Morning all.
Darn it, Alexandre Lacazette has had to undergo knee surgery for an injury which has been niggling him for a while. Two things popped into my mind on reading that awful news. Why has he been on the bench and why has he been training and playing. Ok, three, why on earth did he come against the Totts? If his injury had been known for a while and surgery was always on the cards, why didn’t someone make the decision for him to have the op as soon as Aubameyang was signed? Also, it begs the question as to why Giroud was allowed to leave in January too but perhaps the answer is to the timing of all of this is in there. It doesn’t take much working out imo. Ok, I’m a cynic but ask yourself why.
It kind of explains why Lacazette has looked off the pace for a while though. Might explain his grumpy looking face too as playing through pain, if he has been, isn’t nice.
Anyway, he’s out now for 4-6 weeks according to Arsene Wenger which could so easily equate to months knowing our luck. Bigger picture though is who the heck is going to get us the goals we’ll need to progress in the Europa League? Danny ‘scuffer’ Welbeck? Surely it’ll be him leading the line tomorrow night in Sweden and if that doesn’t work, then I suspect Eddie will be on standby.
For Welbeck though, this unexpected opportunity to play central could be just what he needs. The World Cup looms and right now I’d imagine he’s not in Gareth Southgates thoughts so this is his chance. Same for his Arsenal career though I reckon because if he can’t take his chance, he should be out the door in June. I know he works hard for the team etc etc, but his job his to make and score goals and if he can’t do that against Östersunds FK, he certainly isn’t going to do it against better sides. Not that I’m trying to suggest tomorrow’s challenge will be an easy one as it won’t, especially in sub zero temperatures.
So who exactly are tomorrow’s opposition? Well Arsene Wenger admitted he knew very little about them when they came out of the draw but he did assure us he’d do his homework on them before the first leg. (I’m saying nothing) To be fair, I doubt many of us have a clue what to expect from Sweden’s soul representative in this competition but clearly they’ve done well otherwise they wouldn’t have got this far. Anyway, I’ve done my own homework, although the official Arsenal website made that easy.
The Swedish side were created in October 1996, spooky, when three local clubs, Ope IF, IFK Ostersund and Ostersund/Torvalla FF, merged together. A year later, Froso IF, joined the setup and the following year it began its life in the third tier of Swedish football.
Englishman and ex York City defender Graham Potter became their manager after the club had been relegated to the fourth tier of Swedish football in 2010, and achieved successive promotions during his first two years in charge. Two years later they had been promoted once more, this time becoming an Allsvenskan side for the very first time in their existence, and then they lifted their first major trophy, the Svenska Cupen, after beating six-time champions IFK Norrkoping 4-1 in the final.
So how have they got to this stage in Europa?
First up they shocked Galatasaray in the second qualifying round and then finished second in their group which included Athletic Bilbao and Hertha Berlin. They lost just the one game and being the only Swedish club to have ever progressed beyond the Europa League group stage, they’ll be up for progressing further that’s for sure.
I’ve no idea what to expect from them and I’ll admit, I’d never heard of them let alone know what style of football they play but they’ll be used to the cold, they’re at home and I’m sure they’ll have plenty of support from their fans.
I’ll try and find out more befor tomorrow but don’t count on it….
It’s a 6pm kick off for us here in the uk, at least that’s something I do know…..
No surprises any more from the senile one. Only AW could let OG go, knowing that there must have been a problem with Lacazette. Amazing! Watching Welbz is painful – I’d rather have Eddie up front with Kolasinac!
I thought selling him in Jan was stupid anyway, and Walcott. They could wait until the summer imo.
Morning Rico. It looked strange seeing Giroud in a Chelsea shirt, especially as he actually ran around a bit. But he looked absolutely surreal with that bandaged head and his immaculate coffee quiff poking out the top.
Morning Adam, I don’t think blue suits him…
Funny though how Walcott and Giroud seem to be working harder since they’ve gone..
“Le Prof” fucked it up again? I’m really not having it… the sooner he leaves we may be able to stop the free fall we are currently seeing at The Arsenal. As is being proved time and time again his decision making is totally wide of the mark, that coupled with his inability to get the most out of the expensive players at his disposal…. we will continue in this decline!!
I wonder how many of this underperforming Arsenal squad will flourish under a different manager? I’ll bet quite a few….
I’d say most Lee.
