Morning all.
Big Ollie, one of Arsenal’s most recent ‘Marmite’ players. Some love him for his hold up play, his goal scoring ratio and his commitment. Others think he’s a bit of a carthorse and not clinical enough in front of goal.
Sunday, he missed more than one opportunity in front of goal. The chance from just six yards out really should have been buried. He knew that too as his reaction said it all.
Those two points dropped might come back to haunt us..
But so might the three points the team dropped on the opening day of the season. What about the three dropped at Chelsea, after all it seems everyone can beat them this season, other than us so perhaps being so harsh on the big Frenchman is a tad unfair. Well, kind of…
Ian Wright certainly thinks so:
Olivier Giroud has taken so much stick it’s a wonder he isn’t black and blue.
Forget all that talk of this being the Gunners’ best chance in years of winning the title, they said, with Giroud leading the line they haven’t got a prayer. Yes, the Frenchman didn’t have his finest hour against Spurs. But to put all the blame at his door is unfair and wrong.
If Arsenal do see their title hopes go up in smoke again this season, it won’t be down to the fact that Giroud is up front.
So far this season, Ollie has scored 6 goals in 12 league appearances which even I can work out equates to a goal every other game but it wasn’t until Walcott suffered injury that Ollie started a game so fingers crossed he starts taking more of his chances in front of goal giving the manager a selection headache once the Englishman returns.
John Lewis have released their big advert so you know Christmas is not far away, and once that big day has been and gone, the transfer window will be opening. I can’t wait! 😉
Here’s a sign of things to come:
Arsenal are targeting two top Bundesliga stars over the next year, according to SportBild in Germany and those two players are Bayer Leverkusen forward Karim Bellarabi and Schalke defender Benedikt Howedes.
If that’s not enough to wet your whistle, reported Gunners target Jese Rodriguez is prepared to listen to offers from clubs. That’s according to Le 10 Sport.
Finally, Arsenal and Manchester United could battle it out to lure Charly Musonda away from Chelsea, according to Foot Mercato.
I googled Musonda, he’s a 46 year old midfielder……
Ok, just kidding, it’s his son who plays for Chelsea and he’s a lot lot younger……
So there’s four players we can forget about as rumours seldom turn into truth…
Have a good Wednesday guys, I’m out for most of the day , so if anyone has their comments stuck in moderation, I can only apologise.
Morning everyone.
Xmas is just around the corner……what will Arsene buy us 🙂
Morning again all..
One, maybe two hopefully Scott….
morning rico and the house
good post
wenger wont spend in January, It will be the same excuses
Hes leaving the £200 mill for the next manager
Bring on PEP..
Pep?
Mmmm.
We will need a big budget as that’s what he’s used to.
I’d honestly rather see him with a decent squad, and not an absolute world class one to test him first but if he joins us, so be it….I hope he’s the real deal as I still think he’s untested.
Time will tell.
MG, just to add…..you criticise Wenger daily, but then say he’s holding back money for the new manager.
Isn’t that a noble deed???
Should that not be applauded, if it’s true?
He’s leaving damn big shoes to fill, so if what you say is true and he is trying to make the next mans job easier, then the constant criticism is pretty redundant, wouldn’t you say?
Morning Mg. You don’t know that for sure so why not wait and see?
Rico, I won’t be saying he will definitely spend.
Not after the summer lol.
I could not have been more positive he’d bring in one or two then, and even though we all know he should, who knows, so nope…silence here 🙂
Morning All
Morning Rico.
Good post despite the usual transfer rubbish…
I did read that we were after the son of the guy who used to play for Hull City…
A fee of about £1m was mentioned, which is a classic Wenger deal, so that sounded realistic.
Guys, if you sign on with WordPress I think that solves the signing on after every comment problem, I think?
Pep has been offered a huge contract to stay at Bayern according to reports. It’ll be interesting to see what happens. A one year extension could mean he’s PL bound as both LvG and AW will be out of contract as it stands right now..
I haven’t a clue either Scott, fingers crossed though…
Morning Kev, had to fill up the page… 😉
Some of these big name signings that we were reportedly after (most of which I wanted) have been utter shite……
I don’t agree that we didn’t sign a single outfield player but it just shows us that players can bomb!!
Those were interesting comments that Wenger made regarding playing against teams that are on drugs…
No doubt the football authorities suspect, know even, that this carries on, as do the TV companies and press, but they all have their snouts in the trough and would rather cover it up…
Well said, Lee….on both counts.
17 million I read, Rico…not bad for a years work lol.
I think you do a sterling job Rico, filling the page…
How you manage the Interlull is beyond me. ?
