Morning all.
Who nicked those two months then?
It seems like only yesterday that Mikel Arteta was lifting the FA Cup for a second time at Wembley yet here we are, back to the same big stadium for the Premier League curtain raiser, the Charity Shield or whatever it’s called these days.
This time last year we romped it with a 3-0 victory over Man City and as much as the fixture is deemed to be a friendly, how good was that result. Well I know I loved it, and the performance, oh, and I loved seeing the boys lift another trophy.
At the time, we’d been on a dreadful run against the blue side of Manchester so that made the result even better, perhaps even more important because mentally, we’d overcome a little hurdle, one which perhaps helped us later on in the season when we travelled to the Etihad Stadium and came away with all three points.
Today we have an early opportunity to match that by beating Chelsea. As far as the game goes, it’s all meant to be a bit of fun, another run out for the players before the season gets going next weekend but I doubt they’ll be anything friendly going on once the referee blows his whistle later on today. Cahill, Terry and Costa will try and rough us up a bit that’s for sure, they always do!
We don’t need another loss against that classless lot and Arsene Wenger has to one day out-smart that equally classless manager of theirs so fingers crossed that day will be today. Big day for Petr Cech as he faces his old side, I bet Terry and his thugs get stuck into him on corners and set-pieces, still, he’s a big guy, he’ll cope I’m sure.
We’ve had a good pre-season, playing at times some really good football so the boys should be full of confidence and ready to finally knock the West Londoners down a peg or two. No ‘gung ho’ tactics please Arsene!
What bearing this match, performance or result has on the manager’s final transfer plans I don’t know but I’d like to think none as that should all be clear in his mind by now. In fact any deals shouldn’t be too far away from being completed, after all the season kicks off this time next week and we need to hit the ground running for a change.
Not much in the back pages this morning other than Roy Keane thinks Arsenal will not win the league because the players are too obsessed by selfies and six-packs. And quiffs!
Enjoy the match, hopefully we’ll win and then Arsenal finally sign that midfielder we need! It looks like Benzema is turning from a possible to a probable if we believe all that’s written in the press as reports suggest wages have been agreed, now all that’s left is the transfer fee!
Have a good Sunday guys, hope the boys do themselves proud!
COYRRGS!
Morning Rico, All…
Great post Rico…
I made a small post…hope you don’t mind my adding it here?
I think Keane’s comments will only motivate the boys the way Mourinho’s ‘specialist in failure’ has been doing ever since.
Morning Tai, thanks… ..
For sure, feel free to post…
He’s only jealous, he needs to take a look at himself in the mirror!
He ain’t found a mirror low enough yet Rico……………….
Today At Wembley…
These days time seems to fly. It looked like Arsenal just won the FA Cup 24 hours ago but alas, the Community Shield contest is today…so it must have been over two and half months gone that the Emirates kings enjoyed the back-to-back glory of the oldest football trophy in history.
The opponents today couldn’t have come in a tougher mold – Chelsea over the past decade have been tough customers for any side, especially one that tries to play football. But when it’s Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea, the task becomes more than double difficult for the loquacious Portuguese sleeps and wakes with a blanket totally branded with ‘win at all costs’. More so when it comes to his today’s opposite number…no top manager in modern football has suffered more humiliation in the hands of the two-time Champions League winner than the French Arsenal tactician. Arsene Wenger must have wished behind closed doors on several occasions that the ex-Porto coach was never born in his era.
But success breeds arrogance, especially for a man like the ex-Madrid manager, who is perhaps the only known man in modern history that can start a fight in an empty room. His successes over Wenger have driven the boastful one into comments bothering on excessive disrespect for a man who the football world would remember far into the next millennium. Mourinho’s taunts, insults…all in the name of mind games speak volume of a man who lacks decorum and respect for professionalism.
But the football gods are seemingly interested…few months after the foul-talking Portuguese branded Le Prof ‘specialist in failure’, Arsenal won the first trophy in nine years… went on to win the Community Shield few months later and repeated the FA Cup triumph 12 months later. Cumulatively, Wenger has won three trophies within 14 months Mourinho branded him with such derogatory phrase.
Today, Wenger will square up against Mourinho for a significant trophy about 16 months after. And notably, Mourinho had never faced an Arsenal side that is as balanced as the one that will line out against his Chelsea side this afternoon in Wembley. More so when one of the main pillars behind Chelsea’s past decade haul of every available club trophy will be wearing the opposite shirt in the name of Petr Cech.
Even when Wenger will be missing the services of fans’ EPL player of the past season in Alexis Sanchez, the Gunners will still line out a closely knit team that can scare any opposition. From last December, this Arsenal side have admirably held their own against any opposition, the only exception being one mad 90 minutes against FC Monaco in the Champions League at The Emirates. A calamity they nearly remedied three weeks later in Monaco.
Today, Cech, Bellerin, Metersacker, Koscielny, Monreal, Coquelin, Carzola, Ozil, Ramsey, Giroud, Ox-Chamberlain will most likely start with Walcott and Wilshere the impact subs. Having had a perfect pre-season, this is a team that will stretch Chelsea to all limits of every inch of the Wembley turf. And nothing will be more befitting for Wenger to win a trophy over a man who has so much taunted and disrespected him because of lack of any success over the Portuguese in 13 previous attempts.
