Morning all.
That was tough viewing. Brighton turned up with only one intention, or certainly that’s how it appeared and that was to defend in numbers. As much as it makes for a boring game, I understand why teams do that away from home. If Brighton had played us at our own game, I think we’d have battered them good and perhaps we still should have. Plenty of chances came our way that’s for sure but it was one of those days when either a defender or keeper got in the way, or certain players shooting boots were left at home. Talking of boots and kits, if you haven’t purchased the latest Arsenal strip you can get yours for a discounted price online right HERE.
Brighton did have a few chances of their own during the ninety minutes, the best perhaps in the second half but by then we were 2-0 up and looking reasonably comfortable. Both sides smashed the ball into the post. Lacazette with ours, March for the visitors. Both keepers were well beaten…
A couple of unlikely goal scorers earned the points for us yesterday in Monreal and Iwobi. The first was the most important but the second was the best. Superb play and smart think from Alexis, a cheeky back heel into the path of Iwobi who finished well.
As the clock ticked down at the end of the match, Brighton were lively but we weren’t going to concede and we didn’t.
As said though, the rest of the match was far from entertaining. There was the odd break away or nice passage of play and a few shots on goal which tested their keeper, but they really were few and far between. Plenty of possession again from Arsenal but we still lack something, perhaps a cutting edge.
The build up play was often too slow and the movement ahead of the player in possession was sometimes non existent. How many times did Rob Holding have to pass backwards or sideways because when he looked up, there was nothing.
Arsene Wenger didn’t let us down with his substitutions, well, the timing of them as he’s so predictable in that area. None of the three made any kind of impact really. Jack Wilshere was on the bench, no doubt desperate to get his first run out in the league this season but clearly Wenger thought Thursdays match was enough for him for the time being. As much as he and we would have probably preferred him to come on, just imagine if he had and then suffered an injury. Wenger would have been lambasted. I always think it’s better for a playing returning from injury to start a game as they’ve warmed up properly, unlike coming off the bench with cold muscles. It’s a long season, Jack will get his chances after the international break.
Alexis Sanchez won the MOTM award which was no great surprise. He was superb at times, especially in the second half. We are seriously going to miss him when he goes…
Just how Arsene Wenger plans to replace him I really don’t know…..
Anyway, we’re climbing up the table after another hard earned three points but there’s still plenty of room for improvement and we sure need improve a lot before we head to The Etihad on November 5th.
Still, we’ve got six games before that day to worry about..
I’ll try and get the links but there’s some good articles from Swiss Ramble about
“#AFC net cash outflow on transfers record level of £103m brings last 3 years outlay to over £200m. Significant change in player purchases.”
“Major change in how #AFC use cash in last 3 years: more spent on players and capex, less on financing and just increasing cash balance.”
Interesting stuff…
I look forward to reading those Lee.
It certainly hasn’t resulted in an upturn on the pitch Brudder. 🙂
Can’t think why Adam.
Good Morning to The Lady of the House and all fellow Gooners in residence.
A good summation of the game, but I detect an air of pessimism that seems to pervade most Arsenal fan opinion of late.
“…As much as he and we would have probably preferred him to come on, just imagine if he had and then suffered an injury. Wenger would have been lambasted…” From many of the pregame posts it seems many/most Arsenal fans wanted Wilshere to start, but you are right, if he had started those same people would have lambasted Arsene. He can do NO right in many fans eyes.
I think Jack should be eased back into the team in the easier games where he wont feel the need or the pressure to prove himself and show Arsene he is ready to assume a regular first team place. Jack has a habit of throwing himself around and taking unnecessary chances & risks with his health and fitness. Let him get his full match fitness and confidence back in the League Cup (whatever it’s called now) and the Europa League. I hope he can show us all he is ready and deserves a first team place in the PL team.
Morning all.
Isn’t Wenger getting criticised by us all for buying a few players then selling some to balance the books?
I guess statistics can be used any way we want them to.
Good post, Rico.
Alexis was a clear MOTM and was very impressive.
His attitude is spot on.
CG, well said.
Plenty will look at any situation and find the angle to blame Wenger for it.
It’s a shame.
