be, we have enough to beat them imo. Just hope Ollie doesn’t start as he’ll be meat and drink for their defence…

  5. Malaga gooner says:

    Morning Rico and the house

    Nothing like a NLD match to get the blood boiling on a cold morning

    I’m going for a 4 nil win… We’re going to rip them a new one

    COYREDS

  7. kelsey says:

    Arsenal

    33Cech
    24Bellerín
    20Mustafi
    6Koscielny
    18Monreal
    34Coquelin
    29Xhaka
    14Walcott
    11Özil
    17Iwobi
    7Sánchez

    Substitutes

    3Gibbs
    5Gabriel
    8Ramsey
    12Giroud
    13Ospina
    15Oxlade-Chamberlain
    35Elneny

    Tottenham

    1Lloris
    2Walker
    5Vertonghen
    27Wimmer
    3Rose
    15Dier
    7Son Heung-min
    12Wanyama
    19Dembélé
    23Eriksen
    10Kane

    Substitutes

    9Janssen
    13Vorm
    14Nkoudou
    16Trippier
    25Onomah
    29Winks
    38Carter-Vickers

  13. allezkev says:

    Morning from sunny Essex…

    No Alli, no Alderweiweld, how fit is Dembele?
    Can’t see Kane lasting the whole game, let’s hope he pulls a muscle..,

    Xhaka has a massive 90 minutes, he needs to show discipline as Clattenburg will have no trouble getting out a red card.
    As long as he clamps down on the Scummers’ foul play, then I’m comfortable with that…

    Walcott should be flying today…

  14. allezkev says:

    Scum playing 3 at the back, so flooding the midfield…
    Walker and Rose pushing up on Bellerin and Monreal…
    Iwobi is gonna have a lot of work helping out Nacho, he needs to be on his toes.

    Mind you, the 3 Scum centre-backs won’t have anyone to mark with Alexis moving across the line and swopping with Theo.

  18. Obi says:

    MG I agree with you playing 3 in the back against Sanchez Ozil Iwobi and Walcott. What make him think we will be narrow, it has 4-0 all over it.

    Kev Xhaka will just need to be discipline for 60 mins, because Elneny will come in. Gutted about Santi.

    It’s on….. Morning All, enjoy.

  29. kelsey says:

    Second best after 20 minutes.Not one real chance yet purs have had 2.this game is too much for Iwobi and Walcott and Ozil need to get more involved.

  45. BT62 Gooner says:

    Scott, you beat me too it, thought pretty much the same..

    Stay focused be clinical when the chances arrive and hopefully a hammering is on the cards for the spuds…

    Have to say Jim Beglin commentary is like a breath of fresh air after listen too BT Sport..

  73. kelsey says:

    the Ox is living up to his name.Defensively they are a good side in fact not a bad side altogether to be honest

    Monreal my man of the match for us.

  79. Kel says:

    Boring game tbh… we lack physical power so much we rarely win a 50/50…

    Disjointed and shit performance from Arsenal.

    Iwobi a great kid but was terrible today gave the ball away countless times.

    Sanchez invisible.

    Imo if kane was fit and alli played they would have won that.

    Back to the drawing board wenger, well after we give utd their customary 3 pts at OT.

  80. Marinello says:

    Hi Rico,
    Good post.
    Today we gave the Spuds too much room and possession. We did not defend from the front and we keep playing through the middle when the space is on the wings.
    Spurs looked calmer on the ball and at the end a draw was about right for both teams.

  81. andrewh1313 says:

    Doesn’t give a lot of confidence for OT trip does it! I was calling for Ox to replace Iwobi, but what the heck! Mind you, shirt pull before their penalty not mentioned by pundits and clear pull on our player early on that would have been a Pen and probably send off, not seen by Clatts funnily enough.

  83. Le Coq Monster says:

    Atleast we didn`t lose !.

    Looks like my main two favourites for the EPL are on course !…………………Chavs because of the money and Dippers because of their managers style of play and obviously add into the mix that neither has CL or even Europa then you have the probable EPL winners !
    We have a decent squad, but Wenger is always going to be playing catch up on the better tactical managers !……………………will forever haunt us that we never bought outfield players last summer and gifted the league to Leicester ! 🙁

  85. rico says:

    Well, I’ve calmed down a little, not much, but a little….

