Morning all.
A few comments over the last couple of days, not just on HH but across other websites I have read made me think about that very question. Has Arsene Wenger got lucky, or has he been clever…
Nacho Monreal – he’s nailed down the left-back spot pushing many Arsenal fans favourite Kieran Gibbs out. Monreal had been seriously criticised by fans and pudits, so much so, any talk of him returning to Spain was almost welcomed.
I think he’s been superb both at left-back and even when asked to fill in at centre-back, he barely put a foot wrong.
Hector Bellerin – well who’d have thought he’d have impressed as much as he has? He’s been fantastic for Arsenal in the absence of Mathieu Debuchy – yet when Arsene Wenger gave him his chance, or when a few Arsenal fans wanted him to his to get his chance, the idea wasn’t met with too much enthusiasm. Too young and far too raw. Too risky.
(When I say ‘some/few fans’ – I mean across the blogshere, not just here on HH)
Yet now, just a few months on, he’s been rewarded with a new Arsenal contract and a call up by his country. Not bad eh.
Francis Coquelin – injuries to Arteta and Ramsey opened the door for him and I don’t think many fans have a bad word to say about him right now. There might be odd one or two who can’t see passed Mikel Arteta being the best option of course but in the main, I think all of us have been well and truly pleasantly surprised by his performances.
I’ll admit here and now that just a year, maybe two ago, I’d have been glad to see him gone as I couldn’t see how or where he fitted into any Arsenal side. I’m not too proud to admit I was so very wrong.
Gabriel Paulista – South American defenders aren’t much good are they? Or they’ll need a season to settle – even Charlie Nicholas said the same as a few fans when he arrived at Arsenal. Really?
David Ospina – I’m sure I read a mixed view on him too across the Arsenal blogs but perhaps those peoples view has changed for the better….
When Arsene Wenger, in our opinion, mucks up this, that and the other, he’s on the receiving end of a lot of negative, sometimes really nasty stuff but when he makes changes, or signings which turn out to be positive for the team and the club, he’s labelled lucky.
All of the above decisions, which in the main have taken place in 2015, have been made by Arsene Wenger and all in my opinion, have been successful. So instead of citing lady luck for his and Arsenal’s performances and results of late, why not pat him on the back and say ‘well done Arsene’?
Luck, although bad for Aaron Ramsey and Mikel Arteta getting injured turned good after presenting the opportunity for Francis Coquelin.
Thank Swansea City for showing Arsene Wenger that Calum Chambers needing taking out of the limelight allowing Bellerin his chance. Thank Gabriel for slotting in so well and giving Merts and Koscielny a bit of a break and David Ospina for his good form since taking over in goal.
But most of all, don’t forget to thank the man who made those decisions and all for the greater good….
Arsene Wenger will always divide fans for what has been throughout his seventeen years. Certain fans can’t forget the glorious times and refuse to see the bad. Others will only see the bad and forget the good times because where we are today is all what matters.
There have been times, many times when I wished Arsene Wenger would pack his bags and walk away but for now, I think we really could be on the up…
Finally – Mikel Arteta, Jack Wilshere, Serge Gnabry and Abou Diaby continued their return from injury last night with the under 21’s. By all accounts Diaby had a very good game as Arsenal romped home 4-1 winners with young Alex Iwobi nabbing a hat-trick.
That’s it for Wednesday, have a good day guys…
1st again. I like this lark.
🙂 Devil…
Have to go out for a couple of hours so catch up a bit later..
I’ll be wearing a tin hat… 🙂
A nice post Lady.
But……I was one of the first ones to bang the drum for Ospina and Bellerin. I had seen Ospina around 4 years ago and he was already a very good prospect. Bellerin I saw him playing at youth level and was very impressed so I was one of the first ones not to worry when Bac left.
Luck is part of any parel Rico. Just ask Mourinho or any other coach who got lucky. Mourinho is so lucky that he has ended up with Cesc who is crap after Christmas.
Intelligence is part of it, luck as well. a mixture really. yes AW is intelligent but is also a lucky guy.
Good read Rico..
Arteta is still the best; happy to be the only loony to say that. 😛
Oh, and JB always rates Diaby very highly whenever he plays for the u-21; last time was when he played with JW, Dench in 2013 for the reserves…
Since Rico is gone for awhile I can say what I like about Flamini and Le Coq and JW and Theo of course. 😛
I agree with you regarding Arteta Ginge. imo he is still the best we have at the club. Maybe Shad can work with him and give him the strength for another year. He can rotate with Coquelin and play alongside him. If he gets some more strength in his body he can survive another year with AFC. I love him as a player and feel that he is another coach on the pitch. infact I feel he should be given a coaching role at the club especially with the young ones.
Diaby should try to forge his way into the coaching set up as well. He should be a fitness coach. by now I feel he knows everything by heart through experience alone. maybe he will eclipse Shad and be even better.
Good news re arteta and Co… .. If diaby is over his injuries I’m all in for a new contract but that is a big IF so… ……. With everybody back we are looking very good as the season comes to and end….. second place finish and the fa cup and I will be very happy
AW sailed close to the wind and got lucky this season…
Le Coq has done extremely well since he has been back; I take nothing away from him at all and he has helped us when it could have been disastrous for us and AW when Ramsey and Arteta got injured again without us having cover…
I know I have no coaching badges but I have been saying since January that Le Coq always struggles in the second half of games; mostly due to stamina…
Last Saturday was the 3rd time AW has said Le Coq did very well in the first half in games…
Instead of the Arsenal faithful heaping praises on Le Coq for reviving our season imo, we should be looking at the bigger picture and seeing that AW playing SC19 in the box to box role and not as a no.10 as I also said was his best position has also helped Le Coq appear to be doing well.
