Morning all.
Three of our younger players have been tied down to new contracts. Smart move Arsenal because these three look like they have a bright future ahead of them and I’d rather it be with us than any other club. Matt Macey, Ben Sheaf and Eddie Nketiah are here to stay. Well, hopefully. Chelsea must be spitting feathers having told Eddie he was too small. Oh well, their loss is our gain for once and if you too want to gain you can earn extra cash online against all odds even if you’ve never done so.
Arsene Wenger has the opportunity tonight to give as many younger players he wants a runout tonight but I expect he’ll choose a mix of youth and experience, just as he has so far in this competition. Our match against BATE Borisov is a dead rubber but regardless, we should be wanting to win it and Arsene Wenger clearly wants to as he’s said:
I have many players available who need competition. Next week we go into a week with three games and so some players need competition, some experienced players. We’ll play quite an experienced team tomorrow. (Tonight)
As much as many of us would love to see a youthful side play tonight, BATE still have something to play for because if they beat us and the other two sides draw their match, the Belarus side could secure second spot in the group. I’m quite glad all the English clubs have secured their place in the knockout stages of the Champions League, not that I’d like to see any of them win the bigger of the two European Cups but at least we won’t be facing them in our knockout fixtures.
We could though find ourselves up against Napoli, Atletico Madrid, Dortmund or RB Leipzig who all failed to progress further than the group stage but that’s for another day.
Back to tonight and as Arsene Wenger said, he has almost a fully fit squad to choose from. Apart from Santi Cazorla, only Shkodran Mustafi is ruled out of this one. The latter could be back for Sunday’s trip to the south coast but if not, he’ll definitely be back to face West Ham. Theo Walcott was training yesterday so one would expect to see him playing tonight, same with Jack Wilshere and Maitland-Niles after the latter of the three accompanied Wenger in his pre-match interview. As for the rest, I suspect it’ll be a very similar side to the one which lost our last match in unspectacular fashion in Germany.
We beat tonight’s opposition 4-2 at their ground and that evening was funny for me. I was on holiday, I knew we were playing of course but it wasn’t until around 7:45 when I logged onto BT Sport on my iPad that I realised the kick off had been an early one. Oops, I missed it. What kind of a fan does that make me eh….?
I won’t being missing tonight’s though…
Sorry Rico, put this up after you said new post so copied it in.
“Morning.
Rico, I never feel we are far away from stepping up 1-2 levels to where we can challenge. The things I mentioned yesterday in feeling that AW lacks a bit (or chooses to overlook it) on the coaching side and finer details in the modern game (relative to few other top coaches), I feel remain a factor that can determine whether we stay still or move onward and upwards.
In addition I think a balanced squad and first 11 is important and I think he needs to alter his thinking on the CM positions. he seems to have a love of attacking midfielders over ball winning athletic powerhouses, (still have to have some ability obviously), so I feel we always lack balance in the CM partnerships. 1-2 more top notch commanding CD’s wouldn’t go amiss either. I am not unhappy with our forward line now we have Laca and if we can retain Ozil, replace Alexis effectively, and get those other factors above sorted we will not look too shabby.
The problem is there always seems to be some area that we haven’t addressed each season. It would be nice to just see every area covered.”
On tonight, I enjoy seeing the youngsters and trying options out. I would like to see Nelson given the Alexis role rather than RWB because I see something in him here. Also would love to try Theo as number 9 again if he is going to play.
No probs GoonerB.
I can’t act remember the last time we went into a new season believing the squad was deep and strong enough to win the league. As it turned out, the season Leicester won the title should have been our time but the little things Arsene overlooks, let us down yet again.
I’d like to see him finally get us a proper midfielder as well as a central defender or two. As you say, our midfield pairing isn’t the best as neither really concentrate on breaking down an opposition or protecting the defence. Thats down to their own inabilities or just the way Arsene plays. Or perhaps a bit of both..
Re tonight, I’d like to see Macey in goal, Eddie up front with Walcott and Reiss Nelson on the wings. But I doubt AW will go down that route, more likely to see Ollie up top..
I don’t think we will see Cazorla again for anything meaningful , such a shame.
Tonight’s game is pretty pointless but we still have a responsibility to the other teams in the group to not just roll over. Hopefully we will see the future along with some more experienced players and I hope the latter can motivate themselves to put in a shift to help the young ones along and give what I reckon will be a less than full house some entertainment for coming.
Me neither. I read he’s back to square one and needs to go through his rehab all over again. Such a great shame and very sad.
Personally given the oppo and with nothing to play for I don’t believe that we will learn anything from tonight’s game it’s more than likely that some wrong conclusions could be made rather than anything of value. The first KO round in the Ropey will see hapless Arsene ,who was mumbling on about us being in the league cup ,the FA Cup and fighting for 4th place in the Prem , yawn, fielding his strongest side available to him. He insists that Wally is going nowhere in January but made no mention of Sanchez or Ozil and I’m guessing that is because he is waiting to see what transpires regarding offers for the glum duo. Anyway at least Wenger, the old previous master of illusion, has dropped any pretence of us making a title tilt that he was still claiming possible after Saturdays 3-1 defeat to United. City though winning their game put paid to that distant prospect . In the final analysis I reckon that Wenger finishing or not doing so in the top 4 or 4th more likely will decide his future and he has two shots at doing that available ,win the Ropey, a’la Jose ,or finish 4th in the Prem and then win a qualifier tie in the summer .The League Cup and FA one are side shows and about as much use as chocolate teapot to Wenger – who despite what he claims – is obviously looking less like a top manager these days without the glamour games midweek in the TV cash – cow Champions League.
