Morning all.
What could have, and probably should have been a title deciding fixture, yesterday’s trip to the Etihad was all about which club could secure Champions League football. Both clubs have had a poor season, City’s probably worse than ours considering the players in their squad but like Arsene Wenger, Manuel Pellegrini hasn’t been able to get the best out of his players each and every week. Pellegrini waved goodbye to a half empty stadium of fans after the game as he departs this summer, Wenger though has one more season left on his contract, one last chance to win the league before he too departs for a new challenge. Who am I kidding eh…..
As Oliver Giroud’s goal drought finally came to an end, his beard grows on. Not only did he score but he set up Alexis Sanchez for our second with some lovely stuff. A point earned, a point which should secure 3rd place in the league. Should Tottenham slip up again next weekend and Arsenal beat Aston Villa, we might just get 2nd but apart from the difference in earnings, finishing 2nd or 3rd means little really.
When Aguero opened the scoring early on, I feared the floodgates might open. Just what Koscielny was thinking as the shot fizzed past him I don’t know, but he made no attempt to block it and Cech had little chance of stopping it either.
Just a couple of minutes later, Clichy headed back to Hart who really didn’t want it. The ball hit the post and went out for a corner.
Thierry Henry:
The reaction of Joe Hart there – why are you laughing? Why are you laughing? You gave them a cheap corner.
You can see him (Hart) actually saying ‘away’, ‘away’. So Clichy should clear that ball, he’s trying to be clever.
But I can assure you, I played with Jens Lehmann, if you do that to him he would’ve grabbed you by the collar of your neck and let you know what he thinks about you.
And what happened after? They score. I know Giroud didn’t score for 15 games but his heading is one of his best attributes. For me I think it’s just really poor
I bet Hart wasn’t laughing after Ollie headed home our equaliser.
Despite City bossing the game as far as possession goes, the score remained the same as the half-time whistle blew.
Early in the second half, City again went ahead, this time through de Bruyne. His shot tucked into the left hand corner and despite getting across his goal, somehow Cech didn’t manage to get his hand to it and I think he’ll be disappointed not to have kept that one out.
2-1 and Arsenal needed a goal, as this was a game we really couldn’t afford to lose and with around twenty minutes left to go, they got it. Giroud with a lovely lay-off, Alexis with a great finish. 2-2 and that’s how it ended. A good point well earned but that’s about it.
The downside of the game was Danny Welbeck suffering another knee injury. He’s having a scan today and with the England squad set to be announced later this week, it’s highly likely his name won’t be on it, unlike Wilshere who got more playing time yesterday to prove his fitness…
One game left now and that’s the season over. Thank goodness for that eh….
Gossip:
Interim Bolton Wanderers boss Jimmy Phillips has revealed he was instructed to drop defender Rob Holding for the Trotters’ final match of the season. Holding was left out of the 18-man squad away to Fulham on Saturday amid speculation linking him with a host of Premier League clubs.
Arsenal are one of the clubs interested in the 20-year-old centre-back and Bolton’s top brass decided they didn’t want to risk him picking up an injury and scuppering a potential transfer. Talking to The Bolton News, Phillips said:
I was asked by the board of directors not to play him yesterday. He was in the line-up on Friday morning but that’s as much as I know.
It would appear some clubs are interested in him somewhere down the line. I think the wheels are still in motion on that one and it’ll be a few days before we get an outcome.
If the deal goes ahead and the money is used to improve the squad as a whole then we can judge then whether it was a positive outcome.
Surely it won’t be Arsenal completing an early defensive signing will it?
Good Morning Lovelies and Hunkies.
Good report boss. yesterday the team showed that it was prepared to get stuck in and fight….although we suffered as well.
Do you think Ozil will be missing for the next game as well???
Seems that Arsenal are the club who has tabled a bid for Bolton’s Holding according to the Express.
