Morning Gooners,
A bit of gossip from the ever unreliable Daily Mail. They report that FIVE players are heading for the exit in January and they are, Theo Walcott Johan Djourou, Sebastien Squillaci, Andrei Arshavin and Marouane Chamakh. Arsenal are believed to want to keep Theo but a contract agreement is yet to be reached.
Apparently the sales are to boost the coffers, ready to spend big!! Really?
Onto today.
Last Saturday we faced one of the few sides in the league who had won a single game all season, ninety minutes after kick off, Norwich had changed that statistic and deservedly so.
Midweek we faced Schalke 04 in the Champions League, a side who I believe had never been victorious on English soil. Ninety minutes later, they had broken that duck.
Today we face a Qpr side, who like Norwich, haven’t won a fixture this season!
Heard the old expression that ‘things always happen in three’s’?
Well for sake of all of us, that better hadn’t come true today. We have a trip to Old Trafford in a couple of weeks and we want revenge for last season’s mauling and to have any chance of that we need to start building up our confidence, not go further down the snakes on a snakes and ladders board!! We need to be climbing the ladders and jump-start our season!
Bacary Sagna, Jack Wilshere and Emmanuel Frimpong could all be back in the squad today, if I had to pick one to start it would be Frimpong. Him alongside Arteta. Qpr have a few quality players these days who could create chances if we don’t stop them and we need to stop them if we to stop the rot.
Midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (hip) faces a late fitness test, but defender Kieran Gibbs (thigh) and forward Theo Walcott (chest) remain sidelined, along with first-choice goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny (ankle), midfielder Abou Diaby (thigh) and Czech winger Tomas Rosicky (hamstring).
Here’s the statistics from Opta:
- Mark Hughes has lost all five of the Premier League games as coach away from home against Arsenal.
- QPR have gone 20 Premier League games on the road without a clean sheet.
- The Gunners have conceded a league high 83% of their goals in the first half of matches.
Mark Hughes is not one of my favourite managers and a high scoring battering of his side today would pleasing on the eye but to do that we really need to perform a lot better than we did in the week.
Sadly though, none of us know what kind of ‘mood’ our players will be in, if they are up for this, put pressure on Qpr from the off then we know they are after a win.
If they start with the same old tippy tappy passing around just to keep possession, then we are all in for a long and dismal afternoon.
That’s it for today, fingers and toes crossed…..
Good morning folks,
Its a beautiful day down here in Surrey.
Kev- you gal Carol is looking fine in the daily fail this morning. 😉
Morning all,
Off out this morning so catch up later, those off to the Ems, hope it’s a good game with a home victory of course….
Morning all
Excellent read.
Anyone have the feeling that we absolutely have to sell before we buy in January? And who will take on the wages of players like Arshavin, Chamack, Squid and JD? And why would TW leave in January when he will get an even fatter signing on packet in the summer?
Lets just accept it and live with the fact that as long as the current regime is in place we will never spend more on players than we bring in from player sales. Anyone recall Gazides words we don’t buy super starts we make them?
Nothing at all will happen until the top is changed, we have a deja vu every year, sell our best players and buy players with lower or no resale value. it used to be that we bought players like Viera and Henry that had the potential and we turned in the mega stars. Now all we get is a camel herder and a squid that we cant off load.
As for the game today I’m not optimistic at all. They watch television too and know exactly how to out think a one trick pony like Wenger. If we win I will be thrilled as I want nothing more than for my club to do well but a victory in the next 5 games will not change my opinion that Wenger, the owner and the board all have to go regardless.
Good morning
Nice day here.
Good for a walk along the beach.
Hope we win today but we must change our tactic
Se you later
Good morning all,
Rico, at least with your fingers and toes crossed you wont be able to walk around too many shops or enter your pin on too many sales slips. 🙂
TT, if as you say “nothing will happen until the top is changed” then nothing is going to happen. Silent Stan is not about to sell his shares, so I guess it’s stalemate for the foreseeable future.
Emma, perhaps Guardiola is a possibility after all, it is reported that he wants to manage in the English Premier League and his choice would be to do so in London.
Potter, we did climb to the top of the wind-pump, after our walk, and then went on to the Ingham Swan for a very good lunch.
Only team selection that concerns me is that Gervinho doesn’t feature for two reasons, 1) His awful display on Wednesday and 2) his shameful dive on the same evening.
Evening all.
TT,you have said nothing we all don’t know already mate.
We have been told we need to turn a 20 million profit,so of ourse we won’t spend more than we get through transfers.
