Morning all.
Apparently Arsenal have made a £10 million bid for Umar Sadiq, a 19 year old 6′ 6″ Nigerian striker who is on loan at Roma from parent club Spezia Calcio. No, I’ve never heard of that club either. It’s in Italy’s Serie B league. He must be decent though for Roma to snap him up…..
That was a feisty old game at Everton last night. Costa saw red for a head butt and bite on Gareth Barry and then the midfielder got his marching orders shortly after so he’ll now miss the match against Arsenal next weekend. Shame Lukaku didn’t join him as he was on good form scoring both goals. One was pretty special.
In the league, Man City dropped two points at Norwich which is good for us but I doubt the two clubs above us will do the same with Newcastle and Aston Villa being their opposition but you never know, Rafa might get his new team up for their game against the leaders tomorrow night.
Watford make the short trip to The Emirates today for what could be another tricky encounter. Arsenal haven’t lost to the visitors in the FA Cup since 1987 and when it comes to the Premier League, Arsenal have never been beaten – not that Watford have been in the top flight many times but they are doing ok for a club promoted last summer although they have lost seven of their last eleven league matches (W2, D2).
Goals have been a struggle, having not scored in three games and their their last goal was an own goal, in their FA Cup victory over Leeds in the last round. In fact 1-0 has been the score in each of their three FA Cup matches this season.
Back in October last year, Arsenal battered today’s opposition 3-0 at Vicarage Road so all being well and with the home advantage, we may just be heading to Wembley again.
The trouble is though, we fans just don’t know which Arsenal side will turn up on the day. Will it be the one which crumbled at Old Trafford, or the one which battled hard for a point at White Hart Lane? I hope it’s the latter. With both Deeney and Ighalo up front, the defence will have to be sharp but if the midfield do their job well, they shouldn’t get many chances.
Arsene Wenger:
The difficulty [for us] is that Watford have a team who are very solid defensively. They are also a team who are athletically very strong and the basis of their game is on efficiency and waiting for the right moment to be very dangerous.
Wouldn’t be good if someone said that about an Arsenal team one day?
Wenger also said that neither he or the players are thinking about Barcelona or Everton and have their minds focussed only on today’s challenge. I hope that’s the case because realistically, the Champions League is over for us for another season and the hope of winning the league is hanging by a very thin piece of thread so I really hope he plays a very strong side today, a side which can get the win at the first attempt.
Get out of the traps early and fast and hit them hard. None of this tippy tappy stuff in and around the box, shoot! Gibbs and Elneny nearly grabbed a goal a piece by doing just that on Tuesday so if Watford park the expected bus, it’s surely the best way to go. Especially as their defence is very tight having conceded the second least goals in the league this season.
Get an early goal, force Watford to push up more in search of a goal of their own and then batter them. Alternatively, grind out a win, any kind of win….
COYRRG’S!!
It’s a must win game, but we’ve lost plenty of those, of late.
Morning all.
Only real chance of a trophy imo…
Yep.
CL, 1000/1.
PL, 50/1.
morning all!
yes rico, for the moment wes.
Hi. Rico transfers news already? 😉
FA is the only silverware that at the moment we can control the outcome. A hat trick of those would be special too… Bet the guys can win this. Let’s ‘win’ it early so we can relax and avoid injuries.
Morning All
Everton is a vital game, we shouldn’t jeopardise the result at Goodison with a fools errand at the Camp Nou, but we will, because that is typical Wenger…
Morning Rico…
Morning Marshall, Kev..
Just thought I’d drop that ittle gem in Marshall… 😉
Spot on Kev…
West ham are hoping to sign Nordveit (spelling)..
Wouldn’t it be ironic if they did and he shines….
Hammers want Jack too apparently… 😉
Morning all.
I believe I read somewhere that Jack was originally. West Ham fan! So no as unlikely as we may think!
CL, you know what Wenger believes, the team still has a chance of nocking a 3-0 win! In his dreams! And mine, and ours!?