Morning Cg. You sense right. I expect absolutely nothing from this group of players all the time Wenger stays…
Scott – Thanks – long time, no text. I hope your forest fire season this coming summer isn’t as bad as ours that’s just past.
How are the family, both two and four legged?
Morning Rico and All…
The injury to Koscielny is quite worrying, he’s in his prime, for a central defender and I like to think that he’s young enough to give us 3 or 4 more good years service.
But his Achilles problem is gonna see us having to manage him much the same as Man City do with Vincent Kompany. One game a week seems the absolute limit, maybe a mid-season break for Kozzer is something the club could consider?
Morning rico and all the other posters.
Have a read of this newspaper review and see if you agree:-
Have a guess when it was. LOL.
It was following a trouncing by Liverpool IN FEBRUARY 2014. LOL! Talk about Groundhog day.
G’day CG.
Our bushfire season has already started.
It’s been the driest and warmest winter I can remember, so summer is not shaping well for our firefighters.
All is well here mate.
Family are fit and firing, dogs are battling on 🙂
I hope your crew is doing well.
Kev, the Achilles’ tendon is a shocker of an injury to have.
They seem to flare up forever and a day.
Rico – I admit the club has problems and that this is not our best team. However, isn’t this pervading negativity self defeating? The players must be aware of the general sentiment and often feel it during their games. It certainly wont be any help to them on the field.
The one thing I remember about Portsmouth, the last time they were in the PL, was that win, lose or draw: their supporters were 100% behind the team and very vocal about it too.
Sorry. I copied and pasted the report, but it hasn’t appeared for some reason. Copyrights?? I’ll try again.
Wenger is at it again with yet more complete nonsense trying to explain away the 4-0 battering against Liverpool , a side that has since hardly looked like world beaters as being down to our players mental attitude .According to hapless 21 years in the saddle and still sitting ,well ,just about, on the pony Wenger, our players still had their heads in the transfer window ,half in and out of it when they got humiliated at Anfield. The problem with this theory is that Klopp’s flops ,well flops when they play anyone other than a Wenger side that is , should also surely have been suffering from the same transfer window syndrome , what with the Coutinho saga and what have you. Old under stress Arsene really does talk some bull-shine and the amazing thing is that some swallow it! If as Wenger claims he has sorted everything out remains to be seen .The resting players midweek in Europe did not exactly galvanise them they played yesterday as though they were on Mogadon and my guess is that along with Sanchez all of the players know that the height of ambition under Wenger and the Silent One’s regime is still just the mythical top 4 trophy and talk of title tilts is by Wenger, the master illusionist, is just an attempt to dress the mutton up as lamb.
Kev – i agree re Kozzer. If he is properly managed (i.e. PL and maybe some FA Cup games) we’ll get much better and more performances over the course of the season.
Yes Scott, it’s a condition that even with an operation, never seems to go away, Kozzer is 32, absolutely in his prime and easily one of the best central defenders anywhere, key to our defence but as with Kompany he himself has to sensible with his body and more importantly Wenger needs to show common sense in terms of rotating him and not risking him as he irresponsibly did with Cazorla and we’ve been paying it ever since.
CG, see how Joachim Low manages Ozil, that’s what a responsible manager does, Koscielny is a Rolls Royce player as is Santiago, Wenger needs to take more care of his valuable assets, so a short holiday for some of our key players occasionally seems eminently sensible to me.
Kozzer doesn’t need to play every EPL game, but make sure he’s fighting fit for the key league and cup games.
Nah, still no luck with the paste/link.
Well we won, but tbh it was less than inspiring against a newly promoted weak, toothless side. Manure and City will probably slaughter them when they play them but we didn’t do that.
I just hope it doesn’t make Prof too smug, thinking we’ve cracked it.
After the game, he moaned ‘our focus was a bit in and out’. Well FFS sort them out then! Make them focus!!
I so want to be optimistic and supportive, but I feel another one or two trouncings are around the corner, if our players don’t start passing properly, and that depresses me. Why do they keep giving the ball away? They all need a bloody good shake and some kicks up the arses during training.
Another nutter. This time in Las Vegas.
Scott – All is well with my crew. The grandchildren are growing like weeds. My oldest grandson started football this season and is doing very well scoring double digits most games. He did some skills development last year, but little or no game play. This season he looks like a 8 year old among his fellow fellow 5 year olds. He cuts through them like a hot knife through butter. They figure he’ll be 6’7″ or more as an adult.