Frimpong to start?? He is like because basically he shows club loyalty thru his idiotic utterances. But he is far from the quality required
Silent Stan, I would like to see Frimpong start instead of Ramsey, this would allow Arteta to play a bit further forward and draw a bit of pressure off of Cazorla.
I don’t know what the weather’s like in London, it’s cold, windy and p*****g down here in Norfolk.
With Arsenal you never know which one is going to turn up today. Toothless or Productive?
I hope the later
COYG!!!
emma,
Sadly it’s all too often the toothless version, maybe Wenger could feed them some raw meat before kick-off.
JW – 🙂 🙂
Jw where abouts in norfolk u from I’m from kings Lynn
Benny, I’m in a village about ten miles north of Norwich. A long way from the Tuesday Market Place.
Cool, big up all Norfolk gunners. P.s. don’t worry I’m only a part time stalker
Hello all!
Hoping for a win today(any score-line that favors Arsenal FC will do me just fine).
The solution to our player woes is simple…make some money and buy kroenke out( provided he’s willing to sell).
My opinion on Chelsea’s title credentials; “Count no man fortunate until the end is known.” – Solon
Oh what a sore head have I! Never again!…..
Hope the good guys can get over there tiredness.
Rico eggs sunny side up treacle………..
#their
#on top off
https://twitter.com/johncrossmirror/status/262146021579182080
Morning all, back after a bracing walk in the sunshine and gale force wind – wonderful….
Quick cut of the lawn and now ready for ko 🙂
Rico
That’s your final cut of the season!
Emma
Hope cross is right. Jack is just what we need.
JW, you and me both, the tough no-nonsense approach is needed today, and Frimpong has that in abundance…
TT – thanks re the post…
Just catching up…
TT – re the selling before buying, I am not convinced we do, we made £60M last summer from land/property sales, wonder where all that has gone?
Also, let’s assume we had a £30M kitty for players before the summer window, we didn’t spend all of that either.
We pretty much spent what we got from Song and RvP….
Hi smudge, you should have a sore head, what on earth were you on last night? 😉
Get your own eggs too 😉
Hopefully not the last cut, if we get more rain and warm days, the bloomin grass will keep on growing….
Rico
Micko brings the worst out of me!
You are a bad man Smudge,but never boring lol!!
I’ll be amazed if Jack starts today emma…
these two need to start
http://t.co/Syyn5RH0
Afternoon Goonerdom worshippers,
How high do we want our highs today? Me, I would take a big thumping of Mark Hughes. Just for the confidence to raise its flat line. But somehow I fear it would spell pride and prejudice too soon.
So a 3-1 to the Arsenal will do me fine. Any extras I shall take with a pinch of salt. COYG!
Don’t you go blaming Micko smudge 😉
Is the game today being shown online?
Could do with a link or two being posted for the game if anybody knows any
Hi Dg, thumping Mark Hughes, now that is a good idea….
Vida – that photo is really funny…
Not sure Rick, I suspect so, last time i watched a link a little bug started interfering with my laptop, not sure whether to chance it again today…
How abt coquelin start, instead of Ramsey AND/or frimpong beside Arteta? I’d love 2 see Arsharvin start @ CAM and Cazzy moved 2 RAM, wit liscence 2 drift and interchange wit Arsha. Gervinho on RAM. Giroud runnin point.
Yeah Smudge, don’t don’t go blaming Mick…
That’s my job.
It’s all Mick’s fault….
Afternoon Kev, you going today? Lee and Adam are aren’t they?
Good post Rico, en route to the Emirates it’s pissing down and freezing! Oh to be a gooner!! 3-0 to the good guys!!! COYG!!!
Rick if you stick around someone will post a link!
Bloody planes trains and automobiles to get there from colchester!!
Afternoon Rico,
Great read, marvelous headline. Turn snakes into ladders. You Anglo speaka have great sayings. Loved it.
Big thumping yes, but I will not eat a banana sideways. I will view it as a delayed delivery of commitment.
Just been told Jack starting is a near certainty guys.
Morning Rico and all. I am going but is very cold out there. Nice bowl of hot soup first I think.
Rick
I will post a link to streams but will take no responsibility for them.
Afternoon Lee & Adam, thanks re the post
You need to wrap up today 🙂
Thanks Dg, reminded me of my youth playing snakes and ladders 😉
Scott, I think it’s crazy to start Jack against Qpr…
But I guess he’s got to come back sometime and we need him for the Old Toilet….
Rico,i don’t see a problem.
As long as he comes off as soon as he shows signs of tiredness.
Imagine the spark and lift he will bring to everone involved….might just be worth it.