I’ll do my corrections later!
Rico, once West Ham move into the Olympic Stadium, their income is going to rocket, all that on top of the TV money…
A top four finish is going to be a bit of a lottery over the next few years…
Kroneke playing moneyball isn’t gonna cut it imo, once ManUre, ManCity, Chelsea start spending, big time, in the summer, we’re gonna be blown away when it comes to competing for the best players, so don’t expect a change in transfer policy anytime soon…
That only enforces the feeling of a huge opportunity lost by Wenger this season…
Leicester as champions will simply show him up as an empty vessel, a busted flush, yesterday’s man…
What excuse could he possibly use if Ranieiri takes the title?
Enjoy the FACup, it might, just might, be the last thing we win under Wenger…
Arsenal, as a competitive club, are dead in the water, under the dead hand of Kroenke…
I heard that too Wavy, think Ts often said Jack was a Hammer…
Kev, worrying isn’t it. I reckon Arsenal could be on the slippery slide down the table if things don’t change this summer….
How I wish Kroenke would sell up…
NEWS FLASH. NEWS FLASH
Lord Adam Murfet, “Arsene Wenger will see out his contract, so fans better get back on board.”
Another two years then chaps and chapesses. Get used to it. You have been told.
3-1 today to the Arsenal, of course.
Hah nice one Rico.
Whoa I’d almost forgot Westham will/might be catching up with us (finacially) soon. Stan sees us as a brand, I hope those greedy souls who cashed in are proud of themselves…I wouldn’t mind a lift to the ems though.
Wavy isn’t his contract up in 2017? Still it’d be one long season. I anticipated that though.
Dembele, Fulham forward, is not in our radar?
Nordveit? He is playng in Germany, isn’t he? Stutgard?
He is a interesting player.
We can win 0-2 in Barcelona and then at the extra time , 0-3….and we will be in the next round …
Who is Lord Murfet?
They won’t be the only ones imo Marshall. The neighbours are another, Everton too I reckon and Stoke are already spending money so they too will strengthen again…
I think we have another 2 seasons of Wengerball to anticipate and enjoy! I’m on board!!?
Might he be an Irish builder? Who owns the K Club or is it another of our well heeled boarder?
Borussia Munchenglabach (spelling) I think Jm…
Whoever he is Wavy, I hope he’s wrong…
Afternoon, wenger seeing out his final year is a given imo,
social media definitely picking up on the Stan out vibe, read a quote this morning from our beloved owner,
Arsenal owner Stan Kroenke believes you should not get involved with a club if you want to win championships.
He said: “For me, being an individual owner, I have to have some sort of reality involved.
“If you want to win championships then you would never get involved.
“I think the best owners in sports are the guys that sort of watch both sides a bit.
Impossible to say which way this match will go today, i,m not that confident, but on paper we should be good enough.
Banners with ‘Kroenke out’ could soon be on display Dublin…
Ozil and Alexis start, so to Chambers and Campbell..
Arsenal team:
Ospina, Chambers, Mertesacker, Gabriel, Gibbs, Coquelin, Elneny, Campbell, Ozil, Alexis, Giroud
Arsenal subs:
Macey, Bellerin, Monreal, Flamini, Iwobi, Walcott, Welbeck
Can’t see Wenger doing his final year being asked questions about the next manager in every press conference.
Just in the stadium. Looks lovely in the sun.
Gabriel starts then I though he had a muscle injury let’s hope nothing tweaks during this game, we’re gonna need all the defenders we have for Barcelona game.
Good post rico, transfer news and all lol
Alexis and Giroud will do the damage today 🙂
Yep, Kroenke out…
Let’s see how ambitious the new owner of Everton is?
Could be a case of ‘what if’ if he’d been on the Arsenal Board with Usmanov?
Depends if he’s staying on longer Adam… 😉
Thanks Kel. Elneny to get a goal too, from distance… lol
Adam, a big thank you mate, again… ?
