Morning all.
A few words from Laurent Koscielny to kick off with, taken from the monthly email sent out by the club:
I think I lead by example on the pitch. The boys also know that if I’m not happy, I will go out at training and put big tackles in! They know that I am reserved but that I have a temper! Now and again, I speak out. I recall one big talk since 2010. It was two years ago before the FA Cup semi-final against Wigan. I was out injured so I couldn’t play. I told the squad what I was thinking. I wanted to mobilise everybody. It came from my heart and it went down well… I think!
Five years into his Arsenal career, Laurent feels completely at ease in his adopted home:
Especially with two little English people at home as my two children were born here. One of the physios keeps teasing me saying, ’You’re not French, you’re English – you tackle and kick people.’ It makes me laugh. I am still very French but on the pitch I do feel a bit English. Merci for that!
Love him!
Just one goal required to reach 2000 goals scored during Arsene Wenger’s reign. Just a shame that goal tally doesn’t relate to the PL alone, otherwise we’d have probably won more league titles. Ian Wright scored the first, I wonder who will get the 2000th and will it be today?
So, Swansea at 3pm. A kick-off time unfamiliar to the team this season having played the last few matches late on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon/evening.
Back on the 30th August, Swansea beat Man Utd at home 2-1. Since that day, their form and results have taken a tumble and up until last weekend, they hadn’t won a game at home or away in the league. A 2-1 victory over Aston Villa stopped the rot.
We know how difficult this match will be despite their form, as last season we were beaten in both fixtures. Chambers getting ripped apart by Montero sticks in my mind as I suspect it does yours. Arsene Wenger doing nothing about it angered me equally, if not more.
We took the lead just after the hour in that game, then sloppy defensive play let the team down and we went on to lose 2-1.
Fast forward…
Bellerin will be a different challenge for Montero. The hosts will also find Nacho Monreal, who was playing centre-back that day, a very different challenge to Gibbs. This Arsenal defence is much more organised and certainly far more switched on than it was this time last season and Petr Cech is a very different keeper to Szczesny. We didn’t have Coquelin back then either, nor did we have Ozil, Koscielny or Gabriel.
Yes we have a few injuries, key injuries but this is when fringe players have to start performing. Whoever Arsene Wenger brings in to fill the void, has to get stuck in and give their all.
I’ve no idea how Garry Monk will set up his side. He may go all out to attack but that would be dangerous as we can hit them hard on the break. He might try and emulate what we did against Bayern and allow us the possession, then hit us at the death as he did last season at The Emirates. Like I said, I don’t know.
But I do know, as we all do, Swansea have a few really good players and there’s no doubt that they can on their day, cause us and any side problems but as said before, their season isn’t going very well so I expect them to cautious and patient as the Swansea faithful will be desperate for a win…
Our boys have had a rest, a deserved one too and I reckon they’ll be up for this one. Big time….
Three points to the away team?
I think so….
COYRRG’s….
I’m out for the day so apologies if any comments get stuck in moderation.
New post up..
Morning Adam.
I’m glad we are flying under the radar too… Suits us nicely..
Morning Rico and all. Misty here since the early hours.
Very nice result yesterday but, according to the weirdos on Sunday Supplement, it’s all a flash in the pan. It is quite excellent that we are flying below the radar though. Even John Cross, the well-known imbecile and Arsenal insider, was struck dumb but that’s probably because he has a pie stuck in his throat.
Kev, we all know how good He Ry was, but he had some decent cattle behind him……..Giroud is still very under rated IMO.
Nowhere near as Good as the great Thierry, but who is 🙂
If Giroud scores 25 EPL goals this season and Arsenal win the league, then I’m sure Digger, that Henry will praise Olivier…
Wavy, I reckon he just saw the space he wanted to be in and got Merts out of the way…..smart play is all.
Kev, maybe, but if Thierry wants to criticise, he should praise as well.
I think too much has been made of Henry’s comments about Giroud. My perception of his comment was that we couldn’t win the league with ONLY Giroud leading the line. That’s changed now as Walcott has been given a central role.. And he’s been doing well..
The injuries still worry me and our squad contains a few too many who you just know are gonna break down, but if Wenger can manage them and we have a bit of luck, then who knows…
Sorry.
