Expecting a bore draw?

Morning all.

Chelsea won the league with ease last season and when this fixture came around, Mourinho did what Mourinho does best, not get beaten and he didn’t. 0-0 was the final score in a game when Chelsea missed a couple of good chances, Fabregas got booked for diving and then as the game drew to a close, we missed chances to take all three points.

The last match between Arsenal and Chelsea was an absolute joke. Costa was his usual ugly self in so many ways and Gabriel saw red for falling for his antics, antics which Mike Dean ignored as he so often does. 11 v 10 was always going be difficult and it was. Not even Petr Cech could save us that day. Mark Clattenburg, the man judged to be the best of the bunch when it comes to referee’s in England, is in charge today and I hope he does a much better job than Dean did. Not that that will be difficult.

Mourinho is long gone, Guus Hiddink is a very different manager and a very different man. There’s no history off the pitch between him and Arsene Wenger as far as I know and there’s certainly been no pre-match spat between the two which is quite refreshing going into this fixture.

I haven’t watched Chelsea much this season but they are clearly going through tough times which is always good to hear but with a squad as big as theirs full of talented players, it’s probably only a matter of time before their fortune changes and considering their late equaliser at Everton and the fashion in which it arrived, perhaps it already has. Hiddink has steadied their ship somewhat and they are on the longest current unbeaten run in the Premier League – winning two, drawing four.

They need points, and many of them if they are to scrape into the top four and with both Leicester and Tottenham winning yesterday, we need three today.

Mesut Ozil will be back and Alexis Sanchez is tipped to make his return from injury which is a huge boost. Who makes way remains to be seen.

Francis Coquelin is back in full training but this match is too early for him, Tomas Rosicky is back too and having played for the under 21’s midweek, we could see him on the bench. New signing Elneny has had over a week training with his team-mates so today could be his day, perhaps him and Flamini together to overcome Will.I.Am and Matic.

With Costa likely to be fit, I hope Gabriel starts as there’s an unfinished battle to be resolved there. Fairly of course.

Hiddink may very well set his side up to not lose and if that’s the case I hope one of two of ours can produce a moment of magic to defeat such negative tactics but you never know, it might just be Arsene Wenger who sets us up not to lose as we certainly can’t afford to.

A bore draw on the cards then?

Nah, get out of the blocks early, get at their shaky defence, nab a couple of early goals to settle the nerves and then batter them..

A precious three points to the boys in red….

COYRRG’s!!

242 thoughts on “Expecting a bore draw?

  1. foreverinourshadows says:

    Trouble is we have a mental block against Chelsea, Wenger doesn’t deploy the right tactics and gets caught out every time, so for me 2-2 draw, and the lack of transfer action means he will depend on the likes of Walcott who has been so hit and miss this season. Now maybe it’s time to take a reality check, we will not win the PL as Wenger will fail to address the shortage we have, playing Per today will not work, playing Flamini instead of our new signing will back fired, if there’s one team Chelsea would love to meet it’s Arsenal, no matter how poor they are, they will get a result against us

  2. potter says:

    No-one said it would be easy Joaquim, The crowd needs to be up for this , no nervous silences just get at them from the start and let Costa know what we think of him , Conyo , Capullo ,Pendejo
    Culo for starters , wind him up rotten and let him blow his top .If he don’t understand the Catalan , let Cesc translate for him.

  3. Dave Highbury says:

    Chelski will get WHOOPED. Mesut Ozil will not be contained by Fabs or Oscar, and Ivanobich and Hazard will get roasted on that wing by Bellerin n Campbell or Theo

  4. BT62 Gooner says:

    Up and at ’em from the get go, hustle and harry from start to finish, never let them settle and take our chances…..send them packing, destroyed and demoralised back to Fulham….what a dream.

    Who is this mythical Wath you speak of Rico?

    Does he reside in the land of The Grey Goose?

