Morning all.
Arsenal couldn’t beat today’s opposition in the FA Cup quarter-final, but can they get some kind of revenge for that defeat today?
The team dominated the first half of that match, certainly as far as possession goes but as so often, chances in front of goal were spurned. Mohamed Elneny twice fired over the bar and Joel Campbell volleyed just wide before the half-time whistle blew. The game could so easily have been all but over.
Watford took the lead shortly after the restart when Odion Ighalo beat David Ospina from close range. The same player could have made it worse for the home side but he didn’t. Adlene Guedioura did though by firing a fierce shot into the top corner.
Danny Welbeck came off the bench to make it 2-1 late in the game. Alex Iwobi hit the post and just before the final whistle bless, Welbeck spurned a great chance to take the tie to a replay. That was our FA Cup over for the season.
All that’s left to play for is the Premier League and even that looks out of reach and that’s because too many shoddy performances earlier in the season which Mesut Ozil has alluded to, much to the dislike of Arsene Wenger:
The statement is not welcome, I agree with you.
Because we have to believe, no matter if it just one chance in 100, we have to believe. We only have a real chance if we believe.
I will make sure they don’t feel that. We will talk (with Ozil) about that. Yes, of course. I have nothing against players being honest. You want to be fair and honest. But you want as a well to look forward.
I think the worst thing in life is to have wrong beliefs. So you have to make sure that you give absolutely your best, and at the end accept that if somebody is better than you, that you have given your best.
The worst thing for us would be not to believe, and then if we had a good run it was available, possible. I believe that we have to make sure that we play with passion until the end. That is the best way to get the supporters behind us.
I admire Arsene Wenger’s belief but let’s be honest here, the German number eleven has just been open and honest and he’s right. Not taking the so-called smaller clubs more seriously has again been our downfall and it’s clear to see that those clubs these days are not so small, not really. They maybe as far as history etc goes but with the masses of money in the game now, those clubs are now able to sign much better players and on their day can cause any of the so-called big clubs problems. And many of those other clubs have young and hungry managers.
I was listening to Eddie Howe being interviewed yesterday and he spoke of how after Bournemouth’s 5-1 battering by Man City back in October, he changed the way his team played the very next day on the training pitch. He didn’t say how (no pun intended) but back on that day, Bournemouth were one place above the relegation places, now they sit 13th with their Premier League status safe. That’s what a proactive manager does, he changes things around to improve the results rather than to play the same old way regardless of the end result.
There’s been a slight wind of change in Arsenal recently, the fighting spirit at WHL and then at Goodison Park but at The Emirates it’s been very up and down since the turn of the year. Eight points have been dropped since 2016 kicked off and that’s not the form of a side which is fighting to be league champions and with five of remaining fixtures being at home, Arsenal really can’t afford to drop any more.
Not if they really want to keep in touch with the top two.
Granit Xhaka has been talking about the links to Arsenal according to German publication Express:
I’ve seen the rumours. All I can say is it’s nonsense. There have been no negotiations with Arsene Wenger. Nothing has been agreed. If someone claims to have seen my father negotiating in London, they should show me the photo! No one from London has been here to negotiate.
If someone claims otherwise, give me a call! I invite you to dinner. You can write that down for all I care!
He’s coming to Arsenal then……
He’s coming to Arsenal???
When I see him playing with a red shirt on I will believe it.
Hang on……there are other teams with red shirts.
Interesting to see that Wenger admitted, as he usually does, that he knew all about N’Golo Kante when he was at Caen, the defensive- midfielder that Leicester paid £5.6 million for and who will probably win the EPL title this year…
Why didn’t Wenger sign him then, if he knew about him?
Questionable judgement once more from Wenger, when we were crying out for an additional d/m to compliment Le Coq?!!!
Surely at £5.6m he was worth a punt?
Tbh, Wenger just just keep his gob shut…
Morning All
Morning Rico
Morning Kev. Couldn’t agree more, shut up Arsene, we are all bored of hearing who he missed out on.
Morning Coach
A must win game today, to begin a run of 8 must win games, and that still might not be enough…
Wouldn’t it be typical if Arsenal won their last 8 and missed out by a couple of points?