Villa have managed to score against Norwich 🙄
Have you watched Qpr play this season Scott??
Only bits and pieces Rico.
I really only watch our games…that is hard enough,though i see highlights of all games.
QPR have been very good in parts,and bloody terrible in others.
A bit like us!!
I watched them last weekend against Everton, they are a hard side, typical under Hughes
Rico,i hate to sound like a broken record,but it really all depends which Arsenal show up.
It the good guys play,we will just win.
On the other hand……
I think we all know that Scott… 😉
If our best show up,we will beat Barca…..especially if Jack plays 🙂
Podorksky play today? Isn’t he injury on his foot?
Good job we know you are joking Scott …
Thinks he’s carried that injury since we signed him JM..
ludivine sagna @ludivinesagna
My husband is back! #Arsenal #BSAGNA
Lets hope that means Santos ISN’T playing……..!!!
Villa 10 men on the pitch
Things aren’t going well,what harm can starting Sagna and Jack do?
Even Jenks looked a little flat v Schalke imo.
Santos headed back to America with Stan!!
Great news Wath, surely he or Jenks at Lb then 🙂
Afternoon to you…
JM, why?
https://twitter.com/Arsenal/status/262178706750070784
Not again SANTOS!!!
https://twitter.com/Arsenal/status/262178966771757056
Wilshere in the line-up!
one Villa player was sent off
https://twitter.com/Stuart_PhotoAFC/status/262179103719972865
Santos… wtf…………? drop Jenks and play Santos is wenger a sadist..??
I think he wants to give Jenks a rest. Played alot of matches lately
Norwich also scores against Villa!
Anyone over Santos Emma even Gunnersaurus….
Afternoon all,
Edgey, nervey 2-1 win today.
Good luck Jack, first start since May 2011, no pressure.
How does a mug like Ramsey continue to start and Arshavin sits on the bench…. At least Gervinho is on the bench.
Bloody heck, Santos!!
I missed the sending off JM, thanks…
Go Jacky Boy
Hi Micko & Esp…
I hope Wenger is just resting Jenks, and the lad knows it, he has been one of our best performers this season….
Villa should be down to nine players, a dreadful tackle on Holt I think it was…..
Even you’d be better than Santos Wath, after a night on the GG 😉
I take that as an insult Rico, my dog better than Santos and he only has 3 legs…
😆 Wath, not about your woofa having only 3 legs 🙁
In all fairness WATH thats one more leg than Santos! 😉
Santos is a good player. He is very fat. So, maybe we have Sagna in the right wing and Santos only in defense and not like Wednesday, when botth full backs are away from last 25 meters.
Villa’goalkeeper the man of the match. Norwich need onde dozen opportunities for scored agianst Villa but just one with us. It’s the life!…
Frimpong not even on the bench, what’s that all about…. He could manage today and Reading in the week…
ESP… he’s a darf as well, JM, Santos a good players when he not on the pitch…. Maybe good left midfielder but not a defenders arse…!
I so love my local with all these games on tv 😉
Later peeps this phone takes ages to write on… after a few more GG’s who knows what I’ll type.
Lets hope we turn up today..!
Typical eh JM, but Villa defended quite well, they were better after going down to ten men…
Santos is very fat 😆 I like that…. and so true
Have a beer for me Wath, enjoy…
Jenks needs a break imo.
I still would not play Santos…..EVER AGAIN.
A double GG for you Rico and you’ll love it… ordered already…!
Been up since 5 am,it is now nearly 1am……i really hope it’s a good game!!
Yuck Wath – you can have it…..
He could rest after today Scott… for a whole week….
That kind of behaviour is certifiable Scott 😉
@RICK
http://www.ronaldo7.net/live/sports/watch-sports-live-stream.html
Scroll past the kick-off clock for link streams, pick from 2 till 9.
Link 1 is sponsored registration only.
Enjoy the match.
COYs!!!
back after the match
But when a player is overtired,they’re more likely to get injured.
No issue with Jenks out…massive issue with El Rotundo in!!
Big win coming up.
Go Jack!!
Boo!! Our match won’t be shown on TV here. 🙁 🙁 Who cares about all those other silly matches?? 😡
JM is a fattist. 😀 He also called Lukas “Porkdorski”. Haha. I am kidding, JM.
Hello, Lady of the Manor, Scott, Dutch and Emma, Micko. Hi, WATH and bye WATH. Leave some GG for me. 😉
WARNING STREAM USERS. DON’T CLICK ANYTHING NOT EVEN ON REQUEST. THE STREAM OPENS BY IT’S SELF. NO ACTIONS REQUIRED. JUST LET THE ADVERTISING PASS. BE PATIENT FOR 15 SECONDS.