  5. rico says:

    Forever, maybe the win in the Charity Shield will help…

    Dave, I reckon it’ll be our day today too, Alexis returning should give the team a huge lift…

    Bt – he does, often apparently… lol

  6. dublingunner says:

    Afternoon, I don’t know but we have an awful track record of not taking advantage when one or two of our opponents drop points and today I feel we could do the same against a team we know will be up for this game, like so many teams when they face us. City have at times been pretty ordinary this season so far, but we have failed to capitalise on their stop/start season.

    It,s maybe time we threw down the gauntlet “so to speak” and show other teams we are the side to catch, A big CMON Arsenal today, lets get up for this game, 3 points today could be the most important points we pick up this season, lets just hope were not saying at the end of the Game. “we didn,t turn up, we looked tired, too many missed chances or just we bottled it”.

    Lets do it lads, lets take our chance and show we are the best team in the league, and we are proper title contenders.

  7. Wavy says:

    Morning all.

    Nip and tuck this afternoon. We should win, we have the better players, mostly! Their slow ponderous defence should be far leaker than their mobile and quite efficient attacking players! Don’t think it will be a high scoring game though, just that we’ll score more than them!
    3-2 perhaps. It will be combative and it may not finish with 22 still on the field. Got to hope that Clattenberg doesn’t become Monday’s headlines!

    A bit gloomy and overcast here.

  8. rico says:

    Dublin, we are worse when other sides drop points imo, with Leicester winning and the Totts hunting us down, they might just be up for this one…

  9. Wath says:

    Ah…………….. Did someone mention Grey Goose……………..?

    Hope your well Bt…!

    I feel a convincing win will be enjoyed by us all…. No idea why but it’s about time and I think the players know that..! Today is the day we lay down the marker and with a few players returning it’s time for us to show we aim to lead from the front and win the league…..!

  10. dublingunner says:

    Ye it,s the not taking advantage of our main challengers poor results that seem the norm with us Rico, so frustrating. Interesting fact that City have still yet to beat a side in the current Premier League top 7 this season.
    few websites suggesting Merts, Flamini Theo and Campbell to start, with Elneny and Sanchez on the bench.

  11. dublingunner says:

    Hope not Rico, picked this quote out from AW, The doubt about Alexis is linked with him having been out for a long time and the risk of a setback. To be clear on all the medical tests and after training is one thing, but you can never replicate the intensity of a big game and that is why I am cautious with him.

    “We cannot afford another setback because that would mean a very long period out and we don’t want to take this gamble. But the signs he has shown in training this week are very positive.”

  12. dublingunner says:

    Catch 22, He doesn,t play im, we lose, he,s lambasted
    Flip side, he plays im, he pulls up and again he,s lambasted for taking a risk.
    Either way theres a good group of players out there that should be good enough, if they have any designs on being champions.
    Lets hope it,s our day.

  13. goonster says:

    We ve got ozil. Mesut ozil. I just don’t think you understand. He’s arsene wenger’s man. He’s better than Zidane. We ve got mesut ozil 😀 come you gunners. Come on.

  14. goonster says:

    Morning gooners 😀 chuffed and raring to go. It’s time to smash those cnuts from fulham. Our record against them is atrocious. It’s time to rewrite history. It’s time to murder them 😀 we re gonna do this. Yeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaah. Come on.

  15. goonster says:

    Howdy kev going to the game are ya??? Give ’em hell for me. Hurl abuses and all kinds of obscenities at that shitcnut costa. Let him feel your wrath kev 😀

  16. goonster says:

    We love you arsenal we do. We love you arsenal we do. We love you arsenal we do. Arrrrsenal we love you. Come on you fucking gunners. Do it for the fans. The long suffering fans. They had it coming. Let’s smash them. Come on, come the fuck on.