Predictably, Mourinho will line out Courtois, Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Azpicueta, Matic, Fabregas, William, Hazard, Oscar, Costa…a formidable squad, whose instructions will be to tackle hard, roughen the opposition up and bulldoze your way via counterattacks. Having had a not-too-impressive pre-season, Mourinho will be smart enough to instruct his wards not to go toe-to-toe with the Gunners for any fancy stuff. How Wenger reacts to this will be the key.
However, today will witness a new era in British football – the days when Mourinho just lined out any Chelsea side to walk over Arsenal will become a thing of the past. To beat this Arsenal side, the League Champions have to sweat and plenty of it.
I can’t wait for 3.00 pm!
🙂 Wath…
Morning Rico and the house, top post
Cant wait for the game to start
The game is not a friendly, we will beat that Portuguese GIMP
Tai, you should have emailed me that comment, would have saved me a job this morning… It’s good…
I reckon Theo will start today though….
Top post Tai
Hi Mg, thanks..
I hope AW can finally get one over that ghastly man and club!
Thanks Rico…
I reckon the house deserves two posts on a day like this…lol.
You may be right…Theo is a big game player and always scores against Chelsea…but I think Wenger won’t leave out Ramsey….Carzola will most likely pair Coquelin…meaning Ramsey goes wide .
Thanks Mg…we just have to beat Mourinho today.
Thanks Rico and Tai nice previews.
In the past these games have followed very similar paterns. For 25 minutes or so Arsenal playing far better football against a side quite happy to sit back and let Arsenal have nearly all the possession. Add to this a few less than friendly tackles and by the half hour mark our team are frustrated and pushing maybe a little to hard for the break through. Then typically someone like Drogba or Hazard would catch us short at the back and we would pay the price.
I think things have changed now and the major difference is Coquelin. Unlike many before him he doesn’t raid to far forward and is always around when needed.
IMO if we avoid the throwing the kitchen sink at them approach we can beat them at their own game. A strong ref will be pretty key as well
Come on boys do us proud
The chavs will play their usual boring game, but i know we have the skill and pace to upset them
Morning all, is there a match today?..
C’mon Arsenal! Time to put the crass, self obsessed, foul mouthed GIMP in his place. Make us proud today…
Roy Keane is too busy assaulting cab drivers to have a future as a respected pundit. The prick.
I’m not even going to bother guessing what AW does Tai, he could surprise us… lol
Thanks Retsub, imo we need to replicate something close to what we did at the Etihad last season. Have to be patient and well disciplined imo…
Just a little one Bt… lol
Welcome Shubham.
I’d love the game to go to penalties and Cech saves their last one and we win 5-4 😛
Adam, I’m surprised anyone bothers to print what he says…
Tackling, now there’s a contentious issue! The dwarf will probably task all of his team, if they get the opportunity, to do a ‘number’ on Cech and Ozil that will see them on the sidelines for at least six weeks, accidentally of course! Just like Cahil’s challenge on Sanchez that went largely unpunished, yellow card, soft referee!
I hope I’m wrong but rather than a feast of football it may well turn into a blood bath!
Ah, the new season has arrived with all the hope of a flat playing field to conquer, except it never is! Cheating players, incompetent refs, blind lineman, no technological help……..same old…..same old!
Arsenal to win 2-1. A season changer?
Out for lunch today so shall miss the game, a shame but I’ll watch the highlight later! Just the one highlight…..the dwarf in tears!
I wish
Morning all. And a happy new season to all HH aficionados. And a happy new season to you Rico for tolerating cynical old sods like me and my ilk on the House blog, long may we be allowed to vent our frustrations and fears along with more than a few triumphant remarks through this season and those to come.
Exactly Rico. You just said in a sentence what took me a paragraph. Replicate the Etihad.
.Rico. It makes for a bit of copy and irritates people. That’s what Keane has done his whole life I imagine. It’s his inane stupidity and lack of any sense of irony that amuses me. Slightly.
Good Morning to The Lady of the House and all fellow Gooner in residence.
Rico – Another good article. I’m not to fused about the Community Shield as a trophy, but it would be great to continue winning to ensure the team’s psyches remain in a positive mind set for the start of the season.
When Arsenal win it, the malignant dwarf will try to diminish Arsenal’s accomplishment by aying it was just a meaningless friendly that he used as a training exercise. However, I bet Maureen will start his regular first eleven. In the unlikely event that Chelski win, Maureen will strut around crowing like the proverbial cock on dung hill.
I think Arsene will start with Theo and the Ox on the wings to give us speed and penetration. We have the players to put in the passes, we just need the players to penetrate and pick them up.
Tsb fussed – not fused!
Thank you Wavy, kind words…
I agree, Jose will be out to scar as many players as he can, that’s his style…
Who is the ref, does anyone know?