How costly then the defeats by Swansea and ManUre plus the dropped points at Anfield, where our inconsistent run began…
Off to read post
Spot on re Anfield. Reckon that really dented the confidence. Stupid stupid goal to conceded so late…
Good post Rico…
Yeah, defo, that’s where it started Rico, up until then I thought it was our season, but the doubts set in following that game and they haven’t gone away…
The players have royally fcuked up this season and Wenger has been incapable of doing anything about it…
This season ranks alongside 1979-80 as the most disappointing I’ve experienced as an Arsenal fan…
Thanks Kev…
Agree… No leaders to change things either and can’t rely on the manager…
Morning Kev.
Yep. That late goal sent everything tits up.
But imo the season began going down when Santi was injured. We could not replace his nous on the pitch. Aaron is simply not at his level.
Aye……I wish AW keeps his mouth shut. sometimes he speaks out of his arse anal.
I see that Wolves manager Kenny Jackett is talking about the possibility of signing on-loan goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez on a permanent deal in the summer…
I guess he wouldn’t be saying that unless Arsenal had indicated that Martinez could be available…?
I kinda saw Wenger selling both Ospina and Szczesny in the summer, sending Macey out on loan and bringing Martinez back as our No.2 goalkeeper.
But obviously Wenger has different ideas…
If only Elneny had been at the club from the summer… We all knew the midfield was a disaster waiting to happen…
That’s true Rico, no leaders indeed…
The manager, any manager, needs players who can sort things out for themselves, but then Wenger choose those players therefore he is still responsible.
Yeah, that’s a good call Coach, maybe we’ve all underestimated how much we’ve missed Santi…
As you say Ramsey can’t do it. But why didn’t Wenger sign Elneny in the summer?
Kev I would not put it past him to sell all three keepers. Ospina wants out as he does not want to warm the bench. And rightly so. Ches will not want to stay since he is playing every game for AS Roma while Martinez is doing well at Wolves. And in the latter two cases AW can put add ons if they are sold again.
But we would have to get a good back up to Cech.
I foresaw AW selling Ches and Ospina but like you I thought that he would bring Martinez as number 2.
That’s odd re Martinez, thought he was going to be good for us…
Elneny, Gante etc etc etc. AW knows many players before signing them.
Like you I ask why???
Penny pinching.
I hope he does not fuck it up now that MA and MF are going to leave.
He knew of Elneny before.
He knew of Gante before.
He knew of Wanyama before.
Imagine having had two of these three instead of MA and MF and TR
the mind boggles.
It sure does Devil. I really don’t understand how AW couldn’t see it…
Catch up at KO….
We applaud players give being honest, so can we really ask Wenger not to be?
I mean, he’s answering question from the media……..do we believe he simply makes random statements at his press conferences about players from other clubs?
We all know how the media works, and if Wenger doesn’t answer their loaded questions, everyone complains that he’s arrogant.
No win situation, for mine.
Morning all.
Big win coming today.
afternoon all!
Scott, don’t you recall Wenger often answering a difficult question in post-match interviews with the mantra ‘I did not see it’.
Was he not being economical with the truth?
Nobody needs to know who Wenger missed out on. What is to gain?
I know a Kev, but as I said, he is in a now win situation.
Let’s face it, he could sign Messi and Ronaldo and still be wrong lol
Yes, sometimes I wish he’d say nothing, but the way it’s portrayed is he pulls the names of talented players out of thin air, and rubs our noses in it when it’s simply not the case.
He is not called The Professor for nothing Scott. From a 67 year old who has lots of experience of what this world can dish out I expect better answers and how to avoid answering tricky questions. Side stepping certain questions is not beyond the common people let alone a well learned person like AW.
I would rather be portrayed as arrogant for not answering questions or avoiding them than being labelled a fool for being honest with the press when we know they twist and turn every word to fit their own agenda.
Devil, so again I ask why do we applaud players for being honest??
Especially when being critical of the club or playing group?
Is it fair to expect to have it both ways??
RVP wasn’t applauded by many for telling the facts of life. Wenger needs to learn that he is not the font of all knowledge and ignore the journo’s questions. Now Ozil is saying something similar. Best to just ignore it and move on.
Very, very easy to say guys.
Like it or not, he is the face of the club.
I don see how he could ignore the questions, though I agree it’d be great if he did.
Scott, Wenger is in a no win situation, because of his inertia in the transfer market.
He has largely lost the goodwill of the fans through his own actions.
And to blame the fans as he recently did, was that not showing a huge lack of judgement.