  17. allezkev says:

    Scott/BT, yeah if I recall, Wellington had a few discipline problems and then acquired a taste for junk food that caused further issues at his loaned clubs…

    He was only 17 when he left Brazil and came to Europe, and as you guys said it would have been beneficial if he’d come directly to Arsenal…

  18. allezkev says:

    Stan… ?

    Nah mate, I’m watching on the TV, just seen the teams, Hiddinck has picked a team not to lose…

    It’s gonna be a really tough afternoon…
    We need the win, but I think it’ll be a draw…

  19. BT62 Gooner says:

    Afternoon all.

    Kev, my head says a draw but i want those cnuts hammered and demoralised….

    Wath all good mate,i take it your getting your daily rations…..lol

    Goonie, calm down, WE’VE GOT MESUT OZIL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hope all is good with you and Bri…..

  20. Nashua Gunner says:

    Good Afternoon Rico and All.

    If Hiddink has steadied their ship, today is the day Arsenal rattle and sink their ship. I wish Morinhno was still with them today when we do it.

  21. Wavy says:

    Walcott is now officially able to apply for a Testimonial’ game, to supplem t his paltry earnings!
    I don’t think he will activate the unofficial footballer rewards!

  22. Micko says:

    Our biggest defeat at the Enirates was by Chelsea in 2009, never guess who was in charge that day, time to exorcise some demons me thinks.

    Can’t see a bore draw today rico !

    They’re definitely targeting Merts early doors.

    C’mon Arsenal.

  23. Lewis. says:

    Targeting merts is pretty much every teams tactic and there’s a very good reason for that IMO. Because he is shit.

  24. Lewis says:

    Targeting merts is pretty much every teams tactic and there’s a very good reason for that IMO. Because he is shit.

  25. Wavy says:

    Told you so!
    It wouldn’t have happened if he’d played Gabriel as he would have got there before the aging and infirm Mertz

  26. Lewis says:

    Game over.

    We won’t win the league this year folks.

    Whenever we get an opportunity we fuck it
    up.

    Mentally weak

  27. Kel says:

    I really hate saying I said so… but we’ve all been saying it for months… Mertsacker is a liability.

    We’ve been shit from minute 1…..

    Game set and match I’m afraid.

  28. bradster says:

    I think Wenger needs to take Flaming off for Sanchez and go for it. It’s not like Flaming is protecting the back 4 this game and playing where Ramsey should be.

  29. Kel says:

    They’d pick us off even easier bradster imo… damage limitation imo…

    Unless costa has a moment of madness and makes 10 v 10… I can’t see us scoring.

  30. rico says:

    Not for me Lewis, can’t stand the player and he’s been rubbish this season. It’s our weakness allowing him too much time and space, something Coquelin wouldn’t have done…

  31. Micko says:

    Still on the plus side Ozil looks like he’s been playing striker for years !!!

    Alexis needs to start the 2nd half and not the fcuking 68th minute today.

  32. Lewis says:

    Not now obviously, I mean before he went there

    Costa is a horrible cheating piece of shit, but we all knew that anyway.

    45 minutes of shit there from us

  33. Kel says:

    This might be the game for Elnenny to fire one of those long range shots I seen on youtube 🙂 as there is fuck all else we can do.

  34. Lewis says:

    Sure sure mate. I don’t mean now, he is Chelsea scum now, at the time he was available from barca we should have taken him.

    You must be dumbfounded a lot then

  35. Joaquim Moreira says:

    Only mistakes since the begginning.
    We started in a wrong way. Usually faster, with the ball and we confidence. today, slowly, gave the game to Chelsea and without confidence; so, chelsea is stronger and more confortable then us; one player sent off and against 10 we played with 3 players did not defend and not stronger for fight for the ball. In consequencie, we lost the midfield since the begginning and we were completely innofensive in the attack. third, with the sent off and the subb, we were completely topsy-turvy. We are now a team topsy-turvy.
    Then Gabriel, came in with a lack of concentration. The team didn’t understnd how can played without Giroud.
    In my opinion, was a wrong sub. Giroud can have the two central defenders with him; WTW and Campbell don’t need anyone.