He’s not that rich though Kev, jut £1.7 billion I think I read… 😉
I bet he would be prepared to spend a larger percentage of his wealth, to help Everton compete…
Kroenke doesn’t spend anything beyond what he spent on his shares…
He actually takes money out of the club, and if he had total control, he’d take a lot more…
Just like the Glaziers…
Only the 1.7 rico… how does he get by 😉
kronke and his money ball comments are pathetic I’d understand if he owwd a club like Leicester or palace etc but should a club of Arsenal’s size and power be thinking like that.
Piss off Stan.
Get the banners up. 🙂
You’re right kev he would be taking more if he owned more imo.
Usmanov a blessing in disguise then.?
Must be a struggle for him Kel.. Lol
Afternoon all, Watford seemed to have an Indian sign over us in the 80’s, I was there when they beat us in the cup and the season before they done us home and away I think with one of our old boys playing for them Brian Talbot.
And guess what….we were favourites to sign John Barnes, nothing changes.
Glad you are not at The Ems today then Micko….
Me too rico !
Lucky lucky man Gabriel. Shocker of a tackle….
Rico the Spuds are not even afraid of us anymore. It’d be a nightmare if we can’t beat them like chavs.
I think Stan already explained our dismal transfer activities. Where is a titanic when you need one? Hoist your colors!
Red card for me…
🙂 Micko..
It’ll never happen Marshall, not after Wenger goes on a spending spree in the summer… 😉
Thank goodness Watford can’t pass well up front..
Proper cup-tie today… 🙂
Very open…
Gabriel is on a mission today lol..
He’s mad! Lol
Bad miss enemy. .. just look at ozil’s reaction to that miss very frustrated.
He could have had two…
Gabriel could be sent off nad wasn’t the first time.
The same problems always.
Nordveit yes, from Borussia Moenchenglabach… good player.
Ozil’s playing superb, Campbell trying hard, chambers, eleny playing well atm…
We’re just not taking the chances ffs…
Is this game today to the finish or replay? ?
Looks like West Ham have snapped him up on a free Jm..
Replay..
Welbeck has to come on soon surely…
Dreadful.
Here we go again
what’s this? how can we defend like that ? 1-1 in the area, air bal, two central defenders taller then the central forwards and a goal for a throwing in??l
First shot on target, 52 minutes in.. Really poor.
Get Danny on imo.. 2 up top.
Alexis is having a mare..
Play like this at the nou camp and it’ll be 6 or 7.. wide open.
Pick it out.. game over.
What a load of rubbish!
Merts turned his back on that shot!
We needed welback and theo on 10 mins ago… of course we wait until it’s to late lol…
Typical wenger…
the 2 central forwards are most more quickly then our two central defenders and they play 1-1 !!!!
wth is there four players on the right wing when we need to score…?
Have to admire the way Watford have played today. First to nearly every ball, organised at the back and very determined…
Arsenal however…..
How did Welbeck miss that…
Well, that’s our season over. Again!
A few players need to check themselves in the mirror after that. Certainly the two central defenders….
Well done Watford…
Well done Watford fully deserved.
Arsenal another defeat…
Barca up next lol..
Can’t wait Kel..
Could be double figures.. 😉
Steve McClaren is available for the last ten games ?????
71% possession. Means nothing….
🙂 Steve.
We really had a chance this season, first the league, then a kind QF draw. After numerous recent poor displays, you thought they would be really up for this. Well we were, the last few minutes once one pulled back. Too flaming late. Bellerin saved for Wednesday? Oh dear that class CB and DM we’ve lacked has took its toll. Roll on next season.
Stans brand will be on the end of a 6 or 7-0 aggregate score rico…
I have no words.