HERE WE GO!!!!
Lot’s of empty seats at The Emirates….
Don’t laugh….i can see the difference already….speed on and off the ball.
Thanks Dg, they weren’t getting my mobile number 😉
Hi agag – ‘fattist’ 😆
That could have been 1-0…
Get in there Aaron.
Is Dean the ref?
Forget that, just seen its not
We look very sharp.
Our final ball is the only thing letting us down….
Vito comes out,no hesitation….lovely.
Why is Ramsey going central, he’s meant to be on the right, no width again….
Cesar is spilling everything, we need to start pouncing on the rebounds…
Well I know what my first change would be 🙂
Jack looks terrific.
Oh well, at least we didn’t concede in the first half….
Ramsey off for me and Walcott on…
He’s taking a few tough tackles too, but getting up and going again, great to see him back….
What the **** is going on? Why isn’t Sagna playing at left back in place of Santos? Our roly-poly Brazilian is up against a speedy Wright-Phillips, it’s a disaster waiting to happen!
Will someone please tell Ramsey to, occasionally, try passing the ball forward!
There is no sense of urgency! No pace! No wonder the crowd is so quiet!
JW, Santos is no ‘too’ bad though, my worry is down our right, we have no width, Ramsey keeps drifting central and his passing is slow and sideways too often. He isn’t helping Sagna at all.
Get TW on I say and get an injection of pace down the right, something we are seriously lacking with Ramsey being asked to play there…
Thanks for the streaming link DG.
And yes, the fans are quiet, very quiet but i’m not too surprised…
It’s almost like they are just waiting for us to concede….
Ditto Dg, it’s a good one too…. and no downloading 🙂
Rico,
I agree, Walcott for Ramsey at half time. Can’t see Wenger leaving Jack on for much longer, he wont want to risk him.
AW will probably move Ramsey central JW and TW on down the right…
Mind you, Jack managed 90 mins against Everton 😉
Ramsey again in a wrong position. He is aimed to play only in the middle with space for run, turn to the rigth, turn to the left. In the wing his moving is always to the middle. So, Sagna can’t go throught, we haven’t rigth wing and we have 3 players with the some characterits in the middle. It’s to read this?
And we have TH and Gervinho on the bench. !!!!
Today with a central forward we have one of those on the bench.
Difficult to understand.
And again not improve Podorlsky peformances…
Yes Rico, but we need Jack for the Reading match, our best chance of a trophy this season. 🙂
Totally agree there JM…
Podolski is quiet but we all know he can do something special at any given moment, lets hope he gets that moment…
Another awful attempt at a cross by Ramsey.
I think you might be right about the League Cup JW…
Nasty tackle on Jack there, missed by the ref….
I was just about to type the same, really poor and a certain ‘winger’ gets a lot of stick for that kind of cross…
Perfect offside trap played there 😮
Come on AW, changes please
Told you they were dirty B******s!!
Great tackle by Giroud, and all he gets is a yellow card 🙄
Why is Granero still on the pitch?
No idea….
This referee is a fecking bent bastard.
Our passing really is dire again
Santi, how did you miss!!
The referee is still a bent bastard
Red Card for Mbia, good!!
He’s not been the best Kev…
Aaaaatettttaaaa!!!
Well played Arshavin….
1-0 at bloody last 🙂
What a difference a good cross makes….
Well done Arteta and Ramsey was in the mix too wasn’t he…. nearly got in the way 😉
Arshavin on for one minute,and we already looked better thn wih Gervinho!!!
Theo..look up mate.
Great hit,great save.
Good strike Ramsey, shame…
Granero shouldn’t even have been on to get that chance….
Agreed…he has earned 4 yellows!!
Well done Vito!!!
Bloomin heck…..
Rico,did you just see Hoillett?
I said he is a diving piece of shit…proved it again.
Arteta was offside for the goal guys…. well offside…..
Hughes is not happy lol.
We got the result,so i can sleep well.
Night all.
I always knew he was Scott…. thankfully he isn’t ours….
Finally, 3 points…. just..
1 nil to the Arsenal, 1 nil to the Arsenal. 1 nil to the Arsenal.
Night Scott, don’t have nightmares about the goal being offside 😉
Two strokes of luck and we win, first was that stupid red card, don’t know what he was thinking and the second was Gervinho being injured.
No way should we have won that, Arteta was offside. We are a very very poor side.
1-0 but a clear off-side goal.
rico – it doesnt matter whether off or not. At least we were due for a reward.