  36. Kel says:

    Arsenal have been schooled again by Chelsea in the dark arts of diving, squealing, buying a foul… as much as i hate those things you need to master them to win a title these days…

  37. bradster says:

    Walcott must be the most frustrating cf to supply. Doesn’t pick a line to run, can’t hold a ball and is constantly off side because he doesn’t make diagnal runs. Even just sitting on the last defender’s shoulder until it’s passed, he should be quick enough

  38. Madhav - Indian Gunner says:

    Very disappointed… Walcott is given captaincy… Why? He gave away the ball very easily… Flamini had two chances which he wasted…

  39. Micko says:

    A big land mark about to come up, 9 hours since we scored against Chelsea in the league, what’s that all about !!!

    Scott, Girouds face said it all ! No point crossing the ball into the box as things stand.

  40. goonster says:

    It’s the 60th minute and we have no shot on target. My God in heaven. How hard is it to get a fooking shot on target? Seriously? We haven’t scored against chelsea since 2011!!! God help me.

  41. Obi Boateng says:

    I have been reading HH daily for 4.5 yrs. Never commented but I must 2day. I told my Chelsea fan bro yesterday that by our line up I would know whether we will lose or win. And when I saw the line-up I said God help us…. I been an Arsenal fan for 26yrs never got into the Wenger must go debate but really guys he should… Thanks Arsene but now let’s see where we can go…Y is Sanchez not playing even if he can play a half bcus of fitness, play him. If hes gonna reinjure himself it will happen no matter how long u keep him out … Mert over Gabriel, Y? Am afraid that the game has passed Arsene by….For yrs I have believe that Arsene don’t buy players bcus he just can’t manage player rotation… bad line up, inadequate subs, player favoritism. So y buy them if u wouldn’t play them… Btw Rico the best Arsenal blog on the net… Love read all your guys perspective

  42. Kel says:

    4th place looms yet again…

    Leicester play better football imo.
    City have more goals in them.
    And that mob down the rd are very hard to beat this yr.

  43. Bob John says:

    Can anyone remember the last bit of luck we had against that vile club? You can bet Clattenberg’s bank account was nicely filled up after they accused him of racism a few years back.

  44. Kel says:

    Positives from that game for me…

    Gabriel can now get a run in the first team
    Alexis is back thank fook
    Walcott can now be benched.
    Surely eleny gets a chance now.

  45. goonster says:

    Bob John am sorry mate but the officiating was spot on. He waved away a stonewall penalty against us. What more can we ask for?? The problem is our set up and we approach games against chelsea. It’s a shame we keep falling into the same trap. I ve so fooking had it.

  46. bradster says:

    Can’t blame Clattenberg for this one, looked like a foul and a red any other day or team. Our defending in the beginning was dire and disorganised. Let’s hope Wenger realises no matter Walcott ‘ s pace, his ability as a striker is poor.

  47. goonster says:

    Kel am not so much worried about shitty but I have a cold shiver down my spine everytime I watch the spuds. My God they look formidable. Hard to break down and shoot from distance. I hate to say it mate but they might just nick it. Heaven forbids. We ll never heard the end of it. God bless me.

  48. Kel says:

    I’ll guarantee one thing goonster… we ain’t winning it 2 pts from the last 9 🙁

    Spurs look a better unit than Arsenal atm but if city get kompany back it’s there’s to lose imo.

    We lack fire power.

  49. goonster says:

    With coquelin coming back soon I think our midfielder ll look better. We also have welbeck Wilshire and new boy elneny to come. Who knows we just might do it. Today’s result didn’t really hurt that much. It’s games like liverpool away west brom Southampton and stoke that really hurts. Imagine if we had held on against loserpoop or nicked it against the orcs. Who knows maybe this chelshit’s defeat won’t hurt this much. Bummer.