Afternoon Rico and All
The strong belief gooners now have,
is that Arsene will go if we don’t qualify
for the champions league.
We are reading once again,between the
lines…….I know
Went to see Charlton/Bradford game last night,
real football with,Pie and a Pint die-hard fans.
Sitting with the bradford fans all from up north.
Me and my brother stood out a bit,we thought,
until a family also from london/essex area got
a bit excited,during the 2nd half.
Bradford brought on tyrell robinson ex/arsenal
youth player,Charlton were one up,anyway
Tyrell popped up and got a goal to make it
1-1,the bradford fans went banana’s,Tyrell’s
brother’s joined in the celebrations with the player’s
to give Tyrell a family hug,and were quickly grabbed
by the stewards and marched out of the ground,
talk about the up’s and down’s of football.
Afternoon Fred.
I think he’s going regardless. But I do think 6th will be our spot and perhaps a Europa quarter final. No League Cup though..
Afternoon rico good post,
Giroud was not and should not be the anewer imo..
watched him the other night and despite the obvious and dedperate, yet unjustified effort from the comentators to big him up, he showed no quality whatsoever. .he huffed and puffed and if it was not for the pure quality of Hazard he wouldn’t have registered his 1st assist.
Holding play embarrassing, shots on target null, successful passes around the box ..yeb you guessed it big fat zero. .
even the chavs crowd got agitated at the end. .
I just don’t get it how conte would fancy him over Batshway .
He was good to OK in his first 2 seasons but has been really poor since last season and I am glad we got rid of him.
Hi Rico. Good post. Too many people are assuming this match in Sweden is a given, it’s not, these Swedes are up for it. Our pampered, molly-coddled team won’t like it when these Swedes have a go. The weather will play a part so our little uns better have their mittens and thermals on. I had a terrible dream last night. The Spuds were in an open topped bus parading the CL trophy past the Emirates. Could happen!!! That would not be a dream that would be a nightmare. WENGER OUT OUT OUT. Been a Gooner since 1966 and never felt as demoralised as now.
Afternoon all and thank you Rico.
I`m sure I read somewhere that these Swedes are something like 6 weeks away from their domestic season starting so we should be much too fit for them, had they been in the middle of their season it would be a difficult game, so I`m going for a recored EL away win !………………………..Eddie will get at least 6 !
🙂
No chance Paddywhack, these Swedes have been hybernating for the winter and the only action they have had is tea bagging a snowmans snowballs !
😆
Plus !!!!…………………………….from Rico`s excellant detective work the Swedes were formed a month after Arsene took over at Arsenal, so he has managed more games than the Swedes have played………..this will be like stealing candy from a baby !
😆
Paddwhack, I’ve a horrible feeling about the CL and those from up, the road too!
Afternoon KK, Paddywack and thanks re the post.
What’s all this swearing on here… 😉
They can’t and won’t win the big one….
Who’s swearing??? AK?
Suggesting The Spuds will win CL is swearing !……………………….it`s fcuking filth !
🙂
Lc is right Lee. Suggesting that lot will win the CL is worse than the ‘C’ word… lol
So plastic pitch , well below zero :- At least a couple of groin / hamstring pulls . Should see us well short for City.
Deep joy but I guess they have little choice with it being so cold over there..
What a great game RM v PSG was tonight.
Bit like our Bayern encounters???
Not that good surely….
Morning Lee and all..
Wonder what we’ll get served up tonight…
Morning Rico and Brudder. Watching it, I just couldn’t get over just how far off that level we have dropped. We look like The Rose And Crown eleven in comparison.
Morning Adam. No surprise to read that really. We’ve really regressed over the years…
Good to hear Roy Keane blast Totts and Liverpool for winning nothing over the last ten years. They may be better than us, but they always escape criticism when it comes to winning silverware…
Rico. It’s an inescapable fact regardless of how Wenger spins it. The sheer apathy surrounding the club is far more significant than people wandering around with banners. The supporter base is changing.
Agree Adam. I’m getting to the stage that I couldn’t care less if they’re playing or not. Seems a waste of ninety minutes these days..
Rico. I’m not that far behind you. I imagine it’s partly a protective subconscious reaction to prevent the pain of watching it all unfold. That’s what Brudder told me anyway. 🙂
I reckon you’re right Adam. Expect nothing and they’ll be no disappointment. Self preservation and all that.
6pm seems a good time to start cooking dinner… ?
New post up now.