Last season Flamini was given the same accolade for making our defence strong in the period before christmas by the whole blogosphere…
I got slated for saying Flamini was tactically clueless i.e headless chicken and would be found out when Ramsey got injured and that Arteta will take his place when he was fit…
It took Pep to say how we looked strong in midfield with Arteta before Flamster was dropped; even though I am certain AW realised Flamini flapped and hardly ever made any clean tackles in games…
Still; lets finish in 2nd and win the FA cup and then AW can get us Kramer or Aranguiz or Gonalons to bolster our options in CDM..
And King Abou is back… 😛
Good read Rico
Dev-all the young foreign kids at the club after training with Diaby say him, TR07, Arteta are the best players at the club.
The English one’s say its SC19….
I guess its all about what folks value…
Continental players as we all agree are schooled on tactical part of the games from an earlier age and have a greater appreciation of it….
Dev- as you said if Shad can help Arteta for another season and just keep him available for games that require a bit of tactical nous in midfield such as against AS Monaco at home we will be fine…
Hi ts nothing taking anything away from coq either but I noticed against Newcastle that he was dropping energy wise in the second half imo I think he hasn’t really played top football for a year or so now I’m no expert but maybe it might be because of that? Again I like coq and hope he pushes on to another level next season
Hi Snap…
That is my argument too… In almost all the games he has played since January he has dropped off and picked up cards ad conceded more fouls in the second half…
My concern is that when he made his debut against Yanited he was like that… even fergie mentioned how easy it was in the second half in the 8-2 defeat… BTW. I am not blaming Le Coq for that defeat…
He next played in the 2-1 defeat at Shite-hart lane; most fan said he was our motm but I thought he tailed off in the 2nd half…
I was the only one commenting on Le Coq’s performance whilst he was on loan at Freisburg and he was the same there…
At Lorient, Gourchuff Snr stopped playing him in CM for that reason…
I guess I can see these minor but important things because I get some access to players GPS stats…
Same reason I maintained Ozil run the most (- 2nd or 3rd) only to Ramsey or TR07 or CJ25 when he was being slated for his effort last season during games…
It is only this season that the media has made Ozil’s distance covered stats available that media and fans are beginning to appreciate he was not just standing there as camera’s portrayed him…
Morning all, as a believer that Arsenal play better when Arteta is in the team and I have said it many times on HH. 😉
I just wonder has the team moved on since he’s injury and should he be an automatic starter in the first team.
Lucky managers ? Ramsey was lucky , had Greaves not got his ankle injury, would Hurst got the hat trick ? . Would Beardsley have teamed up with Lineker had Bryan Robson not popped his shoulder when Bobby Robson took England further than anyone since Ramsey. It’s a recurring theme in football. Wenger can take credit for Bellerin he was bought in deliberately to be a right back. Coquelin however was on his way out of the club. His form and our present position is down to a desperate gamble. Le Coq was not in his plans , credit to the player for taking his chance . In this case Wenger and all of us have been lucky. Will he be just as fortunate with Diaby ? If he can dominate the midfield for 3 or 4 games and we progress up the table will Wenger be vindicated or should he break down again, vilified.
I would like to see how JW plays in the next few games… he has the talent; he just needs a bit of guidance..
Dev- from your experience do you think bigger clubs coach their players less than teams who do not have to play a game every 3 days? My reason for asking is that; Pep dropped AS17 after he brought AS17 to Barca because apparently AS17 held on to the ball too long…
Do you think Pep might have tried to curb that from AS17’s game and failed or Pep just gave up?
Poldi ws dropped at FC Munchen for that reason even though maybe an extra coaching might have helped improve their games..
Saying that both AS17 and Poldi have not been able to change their games that much up to now….
Maybe with our improved fitness system he can improve as well
Joe… I love only TR07 and Kosser in the squad…
I appear to like Arteta because sometimes it appears he is never appreciated…
The funny thing is that in the season that RVP was touted as the best player and most important to us; Arteta from a DM position won us 12 points from his goals alone… no mention has been made of that
3 of those points was against Man City in the 1-0 win at home…
I do not believe any player should be an automatic starter… it reminds me of Mallinger vs David Seaman.
Potter- we know when Diaby plays 2 or 3 games continuously he is almost world class..
I find Diaby brings about his own downfall…
When he appears to be getting fitter he changes his style and reverts back to holding onto the ball far too long like JW does and ends up getting injured…
I would have thought that Diaby would realise that changing his game to how Le Coq did since his loan to SC freisburg was the only way he could extend his career…
Ginge, I have observed and learnt that its not the big clubs who do not coach their players. That lies with the manager. For example, Cesc said that here they never had tactical coaching. AW expected everyone to know what he is supposed to do. He went to Barca and he began receiving tactical coaching under Pep.
About Mourinho we all know that HE DOES tactics, albeit negative ones.
And we all know that Ancellotti is tactically sound as a coach.