  50. goonster says:

    Sometimes I tend to tow the line on legrove that “we ll never win any big trophies under wenger “. It’s obvious now. No shot on target. No goals since 2011 and no wins too. Come on guys. Even bournemouth won at chelshit!

  51. Steve says:

    Spuds looking good at the moment, but wait until the Europa League restarts. If they can keep their form with a small squad and Thursday night games I’ll be surprised.

    As for Arsenal, well we all knew we would struggle in some games without Coquelin and that reinforces the argument that we should have addressed this problem in the summer, not in January.

  52. dublingunner says:

    Masters of our misfortune, Trying to keep perspective, as much as Merts was the fault in bringing down Costa, it,s the high line that cost that whole incident, that AW continues to play, I feel we were too naive, cause top teams will always find a way to penetrate it.
    As for firepower, it,s definitely true, we do lack that striker we all know would take us to that next level, but that,s not going to happen anytime soon.
    So we move on, you have to think the southampton game is simply a must win game now

  53. Kel says:

    Dublin… A high line with Mertsacker is tempting suicide imo god help us against Barcelona 🙁

    As goonster says hopefully getting coquelin back along with eleny we can have a little more bite in midfield.

    Southampton would have to be favourites imo they’ve already dicked us 4 fs just beat utd a old Trafford tbh they probably can’t wait to get at us.

  54. rico says:

    How long have we been saying about playing the high line…

    Still don’t know why Merts went to ground and what was he doing looking across the line just before he slid in…

  55. Kel says:

    I wonder what the lowest pts tally to have won the PL has been..

    I think this yr 68-70 could win it.. 30 pts left to play for 74 is the maximum we can get.

  56. rico says:

    Steve, fingers crossed re Thursday/Sunday…

    Our results have been awful this month, the performances have been pretty dire too.

    Alexis returning seemed to improve us but certainly need Coquelin back. Maybe he’ll get an under 21 game this week and then return in the next league game..

  57. Kel says:

    To see if he needed to make the challenge. It’s just a thought knowing he was caught out he was probably hoping that kos was covering But he wasn’t..

  58. Micko says:

    The 20th minute was a real ball buster, in fairness to Merts he was given zero protection again, didn’t help with Fabregas being given the freedom of the Emirates as well, he picked the perfect pass for Costa to run onto, there was only gonna be only one outcome, no complaints from me.

    Le Coq and Santi, you don’t miss a good thing till it’s gone.

    Kev, only a couple of weeks ago you said Liverpool, Stoke and Chelsea would go a long way to telling us the future of Arsene and Arsenal, think it’s left us with more questions than answers.

  59. Kel says:

    Micko I spoke to a few gooners over xmas who thought the exact same they identified those 3 games as the judgment period I agreed with them.

    We failed it unfortunately.

  60. Kel says:

    Ah well Were still in with a shout i suppose but thats it imo

    Have a good night guys, If you’re looking something to watch to take your mind of that crap today

    I recommend Making a murderer on Netflix

    Good night.

  61. allezkev says:

    There ya go Mick…

    Guardiola will be at ManUre or ManCity next summer, and if we blow it this season, then how many more years will we have to wait to finally 2004 behind us?

    1953 to 1971 was a long wait…

    18 years to be exact…
    Are we in for a similar barren spell?

  62. Marshall says:

    Yes we all know Per is just a big pile of shi*t who can’t head even though he is 6’+ and got no legs. Any defender would have had a go at C**ta.

    But here is where our problem lies, sh*theads like Ramsey and Walcott cheaply losing possession. If your team is playing a high line your thick head should know you shouldn’t loose possession cause you’re all high up. And what does Walcott do?…..
    10 years at the Arsenal and all you got is pace fts!

  63. Micko says:

    Kel, I know I might be a bit pished this time of nite but it’s the same ole, same ole.

