Morning all.
Arsene Wenger wasn’t taking any chances yesterday, not when it came to his team selection. With David Ospina ruled out, Emiliano Martínez must have thought his chance on the big stage had come, but no, Petr Cech was the man to replace the Colombian.
We had two good chances to take the lead quite early on. First through Aaron Ramsey who really fluffed his lines when firing wide and secondly through Walcott from a corner,which Farman got a touch to which deflected the ball onto the post before being cleared from danger.
The on 30 odd minutes, Lincoln’s big moment came, it was their chance to put the pressure on us through Nathan Arnold who had left Laurent Koscielny flat on his backside. The big striker fired his shot towards goal but there was Cech to tip it wide of the post. The cameras went to the Lincoln City dugout, where the two Cowley brothers knew that was a huge chance gone begging and it was unlikely they’d get many better than that one…..
‘It was a good strike,’ said Danny Cowley after the game. ‘Those go in in the National League!’
It was, however, the save was even better……
The non-league side gave a good account of themselves during the first half, we however couldn’t make our so called superiority count with both Ramsey and Walcott again missing chances in front of goal. Then just before the break, Theo Walcott made it 1-0 but even that goal needed a little bit of help from a deflection. Still, if they don’t shoot, they don’t score.
After the break we saw Lincoln City off.
Goals from Alexis Sanchez which was the best of the bunch, an own goal from Waterfall, a tap in for Ollie and a chance which even Aaron Ramsey couldn’t and didn’t miss, made it 5-0. The scoreline could have easily been greater as Alexis crashed the bar with a free-kick and both Walcott and Ramsey not converting their chances.
Such a score-line should be celebrated but I’m not going overboard.
As Potter said on here yesterday, the match was a no win situation really. Win and it would be ‘so we should’, lose and the vultures in the media would be sharpening their daggers and I bet as Nathan Arnold’s shot was heading for the back of the net until Cech intervened, they were…
The downside to the game was a hamstring injury picked up by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and a booking each for Laurent Koscielny and Granit Xhaka.
After the match, Arsene Wenger had this to say:
We were a bit nervous because your confidence drops when you don’t have the results. The team was unjustifiably criticised for our last game against Bayern Munich because we had an outstanding game.
The game was killed not by the fault of the players but we have to take a distance with us and have a look at a bigger perspective than people want to do. Overall we had to respond today and that’s what we did. We had an outstanding game against Bayern Munich but our game was killed by the referee. I watched this game three times now and it’s still the referee who killed our game.
Prior to the game, the much anticipated protests were again in full swing. The media report 200 odd fans made their feelings clear about Arsene Wenger’s contract situation. Time for change is so desperately needed but after beating Lincoln City 5-0, dear old Arsene will think all is now rosy in the backyard.
If a 10-2 aggregate thrashing by Bayern Munich won’t convince him to go, then a 5-0 defeat of a non-league side should not convince him to stay either.
However, ten years of mediocre football and feeble excuses along with many other things, should be.
Have to love The Daily Star:
Juventus manager Max Allegri has given Arsenal three weeks to decide if they want to offer him the job. Arsenal are waiting for Arsene Wenger to give a clear answer on his plans for the future, but Juventus are pressuring Allegri to make up his mind on a new deal with his current club, as his deal runs out at the end of the season.
Arsenal face competition from Barcelona should they decided to approach Allegri, as the Catalan club need to replace Luis Enrique.
As we know because old Chips has told us, expect no announcement of any kind until the summer but we just have to hope that regardless of his words, the board are already sorting out a deal for a new manager…..
Go for Enrique. He stands up to anyone – was not afraid to drop Messi! My fear is that yesterday’s result will make the board think that there is still mileage is Arsene. Plus now, there are the stories of Alexis being the panto villain and all of the players backing AW. The only way he can stay is to be given a shed load and buy Mbappe/Lacazette/etc. I too would take a look at Leipzig, who have one or two very good players.
Forgot to say – Chris Sutton = Bell-end!
DB, isn’t Enrique finished in management, or is it just Barca?
What’s Sutton said now?
Morning All
It was his commentary Rico
I agree with the pundits that onee couldn’t see in the first half which team was in the PL.Ramsey was absolutely shocking.
Our third team should and could have beaten brave Lincoln.
