Morning all.
2016 isn’t being kind to the music world is it. This morning news broke that the Eagles guitarist Glen Frey has passed away aged 67. The man behind Hotel California, Take it Easy and a number of other great hits will write no more. Such sad news.
As is Dale Griffin passing too – same age but from rock band Mott The Hoople…
RIP both..
As said before after David Bowie left us, football goes on…..
As do the calls for a world class striker to be signed by Arsene Wenger but right now, one has to search high and low to find an attacking pair better than Mesut Ozil and although that might sound hard to believe, it’s true, honest. Only Suarez and Neymar have better results.
Ollie and Ozil have seven goals together, Suarez and Neymar, nine. Sadly, there are no figures showing how many either pairing have missed as perhaps that would paint the picture clearer.
In the league alone, Ollie has scored twelve goals so far this season, behind him comes Alexis with six, Ramsey four, Walcott and Ozil on three, Campbell two and both Gibbs and Gabriel with one.
I think that’s half our problem, not enough players are getting goals. Walcott should have more than his tally, as should Ramsey really and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, the latter who hasn’t scored since out victory in the Charity Shield. Perhaps Ozil too should be tucking away more goals when one considers just how good he.
Arsene Wenger hasn’t signed a striker since forever it seems so I guess he has faith in the attacking force we have right now but apart from Alexis, no-one is really contributing enough. They certainly aren’t repaying the trust and faith the manager has in them. Walcott especially, who considering he’s been banging the ‘I want to play central’ drum for years, just isn’t doing it on the pitch. He was in fine form when Alexis was in the side but as the little Chilean is set for a return this weekend against Chelsea, Walcott could be the man to make way. Campbell won’t be surely as he just improves each week and his work ethic is to be admired.
Perhaps Arsene Wenger will be brave at home and go with pace on Sunday with the front three being Alexis, Walcott and Campbell. Or perhaps he’ll just carry on with a formula which on paper, appears to be working and that’s Mesut Ozil feeding the big Frenchman….
Who would you prefer to see attacking the Chelsea defence….?
Gossip, silly gossip:
Emmanuel Eboue is a free agent after leaving Galatasaray and is in search of a club and has been quoted in the Daily Star as saying:
“We are looking for options and I would love to come back to Arsenal.”
Short term option to replace Debuchy I wonder…. 😉
Morning all.
Good post, Rico, and more evidence Giroud is doing a great job.
I must add, that any striker worth his salt would score his share with Ozil supplying him lol.
Still, what Giroud lacks in goals to shots ratio, he makes up by simply being on the spot so often, and taking plenty if shots.
Ozil….well, nothing needs to be said about this guy.
Nacho Monreal has signed a new contract. Confirmed on AFC.com..
Great news..
Morning again all…
Scott, I think Kev mentioned before on many occasions, we simply aren’t scoring enough goals from other areas on the pitch.
We used to have midfield players contributing each season but those days seem to have gone. Santi playing more defensively hasn’t helped our cause either, perhaps now Elneny is in, once the little fella returns, he’ll start scoring….
Ox and Walcott need a big kick up their behinds…
Opta – for the stats lovers but not the Coquelin critics… lol
Perhaps the most striking stat of all is this – Arsenal have conceded 50% more shots/game without Coquelin in the starting line up in 2015-16. That’s an average of 15 shots a game sans Francis, as opposed to 10 with him in the side.
Shots conceded per game, 2015/16
With Coquelin – 10
Without Coquelin -15
Likewise, Arsenal have conceded an average of 0.8 goals per game with Coquelin in the team as opposed to 1.3 without him.
Morning all,
RIP to the drummers.
Nice post.
For the amount of chance we create I don’t think we finish enough, Theo has to be one of the main culprits and for that reason it has to be ollie up top this weekend and theo to make way if sanchez is fit.
Squillacci was scored a good own goal two weeks ago. He will be a good adition
Lacaczetti goes to Newcastle?
Wow, those stats paint a grim picture rico, when is le coq back??
Good read rico and good stats as well regarding Le coq… 😉
Stats can paint any picture one wants…
Seriously Jm?? He’d be ideal for us….