🙂 Retsub, I’m not know for using many words…
Adam, his looks amuse me even more…
Gunners r sure going to do us proud, we still nid more buys to compete for d League.. A defensive midfielder and a sharp striker… Chacharito can b d next Premier League Suarez, he has d hunger for goal… Wenger should tink of it
Wavy – I don’t see it becoming a bloodbath as that would the Chelski players at risk too. However, I do see a lot of robust challenges and constant niggling fouls to try to breakup Arsenal’s rhythm and slow the pace of the game.
Morning Cg, thanks..
I’m with you really, the trophy means little, but getting one over Jose would be really beneficial for confidence levels when we face them in the league. It’s about time we got that record against him sorted out by giving them a spanking. 1-0 would do me… lol
Top post Boss…
Yeah, beat them on penalties with Terry missing, would be sweet as a nut…
Also Giroud to give Cahill a smack in the face, open up his nose again…
retsub1 – Welcome to the House, its good to see you have returned. I would have welcomed you yesterday, but it was just Goonie rattling around in here where when I dropped by. It had gone very quiet.
It’s been 482 minutes since we scored against the Chavs! Staggering, where’s Benzema… 😉
Thanks Kev, I like that idea re Cahill, he’s owed one for that bad tackle on Alexis!
Just like ‘our ‘Enery’ would have? A stylish right hook would do nicely, unseen by the purblind ref, of course, and the camera too!
The Theo vs Giroud conundrum is interesting…
Theo would give Cahill n Terry a busy afternoon, but they’re too cute to be suckered in and would probably grind him out of the game…
I think we have to match them muscle for muscle, therefore Giroud, Ramsey, AOC…
Save Theo and Jack for later tactical changes…
Debucy vs Bellerin is an interesting one as well.
Debucy obviously brings a more physical presence and a height benefit, but Bellerin is key, for matching and negating Hazard…
Forget about penalties. I want to see Arsenal win it in open play with Cech the Czech keeping a clean sheet.
I don’t want to give the Petulant Portuguese Pygmy any excuse to diminish or call the result into question. That includes any contraversial referee’s calls that are favourable to Arsenal.
Anthony Taylor is the ref… 😮
Anthony Taylor is your man ( loosely ) today Rico. You know the guy that Maureen complained about before Chelsea won their trophy last year.
CG, I really don’t care if it’s an OG off of Costas backside, I just want Wenger to taste victory over the Effluent One…
Costa is the more likely to swing a punch Wavy, and I hope the cameras and referee catch that one…
Good points Kev, will be interesting to see who AW thinks can stop Costa/Falcao and Hazard… Coquelin will sort Fabregas out hopefully..
Anthony Taylor isn’t known for being proactive when it come to over-physical foul-play, so that’s given the Chavs a free hand to kick the proverbial out of the Arsenal players…
I don’t trust him one iota…
I am not a great fan of stats, but Sky Sports are spewing them out this morning. Chelsea record for winning when they had cornflakes for breakfast etc. interestingly though the highest stat of the lot was Cech’s winning record at Wembley…. Long may it continue.
CG. Many thanks for your welcome. I am also a big fan of Canada, which part are you from?
Kev – I get your point about Costa’s backside and a win is a win. However, a well earned Arsenal win in open play would be best for our team’s psychology and confidence and the press would have a field day.
I want to see The Effluent One (great nickname btw) do a Fergie and refuse to attend the post-game conference and start the season with an FA charge and reprimand.
Deep joy eh Potter…
A soft ref is all we need. Not!
Ok CG, you’ve convinced me, let’s beat the Chavs 6-0… 🙂
Retsub, SS’s all love Jose and aren’t so keen on AW or Arsenal, I hope it’s us they are praising tomorrow as SS’s will hate that..
Wouldn’t it be funny if Courtois (spelling) picked up an injury today and Begovic had to play for a few weeks…
Catch up at ko, walk time for me…
OMG Cilla Black has died…
RIP Cilla, you’ll be seriously missed… A very sad day…..
retsub1 – I’m in Victoria on the west coast.
Cilla Black, blimey that’s a shock….
Jack Wilshere riled out of Community Shield against Chelsea through injury;
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3182896/Jack-Wilshere-ruled-Community-Shield-against-Chelsea-injury.html?ITO=1490&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490
Good afternoon lovelies and hunkies.
Top one boss. And good 2nd post Tai. We do like being spoilt.
Jack wheelchair is out of game.
CG. Even better I have family in Victoria. We have rented a house in East Sooke many times. It’s a beautiful part of the world
retsub1 – In my younger days I used to house sit for some friends out in East Sooke.
Arsenal: Cech; Bellerin, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal; Coquelin, Cazorla; Ramsey, Ozil, Oxlade-Chamberlain; Walcott.
CG that must have been tough for you. I really like it there. Hopefully will be back again next year.
My 2nd cousin skippers a fishing boat out of Victoria, but spends a lot of time at Pott Renfrew
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CLZ-PSVVAAIULcz.jpg
RIP Cilla. What a shock. Poor girl.
Walcott instead of Giroud…
Now that’s interesting, I didn’t expect that.
Good luck Theo, now it’s your time to shine.
Wath, whose the subs?
