Morning all.
It’s Derby weekend and who doesn’t love one of those eh?
Home or away, this is a game we Arsenal fans love to see us win. It’s a match when current form can go out the window as both sides know the stakes are raised. We’ve already beaten them at The Emirates this season, now let’s go and do the double. The WOB’s and AKB’s come together for this one because just one thing matters. Beating our neighbours and keeping them quiet for another season.
But over the years, as more and more overseas players have come over to play in England, the importance of this match and the passion has somewhat dampened. I doubt George Graham needed mutter any words of motivation during his time as Arsenal manager, Arsene Wenger neither when he first arrived but for different reasons. Graham had players who knew what an NLD was about, Wenger needed players to tell him and the Frenchman he brought to the club. Adams, Keown, Merson, Dixon… The list was endless and it was pretty clear to see when the two sides came up against each other on Derby Day, the message had get through. Now though, we have just Jack Wilshere, the only player who knows what this rivalry is all about. I’m sure the rest of our players know this match matters to fans etc but they weren’t born to dislike Tottenham, or hate, as is the case for many Arsenal fans and probably Jack.
2014 is the last time we won at White Hart Lane but this time, it’s Wembley hosting the second NLD of the season. We ‘should’ enjoy playing there again because our last performance on the national football stadium was possibly one of the best we’d seen in a while. The team tomorrow though will be quite different to the one which battered Chelsea who had not long been crowned League Champions. They’ll be no Alexis Sanchez, the player who gave us the lead that day and I only mention that opening goal because the decision to allow it was contentious after the linesman raised his flag against Ramsey who he deemed to be offside but was overruled by referee Anthony Taylor and he’s the man in charge tomorrow. Aaron Ramsey got our winner that day too.
Not for one minute do I think this current Tottenham side are as good as Conte’s Chelsea last season but unless we defend as well as we did last May, we’ll struggle to draw let alone win. But win we must if we stand a chance of not only overtaking tomorrows opposition, but Chelsea and Liverpool too. Not that I’m overly fussed about that, all I want is for us to beat them and good and proper too.
The early team news:
Them – Lucas Moura is expected to make his debut while Toby Alderweireld, Harry Winks and Danny Rose all returned in midweek. Shame!
Us – Nacho Monreal is fit again which is great news, Danny Welbeck returns to the squad too and Petr Cech will face a late test on his calf injury.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger:
“It is always a game that is charged emotionally. This season, if you look at the table, it is a very important game. For us, it is an opportunity to come back closer to the Champions League places, which is a priority.
“We lost our last two away games, at Bournemouth where we were 1-0 up, at Swansea where we were 1-0 up. You look at the mistakes we made and I am quite optimistic we will not make them again.”
The two losses he mentions were embarrassing. To go ahead and then capitulate in the fashion we did was nothing short of schoolboy stuff. Six points dropped, six points which had we not lost out on, would see us going into tomorrows match in fourth place, ahead of both Chelsea and Tottenham but that’s Arsenal these days. Soft and ill disciplined, certainly when it comes to defending. Wenger says he’s optimistic that we won’t see a repeat of such mistakes but unless he’s donned his old magic hat, waved a magic wand and morphed his defensive players into some of the greats we once had, I think he’s kidding himself. We’ll see eh.
Going forward, well we look good but our players won’t be afforded the kind of time and space they were against Everton last weekend, that’s for sure. No doubt they’ll be kicked, bullied and barged at any and every opportunity. I strongly suspect they’ll be a few Tom Daley impressions from the home side too, certainly in and around our own penalty area. This is the kind of game where VAR would be handy. I watched their match against Liverpool and they were poor. They didn’t give up though, and in the end, they resorted to getting something from the game any which way they could and Jon Moss, together with his helpers, fell for it.
Aubameyang and Mkhitaryan will get their first taste of a NLD and I bet they can’t wait. I can’t either because I think they’ll enjoy it, Ozil too. If the midfield, which will hopefully include Jack Wilshere, and defence do their job well, our attacking players could have a good day. Yes, they’ve got Harry Kane, but we’ve got Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang!
Looking forward to it? Me too…..
Finally, Manu Petit reckons Alexandre Lacazette’s days at Arsenal are numbered after he’s been quoted as saying:
“Lacazette is under massive pressure. He needs to improve or face the exit this summer. Aubameyang’s signing tells me it might already be too late. Arsene Wenger’s belief in Lacazette has gone.”
Can’t see it myself. The first season in England can often be tough…
Good afternoon rico. .nice post
I think , and rightly so, AW is doing his best to highlight spurs cheating and diving culture, promoted by non other than their coach as an art of entertaining football. . .
I mean dele boy would give Tom daly a run for his money. .
I also expect the same bullying and professional and non professional fouling tactics from dyer, dembelee and wanayama. .
and just like how they did a number on sanchez the other day, expect the likes of ozil, miki and auba to be targeted the same way.
We have to be tough as nuts to get anything out of this game, don’t think Taylor or his 4th ref would give us anything!
The midfield has to be diciplined and hector the bellend should for once this season give us a decent performance.
