Morning all.
The big fella arrives overnight tonight so today I’ll be busy sweeping the chimney, making mince pies and scrubbing carrots. Just once a year it’s roll out the red carpet for Santa, Rudolf and his little helpers. No alcohol though as he’s driving his sledge with precious cargo on board. What do mean he’s not real??
Sokratis, Xhaka, Kolasinac and Lacazette. Three blokes you wouldn’t want to upset in a bar and then find them at the end of the alley which you’ve walked along on your way home. You’d be doomed knowing four Jack Reacher kind of human beings were in your way. When there’s trouble on the pitch they’re there, looking after their mates.
The Xhaka we saw before Emery arrived was lazy, aggressive but in an uncontrolled way, rash when it came to tackling as his red card theme continued. Now he’s a different player. The odd booking yes, but he’s calmer I think, until an opponent player goes in too hard. Then he turns green and presents himself as a leader of men in a battle. He’s scary and not one I’d want to mess with.
Sokratis. He’d only have to offer one of his looks and my knees would start shaking. He might not be a tall guy but he’s built like a brick wotsit and clever with it. Take him on at your own peril is all I’d say.
Then there’s Kolasinac who went shoulder to shoulder with one of the Stoke Burnley players on Saturday. Only one of the two remained standing with the other left wondering how he’d let an Army tank sneak up on him so quietly. Like the two above, when the going gets tough, he’s right in the mix behind his mates.
Three real men who have helped the soft Arsenal turn into a tough Arsenal. An Arsenal who won’t be bullied anymore. Not on the ground anyway.
Lacazette is no shrinking violet either, nor is Lichtsteiner or Mustafi but it’s the Swiss who together with the three above who are the most clever, cunning and darn right sneaky. They draw players in for the battle, plead innocence and then walk away as if butter wouldn’t melt. Sokratis battle with Barnes was great and there was only ever going to be one winner. A stronger referee would have shown Barnes a second yellow card, if not for the second ‘attempted retaliation’ when Sokratis got his, but definitely for the stamp on Guendouzi.
The one area were still pretty weak in though is in the air. Southampton bullied us on set-pieces, other teams with big strikers and defenders will do too which is probably so many of us on here are desperate to see Arsenal sign a bit of height. Especially in central defence. I’d actually look to the Championship if money really is an issue, a brutal and unforgiving league which is so difficult to get out of. Someone like Ahmed Hegazi at West Brom or Aden Flint at Middlesbrough perhaps. Both big guys who are strong in the air apparently. They look great on YouTube. 😀
Just a thought anyway but then with Sven and his eagle eyes, who knows where he’s looking. Just hope he finds..
Have a great Christmas Eve everyone, be safe and leave the car at home. Pop a few corks and have a few for me…
Good morning Rico and everyone, the new strength and togetherness in the team is really great, running off on fans as well..
Morning Mexy.
It’s hard to believe to change in attitude in such a short time…
Have a good one people ,and lets get Brighton and Liverpool out of the way and then settle down to see if Sven brings us some belated presents .
Once upon a long time ago we dipped into the then second division and bought Bouldy and Dixon. That didn’t work out too badly ,so suppose it is an option now . You don’t have to be a superstar to fit into a defence just good at what you do.
I was talking to a Norwegian friend the other day , he is an Arrsenal fan that lives near Barcelona and he equated Emery’s problem with Ozil to that of his with Neymar at PSG . Both are precocious and both could turn a game in seconds but both felt that they are / were too good to not take all the headlines. In Neymar’s case he had Messi , Suarez , Iniesta to battle for the headlines but in Ozil’s situation perhaps he feels that no-one is in his class now that Alexis has gone and that he should be getting the plaudits .
Neymar went to PSG after not really bexoming a Barca legend and came up against Emery’s team ethic and again had his nose out of joint but on this occasion he got to stay and had the manager forced out . Perhaps Emery is seeing paralells and is not about to let that happenagain.
I must admit Potter, the Neymar at PSG and Ozil now, went through my mind too. I read a headl8ne the other day which suggested it was Neymar who got Emery the sack. True or not I don’t know but big egos cause big problems.
Perhaps Neymar and now Ozil, don’t think Emery is a big enough manager, in name anyway..
Good morning Rico, Emery not a big enough name? I can’t agree with you there. Unai Emery Etxegoien is big enough for most. 😀
How did the Blickling trip go Potter? It was certainly a wet day. We drove over to Horsey Gap to walk on the beach and see the seals, just as we got to the carpark it started to rain really heavily. We sat in the car for half an hour then gave up and went for lunch at the Nelson’s Head, sausages and mash by the open fire, luvvly jubbly.
Morning Cicero, he’s a big enough name in my eyes, but just questioning the two players thoughts..
Blickling was OK as always . Stayed in the house and only ventured to the garden on the walk back to the car park.. I think someone tipped a giant bucket of water over North Norfolk .Still trying to get the condensation out of the car from 7 peoples wet clothes on the way back to Wroxham . Stopped at the Red Lion in Coltishall for a warmer on the way.
I also wonder if the new regime operates differently to the previous one . Where Wenger had his favourites it seems that Emery just selects on form and circumstances ,potentially I suppose that might bruise some egos.
Yes, and how refreshing is that?
Ramsey would have been given a new contract with a massive pay rise by now…
Potter, I Hope you spotted all the “naughty elves”, my youngest grandson wanted to go round a second time in case he’d missed one.
Our 5 year old is well into that although our elf on the shelf is more traditional . He hides in different places but goes to Lapland every night to report on her behaviour and then comes back the next day to keep his eye on her.
Moustafi, Bellerin, Mytharian, Monreal, Mavroppanos and all the others (Holding, Welbeck, …) out until 2019.
Can we play with 2 Gks ?
Mkhitarian out for 6 weeks .who is,next ?
Crikey, our injuries are dreadful.
Add to that Ramsey is likely to leave next month.
Youth it will be I guess…
We’re being linked to Reece Oxford and Fernando Calero…
Merry Christmas Gooners…
Merry Christmas all.
New post up now.
Fernado Calero is a central defender from Vallodid