Just for you Kev
Arsenal subs: Debuchy, Gibbs, Gabriel, Arteta, Giroud, Martinez, Iwobi
Read more at http://www.arsenal.com/live#vPahO1gIOuERz3mx.99
Subs: Debuchy, Gibbs, Gabriel, Arteta, Giroud, Martinez, Iwobi
Read more at http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/20150802/team-news-cech-starts-against-chelsea#eeSW316ldL2WtTsi.99
Thanks BT 😛
Kev – It looks like Arsene is going for speed so we can hit them on the counter-attack. Chelski do have one of the oldest squads in the BPL.
Anyway, I’m off as I have a choice of watching the game live online with a connection of fair quality. at best, or waiting for a tape delay broadcast on cable after midnight BDST. I’ve chosen to wait and see a quality broadcast. So, I’ll have to avoid the computer and any sports news in case I see the score. Anyway I’ve been up all night and need some sleep.
Enjoy the game and have a great day everyone. Arsenal to win in regulation time and Cech to keep a clean sheet.
Keep The Faith!
Thats a lorra lorra subs, RIP Cilla.
Not so surprising kev, we’re carrying on from where we left off, pace and flair, we’ll blow ’em away !
I hope so Mick, I really do…
I’ve had a shit week and I need a positive result to cheer me up…
A tonic required Kev, hope it was nothing too serious…
Good Afternoon Lovelies and Hunkies.
Cilla Black dead? Does that mean Aaron will score now? 😉 a fiver on him might do the trick
Afternoon all..
Theo starting, good. Now go and earn this weeks £140,000 😉
The dwarf looks nice and tidy! Scruffy git!
The. GIMP couldn’t even wear his suit
Its funny, as much as we bemoan Arsenals lack of defensive depth, Debuchy, Paulista and Gibbs would have to be one of the stronger defensive bench lines getting around.
Nasty!
Don’t forget Chambers Hoffa. It’s in the midfield we lack defensive cover imo
Ramires rakes Cazorla’s shin on 6 minutes. where’s our Keown to give it back ?
We haven’t got one Potter.
Agreed Rico. Almost all of our midfielders are attack minded, arguably even Arteta is better utilised further upfield. Which begs the question ( which I know has been tossed around here before) would it be worth our while cashing in on one of Wilshire or Ramsey in favour of signing somebody in the Busquets mould?
Shoot!
Nice Nacho.. 🙂
Ramires is a nasty b’stard!
No yellow for that on Santi? Wake up Taylor!
You beauty OC!!!!!
THE OXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Fucken stunner
The OXXXXX!!!!
Get in Ox
Come on You Reds – Lets hold it till half time
Theo should have gone at Terry then…
We need a 2nd one….if possible before halftime.
Ivanovic and Cahill are cooking each other. That is the 2nd time that they have bumped into each other.
I love it if they injure each other without us touching them.
Nice half – Clean sheet – Le Coq will need to be careful as he may get many yellow cards.
I’m looking for some help this season guys, if anyone wants to write the match reports I’d be really grateful….
Don’t all shout at once… 😉
Coquelin isn’t anywhere near as bad as Ramires and Matic Andrew….
I will chip in with my usual match reports. But I cannot promise which games they will be boss.
Thanks Devil…
But more likely to get carded
Probably because he wears a red shirt, he perhaps needs to calm his reactions just a bit..
Falcao on then, he might test us a bit more if he finds form…
If we win, how many of you will bet that Jose will say we PARKED THE BUS????
I agree Rico re Matic and Ramires – Though Refs seems to get the card out quicker for us – Probably because we have a French manager.
I think Ozil will come off for Ollie with Theo going on to the left wing and Aaron going central
I reckon so Andrew…
That was close…..lol
At last!
Ollie for Theo.
Why not Ozil??
And put Aaron in his place with Theo left.
We are always breaking through the right and rarely through the left. Aaron is anonymous there. He needs to move central.
Nice Cech….
Hazard dives for the free kick , Le Coq gets a card for his first non foul
had it been the 92nd minute and Ivanovic stood before me like that I would have managed to get his balls out of his mouth with one punch.
I was surprised Ozil didn’t come off too, not been his day..
Mind you, one moment of Ozil Magic is never far away…..
Hazard is such a cheat…
Feisty…. lol
Touch him and he’s down
Falcao did Arteta there.
Fantastic!!! Well done boys!!
GET IN!!!!
Thats lovely
1nil to the arsenal
Fuck Chelsea.
And after the WIN ……it will be…….SELFIE TIME. lol
Great Job – Great Start. We put the marker down and we can still improve as a few players still not quite match fit.Come on You Gooners
Kev mate, top of the food chain !
Well played lads proud of every one of you. Chelsea never looked like scoring.
My only complaint from a tactical point of view was in the first half Cech should have played up front
Kop that Jose
The Chelsea end reminds me of Nuremberg ’39.
Mourinho shows his lack of class , shaking hands with all the players then walking away from Wenger. The man’s rattled.
Relieved that’s over. Thought Kozzer was immense . Don’t expect Dickhead Owen to notice though though!
Lol……Mourinho shook hands with all players but when AW was coming he turned his back.
what a wanker.
let’s see what excuse he will come up with.
And then throwing his medal away… What a git he is!