Morning all
Awful performance but welcome point. Cech beaten yet again in the same corner. His footwork moving to his right must be suspect
Morning all again, Our season is staggering to conclusion and if they haven’t already it’s time to turn our thoughts to next season and what it will actually entail to bring about a change in our fortunes. In some ways it is trite to argue that our season has been rubbish after all we are going to finish high up the table again but no matter whether it’s a shock team or a member of the oil rich society the gap is about the same. It seems that everything has moved except Arsenal. Our traditional rivals have declined and different teams have improved but we have remained at a finish some 10 to 12 points away from winning it. It is about consistency , the Wenger acolytes will argue that injury has cost us dear but then when has it not , we always seem to have more than our share. Only last week we reported that we had a fully fit squad and now Danny has joined the list which has now grown to 4 players. With a fully fit squad we just need tweaking but if the pattern continues we will have to be a lot more active . THis only leaves the necessity to look at the way we play , perhaps that requires more than a little adjustment and certainly a greater accent on training in different circumstances and systems and making the players more adaptable.
If he is Devil, I’d say he’s off in the summer…
Bob, did you hear Souness or Henry say that Cech was beaten for the second because the pitch had been watered at half-time?
De Bruyne was given far too much time and space he should have been put over and the yellow taken for the team. The first goal Koscielny made himself as small as possible and gave Cech no real chance back in his Chelsea days someone would have taken it in the mouth rather than let it go passed him.
Do you think so boss? reports have stated that he wants to stay?? but then again people say many things and do another.
Do you think the Xhaka deal has something to do with it?? I mean if Xhaka comes and he plays then one of Elneny and Coquelin will play. so that leaves Aaron to play in the middle behind Ollie. Ollie loves playing with Aaron and the latter prefers playing AM in the hole. With the emergence of Iwobi on the wings together with Alexis then it makes a bit of sense.
Maybe RM want him back and AW does not want to risk him?? who knows.
I hope we get some top performers in.
Potter, back in his Chavs days, Cech would have been defended by Mourinho if a defender ducked or put his back out of the way of the ball and putting PC at risk.
Now he has AW not Mourinho.
We don’t need Mourinho, but we do need a type like TA, PC or JL…..someone who would have you by the scruff of the neck if you ducked your responsibility.
If I were manager I would employ at least someone like PV or JL or Keane for the simple reason to put the fear of the devil in the players if they did not do their duties. lol
Good Morning to The Lady of the House and all fellow Gooners in residence.
Rico – A great game report. It is a shame our team couldn’t have shown the same attitude and effort against some of the ‘lesser’ teams in the league where they let leads slip away from them, as they thought they had the game won.
Onwards to next Sunday and the summer transfer window. Could it be true; have Arsene & Arsenal got off their collective backsides and already started to negotiate for new players? Or, are we deluding ourselves yet again for the __ (insert number as applicable) year running?
Totally agree Potter…
Devil. But I don’t think he’ll be missing for the Villa game.. 😉
CG….its time for season tickets renewal as KEv keeps on reminding us.
Morning Cg. Funny how when CL footie is on the line, the motivation returns to get something from a game as tricky as that one.
As for the summer, more of the same is all I expect, then I might be pleasantly surprised… lol
Why do you think its funny boss??? Its something which keeps on happening time and time again. If it happened only once than it can be considered funny. but now it keeps on happening time and time again.
Imo its not funny. It makes me angry and suspicious.
Thierry was right about Jens ‘The Mad Monk’ Lehmann – He certainly would have been out there tearing a strip off Koscielny. Unfortunately, it is just the sort of attitude we so sorely lack at the moment and for a number of years.
I didn’t mean it literally Devil. As you say, it happens every year.
So very true Cg..
Devil – Kev has a cynical streak. However, in this case, he may just be right. As usual, we’ll just have to wait, patiently or not, and see.
Rico – “…As for the summer, more of the same is all I expect, then I might be pleasantly surprised… lol” I am of the same mind; stay calm and hopefully be pleasantly surprised. Rather that than get over excited about every tasty rumour and be disappointed yet again.