Very grim Lewis, yet still he’s under-rated. Apparently he could be back soon and if Elneny is up to the PL, our midfield will look a lot stronger…
Since our issues this season has more to do with goals scored rather than goals conceded and we have scored more goals without Le Coq, one can’t analyse those figures in isolation as SC19 has been missing throughout the time Le Coq has been out…
Also, SC19 from September has been the deepest lying midfielder when he has played with Le coq…
in fact Le Coq has been covering the similar ground according to heat maps as Song which he got slated for.
I guess the difference is we have better protection on the wings and Monreal and better CBs’ plus Cech instead of Almunia or Scez….
Better defensive unit TS.
I wondered when you’d appear Ts… 😉
Reel ’em in… lol
Lewis, believe it or not Everton create more chances than us and we have the best conversion rate currently.
Although, Theos’ conversion rate in the last 7 game shas been closer to 12% than the 31% he enjoyed previously…
The issue has always been that we do not have enough players scoring goals and so if the top 3 scorers are having a bad day the likelihood of us scoring vastly diminishes…
It’s not about the ground covered though surely, it’s about what a player does whilst covering that ground…
Wasn’t it said that covering a lot of ground proves one thing, a player can run….
With Giroud we all know he fluffs more chances than he scores them. Walcott has been really disappointing lately. In some games we only have 3-4 chances and we need a killer striker who can convert at least two of those.
As for the line up against Chelsea I’d prefer Giroud ahead of theo
JM- is also being reported in portugal that RM is interested in Ruben Neves?
As for ebue, I think our reserve team is packed up nicely.
Rico, just bin the comment in moderation, freaking pad hit send before I could complete filling the name.
I reckon Walcott will improve once Alexis returns… 🙂
Will do Marshall…
Agreed Lewis re. defensive unit.
🙂 Rico
Nothing against Le Coq but until Le coq plays with AR16 in midfield without SC19 we can’t know for sure if figures are a true reflection on his performance.
One anomaly is that, we have conceded more goals 64% of our goals from outside 18 yard box; the higest in the EPL over 3 years.
oddly, before playing liverpool we had conceded less without Coq;
Was it because we were defending better up field than we are now?
Howdy folks….great way to start the working week. Nacho signs a new contract. Now that’s what am talking about. He’s been by far the most consistent player we ve had in a while. Always puts a shift in and rarely allows a cross on his side. Am super chuffed. Now let’s extend joel’s and make it a super week. Morning good people 😀 and hey happy new year.
As long as Gibbs and Walcott are still in arsenal. We won’t have a decent squad player. Both was useless
Intereresting stats TS, thanks.
That’s a tad hash sukky. Walcott on his day can wreck any team. That goal against shitty is a prime example. Had sterling rooney or heck even “Harry kane” scored it sly sports ll still be showing it every chance they get. The problem with theo is injuries and injuries. Remember the season van cnut left us? Who bailed us out week after week?? As for gibbo I can’t seem to put my finger on what happened to him. When he broke into the team all those years ago I was like “yesss another ashley cole” but since then his career seem to have gone downwards. Poor fella.
So in theory Ts, stats are rubbish as they don’t look at everything… My aim achieved.. 😉
Hi goonster, Happy new year to you, I’ve been wondering where you’ve been….
Sukky, that kind of comment really brings nothing to the table does it?
Neither Walcott or Gibbs are ‘useless’ – if they were, they wouldn’t be earning as much money as they do….
Hiya mama bear took a sabbatical. Lol but am back now. Nice to be back 😀
Rico our English lads need to step up. I can see ts smiling over my karma each time oxcham has a stinker. Remember I told him I ll rather have AOC than his boy toy sterling who by the way now looks like a full blown cnut with that shitlocks he currently sports. What a tool. Lol
Good to see you back too Goonie..
There’s a super player about to break loose in the OX I can feel it. He just needs to keep it simple and buy his time because trust me if the chavs ever get their hands on him we ll be down in the sewers with the tides coming in!!!
Goonster, on his day. That’s was 7matches ago and since then he has been rubbish both offensively and defensively. Even against man city, after that goal, he disappeared again.
And Rico, that’s the area where the club is weak. Giving huge money to below average players. They are in the team because 1) they are English 2)wenger is the manager.
He needs to watch Campbell. Remember earlier in the season no one and I mean no one wanted him close to the first team. He kept giving the ball away and looked really out of depth with the team but the little fella kept plugging away now look at him. 3 man of the match awards and a goal against shitty!!! Who knew??