What big players do not need is a lot of practice since they know these things. but little coaching tips like for example how to nullify a player’s threat are important. For example I have never liked man to man marking. but if for example the opposing team’s most dangerous player is their right winger I would put my fastest player on my left hand winger side and tell the team to focus on my player since the opposing player would be busy charging back to try and win possession. Alternatively I would have preferred the ball played on the ohter side as well since it would starve the opposite player. Small things which need great deal of attention.
another example……i always used to leave two players up near the centreline whenever we defended corners. This always gave us an advantage since the opposition always used to leave around three at the back in case of a breakaway. And I always instructed the keeper that if he got the ball from a corner it should always be distributed to the player who is on the opposite side of the pitch from where the corner was taken. This always gave us great advantage and I used to enjoy conceding corners as it usually led to a fast breakaway from which we scored. With youths between 15 and 19 this always worked a treat. with the seniors though the percentage dropped. However these small things are always important, even for top players.
Very interesting Dev.. cheers for that detailed input.
Interestingly there is the opposite flanking manoeuvre in infantry tactics… not that I am an expert btw…
This is where you put down suppressive fire on the flank an enemy attack came from but then attack from the other flank…
Back to football… why do you think Pep will spent 20million on Thiago but then turn Lahm into a CDM just because Thiago from a closer distance did not appear to have what he might have thought Thiago had before he was purchased?
” Diaby should try to forge his way into the coaching set up as well. He should be a fitness coach. by now I feel he knows everything by heart through experience alone.” 😛
So true…Diaby could have done a doctorate and written a top thesis during his lay-off’s… 🙂
If goal.com is to be believed…
http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2892/transfer-zone/2015/04/08/10549022/arsenal-told-they-have-no-chance-in-move-for-cech
Rico… when is Theo’s testimonial? 😛
Almost 10 years at the club
Micko must be arranging it… 😉
Class of 2003/2004 vs Theo’s XI
Tagh at the moment we have a number of automatic starters (just my opinion)
Kos
Per
Santi
Coq
Sanchez
Giroud
Not sure Ateta falls in to that category any more but I hope he doesn’t because it means he’s playing well and that can only be good for the team.
Like you I have always thought arteta made Arsenal a better team.
Maybe Monreal as a automatic starter as well.
How could I forget about Özil
Morning All
Morning Rico, very good post…
Yep, Coach I remember you bigging up Bellerin.
I rated him also, but didn’t expect him to develop quite as much as he has…
Just goes to show what hard work can do!
As for Monreal, well Adam has been in my ear for the last 18 months, going on about how good he is…
But Le Coq has caught us all out, for sure…
Hard work and good coaching and encouragement from Arsene…
Hope he does not doesn’t bloody phone
I ditto your above- Joe
Competition is good for both fans and the players who want to improve…
I personally think Sc19 has been one of our top 3 players this season..
Of course AS17 carried us in the first half of the season.. without him it would have been disastrous… there would have been more AW out being shouted….
SC19 is the one who has tried to dictate our play since the Spurds lose…
He has picked up the ball from deep and driven us forward as Per has resorted to his back pass cack whenever there is pressure ahead of him…
Le coq has with us on the ball been playing like Vidal or Bender…; he has moved further forward and allowed Ozil or Sc19 to pick up the ball from our CBs’. when Arteta is fit and playing he orchestrates our play from deep; the downside to that is style of play is that Fergie and Jose’s of this world find it very easy to nullify Arteta by placing an Oscar or Wooney on Arteta….
In those types of games, you would expect someone like JW coming deeper to pick the ball up….
I guess Aw realise JW is not great at doing that and so he experimented with Ox against the chavs and the bin-dippers in CM but it ended disastrously…
Yep Kev, you commented on Bellerin’s performance during his stint at Watford..
not forgetting Rick and Emma of course…
Would love Toral to break through too..
Does he qualify as English as his mother is British?
many players can qualify as English seeing that AFC are getting them from 15/16 years of age and at 21 they have English passport. That is why i asked whether Coquelin can be introduced to the English team. Carrick is the best England have atm however, age is not on his side while Coquelin is only 23. He has been in England since 2008 so more than 5 years and tbh i cannot see him ahead of Matuidi, Gonalons, Schneiderlin for France. So yes he has good ground for the English national team.
Who is there after Carrick….Delph, Rodwell??? I like them both but I feel that if Roy wanted to experiment with a 4-1-4-1 formation he would go for Coquelin.
that would mean another Englishman to Arsenal. and that is very important.
Dev- James McCarthy maybe; I rate Barkley too; I think he is better as abox to box midfielder than as a CAM…
The Arteta vs a Destroyer DM debate is a matter of ideology imho…
Both are needed depending on the opposition;
Pep rarely plays Martinez as he prefers pensioner Alonso and Lahm in CDM…
Most Arsenal fans will prefer Martinez btw…
Pep still plays Martinez when the opposition set-up requires it… that does not mean Martinez is shite…
Same as Pirlo is a pensioner but is still Juve and Italy’s best CDM… against some oppositions he will be found out that is why even at Milan when Pirlo was in his prime he needed a Gatuso next to him….
On paper Pirlo and Seedorf did not need any other DM to help them but someone had to do the donkey work..
Dev- My bad Mccarthy is Scottish according to wiki…;
You are right Dev…
But The England fans prefer Phil Jones as the DM to Carrick… ideology again;
Funny thing is those same pundits will say how Pirlo or Busquet are awesome but we have Carrick who is similar but is underrated…
Wenger’s lucky to be in a job..lets all be honest.
One cup 10 years.
Playing Bellerin against stoke away was a mistake.
If Ramsey had not been injured..
would the Coq still be at Charlton.