Little or no reaction, excepting the odd prayer, until a deal is signed, sealed, delivered to the FA and announced on Arsenal.com.
Cg. Our only hope is AW wakes up and realises that if he doesn’t make a few decent signings, life for him in the dugout will be tough next season. Very tough…
Mind you, he still has to change his ways and that’s the stumbling block…
Rico – Although it was only a minority of the supporters in last weeks protest, you could see that Arsene was aware of them and looked more ill at ease than usual. I think he is well aware that he MUST spend or he and Arsenal will be left behind.
He was quoted as saying that with all the money from new owners and improved television rights flooding the BPL even ‘lesser’ teams could afford to buy quality players. So, with this added competition the club must act quickly and decisively to get the players we need. That means they willing to spend and not lose out during extended negotiations to teams that are willing to pay the price.
But even if he does spend Cg, how will change his approach as he hasn’t done for years.
We can only hope that he signs a few who have more of a winning mentality than who we have, a couple of hard players would go down well…
Rico – A few great players with the attitude of Tony Adams would go down very very well. As for Arsene, we’ll just have to invoke whatever deities, divine, spirits, etc. we believe in and hope for the best.
Cg, I think it’s gone beyond hope with AW… Lol
Rico – If so, we’re DOOMED! I still have some tattered shreds of hope, but they are waning away. I might have one more transfer window and one more season of belief left. We’ll just have to wait and see.
🙂 Cg, you are brave.
I think we’ll soon see what AW’s intentions are. Early summer signings might give me a little bit of hope, but I still worry about the dressing room and Wenger’s ability to get them playing well..
I wonder what Scott has to say about this?
“He’s been utter rubbish” – Arsenal fans angry with Ramsey following draw against Man City
http://www.squawka.com/news/hes-been-utter-rubbish-arsenal-fans-angry-with-ramsey-following-draw-against-man-city/665295
Rico – I don’t know about brave. It could just as well be punch drunk or stoopid – woops tsb stupid eh. However, I share your misgivings.
It seems the controversy over Arsene is becoming physical;
http://www.101greatgoals.com/101ggvideos/arsenal-fan-reveals-physical-fighting-took-place-man-city-away-end-video/
With that I’m off to bed. It’s Good Night from me and Good Afternoon to most of you.
Night Cg, sleep well..
Morning all. It’s too hot here!
Just a couple of points:
Leicester City who as we know have used the smallest number of players this season because, they have had so few injuries, may have found a solution to keeping their players fit. A friend, who is a foxy supporter, feckons that before training one of the ground staff has issued with a tool that measures the hardness of the pitch, if it is deemed to hard they find another training area that will not cause ‘pain’ to the players. Or something like that! It was a bit of a garbled tale and the details were a bit scratchy but the essential thing is they don’t just go and kick a ball about or even run on surfaces that are unsuitable. Food for thought. Has anybody else heard a similar tale? Nothing like this out of the Arsenal with its state of the art training centre. Innovative or what?
And secondly,I got the impression from Wenger’s post match comments that he was speaking in the third person when being asked about next season’s preparations. He said, “we have to do the best for the team when thinking about next season.” It was not so much what he said but the tone of which he said it. I thought it was like he was suggesting he would do what he could but it would not be his concern post the end of May. His demeanour was full of resignation and regret. Perhaps it was just the thought of being forced to part with some cash that upset him!! Anyway we’ll see!
Don’t get our hopes up Wavy, he won’t leave… Will he?
Doesn’t London Colney have an immaculate training surface though?
Rico, good report and a fine result yesterday. Not getting any hopes up after last summer. I got quite demoralised early on, but the good optimists here helped me keep it together. Alas, nothing happened after PC.
Wavy, I have lived in hope, seeing AW’s expression this last month that, just maybe, he knows he will end it but is keeping quiet for the players sake. Wishing thinking I suspect, but I’m quite prepared for things to get worse for a season or two while a new manager beds in. As long as it’s someone like Klopp with some positive attitude, new ideas, and who tells it like it is.