    Should have won that match with ease against that lot. But totally agree, some of our players need to man up. Not sure what’s going wrong in defence but Kos and Mustafi seem to be struggling to gel these days.

    Chamberlain was dreadful, absolutely dreadful and apart from a super ball into the box for Xhaka, I thought this match was too big for Iwobi…

  89. kelsey says:

    The last PL penalty save by an Arsenal goalkeeper was August 2013 by Szczesny.

    I blame a few of the players giving it large all week on socia media yet having watched it again we were definitely second best.Spurs are a real threat and once again we flatter to deceive.

    What was with The Ox he goes from bad to worse but if the truth be known we don’t look great consistently specially against a good team.

    Did you notice any impact from Giroud ? Walcott had a screamer otherwise got completely outmuscled as nearly always happens to him.

    I kee saying to judge us against the better teams and overall though it was never going to be an easy game I expected better.

  90. kelsey says:

    Finally it is blatantly obvious that Wenger can’t raise this squad to the level needed to win a trophy.That is 5 consecutive draws with Spurs who never win anything.Only united next.

  92. Bob John says:

    Ibrahimovic back to scoring just in time for our visit! About the only thing that didn’t happen today was Jannsen breaking his duck in open play!

  96. Herb's Army says:

    Hi Rico and everyone in the House.
    I’ve kept my own counsel on Arsenal, away from the blogs, mainly because whilst it’s nice to be on a little unbeaten run, it has hidden the problems that always surface when we face anyone half-decent.
    Another acid test, another failure.
    Today was a real opportunity to make a statement, especially since we’re on quite a run of not beating Tottenham in the PL. But as usual, when there’s something riding on the game – like the chance to go top – Arsenal crumble. We end the weekend in our favourite position of fourth, and despite all the change in personnel, nothing much has changed at Arsenal.
    We’re still blunt up top and lack a ruthless cutting edge, and we still give the opposition every chance of scoring at the back. As Kelsey said, we were fortunate to play Chelsea before Conte’s tactical switch, because they’re still far better than us.
    Again, despite the ‘perception’ of the PL table, Arsenal are in a scrap for a CL place, not in the race for the title. Today we saw what we’ve seen over and over again for the last ten years, when it really matters, Arsenal aren’t good enough.
    Wenger should be careful when talking about Tottenham, because Pochettino is the best manager they’ve had in decades and one that he is struggling to get the better of.
    Of course The Arsenal are bigger than Tottenham, this is universally accepted, but Wenger is doing everything in his limited powers to close the gap.

  98. Joaquim Moreira says:

    I’ve just watched the first half yet.
    The second half was worst?
    We have been maybe 10 or 12 times off-side in the 1st half.
    why we not paly with a central forward? Giroud scored twice in the last game, was (is ?) motivate is the only central forward we have why he still at the bench?
    Chelsea and Liverpool 8out of the european competiitons) are in the top now. Normally, after a european game the performance decrease., but we were played on Tuesday and Totts on Wednesday.

  99. rico says:

    The second half was worse Jm, I wouldn’t bother if I was you…

    Both Chelsea and Liverpool will be fresher without European football…

    I’m off for the day, night all….

  100. Le Coq Monster says:

    Even though we are in CL and laugh at the likes of Manshafter, Liverpool and Chavs for not being in it, it is one of them that will have the last laugh come the end of the season when one of them is Champs and we fail miserably in the league and CL.
    It`s one of the reasons I dont have much fondness for the CL and why I wasn`t bothered whether we got top 4 last season………yes it was great laughing at the Spuds, but I wasn`t thinking with my head !……………being out of the CL would have gave us a better chance of winning the EPL, but we keep getting top 4, it`s a curse if you ask me and I know in previous years fans would say we need to be in the CL to attract players, but we all know that is bollox, it`s money that attracts players and has been proven in the last few years with both Manshafter and Chavs out of the CL but still buying players !.
    I`d love the chance of my theory to come true, but for that we need to come out of Europe Comp`s……..until we come about 8th it will never be proven and whilst we always get 2nd/3rd or 4th we will never win EPL and that`s been proven for the last 12 years.
    Wengers moaning that we were flat and couldn`t keep the intensity up, yet the Spuds had a days less rest !……………….now this all falls nicely into my other idea from a few days ago…………..rest the players in the rest of the C:L games, we have already qualified and it really doesn`t matter whether we get 1st or 2nd when you consider that we could currently face Juve, R Madrid or Bayern Munich by topping the group !………………..some common sense is needed here but sadly the heirachy lacks it !.

