Morning all.
I watched the Bayern game last night and drooled over some of the football they played. The officiating was diabolical, equally as bad if not worse than what we see here in the Premier League. Serge Gnabry scored four against a team we huffed and puffed against and I wondered why, or rather how did Arsenal not do more to keep him. But then I thought about him and the player he’s turned into and wondered if he’d have progressed as well as he has had he stayed. Somehow I doubt it. Having been at Arsenal and experienced the intense rivalry between both clubs, I bet he loved every minute of the match, especially putting four past Lloris.
I couldn’t believe some of the tackles which went unpunished, nor some which were punished but the worst on the night in my opinion was committed by Aurier.
The media crucified Arsene Wenger and his Arsenal team for a 10-2 aggregate loss to Bayern Munich in the Champions League knockout stages just a few years ago, rightly so I hasten to add, so I hope we see them go to town on our neighbours. The same club who so many in the media have been gushing over for years now. The same club who despite not being labelled ‘a club going through transition’ because they’re not, have won absolutely nothing. I think the Toots and Pochettino are very close to being a broken partnership, I really do. Unai Emery is having a really tough time improving the standard of Arsenal’s football after just over a year at the club, whilst Pochettino’s team appear to be on a downward spiral. There’s a rift in the camp allegedly which if you’re a Twitter user, you’d have probably read by now, and it’s spilling onto the pitch. Love it.
Another club’s demise, embarrassing results and performances, are not and should not be a distraction, excuse or justification even, for our own struggles. It’s only natural that we should laugh at last nights goings on down the road, because that’s just the way it is but we have our own issues to concern ourself with and our own struggling manager. A struggling manager who really should be looking at what’s going on in the red side of Manchester, at Chelsea and particularly, with Toots. He should, and to be fair he probably is, be thinking that this in the time to take advantage. To make hay whilst the sun shines, because if he can get his team more organised, more motivated and go on a winning run, Arsenal could put a bit of a gap between fourth and fifth.
No fixture in this league is easy but looking at our next few matches, one would like to think we are capable of stringing together a few good results.
• Bournemouth – Home.
• Sheffield Utd- Away.
• Crystal Palace – Home.
• Wolves – Home.
• Leicester City – Away. Tough one.
• Southampton – Home.
• Norwich – Away.
• Brighton – Home.
• West Ham – Away.
• Man City – Home. December 14th!
None of those clubs we face before Man City are better than us, they don’t have better squads either in my opinion. Rogers is doing a great job at Leicester and that’ll be a tough game. They all will if this Arsenal team keep huffing and puffing their way through games.
In amongst the above fixtures we have a trip to Anfield in the Carabao Cup and a number of Europa fixtures to cram in but we’re lucky because in those, Emery can and no doubt will, rotate his players. Heavily too. We’ve already faced the toughest test in our group in my opinion and we overcame that on a night when the art of defending on both teams went out the window.
Tomorrow night we face Standard Leige, a club which sits second in the group and second in it’s domestic league table too. As for anything else about the Belgian high flyers, I haven’t a clue…..
Homework it is is then….
Not sure what’s happened to the fixtures… 😆
Jesus man, were you drunk at the time of writing?
If you mean the fixtures layout Jimmy, it looks like it but no, not a drop had passed my lips..
Thanks for the post Rico…
Nine very winnable fixtures before the Man City game, 27 points up for grabs and if our new defenders can steady the ship and Aubameyang stays healthy, we should do ok.
But Leicester are probably the most improved team in the EPL this season, especially at Filbert Street or whatever they call their stadium now, so that doesn’t look so rosey.
Then we have a trip to Carrow Road, a ground where we rarely turn up and the venue where Man City were roundly beaten, even more un-rosey!
Sheffield United at Bramall Lane, well that’s a walk in the park – not!
And finally West Ham United at the Olympic Stadium, not a happy hunting ground for us since they left Upton Park – how I miss the Boylyn…
So pick the bones out of that lot – I can see only 2 away points for us on current form…
The Emirates effect should see us take maximum points from the 5 home games so if my calculations are correct…. That’s 17 points from the 27 on offer followed by a home defeat by Man City. Given the poor form of our competitors we should still, just about, be top four by the close of play on December 14th…
Morning Rico, Kev and all.