Certainly rattled isn’t he….
But Wenger had no intention of shaking his hand from the moment the final whistle blew imo
Mourinho reckons his team was the better of the two… Really?
And then says we parked the bus…
In all fairness , we did. Wait for TS to bring up the possession stats .
He’s got a point rico, we did park the bus from the 85 minute onwards.
Neither were gonna shake hands, they both done a swerve !
Just thought the comment was a bit rich from the most famous bus driver in London…..
Potter and tell us we’ve just blown the league lol.
Ha ha Micko. Funny how the pundits are talking about the Chav chances, but forget how many other chances we had….
Gibbs, Santi, Theo all had good opportunities to make the score more convincing and at least we weren’t diving all over the place….
We did not park the bus
We played the game the way it panned out. We defended when required and we attacked when we found space to attack.
The team did well to read the three moments of the game. When we had possession, when we lost the ball and when we got possession again.
HRD jose just said to BBC raido that he did shake hands with Wenger when he shook hands with all the players, even stuck to this when the interviewer said we all saw that you did not,. Jose is really butt hurt. His nasty little dig at AFC when talking about giving his losers medal to the arsenal fan. thankfully a few journos are speaking out about jose’s nastiness.
Hazard makes more noise with his fake roars of pain as he dices than the cfc fans ever do.
The substitutions were hardly designed to go forward though. Giroud to hold the ball , Arteta to play back with Coq and Gibbs to add another defensive body. I think it’s fair to say we dropped back to play them on the break.
Tried to add BT to Sky account this morning thinking it was £14 a month. Now £24 for HD after first month. And £15 or £30 signing on fee. No chance! But as match approached had to watch feeling we had a chance of beating Moureen, so we walked half a mile to a sport pub. So glad we did!
Kosser had a great game and another very good
94mins from the Coq.
Anybody watch it in UHD?
I thought Gibbs was playing left wing… Lol
But, I’m glad Wenger made changes to sure us up a bit, too many times he’s been criticised for not doing so…
Eduardo, I hope the press hammer the sulky little git!
Thought the entire back five were very good, Coq too…
Thanks Rt1, Dev…
Finally! Finally!! Finally!!!
Oh dear…let the season begin…
Andrew, good move… My BT Sport is free as I have an Internet account with them so I’m lucky…
Not me Adam, just the poor mans version….
The day an Arsenal legend is born. CECH…we salute you.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3183108/Chelsea-fans-salute-Petr-Cech-Arsenal-keeper-wins-trophy-official-debut-know-11million-spent.html?ITO=1490&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490
Nothings free Rico, look at your bill! Heard they charging customers another fiver as well for Champs league station? Or maybe that’s if you haven’t got their full package.
So pleased to have seen whole match, my local is always ful of loud Chelsea and West Ham fans, but one I went to had quite a few Arsenal. And even some hammers fans there were chearing Arsenal as they hate Chelsea!
cancelled HD as a cost cutting exercise , these things have to be done once your on a pension.
No Rico…When Gibbs came on we went to 3-5-1-1…..which when we defended became 5-3-1-1.
Essentially Nacho pressed inside towards the centre and Gibbs helped secure the left when defending.
Adam, a new 4K BT box I assume is needed as well as a 4K TV?
Agree potter, its just getting costlier and costlier.
BT; 2.52pm, nothing health wise of anything like that…
And anyway, AOC has made my day… 🙂
But thanks mate…
I will Andrew but I only renewed a few weeks ago and was told the BT package was free. Best I double check, thanks….
Ha ha ha ha Micko, yeah mate, we’re top of the pile…
We need to be top at the end of May.
But that was a tonic lads a real fcuking tonic…
Hip, hip, hip, hurrah!
At last the poisoned dwarf has been put firmly back in his micro box, and about time too. It’s our turn now, for the next 19 matches or more. See how he likes being an expert in failure! Nasty little knob!
Great Areenal I shall watch MOTD later but it seems it was a game of two halves and we won one and drew the other. Not a bad start to the season. Will we win the EPL? Possibly but if we don’t we’ll be bloody close.
Hurrah…..again!
Devil, I was kidding re Gibbs….
To me, Cazorla was immense and when Owen named AOC as his MotM I just though ‘You Scouse moron’ no thought in his decision at all…
Koscielny was fantastic, I don’t think he put a foot wrong…
Bellerin was top top class again.
And Coq, well what can you say…
But he IS gonna get suspended, so Wenger has to give his situation some careful consideration and has to protect him from himself…
Just checked mine Andrew, £13.50 but then I get a monthly credit of the same amount because of my internet/phone package…
Even OC said his award was generous….
Evening all.
I’m well and truly passed, bu here goes nothing.
Joe Say loses….Arsene wins.
Hazard is one diving little Belgian shit…….I’d drizzle urine instead of a Maple Syrup on that grub.
Cech…well, he did ok lol.
Koscielny IS the best CB in the world.
Wenger IS the best manager in the world.
Our back 5 was absolutely solid and we created more chances than that shower or shit did.
