Morning all.
The under 23’s kicked off their new season yesterday and in similar fashion to the seniors of late, they started with a loss at home. Not the best start to a new league set up in England. These boys should be pushing for a place in the first team, not losing to Reading. Still, how often are we left saying the same after the first team have slumped to a defeat after playing clubs they really should be beating? Far too frequently I’d say and that’s just one of many things which has to change this season, especially when playing at home.
I’m writing this early in the morning so don’t slap me down if my mathematics are out by a point or two!
Seventeen points were dropped at The Emirates last term which really is poor. Just ten of those, had we won them, would have been enough to secure top spot. It’s all very well people saying that other teams arrive in London and park their 42 seater bus in front their own goal but this isn’t something new, it’s been going on for years and it’ll no doubt continue again this coming season. Other managers know it’s the only way to stop Arsenal, and other clubs from scoring and as far as Arsenal go, it usually works. It’s not the job of an opposition manager to change his tactics so we can win with ease, it’s his job to ensure his team doesn’t lose and if that’s the only way, then so be it. It’s Arsene Wenger’s responsibility to find a solution to such negative tactics, something which he hasn’t addressed until now and as much as I’d like to believe that’ll change this season, I suspect it wont.
A staggering twenty six points were dropped away from home which is hardly the form a club challenging for the Premier League should produce, especially when one considers that twenty of those points were dropped against West Ham having been 2-0 up, Liverpool, again after surrendering a lead with just minutes to go, Norwich, West Brom, Sunderland, Stoke and Norwich. Three points dropped against the worst Man Utd team in years was disgraceful, especially the performance.
Of course it’s highly unlikely we’ll ever repeat the achievements of The Invinsibles, but forty three points dropped during one season, is very very poor.
And I won’t even start on the domestic cups and Europe, because we hardly shone in any of the three tournaments…
Liverpool arrive tomorrow and Jurgen Klopp has started the mind games by suggesting Arsenal play the long ball game when it suits. Well so what, if that’s what it takes to beat his Liverpool side tomorrow, who cares? Because sometimes, a long ball over top might be the only way to overcome the parked bus…..
Tippy tappy slow build up football won’t, that’s for sure…..
Transfer gossip:
Arsenal have increased their bid for Riyad Mahrez to €41million (£35million), according to L’Equipe. Although Leicester deny any move has been made or any offer for their player submitted.
The Mustafi stories rumble on too. He’s too late for the Liverpool game that’s for sure, just hope Arsenal and Valencia can agree a fee before we head off to face Leicester….
Have a good Saturday guys…..
Morning Rico and the house
I’m in a cheerful mood this morning, knowing we only have 9 months to put up with most delusional manager in the PL
Btw good post
Morning Mg, I wouldn’t count your chickens just yet….
Mind you, I bet there are many clubs in the PL who would have loved to had AW as their manager, especially those who play yo-yo with relegation….
Arsene is the bestm see what will happen with anyone else
Scott, I have every sympathy for Debuchy, when we signed him everyone and their dog was delighted because we’d bought a player who we thought was a like for like replacement of the excellent Sagna (now compare attitudes there Digger).
Nobody could have foreseen how Bellerin would blossom into the top top class full-back he is now.
So you are Debuchy, you feel really pissed off at your bad luck. So what do you do when you get a chance to play, do you go out with a ‘I’m gonna show you attitude’ or do you stink the place out, you tell me Scott?
Rico, as I understand why people get frustrated with Arsene, I hope you see why some of us get frustrated with fellow supporters.
MG has told us for a few seasons we will definitely sign certain players, yet not one has come off, but reading that comment before the season has even started kind of annoys me.
Should I bother commenting?
Morning all
Kev, I’m not defending Debuchy and his attitude, I’m saying plenty criticise him as if he were never any good, like they did with Chamakh.
Good post Rico. Gives a good perspective on all the nonsense we heard from Wenger yesterday.
I think based on the first two games one will be able to judge the feelings of the fans.
I have already given my thoughts as have others but I can’t remember a start to a season when we have so very few players of e in practically al positions in defence or attack.xperience and in form to chose from
But it’s each to their own I guess Scott. I actually hope Wenger has a blinder of a season and wins the PL…
sorry my typing got hiccups 🙂
I get what your saying Scott, we all have our favourites and players who can’t do anything right. I don’t dislike Debuchy the player, I just don’t rate his attitude…
Chamakh was a funny one, I’m not sure that he really suited English football and having half a pound of lard massaged into his barnet didn’t help. ?
Kev, Chamkah was terrific for us until that Dutch Fukker came back from injury, Chamakh went to the bench, hardly got game time and suddenly everyone said he was shit.
Debuchy-copped a bad injury when doing well, Bellerin killed it, suddenly Debuchy is second choice and that’s fair enough, but fans turned on him.
Then, he turned in the club.
Thanks Steve..
Agree Kelsey..
Morning Rico and the House.