My younger son’s boy wont be 2 till just before Xmas, but he is off the height charts for his age group and in the high 90 percentiles for weight. He looks like he may be more suited for rugby than football. As for the girls, we have to wait and see, but is an avid Arsenal fan.
Anyway two late nights and early mornings in a row has left me sleep deprived so I’m off. Have a great day everyone. I’ll catch you all another day.
Been a rotten week end for those things Kev , Las Vegas , Marseille and Barcelona , the world has gone mad .
There’s more out, than in Adam…
Well if Wenger isn’t to blame for the way this team plays, goodness knows who is….
Hi Kev, Merekat..
Cg, I totally get where you are coming from, but all this has been going on for a long long time. Even the most patient of people have had enough imo…
Hello Rico …..and all posters
Could someone tell me what is the difference between this two
Xaka and Jonjo Shelvy
Thank you
Hair
@Potter
LOL ….spot ooooooon
Hi Alex.
Doesn’t he play quite well for Switzerland though?
I have not see him much on that …… Rico
We been told give him a season to get on with the premier league and ……..bla bla bla
To me both players have no pace .
Both of them need time on the ball which is rare in premiership.
Zero dribbling skill …..which is vital for a midfielder
Slows the tempo of the game
The sooner we get rid off the better in my opinion
Gilberto wasn’t exactly quick though and he wasn’t too bad Alex..
Gilberto had positional sense and kneww when to drop back when others went forward.
Exactly Potter. Pace doesn’t always mean much, it’s what’s in the brain which matters…
Hello Rico….big respect to stay fixed and respond to everyone ???cheeers
Yeah …Rico but he was a beast build add to that positional sensing and pace thing come second in him specially.
To me Xaja is very identical to Jonjo
And 35M for that ? Nope !!
Xhaka looked fantastic in the World Cup, and had a brilliant season in Germany, but the PL is a different animal entirely.
The pace of the game is relentless and plenty never adapt to it.
CG, sounds like you breed them big over there 🙂
Morning all.
It’s always just fantastic waking to news of another mass shooting-it really messed up world we live in.
R.I.P Tom Petty…
Ozil to be sold in January according to various outlets, cracking luxury player but Wenger never got the balance of the midfield 100% right allowing him to do his thing consistently imo. Shame but hey ho life goes on.
Morning all. Yes, RIP Tom Petty. Good musician.
Morning to you all.
I won’t miss Ozil if he goes…
Good moaning from Gay Paris,
I see a lot of criticism from the fans on various forms of social media about The Arsenal, well now I will analyse the fans about how I perceive them, under Wenger Law
Now, I stood on the North Bank during the season that Micky did it & in that time Highbury heaved. The place had everything when I was last there, & all for £4 plus a pound for a programme (admission increased to £5 next season)
I went, all be it as a tourist, to watch The Arse v WBA & as a corporate of Chelsea to watch them play The Arse. The atmosphere @ Stamford Bridge was gr8, & was enhanced by the magic of the ‘away fans’. I came away with pride of the performance/support of those crammed into one corner of ‘the shed’.
On the other hand, the atmosphere for the home game v WBA was flat, polite & in some ways contrived. There was one extended version of Red Army. What???? Blimey, what happened to Red & White Army as a Zulu type chant. It used to include Georgie Graham’s Red & White Army. Then there was an effort to start the North Bank/ Clock End chant but that faded quickly.
So, to sum it up people, Until those in charge of the Emirates Stadium release the shackles on home support & help the fans turn it back into a fortress, the place will be boring Arsenal. I’m sorry to say this, but it’s true. The current conductor Arsene Wenger has reduced the place to nothing more than an open air Albert Hall where polite applause is only allowed.
Let the lunatics take over the asylum again,
Bring Back the NORTH BANK & CLOCK END again!!!!! Get the place heaving again!!!! Let both ends be the conductor AGAIN!!!