    Kev, as you say it’s shit or bust this season.

    I need my bunk Gooners.

  64. potter says:

    Having seen the replay Costa did push Per in the build up as he ran in behind him but probably not enough to be penalised ,however was there contact ? certainly not as much as there was with Kos on Cesc.

  65. Nashua Gunner says:

    We bought a player we can’t use, why? Is he not good enough?
    Per carded and sent off change the game, but our midfield was poor. Per senting off doesn’t lead to the goal directly but our poor performance in the middle of the field. Fabraglass was allowed to direct play without been challenge. How was he allowed to pick the pass to Diego?
    And there was obviously a blocked on Febraglass by Koss that could have lead to a pen.
    It wasn’t our day.

  66. Wavy says:

    FINAL WORD?

    SHITE

    performance

    Result
    And
    Cheats…….many and various

    When are we going to learn to kick those players who would do us most harm at the first possibility??? Fabregas was given the freedom of the Emirates for the first 30 minutes or so. It’s little wonder they scored, slowed down a bit thereafter but he’d done his damage by then. Costa the same. In fairness we gave gave him a bruising afternoon but till after he’d done his damage too.

    Positives? The queen Mertsy (so slow to turn and even slower in a straight line, is now suspended for 3? Matches! Perhaps well now have a more mobile and rapid to recover defender to replace him, whilst he ‘holidays’!

    Cross? I should say so!

  67. allezkev says:

    Marshall, you make s good point, Mertesaker has never been blessed with pace, so if you’re gonna play him, you don’t leave him totally exposed.
    Where was the cover in front of our back four?
    Where was the challenge on Fabregas before he got his pass away?

    And although I don’t blame the referee, because in real time it looked a foul, on the replays I don’t think Mertesaker touched Costa and if he did it was the mearest of touches, but the dive and rolling was of Olympic proportions, well deserving of retrospective action.
    Not that I’ll be holding my breath.

    Our defence was a shambles for Costas goal, but I don’t blame Gabriel as he was not up to speed in the game at the time.
    Koscielny as the senior partner should have taken responsibility of marking Costa…

    But nobody seemed in charge…

  68. allezkev says:

    For a footballer, who is being touted as a possible £60milliln target for Barcelona, I thought Ramsey had a very poor game.
    His passing was simply inadequate and at times he ran around like a headless chicken…

    As for Walcott, he was piss poor…

    And wtf was Flamini doing in Chelsea’s box at every opportunity?
    Where is the discipline in this team, they’re all over the fcuking place…

    We so need Coquelin back in our midfield, sitting in front of our back four.
    With the full backs bombing on and nobody sitting in front of the back four it was happy days for Costa and co as they charged, unchallenged at our centre-backs…

    Get Coquelin back, pair him up with Elneny, if he’s any good, and stick Ramsey back on the right flank with Theo on the bench…

    Dang over..,

  69. Lee says:

    What a shock us choking again….

    Walcott on £140k p.w and given the captain’s armband for one of the most important games of the season….

    Playing Mertsacker with a high line, Wenger would do better to get himself to London Zoo and steal a sloth….

    Ramsey’s passing yesterday was woeful….

    Positives:- we only lost 0-1, Sanchez is back, the transfer window is still open **cough cough** and Gabriel gets a run in the team…

  70. scottfromoz says:

    Still filthy.
    Honestly, I’d prefer to lose to any other club than those pack of scum sucking, shit eating bastards.
    Their fans are as repulsive as their players.

  71. Marshall says:

    Kev the guys sitting in front of the defenders ate as you said – headless chickens. Flam had 3 scoring chances, that’s how high he was protecting the back four.

    Kos could have done better but if you saw the goal, Flamster brought the confusion in the box. One sec he is behind Kos, hence marking Costa then he darts rounding Kos and blocks his view (a little) need I say he’d already left Costa unmarked?