There’s very little to be excited about going into the new season, when I think about how far away we are from contending, and I really couldn’t care less about whether or not Arsenal finish in the top four.
Some will argue we finished second last year, but that was only achieved by Tottenham having a melt-down against Chelsea. It wasn’t a glorious second where we’d pushed everyone the whole way, we were a very distant second to a club working on a quarter of the budget of Arsenal.
I agree with you Kelsey, Debuchy was terrible business, but Wenger has always been a reactive manager rather than pro-active, and he gambles massively on the size and quality of his squads.
For someone renowned for developing youngsters, our youth set-up is shambolic, and the only decent player so far to have come through is Jack Wilshere, who has been virtually ruined through Wenger’s over-reliance on him.
In many ways, Arsenal are a bit of a mess, and although I am fully aware that Kroenke’s greed is seriously hampering the club’s progress, Wenger’s management methods are very questionable.
Hi Rico, Kev, Scott and all fellow Gooners.
I reckon Klopp fancies his chances tomorrow with the two young Central defenders playing, but as we have seen in the past, as Jimmy Greaves said, football is a funny old game and sometimes the unexpected happens. I hope that that our defence plays out of its skin and gets protection from whatever midfield Wenger selects.
I am going to be brave and go for a 2-1 win for the Arse.
Hiya Marinello,
The Scousers are better than us, as they have been for the last 12 years according to most, as are Tottenham, who have been for the last 20 years, but I think we can spring an upset 🙂
Morning Herb, good comment..
Hi Marinello. I’m not surprised Klopp fancies his chances. Not only do we seem to lose on the opening day of the season, but poor old Chambers and Holding are being thrown in with the wolves. Not their fault I know, just hope the midfield gives them a lot of protection when needed…
Elneny and Shaka…..Scousers won’t even get a shot on goal.
Just for historical context, Scott, we’re miles behind Liverpool. Finishing a place or two above them means little when Arsenal are making no real effort to close the gap on their trophy haul.
It may be twenty-six years since they won the league, but they have 18 – five more than Arsenal – as well as eight major trophies in Europe. A club with a completely different mentality to Arsenal, which is why they attract the quality of Torres and Suarez, and Arsenal don’t.
Scott11.15: lets hope so.
Don’t know about you guys but I’m bricking it.. A couple of early injuries ( which is the norm for us ) and were well and truly screwed. Fed up hearing when everyone is fit we have a strong squad…. When’s the last time everyone was fit FFS! Good luck to the lads on Sunday
Morning again Rico. Sorry, I had to get some shopping.
Yes, from what I gather, there was a buy-out clause for Suarez. Whether we came out of it better in the long run is debatable. I have heard arguments both ways.
Wenger did not duck talk of the title, and said his side’s aim is to improve on last season’s second-place finish.
However, the 66-year-old Frenchman did admit to feeling “even more anxiety” as he tries to win a first title since 2004, with Liverpool their first opponents.
“The top clubs have new ambition so it promises to be a very exciting season and difficult one as well,” Wenger said.
“The new managers will be interesting but the quality on the pitch will be the most important thing and let’s not forget we finished second,” Wenger added.
“We need to skip one more place. The last four years we have been fourth, third and second, and we want to make progress again.”
After 20 years here his art of talking in riddles is second to none 😉
Herb,
By your reckoning, Sanchez, Ozil, Cech and Xhaka are second rate, so enough said on that opinion of yours, because it’s absolutely obvious that the comment is just plain wrong.
26 years, yet all we hear from Arsene critics is” its been 12 whole years”….Liverpool are better than us??
Your argument is typical of a Wenger critic.
It’s twisted to suit the argument at a certain point of time.
How can you even post that without laughing?
Why is it we Arsenal fans show such contempt for the club we supposedly love??
Well, some of us.
Adam, as much as I detest Suarez as a person and player, no question in my mind, if we’d got him, we’d have a title or two under our belt.
I’m not sure how anyone would say we wouldn’t have been better off having him.
I think maybe it was wrong to bring up the Suarez bid if it was going to start an argument. Surely most will agree that in recent years our negotiations have to say at least been laboured and we nearly always hear later about players we nearly bought.
Ozil and Sanchez were quite different.They wee presented to us as surplus to requirements and we bought them .
Iwonder if staged payments were scrapped transfer fees would ome down from the ridiculous amount that we now see.
Scott, it’s all about attitude Digger…
The fans only turned against Debuchy because he played as if he didn’t give a shit.
Do you honestly think that the fans would have slagged him off if he’d shown some fight and detirmination when he played.
Who knows, he might have won his place back?
As for Chamakh, he lost his place and his mojo and the strength of mentality to fight for his place back, But. Maybe Wenger should have been criticised for not dealing with the situation better…?
Tbh, he didn’t set the world alight at Crystal Palace did he?
So maybe he wasn’t really that good to begin with.?