My Jack is back
Can we keep Arshavin and flog the diving Gervinho?
Gervinho injured… not good
There were some fouls committed by QPR and the referee and linesmen turned a blind eye to it. Well deserved goal whether offside or not. Caesar was their man of the match. Made some unbelievable saves.
emma,
Which Arsenal turned up to day?
Scott, Goodnight cobber!
Arshavin tracking back!!!. But sometimes we don’t make it easy for ourself. Last 5mins we should have controlled the game instead almost gave some of us a heart attack
Gunners move up to 4th.
Esp, we were due a bit of luck. And to be fair, Granero should have been off too.
We were far from being at our best though.
At least we created chances today, had we been more lethal on goal we would have wrapped the result up earlier, but we weren’t.
They could, should have scored one, maybe two at the end but tough, they didn’t…
Jack is back and he’s looking very very good, he outshone Cazorla..
Gerv and Walcott made no difference when they came on and good job gerv had to go off because finally we saw a decent cross go in from AA.
Maybe the little Russian will get a run now with gervinho out, who knows, maybe that will be for the good….
Dont like to see arsenal players injured but i wish it was SANTOS. Can’t wait for Gibbs to come back. Wenger should know by now he is not a defender but an attacking midfielder
hooray.
I will leave it at that.
emma, I’m sure it was only the beta blockers I’m taking that prevented my second one this month. I’m going to have to give up watching the last ten minutes in future 🙂
Serious investment needs to happen in Jan.
This team is simple awful.
Gervinho, Ramsey and Walcott need to be shipped out asap.
We are in desperate need of a new LB another CD. TV5 is taking huge steps back.
Wingers, we need real wingers. Being back Ryo, then play himself and Granby on the wings.
I like Giroud, but he will not score the goals lost by RVP. We need to drop 30-40m on a world class striker.
emma – agree re Cesar, he started really poorly and we should have capitalised on a couple of his errors, but boy, after that he was good…
devil was right, we should have got him on a freebie….
How we won, matters not…
I couldn’t care less how off-side Arteta was.
We needed some luck.
Next weekend is gonna be bad…
Lata
JW, don’t – not even in jest 😉
Esp, been saying that for the last ten transfer windows….
Walcott was awful when he came on, as was Gervinho…
Kev, I don’t care either but I disagree, we are going to cause a shock at OT….
Right I’m off for a calming cup of tea…..Goes off singing 1 nil to the Arsenal, 1 nil to the Arsenal, 1 nil to…..
rico, Gerv and TW made no difference?
We started to play all wide the field with strikers with the line and the goal in their mind. Moreover, Ramsey, fortunately, went to the middle
Enjoy JW, enjoy….
Ah, I meant there actual contribution with the ball JM, yes we had width and we used it, something we didn’t have up until then.
But Gerv on the ball was clumsy and TW wasn’t really involved. Not an easy game to come into though, especially so late, so predictable…
JW – the arsenal that turned up today on a scale is at the middle. Still lot of work to do
I’m not agree rico
This could be the turning point, bit of good fortune, three points, huge confidence boost and all with lots of room for improvement…
Bring on the Mancs I say….
Reading had a really tough game today against Fulham – 3-3 and end to end stuff I think. McDermott could make a good few changes for the league cup….
That’s ok JM, do you think they both made a huge difference?
Until the subs, we had no width which I agree changed when they came on, but what did they actually do to make much difference, I must have missed it 🙂
RESPECT: Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere injured for 17 months. Completed 44 out of 47 passes vs QPR.
What a guy emma, he’ll feel that game later and tomorrow….
rico, everything. Qpr must changes the way how they defend, we starting played in last 25 meters, we starting shooting at the goal, won corners, etc
Fair point JM….. Maybe I was being harsh…. But for me the difference was getting Ramsey off the right wing and Arshavin coming on…
https://twitter.com/BBCSport/status/262232555464581120
When he wasn’t trying to pick himself off of the ground after being kicked emma…. Love the guy and he’s still so so young. Many years ahead of being privileged to watch him in the red and white of Arsenal….
Oh well. Just got back from the game. Three points indeed but an exceedingly bad vibe all round the place. The AGM is really the only time the fans get to see the club and it’s general attitudes to a number of things. I think it is fair to say that the fans who go to the matches are reaching a tipping point. I spoke to many before, at half time and after as we all made our way out in the rainy dusk.
Hi Adam, the ground appeared to have many empty seats and the link I watched, the fans were very very quiet…
Not so good…..