We all know they can do better goonster and yes, it’s about time they did but labelling them ‘useless’ just seems odd…
Sukky, just because they are English is poppycock imo…
And don’t you think they’d be plenty of clubs prepared to pay both of the a similar amount if not more? I reckon there would be, especially Walcott.
Sukky one of my favorite players of the last 3 decades was Jurgen Klinsmann even though he played for the spuds* hawks and spits * he dissappears totally in every match but when the goal comes who gets it??? If theo stays invincible all season and touches the ball 5 times every game while bagging a hatrick every 5 games hey am not complaining. He’s what he is and he’s ours. I ll rather have him than that uncouth turd faced bastard costa.
You betcha rico. Liverpool ll have him in a snap.
https://youtu.be/6MWlrV2zVbk
Don’t think they’d be alone either goonster…
Through chavs and shitty too maam my bad.
*the *
Ox needs a loan to learn about decision making in the final 3rd and keeping it simple. Zero goal and zero assists speaks volumes on his contribution upfront. Sometimes you can be unlucky but his numbers are awful.
Saw him try to take on 3 guys against stoke instead of a simple pass. That prima Donna stuff is what must be hindering his progress. Plus he was switching on and off a lot. He needs a coach who won’t be easy on him and teach him to be the beast we all want him to be.
Rico- depends on the stats… 😉
Goonie, stop talking cack… Ox is over rated for now…
Petr cech has more clean sheets than any other keeper in the league this season. 15 points a season john?? Nah more like 30 😀 this must be killing Jose the poxy dwarf 😀 thanks oblomovic 😀
Hehehehehe atleast we didn’t pay 50 million quid for him. How’s that working for shitty with raheem ts 😀
Where’s Adam rico?
🙂 he he he goonie… you looney. 😉
Ts I ll bet you AOC ll have you eating humble pies in no time. Watch out. He’s about to break loose. Class is permanent. He’s got it all. Pace power and technique. He just needs to calm down and everything ll fall in place. You bet I ll be here with a huge grin on my face 😀
Jose won’t care now goonie… lol
No idea goonster re Adam…
Trust me he does care rico. Would like to hear his thoughts after arsene wins the league with his “second choice ” keeper. My God i ll pay to interview him 😀
If we sign granit xhaka I ll do three Zulu dance in front of my lawn naked but the player I ll really want us to sign is kroos. I ll totally go apeshit crazy idea we nab him. Always been a fan.
*the Zulu dance* not three stupid phone.
I give up on this phone….
Afternoon All…
I’ve never really commented on the Ramsey thing before, as I kinda guessed that it could escalate and didn’t feel the need to add to it…
What started out as a bit of a joke, has now taken on a more sinister feel, with those shitheads in the Media getting hold of it…
Meaning that it gets a wider exposure and will encourage every weak headed idiot to join in…
Afternoon Rico, you have mail M’Lady…
Hey Stan, how is it hanging, my man?
Howdy kev i ve been doing pretty good lately. Thanks. How’s the missus?
It will be good for us when the Ox achieves his full potential…; he has the ingredients as AW will say…
Other clubs will pay them huge salary because of the home grow rule.
AOC got everything except brain. I really want him to make it but brain over anything in football.
Goonster, you reckon we’ll win the league then?? 😉
Afternoon Kev, I look forward to reading that one, thank you…
She’s fine thanks Stan, how’s Brianna?
Maam everything points to it. Shitty has an awful April and may. We only have shitty and manure away. I think we ll take 4 points off them. Everton and spuds are winnable if we get all our players back. I really fancy us rico. It’s arsenal’s to lose.
Brianna is fabulous kev…growing up so fast it’s scary. God help me.
I have a horrid feeling we’ll get pipped at the post goonster…
Gee rico stop it…we ll win this. Shitty don’t look so great this season. 2 seasons ago yes but this season? Not so much. Manure is faltering. The liverpool game was one off and we both know the scums always shoot themselves on the foot. So that leaves us but the question is how bad do we want it?
Or do you believe Leicester ll win it?? Lol 😀
My concern is Totts, City and Utd all away… And Everton..