    Not a game `till the 19th………………..2 weeks of depression for not beating the scum…………… 2 weeks of couldn`t give a shit internationals………………………and 2 weeks `till we probably hear another excuse from Arsene……………deep joy ! hahaha

    Trying work out whether I would have been more pissed off by actually watching the game live than waiting and finding out we didn`t win so saving me the wasted time of watching the recording !…………………….think I did right by the sound of an enept performance, plus saving me the stress aswell !
    Also !……Our club is not good for diets etc`……………………so pissed off with out a win and to have to wait 2 weeks before we can try and put it right that I have turned to chocolate to ease my depression !…….if only them anti-aging creams worked for the missus and she turned back into a 19 year old again !………..I would say fcuk the chocolate, fcuk the internationals and fcuk Arsenal too ! 😆

    Hi Herb !……………………….thought the depressive spud result might bring you out !………………………actually, surprised the `Boro one didn`t bring you out ! 🙂

  101. Herb's Army says:

    Hi Cornwall.

    With the Middlesbro’ game, although alarm bells were ringing, I didn’t want to over-react, because oddities like that happen throughout the course of the season – and they repeated their impressive form at The Etihad, yesterday.
    I’m more annoyed about the Tottenham result because it exposes us for who we are. Charlatans, still intent on conning the fans into believing we’re title contenders, and we’re really not.
    I knew Klopp would turn Liverpool into a major force again, Pep will completely revolutionise City, Conte has Chelsea looking unbeatable, and Poch has put together a better football ethos at Tottenham than Wenger is capable of at Arsenal.
    Often it is the actions of other clubs that gives the perception that Wenger is a great manager. He may well be a great manager, but as a football manager he is woefully out of his depth when faced with any credible opposition, and it is deeply frustrating that the fans are unable to orchestrate major change. I’m sick of being forced to accept Wenger’s mediocrity.

  103. ScottfromOz says:

    We missed Santi, massively.
    We probably miss him more than we would any other player in the squad.
    There penalty was one of the absolute “best” I’ve ever seen won:
    The player actually intentionally avoided contact the ball to force contact with Kozzer.
    Very sly and I hope he’s proud!
    We have had some defensive lapses of late,but considering we looked quite solid recently, not sure what’s happened there.
    We were wide open through the midfield as we always are when not playing well.
    Still, for every reason people say we were lucky to get away with a draw, there’s a reason they were, as well.
    Both sides hit the post.
    Both sides missed some golden opportunities and though we benefitted from an own goal, they scored via a cheat so all square in the department.
    Disappointing result but I didn’t think we were as bad as everyone seems to make out.
    No, we weren’t very good though, either.

  104. allezkev says:

    I haven’t seen the game, but I listened to it on the appalling TalkRubbish…
    My son, who went to the game, said it was a poor match, and a fair result…

    All in all, if someone had said to me after Arsenal had lost 4-3 to Liverpool on the opening day of the season, that by the first week of November, that Arsenal will have qualified for the knock-out stages of the CL, reached the QF of the League Cup and be 4th in the EPL, 2 points behind the leaders, I’d have said ‘thank you very much, I’ll take that’…

    Night All

  106. Le Coq Monster says:

    It`s ironic that they call it the knock out stages of the CL as that`s when we usually get knocked out ! 😀

    Am I the only one who has a sense of Deja vu at being 4th ? 😆

    If I`m correct, I`m sure Arsenal have the record for most appearances in the League Cup Quarters……another 4th sort of thing, where we have a dismal record beyond them ! ………………………and as for being top in November meaning nothing………..say that to the guy on top of the bonfire…..his arse is on fire ! 😀