Morning all. Very very misty here. Will the sun shine today. I do hope so.
Somewhat later……….Look at Giroud’s goal, as the ball comes in he starts running towards the middle of the goal, however, to get extra purchase, or for whatever reason he grabs the BFG’s shirt which seems to propel him faster across the goal whilst Merts flies off in the opposite direction! Unless of course my eyes are deceiving me,
Scott, I think that TH14 was using some reverse psychology on Giroud.
He was coasting a bit and needed a kick up the arse.
Theo challenging him has also had a galvanising effect on Le Quiff..
Kev, we’ve gradually lost players who were just bloody sooks, and replaced them, albeit slowly, with guys every bit as good but who are proven winners.
Add to that a few like Coquelin and Bellerin, and improvement of others, and we are where we are….best Arsenal side for a decade.
Just another 2-3 players and we’d be red hot favourites to win the League, IMO.
Interesting….a few months ago, Giroud couldn’t lead us to the title, according to Thierry.
This week, Alexis could lead us to the title, according to Thierry lol.
That’s a bit of a back handed compliment to Giroud, IMO.
He’s doing a terrific job.
Morning everyone.
Well said Kev…
There’s something different about this Arsenal team, as opposed to a few others that have flattered to deceive during our EPL since 2004…
Although we’ve put in good runs and looked capable of a title challenge, you always kinda felt that it was a false dawn.
But not this season…
This is the first season, after a lot of heartbreak and Arsene being stubborn, that he’s put together a squad that has a world class goalkeeper, a top quality D/M and a quality back-four.
The reasons why it’s come together like this is down to Arsene, some of it is just good luck, and we all need that…
Despite the injuries our squad has dug in and in Alexis Sanchez we have an uber strong personality whose work ethic has rubbed off on some of our more mentality fragile squad members.
It’s all positive, even losing in the League Cup can be turned into a positive.
There’s a long long way to go, but it’s looking good…
Morning Kev.
Think we may have had a frost overnight here. It’s a big foggy now but the sun is pushing it’s way through. Could be lovely in a couple of hours time…
Morning Rico
What happened to the warm weather, it’s really chilly and dull in London Town this morning…?
Pinch, punch and all that jazz…..
Morning all…
Unsporting behaviour??
You’ve lost me there, Wavy.
Pulling an opponents shirt is, but your teammates?
No way.
We complain a lot about what goes on in the penalty box before and during corners or set pieces, don’t we? It comes to something then, when your CF grabs the shirt of a CD holding him back, to gain the advantage of getting to the ball first, especially when they are both your own players. Only bonus is that the CF scores the opening goal!! On a sourer note, is that not deemed as unsporting behaviour?
1-0to the Arsenal followed by 2-0 ans then3-0. A good day at the Liberty. And now equal first. Can we keep it up? Of course we can!
It’s all the refs fault oh hang on a minute that’s me ?
But the deluded one doesn’t believe there is a better team than he’s
It was a good final switched over to it when the Arsenal game ended
Joe, difference is I can admit to being beaten by a better side……can’t blame the physio hahahahaha
Wallaby bashing Scott I hate to say this but your starting to sound like an insane manager from a lower pl team from london. ?
Hi all. Prior to this game Campbell had less than 40 premiere league minutes. Most of arsenal fans didn’t have faith in him, not surprised he’s turning up fine. I really fancy a scenario where Ramsey/Ox are forced on the bench cause of JC’s form.
Nice three goals which boosts our goal difference. 2000 goals for le prof. He deserves plaudits for the positives. Wenger always says how he wants football to be perfected such that it becomes an art, well in Mesut Ozil we have one hell of an artist. Superb player, long live the artistry.
Lovely night and good morning wherever you are on this God given earth.
Evening all.
Campbell I’mpressed mightily with two things…..his calmness on the ball when he s lured, and how work rate.
If he keeps that effort up he will make it, IMO.
I fell asleep straight after the Arsenal game so have woken up to a Wallaby bashing party.
Hey, at least we made it to the final 🙂 🙂
Fortunately, Ramsey didn’t play today.