The big turn around of the season,was made by the
players at Man City..lets be honest.
The players put it to wenger to change the
system of keepball.
We don’t have the ball even at home anymore..do we.
The critic’s among us can say we were right,
wenger has,at long last listened to us.
The scouts at the club find the players,
not wenger,he is advised..
wenger never see Freddy Ljungberg play.did he
We could fill a book up with the Cr#p players
wenger has sighed………….couldn’t we.
And we can droll over the great players
wenger has signed
At the end of the week.
We all love The Arsenal.don’t we
And deep down we all love Wenger,
We are a big club, we want to be up top..don’t we
we got to the top playing negative football
with The Stroller.
Then along came wenger ball.
Are we really worried who the manager is
as long as we are at the top and challenging
who we play who we buy..at the end of the week
it’s out of our hands……ain’t it
Afternoon Kev and all..
Devil. I know you were bigging up Bellerin and Ospina, but as I explained in the post, a lot of negativity around them and others like Monreal etc has been written elsewhere and that’s fine, all it did was made me ask the question today and hopefully generate a discussion…
Kev, me too re Monreal… 😉
I’m not a huge fan of Arteta, not as a person of course, he’s a nice decent guy, or that’s how he comes across but his legs are gone. Up against a side with pace and strength in midfield and he’ll struggle, just like he did last night apparently against a Stoke under 21 side.
Afternoon Rico.
Fred, I find it hard to disagree with most of your comment.
I guess I was just trying to say whilst the going is good, why not give AW a bit of credit…
Afternoon Adam.
Rico. I hope Wenger signs a new contract. 🙂
Afternoon boss.
the negativity over unknowns usually arises from blinkered people. They expect PV04 to be replaced by someone of a similiar physical and technical stature. And that is a problem. When PV04 left I told my dad that now Arsenal had to change the style to accomodate CF04. They were different in style and physique. However the style did not change much and players still played the same way with the result that the team declined in performance.
One thing I learnt through experience in coaching was that those coaches who try to accomodate the players to the style usually suffer much more than those coaches who accomodate the style to the players abilities. Its the player who must be the subject of the style. That has always been my philosophy. I never treated players as the objects of the style.
And that is a big difference when trying to fit a player to a style. I can never be the same as PV04….but I can offer something different to the team.
Many supporters are like that. They expect the same style etc. Life is not like that, especially in a game of football.
Comparisons are always odious.
Rico if he can keep us up top,
he can stay for ever..
I will put up with all the Jackanorys,all the injured players
he keeps buying and even all the Zip problems,
on the duvet’s.
Fred, we all love the Arsenal; the magnitude of love if it could be measured would prevent lots of older men and some ladies getting fleeced by young con-artist…
Re. Arsenal if we are being honest with ourselves… are we punching below our weight?
The magnitude of a clubs’ size is also relative and most definitely always amplified by the clubs’ fans/supporters or in modern speak customers. 😉
During the relative short time I have supported Arsenal and being able to cast my mind back only to the 80’s we have always been a team that goes through cycles…
For instance I know 4th or 5th generation Arsenal fans who claim Arsenal football wise is bigger than BVB 09 and that they assumed BVB 09 only existed due to Klopp… They forget BVB has won the UCL and other European titles..
———————————————————————————–
Imho- Arsenal has a great tradition and history but sometimes I think sections of fans act as if it is within our right to win the title every season especially at home when fans can’t even be bothered cheering the team on unless we sre winning 3-0….
Reason why I prefer going to away games.
same here Ginge……….I would add that some section of the fans expect us to win every game 10-0.
🙂 Adam, I wouldn’t go that far… Just yet… lol
Afternoon Devil..
Blinkered or merely see players differently and have a different opinion..?
🙂 Fred. Big summer ahead I hope. Mind you, I’ve been saying that for 5/6 summers now….
Lol Dev…
The contents of my comments above was not specifically addressed to Fred btw…
I have only been following Arsenal since the 80s’; I respect folks like Potter, Syg, Fred, Kev and not forgetting grandpa Wath etc 🙂 who are able to talk fondly of 60s…
Syg can even go as far back as the 1930s’ and I have met him and he doesn’t look like he has been around that long. 😛
Aren’t all clubs the same though Ts?
What other PL club hasn’t gone through ‘cycles’…. Ok Utd had their glory years, Liverpool did too but at some stage, they dropped off just as Chelsea and City will once Arsene Wenger signs the players we need to knock them off their perch… 🙂
A prophet is without honour in his own country Rico. 🙂
In the old days Ts we barely had anyone in the ground,
we used to walk around the ground each half.
In them days if not playing we all went away games
or home reserve games,it was easy then.
Wenger days are 10 great 10 bad,
not sure what the new Arsenal fan feels,
but if it’s been only 20 years of support,
the answer lay’s with wenger.
🙂 Adam
All the top clubs other than the chavs,
are pencilling in players already,rico
Not sure where we are going,
will we sell before we buy again.
As Rico said in a very insightful post this morning Wenger is always at fault when things go wrong but is lucky when it goes right.
There’s no proof that coq was on he’s way out of the club just opinions that he was.
The one fact is that Coq was an Arsenal player no matter where he was playing at the time.
Why is the zip that important seems to me it allows the media and the Wenger out fans to make fun of him.
Don’t you think we are doing the same though Fred? I do….