Afternoon Rico, good post, I expect to see a raft of empty seats in the Emirates this evening, the time of year, the unimaginative line-up, the hangover from ManU, the fact that it’s a dead rubber. About 40/45,000 in attendance I reckon, even if the club, as usual, stupidly announces the crowd as 59,000+ etc.
Do you ever get out of the right side of the bed Jeff? 😉
Afternoon Kev, thanks. Are you going tonight?
Rico, like you I’d prefer to see Macey in goal, I don’t see a lot of difference in terms of ability between Macey and Ospina other than reputation. But if, God forbid, Cech gets injured then Ospina is next in line and needs the game time.
Can you imagine the uproar if Cech got injured, Ospina played and dropped a few in and all the blame that would rain down on Arsene for not giving Ospina games?
Maitland-Niles and Nelson at wing-back will be the only youngsters to start I’d expect.
Eddie, Willock and maybe Sheaf from the bench if we’re comfortable in the 2nd 45.
Funnily enough Rico, my son and all his mates who go regularly (all 4 of them) are giving tonight’s game a miss, so yeah, I could have gone, but work comes first this time of year despite the obvious attraction of watching Coquelin, Elneny and Giroud. ?
Sorry I can’t be more upbeat Rico but donkeys years of Wenger’s ineptitude has left me bereft of any optimism where he is concerned .Whatever way you try to dress up tonight’s game the reality is that it’s meaningless -even if some of the kids show promise under Wenger it will be stifled ! I can only recall Casley making the grade under Wenger and he ended up at Chelsea. Personally I would like to see the kids given a chance in a game like tonight’s rather than Wally and Olly making meaningless appearances from which nothing will be gained .
Ospina fills me with dread Kev. Macey has done well in the few games he’s played so surely it would make sense to play him and then Wenger will get more of an idea about where he is..
Ha ha, totally understand your decision… lol
I was teasing Jeff. I just see things knowing that one day not too far away, we’ll see a change of manager so in the meantime, I can’t be bothered to get angry anymore. I just watch expecting little and then when a surprise good performance comes along, it’s pleasing..
Wenger can’t go on forever and by the looks of it, the club are preparing for his departure..
Rico, I would prefer to play Macey, I’d actually prefer to play Martinez, but it is what it is.
Ospina is No.2, he’s next in line to play if Cech gets injured so, dum de dum de dum. ?
You know what Rico, if we get to the UEFA Cup final we’ll probably have Ospina in goal.
Same with the FACup. ?
I reckon it depends on Wenger winning or not his 4th place trophy Rico .Surely there must be a plan in place to replace him with a new manager if he fails to deliver Champions League football this term ? Stan appears to still be backing Wenger but that could change if our French folly fails to hit Stan’s target for two seasons in a row.So the question is if getting shut of Wenger depends on him missing out on a 4th place finish ,I reckon it’s highly unlikely that he will win the Ropey anyway given his appalling record in Europe ,would supporters take missing out again on Champions League football if that gets shut of Wenger >?
Hi Rico
I read There was a bit hope tha big Sam interest on Feo and the old man ….dismiss it ….sad
I’m hoping he’s looking to move on in January Kev, Walcott and Giroud too..
Hi Alex.
Perhaps Jeff but I’m not convinced he’ll be at Arsenal next season regardless of what we do this season..
Tonights Team
Ospine, Debucy, Chambers, Holding, Niles, Elneny Coq, Wilshere Walcott Welbeck Giroud
Subs Macey, Sheaf, Nelson, Adelaid, Willock Nketiah Akpom
That team is a surprise Rick.
Love the bench though…
No Lacazette for weekend so Walcott, Welbeck and Giroud playing for the place or at least should be.
Evening Rico.
Like you I am surprised with the team but I think he has got it right for a change.
I would have liked to see Macey start but other then that its good.
I think you will see Ben Sheaf get some time tonight which will be great.
Speak later
Why no Lacazette for Sunday?
Evening Rick, I guess he’s just giving players who he may need to call upon a run out. Makes sense as you say..
Good work from Theo but what a strike from Debuchy..
Giroud has caught the Ramsey flick bug…
Nighty…
Evening all.
Amazing how many goals can be scored when the players actually take a shot, rather than trying to walk the ball into the net! Should add though, the opposition are woeful!
rico
My mother used to like Alan BATES. He apparently was the Poldark of his day 🙂
Maybe hypercritical but the casual attitude in the 2nd half has really pissed me off. Maitland-Niles should be trying hard to impress but he has been giving the ball away and pulling out of tackles
Robin Ellis is the best one Gg..
Morning all..
New post up.