Don’t deceive yourself we learnt nothing.We were fitter as expected and they tired dramatically so we went on to win and AW is comparing Bayern to Lincoln.It’s sad he’s totally lost it now yet he still holds all the aces if he stays or goes.
On current form whoever we draw in the semi’s will want us.
I really think this is more than a dip and might turn into a crisis.
Rico – as Kelsey says, his unbelievable biased commentary on BT.
I think Enrique could be tempted, albeit he says that he needs a rest.
Like I said yesterday the team Arsene
put up for Lincoln.Was the sign of a manager
who has completely lost which end the Clock is.
Wenger does not deserve abuse of him personally but on the other hand he should not be in the position to determine his own future at our, I stress our club. This can’t keep going on as the fanbase will get split more and more and it’s already turned ugly for a few months.Is that the legacy AW wants to eventually leave. Sometimes there is a point of no return in life generally, and I am afraid he has reached that point. ?
Sutton…..a total knob!
If BT insist on finding ex players as pundits who cannot be impartial, they should sack them in mid commentary. Michael Owen was bad but Sutton is a total disgrace.
Allegri for me, with Keown in support…….sorted!
Despite the win against a hardworking team 87 places lower than us I think we just about did enough, with our first choice players, to win the match, but it was nothing to write home about, in terms of a performance.
Gloomy here again today.
Afternoon and thanks Rico………..did you go yesterday ?
It`s a bit slow, but Sutton obviously loves Arsenal !
https://streamable.com/vda3g
Dont know about any of you lot but this definately feels different from other seasons even when we`ve scraped 4th and even if we manage 4th this season I feel we`ve reached a tipping point in Wenger`s dictatorship !
Afternoon All
Afternoon Rico, a very pleasant afternoons entertainment yesterday, a decent game and quality time spent with quality friends…
Lincoln did themselves proud in the 1st 45 and in fairness yesterday should really have been all about them and their amazing journey to the Q/F, they certainly didn’t look non-League.
In the 2nd 45 I think that Arsenal stepped it up and Lincoln lost a bit following Walcott late 1st half goal. And later in the game the difference in fitness began to show.
It eventually turned into a training session with Arsenal camped in the Lincoln half and in truth we should have scored 8,9 or 10 goals, but Lincoln didn’t deserve to be humiliated so I’m content with the 5, it put the clubs relative positions into context and should give our sagging confidence a bit of a lift with West Brom on the horizon.
I never saw any demonstrations against Wenger before the game, only two guys held up Wenger Out signs nearby at the end of the match, in fact the Lincoln fans turned the afternoon into a carnival event and good on them.
I hope they win promotion and the FA Trophy…
Fred do you know Danny Cowley?
Just looked on Arsenal.com about the Semi-Final draw and underneath there was a poll on how far we would go and 9% said it would be quarter-final !…………………..and that`s after reaching the Semi`s ! hahaha
Michael Owen is a knob, I agree there, but I kinda enjoy listening to Chris Sutton as he is so clearly biased and says outrageously controversial things. He just makes me laugh, because you can see in his face that he is a wind-up merchant…
Cocko, hopefully we’ll get Millwall in the semi final… ?
Oops sorry………the poll was put up on the 9th March, but still, 9% thought we would lose !………….and I thought I was a pessimist ! 🙂
It would be nice Kev`, but realistically this is going to be probably the strongest ever Semi line up !.
Owen Farrell is like a metronome, his kicking is outstanding…
Kev
His dad Steve played for PLA..(Dockers)
very good player,played against him a few times.
His brother Nicky worked in one of the school’s
so just phone call’s.
Why I asked is both of them played for Gidea Park Youth.
Ok Fred, I don’t recall either of them, Danny is older than my Kevo so they wouldn’t have played together…
Afternoon Kev, all..
Farrell was shocking last game Kev, but it was windy. Yesterday he was awesome. England were superb..
Great comment earlier about not humiliating Lincoln. They certainly didn’t deserve to be. The Cowleys seem to be really nice guys who are doing well. I doubt it’ll be long before they are snapped up by one of the league sides….
Maybe they could manage our Academy…. 🙂
Hi Lc, I didn’t. My ticket didn’t materialise as the person applying for the tickets couldn’t get the amount he wanted…..
Thanks DB, Kelsey. I take absolutely no notice of the commentators these days, most hate us…
Not saying the Cowley’s are bad guy’s..But.
Romford FC..Fan’s would disagree.