Gg, perhaps once Wenger goes the fans will be a lot more interested…
Pretty much sums up how the “”old timer”” brigade see our souless bowl. A trip to the Emirates is on many peoples bucket list , not because they actually support the Arsenal but because it’s the thing to do although I am not sure why . The hard core got split , the center north bank got shunted upstairs and clock end lower arrived on the North bank’ and many gave up and went to the pub to watch things. It’s more of an auditorium than a football stadium and it has certainly lost it’s vibrancy.
My son and I have probably missed 4 or 5 games at the new place until this year. We are trying a “”Gap “” year and have loaned our tickets out. So far I have missed the football but not the travelling and crazy times of matches. I think we may not take up the tickets next season and it will end for me a saga that started in 1956.
rico
The away fans are always interested & vocal, probably because Wenger Law doesn’t control the other grounds.
I would say Arsene Wenger has become a dictator & allowed to be coz it suits Stan.
A sad tale Potter.
I’m not convinced Gg. If the Totts roll up to The Emirates and we are firing on all cylinders, take an early lead and totally out play them, you’ll hear The Emirates in full voice. I think the home fans are quiet because of the dross so often served up…
Morning all.
GG, do you really think Wenger dictates whether people are allowed sing or not?
You could be right but id be surprised.
On my visit to the place, the design of the stadium is beautiful to the eye, but woeful to the ear.
I’d hear little sections of crowd get a chant going, but others joining in were all out of time so it sounded terrible.
I’d say the acoustics of the place kill any hope of great atmosphere unless microphones are positioned right next to a very vocal group.
I’ve said on occasions how good the atmosphere seemed on television only to have people who attended the same game say it was dead.
The emirates is nice and pretty, but it, like everything else in the game, seems to revolve around television.
I could be totally wrong and look forward to other opinions, but that’s my take on it.
The roof is open and the sound escapes but so it was,at Highbury . Massed together noise reverberates hence the away support sounding so loud. The way the E mirates is set up clumps of a couple of hundred get lost in the 60000 and the noise dissipates.
Rico perhaps the fans are bored of the same mistakes being made season after season, the fact the squad is always one or two players short….
Fresh impetus of a new manager may change the atmosphere all together, perhaps.
That prick in Vegas had 42 guns!!!
Said similar earlier Lee. Totally agree. The noise or rather lack of it reflects the game we play imo…
I guess the obvious question is has anyone ever been to the Emirates when it was pumping as well as Highbury could??
Adam, can’t you just hear the “Guns don’t kill people” line being trotted out?
Sorry, Lee-that question should’ve been directed to you.
Apologies.
How could someone be allowed 42 guns and some of them be automatic?? It’s lunacy, apparently his father is a registered nutter
Don’t think there are any laws in that part of the US, or at least I think that’s what a reporter said earlier.
Rico, I’ve debated the gun laws with Americans.
It seems to me that they want the right to carry arms simply because everyone else does.
I don’t get it.
I have known some wonderfully atmospheric times at the Emirates. But, in truth, not that many. The best was certainly the evening match against Barcelona a few years back when we won 2-1. That game was sizzling with electricity from start to finish. But, then again, we played well and the crowd felt it. If we had started with our current square crab-football then it would have been a yawn and we would likely have been beaten. The 2-1 win against Leicester in their winning year was great too. The crowd, enraged by Vardy’s penalty dive really got behind the team that day and the team responded.
The lack of atmosphere comes down to many factors. One being the tedious football that Wenger espouses these days. Yes, there are great little patches of play but the general trend is negative and very square. The crowd know that he has played fast and loose with the squad for years and it is painfully obvious that he has bought (and sold) some very average players who were never really ‘Arsenal’ in the first place. Gervinho anyone?
It is also glaringly obvious that most of the players are only interested in money and their hair and tattoos. What sort of feeling for thw club does Ozil or Sanchez have really? And don’t forget that literally tens of thousands of supporters born into Arsenal families have been either priced out or stopped going because it has become so boring and predictable. They are not idiots and they can see that the club is dropping off the pace every year. Whether that is a financially driven situation or just Arsene’s lack of drive and ambition, who knows?
Good points, Adam.
Which grounds have the best atmosphere on a week to week basis, guys?
Morning All
Interesting points Gnarly, although it could be unfair to compare both games as Chelsea vs Arsenal at the Emirates is a rocking atmosphere.
