Daily Bits and Bobs

Early January signings confirmed. Biggest test of the season ahead?

Posted on by rico

Morning all.

Spring is not far away as today is the shortest day of the year. Hoorah!

The transfer window is not far away either, just ten days to be precise and there’s a few headlines going around this morning which suggest Arsene Wenger is ready to get stuck into the January transfer window and early! Not sure how much substance there is to such stories but imo, that’s just what the manager needs to do. No leaving things until the final day as we need a body or two added to the squad asap. Player(s) who will make a difference and give the squad more depth and more strength. Come on Arsene, you know you have to!

Anyway, before all of that, we’ve got a few fixtures to play, a lot really in a very short space of time and tonight is the first of four in less that two weeks. Ouch, they are really going to test the legs of the players. Three of the matches are at The Emirates though so not too much travelling.

Tonight’s is probably the toughest against Man City who have one of the best, if not the best squad in the league and they are many ‘experts’ favourite to lift the big trophy in May. They have Aguero fit and ready to play tonight but he’s been out for a while, so hopefully he’s a bit rusty should he start but they are missing key players in Kompany, Fernando, Zabaleta and Nasri.

Our squad on paper is pretty darn good but as always, many injuries leave it looking rather depleted with Coquelin, Cazorla, Wilshere, Welbeck, Rosicky and the captain all still out. Thankfully, that injury list hasn’t grown over the last couple of weeks which makes a nice change. Alexis Sanchez has returned to training but there’s still doubts as to whether he’ll feature or not. I’d say if there’s a doubt, leave him out because another tear of his hamstring and he’ll be gone for a long time. We can’t afford that.

City have many dangerous players, Silva, De Bruyne, Aguero, Sterling, Toure and Bony to name just a few but they’ve not been in the best of form, in fact their defence has been all over the place without their captain to steady the ship. Stoke battered them good and proper during their last away match a couple of weeks ago and could, should have won far more convincingly than the 2-0 scoreline. Their last league match at home saw a huge a deflection off a Swansea player very late on in the game to give them maximum points and only Joe Hart’s heroics spared them another defeat.

Hardly convincing one would say…

During the same period of time, we despatched Sunderland in an unconvincing style, went to Greece and won 3-0 in what must have been a very draining match both mentally and physically and then a trip to Aston Villa was overcome with ease. So much so, during the second half the players took their foot of the gas and had a bit of a breather.

Our players are in a good place right now. The last two fixtures were against the right opposition and at the right time after a quite awful November and those three victories will have done the confidence a world of good. Ramsey has found some good form, Ozil is on fire, Campbell doesn’t stop trying or working, Walcott is back looking more hungry than ever and Ollie is scoring. I reckon plenty of those players will get time and space on the ball tonight.

If the game doesn’t go our way, we need to be clever, organised and disciplined. Ramsey and Flamini especially. Mertesacker and Bellerin will no doubt be the way through for City in their mind so other players need to be switched on and help out should that be the case and if by chance City get a grip of the game the defensive unit as a whole needs to be as sharp as a button if they are to help Petr Cech break David James record.

This is a big one. It’s 3rd v’s 2nd place and as much as it’s not a title decider, it’s a chance to put a four point gap between us and City and we have to take it.

Kick this festive period off with a massive three points and push on from here because this really could be our season.

Have a great Monday guys…

rico

215 thoughts on “Early January signings confirmed. Biggest test of the season ahead?”

  4. Wath says:

    I reckon he’d be better off being your driver Scott……….. Harsh………. Not at all, we had you down as a bottomless pit and now you coming up with some old rubbish about a 7am kick off…!

    Sad……….

  18. potter says:

    Adam , a reply to your Holt query on the last thread.

    As for transfers , I will believe them when and if they happen. Tonight I can see both managers gambling with Aguero and Sanchez it’s too important for bragging rights not to.

  21. Micko says:

    Quite simply rico, Arsene needs to add new weapons to his Arsenal this January, if he doesn’t, stick him up in front of a firing squad and put him out of his misery.

    As for Blatter, he’s just sorry he got caught !

