Morning all.
Just two days to go before Arsenal step out at Wembley once again. This time we face Reading FC, a side who have struggled this season in the Championship. Steve Clarke, an old mate of Mourinho is their manager and I bet the two will have an exchange of words before we kick off.
30th October, 2012 – we faced Reading in the League Cup and what a start we made!
4-0 down with just 35 minutes on the clock, ouch!
Jason Roberts, a Laurent Koscielny own goal, Mikele Leigertwood and Noel Hunt had done some serious damage to our chances of progressing further in the competition. So what eh, it was only the League Cup was probably on the mind of all Arsenal fans, preparing the excuses for our exit.
But then Theo Walcott got one back before half-time…..
What happened after the break was simply unbelievable…..
Walcott was on fire, bombing forward time after time and his corner was met by the head of Oliver Giroud. 4-2 and game on boys….
With a minute left on the clock, it looked like we were going out but then up popped Koscielny to head in another Walcott corner and then, five minutes into injury time Walcott levelled the scores with a shot which crossed the line despite the desperate attempts of Nicky Shorey to keep it out.
Extra time came..
Chamakh fired a low shot through the legs of Kaspars Gorkss to put Arsenal ahead – Reading fans thought that would be it and started to leave the ground. Too early maybe as Pogrebnyak headed beyond Martinez to level the scores.
Up popped Walcott to complete his hat-trick with a rasper from eight yards out and then Chamakh finished them off with a lob that floated up and over Federici to finally decide what was an incredible football match.
Arsenal to need to remember that match and realise that just because Reading are struggling in the Championship, they could hurt us. They nearly did back then….
Gossip:
Arsenal will have to offer James Milner a four-year deal if they are to secure the 29-year-old’s services. (Evening Standard)
Arsenal could try and sign Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from Borussia Dortmund, according to Sky Sports.
That’s it for Thursday, have a good day guys….
What a game that was. From despair to elation in less than 45 minutes! Will Walnut play? I reckon he might.
As for the gossip, Milner, I ilke but we won’t see him at the Ems, too old. Ageymang, no! Gundogan maybe, the striker not!
Morning all. Nice bit of memorabilia Rico.
Morning Wavy and all – thanks …
That was one heck of a game wasn’t it…
That was an excellent game; Eisfield came on for a rusty Frimpong and bossed the midfield with Le Coq in that game..
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang should have been bought last season but we have better now; so definitely a hoax
He has the TH14 look though…
Eisfeld is not doing so well now….
I just stared at the laptop on that day an saw the goals flying in one after the other.
Thanks for the memories Rico.
Good post Lady.
Good Morning Lovelies and Hunkies.
what in your opinion should be the line up for the semi????
Morning Devil – thanks..
OC and Arteta are definitely out.
Szczesny starts in goal…
Nice post rico, remember coming home that evening and having it recorded and didn’t know the score. Couldn’t believe what I saw.
@Gooonster, glad you enjoyed that 2003 beating of ManU. So funny that miss by Giggs wasn’t it. Wish they showed that a bit instead of THE goal they always show.
Big squad for weekend, only Arteta and the Ox missing. Sz in goal.
Morning all.
Go hard at Reading….we need the Cup win.
Thanks Andrew – I can remember all the text I got from family/friends who are Reading fans when they were 4-0 up… 😉
Brian McDermott said yesterday that once Theo got our goal before half time, he knew what would unfold….
we need to win all the remaining games Scott. In the EPL and in the FAcup. Win them all and we sing.
even if they are all scrappy 1-0 wins.
Morning Scott, agree – strong side and get the win. No messing.
True, Devil, but we can afford to lose a League game and finish second…..no second chances in the Cup.
Szczesny must start though.
Fabianski got his gig last season, so things should stay the same.
Rico, a nice 2 or 3-0 win would be great.
AW has confirmed Szczesny will start. He’s hinted Jack will be on the bench.