Mikel Arteta’s late strike saved Arsenal from a third goalless performance in a row as they beat QPR 1-0 in the Premier League.
The midfielder slammed home from close range in the 84th minute after a goalmouth scramble, ending Arsenal’s barren run of 270 minutes without hitting the net.
The mood was further lifted by Jack Wilshere’s successful return from injury – the England midfielder completed 67 minutes in his first competitive match after over a year out injured.
QPR will rue Stephane Mbia’s brainless sending off 10 minutes from full-time for kicking out at Thomas Vermaelen, while the visitors squandered two good chances to grab a late equaliser.
Arsene Wenger could not have timed Wilshere’s return better, coming at the end of a turbulent week on and off the pitch.
Defeats against Norwich and Schalke – both without scoring – were followed by a stormy club AGM at which fans accused the club’s board of putting their financial interests above trophies.
Wilshere’s first Arsenal touch since May 22, 2011 was greeted as loudly as a goal, and the early signs suggest he is suffering no ill-effects from his ankle, knee and foot problems.
The 20-year-old completed all 33 of his first-half passes and offered plenty of drive and invention.
But he could not end the Gunners’ goal drought. Aaron Ramsey clipped the top of the bar with a looping header from Bacary Sagna’s fine cross on 10 minutes, before Lukas Podolski fired wide from long range.
QPR goalkeeper Julio Cesar nearly offered Arsenal a way through when he spilt Andre Santos’s low cross from the left and Olivier Giroud’s shot from wide on the left – but he later held a rasping Santos effort with Giroud lurking to pounce on any rebound.
Though they did not test Vito Mannone in the Arsenal goal, QPR looked increasingly confident, with Esteban Granero and Junior Hoilett looking particularly composed on the ball.
A fifth consecutive scoreless half brought muted boos that would have been louder if not for Wilshere’s presence.
The second half proved slightly better, but Arsenal met from determined resistance from Julio Cesar.
The Brazilian pushed away a Per Mertesacker header, before making superb saves from Santi Cazorla and Ramsey.
The best stop of the bunch prevented a comical own-goal, as an attempted clearance hit Nedum Onuoha and spun towards goal, only for Julio Cesar to claw it away.
But QPR’s rearguard effort was compromised when Mbia was pushed over by Vermaelen and, after being awarded a free-kick, lashed out pointlessly at the Belgian.
Referee Anthony Taylor, who let a number of suspect challenges go, had no option but to dismiss Mbia.
Julio Cesar was finally beaten six minutes from time after yet another fine save from a Giroud header. The ball pinballed around the box and Arteta headed the ball against the bar before finally tucking away the rebound.
The goal provoked a tumultuous release of tension, but QPR were not finished yet.
A sensational Adel Taarabt ball played Granero through, but the Spaniard dragged his shot wide on 90 minutes.
Then Jamie Mackie nearly produced the goal of the season, running directly at goal and beating three men, but Mannone was equal to his shot.
Mannone also had to tip a Granero free-kick behind in stoppage time, but Arsenal did just enough to end the club’s latest mini-crisis.
MAN OF THE MATCH
Jack Wilshere (Arsenal): A sentimental choice, perhaps, but it was immensely heartening to see Wilshere’s touch and vision seemingly unaffected by nearly 18 months out injured.
PLAYER RATINGS
Arsenal: Mannone 7, Sagna 7, Vermaelen 6, Mertesacker 6, Santos 6, Arteta 7, Wilshere 7, Ramsey 6, Cazorla 6, Podolski 6, Giroud 6; Subs: Walcott 6, Arshavin, Gervinho
QPR: Cesar 7, Mbia 4, Nelsen 6, Traore 6, Bosingwa 5, Diakite 6, Taarabt 7, Wright-Phillips 7, Granero 6, Hoilett 7, Zamora 6; Subs: Cisse, Onuoha 6, Mackie
in http://www.eurosport.com
That’s putting it mildly Rico. Very mildly. The board are on a very, very sticky wicket believe me. There was a lot of talk about Hill-Wood and Kroenke/Gazidis.
JM, that ref certainly did let a few ‘suspect’ challenges go unpunished….
All does not bode well then Adam, what about Arsene, was he high on the list for being criticised or mainly those you mention.
I am no at all surprised mind you…
The problem you have Adam, is all the talk in the World will change nothing mate.
Do you think the Hill-Wood is bothered about what we think about him?
Stan is back in the USA. All his thought’s focused on his US franchise’s as per usual.
Gazides is an employee. He is jus t a PR man…
Those guys are Teflon…..