Rico with the return of coquelin and the acquisition of elneny. We won’t be that open in the middle of the park like we ve been lately. I don’t see both manchester clubs beating us. We know the spuds take every game against us as a cup final so it’s gonna be tough but I think we ll get at least 8 points from 12. People tend to forget we have players coming by from injury. The likes of welbeck coquelin santi Sanchez and of course Wilshire ll be faster and fresher than most players. Like I said it depends on how much we want it maam. It’s arsenal’s to lose.
I forgot rosciky in there. We can do this rico. One game at a time. Next stop the chavs. COYGS
If we can’t, I’d certainly rather they did with us second… 😉
When is Coquelin back goonster?
Will Elneny adapt to the PL immediately?
In fact when is Jack back too?
Tomas has to play for the reserves first according to AW, I suspect Welbeck will too…
Lol calm down rico they are all due back by February or early march. Elneny ll be a revelation maam. Watch out. He ll explode into the scene.
I’m calm goonster.. 😉
3 players I can’t wait to get back are welbeck Wilshire and coquelin. Heck even santi. We re still on top of the league with limited resources. Imagine what it ll be like when we have all our big guns back. We ll blow most teams out of the water. Plus by the end of this weekend we ll have played stoke liverpool and chelshit home and away. Am not worried rico. One game at a time.
Just checked our fixtures and all the ‘big’ away games are in March. Should have a very strong squad by then and hopefully, no further injuries…
Exactly…and hopefully a few injuries to our opponents :D.
Kane and Ali 😉
I just have this funny feeling that we will win the league somehow
Am not worried about the spud. They will eventually run out of gas as always.
Rico am looking at rooney martial Mata herrera kompany yaya aguero Silva de bryune kane alli dembele lloris vertoghen lukaku barkley and of course stones 😀
I too think we’ll win the league, CL and the FA cup…….
I’m looking at Ozil and Sanchez….
koz and Bellerin too….
What is 0.8 of a goal, can anyone tell me ?
We’ve conceded 14 goals on the road this season, 7 in consecutive games against Southampton and Liverpool this month, had Coq been playing would it have happened, only tsgh knows !
Afternoon all.
🙂 goonster, that’s being greedy…
You reckon we’ll get past Burnley then Lee? 😉
Bellerin’s crap Lee, he can’t even cross a ball.
Micko, but we score more when Coquelin doesn’t play….. Shame the oppo does too eh….
I was hoping to come over for the wba game but it clashes with the fa cup quarter finals, buggered up my flite plans, we’ll crawl over the line against Burnley.
I reckon we’ll batter them, 2-1… lol
Hmm, 0.8 of a goal?
That old chestnut…
Gotta say Mick, that I’ve thought long and hard about that one, but I just can’t think of an incident when we scored 0.8 of a goal…
And who needs Coquelin when we have Arteta running the midfield on his zimmerframe…
Calm down Rido… ?
Monreal is fantastic news Rico…
Signed on till 2019.
I can see him getting better and better, just like Nigel and Dixon…
He’s one of those guys who is naturally fit and stays fit…
🙂 Kev…
Isn’t it just Kev. Did I tell you I always rated him…? 🙂
It’s a mystery alright kev, will it be enough to beat Chelsea though, if so I’ll go with the flow.
How’s the form Stan, long time no hear.
Funny how the media are talking about Monreal signing on just before he turns 30… Idiots!
Afternoon Rico. Just back from Cambridge.
Erh, Glen Frey wasn’t the Eagles’ drummer. That remains Don Henley. Glenn was the singer and one half of the writing duo. He was also a very nice guitar player.
I mention these things for accuracy only. 🙂
Hiya Stan.
Afternoon Adam, that was a big oops by me…
Adam, he always said one of the three B’s would catch up with him in the end, booze, blow or broads !
Ok- Micko, i accept if Le coq was in the squad we would be 10 points clear by now and would not have lost any game.These injuries.
oddly have many games had we lost before and where were we before Coq went off injured at WBA?
Where was he when WBA beat us 0-2 at home on the opening day? 😉
Goonie- City being poor in March and April?
kev- 0.8 goals is when the ball bounces before it hits the back of the net. 😛
West ham* even
Playing West Ham, that’s where he was lol.
Micko. When you consider that Glen lived the rock ‘n roll lifestyle to the full, he did relatively well. I liked him but feel for his family and friends.
Where was all of them on the opening day of the season?