Nothing said about Diaby though, or Gnabry…
Scott, sure would, a couple of early goals too…
Rico, early goals would be lovely, thanks 🙂 🙂
🙂 Scott, we on’t want to be going 1/2 -0 down and have to fight back again. One day our luck will run out…
Good to hear AW say they won’t be taking Reading lightly…
He’s so close to retaining the cup, I reckon he will go nearly all out.
It’s not luck it’s class 😉
I hope he does Scott.. Worry about Chelsea next weekend…
🙂 Joe..
True Rico re Eisfield; I think once you are schooled the Arsenal way; you become doomed as we have found with most players including Conor Henderson etc..
Not a lot of teams play the way we play ….
But good young players will adapt and be retaught Ts, if they are prepared to work….
Rico, is it fair to say our better players that have played junior football at Arsenal didn’t join until 16-17 years of age though?
So few that are there long term make the grade and that’s disappointing.
Afternoon All
Afternoon Rico…
Great memories, I was listening to the game on the radio. Then getting info from HH.
It was a manic game, had you thinking at the end ‘Did I really just see Arsenal losing 0-4 and coming back to win 7-5’…?
Hackney Marshes kind of result….
You have a point Scott…
Afternoon Kev..
Don’t want a repeat of that game on Saturday, I don’t think my heart could cope…
Rico, I don’t like being right on this one though.
The most ardent Gooner I know over there reckons if his son had the talent, he’d go to Fulhams academy before Arsenal.
Of course, the dream would be if the lad joined the gunners at 17-18 of course 🙂
Scott- Arsenal academy is overrated …imho
Don’t forget until recently, Arsenal were limited to sourcing their youth players from the Greater London area…
I don’t see Chelsea or Tottenham or West Ham bringing through dozens of highly technical players, from their own Academy, who were associated with them since they were 9, 10 and 11 years of age…
Chelsea’s Academy is full of foreign players signed for big money…
I never realised that, Kev.
Changes things a little, but still, and admittedly this opinion comes from a long way, it seems we produce technical guys with little or no grunt to them.
Wenger has an interesting selection decision to make this weekend…
Wembley, big game, FACup S/F.
All out top players will want to be involved.
But I can see a few changes in the offing…
Wilshere gets stuck in Scott, then gets criticised for it…
Southampton’s would be better Scott….
I wanna see if things improve under the Dutch guys we got coaching the youths.
It might take 2 or 3 years Scott..,
Kev, when I wrote that, Jack was the glaring exception I thought if immediately.
Henri and Frimpong were others but for each of those, how many could we name that were/are soft?
Kev, 2-3 years…..yes, he deserves that, for sure.
Another good point Kev, I forgot the limited area to snap up players….
I remember a few years ago back in the mid 90’s watching the Black brothers Tommy and Michael in an executive box at Highbury at a youth match. I was talking to a coach from Millwall I think who was watching the kids to take them on loan. He said that he worried that the Arsenal style of coaching could not translate to other forms of football . They took one of the brothers and he got about 10 appearances and was sent back. The coach said that he could not adapt to lower division football , took too many touches and passed short rather than look for the killer pass they wanted. He also said that they were true professionals in the way they held themselves but he felt that if they did not make it at possibly half a dozen clubs they would not make it elsewhere. This is why I don’t like the loan system , apart from Wilshere who is probably the most “English ” player we have , I can’t think of anyone that has truly benefited from time away from his mentors.
I just looked at their wiki pages and you can see how a pair of F.A Youth cup winners left the club and then their careers petered out.
I can’t disagree with your point above at all Potter..
That is why Aneke and Frimps have opted for foreign destinations..
Randall was also advised to go to Spain but instead opted for the lower leagues due to the higher salary and comforts of home; the rest is history.
Sol Campbell at it again.. Lol
Or when they do Potter, we sell them….