Afternoon, I don’t think it,s a case of wether Wenger got lucky or not, I feel it,s just down to the team finding form at the right time and the belief that is being instilled into the team, to which must stem from the manager. He continually spouts he,s mantra “We continue to work hard”, so maybe the hard work on the training ground is finally starting to pay off, Also the inconsistency of all teams around us, i.e Spurs, City, Lpool and Southampton is definitely showing us up to be a more solid and together team in the latter stages of the season. Don,t think you can put it down to one or two things, Just hard work brings its own rewards. To which I am thoroughly enjoying
How can anyone know what our club or any club is going to do in the summer.
Everything we see at the moment is just speculation in the media or hit whoring.
By the way what was wrong with the last 2 summer transfer windows.
We bought Özil two years ago 5 players in the last window.
Joe – to be fair, I think AW said he was ready to sell Coquelin in January… Not 100% sure though re the comments..
Dublin, you might have a point. Just wish we could have started the season as we are playing now but like you, I’m enjoying all that’s going on right now..
Long may it stay that way….
Rico I have an idea that Wenger said he sent Coq to Charlton because he wanted him to play games. because he needed the game time because he wasn’t fit enough to play for Arsenal in the Pl.
Now that could be Wenger spinning a story in don’t know.
Rico, the bin-dippers are the media lovers are the worst…
Their sense of entitlement can only be beheld… 😉
Were they even the first club in Merseyside?
I suspect he did Joe… I’m just glad it’s all worked out for him and the bigger picture, Arsenal FC…
Tranmere wasn’t it Ts? 😉
Fred 12.23, top post and not a me me me me me me me to to seen.
Of course Rico, I do recall you enthusing about Bellerin the last time we spoke…
How could I ever forget… 😉
Mind you Rico, at the same time Adam was bigging up Monreal, he was being rather harsh about Ozil and, believe it or not, Giroud…
I think he was a bit groggy at the time
And Monreal Kev… 😉 😉
Hi Micko..
Walkies time for me….
Ah, I meant Monreal…. 😀
I think Liverpoool FC came out of Everton…Rico
I blame Micko though for all that gibberish.. lol
Kev. I shoot from the hip. :). But, occasionally I can be groggy.
Joe. Le Coq was loaned to SC Freisburg with a view to be sold for 2m Euros; he was voted the worst player in Bundesliga that was why the deal did not materialise…
I take what AW says with a pitch of sold… he is the master of disinfo…. he must have graduated from the mockingbird operation…
Re. Bellerin when AW hector was not in his plans makes me laugh.. we know its a bit of double speak…
How many times had Rico told me off for alluding to the ‘rumours’ that AW was going to sell CJ25 so that Bellerin would be the no.2 RB since allegedly he was promised a place in the first team within 2 years…
Unlike Cesc or pique; Barca wanted to keep Hector; we just promised him a faster means to the top level…
tsgh, you ole whipper snapper I think you’ll find that’s Tranmere !
Kev. Today’s Giroud is a newer, sleeker version of the old one.
Good afternoon Gooners.
lets enjoy this and long may it continue….
Le Cq was on loan many times, did not ask out, came back and took his chance with both hands. all our players on loan should think about that and work HARD. we need more like him…. earn your place and contract. I would not mind Theo going on loan to St Mary’s for a season (after signing an extension of course) and come back more technically aware and bang them in gooaaallsss for fun.
Dg- During the summer, I wrote a post alluding to our history under Aw of under performing for the first few months after an international tournament.
History repeats itself; but its all stats so I guess it is rubbish… 🙂
Examples are 2000-2001 when our performance before Christmas handed the trophy to Fergie; and also 1999…
2001 wa the year AW said we would go unbeaten and he was laughed at…
Oddly the 2002-2003 followed a WC tournament became historical; in my view it was to do with with TH14, Wiltord, PV04 and Pires etc being eliminated in the first round of Korea 2002 and so our big players did not miss much of pre-season prep…
😀 Micko….
Undercover Tranmere fan you are… 😉
http://player.arsenal.com/player/6171-wilshere-arteta-and-diaby-in-action.
Worth trying if you want to see last nights action. I think you can sign up for free.
Fred- ”Wenger days are 10 great 10 bad,”
If Joseph was our manager it would have been 7 great and 7 bad.. 😉
http://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/561692/Arsene-Wenger-Francis-Coquelin-Arsenal
Tagh so that’s it its not about the zip it’s the multi-coloured coat. 🙂
ha ha..lol. Joe
I see you missed sunday school; it is the multi coloured robe.. 😉
you didn’t miss… even.*
Potetr- JW looked sharp…
I Still can’t spell… 🙁
Just adding a bit French Micko.we we
What’s Sunday school?
Fred, The chavs have Varane earmarked..
And guess what? Jorge is poaching him… once he moves over to Jorge Mendez’s stables that will be it for mere proper clubs like us…
ours*
A must read for all the Le Coq lovers….
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3029046/Arsenal-EXACTLY-record-Premier-League-did-stage-season.html
We have the same 63 points after playing 31 games… we have conceded 36 without getting thrashed 6-1 whilst we had conceded 30 goals this season…
Our before Christmas form affected us; players like SC19 had not had a summer break for 2 or 3 seasons due to Conf. cup and the WC and before that the Euros…
And in regards to we look solid… we conceded 47% of all our goals against 4 teams last season… contrast to this season… if you take out the 6-3, 5-1 etc thrashings we suffered last season, we had a better defence last season that now…
What killed our chances last season was the 2-2 at Swansea and the 0-0 against Moyes; not forgetting the 1-1 against Everton at home…
As said by another poster above; AW may have a lot of luck; In my view mainly to do with the sub-standard performance clubs like Everton, Liverpool etc who normally finish 2 or so places below us….