I
Morning Adam, I googled it and read an interesting article which explained the difference between a buy out clause and a get out clause… Seems Suarez had the one which doesn’t mean a club has to sell. If that article is factual of course.
scott, that is what I said exactly at the end of the last post.
Scott why are you so argumentative
Posters are aloud their own opinions
Scott, I think you are reading Herbs last comment totally in the wrong way. Where on earth has he suggested any of our layers are second rate, let alone the ones you mention…
You clearly seem to be on a mission these days….
We would never have entertained a player like Chamakh 10 years ago but that leads to our scouting network which has fallen way behind.
Ok Scott. History proves my point. A football club’s reputation is built on the entirity of their existence, not just a few years to support your narrative. In this country, Liverpool are considered a bigger club than Arsenal’s.
The two players I mentioned are world-class strikers. At least try and argue with sense and perspective.
Hiya Marinello, how’s it going mate, you gonna be going to any games this season?
I’ve got a ticket for the Southampton game, so I could be watching Akpom and Asano leading the Arsenal attack? ?
Isn’t it the same reason why Walcott get’s slated too Kev, the bloke doesn’t look as if he’s interested half the time.
What’s the difference between Walcott and Debuchy though, and I doubt a single person on here wasn’t slating Theo all season…. But no, that’s considered acceptable, but the criticism of Debuchy is not??
Doesn’t really add up…
Kelsey, so what was it about Liverpool attracted players such as Torres and Suarez?
Their recent history in the League?
FA Cup final wins of recent years?
As I always say, Wenger critics will always find their angle, and you’ve done the same thing by suggesting Sanchez and Ozil were presented to us…well done.
I mean, Torres and Suarez were just MASSIVE names when the Scousers got them, right?
Don’t let the facts get in the way of an opinion.
Kev, I give up mate.
I’m not sure why I bother getting on an Arsenal blog and spend all of my time defending Arsenal.
If anyone can explain why the hell any Arsenal should feel the need to defend their own club on a club forum, then let me know.
A mission??
Well maybe I should just abuse and insult the club every day, and be one of the popular kids.
81 goals in 110 games for Ajax before joining Liverpool. I’d say Suarez was pretty good when the Dippers got him..
Scott. IF we had got Suarez he would have been angling for a bigger move a season or two later and the whole thing might have become disruptive. Would we have bought Ozil too? I can’t see it.
I love The Arsenal, can’t stand the current regime because they refuse to put the club and their supporters first.
They are all about money over sporting success, and they are strangling the joy out of supporting the world’s finest football club.
Come on Scott, everyone is entitled to their opinion Digger, even you, and your always wrong. Lol ?
That’s a really silly comment Scott. ‘One of the popular kids’ – you know that’s garbage…
Also, who is really slagging off the club or Wenger for that matter, people are just saying what is clear to see. The club aren’t ambitious enough in the transfer window, and on the pitch, not only is the squad unbalanced and short in defence and up front, the football played is often dreadful.
Don’t be so sarcastic Scott and it’snothing to do with Wenger.
Real Madrid bought Bale and their bank demanded they offload a player so we bought Ozil at te eleventh hour.
Sanchedz was deemed not good enough for barcelna and we negotiated a deal to buy him.
I am not anti Wenger but you seem to be in a bit of a mood with everyone. IMO I think Wenger should have gone 5 years ago for reasons I have stated hundreds of time.We will be ever grateful for all he as done but I can see a day not far ahead when he will be hounded out, something I wouldn’t like to see.
I am not disussing liverpool ,I think you meant to direct that to Herb.
It’s the first weekend of the season let’s take a deep breath and se how things pan out.
http://www.90min.com/posts/3610231-arsenal-reportedly-make-13-8m-bid-for-juventus-midfielder-mario-lemina
Wonder if this is true….
Wikki on Lemina:
A strong, hard-working, and dynamic right-footed midfielder, with solid technique and distribution, Lemina is a box-to-box player who is usually deployed in the centre, due to his ability to start attacking plays after winning back possession.
Due to his tactical versatility, he is capable of playing in several positions, and has been deployed as a winger, as a full-back, or as a wing-back, on the right flank; during his time with Marseille, he also played as centre-back in a three-man defence on occasion, during the 2014–15 season, under manager Marcelo Bielsa.
Despite his talent, he has also earned a reputation for having a temper and for lacking concentration at times…
Sounds like he’d fit in well and a typical kind of player AW likes…. 🙂
Scott, seriously, don’t give up Digger, debate makes things interesting, if we all agreed it would be dull…
Rico. It all feels a bit 11th hour doesn’t it?
Doesn’t it just Adam.
Rico, Walcott has been with us what, 10 years now?
During that time the fans have been behind him for most of it, I’d say only the last couple of years have I sensed that patience is running out, probably due to his inflated salery as much as anything…
You know, when your paying someone £140k pw, you kind of expect a bit more for your money, than what we get from Theo…
I really don’t think that he has much cause for complaint at the negativity that he gets from the fans now…
https://arsenalyouth.wordpress.com
For all BFG fans everywhere – I’m the only one on here… ?