Good work today Rico…
Night…
Yeah, that’s a good point Rico, especially as Wenger paid some £2.7million for Bielik…
I saw a bit of Bielik and he did look very good, considering that he’s only 17…
I still think that Hayden has a future at Arsenal…
I’m off guys, have a good one..
Chat tomorrow, night all…
I really rate Isaac – many don’t I know, heck, some fans don’t even know who he is…. But if he is patient and AW gives him a chance, I think he’ll make it with us….
However, with Beilik lurking, I bet the poor guy gets little to no chance….
Despite some negative reports (yeah, really!) in the Media concerning our young players on loan, most, if not all of them, should gain some useful benefit from their times at other clubs. And should all return better and more rounded…
Read an interesting article written in a local Hull newspaper concerning Isaac Hayden.
According to the piece, Hull are overloaded in that area of the team, due to different circumstances, and whilst Hull signed Hayden with the intention of using him, it’s just not worked out that way and shouldn’t be seen as a slight on Isaac…
Apparently he had a great game in the League Cup in midweek.
With you there Joe. We’d be top of the league on points had Ramsey’s goal been rightfully given….
By the way I haven’t forgiven the linesman in the Liverpool game I have place picked out right beside Dean ?
West…
Good to hear Kev, could be the making of him… Well, hopefully eh…
My soft spot for Dean would be a swamp!!
Just seen the goals on Arsenalist…
Gotta say that Campbell showed a very mature calmness in taking his goal…
Very promising…
I must say I have a soft spot for Dean a bog in the wast of Ireland
Rico ?
I’m going to divorce him Kev! Lol
?Joe, I bloody well do….
Just listened to a bit of Jose on the radio…
He’s absolutely deluded, but in a hilarious way.
Listening to him after he’s lost is marvellous.
Mrs Dean hates Mike Dean
Your the one who just posted that you hate Mike Dean ?
Campbell did well for a sixth choose wide player but the bench was rather short of attaching flare due to those bloody injuries.
That’s funny Joe. You and the refs…. Lol
Adam, cheeses me off big time, yet the an remains employed. It’s a joke, although not funny for us…. I think you’re right about Mourinho. Karma perhaps….
Absolutely Rico. I was thinking about how we got fitted up over there only earlier today. I also think that Mourinho’s sick obsession with Wenger and Arsenal has contributed to his meltdown.
Evening all in the house good win today watched the game with an Arsenal supporting buddy.
It’s great to watch a game with someone who gives out about the ref at the same time I do and who doesn’t just look at me like I am an idiot.
Ts, his contract is up in the summer isn’t it?
Cheeky Micko..
Motd for me too Micko. Ha ha re Ollie, let’s hope he stays fit then….
Rico- his performance was not faultless but he put in a shift and really helped young bellerin out against Montero.JC took on 2 or 3 players in the first half so easily; shame the pass was too heavy…
If he can replicate his fellow country man Paulo Wanchope we will be well served.
Unfortunately he only has 1 more season left on contract and so…
Dunno rico, all I got out of the game was Giroud is now officially better than Shearer, motd for me.
Jose is looking very grey all of a sudden.
It must be due to the burden of plotting AW’s downfall… Lol
If he was a politician he would be touted as promoting politics of envy…
Adam- every young player wants to play through the middle now it seems.Not many are aspiring to be strikers…
Did Campbell play well?
I bet he’s not Mg. it’s a win win for him…
? Micko, great game and a great result…
rico, that’s all Campbell has asked for, a chance to show what he can do.
You know I’d have helped you out but was too busy watching the Aussies getting mashed !
Those three points at SB might turn out to be the difference Adam. He’s a cheating git, useless too!
What a great day
The gimp from the bridge is shittimg himself
Rico. Virtually everybody hates Mike Dean. 🙂
One good thing about Bayern and that’s I don’t think Pep will be out to kick us off the park.. Can’t say I’m fussed about the result but I think it’s more about confidence. A bad performance and result could get to the players…
As you know Adam, I absolutely detest Liverpool but I was quite pleased to see them win today. Now I hope they going on a rubbish run…
I hate Mike Dean!!!
We could do without Munich before the Spuds game. Cannot afford one !more injury.
With full squad today we could have scored 5 or 6.. The pace of Danny, Theo, Ox is a real miss.