The Non League fans say
These guy’s are cheat’s.
This from the Romford FC site:
Younger brother of Danny and like his brother hated by Romford fans after his cheating antics at clubs after he left. Also disliked by many other clubs across the leagues.
You have shocked me Fred…
So was I Rico
They look like butter wouldn’t melt Fred….
Harry Kane injured… ?
They played Sat/Sunday football in some
tough league’s and the old man would know
how to slow a player up.
I was so sad having to watch him limp off Kev…..
Interesting. Shows that regardless of what we think about him, Arsene Wenger isa class act…
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/lincoln-management-duo-explain-90-10010946
Love hearing these good Arsene stories, Rico, as I/we know he is a good man who undoubtedly loves our club !……………………shame he no longer has the ability to make us compete and would rather we had a non nonsense bastard of a manger who wins the titles……………and an owner !……………………………I will look back with affection when he goes soon, then onwards and hopefully upwards !.
Me too Lc. His managerial days are over imo, but away from our club, he’s a decent guy…
Night guys, I’m having an early one….
Night Rico…
I’m hearing that Harry Kane could be out for the rest of the season… ?
Ok, a question for all you Gooners out there…
If I offered you an FACup final victory over Tottenham, and Wenger signing for 2 more years, would you take it..?
Perhaps, maybe I might do. I’ll have to wait and see how I feel on the day?
Where`s your hand Kev ?………………..so I can bite it off now !
I`d question ayone`s Arsenal DNA if they refused that offer !………………..in fact, it better bloody happen as you`ve now got me aroused at the thought of it and if it dont happen I will come looking for you allezkev !…………………..and spray paint Uber all over your cab as an advertisement ! 😆
That’s teasing, Kev lol
If it were a guaranteed 2 year extension with no further time added I’d take it-especially if we can belt one of the big guns in the final.
Actually, I’ve changed my mind, Kev.
He has to go.
It’d be delaying the inevitable, and if winning two Cups in a row wasn’t enough to appease fans, one more certainly won’t.
Time for a change.
How about we beat Totts in the final of the FA Cup and then he leaves Kev? 😉
Morning all..
Rico, senfekkensational.
How good would that be??!
Morning all.
Morning Rico, all.
I bet that would be a dream send off even for him. Who’d forget that? All would be forgiven.
I don’t think I can endure two more years of the same.
Almost the perfect ending Scott… lol
Morning Marshall. I think even I’d forgive him then, well, maybe, maybe not…. 😉
Morning Rico. I’m with you and Marshall with that one. 🙂
Two more years is unappealing, to say the least.
Morning Adam. Two more years and the blunt knives will be out….
Haha, c’mon Rico, you’re not that hard to please. Lifting a cup at the expense of spuds in their ‘second home’, hell I’d forget all Wenger has taken us through.
Adam, we can only endure for so long.
🙂 Marshall.. Ok, you win…
Marshall. My feelings exactly but we live in the age of ‘spin’ where a victory against Lincoln City has deeper significance. It means we have mental strength and are over the BM defeat which, despite the 10-2 scoreline, we were ‘unfortunate’ to lose as we played so well. 🙂
I should add that this is also the view of a bloke who sits a few seats along from me. Seriously!
Winning the F.A cup is all about ego , if he wins it for a seventh time he becomes the all time most successful manager in the competition. A place in the record books to retire on.
Potter, and if he does win it again, we will still have people saying he can’t manage which, quite obviously, is complete rubbish.
It’s already rubbish based on what’s been done so far.
Time to go-yes.
Doesn’t mean he’s not a great manager, though.
Morning all.
I`d take Billy Wright back if it meant beating the Spuds in an FA Cup Final !
Years ago Cesc said that the squad did not watch videos of the opposition to determine their strengths and weaknesses, yet Arsene watches countless videos on his own !………….3 times he has watched the home loss to BM !…what`s that saying about locking the stable door after the horse has bolted !
Beautifull sunny day here in the south west you norherners ! 😆
Scott, the word is ‘was’ – he was a great manager. He’s isn’t any longer though imo.
Rico, I disagree.
He’s stale, and so is the club, but overall, he’s still vastly superior to most.