My point is if Arteta is finished as most say then AW has to go out and spend big on a proper DM like Krychowiak, Morgan or Kramer as I still maintain Le Coq is not fit enough to play 2 games each week from next season without adequate cover;
Oh and who has noticed that Arteta has been sitting next to the coaches during games in the stands…
we had conceded 30 goals this time last season…
I’m Hong a plague of locusts will attack the dippers this evening and wipe the whole team out! The swag bag will well and truly be empty and the future about as bright as a Toc H lamp!
( a bit of sixties memorabilia, there, for the older more mature readers!).
Sorry, how rude. Hello playmates everywhere.
Hong = hoping, although Hong is good
‘Arteta sitting next to the coaches’ – that explains a lot – perhaps he should sit next to a Ferrari….
Afternoon all. Kev, you are on form today re your earlier…. 😉
Ts, you been on that hotline to Arsene again?
Credit to AW where it is due though…..
Last season fans were calling for Aw to play 4-4-2 as OG12 was too slow….; AW listened and started playing a version of 4-4-2 this season…
Oddly anytime AW played or set-up the team 4-1-4-1 last season we were heavily thrashed; like against everton in the 0-3 lunch time thrashing and 6-1 at Chelsea.
This season AW started playing 4-1-4-1 with AR16 playing further up field and we had one of our worst starts to a season…
The last time he played that way was against Sperds…. since he riverted back to playing a double anchor with Sc19 or TR07 next to Le Coq we have conceded less than 1.3 goals per game…
Personally I believe formation is crucial …;imho…
I read loads of comments where folks say if Le Coq had started the season instead of Arteta or even Flamini we would be challenging for the title…. Is that really true?
Arteta has played only 12 times this season; and he was involved in only 1 lose domestically which was against Yanited. Albeit he was at fault for the 2nd goal against Anderlecht (spelling) and lose at Dortmond
Folks forget Arteta was involved when we beat City 3-0 in the community shield and also BVB 09 2-0;…
He was also involved in arguably our best performance this season against AV…
he has led us to our 2nd title as a captain too; something most of our recent captains have failed to do; including TH14 in the League cup…
Without sounding mean… the loses we have suffered this season has mainly occurred when JW has been used as the DM player next to Ramsey when folks like JM, Emma etc have said it did not work…
🙂 Rico
I meant even though he is injured and should not be available during games he sits in the stands next to the coaches…
Hi Wavy
Micko, is your 2.10 a dig at me… 😉
🙂 Wavy, I’ll be rooting for BB, that’s for sure…
Adam, newer, sleeker and even more Quiff.
😀
I meant the Coquelin comment Ts, thought AW had filled you in on his career….
Still working on a post for ya Rico…
Some evenings I get in and the old brain just don’t wanna know… 😉
But i’ll get there….
Yeah, Hong to the Scousers… 😛
With Gnabry and Wilshere playing 90 mins yesterday, I reckon we could see both of them starting against Reading, Saturday week…
Thanks Kev, I know how you feel re the writing…. 😉
Hope we don’t take reading too lightly….. At Wembley, anything could happen..
reading, tsk – Reading… lol
rico, hospital food wouldn’t be top of my list right now thank you !
Don’t think playing Gnabry and/or Wilshere means that we’re playing a weakened team Rico tbh, but yeah, I see your point…
I honestly don’t think we’ll take Reading lightly. There’s too many still at the club who played in the Birmingham debacle for that…
No doubt they’ll be a few scares in the S/F, there always is with Arsenal, but we’re the best team left in it and if we maintain our form, barring a catastrophe, we should retain the Cup…
🙂 Micko, don’t believe all that Adam says about me……
Didn’t mean to knock Gnabry or Wilshere Kev, just meant I hope AW doesn’t make loads of changes thinking we are through…
As you say, Birmingham is a big reminder…..
Totally agree Rico…
We’ve got Chelsea the next game and I’d like to see a couple of our key players maybe on the bench in the S/F
I still don’t know how we recovered to beat Hull Kev…. Lol
Alexis, Coquelin need a break. Maybe play Diaby and Gnabry?
here they are……yesterday’s goals…
http://arsenalist.com/f/2014-15/other/all-four-goals-from-arsenal-u-21-win-over-stoke.html
Good Evening Lovelies and Hunkies
Kev…..why Jack and Gnabry???? Why not TR07 and the OX????
Nice one Coach… 😀
Why not all four….
All quality. Not really a weakened team mate…
I really really wanna smash Chelsea…
its a delicate situation…..play them and risk them being injured……do not play them and risk them loosing their mojo.
a catch 22
take off the jacket and feel the cold………put it on and start sweating.
I will think it over and see what formation I will come up with.
Is OC fit? Definitely Tomas….
So do I Kev!
Fcuk me, that Iwobi looks pretty decent…
England should get their flippin finger out and ensure he plays for the Three Lions….
A touch of the TH14 about those finishes methinks…
Rico, we won’t have a better chance…
The Oilers look knackered.
We’re flying….
Long overdue. Just wanna see the face of the Portugese Prick, when he loses to Wenger…
Now, COYRovers….