Alexis hasn’t played for a week so he shouldn’t be tired!
Hi rico, another big win for the club, not bothered about munich, the pl is a real possibility with a bit of luck
good score
I’ve watched in Internet.
Iwoby came in too late. He must have minutes, real minutes, not just 2 minutes at 91ths minute
With some lucky in the back, good control at the midfield and dangerous at the attack. In my opinion, we were very predict in the last pass and not made the correct decision.
Another clean sheet.
Alexis very tired
TS. You are right. Where are all the great strikers these days?
Lovely lunchtime result. I can’t stand Liverpool but Chelsea are truly repulsive. It just keeps getting better every game. Mourinho’s interview was classic psycho nut-job stuff. I know I shouldn’t laugh but ….
Agree Kev, just keep in touch with City right now as that’s important – the longer they stay in the CL the better too, let them focus on that….
A hat tick by Malan and one by Reiss Nelson gave the U18 a 4-3 win against Reading.
If anyone who watched the match wants to write something about it, please feel free… Don’t all shout at once though… Lol
Another being top isn’t a problem atm, let City take all the focus.
Nobody thinks we’re gonna be there or thereabouts come May, so let’s keeps chipping away and see where it takes us…
Don’t forget we have Welbeck to return as well…
Seems that Iwobi is being gradually introduced into things…
Campbell still has a long way to go, but maybe another Coq in the making perhaps?
Hey ginge, rocky start, but a great win
Absolutely Adam.
Hi Mg…
wenger out Adam- it should have been 1-0 to the Arsenal… 😉
hi Mg
Evening Rico and the house
Campbel played very well
Great 3points,bring on the scum
Wenger in!!
Too right Andrew. Can’t believe a few fans thought we didn’t need him…. ?
Hi Ts, yes thanks. Made better by three points……
Fantastic timing for Cech to move across London?
A great 2nd half from the boys.. well done Arsenal Ozil class again, Campbell deserves credit for sure works really hard and looks like he wants to really grab this opportunity.
Considering the injuries we have that was a super result.
Hi Rico… good day
Very pleased with that result. Chuffed for Campbell too..
How did Campbell play guys?
The Aussies are taking a battering… Poor Scott… Lol
Evening all…
Great result, didn’t expect so easily. Only pen by Toure stop us going top.
Kolarov just missed a penalty.. last kick of game. they still win 2-1 though
Vardey’s goals would be useful for anyone?
Wenger will say he has four class strikers, Giroud, Walcott, Akpom and Campbell! Why would he want to pay a fortune for another one?
Just saying
A1313 nothing wrong with JC if he can deliver 1 goal every 4 games…
Have you seen falcao etc recently
There aren’t any top strikers about unfortunately…
Chambers and Gibbs will come on
Nearly 4-0, Joel wide.
Don’t jest Wavy, I can just see Wenger saying it!
lol Wavy…
happy for JC
Someone here said 4-0 and I thought they were being so silly…
Maybe it’s time for a couple of substitutions with Bayern in mind..?
So Ginge, have you put the fix in? Both goalscorers called correctly!! Sorry you got it wrong,vCampbell has just scored.
Crisis, striker crisis? What crisis? Campbell’s just like a new signing!!
3_0 Well done Campbell
I always said that Super Joel was a star in the making…. ?
A1313 check out my prediction earlier and the goal scorers I mentioned… history repeating itself. 🙂
Yep, Kozzer lad, I’ll drink to that… ?
That will teach us TS 🙂
Flapped.
Well done Flappy 2_0 Kossy
2-0!!!!!!
agreed 1-0 will be perfect…
TS – settle for no more, but two be nice. City ahead but Unt drawing.
lol A1313… we will score one more
who says OG12 is shite.. even shearer can’t compete…
OptaJoe @OptaJoe 6m6 minutes ago
15 – Since making his Premier League debut in August 2012, Olivier Giroud has scored more headed goals than any other player (15).
Cheers Andrew….
Fcuk me, the commentator said the score was 3-3 as I switched on….
Then he added in the rugby…. Phew….