Hi all
You have to laugh at the spin coming out of the club. Everyone thougt we would finally spend some big money after finishing 10 points behind Leicester but instead we use it as an excuse not to spend. I was waiting to see how long it would take for the “Leicester have shown you don’t have to spend money” crap to come out and Arsene has duly obliged! He even had the front to talk about coming second as an acheivement completely ignoring the massive gap between first and second.
I’m not trying to defend Walcott Kev, just saying that it seems ok to criticise some, but not others… 😉
Hi Bob, I think Wenger is like a number of fans. They see second as being an improvement, as it’s better than 3rd or 4th but they forget we were ten points behind the winners and in a season when Utd, Chelsea and City had a horror show and the Totts totally shot themselves in the foot…
And, as you stated earlier Rico, the quality of football that was dished up was absolutely appalling!
We are short of players in several positions but Wenger, I believe, is convinced he can paper over the deficiencies by bringing in some of the youngsters, just to see how they go! If he gets lucky he may find a couple more ‘bellerins’ so problem solved. If it all looks like going tits up he may go and rind a Mikel Sylvestre lookalike! When interviewed he will almost certainly say, of his new signing, “you see I can still surprise you.” Ffs!
It’s all a bit like watching and ‘waiting for Godot” and you know what I waited in the audience eager to see/meet him but he never turned up! Just like one of the Arsenal’s ‘new’ players!
In my heart of hearts I can’t see us finishing anything above sixth, and I’m being optimistic.
Tomorrow, if we get lucky 1-1 will be a good result for us!
Leicester make it 1-1 with a penalty… 😳
Conspiracy theory number one:
Leicester are awarded and score their first penalty of the season! They have another 14 to come!
Oh well Mike Dean is at it again…. 15 seconds into the 2nd half out of the box contact, you guess it….yup penalty to LC. Smh.
Ok Rico, I consider myself ‘told’… ?
How many positions and points were we behind Chelski the previous season…
A penalty to Leicester?
Glory FEKKEN be.
So they’re already halfway to our last season total, but let’s be honest, they deserved their 15 and we deserved our 2.
Nothing untoward there.
No excuses to be made lol.
If there’s no defender and no striker Wavy, I too can see us falling away…
Hull 2-1 up…
For the record, we finished 12 points, and two positions behind Chelski the previous season, so finishing 10 points and one position behind Leicester is an improvement.
That’s not an opinion.
🙂 Kev.
Was it a fair one Obi?
Just outside the area Rico
There’s a bigger picture though Scott..
Thanks Mg…
I understand that, Rico, but so many find it impossible to see it was an improvement.
It obviously wasn’t a big enough improvement, but still.
Santi the new captain, does this mean that Santi will play regularly? Its about we have a captain who plays regularly. Btw can we swap Walcott for Snordgrass? I take that I have always loved his efficiency. Tomorrow should be an easy win for us, the only thing that will make it competitive is AW tactics but we will still win 2-0. Liverpool is not that good Firmino, Mane, Coutinho please give me a break. Holding and Chambers will hold their own. I am really hoping AW do selected them rather than some makeshift defense.
Is it going to be Lacazette, Isco, Morata???
Who actually cares until Wenger actually DOES something and signs a player 100%?
Frankly, the majority of posts or announcements from “Football Sources” are just stirring the pot of rumour and playing mind games. So, so tiresome!
On a completely different tack, I would like to see sweeping changes in the way matches (whether UK or, European-based matches) are run.
OFFSIDE:The frequency of incorrect signalling for Offsides is simply appalling.
This was exposed years ago by the then Sky Sports pundits Andy Gray and Richard Keys.
*Use the technology that is available now.
TIME-WASTING – this can be eliminated easily. As in American Football/Basketball for example there is an INDEPENDENT DIGITAL Time-Keeper When the ball is out of play, FOR WHATEVER REASON, the clock is stopped.
WE, the paying public, whether it’s for an over-priced ticket or a SKY TV annual subscription then get exactly 45 minutes each way (NO extra time added) and the Referee (who frequently adds too much time on anyway) can just do his job.
Players then cannot waste time.
DISSENT – Man Utd were the best at this, crowding round the Ref. and giving him lots of verbal. Can’t we have a new set of rules which says that ANY PLAYER who argues about ANY decisions gets 30 minutes in the SIN BIN.
Yes, introduce a Sin Bin where that will have more effect on a player than a Yellow Card and will not endear himself to his team-mates.
There is little discipline in the Law and our daily lives these days, and virtually none on a football pitch full of over-paid, spoilt footballers.
The following transgressions should be up for the SIN BIN too:
FEIGNING INJURY – Lots of this especially with foreign players.
DIVING – They should join RADA.