Wasn’t just Coquelin that day….
Yes Rico, I think I can vaguely remember you mentioning Monreal before… ?
I was never totally convinced myself until Adam sat me down and gave me stern talking to.
Now I am a bona fide Nacho fan….
🙂 Micko…
Ha ha Kev, you should have listened to me long before Adam… 😉
Kev. You really needed a damn good thrashing. 🙂
Ginge, I thought that was a half volley…
Or am I thinking cricket again?
It’s all so confusing for old timers like me and Wath…
Yes, I’d love one of those Adam… ?
Rico, I always listen to you…
I know my place… ?
Half volley must count as 1.3 goals- Kev… 😛
Scissor kick 1.7.
🙂 Micko. well,
Rico- 2 years ago when we set the record for the longest time a club had sat on top of the EPl ltable (albeit without) winning it because Ar16 got injured; i remember you admonishing me for saying our season will be over if AR16 got injured…
You claimed it was a team sport…
As i said I have nothing against Le coq, all i am saying as someone who analysis stats on the side, there is not much data to completing say Le Coq has retified our defensive issues on his own since any time he has been available we have had our better players on form..
And in this case Sc19 who is playing his best football since he joined us has also been out injured… in my view he has been missed more than Coquelin…
rectified*
I know I’ve said it before rico but he isn’t a bad back up for Gibbs is he !
Adam, lifes too short not to, I’d take sex, drugs and spot the ball any day of the week.
Micko. Why not?
Ha ha Kev, as do I…. Lol
Ts, football is a team game and it’s about every single player working hard, but when a vital cog is missing, things can go slightly wrong..
That’s all I’m saying about Coquelin, because the choices behind him are nowhere near his standard imo…
Why not what Adam ?
By the way, do you keep a record of all the comments on HH as well as your stats? Lol
Live that lifestyle Micko?
Oh…..I’d be skint by this time tomorrow and always feel a bit awkward walking into a bookies tbh.
No Rico. do you keep a record?
Have you seen the photos of the The zoo, in the Armenian town of Gyumri. Very sad…
Football is a team game, that is for sure, but every team, successful team in particular, have certain players who can make a difference…
Imo, Arsenal have Cech, Coquelin, Alexis and Ozil…
There are other important players, but to me, those four are crucial…
For Afsenal to remain top whilst losing one of them long term and another in the medium term, is very impressive and shows that our team has developed a winning mentality…
Now if Arsene could only add one more.
Yes Ts, by default, not choice. All comments are stored in the admin page…
I’d add Kos to your list Kev… And Monreal… 😉
Top players should make the difference and turn one point into three occasionally or salvage a point from the jaws of defeat perhaps.
Danny Welbeck did just that last season, not that a draw pleased Alexis that day…
What game was that Rico?
Can’t remember Adam, I think we were losing either 1-0 or 2-1 and Welbeck scored with just seconds to go. At home I think….
Just checked – 2-2 v Hull… Oct 2014.
From a narrow angle?
No idea, I just know he scored… Lol
I’m off, night all…
Night Rico.
I remember it rico, think it was the last game he played for us, nite matey.
That’s the one Mick…
Wenger said he was gonna be out for a week.
Rick, if you get the chance, have a look at Ainsley Maitland-Niles’ goal for Ipswich this evening….
It was a cracker.
Night All…
Morning all..
It’s a bit chilly. -4 here right now, brrrrrrr..
Morning Rico, Mott the Hoople it’s a great name for a band.
I see it’s Clattenburg on Sunday
Morning Joe. Good news re Clattenburg..
I feared it would be Dean…
The .8 of a goal is all to do with spread betting and how prices are made…..
Turns out it’s the name of a novel
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Hoople have fun. ☺
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/arsenal/12109404/Arsenal-transfer-news-and-rumours-Arsene-Wenger-edges-closer-to-signing-Lars-Bender-and-Granit-Xhaka.html
Kev if it happens we’ve got to each buy an Arsenal shirt with “BENDER” on the back…..
Morning Lee I ll love that granite fella and bender too but no chance wenger ll sign 3 similar midfielders in one window plus we already have jack coming back. So am afraid we re done with the transfer market for now. Maybe in the summer we ll finally nab kroos and isco 😀
Morning all
Phew Lee, just in time for my post… 😉
New one up now….