Season over, we won’t come back from this, the result in Spain is irrelevant, but we’ll drop points at Everton…
Probably finish 4th, but in this season, that is failure…
Finishing 5th would probably bring about change, it’s not what I want, but it might be the only alternative…
Wenger is toast, but to me the cancer eating away at Arsenal is Kroenke…
Kroenke is like a virus, slowly sucking the life out of our club, or should I say sucking the life out of our ‘brand’…
Just home. Lovely day at the Emirates today. No surprises at all. Here’s to the next 3 years of Arsene. But we mustn’t be so demanding as he doesn’t like it.
Shrewd team selection though. Saving some players for Barcelona.
Have to say that I’m losing all interest in Arsenal and football. Kroenke is hopeless, Wenger is stale and our football is dire….
Still driving home strangely not upset. More or less what I thought might happen.
I actually think we will finish 5th, or even 6th…
and Totts will be the Champions
Well done Watford. They played to their strengths and we lacked the cutting edge and
backbone that has been missing all season. Possession counts for nothing, its about taking the chances when they arrive. Kronke will not be too upset, why would he be, he gets a good return on his business investment. such a shame that our season will now amount to
trying to finish 4th.
Potter. I know what you mean.
I wouldn’t be surprised Jm.
I’m cheering Leicester on the rest of the season we haven’t got the balls to drag ourselves back in to the title race…
It says it all when no one on here is even surprised we lost..
Stans brand is stale.
Really hope they don’t bottle it Kel lol
The supporters really should think long and hard now about the rest of the season regarding attending the Emirates imo…
It’s time now to show kronke and wenger who holds the real power at the club the supporters.
That’s just my opinion, either we accept things as they are or we do something about it.
If we continue to produce impotent displays like this and last week’s and the week before that, where we play keep ball but make certain we don’t have a shot on goal we won’t be winning another game this season. Our inability not to carve out clear cut chances disallows us from scoring goals. One today, it’s just not good enough!
Where has the fluid, fast one and two touch football gone? Who has coached it out? Possession maybe nine tenth of the law but if it involves playing crab football it ain’t gonna win no prizes!
Get a grip Arsene, this sad demise may well see you have to give up your £8m a year, and you won’t like that!
Surprised? No. Disappointed? Yes. Disenchanted? Yes. That’ll be it then, 2-1 to the failure column!
Just seen a banner on instagram outside the Emirates saying kronke, wenger fuck off now..
I can’t believe that anyone is but if you’re pro kroenke you are anti Arsenal!
But also IMO if you are still pro Wenger you are anti Arsenal.
Well put Wavy. It hurts me to see this Arsenal team put on such erratic displays.
We win a game in 20 minutes against United or come back from the brink against the Spuds, but all it does is paper over the cracks. We all agree that this has been a season where apart from Leicester, most of the top 6 teams have been inconsistent. And this gave most of us hope that we would put a run together, but its not to be.
Evening rico and the house
Surely this has to be wengers last season
Thw akb’s are starting to turn on him
Its amazing how popular usmanov has become, seeing as most people seen him as a gangster not too long ago
That’s something I really don’t get either. We used to play such great attacking football with pace, width etc yet now, it’s tippy tippy rubbish…
Hi Mg.
The football is so boringly predictable Rico. Slow and square with minimal creativity apart from the obvious quality players we have. How some players have managed to find their way into an Arsenal team is staggering really and a sure sign of the decline that has been happening for a long, long time now.
Wenger complimented Watford for their athleticism and power.. and I was saying to myself ffs we used to be like that.
I feel sorry for the man tbh a truly great manager who has lost the plot, but you reap what you sow and that is the bottom line.
It certainly is Adam. It’s hard to believe that the same manager played the way he did twelve years ago.. But I guess he had the players back then…
Kel, wrote the same in the post… We don’t have power and physicality these days…
At home, were be a disaster, since the first game.
We are very predictable and very expose.
we are always very “open”.
Last two years, we won something.
This year, the Champions?