KICKING the BALL AWAY blah, blah blah..
Yup, I could go on but hey, it’s the weekend and the action starts soon.
I just wondered what other fans thought of these issues, that’s all?
The table says it was Scott, but the football doesn’t…
Merts is the captain Obi…
For the record… Are you being serious Scott…. So the fact that other teams were actually worse than what we were is your argument to say we improved…?
I expect more from you to be honest, we were crap, everyone else had problems which made them worse than us yet we were still not able to make the most if it and win the league…! Using others as a barometer cannot justify us being crap just because they were worse..! In your words “laughable”…! Do you seriously think they will be as crap this year…? I don’t…!
If you want facts look at the points total for the last 4/5 years and you’ll notice how much we’ve improved…! We haven’t simple as that.
Finishing behind this one or that one by 1 point of 50 points isn’t the issue is it….?
The fact is fans are pissed off because the club treat us like idiots, they think they can pull the wool over our eyes and instead of trying to be competitive we get fed excuses about money and sugar daddies and oil money and bla bla bla… bottom line is most fans accept this but what they do want is for us to spend what we do have and that’s not being done, the odd great signing here and there years after we had all seen they were required isn’t how it should be, it’s as been said before we are re-active not pro-active and we are always those 2/3 players short. As Arsenal fans we are allowed to pull the club up when we see what we think is mis-management and a lack of ambition and thats what normal fans here are doing it’s in our blood we been brought up with our club and now we have a manager and a board and owner all of whom seem complicit in merely treading water, that’s not slagging the club off that’s being real and saying whats going on. If you can’t see that then you’re missing the point…!
Fans are pissed off because they care it’s as simple as that if they didn’t care they wouldn’t be moaning and getting upset they’d be sitting with their feet up watching any old footie on the box just because they can.
You said something the other day about football first Arsenal second……….. really…????
Arsenal first second and last for me i couldn’t give a rats arse about anyone else, I watch decent footie and appreciate decent footie when it has no bearing on us what so ever, that’s why it hurts when i see us treading water and lacking ambition and people running our club who seem happy in not wanting to make us competitive… yes competitive thats all most of us want, spend what we earn don’t boast about 200million in the f’kin bank account..!
You found your way on then Andorra, welcome…
Afternoon Rico and the House
Hull win 2-1 but could they be in big trouble.
Only 13 outfield players and Curtus Davies has left the pitch feeling his left hip, is he injured? .
Oh no he is just letting Vardy out of his pocket where he has been for most of the game LOL
So glad he did not join us.
Afternoon Rick, Wath..
Bit of a shock that result. Hopefully Mahrez will push for a move away. He’s good at penalties… Lol
https://arsenalyouth.wordpress.com/2016/08/13/nketiah-hits-brace-as-arsenal-u18s-thrash-aston-villa-in-opening-game/
Beat me to it Rico .
Most of the team played in Durban for the U19’s and they only returned late Tuesday.
I wonder if Freddie was coaching them today.?
I expect so Rick…
Rico sorry went out … It was a foul outside the box and the LC player took 2 more steps into the box. It was a free kick. Re Captaincy, Rico I guess AW has realized Merts will not play this season.
Come on the toffees
1 up Mg..lol
How were we ever linked with Wanyama
He is shit
No probs Obi, seems odd to appoint him really and I guess Santi will be vice captain. Very similar to last season with Arteta…
Hi BT hope you’re well
I’m watching live on Sky Ireland
The Todd are terrible
Wath. Nicely said mate. I lost count of the amount of times I sat in the stands last season and watched the negativity run through the team. We lost our shape, commitment and belief. It cost us dearly.
If Wenger could address those things alone it would be worth many points to us.
The toot
Don’t think he was at Southampton Mg. bit of a thug though…
Adam, it’s funny listening to Jack going on about having leaders all over the pitch… Sorry Jack get real fella that’s exactly what we don’t have hence a lot of our problems… no bottle, no character and no spirit and for sure no leaders…! Maybe Xhaka will help on that front but will one man make such a difference, until the sum total pull their socks up then can’t see anything changing in the short or medium term. When the manager and the players are neither held accountable whats liable to change…………… Answers on a postcard please………….
Rico, we need at least two players to get centuries, once again we’ve underestimated Pakistan, our batsmen need to step up to the plate…
Hales, Ballance and Vince owe us a match saving innings…
Jack is just creeping round Wenger for a place. Leaders in this team, where? None..
Kev, it’s not looking good… Don’t know what’s up with Jimmy…
It’s all well and good Jack being positive and talking the talk, unfortunately talks cheap and we don’t ever see it on the pitch, Jack is one of those who cares and sometimes to much maybe hence the reckless challenges but as a player he know’s the players around him and know’s whats lacking..! Just like we can all see what’s lacking.
Lloris of injured
Wanyama fowl again, how has he not had a yellow
That’s all what comes out of the club though, cheap talk and little doing….