Spot on Lee and look at Costa these days. Even Hazard is having a mare… 😉
Kev, I’m always signed in with WP but I lost my comments box…
If, we offer Rico plenty of inspiration 🙂
I might have a few days off yet Kev.. 😉
Catch up later guys, have a god day…
Chilean and German players would be who I’d be buying if ours are anything to go by……
Lee, they have technique and effort…not much more is required for a footballer, so yep.
Good Morning to The Lady of the House and all fellow Gooners in residence.
I think Arsene may, if emphasize the word may, surprise us this January in the transfer window. It all depends who is available and if they are available at a reasonable price. Arsene does love a bargain and refuses to pay transfer fees over his valuation. If so, it will likely be a done deal before the news leaks out.
Kev – Thanks for correcting my mistyping the other day. I’ll try to proofread my posts before I hit the button.
By the way, was Ethelred the Unready an old chum of yours?
No CG, I never knew Ethelred, but I knew his Dad…
Did you ever get to meet Nanook of the North when you was hunting bears, back in the day….? ?
Kev – No! Ive never been North of 60 (degrees north latitude). If I go hunting, bears or otherwise, it is with a camera. Anyway, I prefer Grizzlies to polar bears. Polar bears will hunt you if you’re not alert and very careful. Grizzlies will normally avoids humans if given their space.
Morning rico and your followers 🙂
There are a number of things to factor in when looking at Giroud’s stats.How often has he actually scored a match winning goal against any of the other top 6 clubs.
Sunday was typical of Ollie. Spurs had the ascendency and in the space of 5 minutes he missed literally two open goals by being totally unchallenged for both headers.Good centre forwards take those chances, not sit on their arse afterwards and look at the sky.He has attributes but just isn’t good enough when it mater, i.e. scoring goals.
This is the most open league for a while and who knows if he had scored we may well have turned the game around and obtain 3 points.
Puting Gibbs on and him scoring was sheer brilliance or sheer luck 😉 but take nothing away from Ozil who needs intelligent players around him, to get the best out of him.
When losing and your senior options on the bench are Gibbs,Areta and Flamini one knows we are in trouble with practically a whole team back on top of the injury league.
Walcott has improved,has been at the club over 10 years but is injury prone and for that reason we need to be in the hunt at january for another striker and a defensive midfielder so that we are not down to the bare bones when in fact we have as good a chance as anyone to win the league,but will Wenger do it, for remember he has only 228 million sitting in the bank.
Arsenal’s Mesut Ozil has more assists than Juan Mata, Cesc Fabregas, Eden Hazard and Philippe Coutinho combined this season;
http://metro.co.uk/2015/11/10/arsenals-mesut-ozil-has-more-assists-than-juan-mata-cesc-fabregas-eden-hazard-and-philippe-coutinho-combined-this-season-5492571/
Hi all
I too think that Giroud gets some unwarranted stick. The header that hit the bar on Sunday should have been a penalty. The reason his timing was so off is that the Spud defender had him by the shirt and he couldn’t get off the ground properly. People used to say he doesn’t score against top teams yet he has netted against Bayern (twice) Dortmund, Napoli, Utd, City, Dippers, Spuds. Lets not forget, our greatest goal scorer of all time had a terrible record in Cup finals and never scored in one despite a host of chances!
Cheers CG, ?
Some good points there Bob…
I recall a ManUre team, from a few years back, shorn of all its centre-backs and having to play the likes of Carrick at the back, and yet they still won the EPL..!
Injuries are a way of life for Arsenal, we’ve just gotta get on with it and stop using it as an excuse…
As he hit the bar I thought Kos was being held off the ball.
I support Giroud!! Who’s with me? ?
Sister AGAG – You always did like them tall and blonde. However, I must join you in supporting Olivier. He gives us something we have lacked for a long time, someone who can score a header from a cross. He is a team player who contributes to the play even when he is not scoring.
It is good to see you have not been blown away by the recent storms.
CG!!! How are you, sir?? Manila has been lucky of late. No storms or flash floods, I can hardly believe it. ? Giroud is underappreciated, for sure. He’s no Henry, (but then again, who is??) but he really does bring something different to the team. He’s a great counterpoint to all our small, more technical players!!
Sister AGAG – I am well. It is good to hear that you have missed all the big storms or, more correctly, all the big storms have missed you.
It is hard to believe that everyone is already drawing up their Christmas lists for the January transfer window. Even the commercial press are full of it. Hopefully Santa Arsene will grant some of little boys’ and girls’ wishes. Bah humbug!
Haha, CG on the storms. ? Was recently to the beach, actually. Cebu is pretty. ? I haven’t drawn up my wish list either. No point since Arsene has never bought anyone I was a fan of. ?
Sister AGAG – I’m sure you have a list of shoes and clothes as long as my arm. As for players, I find it hard to believe that you are still an Arsenal supporter as there is no active player at the club that Arsene didn’t buy. Do I detect the big bulge of your tongue in your cheek?