Yes, he cannot win, but that is by his own hand, there is no one else to blame, especially this season of all seasons.
He knows it.
We all know it.
Once upon a time there was a man who was married.
One day he was unfaithful. His wife asked him a question……..
he lied.
he lied to back up the first lie.
he lied to back up the second lie which backed up the first lie.
he lied to back up the third lie which backed up the second lie which backed up the first lie.
he lied to back up the fourth lie which backed up the third lie which backed up the second lie which backed up the first lie.
…..and so on.
That in essence is what AW is doing. As Kev said…..because of his inertia in the transfer market.
Arsenal: Ospina; Bellerin, Gabriel, Koscielny, Monreal; Coquelin, Elneny; Iwobi, Ozil, Sanchez; Welbeck
Substitutes: Cech, Gibbs, Mertesacker, Chambers, Walcott, Giroud, Campbell
Coygs….
Afternoon guys…
1-0 to the Arsenal after,4 minutes. Marvellous! Should be 3-0 to the Arsenal after 15 minutes but, it’s not! Same old story. Are missed chances going to cost us again? Where is/are our natural goal scorers? Oh, we haven’t got any.
This game should be done and dusted by now…
So because of his lack of transfer activity, he’s open slather for all else?
Harsh, IMO.
Solid start……let’s destroy this lot.
We should have been 3-0 up by the first 15 mins.
We were that good and Watford were that bad.
Ozil thrives with Iwobi and Sanches alongside him. The reason is because all three are footballers.
Devil, it’s working brilliantly well.
Let us hope we can remain relatively injury free from now on and who knows??
Aftsrnoon all. Hi Scott, you still reckon Leicester will bottle it? Where people watching this game, online?
Blow me down!
3-0 now. We’ve found a purple patch! I’ve always felt that midfielders and defenders are usually natural goalscorers!
May have won this one now, probably a little late in the season to show our true form!
We rested Bellerin from Cup game to save for Europe. Still rankles me.
More good news. Kouyate sent off fof WHU.
Well that was a bit better…
Bob, the pundits reckon that will get revoked…
Looks like Newcastle are going down…
Now to cheer on the Dippers…
Come on Liverpool, we’re all behind you, albeit for only the next couple of hours….
Scott 3.29…
Yes mate, that’s how it goes…
that was a good game….but not a good score for me. 4-0 seems an easy victory…yet had we taken our chances which were created left, right and centre that should have been an 8-0 one. Were we that good?? yes. we were. we should have been 4-0 inside the first 20 mins.
Motm for me??? IWOBI. again. scored 2 goals in the last 3 games. He also assisted Alexis for the goal. and has a bloody good footballing brain. For a teenager that says something.
4-0 good score.
WH next
hope toots and Leicester drop 3 points 🙂
Painful though Kev, but just for 95 mins I think I’ll cope… Lol
Good to see Walcott score too… 🙂
Football is all about energy and pace these days so no coincidence that we look a different team with Elneny, Iwobi and Welbeck in the side. Agree re Kouyate Rico. Bound to get revocked with us playing them next!
Think Elneny is proving to be a very good signing Bob and spot on re Welbeck and Iwobi, the latter looks a little gem…
And to think Theo is earning ten times as much as Iwobi!
Goodness knows how or why…
But I bet Arsene sticks by him next season…
Do you remember Sebastian Perez? The 20 year old who we could not get a permit for. He plays the same game as Elneny. One or two touches max and pass.like him Elneny already knows where he should pass the ball before he receives it. Danny, Elneny and Iwobi have one thing in common….not fast feet but a fast brain. That is what makes them different than Theo and other players. They are footballers. And that is why Ozil works better with them. He does nnot need to look up as he knows where they will make the run. Spot on Bob
Walcotts problem is his attitude imo. When he wants to play, he can and does but all too often he’s bloody lazy.
I wonder where the spuddies would be if Kane was taken out of the equation for a run of 6 games or 7.
Shame someone doesn’t make sure he’s missing for those fixtures… Lol
Adam holds Harry Kane in the highest of regard, not least for his grasp of the intricacies of the English language and his faultless cut-glass accent…
But also because Mr Kane will not tolerate the complacent use of grammar
I can imagine Kev.. I can hear his words as I type…
Spuddies drop two points today.
Next up is Manure.
We need to win our next game as well.
A draw at Anfied… Good for us..