  72. Lee says:

    Speaking on Sky Sports after the game, Henry said: “Tottenham, now, coming from nowhere, are two points behind Arsenal.

    “No-one has been talking about Tottenham winning the title. But now, they’re in it.

    “It is a four-team race for the title.”

    True.

  73. tsgh says:

    Good morning Rico, Adam et al,

    Micko, you know its always order outta chaos…

    Adam, was it me or was the Ems’ a tad too quiet at half time than usual?

  74. Adam says:

    Morning TS. It was quiet throughout the game but it was the kind of quiet that happens when all those doubts that you’ve managed to contain come to the fore. Yesterday showed us nothing new whatsoever.

  75. scottfromoz says:

    Lee, I go hot and cold on Theo.
    He promises so much, yet invariably fails to deliver.
    For what we could get for him, and what we are paying him, I’m positive we can so much better.
    Jack…sell him as well.
    Morning all.

  76. tsgh says:

    I thought so too Adam. ItThere was this sense of apprehension… a whiff of Same ole’…

    I am not sure what can be done anymore; maybe Coq and Santi returning may add something…

    I defend AW but I am not seeing any improvement, art least looking at the points at this stage of the season…

    Our rivals having a relatively poor season has given this false sense of achievement..

  77. tsgh says:

    Scott- Agred but AW would have been berated if he had started Gabriel vs Kosta and gotten red-carded again…

    No win in this situation… me think…

  78. Adam says:

    TS. I agree. The failure of Man Utd, Chelsea and Liverpool this season has distorted the league. I think we are the same as we have been for years. A little better here and a little worse there perhaps but, overal, not a lot of difference.
    The interesting thing, as always with Arsenal, is what happens next. A new contract for Arsene and the answer will certainly be ‘Not a lot’.

  79. Lewis says:

    Morning all.

    Only 2 positives from yesterday, Sanchez back and per out for 3 games. He played 30 minutes yesterday and probably did more than the rest could muster in 90.

    It is just the same old same old, if we don’t win the title this season then surely Wenger has to see he’s not up to it and stand aside. Will he?! No chance.

  80. Lewis says:

    Hoping Elneny is going to get a run in the team. Why not? It’s not like we can say the form of Ramsey and Flamini should keep him out of the team.

    The starting line up yesterday told me all I needed to know about the outcome of yesterday. Nothing different from the previous two games, so predictable.

  81. rico says:

    Morning Adam, Ts.

    Ts, how many matches now has Theo been wearing the armband? 😉

    Gabriel over Merts for me too, especially against Chelsea..

    2 for Merts and one of those will be Burnley so he’ll be back soon.

    If Elneny is any good, please start him over Flamini or both, because Flamini and Ramsey together are a disaster. imo

  82. Adam says:

    Any team with Ramsey and Flamini at the heart of midfield will be compromised. Both are almost certainly nice chaps who love their Mums, but they are both horribly limited in that position. Discipline? Zero.

  83. Lewis says:

    Who’d have thought leicester would be the team setting the pace at this point?!

    Them and the spuds looking the best teams at this moment in time.

    Long way to go but I fear we have just shown our weak underbelly once again. Mental strength lolz!

  84. Lee says:

    Mandy Dodd

    January 24, 2016 at 7:17 pm

    Hope Wenger brings in GB Olympic diving medallist in to assist training next week, Kos could do with some coaching in that area…..

    Mandy Dodd

    January 24, 2016 at 6:50 pm

    Maybe we try TOO hard against Chelsea.

    From Untold….. got to love them over there!

  85. Adam says:

    Brudder. Are they still “Supporting The Lord Wenger” in their red hats?
    But hey, we are still in the middle of a transfer window. A couple of World class players (ahem) could push us over the line. Then again and upon further consideration, January is the worse time to sign new players isn’t it? Best wait for the summer then or until our injured return, whichever comes first.