Everton are a different animal under Koeman
Help, we have dropped down to ninth and it’ not half time yet. Wenger out 😉
I have completely forgotten Jacks game as its been so long.
Should be 2 nil
🙂 Kelsey…
Me neither Adam, what position does he play? Lol
I am more interested in the guy who sold his shares to Usmanov for 200 million Mushari, and is buying more to take control at Everton to see how he injects much needed money into theclub.
http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/everton-majority-investor-farhad-moshiri-11415873
Shame he didn’t buy Kroenkes shares, together with Usmanov….
Some good comments people…
Me and football betting are doe, Leicester to win at Hull (evens) Hull had 13 fit players (2 goalkeers) and no manager!
Doe-done sorry Brudder!
You couldn’t tip shit out of a bucket………….. let alone bet… #just saying 🙂
For a minute I thought you said you and football are done Lee… Lol
Good afternoon lovelies and hunkies.
are you feeling the heat you all rain soaked miserable lot?? here we are frying….plus its a lot humid as well. UV index is 12…..scorching.
Leicester lost…..lol
Spuddies drew.
I hope all the rest draw their games while we win ours.
Lee….you should have done double chance……on Hull winning or drawing……it was obvious that Leicester would loose…..as Kante (the engine of the team) is no longer there. MArk my words….they will fight not to go down.
#fuckoffjustsaying ?
I don’t think they will devil, mid table Imo, unless we sign Mahrez…. 😉
Great race by GB’s eights, both men and women…. One gold, one silver….
Last season was a fluke Rico. everything went well for them. And we dropped all those points at home. This season they will be found out. If we win our game against them today week I can see them struggling because other teams will get to know how to play them.
Even if Mahrez stays with them they will struggle.
Gnabry is playing again today. watching the game between Germany and Portugal Olympic teams.
AW should take great care in re-introducing Gnabry……he can give us the same surprise Iwobi did last season.
We’ll see Devil, I worry more about what Wenger will do with this Arsenal team….
I can see another club making an offer for Gnabry before the transfer window shuts….
Caballero starts in the shitty line up.
HArt can kiss goodbye to 1st team spot….and start training his arse how to sit on the bench. Otherwise he will fall from that as well
I want him to stay Rico….I like Gnabry and feel that he is intelligent enough to fight for a spot in the first team.
So do I Devil. Hopefully, Wenger does too. He’s certainly having a good olympics….
Aguero puts shitty 1-0 up
Gnabry makes it 1-0 to Germany.
The boy can’t stop scoring….
Don’t want to appear racist but the reason United have paid a fortune for Pogba and Wanyama has been linked to so many clubs is because of their skin colour and size. Everyone is looking for the new Vieira.
Don.t take this as gospel but The Ox is out tomorrow but more interesting have a new type of pitch at The Emirates to help prevent injuries.Anyone know more about this.
To me grass is grass but it appears the old pitch turf was to hard.
I really hate it when people compare and say the new this or the new that.
Shadows of the past.
That’s interesting Kelsey because I think it was potter who said he hoped they were laying an injury free pitch…
Kev, England are in the mire….
Shame he didn’t buy Kroenkes shares, together with Usmanov….Think they tried and Moshiri got tired waiting and jumped ship.
Aguero puts shitty 1-0 up, Penalty wasn’t it ? That’s 90 minutes and one for City and 1 for Leicester. Wonder if we will get a turn or Liverpool .
The pitch at the stadium and the training pitches are all the same . They are grass reinforced with plastic to keep them flat and drained. This is one reason that we struggle when we play on less perfect pitches and the rumour is that the plastic strands create a drag on the studs and that’s why people think we get so many pulls and strains.
Have you heard anything about the pitch,potter.
I often wonder if it would have been such a calamity to have Usmanov as majority shareholder with Dein still in place.Hindsight is a wonderful thing.
Let’s hope there’s some truth in the changes to the pitch then. But if the training pitches remain the same, we’ll still suffer injuries….
I’m off out for dinner so catch up tomorrow, night all, have a good one….
Oh and I was hoping for a change.
Godnight Rico
Dinner was cancelled at the last minute Kelsey, so here I am, back home… 🙁 best I get a toastie….
Shitty and Sunderland are 1-1
Is it shitty who are not playing well or Sunderland have improved???
Imo Shitty have morphed into the Arsenal of 3 to 4 years ago……possession possession pass pass pass……
All Sunderland have to do is park the dreaded bus.
Shitty have 70% possession .
There’s a few headlines suggesting the Mustafi deal has fallen through….
That must have been frustrating Rico.
oh well …..we get to enjoy you more.
Early days for City under Pep….
What a surprise, and it,s goodnigh from him and goodnight from me 🙂
It was Devil, really cheesed off! Some people have no manners!!
Night Kelsey… Lol
2-1 to shitty now
A penalty and an own goal.
Rico, that’s Vince out for me, for a long long time…
Hales will be lucky to survive..