Me neither Andrew, too many false dawns in the past…
I have often wondered if it’s the perfect state of our pitches that creates some of the problems. After all in my playing times by comparison we played on ploughed fields, half the time rock hard and the other under two inches of water . We were not as highly tuned and some of the current team yet we didn’t twist ankles , knees and pull groins . perhaps our joints compensated in the way we ran and jumped. Could it be that our pitches are just too perfect.
Good point. In twenty years of playing, I suffered one injury and like you, the pitches weren’t often the best. Mind you, neither was the football… 😉
Quite possibly Potter. They are certainly over pampered! I’ve thought for a long time now that they are ‘over fit’. Their bodies have been tuned like highly strung violin strings and we all know what happens when they are over played……they snap! Same for the players?
Also did anyone notice the number of times the players slipped when running, with or without the ball. Too much water on a conference based pitch. Little wonder they fall awkwardly and consequently pull and twist ankles, knew and groins.
I remember 2 inches of muddy water or bone hard concrete pitches. Strangely I don’t remember playing on any ‘perfectly prepared and manicured lawn like pitches! I don’t remember many players having to leave the pitch as a result of anything twisted, pulled or ricked! Modern technology! Who’d have it?
Conference = concrete
And
Knew = knees
Afternoon all,
I played sport on rock hard undulated pitches and had no injuries from it but now it feels like my ankles need to warm up first before I can walk properly.
After all,
Does anyone know why we have dropped 16 points from a winning position this season.
The worst record under AW…
The players are simply coasting during keep moments in games
Because we are crap at defending Ts… 😉
Afternoon all, nice drop of rain here in the south….
Afternoon.
London Colney pitch is a clone of the Emirates pitch !……….it`s exactly the same size and even has undersoil heating !…………………..and every team that plays on the Emirates pitch raves about it, even the international ones like Brazil etc`.
The ideal pitch for perfect football Le Coq, however……. Lol
Afternoon Rico, talking of conference pitches, you should try the AstroTurf on Market Road, Islington…
It slaughters your knees, ankles and groin…
Afternoon Kev. I hated Astro turf playing hockey, footie would be a nightmare….
Evening all, theres a new thought our players taken some responsibility for our sh*t season.
Now Tsgh that kind rebel writing is a dangerous thing imagine if that kind of thinking took off.
I never liked it either Rico.
Doesn’t this season feel like an enormous anticlimax, I cannot remember the last time I felt quite as fed up as I do now…
Question, does anyone think that Arsenal have made any progress from the previous two seasons and where is the progress that you see…
For me, Arsenal have stood still, in fact I feel we could be on the cusp of going backwards, given that Man City, Man Utd, Liverpool, Tottenham, Leicester , Chelsea and West Ham will all build in the summer.
Hi Joe, I certainly think a few could have done better…
I get how you feel Kev, same here. An utterly disappointing and quite boring Arsenal season…
Stood still? I’m not so sure as I feel we’ve gone backwards…..
Allezkev wrote:’you should try the AstroTurf on Market Road, Islington’…
My Junior School used to play there in the late 40s. There was a cattle yard on the same road. The pitch was red cinder and flesh, the flesh was left there by kids who did sliding tackles.
West Ham are at it already making bids for players according to their co-owner on sky sports !……………………as far as I know we make £3M net per game so what on earth are the hammers going to make seeing as they get everything included for their £2 1/2M rent…policing, heating of pitch, stewards, ground maintenanceetc` etc` even the corner flags and have you sen the price of them nowadays ! hahaha
Not surprised by West Ham, no wonder AW said they’d won the lottery with their stadium move… They could be a really good side next season….