West Brom was never going to excite the senses, Pulis-ball just kills the occasion and Wenger is never going to inspire passion in anyone unless his job is on the line as it was against a Man City and Chelsea at Wembley last season.
Tottenham have given the atmospherics at their new dump, a lot of thought and that one large bank behind one goal is a great idea.
Wenger had a lot of input into the Emirates, but it revolved around the changing rooms and the grass. He isn’t going to think about the fans because he’s never given a shit about the fans.
What goes around eh?
Cg, unfortunately the conductor just continues to orchestrate the same broken melody time after time, where the woodwind never seems to be on point with rythym section, to which the brass and the percussion then find it hard to decide who plays what chord in what register
A lot of fans just feel the great days under A.W are gone, and are just not behind him anymore, unfortunately, that breeds the Apathy that emanates from the stands they,ve seen this same concert too many times and feel they are just going the motions until we,re inevitably brought back down to earth with a crash boom bang.
DG, I’d say all fans realise the glory days are in the past, to be honest.
The main point of debate seems to be who’s at fault, or at least who is more to blame.
Not that it really matters, as it seems we are stuck with the pair of them.
Afternoon all.
Dublin. Spot on imo. As soon as a new manager comes in, i’m convinced the Emirates will lift…
Kev
DT off AFTV has suggested the Club sell blocks of seating as North Bank & Clock End. I bet plenty of Gooners would take up the offer, thus potentially creating 2 ends of crazy loud noise. It makes sense.
Whatever the case rico, Scotty2Hotty, potter, lee, Adam, Dublin, etc I don’t think things will change till Le ol’comfy pair jeans goes. That’s just my opinion ofcourse ?
P.S. LC, we got down to Lands End to the ticket booth where it said Local Cornish should show identity for free entry. I pull the car up to be greeted by a tattoo wearing, pirate sounding gentleman. I said we were from Launceston, in the Parish of Cornwall, Tasmania. No charge?
I recommend Cornwall as a driving destination, hell yeah!!! It is a most beautiful part of the world?
……..& dark rum, dark & stormies are a way of life?
Remember my dad telling me this at bedtime in the 50’s
It was a dark and stormy night, The rain came down in torrents. The captain said to Antonio, “Antonio, tell us a tale.” And this is the tale Antonio spun
It was a dark and stormy night, The rain came down in torrents. The captain said to Antonio, “Antonio, tell us a tale.” And this is the tale Antonio spun.
Never did get to hear the story though.
potter
If you have enough Dark & Stormies, there is no need for bed time stories?
Night all..
It was a dark and stormy night……….. Good night Rico
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/oct/03/stan-kroenke-makes-525-offer-usmanov-arsenal-shares
And so it comes to pass .All of our fears coming out
Big news today in the Guardian, is about Kroenke taking over at Arsenal after refusing three bids himself, he is going to freeze Usmanov out.
here is the link to the story (if it prints):-
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/oct/03/stan-kroenke-makes-525-offer-usmanov-arsenal-shares
Oh, sorry! I hadn’t updated the page so didn’t see the post from kev!!!
Telegraph has an interesting story too .http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2017/10/03/arsenalsupporters-trust-urge-alisher-usmanov-not-sell-shares/amp/
How did the club ever get in this situation??
Money and greed Scott.
You’re right, Potter.
Very sad.
How long has Obama been managing Brighton?
If Usmanov sells out to Kroenke, what difference will it make?
Morning all
Only difference, Adam, will be no AGM`s technical stuff etc`, club will still have a manager not many want and still no Big 3 like investment`s…………………….we continue on the path to destruction………………………………only difference to Arsenal would be if Kroenke sold his shares to Uzzy instead !……………….or someone else who invests like the usual suspects do !
Morning all.
Is this a new offer or the same story doing the rounds again…
I also have it on great authority that Uzzy loves Pep and would buy him Catalonia as a signing on prezzie !
LC. All good then. 🙂
Morning Rico.
Morning Adam.
Actually Adam it would mean many things.Arseblog has covered them in great detail but The gist is that he would have 100% control of the club’s money and could move it around to finance his American projects.
I guess with Usmanov in the game, we at least hold out some hope he can oust Stan.
If he sells out, we have absolutely no hope left.
Morning all.
If he did that surely the fans would eventually force him out?
New post up now.