  107. Herb's Army says:

    Hi Kev, you sound very much like you’re defending Wenger for doing the same thing he does every year.
    Apart from PSG, we were handed a fairly easy CL group, so qualification into the knock-out stages is the very least we should expect. Wenger has never won the League Cup and I don’t see that changing. As for being top in November meaning nothing, you’re right, but Liverpool have played Arsenal, Tottenham and Chelsea in London, won two and drew the other, and they should have beaten United at Anfield.
    Tottenham came to the Emirates with no wins in six, struggling for goals, and missing a couple of key players. Pochettino’s Tottenham are unbeaten in the PL against Arsenal, and now we’re allowing Harry Kane to do to us what Didier Drogba did to us for seasons on end.
    We could console ourselves with being a much bigger club, but since neither of us have done anything significant in football for years, it seems a very insignificant point.

  108. ScottfromOz says:

    We are so, so shit according to plenty, yet as Kev says, we aren’t in a half bad spot in all competitions.
    Look for negatives and you’ll find them.
    It ain’t rocket science, and it ain’t difficult.
    It is, however, pretty funny.

  109. ausscotty says:

    Cazorla may of helped but I think we needed the power of Xhaka & Coq today. Iwobi a glaring weak spot – would of had more confidence in Gibbs putting away the great opportunity Iwobi ballsed up. Ox should of started and things would probably be different.
    Still need a pacey striker who can pop goals away with Sanchez playing on the flank to compete for top honors.

    The way Arsenal are playing this season has been great and props to Wenger but he still lets us down in the transfer market.

  110. Herb's Army says:

    We’re not sh*t Scott, just boringly consistent. We do exactly what is expected of us and nothing more, we never exceed expectation because we don’t try.
    If we were trying to exceed our pretty ordinary expectations, our transfer policy would be a lot smarter and we’d be looking at players to take us to the next level, like up-grading Walcott or The Ox for someone like Sadio Mane or maybe a Nathan Redmond.
    It’s difficult to find positives when the club do the same thing every year in the competitions that really matter, the PL and CL.
    I guarantee you there be huge buzz of excitement and plenty of positive energy around Arsenal if the fans believed we had a genuine chance of winning either of the two, but we’re as far away from achieving that as when we moved to the Emirates, ten years ago.
    It’s all about money at Arsenal, and that doesn’t excite the supporters, it only arouses suspicion and mis-trust, and is never a good recipe for a harmonious relationship between the club and fans.
    Just look at Liverpool. They’re a club who understand the passion and expectations of their fans and who are moving in the right direction with a youngish, energetic, ambitious manager playing dynamic crowd-pleasing football.
    Brendan Rodgers is an agreeable, amiable man who tried to play an attractive brand of football, and it so nearly worked out for him with Luis Suarez leading Liverpool’s attack. Just seventeen months after finishing second in the PL, Rodgers was sacked and they appointed Jurgen Klopp.
    No sentiment, just raw ambition to win major trophies and put Liverpool back at the top table.
    He got them to two finals with Rodgers side,and now, after his first major transfer window he has transformed the whole atmosphere at the club, and they sit top of the PL on merit.
    That is the kind of revolution needed at Arsenal to re-ignite the passion and the love of their supporters.
    If we were given that level of hope again, Scott, I don’t think you’d hear (or read) too much negativity.

  111. scottfromoz says:

    Herb,
    How much have we spent in the last 3 years or so?
    We’ve progressed, but what plenty of Arsenal fans refuse to accept is every other club has, as well.
    We don’t have a right to win trophies.
    We must earn them and its not as easy as plenty seem to think.
    If it was all about money, Citeh would simply win, wouldn’t they?

  112. scottfromoz says:

    Herb, using Liverpool as an example shuts your entire argument down.
    They have never won a PL title.
    They have spent a fortune.
    They couldn’t win with Suarez, and can’t win spending the money he brought in.
    They’ll not win the league this season, so where will that leave them?
    Same place as they’ve been for 25 years or so.
    Don’t get me wrong-I’m not settling for top 4, but as it stands, Leicester are the CL b who can boast, nobody else can, and it wasn’t through spending money they won anything.

  113. Malaga gooner says:

    We was shit yesterday… If you can’t motivate yourself for the biggest match of the season, when can you.