Drop Root back down to 4, bring in another batsman who can anchor it at No.3
Moeen up the order maybe, pick him more as a batsman…
That’s disappointing Rico, if true, regarding Mustafi…
Tbh I’ve never seen him play, is he really a £30m player, whatever a bloody £30m player looks like these days…
Jeremy Mathieu it is then, isn’t he older than Mertesaker…?
Hope it’s not
Ali has been up the top Kev, it didn’t really work… Trouble is, they will be off on tour after this one and it’s not a good time to make changes… I would though, get a good squad ready for the ashes…
Not sure how much truth is in the story Kev, BT… Maybe Mourinho has something to do with it….?
Apparently Jeremy is 33 in October……
What do you think is going through Vardy’s head right now???
I would reckon he’s thinking about what ruby he’s gonna have… ?
Night All
‘Should have said yes’ Devil lol
While driving his new BMW I8…Night Kev…
I bet Mahrez might be thinking long and hard about asking to leave… Lol
I’m off too. Night all…
Night Rico…..
want to know what I think???
After seeing Gnabry play in these four games at the Olympics, I am honestly putting him forward for that right sided midfield role and share it with Ox and Iwobi.
Seeing Mahrez play today I have my doubts.
With Vardy we dodged a big bullet.
With Mahrez we might do as well.
Gnabry would thrive having Ozil beside him. He can play on both left and right. Plus he knows how to defend as well. During those four games he never stopped working hard.
And he scored 6 goals in 4 games as well.
Personally I would rotate him with Ox and Iwobi and Campbell.
Mark my words….the worst thing AW will do will be to allow him to leave.
Morning all.
Wath, if you expect anything but my honest opinion, that’s not my issue.
If you expect me to jump on here and criticise everything about the club on a daily basis as most here do, it won’t happen.
I expect better from Arsenal supporters and am constantly disappointed, though not surprised.
Devil, is Campbell finally going to get the game time he seemingly deserves??
I hope so.
that is why I said rotate him Scott. because the secret to it all lies in the wings…..rotate them, and we could surprise many teams.
Keep this spine intact, but rotate the wings. It will keep opposing manager guessing…..plus giving game time to players.
Let’s hope Wenger is savvy enough…..that kid always gives 100% and offers us plenty when on the pitch.
Well he’s not kidding me,he might just get reminded of this quote of yesterday.
————————————-
Arsene Wenger has partially explained the reason behind the club’s delay in securing a deal for a new centre-forward.
Danny Welbeck’s injury in May added to an already accepted notion that the Gunners desperately needed another striker this summer.
However, after failing to land Jamie Vardy or Gonzalo Higuain, Arsenal appear to be struggling to seal the acquisition of Alexander Lacazette before the transfer window ends on August 31.
According to Wenger though, there is no need to worry even if nobody is signed.
“We have Sánchez, we have Walcott.” he said. “Yes [we will be fine] because our finishing last year was of a worse quality than the year before and we had the same players.
“That means that it’s a bit cyclical. I think it’s linked with the fact that we had as well some players out for a long period last season and hopefully we will have everybody available for much longer this season.
“We were the highest team in expected chances created. We were the highest team in quality of chances created in the final third. And we were not at our level in the finishing qualities and I think that’s where we want to improve.
“If you want to make everybody happy, then just buy 20 new players and everybody is full of hope until the first game starts and then we’re back to reality. What makes you win a game is the quality of the performance and the quality of your football, and you have to focus just on that. There is always demand for new, but new is just new.
Morning Kelsey, and all.
This is when Wenger should simply not speak lol
He really does make himself look silly at times.
Yes, some may be happy with 20 new signings, but most would love 3 or 4.
He needs someone permanently on standby to stick a sock in his gob, when appropriate.
Morning Rico and all. This must constitute Arsene’s strategic plan for the coming season.
And there was us thinking he should sign 20 players eh?
“We have Walcott” there’s a reason to be optimistic for the season ahead (he’ll score the winner today) the same Walcott that’s been at Arsenal for 10yrs and really not done anything of note??
Wenger has to be on the wind up surely?
We’re not after 20 new players but just 2/3 and if you’d bought an outfield player last summer it would be 1/2…..it’s not rocket science!
Sinatra must of sung “My way” thinking about Arsene!!
Brudder. 🙂
Morning all,
I think that’s very prolific by Gnabry from the right. Those figures you’d expect him playing at number 9.
I too hope Wenger uses his squad this season as the wide players have shown their worth.
I’d prefer Akpom upfront and Sanchez in him normal role. No need to reiterate everyone’s opinion of Walcott.
Morning Kelsey, Adam, Scott, Brad, Lee and all…
Why does AW ever open his mouth? All he does is disappoint….
Rico. The strategy seems to be twofold. Firstly to hope for fewer injuries and then to rely on the fact that the players will play a bit better.
Now that’s a winning formula!