Looks like a long list of a possible unbeaten run! ( or not).
Back in the day, shortly after Sheffield Utd were promoted I went to Bramall Lane, in the days when it was three sided and they still played county cricket there. Full of hope and anticipating an easy win, the Arsenal were taken apart by Currie and Woodward and co. We lost 2-0 yet another abject away performance by a not bad arsenal team. I think it was 1969 or 1970. A very long time ago now, but I don’t think much has changed, well not currently, at least!
Game at Norwich, we need to send Potter and Cicero as cheer leaders, that should solve the Carrow Road myth!
As for the rest Leicester City are turning into quite a formidable team. They have some very good players and none of whom are angling to leave. You have to wonder what “slab head” had going on in his head when he got his move to the very average manure side! They invested the money they got for him very well too. They are not to be underestimated. And just to sink a little further into the mire, they are one of our long term ‘bogey’ sides.
If we get 20 points from Rico’s long list we will have done very, very well, although I think 17 is a far better assessment of our chances and hanging on to 4th spot will be considered a successful spell.
Ah, all will be revealed.
I did mean the fixtures Rico. Good to know you’d not touched a drop. Apparently…
Morning Kev, Wavy.
The toughest away trips I see are Sheffield Utd and Leicester- who’d have thought eh…
T-Total Jimmy.
Rico, are you back on the gin?
😄
Wavy, my first trip to Bramall Lane was 1975/76, Arsenal won 3-1, I saw every away game that season and Arsenal won at Bramall Lane and the following March in Middlesbrough…
It had 4 sides in those days but the cricket pavilion was still there, behind a new football stand. Well it was still there in 1978 anyway..
Ha ha Kev, no, never touch gin.
Afternoon All…….. I hope you`re right Kev. I`m not quite as confident. Palace are an odd one, they can really turn it on sometimes and Zaha has a point to prove.
As you say, keeping Aubameyang fit is a must. The more I see of him on and off the pitch, the more I like him. He`s great in interviews and seems a humble man. He speaks better English than Harry Kaine.
Can`t help but think he would have made a better captain than Xhaka. Still we`ve had that discussion.
Lacazette too I reckon Mike, he and Auba play well together imo.
Yeah Rico……And it`s great that they`re friends. It looks as though Holding, Tierney , Bellerin and Chambers all get on well to me. I think that must make a stronger unit. I`m hoping we`ll see very soon.
Sure seems that way Mike..
Odds have been slashed to 7-2 on Spuds new stadium being sponsored by 7UP !
If only I could post pictures
You can always post the link to the photo Potter.
Blimey, after the English club’s dominating last season it’s all gone a bit Pete Tong this campaign…
Chelsea squeezed through, Liverpool squeeze through and then we have the Spuds. I hope they all stay in it as I don’t want any of them in the UEFA Cup…
Really looking forward to the game tomorrow and seeing the yoot given it’s head…
Results not as good as last night`s result from that lot down the Seven Two Sisters Road .
Whose gonna lead the attack this evening, Aubameyang or Martinelli?
Personally I’d go with Martinelli, if he’s good enough then bloody use him…
Balogun and John Jules are both injured so the options are slim.
Lacazette probably won’t be back until after the Interlull…
It would help if some of our midfielders could score the odd goal or three.
Yeah Kev, I think go with Martinelli. He looked good enough against Forest !
Is it me or are our youngsters injured a lot ? Maybe the demands of modern football, but they don`t seem to make them like they used to.
We could do with our midfield scoring, I remember Ramsey scoring for fun before Stoke broke his leg that year, That`s the last time I remember a midfielder having a good scoring run..
Team in full: Martinez, Bellerin, Mustafi, Holding, Tierney, Torreira, Willock, Maitland-Niles, Ceballos, Nelson, Martinelli.