    They had s better game plan which shut us down

  114. scottfromoz says:

    MG, so we scraped out a draw even though we had no gameplan, and no motivation?
    Please!!
    It is pretty silly expecting a 10 out of 10 performance every game, but plenty do.
    It doesn’t matter who we play, sometimes we will play well and sometimes we won’t.
    Santi missing……..we missed him when injured last season as we were flat without him, and isn’t that what happened v the Spuds?
    How to replace him is the big question.
    Well, how to play without him is another question.

  118. Adam says:

    Morning Rico and all. Too much overreaction for me to what was, admittedly, a poor performance yesterday. You can tell that the crowd want to believe but are unconvinced and that fed into the team who looked to be short on confidence. Odd that we were so stretched whenever one of their many long balls came sailing into our defence. There were some shocking performances though.

  120. scottfromoz says:

    Rico, fair call….Elneny is a bloody decent player, no question.
    Santi is special, though, but Coquelin and Xhaka together isn’t the dominant duo we thought they’d be.
    Adam, I agree with you, but what the hell causes a lack of confidence with them?
    They should have they’re tails up of late, but they haven’t.
    Strange.

  121. rico says:

    It is their first season playing together though Scott and I suspect both were desperate not to do anything rash.

    Shame someone didn’t test Kane’s ankle like so many others have done with Wilshere.

  123. rico says:

    A rod up their backsides perhaps Adam…

    Wonder what Tony Adams would have said to them had he been in the dressing room at halftime….

  127. potter says:

    Long balls , especially down our right , they exploited Bellerin being in front of Theo for much of the game and gave Mustaphi too much to cover. In some respects I agree with Herb we do need to upgrade the forwards. Looking at things logically Iwobi is a great prospect but not really ready for regular 90 minutes and certainly not against the top teams , he still needs easing in. Had we had Sanchez , Theo and e.g. Greizmann up front we probably would have won with Iwobi on the bench. I am not blaming Iwobi for missing the goal just stating that I think he is playing too often above his station. Which brings us to The OX and Theo for the other side. I would consider their ages and contract length and now look to upgrade there as well , maybe Willock, Reine Adelaide are capable of stepping up , maybe not but one of Ox or Theo can go, too much unfulfilled prospect.
    All the foibles of Wengerball were on display yesterday. We met a better organised team that stifled our passing game . We had the better players but as usual when a well drilled team comes for a point they usually get it. Unfortunate with the penalty I think Kos’ foot was too close to the ball to say he didn’t touch it and replays show that Dembele was falling before he reached Koscielny . Without it we probably would have got a 1 -0 which although satisfying would not mask the fact that we need to make room in the squad for a similar player to Cazorla because when he is missing we are short of really threatening ideas.

  128. scottfromoz says:

    Rico, I never said it wasn’t a penalty….to the letter of the law, it was.
    I said the player searched for it, and got it.
    He deliberately missed the ball with his right leg, instead, aiming up at Kozzer to force contact, and to draw the penalty.
    It’s the way if the game nowadays, more’s the pity.

  129. allezkev says:

    Hi Herb, I’m not defending Wenger, it is what it is, I didn’t get overexcited when we beat Chelsea or put 6 past Ludogorets, nor am I going to get too upset about playing a Spuds team, who haven’t lost this season and not beating them, or losing…
    M’boro was disappointing and I’d imagine that Guardiola was disappointed at dropping 2points to them as well…

    Please don’t get carried away with the media driven Liverpool bandwagon, there’s a long way to go for them and no Europe to tire them out, but I’d wager that Arsenal will finish above them in May….

    Chelsea look good, but it’s a long long season…

  132. Adam says:

    Perhaps we lack a bit of belligerence as a team. A bit of on-field aggression and ruthlessness. And some players who will refuse to be beaten and are capable of making the difference. I suppose you might look to your more gifted players for this but I don’t see in Mesut the sort of ‘stuff’ that I saw in DB or quite a few others. But that was a while ago now.

  134. potter says:

    When it got tough Dennis knew how to use his physique , Wrighty never gave up and as for Vieira , Petit etc there was no backing down . I wont mention the back 4 it goes without saying. Probably we are too nice, a pleasure to watch sometimes but not up to the fight to beat the tougher teams.

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