Tbh & this view may not be popular, but Gazides went up in my estimation after the AGM, because he stayed behind to talk to the fans, the same as Wenger.
I actually think that Gazides might just care about things more than we give him credit…
Hill-Wood is just a total knob.
And Kroenke is a speculator. He is as much of an Arsenal fan as Daniel Levy…
Arsene seems to be viewed as a pawn of the board. Whether this is a justifiable stance I am not sure. I do know that once the fans are talking about the owner and chairman in such disparaging terms then something is wrong. My feeling is that very many ST holders seem to be waking up to the fact that they have been sold a dodgy Rolex and paid full price for it. They are asking the same question I have been. Who is gonna score the goals? Podolski is wide left. Gervinho ain’t gonna do it and Giroud has no concentration at all. His anticipation is awful and as soon as things don’t work out he stops and holds his head in his hands while the ball is still in play.
Our play is slow and laboured and I don’t see how we can sell Walcott as he at least speeds the game up and forces defenders to make decisions. Give him the money he wants and if it doesn’t work out the club will get the difference back on the transfer fee of a player with years on his contract. Why he wasn’t playing on the right instead of a slow and laboured Ramsay remains a mystery. We have very little real quality in the final third. Arshavin showed that when he came on, committed a defender and put in a very nice cross and not just a hit and hope ball. At this moment in time our club is going through the motions and have no real ambition at board level rather than to muddle through and milk the fans. Kroenke summed it all up at the AGM when he announced that he didn’t really know what he was doing there. I am afraid that many fans will soon be thinking the same.
We are bloody lucky to have Usmanov waiting. But this American really has to go-and right soon.
Kev. I am afraid you are probably right but, as we spoke about a while back, fans have power when acting together. Our club is far too precious to sit and do nothing. It makes me very, very sad.
Kev – I think you are right there re Gazidis, and Wenger to be fair, together they made PHW look even more silly and pushed the gap between him and fans even further apart. And we cannot forget that Kroenke must give all he says the red light surely.
Maybe Gazidis and Wenger are trying to work with the fans and trying to push them away from those above them, Just a thought…
Another lackluster performance, it seems! But we badly needed a win! And having won, it would be churlish of me to complain, 😀
Hello, rico. Howdy? Hiya, Adam. 🙂
Hi Agag. Believe me, this win, though welcome, was a tiny sticky plaster on a gaping wound.
Can’t disagree with any of that Adam, especially the last about Usmanov. And Kroenke going asap in my eyes.
And, since I saw that photo, which credit to the daily mail for capturing so well, I truly believe that AW has very little faith in Kroenke.
Add that to his comments about ‘why not’ have Usmanov welcomed onto the board, well I think Wenger would welcome him to take over.
Anyone who thinks that we would be worse off under Usmanov really needs to have a good look at what is going on and ask, will we be any worse than we are now?
Hi again agag..
Adam, we have been papering over the wounds for many seasons now, but then I know that you already know that…
Re Giroud – I think he will come good, but that is the problem, waiting in between time. Very seldom do we sign a player who has an immediate impact.
But seeing Arshavin today has me thinking we need to keep him and play him. As I said earlier, Gervinho’s injury may just open his door again and we really need him to take this chance…
Oh, and I hope Chelsea batter the Mancs tomorrow….
Going by the last three seasons, I wholly agree with you, Adam 🙁 🙁 But the powers-that-be do not seem as emotionally invested in the club as the supporters. To them, AFC is just another business venture.
AA would do well to grab his chances. Since He Who Must Not Be Named has moved on, he is now the most technical player we have (and Santi, too). Now to get his head out of his arse.
agag, Santi needs to wake up too, he should have buried his chance today, even i could have scored from there 😉
All this talk by his fellow Spanish players and the media seems to have gone to his head a little…
Less talk from our lot I think and more action.
I hope the Mancs and the Chavs batter each other’s players, rico. I want to see red cards and guts and gore. 😀
Rico, re: our goal, just wondering on what basis you feel we deserved a bit of luck I feel that we deserved nothing.
Very worried about the performances of Podolski and Giroud amongst others. Far from certain that they will hack it in the Premiership.
Oh yes, all that as well agag 😉
Would love to see vP get a red card….
M-city 1-0
Over the seasons MW, we seldom get any luck, so for once we got it…
And of course, I absolutely despise Mark Hughes….
Re: Arshavin, most of us wanted him out of the club double quick last season!
Rico, Arshavin’s contract is up in the summer.
We are paying his wages so why not use him…
The only two players I want to see the back of in January are Chamakh and Dobbin…
Adam I look forward to breaking bread with you next week.