Ah well, at least they dropped 2 points and didn’t improve on their goal difference ?
We need to win every game Devil…
I’m off to watch some rubbish on tv..
If anyone wants to write a match report, feel free to email me… ?
Night guys…
Night Rico
Match report in your inbox boss.
Yawn.
Off to sleep now.
Good night Boss and peeps.
Well done Coach ?
Hi all, another game where every player is synced perfectly. Where has this arsenal been?
Totts dropped two points (wish they dropped all three) which is a good thing for us. St. st totteringham’s day is achievable fellas 🙂
Morning all…
Thanks Devil, I have it…
Good morning Boss and Peeps.
Who will we sign today?
Morning Devil
Plenty according to the papers… lol
Flores rubs salt into the wounds…. Arsenal the best team we have played this season
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/7046050/Henrikh-Mkhitaryan-starts-house-hunting-in-London-ahead-of-proposed-Arsenal-move.html
🙂
Shame he wasn’t saying that after the FA Cup match…
Xhaka and Mkhitaryan together means only one thing….either Jack is considered to break down any time or else one of Ozil, Aaron and Jack will be sold. Yes, MF, MA, TR will leave but I do not think any of those will want to stay on the bench.
Morning Rico
Morning All
We did create more than enough chances in the cup vs Watford, but our forwards were lacking confidence and quality on the day…
Welbeck was unlucky, Iwobi hit the post, if we’d got a replay I reckon we would’ve smashed them.
Just goes to show that winning a hat-trick of FACups isn’t easy and shouldn’t be scoffed at, that’s why it hasn’t been done for a 100 years…
Well done Coach… ?
Or maybe Santi is on the move Devil..
Morning Kev, very true re the Cup match. Shame Welbeck didn’t start that game…
Coach, I’d take some of these transfer stories with a pinch of salt, but a handful of salt. Agents will be very busy circulating stories and a media, especially that online, will be desperate to get us clicking on their rubbish rumour sites…
Morning and thanks Kev.
I feel the Coquelin/Elneny partnership is here to stay.long term. Even Cazorla might find it difficult. Unless AW is planning to have 2 first 11 players.
I still say that AW should buy two RB and put Bellerin as winger.
Yeah Rico, we could see a lot of changes to the squad in the summer, but I reckon any signings are more likely to be in the Elneny bracket, price-wise, than the Xhaka etc…
I can see Wengef going down the Project Youth route again as well…
I would hate Santi to leave….unless his injury is worse than revealed.
Coach, if we’re gonna lose Rosicky, Flamini and Arteta, then I’d be amazed if Cazorla left as well. Remember, we do get injuries and need a 25 man squad. Personally I’d offer Cazorla a new contract and keep him, especially as he can play in several positions in midfield.
Wenger isn’t going to let Wilshere leave either Imo…
That wouldn’t bother me Kev, not if they are as good as Elneny is right now…
Jeff is one who could make the step up next season…
Toral and Akpom will play a part next season.
I can’t see many, if any leaving other than Debuchy and the 3 out of contract. Szczesny could go, as could Ospina if he wants first team football..
But I can’t see a glut of players coming in, it’s not the way AW does things as too many upsets the balance…
Iwobi is here to stay as well.
Yes, that’s Rosicky replaced… 😉
Walcott in particular, with only 5 (?) goals this season and Giroud could be sold if the offers are high enough. I was chatting to Adam and he reckoned £25+ million for Walcott, which surprised me, but he is probably right, Giroud could also be £25m I guess?!
How much would it cost Arsenal to buy similar replacements, quality wise?
More than £50m for the pair I suspect, unless Wenger digs up a couple of Elneny’s…
Rico, agree totally with the Jeff…
Coach, agree totally with Toral – who scored again yesterday, that’s 8 for the season…
Akpom I’m not sure about, but he has a chance.
Toral will surely be kept IMO.
Can’t see AW selling Walcott Kev..
At 21 years old, Toral has to be in the squad next season if he’s good enough.
Reckon Akpom will be a gonner though..
So many midfielder’s coming through, but no strikers.. Unless Jeff is going to become one… 😉
New post up now..
No, you’re probably right Rico, and certainly not to another EPL club…
Did I hear right when I heard that Liverpool valued Sturridge at £50m…?
Absolutely not Kev as we all know what he can do with a bit of discipline…
I read that too, £50m is hideous…
Morning all.