Subs: Leno, Chambers, Kolasinac, Guendouzi, Xhaka, Aubameyang, Pepe.
Evening guys, there’s your answer.. 😆
What a header..
Defence looks a bit sis but going forward
Think they’ve all become attacking players…
Emery must be tempted to bring Pepe on at some stage because he could easily get a goal or two which would do him the world of good imo.
Comfortable first half
Why on earth risk Aubameyang?
We’re 4-0 up!
Enjoyable game, thanks Rico 🙂 🙂
Pepe and Martinelli, which one looks the £72 million striker?
You found it then Andrew…? 😜
Martinelli = the new Auba. We’ve found a player!
Willock and Nelson two more players. Every movement is forward. How refreshing!
Pepe, what a disappointment….so far…his time will come.
AMN in a more realistic position played reasonably well, I thought.
Bellerin and Tiernny what a difference two proper fullbacks make.
Mustaffi and Holding a very solid CB pairing. They work well with each other. Not that they were put under much pressure tonight.
What a good performance albeit against a very average Championship side. But they really were quite impressive.
Only shame was that this was essentially the second team, but they played much more progressive, forward seeking football, unlike the first eleven who seem to default to crab soccer when they all get together!
I quite enjoyed tonight’s game unlike the turgid crap that was dished up on Monday night.
Martinelli, never mind the quality of the opposition, 4 goals in 2 games is very very encouraging.
And before anyone dismisses the opposition, nobody else got 4 goals in those matches.
I just loved the quality and accuracy of the crosses put over by Tierney, he is going to provide a shed load of opportunities for our attackers. If only we could find someone who could put over a half decent corner…
Holding was cool, calm and on the cusp of relegating either Sokratis or Luiz to the substitutes bench, it can’t happen soon enough.
Willock has that invaluable eye for a goal from midfield that Ramsey had, he is the real deal and as long as we can also tie down Guendouzi, then those two will soon accelerate the departure of Xhaka – who we didn’t miss at all…
Ceballos had a very good game, now he has to do it against one of the big sides and away from home at a difficult venue, maybe at Leicester or Norwich?
Nice to see Hector come through 90 minutes and to see him get the armband. No need to rush him back with Chambers in situ…
Not sure why Aubameyang came on?
Ozil on his bike in January?
Morning Rico and all. Excellent result last night and in Martinelli we seem to have found a real player at a great age. Tierney was excellent and it’s entirely positive to see Hector and Rob Holding making such promising comebacks after serious injuries. the opposition was poor, but we were good. If Emery can roll this positivity into the PL performances then things might be looking up.
Morning Adam, all.
Martinelli seems to have it all. Great with his head and feet. Excellent performance I thought.
Agree re the three returnees, credit to Arsenal in the way they’re managed the players return to fitness. The players too for having the right attitude. Really pleased to see them back.
New post up now
Good day sunshine, good day sunshine, good day sunshine.
Actually it cold and grey and very miserable out, but the sun is shining on Arsenal.
Emery has been rightfully questioned and criticised recently over some of our tactics and selections in the EPL, but yesterday he got it right, so kudos to him.
The players looked energised, enthusiastic and motivated, full of youthful running, quick turnovers and rapier like attacks. A bit different from Man Utd’s dire 0-0, Wolves’ very late 1-0 and Rangers getting beat.
Whatever our season holds in store and whatever you think of the manager, he has gone with the youngsters and it’s been refreshing, because the 1st team are turgid.
Now whether that was in his plans or his hands have been forced by Raul moving on Monreal, Iwobi, Mkhitarayan et al, I don’t know, but it’s good to see and I want to see more of it?
Martinelli looks a real gem, I don’t think it’ll be long before he is regularly introduced via the bench, into the 1st team as a dangerous impact sub.
Holding is just what we need in the centre of our defence, tall, calm, intelligent and with a touch of the BFG about him, albeit a bit more mobile.
I keep on hearing us being linked to the French centre back with the unpronounceable name who plays for Leipzig, but I’d rather see us spend that £50m on a top quality defensive midfielder because that’s where our need is greatest.