Please let it be the 100th 1-0 to the Arsenal under Wenger
Ozil with another assist; best in the EPL now… one every 2.64 games now.
the 2000th goal scored under AW…
Arsenal live on Absolute Radio. As I turned on they said ‘we just need a goal now’ Corner taken, GOAL!
Great header.
Jeff back from France I stand corrected…
Jeff adelaide is still playing for France…;
He might have a chance…
If Giroud had of been injured, not clinching Benzema or all the others we were working 24/7 on, would have left us up sh!!t creek. I still fear for our forwards. One more injury, season chucked away. Come on Alexis, one bit of magic please.
dear oh dear OG12 is gone down too…
We are so slowly!
Penalty? where?
We have Bayern in mind
Is Iwobi on the bench, and that’s it…
Unless of course Wenger unleashes his secret weapon, the Lion of White Hart Lane namely Flamini…
Just heard that Giroud is down and doesn’t look too chipper?
Cheers Digger…
Today is one of those games that you’ve just gotta hope that you can somehow escape with the points…
Kev jc in the game more then alexis and santi .
Campbell is going ok, Kev.
Nobody is playing very well, though.
Bloody woeful first half.
According to the BBC website, Swansea are having the best of it and BFG was lucky not to concede a penalty…
I’ll take plenty of lucky, thank you…
How is Campbell playing?
lol Kev…
That’s quite interesting about the coaching in Belgium, but I was talking to an agent and I doubt that they take any interest in that side of the game…
There’s no money in it…
Love that news Rick re: Costa….
He might not be shit, but he is psychotic… ?
what a dive? lol
Thanks Rick…
Serge’s situation at WBA is quite disheartening as well…
Hi Ginge,
We cannot recall a player on a season long loan unless we made that part of the loan agreement.
Kev we can laugh even more.
Costa could be in trouble . Clattenburgh missed a incident BT did not.
6 game ban coming up.?
If anyone is a betting man/woman..
Will Jamie Vardy make history & score in 11 consecutive Premier League games?
A must see…lmfao…
http://lebuzz.eurosport.co.uk/viral/billboard-parked-outside-stamford-bridge-pokes-fun-at-mourinho-ahead-of-liverpool-game-6349/
Ayew would like to impress today…; his father always like to stick one to AW in the late 80’s/early 90s’
Swansea XI: Fabianski; Naughton, Fernandez, Williams, Taylor; Ki Sung-Yueng, Shelvey, Ayew, Sigurdsson; Montero, Gomis.
Arsenal XI: Cech; Bellerin, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal; Coquelin, Cazorla; Campbell, Ozil, Alexis; Giroud.
Rick- do you know if Akpom can be recalled if needed?
Seeing as Theo Walcott has averaged 16 Premier League starts per season over the last eight seasons.18 starts per season over the last five; hopefully he comes back very soon…
John terry looks like Igor Stepanovs in disguise.. lol
Jose getting decimated… when is he resigning or getting sacked? 😀
Chavs 1-3 Scousers
How we laughed… ?
Before the swansea game AW had used only 19 players; same as Swansea have… shocking to say the least from AW…
Still expect Kosser, OG12 goals today
Kevin Friend will officiate Swansea v Arsenal today. Our record with him officiating is W5 D2 L1, The one defeat was 0-1 to Swansea.
Hi Rick
2-1 bin dippers…
Re squad management..
Arsene has used the fewest players in the Premier League this season. Just not enough depth. First 11 is going to get very tired.
An insightful read..
https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/fran-merida-exclusive-interview-former-152132239.html
Afternoon All
JC starts Iwobl on Bench.
Only change from Everton
I have a couple of younger nephews living in Belgium and who at 13 y.o/14 say they spend lots of time at Tubize learning to play 9 vs 11 from a tactical point of view..
Dick Advocaat claimed to have restructured the belgium mindset with regards to football…
what he introduced was.. According to Advocaat:-
U6 teams will play 2 versus 2 instead of 5 versus 5. At that age it’s important to feel the ball a lot. They’re not capable yet to think about the other ones in their team so it’s better to focus on their own game. With 2 versus 2 they’ll have more contact with the ball and learn how to score.