    We have a great chance tonite, Citeh ain’t that good on the road, could be a bit of a humdinger.

    Morning all.

  22. rico says:

    Exactly Ts… lol

    Funny how Dean sent Rondon (spelling) off yesterday yet let Costa get away with what he did during our match with Chelsea…

  24. HenryB says:

    Super stuff, Rico. 🙂

    Transfers are the lifeblood of the blogs and any good rumours are music to my ears.

    You may remember that years ago I said I had no time to read endless speculation about the players we were allegedly ‘interested’ in, and that would be true, but times change, and whereas AW always had an excuse for not buying then, now with all the money swilling around football there can be no excuses.

    Well, except if bar stewards like Citeh, Yoonited and the Chavs, not to mention Inter, Barcs and Real keep their noses out of our business that is! 😀

    [Why is WATH stuffing a duck or something?] 🙂

  25. rico says:

    Hb, AW had no excuse back in the summer as the money was there… He just chose not to sign anyone which was rather foolish to say the least…

  27. Wath says:

    No HB I am just waiting to see if Lee shot Scott whilst hunting and if so I shall have to go and rent a rather large spit cos Scott is a rather round….! I reckon he could be a bit cheeeewy though…!

  30. Chavs only relevant since 2003 says:

    🙂 Wath…

    I wonder if he will pass a soberity test before boxing day game?

    Without getting Micko to tell me that there is no conspiracy, 😉 where is it that after today we are the only ones playing Saturday, Monday and Saturday over the festive period whilst the others are playing Monday, Tuesday and Saturday?

    I wonder what AW will say about that?

  31. allezkev says:

    Transfer windows, don’t you hate to love them and love to hate them…
    Total wind-ups, the lit of them…

    Newspapers/Media full of absolute shite…

    Agents linking their over rated, overpaid moneymakers to all and sundry, causing discord in the fan base…

    Pundits talking garbage.

    Click-bait websites having a collective orgasm over numerous rumours stolen from each other…

    It gets more nonsensical with every passing window….

    I can’t wait ?

  33. potter says:

    They really only wanted Cesc because they thought they were getting another one over us after Cole . Like at Barca where only a few were prepared to accept him back they could not wait to have a go at him when things got a bit rough.

  34. HenryB says:

    While turning the spit, Wath, you could serenade him with your vuvuzela — though that is probably a bit manky by now! 🙂

  38. Wath says:

    Henry, Turning the spit, no chance it’s why they have electric motors…!

    I am told he is more inclined to want a playing of the old didgeridoo……….. I’ll leave that to Kev…..

  39. potter says:

    If the area interests you take a trip in the spring it is really quite nice on the coast , a bit windy but bracing I think they call it. Thing about Norfolk is that it’s a great place to visit but to live here permanently you have to consider a lot of lifestyle changes due to the traveling time to London if that’s where you work.

    The Pigs is well worth a look at on the net though . It might just tempt Mrs Adam.

  42. allezkev says:

    Rico, we have quite a close knit and unified dressing room, so Wenger has to be very careful who he brings into that environment. You only have to look a few mile towards West London and with the Chelsea experience to see how only one or two rotten eggs can turn a happy squad toxic.

  43. rico says:

    I done enough rapping this month…. 😉

    Kev, yes, he’ll have to be quite selective but to be fair, he hasn’t often got his judgement wrong in that department. Adebayor and one or two others were a bit odd, but in the main, he’s signed team players…

  51. potter says:

    Italia probably , if the raids on their midfielders take place in the summer they will want replacements and a fresh start might do both him and a new club some good. Despite everything he is still a good player but his politics have been well off . He left Barca and was never forgiven by many of their supporters although the players wanted him back. When that didn’t work he was wanted by some here but not everyone and Wenger probably was smarting from him leaving so he took the next best thing but his heart was never really in it. Milan, Turin or Rome would probably be his best bet from a football and wifey shopping perspective too.

  57. potter says:

    According to reports the former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has agreed a 5 year deal with Premier League giants Manchester United.