I know it’s only a pre-season match, but tell that to Joe Say 3)
Night will……
Think you need some sleep Scott, and a couple of tablets ready for the hangover… Lol
Coach, I thought our defending was very very good, but on another day Ramirez and Hazard could have scored, so there’s still room for improvement…
But we matched them and at no time looked afraid of taking Chelsea on…
I saw this last season at the Emirates when Arsenal faced off Chelsea and we’ve now taken that a step further…
Monkey off Wengers back and none of the top sides freak our players out anymore…
We’re good to go…
Andrew I am not positive about the protocols involved. Seems like it’s an extra £16 a month, assuming you have a 4k tv,which is a lot until they get some more content. Football in 4K looks quite odd at first. You can actually see the bile of resentment dripping down Mourinho’s curled lip.
For those who did not see the goal……
Say those again, Scott
Exactly Kev…..our defence was immense. And Le Coq shielded the back four very well.
Mourinho said that we parked the bus. Imo there is a difference between parking the bus and defending sensibly. As I said earlier…..We played the game the way it panned out. We defended when required and we attacked when we found space to attack.
that is what football is all about.
Just listening to Talk Rubbish, what a bunch of cretins!
But we know that already…
Is that six successive wins at Wembley?
Yes, I think that’s a good way to judge our performance Coach…
Mourinho is frankly an embarrisment…
But the Chavs will come back hard and they’ll now spend a few bob I reckon.
Anyone noticed that as the game wore on Cesc’s influence on it began to wane?? It was only when he replaced Ramirez and went deeper that he began to have a better say, although by then our midfield trio were getting tired.
That meant that Coquelin had him in his pocket. Allowing Cazorla and Ozil to play triangular passes.
One good pass from Fabregas wasn’t it? Lol
exactly Rico. Cesc only made one meaningful pass which could have hurt us. The rest were normal sideways and safe passes.
the thing is that I do not recognize him as the Cesc we had now. seems that he has waned. It all began at Barca in his final seaoson there. The Cesc I knew before he left was totally different. Now it seems as if he is going through the motions. His brain (which was on a different plane to those around him) seems reduced and now he reacts and is not pro-active.
Cesc has changed.
We beat the GIMP at his own game and now he’s bitter
Think it’s early days to write him off Devil…. Mind you, I hope he’s on the downward path….
Hello all from a drunken idiot from wicklow we won the cup ich! (b) 😮
I am not writing him off Rico. I am just pointing out that his influence on a match is very different than it was when he was in our team and during the first three months at the Chavs.
Today there were various moments when Cesc was chasing shadows…..CAzorla was immense (as Kev pointed out) and Ozil, although not one of his better days still found time to do triangles around our former midfielder.
Dev I go with you in every sense this evening but for that last bit on Cesc…our ex-captain just had a poor day…he’s by no means finished.
He learnt so much from us to be finished at just 28. I wouldn’t wish him bad unless when he plays against us. He’ll certainly bounce back,
And the media start bashing Wenger for snubbing the handshake…..
Tha’ll probably change when the season gets going Devil, people will soon be raving about Fabregas again….
Mourinho blames WEATHER and PITCH for the defeat……lol
http://www.teamtalk.com/chelsea/9932940/-
Sorry rico, I meant its not free because its a gimmee conditional on other payments. I have ‘free’ sky internet, but only because I’m paying £60 for TV channels, LOL.
🙂 Andrew….
Wenger moaned about the pitch too….
Well guys that was better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick
Certainly was Joe..
I’m off for the day guys, catch up tomorrow…
Night all…
Evening Rico and the House.
Just like Kev I have been having a shit period and but todays event is just
the tonic I have been looking for.
Not only was our defending very good, I thought Kossy was outstanding.
To me he looks the best C/H in the p/l.
I gather Jose is really pissed off with Cech
. He is saying he took the Keys to the bus with him when he left and they can’t move it.
Rick. Sorry to hear that and I wish you better. I thought they ran through our midfield and into the defence a little too easily so there’s a problem to be looked at there. Overall though I liked the resilience we showed and we didn’t seem as fragile as we have done in the past,
The U19’s were lucky today.
A shocking own goal saw them lose 1-0 to PSV and heading for home
Then in a later game the KZ goal keeper punched the ball into his own net to give Celtic
a 1-0 win and put our lads into the semi finals next Wed.
I’av been all along ok last 3 days 🙂 that Arsenal have better defense than Chelsea.
Adam I think the back four are starting to look very solid but like you I thought the m/f allowed Willian far to much space. Saying that he was the only Chav that worried me.
What’s that Joe, lol
Drink, going on…..
Mg you know what it’s like you go to the pub for one or two drinks and watch the match
And with all the good intentions in the world two turns in to more a lot more. 🙂
Malaga, just read Scott has passed…..hope it’s not true lol.
rico, you can be sure the press will be going into over-drive over the rivalry between Arsene and Jose for the rest of the season, all that matters is we came out on top today.
And for all those Chav’s who will try and make us believe they weren’t bothered about todays game you can stick the blue flag up your arse !
Rick, I know you say we look solid at the back but we still look vulnerable at set pieces, zonal marking drives me nuts !!! If we put away our chances at the other end it wouldn’t be so bad but it’s the same ole story, would have loved to see Gibbs tuck away his chance at the end.