We have much to discuss…
Now my public needs me…
They playing Swansea JM? Could be a big score…
Mw – we did, but with our injuries etc, he has to play. There is a long time to go before the next transfer window is here..
Agree Kev..
Dobbin, that will upset Adam you know…
Off to eat now…
Tiredness is creeping in for Santi, rico; it’s lazy play in Spain. 🙂 🙂
Hi, Kev. 🙂 And bye Kev. 🙁
Off for the evening. Best to all true Gooners. Night..night.
I think you might be right agag, poor tired santi 😉
Night Adam, have a good evening….
Think I am going to call it a day too…
Have a good evening guys and gals,
‘Til tomorrow…
Night all…..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v= 9i3cmyroJfU
When all is said and done,shit Jack looked sensational!!
I disagree with a few opinions given here.
We were not anywhere near our best,but there was a lot more enthusiasm shown,and glimpses that we might be finding form again….and we need to.
I hate that i even thought this,let alone am saying it,but i wasn’t at all disppointed when Gervinho was injured…..he was absolutely woeful.
Ramsey was much better than some will ever admit,as well.
Anyway,a win is a win.
Don’t forget to put your clocks back an hour tonight Gooners.
Arsene, any chance you could put yours back to 2003, you could walk on water back then.
Just had a thought Kev, you working tonight, if so it’s money for old rope, who says you can’t turn back time.
Bloody mental traffic around Trafalgar Square.
Not the win i was hoping for but ill take it. I know we all love Jenks, but Sagna has to be our first choice at RB. He shows his experience everytime he plays. Thats a position we have no problems in. Jack was outstanding. He gave the team the drive we needed. How many fouls did we draw in attacking positions today? We must force defenders to commit and not just cover. Jack made sure of that. Aaron isnt sparkling on the ball, but off the ball he deserves some credit. Not all doom and gloom guys. We will be ok.
Will,i doubt anyone would suggest Jenks is in Sagnas class…YET.
A few years down the line it may be a different story.
The difference was easy to see,but Jack was phenomenal.
He did not look a player having his first top flight game in 17 months….he played as though he never left.
Morning all…..
Morning all…
A cold and chilly day!
A needed win we got yesterday.
Morning Tsgh, we definitely needed that win but it should have been a lot more convincing…
It’s cold down the road from you too, very cold….
Morning Rico and all.
Did you watch man city’s performance
There doesn’t seem to be much communication between Bould and Wenger during the game I see. Perhaps the scurrilous rumours are correct.
Morning Adam…
I think we are reading too much into things. Rice hardly ever spoke to AW on the bench and no one talked about any rift. 😉
Rice and AW together to watching Nextgen and reserve matches and the same Robson use to claim Rice was just a yes man to AW.
Which allows his no.2 to have have the final say in professional football. I think some Arsenal fans are expecting too much.
From the i/v before the man $hitty match you could tell from the i/v who was the manager and who was the assistant by watching the interaction between ‘Pratt’ and Manchini.
On the 3 times that Bouldy has been on the bench he has said he dislikes being in that position i.e the stres and headache etc. I think he is just getting used to that position and may not have managerial ambitions as some would expect.
I did see Man City Tsgh, how they won, I will never know…
Hart was their saviour….
Wenger was nattering away a lot Adam from what I could see, but Bould wasn’t answering…
Actually Wenger and and Rice spoke to each other quite a lot.
I see jack will not feature against Reading.
And a few stories about Frimpong going out on loan which to me is crazy….
Didn’t Wenger used to shove Rice around a bit too, in a ‘nice’ way…
I felt sorry for Rice though, Wenger was always ranting in his ear….
swansea had a goal disallowed in the first half. They were completely dominated in the first half…
Adam maybe its the garlic breathe of AW why Rice and Bouldy dont listen to him on the bench…. 😀
A mate coerced me into sitting through the game again last night on Sky. When the camera was on them I didn’t notice them exchange a single word. It also struck me, again, how very different the whole thing looks when you watch it through the camera’s eye. The balance of the game seems skewed.
Its true Adam re difference between real life and sky broadcast etc. So how was it different in terms of yesterday i.e team performance etc.
I noticed we reverted back to the high line yesterday. did you see it the same way as it was on TV?
Someone else told me that Adam about how watching on television is so much different to watching the game from the stands and I recall seeing so much more when I used to go. Strange as that sounds as I often missed us scoring as I am under tall 😉
Maybe that is why so many fans opinion differ so often.
Rico are you referring to the Everton link?
New Post up….
For Frimps Tsgh, yes…
Off to the new post now….