    The Portuguese manager has been sacked from his post at Chelsea due to a poor start to the season and is now being linked with an immediate return to management.

    Spanish media outlet Fichajes have claimed that Mourinho to Manchester United is not yet official but the Portuguese has an agreement with the Red Devils.

    The peace and quiet didn’t last long then.

  59. Lee says:

    No Rico I didn’t, in fact when I got home from shooting I couldn’t even see my house!

    Poor old Mata if PP goes there….

  62. rico says:

    🙂 Lee, had a few then? Good for you…

    There was one of the Star Wars actresses on there, the American who has a big part apparently. She had her Frenchie with her, he was so cute…

  65. Adam says:

    Potter. Just checked out the Pigs. Looks great. We have been getting sent interesting places from all over Norfolk, Suffolk and north Essex. We would need to be near a station that could bring us into London for the games. We would probably stay over in town for the evening ones as the schlepp home by car might be a pain.
    As far as work goes,being a freelance means that all I need is a decent internet connection.
    I might even tempt Brudder Lee up. 🙂

  79. potter says:

    Good luck with that Kev , face value I hope.
    Weather has changed here howling wind and driving rain , just right for a little drive.

  80. Rick says:

    Afternoon Rico and the House, just a short visit.
    Great news about the ticket Kev.
    don’t forget they want you there early an hour before K/O

    Bad day for the u21 lost at home to Villa 2-1
    P45 time for Gatting long over due me thinks.
    Latta

  84. BT62 Gooner says:

    You can’t beat a green Christmas..

    I see Arsenal plan to play “Good Old Arsenal” during the game as a tribute to Jimmy Hill..

  87. Lee says:

    The story about Coventry being sponsored by Talbot cars and the F.A saying you can’t have the car sign across the shirt….. so Hill told them he’d change Coventry’s name to “Coventry Talbot”…..the FA backed down!!!!

  89. allezkev says:

    Yeah, in the cheap seats Potter…
    Had to go home to get a coat, it’s a filthy night…

    Rick, I’m only going for you… ?
    Gatting hasn’t been a rip-roaring success mate. Maybe the Academy has to spread its net to get in some new coaches…

  90. tsgh says:

    Rick- have you seen any of Maitland-Niles’s games recently…

    He seems to be one of the inform loanees out there… 22 games thus far is quite impressive.

  96. Micko says:

    Fair play to ya Kev, slumming it with the peasants in the cheap seats, don’t think I could do it, your a better man than me.

  97. rico says:

    Seriously, they are all over the place at the back without Kompany and I don’t think Aguero will be risked, certainly not at the start. Same with us, leave Alexis out and the worst thing to do would be bringing him on if we need a goal….

  98. BT62 Gooner says:

    Agree with you Rico, keep him on the bench…been looking forward to this match all weekend, any team news yet?

  152. rico says:

    How many chances did we spurn? Some team is going to get a good spanking when our chances are taken more often..

    Hopefully, that will be Southampton…

    Great result, and just heard the commentator say the last two occasions we were second in the league at Christmas, we were crowned champions… 🙂

  162. Joaquim Moreira says:

    night all!
    🙂 Nice victory!
    Anyway we must change the line up with different players in next two games: at Southampton, maybe this one if everybody is fit; but on the 28th, we must change the line up.
    We (fans) must don’t forget we must visit totts, Mu, citizens, Liverpool…

  163. Micko says:

    Jm, don’t be such a kill joy, we Gooners can dream can’t we and I guarantee we’ll smash the citizens away lol.

    Scott, I’m disappointed, word on Sesame Street is Totteringham will be touring Australia pre-season 2016, seems they’ll let anyone in these days !

    Arsene on the box tonite confirming Alexis will be out until the middle of January.

  164. potter says:

    Why do we do this inviting teams on to us when we are winning quite comfortably . We lost the midfield with the substitutions and started giving the ball away and their possession stats went through the roof.You could sense the nerves in the crowd amongst those that were partisan and we gave away a needless goal, we don’t do things easily do we ? Incidentally Scott I have just realised that Ramsey reminds me of Sylvan Wiltord ,loads of energy, box to box , gets to the right place at the right time , scores spectacular goals , but gives the ball away in the most inappropriate places at the most inappropriate times.