Micko are you still buzzing?
I wonder how long the Ruskie will tolerate the ‘dodgy git’ blatantly telling lies on t.v and making a club like chelsea look even more uncultured?
Back 4 looking good. Agreed with Rick and Kev
Great resilience sat the back…
Joe- 3 successful wins at Wembley… you can’t balme me for jinxing the team anymore. 🙂
Oh and Goonie, what a start by your boy Ox. hope he maintains it.
i see the jose arse lickers in the media have gone into overdrive to bring Wenger out as the bad guy today.
bet365 @bet365 5h5 hours ago
Shots on target:
Arsenal – 5
Chelsea – 2
Jose Mourinho: “The best team lost and the most defensive team won.”
Eduardo- let the media talk.Those who have always defended AW will be rest assured…
the trip from Wembley on met line was a joy…
Now all hands on deck! Note we beat City who 2 years ago were stronger than City were towards end of last season, but we still went on to flop following our win over city in the community shield.
Only 6 winners of Community shield from previous 20 have gone on to win the EPL.
Lets go on be thge lucky 7.
All I know is no loser of the Commmunity shield has gone on to win the EPL title..
Hope that means a sack for Jose when he ends the forthcoming season empty handed?
night peeps
Sticking it to Jose is such fun, it’s now 6 wins in a row at Wembley.
Sorry to hear that you’ve had a bit of a shitty time Rick…
I hope that everything turns around for you from here on…
Mourinho moaning is quite enjoyable.
It’s all to do with the Effluent One deflecting attention away from the fact that Wenger out-thought him and that Arsenal fully deserved to beat his mob of dirty scumbags…
Usually it’s Wenger who finds himself missing some key players in these encounters, but the boot was really in the other foot this time around.
I’m not sure why, but there was never a time, during today’s game, when I thought that the Chavs would score and that Arsenal wouldn’t win…
I really felt confident throughout the game, I was actually really relaxed during the game.
It was great 😀
That’s me done.
Night All…
Joe, drink some water before you go to bed. Night
1 pint of water for every three pints of booze usually works.
Oh my head!!!!!!
Hangover one, Scott nil.
I can’t rember posting that hahahahaha
What a result!!!!!
Hahaha, Scott…
You’re not the only one…just waking up after a great night.
I will say it again…world class players are important in any side but they are no guarantees for great sides.This Arsenal side is a great side.
Did anyone notice the players’ EPL player of the year in Hazard against the Gunners? I didn’t.
Did anyone miss the fans EPL player of the year in Sanchez? I didn’t.
One on one, Chelsea still better Arsenal in player quality but as a team…this Arsenal side have come of age…the experience, the youthful hunger and the desire to play for one another are magnificent. Rather than buying a Messi that will bring disunity to this team…I’d keep this team like this and task the medical team to keep them reasonably fit.
Morning tai,Scott,Rico and all
Morning Rico, TS and all.
Morning Ts, Scott, Rico, All…
Goof Morning Lovelies and Hunkies.
Do we need more depth or do we need a marquee signing?
Morning Adam, Devil, Ts, Tai, Scott and all….
Morning Devil. More options wouldn’t go amiss.
I still think we need a midfielder…
I agree Rico. You could see what a powerful midfield presence can bring by watching Matic yesterday. They walked through ours too many times for me. If Cesc had been ‘on it’ instead of careless they might have caused more problems. Remy and Falcao were pretty dire too. Matic and Willian make their team work I think.
Morning guys.
I’m alive again, though it’s been a struggle, today lol.
Do we need more?
Well, I’d say yes.
For Arsenals fans, players and Wenger himself, it was incredibly important to win that game, but it was not the PL, it was one game.
Another open or two top quality players can never be a bad thing, so I hope we do strengthen.
That’s my thought too Adam and I don’t see anyone in the squad who can do that job…
Morning Scott. You were impressed by Cech then I see…. 😉
Well, I think we scored early, then defended deeper, hoping to damage Chelsea further on the counter – the perfect tactic for big games imo.
We could have led 2 – 0 before the break…they could have equalised…
In the second half…they were expected to come at us…and credit to our boys for keeping their shape…only Hazard had a clear chance…we fluffed three clear chances at the other end.
So, I wouldn’t call it their overpowering us in the middle…rather I’d call it a tactic to catch them on the counter…we did severally but no thanks to Courtois’ bravity and Carzola’s rare timidity, it ended just 1 – 0. In the last three matches, Wenger employed exactly the right tactics against Mourinho…losing the first of the three 0 – 2 at Stamford Bridge was hugely due to poor refereeing!
Tai, if that was a tactic to allow them so much space in the middle then it’s a risky one and in all honesty, I can’t see even AW who is one of the most attack minded managers, playing that way.
Tai. I am talking about breaking the opponents attacks before they get into our back four really.
A CM defensive rock might also help when we launch a quick counter. Shape and all that.
Just a thought really.
It made us keep our shape very solidly at the back…we defended in numbers and even Mourinho acknowledged.
Again, I agree Adam. I’d love to see the defence redundant in matches because our central pairing is strong…
The question is though, does AW feel the same?