You’d think they’d sit and watch the reruns together Lc and then breakdown/discuss our errors as the game goes on…
Mind you, they’d be there all day…. 😉
Talking of which, I have to now go and muck out the stables and talk tactics with the two horses who I have named Kroenke and Wenger…………..their real names are Shadow and Storm, but I like to open the stable doors and say…………. Kroenke Out….Wenger Out !…………….and they go !…………………..see, it`s that easy !
I still think he`s a great manager, but a rubbish coach !………………..our finances are fantastic, but our tactics are inconsistantly woefull !…………………right, time for Wenger and Kroenke out !
Or should that be……consistantly woefull ? 🙂
LC, we are consistently inconsistent.
Fair enough Scott…. I think he’s terrible these days. He can’t handle big players, can’t motivate, can’t play the European game, contradicts himself, terrible in a transfer window, hangs onto average players…. Ok, I’ll stop there…
Rico, he’s nowhere near his best, but he’s not terrible, imo.
Did anyone see the highlights of Reals weekend game?
Keeper should have received a straight red-not even a foul.
Later, they’re back should’ve received a yellow and a stonewall penalty-no foul.
They win 2-1 lol
If Arsene managed them, they go undefeated hahahaha
Ok, they wouldn’t, But we really need to understand they’re is one massive difference between managing Arsenal and managing other big clubs in various leagues
If you get the chance, have a look and I’m sure you’ll agree with me that Real are “blessed”.
It’s a matter of opinion Scott…
Yes it is, Rico.
One could suggest that we ourselves had a bit of good fortune during 2003/04……
Happens everywhere….
Morning Rico and All
I wish Arsene would manage my money affair’s
and leave the football to someone else.
Morning all
Well United don’t have a recognised CF or number 10 for tonight not that I think they have a dogs chance.
Rico, but have you watched the Real game?
Until you do, you really can’t compare.
It was farcical.
Kelsey didn’t we face Utd in a similar scenario last season. And a 17 year old had a dream debut.
Difference between s and Chelsea is I don’t think the chavs will give them a sniff like we did. Hell we allowed them to take a bite.
I hope the next manager restricts/ban the interviews our players keep on giving. It riles me up after a win every player is quick to speak to the nearest microphone. This hype is what keeps some players from focusing imo.
Morning Fred. I wish i had the kind of money he’s been managing…. lol
I’m not really interested in Real Madrid Scott.
I never directed the original post at you, Rico 🙂
The only interesting thing about Real Madrid is Ramos has 10 goals this season… Wow!
They may get lucky, but as a captain he makes it count. I like his never say die attitude. When was the last time a team captain played regularly at Arsenal…RvP?
I can confirm Kroenke and Wenger are out !……………..although Wenger had to be enticed with some mint tictac`s………….Kroenke had no idea what tictac`s were, he just wanted to shit on my ranch, then talk tactic`s about some Rams who are eating his grass !.
No, but you told me I couldn’t comment unless I’d watched the match… Smart arse… lol
Arteta had a season or two of playing as captain didn’t he? Or did injury strike just after he got the armband…
I recon RvP was the last captain to truly make a difference though…
On semi-final, I’d rather we faced City. Let Spuds take care of the Chavs for us and see who has the bigger bottle in the final! lol
Hahahaha
Fair enough Rico 🙂
Totts love Wembley…. 🙂
New post up now…
Rico the best he did was 27 appearances in league that season. The following he had 6 and his final season he had 0/nada/zilch starts… Am a believer in a captain charging from the front-line. Getting stuck in with the team. Well we all know about characters and Arsenal/Arsene don’t go hand in hand.
I think our problem with tactics is that maybe they are lost in translation !………..I can give you an example right this minute !……………………………………I just said to Max ( my puppy)…….” Go get me the squeaky bone ! “…………….he runs down stairs and runs back up with the ball in his mouth !…………………….Now I`ve just got the one puppy and Arsene has how many different nationalities ?………now, Arsene could be barking orders in his broken english to Alexis saying……..” Alexis, mon ami, slip back from zee half way line and cover zee fullbacks monje tieu !”………….and Alexis scampers back with a squeaky bone in his mouth !
Thanks Marshall.. I prefer the captain at the back so he can see all that goes on ahead of him and bosses them on the pitch…
Characters, what characters eh, we have one don’t we?
LC, back in the good old days, Arsene had to deal with many more different languages than he does today so that old excuse doesn’t wash with me… 😉
True Rico, but how do I get my Max to bring me the squeaky bone instead of the ball ? hahahaha