  165. Micko says:

    Potter, I’ve yet to see anyone quite master the Helicopter Maneuver quite like Sylvan Wiltord week in, week out, Aaron just isn’t in the same league lol.

    If we’re gonna win this league this year we’re gonna have to do it the hard way…..what’s new !

    Nite Gooners.

  167. Orfevrerie says:

    Great win on Citeh.

    Although we’re all excited about our winning league chances, but wenger still have to strengthen with DM and ST position.

    Come on wenger, loose your tight purse ego and just get the reinforcement we needed FFS, you won’t get this biggest opportunity this sG.eason. It’s a make or break.

    COYG.

  168. allezkev says:

    Well that was an enjoyable evening…
    ManCity had a lot of possession but didn’t do anything with it…
    I thought we pretty much controlled the game, ceded a lot of space and hit them on the break, similar to the Bayern game.

    Campbell was very impressive and we missed him when he went off.
    Thought that BFG played well and Monreal was outstanding, as was Bellerin.

    I’m not sure that Wenger can rotate too much at Southampton and the players have 5 days to recover.
    Bournmouth have more injuries than Arsenal and have to play home to Crystal Palace on the same day we play the Saints.

    Then we face up on the 28th.
    Both teams will be tired, so no advantage to either side…

    Then 5 days rest before we face Newcastle, so I think the same players can negotiate the next 3 games in 12 days…

    Shame about Alexis, we really could have done with him…
    I bet he overdid it in training, trying to get fit for ManCity….

    Wenger, you really need to buy at least two players, because I fear we ain’t gonna see Welbeck much this season, if at all…

    I thought the referee was very slack, if wasn’t a difficult game to control, but he let Cuty get away with some roughhouse treatment, especially of Giroud, who was constantly manhandled…

  169. allezkev says:

    The XI that Wenger picked, is the best he has left, and with the exception of AOC, I’m not sure anyone else on the bench can come in without seeing a noticible drop in the teams performance…

    Gibbs wasn’t convincing and Chambers is a bit flaky, so we have to go with what we have until Alexis and Wilshere are fit…
    Coquelin, Cazorla and Welbeck are too far off, whilst Arteta is unreliable.

    The FACup vs Sunderland is where we might see some rotation. I just hope it doesn’t prove as costly as our trip to Hillsborough.

    Sanchez is due back on the 9th January and Rosicky on the 24th…

  170. allezkev says:

    Great to see Theo play so impressively , he’s always linked up well with Giroud and they both earned their goals with hard work and a lot of running…

    Flamini and Ramsey are doing quite well, shame Aaron was so wasteful with that chance to make it 3-0…

    Flamini, when he isn’t saving the planet, has slotted into Coq’s job and is making a fist of it. Well done SuperFlam… ?

  171. allezkev says:

    Mick, there are times when you just have grin and bear it…
    I’d much rather be up in the posh seats with Adam, but be the stoic Englishman that I am, I kept a stiff upper lip and joined with the lower classes for the evening…

    But I can fully understand how difficult it would have been for you…
    How on earth you suffer all those plastics in your local, is a mystery to me old chap…

  173. Orfevrerie says:

    What a fine day, morning all,

    If we had bought in the summer we’d have been streets ahead. No one could have predicted the meltdown at Chelsea so that is a massive bonus for us. Man Utd were always going to be a bit hit and miss, so our nearest rivals are Man City. We’ve just beaten them with our second centre midfield two of Flamini and Ramsey.
    It is completely there for us. Wenger needs to act in January, arguably will never have a better chance than this before the pipe and slippers.

    A win versus Man City doesn’t negate our need for a new signing, it increases it. It makes our dream of a league title that much more plausible. Let’s act from a position of strength for once and not just rely on crossing our fingers and hoping for the best. Let’s move in the transfer market for a key signing or two to make our hopes become a reality. There’s still 21 games to go and anyone putting together a traditional second half run of wins can easily win the title, even from a way back.