Tsgh got to love Sol he’s standing up for his beliefs
ha ha Joe…
Potter, that is a sad indictment on coaching standards and British football in general…
And probably why a player like Stevie G looked a million dollars in the EPL, but was usually shit at International level…
It also shows a possible mental weakness in our youngsters, in that they shy away from going abroad to continue their football education…
Howdy folks what did I miss??
Seriously I ll take Hugo lloris from the spuds. He’s unbelievable. Shame me he plays for those shitcoonts. What a waste.
If we only bought one player for next season I’d be happy with Cech.
Joe I ll take lloris off the scums just to pissed them off. Lol
Lloris over Cech for me…
It’s true taking Lloris from the spuds would be nice and it would do more damage to them than us taking Cech from Chelsea.
But I would still take Cech now that could just be me going on he’s repartition from the past.
Giroud throwing his jersey into the crowd only to have to ask for it back !
Our reward, a nice easy draw against Bradford……come on down Gervinho ! Another slap head.
Afternoon all.
Evening all…
Micky, that shirt thingy was funny…..
Has to be Cech doesn’t it? He’s reported to be £10 million, Lloris would be a lot more…
Plus the age difference, albeit just 4 years, gives Martinez more time to mature…..
Plus, Cech has won things….. Lol
Lloris too rico…he has won totenham player of the month 😀
Spuds player of the month how is that a good thing. 🙂
🙂 Stan, that’s funny….
It’s not Joe, nor is it difficult…. Lol
Hahahahahah that was cold maam. Damn those scummers just can’t catch a break . Hahahahahahah
Just honest Stan… Lol
I’m off – early start for me. Dentist chair for an hour appointment at 8am… Ouch!
Night guys… Well, that’s if anyone is reading… Lol
Best of luck Rico. 🙂
This Bayern medical team thing is crazy!
Brudder. That’s weird alright. 🙂
£530!! Ouch!
Morning Lee, Adam and all…
Down 2-0 so early, how the hell is it their fault?
Egotistical ponce……heaven forbid admitting he got it wrong lol.
I still say until he proves he can build a side, Pep hasn’t proven himself a truly world class manager, in my eyes at least.
Morning all.
Good Morning Lovelies and Hunkies.
It seems that AW will be playing the following team………
Ches
Debuchy, Per, Gaby, Gibbs
Coquelin
Theo, Thomas, Wilshere, DW23
Ollie
Imo that is too many changes. Especially for a semi. Yes players need to rest while others need to play. but this is a semi and tbh while its imp to rest players and play others they had a whole week to rest and a whole week before the chavs
I am also getting worried about Chambers. First drive him to the ground and then not play him or do so sporadically.
Rico, dentists are, how should I say it……bloody thieves!!
Hope you’re not in much pain though.
On this day in 1961 Spxrs last won the league…… Buster Keaton was still alive who had apparently been to Highbury to watch The Arsenal (with Kev I think, well according to Brudder Adam)
Morning Lady. Which hurt most???? the tooth or forking the money???? 😆
Morning Scott…
Poor Pep… 😉
Rico, I honestly thought he was a better man than that.
imo what we have seen in the vid is only the tip of the iceberg. I think it is certain that that moment is when boiling point was reached. I am sure that there were previous bust ups before on the training grounds an behind closed doors.
And before we think its his fault just take a look in our house……..Shad has improved our performances and fitness.
Not overly keen myself Scott….
On this day in 1961 Spurs last won the league :- I was 14 and school was murder , they made my life hell . I think I might organise a school reunion the class of 61 and see how many turn up .
According to Goonerholic it’s 53 years 11 months 29 days 14 minutes 22 seconds and counting.
Morning Devil..
I don’t think Jack will start, AW has said he’ll be in the squad only…
http://goonerholic.com/ has a non stop clock running on it . Always worth a look when you feel the need.
Agree Scott, thieves indeed but they know they have you by the short and curlys… No pain now thanks…
Devil, definitely the money! I’ll have to get a job now… 😉
That’s funny Potter, the non-stop clock…
New Post up now…