  86. rico says:

    I hope so Lewis, I really do…

    Coquelin and Ramsey would make a much different midfield imo. Weren’t they the pairing who went to the Etihad and helped secure a victory? Ramsey didn’t cross the halfway line often in that game and when he did, I think Coquelin clipped his wings….

  87. Lewis says:

    I can’t believe how gutless Theo’s performance was last night. He was given the bloody armband! Where was the passion?! es we were up against it from the get go but come on, I don’t think he did a single thing of any note, he should have been tearing around that pitch till his lungs burst.

    140 fucking grand a week. Fuck off!!

  88. tsgh says:

    Adam- According to the media, Cech has saved us at least 10 points already this season; Assuming that is true and measurable;worryingly as a team we have roughly the same number of points now as we had at this stage of last season.

    So without him we would languishing on 34 points at 7th or 8th which coincidentally was where we were last season on the table but with more points…

  89. Lee says:

    I think Untold hide behind referee’s decisions when really the blame is Wenger’s but in all honesty they won’t admit that will they?

  90. Adam says:

    Lewis. Looking at Theo’s career since he came to Arsenal I would say he has lead a charmed existence. Arsene talks him up all the time and occasionally he pops up with a great goal like he did against Man City. He has become emblematic of Wenger’s time at the club and they obviously believe in each other. But great players constantly measure themselves against the best and when you really watch him during a game you see the true player. He has reasonable pace but is not as quick as he was and although he puffs his chest out more and his shirt is tighter this year( he has even been known to track back), for me he is a luxury. Just like a few others who have stopped developing under Wenger. He might be ok in a really strong team but we don’t have that. The scary thing for me is that the Ox is going exactly the same way. Too much money too young and not enough personal drive and desire to really push on as a top quality football player.

  91. Lee says:

    The referees didn’t decide to not buy a single outfield player last summer did they? Or replace Arteta, Flamini or Rosickly? Put Theo on £140K pw? The list is endless……..

  92. scottfromoz says:

    Lee, they’re the extreme, no question, but LG are quoted on here often enough…..they’re no less extreme.
    The fact is we cop way too many ridiculously poor calls.
    No, I don’t think Clattenberg made a corrupt or dicey call…….no contact, but at first viewing, I reckon everyone thought it was a red card,
    As always though, the answer lies in the middle.
    Officials play their part, but so do we.
    People should realise that and stop taking a stance at either end of the equation.

  93. tsgh says:

    Indeed Lewis;
    But conversely it could be asked why we are not on 52/54 points instead to show he has improved us…?

    Is it as Adam has said we ‘ we take a step forward andtake 2 steps backwards’.

    My point is,with the addition of Ozil, Sanchez, Cech over the last 3 or seasons we still have roughly the same points (give or take 3 points) as we did when Eboue and Almunia were with us…
    Worryingly, our rivals are also taking less points. The anomaly was chelsea last season who were 7 points ahead this time last seaosn and made us look as desperate as we were…

  94. Lewis says:

    Agreed Adam. He showed against City this year what he is capable of. Where has that player been the rest of the season?! Yes people will say injuries but he has had a run in the team recently and I honestly think he is getting worse the more game time he gets. Very frustrating.

    Impact substitute is all he is good for imo.

    Jury still out on the Ox for me but I fear you might be right.

  95. rico says:

    🙂 Scott..

    Lee – spot on re Kos, if that was against us, we’d be ranting at Clattenburg…

    Also, Flamini was a tad lucky not to have been off imo…

  96. scottfromoz says:

    Rico, my response to a Chav on the Fabregas no penalty was that yes, it was a Derek it’s penalty, but if you’re prick didn’t dive and cost us a player, scores are level and we have 11 on the pitch, so that incident doesn’t even happen.

  97. rico says:

    I bet we’d see a very different Walcott and Ox under a ‘stronger’ coach/manager…

    Scott, you’ll never stop the extremes..

    New post up now….

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