Oh well take comfort in the fact that we are not Chelsea supporters. The champions are languishing near the bottom of the table. Maybe I should be sad about that, but I’m too too busy laughing my head off.
Anyway, the sun has been up for a while. Time to get some sleep. Have a great day everyone.
Seems Rico has gone walkabout.
No new signs in January if we are drop from Champions League.
If we stay there, maybe one or two.Maybe …
Hahaha. You know me too well. ? Just shoes though. I meant to say- about Arsene’s purchases- that he hasn’t brought in anyone I was dying for him to buy. Like Vidal, for example. ? Transfer windows have been disappointing in that regard. Good night. Catch up again soon!!!
Everyone is laughing at the Chavs. ? Mourinho fully deserves this.
What’s he gonna do rico, lend Olli his new snazzy bins lol !
Both games lost this season were London derbies, makes it that bit tougher for us to win the league, I don’t usually do facts, the only one I know is we won’t win the league playing Thursdays and Sundays if it pans out that way.
Hi, Micko and bye, Micko!! ? rico, I missed you today, it seems. Catch up soon! You had a new blogger yesterday, I see. Haha.
Laters agag, you must be counting down the days to the January sales !
Love the new site btw rico, much more Gooner friendly, just like Cazorla those adverts were making me a lickle bit dizzy.
Evening All.
Good post Rico…
Giroud didn’t quite miss any chance on a platter. He struggle to hit those headers and they didn’t connect because it’s football. I usually give people credit for trying hard enough even if it ended up not being adequate.
Slate me all you can but I believe Giroud, Walcott and Welbeck will win us this league if it’s left in the hands of just strikers…and I think Wenger believes same.
Without a regular player or two getting long-term injuries, Wenger is not likely to buy a top player in January…
It’s absolutely refreshing that Rico is fast becoming a fan of Wenger these days. Long may it last.
Evening all…
Micko, you always manage to make me chuckle….
Cg, I did say in the post I was off on walkabout… Lol
Agag, sorry to have missed you. Yes, a new blogger but he/she is gone now… Lol
Tai, if you knew me well enough, perhaps you’d realise I’ve always been a huge Arsene Wenger fan!! Doesn’t mean that I don’t think Arsenal would improve without him….
Good point made earlier Bob…
I would add though, even Arsene Wenger has admitted that Ollie was angry after the game because he missed so many chances. So that says a lot really….
Ollie was only being modest…he missed chances because he was unlucky, not because he didn’t give it his best shot. Those were chances he usually did bury but it didn’t pay off last Sunday. I will be the last person to call for his head based on his performance in that match. If I was his coach, I’d only telling him, ”Ollie great performance today but it wasn’t your day. Don’t let that worry you…I trust you and firmly believe they’d go in in future matches.”
Players, great ones at that, miss penalties and it’s not that Ollie took any.
You sure Ollie was being modest for a fact Tai??
Or was he just being honest?
Modest because he knew he gave his best but they didn’t go in. I mean, it would be arrogant of him to have said…”after all I did my best to even get to the headers in a crowded box …even managed to hit the bar. Didn’t you guys witness how I was always wrestled whenever I entered the box? Give me a break…I gave it my all”.
It is left for us to tell him, ”get over it buddy. You tried your best. We’re behind you because we know you’re better than those missed chances.”
I’d give him a rollicking
?
Guess everyone has gone to bed so night all..
Night Micko… Lol
Night Rico
Night Micko
Night Adamo
Night Leo
Night Scotto
Night Gingero
Night All
Nite Go Kaveo!
You know what Wavy, I wouldn’t change a thing, so HH !!!
Morning…..
Morning Rico. And all HH’ers.
I sneaked in yesterday rico, how are you ?
Morning Rico, Adam and all,
Apparently, David Manasseh is shopping Gregorz K around for a january move…
Morning Adam & Ts..
I’m good thanks Kelsey, how are you?
Adam, shame Payet has suffered injury and out for 3 months…
I have lost your e mail address rico,kindly e mail me and I will tell you what happened (if you want to )
No probs Kelsey, highbury.house@yahoo.co.uk
Yes Rico. The subplot here is the appalling assault that destroyed him and the fact that referees really need to look at the scissor tackle again. It is destructive. Plus the fact that that little knob Martinez has decided to alter the football/brutality balance of his team after a few poor results. They are now an unmitigated bunch of cloggers and rather like Stoke.
Having said that, Payet remains a player of interest.
Payet is an interesting case…
He played against us with OM in the UCL on 2 or 3 occasions and he did not sparkle; he was always an exciting player but at Marseille he was behind Valbuena, Thauvin, Gignac and Imbula.
At 28 y.o he must be a late bloomer like Bobby pires
Who hacked him down Adam?
I like him Ts.
New post up now…