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/arsenals-season-over-fans-fighting-7550922
Not even mad. What can I say that haven’t been said about the team and the manager and the board and stan… Fans got to make the difference.
TH14 said we can’t win (the league) with a certain (static) Gioud upfront. Not blaming him but we’d use a couple of goals. Even from the 3guys behind him!
With the way the arsenal are going down soon we’ll discover oil.
Yes you did rico and I’m sure a lot of fans have been thinking the same over the last 7 or 8 yrs I certainly have..
It’s so frustrating I wish the season was over tbh..
I hope we’re in the end game now Rico.
How though Marshall, that’s the biggest question..
As have I Kel, I blame Dennilson, he started it lol
I hope Leicester Jm, although it the neighbours win it, things could get quite interesting…
As do I Adam, did you see Wenger walked out of a radio interview when questioned about his future…?
Rico do you think this should be wengers last season
Tomorrows post has just taken me ten mins to write… 😉
I do Mg, and Kroenkes….
Let’s hope so Adam, I actually don’t think we’ll make the top 4 now tbh.. He has lost the majority of supporters now.
Sad to watch.
If he has any love for the club he should make a statement that he’s standing down at the end of the season and ask the supporters to get behind him for the remaining 8 games.
This could push us on a bit to hopefully secure top 4 and give the new manager the best possible chance.
Kel he is never going to step down
It is sad Rico.
I made the smart call….tape the game, and watch it in the morning.
I never checked the result, but after ten minutes, I hit fast forward.
Much less painless, I found.
You know what’s truly sad?
I just jumped on here to check the comments, and the fact nobody on here is mad is the sad part.
That’s not a crack at people commenting, far from it, but the fact that I’m happy to tape a game is sad, and the fact people are simply resigned to shit performances, almost accepting of them now is very sad.
I would not care if we were running 10th.
18th, even.
All I ask of our players is they give their all for 90 odd minutes.
Now, I believe any player earning tens of thousands of pounds a week shouldn’t need motivating, because there are millions around the world who’d be damn motivated to earn that in a year, but, it seems Wenger has them all too comfortable in their little dream world to actually give a shit.
Not enough TRUE Arsenal players in the squad.
I mean, we have Jack, who we don’t actually have, and Iwobi that have been at the club since a young age….I stand to be corrected if I missed any.
True Arsenal kids that’ll give their all…..when fit, of course….that will play for the canon.
Actually, if you didn’t know better, you’d say Campbell had been at the club his entire life as he definitely puts in.
Anyway, I think my point is easy enough to understand….the players are set, they have nothing to fight for, and nothing to prove-nothing to motivate them.
Look at Leicester, almost a team of misfits, but they have EVERYTHING to prove, both as individuals, and as a club.
They work their arses off each and every minute of a game.
They have no luxury players, and most probably don’t even have a bloody luxury car.
Arsenal is representative of so much that’s bad about professional football, and that includes the attitude of top 4 truly being enough.
That attitude is now firmly entrenched in Wengers mind, even if subconsciously.
Stsn, himself, basically said that that’s his attitude,
Trophies……he couldn’t care less if we never won another thing, could he?
We spend just enough to keep us in top 4, without taking hold of the League.
We will never win a title while Stan remains our owner, that I’ll take any bet on.
If Arsene does not leave at seasons end, after this diabolical last few months, and transfer windows, he will surely lose all respect people had for him.
And he certainly won’t be pushed Mg/Kel….
Very Adam.
Scott, I lost what respect I had for AW back in the summer…
Rico, sorry, I meant those that continue to have respect for him.
Trouble is Scott, I think there are still a lot of fans who think he should stay…
If Wenger really is a dead man walking who on earth would want to or make themselves available for hire? Although I see the Doogie Freedman is unexpectedly back on the market!
Re one of my earlier posts. Fukc knows who Murfet is I got my names confused, the Irish builder who owns the K Club is called Smurfit, so, sorry if I implied that Lord Murfet had anything to do with bricklaying etc.