They sure do Kev, cheesed off that thug called Costa will be back… Stick Gabriel on him I say…
I waited for someone to come up with that and you came up with it Kev…….yes. those three goals reminded me of TH14 vs Zanetti.
he is still a cub but he has the looks of the grace a black panther had when he was wearing the number 14.
when he ran at the defence for the first goal I was replaying the run by TH14 when he skinned Zanetti. and tbh I was willing Iwobi to see him skin a stoke player alive.
Just compare Iwobi’s 1st and 4th goals to this……..
So did Theo when he arrived, but…….. 😉
we wait and see LAdy. Theo was always a good player, but never a footballer. Iwobi looks quite a bit decent atm……but yes I would like to see him next year in the Carling cup.
Anyone can tell me how old he is????
19 devil
Imo anything other than the 1st 11 against Reading simply does not add up. The chances of us winning the EPL are very small…..so this makes the FACup a very important game. The only changes I would like to do are Chambers for Bellerin, Gibbs for NAcho and Danny for Alexis with the Ox on the other side.
However other than that I doubt AW will make any changes.
And leave Ospina between the goal posts.
Two bright hopefuls with Iwobi and Akpom.
thanks LAdy. At 19 he should have already tasted the first team bench already.
Debuchy for Bellerin, surely Devil?
Why? Is age that important? Let him grow and when he’s ready, surely he’ll make the step up if good enough… 3 goals last night is great but there’s a long way to go….
I know Lady and perhaps you are right. But at 19 if he was good quality he would have already either been loaned out to gain experience or else sat on the bench. yes 3 goals last night were great and there is still a long way to go, but Chambers is 19, Bellerin the same, Akpom as well.
having said that Coquelin is 23 and its only now he has come to be important.
has Debuchy had match practice yet??? i think I only read Arteta, Jack and Diabeeeee made their comeback yesterday.
And Devil, how old was Henry or even Giroud when they really hit good form. Wrighty too, he was nearly a pensioner… Lol
Time will tell with him and others and I’m sure Jonker will have a word with Arsene when the time is right….
you are right Rico.
but I feel that the reserves and academy leagues are not enough to prepare them for the EPL. makes the need for AFC to buy another club in another country and send them there to develop……very important I feel.
He’ll go on loan when deemed right Devil. Either that or he’ll be a huge surprise one season… Lol
Come on Blackburn…
Damp the bin-dippers out…
Evening all again
I’m done… Night all..
Fingers crossed for Blackburn…
Coach, it’s a shame that we can’t have an agreement with a Championship club, say for three years, so there’s no possibility of the EPL club taking over totally, where by Arsenal loan the Championship team 4 or 5 players for a season, paying their wages, on the understanding that they play say 60% of the games…
If the Championship team gets promoted the agreement ends immediately.
It could be mutually beneficial to both clubs.
Just a thought before I hit the pit. Usmanov is often suggesting that he would like to help the club move forward, I wonder if he could be prevailed upon to invest some of his roubles into buying a small continental club where we could send our youngsters with potential, to hone their skills in a proper competitive league? Just a thought?
Night all.
Coach, I would start Gibbs, AOC & Chambers as you suggested, resting Monreal, Bellerin & Sanchez.
I’d also start Wilshere, giving Ramsey a rest.
Rosicky instead of Cazorla, same reason.
Reading are a good side, but they aren’t Real Madrid…
Ospina/Szczesny, Chambers, Gibbs, Gabriel, BFG, Coquelin, Wilshere, Rosicky, AOC, Welbeck, Walcott would be my starting XI…
Now if that team ain’t strong enough to beat Reading then maybe our squad ain’t as good as we’d like to think…
We could still have Giroud, Sanchez, Cazorla, Ozil etc, on the bench…
Morning all….
How many clubs is Morgan Schneiderlin going to be signing for in the summer… lol
Southampton will be rubbing their hands as the auction starts.Last season they lost players on the agents terms but with Schneiderlin they are in control.
Morning Rico, potter…
Unless the rumours of Morgan S. having a pre-contract agreement is true… we have missed the Mogan bus imho….
G. Krychowiak is teh one AW wanted but he was unwilling to pay the full £24m buy-out clause; or Camacho or even Kramer seem more plausible now… unless AW decided to go French and buys Gonalons…
Seems so Potter, quite a few of their players are linked to other clubs..
Morning Ts – where does the ‘Krychowiak being the one AW wanted’ come from. Newspapers or fact?
Wilshere, Arteta and Diaby back to face Burnley. Debuchy also available.
Koscielny will have a fitness test this morning.
ha ha Rico… watch the space. ;).
Speculation it is then Ts… 🙂
Rico- just putting 2& 2 together… AW wanted him before G. Krychowiak moved from Reims…
we made a bid last January before asking for Kramer on loan and then calling back Le coq…
My only issue is that he clocks up too many cards…. you will like him though 6’1 and 13 st according to wiki…
Krychowiak – Seville are reported to have paid 4.5 million euros for last year so where does the £24 million clause come from?
Making 10 Ts.. 😉
Morning Rico and all. My info is that Arsene will surprise us in the summer. 🙂
Last summer, we were keen and apparently Reims accepted our bid but something happened and he joined Seville;
The mirror also reported on how close he came to signing for us last January…
I don’t know why we pulled out last minute on both occasions…
Lucho Gonzalez was linked up to replace him at Seville…
Maybe it was a diversion to sign Gabriel… 😉
ha ha ha Nasri will join the bin-dippers next summer apparently…
Nastri tried to ass-kiss Pelle’ by saying his current manager was like AW…; but it seems the relationship between them is now at an all time low…
Greedy badgers!