8 versus 8 from U10 till U13 with variation of the width of the football pitches. 35 metres for U10 and U11 and 45 metres for U12 and U13. Belgium FA want their youth players to create more chances, have more passes in a game and learn their players to make more decisions.
Time-outs! Instead of having two traditional halves the Belgium youth teams will play their matches in four quarters (till U17). This means that coaches will have more time during the game to coach their youth players.
During the winter they want their youth teams to play indoor or on artificial turf fields.
I thought the Belgian Federation copied the Ajax academy 10 years ago.,..
Note we have lost our last 2 games against the swans but won 2 and drawn 1 in last 5 games…
Re. JC- another example of poor squad management…
Not enough to retire on Wavy 🙂 and I never fleece anyone Wath, only if they need a cab to go to Camden 😉
But, for a very brief time, I was on the same hourly rate as Adam and Lee….
Didn’t get his name Ginge, but he did say that Hazards brother isn’t anywhere near as good as Eden and that there’s a load more really talented youngsters coming through in Belgium…
I asked if it had anything to do with the coaching they get in Belgium, and he said no, it just happen that they have a lot of talent atm, or good fortune I suppose…
Our stats at Swansea is not not that great…
Similar to us not winning none of our last seven visits to Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough(W0 D2 L5) but we fans just expected us to win easily…; we have won 2 and lost 3 at Swansea since 1982;
Joel Campbell has played 39 minutes of Premier League football.
JM- good point re FC Hollywood playing yesterday. The bundesliga always helps its teams playing in Europe…
Kev- if you were talking about Jacks Lichtenstein (spelling) then he has a bit of history with us…; he brought Gilberto Silva to us
He nearly brought Kompany to arsenal in 2006 before he moved to Hamburg… but he tried to sue the club in 2006 which then deteriorated the relationship…
Afternoon Rico and all btw..
Good read…
I hope you fleeced him Kev… good fares from Paddington I assume… Not all though lol
Enough to retire on Kev? Did he grease your palms and tap you up for a few ‘steers’?
To be fair, not much has ever come out of Begium that has made its mark on history! I suppose the Rhine flows through it so something half decent although most of it is in Germany!
0-2 to the Arsenal this afternoon, Sanchez and Bellerin!!!
Swansea are there for the taking as are Chelsea just at the moment. We’ll see, won’t we?
My only wish is that we win and don’t allow Swansea to become our new Bogey team!
Picked a French guy up from a hotel close to Paddington Station yesterday…
He was going to Chadwell Heath…
For those who don’t know, that’s in Romford in Essex…
Didn’t really speak to him much until we got to Hackney Wick, where I could pick up the A12.
It was then that I discovered that he wasn’t French, but Belgian, that he was a football agent, that he was on the way to the West Ham training ground.
He has a player, a Senegaliese midfielder, with an unpronounceable name, who plays for the Hammers…
He is also the agent of Vincent Kompany…
I asked him if he had met Arsene Wenger.
He said he’d met him twice.
And as he’d been an agent for some 24 years, it seems that he hasn’t done much business with Arsenal..?!
Therefore I didn’t see the point of asking him the usual, ie “Who are Arsenal gonna sign in January”…
And he didn’t volunteer any ‘inside info’ either, sorry… 🙁
But we quite an interesting chat and best of all, it was a cracking fare… 🙂
Good Afternoon Rico and All. Nice post.
Today will be different. As long as we don’t take nothing for granted. Every player putting a shift and take full responsibility.
All the leaders step-up…
Bayern had played yesterday with the second team.
I expect win today 🙂
morning all…. time for fringe players to step up ( Joel Campbell ) expecting a great game for us.
4-0 win to us.
Put the cash on.
Morning boys and girls 🙂
Gomis that should be!
Morning rico, I swopped in Gomez to my Dream Team a month ago. From that moment onwards, he has failed to score! Hope that’s not a bad omen today. (I so nearly brought in Yardly ;-( )
Nice post Rico….
Yeah, it’s gonna be a difficult game, Swansea and their crowd are always up for a visit from a London team, so expect it to be raucous at times.
But if our players harbour any ambitions of going the distance in the EPL, then this is a must-win game and a definite, for sure, must-not-lose game…
We have our best players coming back into the team so no excuses…
morning all
first?
Come on Arsenal!