The gooner protest failed today , I went because I met my son in London but despite there being hardly anyone that I knew in their seats all were full. In fact most of the new incumbents were carrying red bags with merchandise in them . So Stan got his pound of flesh seats full and paid for plus bonus time in the Armoury. was it the same for others that went.
Potter. I thought there were a lot of empty seats at kick off but they gradually filled right up until half time.
There’s a guy in Twitter called Lord Murfet, I assumed you meant him Wavy.. Lol
I’m going to bid you all a good night..
Catch up tomorrow…
Night Rico.
Yes, AW is the man who pick the team. And I make NO excuses for him, but, the team he fielded today should have won this game comfortably. These players were bunch of slackers.
SK, I seriously doubt if he love football that much. Any man who is rich and love the sport will spend, and demand success not only in the Balance Sheet but in the pitch.
Fans are calling for the head of the wrong person, they should be calling for the head of the man who sees Arsenal as BRAND.
NG, Arsene has filled the squad with guys who want get stuck in, though.
Stan is just a waste of space.
Until he demands success on the pitch, the gravy train will roll on.
Honestly, how ANY owner wouldn’t have his manager in the crosshairs right now is beyond belief, but, as Stan said, hes doesn’t care about trophies.
Arsene is an accomplice, but Stan is the real crook here.
Just look at the owner other franchise, are they winning trophies? Or just competing to make money for him? Arsenal is SK cash cow. That is the reality.
Scott. You’re right. We lack players with passion. Every time OG12 or Ozil loss the ball they raise there hands up with the hope that the ref will blow a faul in there favor. Sad.
Yep, but he really is ably assisted by Arsene.
I still say we will drop down the ladder when Wenger leaves, but maybe thats what is needed.
Ozil does the same thing.
Even Alexis.
Actually, its easier to name the few that DON’T whinge when they turn it over.
Where is that fighting spirit, where is that passion… AW has let some of them get away with it for so long. There is no competition for position. He never bids for serious player instead he offers other clubs silly money for their players so they can turn us down while SK cash in the bank keeps on growing.
I just posted the the Kroenke comments on the Denver Post ,it will be interesting to see if there is any response.
Perhaps The syrup is Lerner (Villa) in disguise?
When Wenger hands in his meal ticket I suspect we will sink like a stone, and SK will will sit and smile all the way to his next ranch! He is an absent landlord who has left all the lights on but will still extract his ‘rent’ at an exorbitant level whilst ever so long as the cash cow keeps on giving, when it ceases he will be off back to the states faster than ‘roadrunner’! And good shut, as the wife would say.
Just at the moment the only future I can see is no future. We’re back to the day of Wright and Neill. Wenger is nothing more than Silent Stan’s marionette!
Give me the Uzbec’s oiler any day of the week at least,if the staff don’t perform you know they’re going to Be toast!
Rico. Failing to attend matches. I mean over 95% failing to turn up. Why does our AST sit back and relax. Correct me if am wrong but I haven’t seen them having a concrete plan.
Yesterday’s was the 3rd game I’ve missed and seems aint missing much. I don’t think I can endure another season like this. Am numb!
I doubt 95% wouldn’t turn up though Marshall as there’s still a lot of fas who are ‘happy’ with what’s going on. The blogs suggest that although they are changing.. Also, a lot of tickets are sold/given to tourists who are just there for the occasion….
I just wish the big fella would make a move..
Morning all…
Morning Rico.
Morning Adam.
Arsene is getting more and more agitated in his press conferences..
Yes Rico. And his utterances are becoming increasingly odd too. To me he looks a man defeated by it all. Sitting in his chair as the game unfolds, looking pale, gaunt and completely and totally undynamic it’s hard not to feel a degree of sympathy for him, but he should never have let it come to this. When someone becomes a parody of themselves you can bet it’s gonna get very hard.
New post up now.
He certainly looks a shadow of the man he once was Adam…