Morning Adam. A little birdie told me that too… 😛
Ah, The Mirror – the never reliable… 😉
”where does the £24 million clause come from/”
Rico- All players in la liga have clauses…
lol… Nastri
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/man-city-aim-use-samir-5475508#rlabs=3
Was it in The Metro Rico? 🙂
Yes Ts, but my query was the £24 million when he went for 4.5 million….
BR Adam… lol
Good Morning Lovelies and Hunkies.
A nice sunny day today here. its getting quite warm now. And no wind!!!! YIPPPPEEEEEEEE
who to buy for CDM??? that is a conundrum. so many names. but let’s be honest. do you want an established name or do you want another unkown like Gabriel, Koscielny. we had never heard of them and voila. They are very important.
So yes…..let the papers pour out their garbage…..and wait for AW to get us a good player who is still unheard of.
Rico- Ath paid €1.5 million for Costa and 2 years later after only played less than 20 games was nearly sold to the bin-dippers for £25m when they thought Suarez would join us…
He snubbed Liverpool, improves his salary by £4k per week and increased his buy-out clause from €28million to £32 million points…
Song has a £55m point buy-out clause too btw…
Morning, the medical center is going to be pretty empty this week Jack,Dubuchy,Arteta and Diaby are all fit to start against Burnley and it seems Kos injury is not that big problem.
Ah, the BR. The oracle that dare not speak its name. 🙂
Some things never change it seems.
Rico I think you only believe Goal.com and metro so I found a link for you… 🙂
http://metro.co.uk/2014/11/07/arsenal-ready-to-seal-grzegorz-krychowiak-transfer-by-paying-23-5m-release-clause-4939293/
Lol Joe… Hayden is the last one now…
Dev… when we have no UCL games; made up transfers is the only fix. 🙂
55m for Song wow no that’s it wow 😉
Seriously though Rico- I have in the past sent to you on 2 occasions links showing players salary, contract length and buy-out clause… 😉
The link is fairly accurate.. consult it if you have it at hand.
Morning Devil, like you I don’t care who we sign as long as he’s very good…
Joe, 9.23am 😉
Joe- Even more shocking Vermaelen’s buy-out clause in his contract with Barca is €80million … btw
Morning All
Morning Rico
After half a season at top level a clause was placed in Varane’s contract for €200million from £25m
Rason the short dwarf has force Jorge Mendez to sign Varane apparently…
The weather in London Town is superb…
I could be getting my shorts out at this rate. 🙂
Slow news day then.
Morning sun shoes and moonbeams.
Perhaps Wenger the miracle worker already has somebody lined up, somebody from one of the junior teams? Hayden, Maitland Nils, etc. or a small conversion, Chambers for example. One thing is for sure, if he thinks he can find a cheap alternative to paying a small fortune for a ready made player, he will take it! Sneiderlin(??sp), is one we all like the sound of but does Wenger? He has the cash he could buy him easily enough but I have a feeling he is not even on the Arsenal radar. Just because we ‘fancy’ this player or that, Arsene the visionary will have his sights set somewhere else, you know he will!
Reason* even
Can we sell Diaby to Barca??? Transfer fee 25mill. Release clause 90million. LOLLLLLLLL
Morning Kev
Rico I was hoping everyone had forgot the 9.23am or maybe it was just me who forgot 😉
But you didn’t mention the medical center 🙂
It’s quite a sea- change having all our players fit…
Shads influence seems to be stamped all over the present change in fortunes…
If so then maybe a new improved contract this summer is the way to go.
Or else Shitty and Chavs will trying to poach him…
BR is up there with the Metro and a few others for high levels of BS Adam… 😉
Sun shoes is good but it was supposed to read, ‘sunshines’ thanks Mr ipad editor, proof reader and all round guru for your helpful corrections! But you really are a f**k wit!
Morning Kev and Wavy..
Trying to clear the streets again Kev… 😉
Rico. You shock me with that outrageous statement. 🙂
Morning Coach, so many fit players to choose from…
Takes some getting used to after years of permacrocks….
Isaac Hayden Wavy 🙂
A poached chav? I could eat one of them with a bit of liquor of course!
Kev- Oliver Bartlett is the most sort after fitness pro now…;
RM and City are already trying to poach him from Red Bull
Cause a riot Rico… 😀
Yes, I read about him Ginge…
An Aussie who was based in London, right under our noses
Quite looking forward to the Burnley game…
It’s be tough, but we have a great team with a high level of confidence….
The kettle is boiling…. 😉
sought* even..
Kev- he was the one I talked about last season saying that Klop would be found out when he left BVB.
Back then most fans claimed Klopp was a top coach who could motivate his players unlike AW.. I contested that it was due to the Australian Scott didn’t know… 😛
That’s the boy, Rico. I knew that, it’s the short term memory that’s a bit dodgy!!
🙂 Kev…
Ha ha Wavy, sounds like your memory is as good as mine…
Surely not Adam… 😉
Next season Red Bull Salzburg will surprise folks in the UCL…
Kev- he hasn’t lived in UK for a while…. he is the one who revolutionalised dfb
Dev- what would you think if AW surprised us with Pjanic.. as our new DM?
New post up now….
That’s the boy, Rico. I knew that, it’s the short term memory that’s a bit dodgy!!