    It’ll be interesting to see if we’re top come January how that impacts on AW’s desire for reinforcements.

  175. scottfromoz says:

    People are reading too much into the result.
    Let’s just bloody well enjoy it.
    What a performance, and what a result.
    Best game I’ve EVER seen Theo play and his work rate was unTheo like.
    If he keeps they up, he will become he player we all hoped for.
    Campbell…..superb.
    Ozil…same old, same old-it’s just more fans appreciate him now 🙂
    Ramsey.
    Well, he was sensational again.
    The odd mistake occurs, but if he played it totally safe throughout 90 minutes, he’d be nowhere near as effective.
    Koscielny is still as good as any CB in the world.
    Cech was Cech.
    Everyone was terrific.

  180. tsgh says:

    Morning Scott, Rico and all,

    Agree with you up there Scott, another 3 points…

    we have a biased schedule next:- Saturday, Monday and then saturday. At the moment, the pressure is on…
    good to finally see Ozil getting appreciated; then again football fans change their views like teh british weather so… lol

  181. Lee says:

    The squad is thin as fuck and stretched it’s madness we didn’t add any outfield players in the summer!

    Someone pointed out the fact that Ozil (99) is second only to Messi (100) in the number of assists in the last five seasons. So, after last night’s brace of assists he’s number one then with 101….. wow and people doubted his ability!?!?

  182. scottfromoz says:

    Citeh aren’t the same without Kompany, but we were missing a few, as well 🙂
    I’ve never heard such biased commentary as I endured this morning.
    Not sure who it was, and I really don’t care but you’d have sworn we got belted.
    Pundits and commentators, do your job ya muppets.

  183. scottfromoz says:

    Who doubted his ability, Lee?
    Not this little black duck, and very few on here but hey, some even doubted Ramsey a few years back 🙂 🙂 🙂
    No question that the masses turn on certain players, and often it seems very harsh, but this guy is pure, utter class.
    Thank goodness everyone know appreciates what we have.

  185. rico says:

    Morning Ts.

    Lee, I really worry after last night. Some of those players were on their last legs. Gawd knows how they’ll recover in just four days, especially knowing another game comes just two days later.

    AW can’t really rotate as he’s got no-one to rotate with, not without upsetting the balance. Ozil needs a breather, but without him, we just won’t be as potent..

  192. tsgh says:

    Theo is a big game player…; he has come back from injury like he had never been away.
    He is fresher; he has Monreal behind him instead of CJ25 so less defensive responsibility.

    Flamster and King Ramsey covered ground like an E-3 sentry

  194. rico says:

    H’e’s a totally different player imo Scott, and I think it’s down to Alexis and Ozil. Perhaps he now knows when/if he moves, they’ll find him. Also, and finally, he wants to defend which again could be down to seeing how much work Alexis puts in…

    Ts, that might change after last night… Hopefully not though…

  195. Lee says:

    Don’t know Scott… not heard from him in ages.
    Well I doubt the entire team, manager, fans and backroom staff…….. 😉

  196. rico says:

    Agree re playing on the left Ts, been begging for AW to play him there for years. The Newcastle game a few years ago proved what he could do fro there, just a shame AW kept him on the right…

    Scott, Agree on Merts last night too, he had a good game….

  198. tsgh says:

    Was figures are loaded later today after a warm down I will check if we have players approaching the redline.

    Monreal, Bellerin and Og12 were apparently the most likely to get in the red.

  199. scottfromoz says:

    Rico, when Santi set about impressing his national coach in the lead up to the WC, he lifted his work rate, and he’s been twice the player ever since.
    I reckon Theos watched Alexis and it’s working wonders.
    Lee, he’s on Facebook every now and again and seems well.

  211. tsgh says:

    Joe you know Arteta is the club’s santa; he can’t even heal himself.

    We will definitely get another midfielder as AW has accepted that Mikel’s prognosis is not good…

  212. rico says:

    Even Santa can’t do that with Santi and Coquelin Joe…

    Ts, what makes you so sure? Do you know something we don’t? 😉 I hope so…..

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