It does Adam, however, I think we all know how things will turn out….
on the vibrancy a new signing brings…
‘Vibrancy doesn’t make you win games. What makes you win game is the quality of the performance and the quality of your football. And you have to focus just on that. That is very difficult in the modern game. There is always demand for new but new is just new.
The fact that it’s new, after six months it’s not new anymore. You come every day, you drive in here, the first day it’s new, after six months it’s not new anymore. So what will [make the difference] is that you come in and you feel you can improve as a player, you feel you can win things together, you can share things with people who live inside the club. What is new makes news. But apart from that it makes noise. But the noise is not necessarily always quality’.
“Our finishing last year was of a worse quality than the year before and we had the same players. That means its a bit cyclical” .
So the deluded one thinks we’re all set up top! You can’t make this shit up can you?
Every time he opens his mouth up he comes out with some real pearls of wisdom!
How the fuck anyone can defend him nowadays is beyond me…..well unless you’ve got a red felt hat.
And old and stale is, unfortunately, just that.
These recurring mantras are all well and good but how many championships have they won in the last dozen years? How can you hold up something to your fans as being special, with no evidence of its success?
Just been reading his comments – you couldn’t make them up could you. Goodness knows what planet he is on….
Morning All
Poor old Arsene,even the AKB fans
are feeling sorry for him now,it is sad.
Any other manager would be out the
door,after them comments,but as we
all know The Syrup thinks a striker is
a person who warms his hands around
a bombfire and a winger is someone in
the RAF….so here we go again
Morning Fred, that’s funny.
I remember the directors at my previous company. All near 65, monopoly mentality and denial of competition. We could all see what needed to be done. Their claim was as long as we still making profit, they still get their bonuses even though it gets smaller every year.
Even at the year end function they announced 5 more years is all they ask and well done in a tough year.
Same at Arsenal, keeping things the same gets Wenger his bonus/retirement and the difference in income between 1st and 4th not much but investment to get 1st is a lot more than needed for 4th.
Not sure if I’d prefer Wenger to be telling the truth, or lying.
If he’s being honest, he’s lost the plot.
If he’s lying, WHY????
I still think he’s aiming for 4th and believes this team has enough to make it.
I also think the form the players showed in Copa, Euros and the friendlies makes him think they’re good enough.
He couldn’t have been watching the Euros if he does… 😉
Arsenal is one club that operates in almost an insane manner than other. When was the last time we had our team captain playing odd 30 league matches? Then we choose a crocked BFG who won’t make even the bench! I hate Chavs but JT (also despise him) was/is one hell of a captain for his team.
As always pointed out we need a leader on the pitch a Tony Adams who would tell you when you’re cockung up. Now this season we’ll have ceremonial captains as usual. I’d rather it was given to Cech or Xhaka.
Looking forward to another season where we’ll have a clandestine crisis meeting because the softies are afraid to tell each other off on the pitch – so we can be fooled how strong our cohesion is.
Yet Wenger says we have leaders all over the pitch Marshall. More bollox, as we don’t…
Can Wenger just shut up? I knew it was only a matter of time before he dishes a pile of ish like “we have players who can play upfront”… How we go without captains on the pitch baffles me. Remember when they said they learnt to tell each other the truth after playing Bayern? I don’t see it…only Cech sometimes.
He actually said Walcot can support/substitute Giroud? F** me! Sanogo is still earning wages. Very smart from a manager who’s been in the game for30+years.
Morning All
Morning Rico
Whose it gonna be out of Chambers, Holding, Bielik, Debuchy, Monreal, even Coquelin for the two centre-back spots ?
I haven’t a clue but I reckon Chambers/Debuchy or Chambes/Holding are the best bets.
If Man City/Guadiola can keep Aguero fit, I think they’ll win the league.
Kev it has to be Theooooooooo 5
I really hope this is his last season.
Agree Marshall..
Morning Kev, if we can keep Ollie fit, we could win the PL…. 😉 😉
New post up now…
Spot on Bradster :- When I started out in my trade selling there were companies known as brand leaders. As time went by new companies came and nibbled away at them and before long overtook them. Now those names have all but disappeared. Complacency from the very top , we have it in bucketfuls.
Well that comment by AW was practically a new post in itself 🙂
Our need is greater then ever before in his entire tenure to have a challengin squad,but of course if you finish third or forth some 20 points behind the winners he would say we challenged.
Whoever he picks today and whatever the score it will be wrong. if this makeshift team of ours actually wins that would be great but the kiss of death to imminent signings and if we draw or lose we will be told we are still actively in the market and so on.
We do not have a recognised CF or CH starting the game and any other chairman or majority shareholder would have him and the whole crew shot 🙂
I often argue that many like myself are not doomers but realists and actually bang on about so much wrong at the club that could be fixed because we CARE whilst others think everything is wonderful and don’t give a shite about our play,enjoyment or results because In Wenger they Trust.