Morning Rico, Adam- I am with you on the midfield option…
I think the chavs over cooked it a bit because they just got back from their travels.
Personally, I think we were a tad porous in midfield. And this is no slate against any individuals. I think we showed huge resilience..
Psychologically, the win bigger for us than the chavs. I didn’t realise how much of a friendly it was until I saw the board go up for 4 substitutions by the chavs.
What this game showed is what AW always said after losing to the chavs. The first goal in the big games makes a huge difference.
Rico. I hope he does. We still need a couple of players I would have thought and this season we have the money so no problem there. It’s the reason that Adams etc went on for so long. With Petit and Vieira operating so well, perhaps they didn’t have a lot to do most games. But, as you say, Arsene might well disagree.
Rico, I remember posting for all my Facebook friends…especially the Chelksi supporters…..how “Cech would’ve saved that” after the goal lol.
The search continues for those mates…….I hope they’re safe 🙂
5 shots on goal to 2, yet the better team lost?
Only Joe Say could come up with that.
We shouldn’t be angry at him as he does keep us amused.
Matic, Ramires and Fabregas presented more physical presence than Coquelin, Ramsey and Ozil…the Chelsea trio are equally better ball winners…going all out to tango with them would have left us exposed in defence…our team did no wrong yesterday…they played the league champions.
Kev mentioned yesterday that Coq will get suspensions etc but he was harshly treated in comparison to Ivanovic and Ramires who rotationally founled our two most creative players continually for the first half hour. One deliberate rake down Santi’s Achilles was highly worthy of a yellow card I thought. Coq’s whole tackling body language will always draw the attention of refs and without his bite in midfield I am not convinced by our options.
Good win but we need to do that against those arseholes twice in the league…..have we got enough about us to do that???
For years, the footballing tyrants have employed the dark arts to their advantage. They send their teams out to foul and prevent the opposition playing and then complain and accuse the opposition of doing the very thing they themselves are guilty of. Ferguson perfected it and Mourinho has been doing it his whole career. His antics when he was at Porto were disgusting just as they were at RM. Yet the journalists lap him up. He hung around to shake the Arsenal player’s hands to make himself look like the sportsman he so obviously is not and to engineer a confrontation with Wenger where he could adopt the moral high ground. The man is a piece of shite through and through yet somehow so perfect for a putrid club like Chelsea.
Ts, I’m surprised not more has been made of the Chavs suffering with jet-lag… 😉
Adam, well said.
Joe Say and Chelsea were made for each other.
Lee, if we stay healthy, yes we do.
Should we run the risk of relying on what we have….no, we need a little more.
Bennacer has confirmed he has signed a five year deal with Arsenal
http://www.getfootballnewsfrance.com/2015/ismael-bennacer-wenger-told-me-i-had-the-potential-to-succeed-at-arsenal/?
lol Rico. 😉
Tai- what do you know of the Nige kid who is now the 3rd/4th choice striker at City.
I was talking to someone yesterday who mentioned Kelechi Iheanacho was wanted by OM on loan but city have such great hopes for him Pelle’ is prepared to let him be a back-up IF Dezeko were to leave…
8.53 Adam, spot on!
Lee, no imo. At home possibly…
Ken Early’s piece on yesterday’s turnout, in the Irish Times is rather good. I just saw it through NN.
Big contract for one so young Eduardo…
well laid out Adam.
Listening the media go on about how AW ‘loathes’ Jose is a vivid example of how the journo’s lap Jose up…
Morning All.
Morning Coach, Rico, Carpet Layers, et al…
This is where Shad Forsythe comes in…
He hopefully has the ear of Wenger.
Because I think that our players are good enough, the question is, can they stay fit enough, long enough…
I thought that our passing wasn’t as crisp as it can be, both Wenger and Tiddles mentioned the pitch, so that may have been a factor.
Wenger has to manage his squad better, but I did like his substitutions, much more pragmatic…
Good comments on the Effluent One, Adam, who once again tried to take the spotlight by standing there and watching us get the trophy and all that malarkey…
Kev- the ‘Effluent One’ most probably rehearsed every scenario in the mirror before he came out to Wembley…
He is so calculated if he was born in the 19th century he will be a military dictator..
New post up now guys, see you there in a bit…
Kev. I was trying to think if I had ever seen the little shitbag hang around to congratulate the opposition before and thought that he always strolled down the tunnel early in his traditional contemptuous style. The man must be so stupendously shallow and just assume that nobody can see what he’s up to. Another tell-tale trait of the sociopath.
yeah rico five years is a big contract for a lad who will not be 18 till December, we may see him in the COC this season, depending on who we draw. PV4 had been very keen to sign the lad for Man City.
Morning Kev..
This hang over epidemic is worrying do you think we should contact the WHO.
Morning all
Morning Rico and the house
I watched the highlights again last night and it proved what a great game Kos had. Motm in my opinion.
I am no fan of Mourinho, but it’s no bad thing to have characters in the game. You get so much pleasure in beating them
What a nice touch having Rockys son introduced to the players, I think I heard them say it was his widow who presented the trophy. Well done whoever came up with that