Dick I played over there in the 1980’s, it’s better now, they have an indoor tennis court as well as 5-a-side and full sized pitches…
Cocker, West Ham are going for it, cheap season tickets for kids, getting them young and filling a 50,000 stadium and once the Scum and Chavs have their new stadiums we’ll have some serious competition for spectators, tourists and business packages…
Meanwhile Arsenal stagnate…
My opinion for what it`s worth, Rico, is that we will struggle in a few years time simply because even with out the likes of the mega rich ie ManU and ManC, there will be the likes of Liverpool, Chavs, Spuds and W Ham with new shiny stadiums and unlike Arsenal most of them will have one company or one owners with W Ham and Spuds having owners who are die hard fans !…..we have Kroenke !, not only does he not give a toss about football and is only happy if we are self sufficient and getting by, he isn`t a fan and is only the majority shareholder !. How much money do you think fan owners like Levy/Lewis….Sullivan/Gold will spend once they have the revenue coming in properly from the new stadiums !……………….a lot more than Kroenke will spend, which is zero out of Kroenkes own pocket !.
Our biggest threat to our future comes from within and that is Kroenke !.
Only a mega rich one owner is going to save us, expect years in the mid to Europa League wilderness !.
Looks like we`re on the same page Kev !…………you have to laugh with the dooming otherwise it`s crying alround ! 😥 😆
I’m not convinced Le Coq, I think it’s Arsene who chooses not to spend and Kroenke lets him do what he does because he hasn’t a clue about football. But one day, when AW is gone, we’ll find out for sure…
But I do think Kroenke is bad for Arsenal….
Oh definately, Rico !…………Arsene hasn`t got a degree in economics for nothing and likes to show how good he is !…………….I`m convinced he could be a brilliant chancellor of the exchequer and run this country better than any politician !…………we`d be the 4th most prosperous country in the world and never be out of europe !…….Farage would have a fit !. hahaha
Britain would be richer than the IMF !
Osbourne Out !
Wenger In !
Ha ha Le Coq…
It’s that time for me…
Night all, catch up tomorrow….
Nite rico.
I’m not really sure why Arsene gets so much grief myself, sacrificing our game at home to Watford in the fa cup to ensure top 4 makes sense to me, just a shame so many fans can’t see the bigger picture.
It’s very easy to get distracted by the fa cup imho.
Kev, creating history is over-rated, can’t help thinking back to your post about 3 in a row earlier this season…….
tsgh, aren’t we up there with the best when it comes to conceding goals at home in the premiership, just a shame we always give other teams a sniff, might go a long way to answering your 3.15 !
Love the photo btw rico, why aren’t we running out to the tune of The Shamen and Ebeneezer Goode every other week, you know it makes sense….Smudge, where are you when your country needs you !
Nite Gooners.
Yeah Mick, who needs a hat trick of FACups when we can qualify for the CL and Syrup can then go out and buy another ranch…
Mount ’em up and move ’em out….
Night All…
E’s are good, E’s are good.
Morning Rico and all.
Morning Adam and all, what a change in the weather..
Come on you Hammers… 😉
Is Walcott off there do you think Rico?
I wouldn’t be surprised if he does Adam.
He’s played like someone disinterested for some time now , it might be best for both parties if he does . On his day he is a dangerous weapon and anyway he was always better suited to be an Olympic sprinter.
Morning Rico, Adam and all…
Kev- re. standing still…imho we have regressed. I have said that for awhile now. I always argue its the points after 38 games that should be evaluated and not necessarily where we finish at the end of the season.
I spent the whole of last summer saying AW should be concerned we did not improve on our 2014/2015 points tally even amongst the Coquelin euphoria.
We are lucky the ‘old blocks’ are also regressing. City, Liverpool, Yanited, Everton all lost points when compared to their points tally the season before. If they had done a comparable job this season we would be in far worst state.
I failed to include the chavs specifically because the record of the chavs after game 12 in late 2014 shows they were mid table material…
Taking out this freak season out of the equation, we will need to accumulate an extra 20 points to at least match Man city/Chelsea’s winning points tally…
Conversely, it could be argued that we lost the least points amongst the ‘old blocks’…
I too think it would be a good move for him and I bet Bilic gets a lot out of him..
Morning Ts.
New post up now.