As for laca, I like him, and think wenger has a lot to answer for his shattered confidence and lack of goals.
Afternoon Kk, I was about to give up for the day… 😉
I’m hoping enough time has passed and Taylor is over his little spat with Wenger and tomorrow he’s fair. I reckon Mikki and Auba won’t take the bullying, neither will Jack. Just hope Xhaka keeps his cool and no-one lays a hand on any of their players in the box or they’ll go down like they’ve been shot.
I agree re Wenger too, puts the onus on the officials who’ll know they are being watched. Perhaps they’ll be out to improve as VAR is likely to come in next season.
Yes rico ..it’s been a slow week??
It’s all that anxiety and anticipation before the NL derby. .
What’s our stats on 12.30 kick off this season ?
Afternoon everybody?
Wenger is totally to blame for Lacazette’s loss of confidence and form. Every game he starts he ends up at the final whistle sitting on the bench. When he first arrived he looked to be the answer to our scoring problem. He got a few goals and his running off the ball, working hard for the team was acknowledged by fans, press, players and other coaches. Made no difference when fit and playing, no matter what the score was, come the 65th minute, out came the hook and off he went! The guy hasn’t been given a chance to impress, neither has he had the opportunities, due to the persistent failure of the midfield to present him with decent balls to turn into goals.
Actually he represents part of Wenger’s inability to get the best out of the players he has fawned over only to coach the talent out of them, whilst ‘teaching’ them the Arsenal way. These days his way is a recipe for failure, I think.
How long Miki and PEA perform as they did against Everton we’ll have to wait and see. I’ll give them a month before they start suffering a ‘loss of form’!
Playing the scum is always unpredictable. Just to be politically even handed I can envisage a win, or a draw or even a defeat. Ask me again at about 2.30 tomorrow afternoon!
Blue sky here on the sun drenched Costa del…….EM.
Howdy y’all like my hillbilly next door neighbor ‘ll say. I have a bad feeling about tomorrow’s game. Our form away from home hasbeen abysmal. We ve only won 4 games all season that’s relegation fodder form. The spuds ‘ll be up for this one. We need to be on our game. Don’t start xhaka or iwobi. Play elneny Wilshire and Rambo. The front 3 picks itself but knowing Wenger he ‘ll probably opt for xhaka iwobi and Ramsey. God help us.
Hey Rico don’t give up….have no fear your meccadon is here???.
Ha ha Kk, don’t let Meerkat hear you say that, she says it’s because we all agree on here these days.
No idea re the early kick offs, not sure we’ve had that many this season..
Wavy, subbing him so often can’t have helped but I still think some of it is down to him finding his feet in a very different league than he was in. Certainly wouldn’t want him to go this summer, next summer maybe if he has a bad second season. Even though he’s not scoring, he’s doing a lot for the team I reckon… Once he plays with Mikki, maybe he’ll start adding the goals. Same with Welbeck, who I think is the more likely to be sold in the summer.
Meerkat scheerkat I wouldn’t worry about her. Her blogging days on HH is over. She’s too salty for my liking. Other AKBs come on here and are civil she just gets on here to goad us all. Can’t wait for her Lord and master to fuck off. Want to see what ‘ll become of her and her ilk. Funny people.
They certainly are Goonster…
I think our best chance If we play 3 at the back with mustafi, kosa and perhaps elneny. .monreal and bellend as wingbacks
Midfield of ramsey, wilshere, miki and ozil.. auba upfront. .
Could swap elneny with monreal at the back 3 and AMN or Kola as left wingback..
Whatever happened to kolasinac! !
Knowing AW he will stick with the same team and formation as in the Everton game!
Ospina?
Kk you want to swap our most inform player for a player with confidence issues?? Hahahaha are you Wenger in disguise? Nacho has been the player of the season no way he sits this one out. He’s the most passionate arsenal player we current have. He knows what the NLD is all about. Plus he’s actually on most in form player I front of goal right now. I love AMN but he’s not a LB no way. No more round pegs in square holes but hey what do I know…
I haven’t managed for 35 years and made a million substitution????
Kolasinac just like laca has been destroyed by Wenger. Their confidence is shot. Another set of players ruined by his lordship. When ‘ll this end???
Goonster I meant to play as one of the 3 backs ..calm down.. lol
No he is definitely playing either a wingback or a third back.
Oh my bad. Lol thought Wenger finally infiltrated HH??? if it were up to me. I ‘ll throw in AMN in the deep tomorrow. Swim or sink. That game could break him or turn him into a cult hero better still a LEGEND. Danny rose*spits * scored on his debut against us remember. Ainsley came through the ranks no one has to remind him how beaten the spuds is a priority but we ‘ll probably see Rambo xhaka and iwobi tomorrow. Bugger.
Goonie, you reckon the younger players know what the Derby means as much as the old boys did? I’m not so sure but I hope you’re right. Mind you, can’t see MN starting this one…
Rico these kids have spuds mate and play the scums at under age competitions. Trust me they do. Wish rick can come on here I ‘ll love to ask him. If Harry Kane*spits* can harbor such disdain and hatred against us at that early age for releasing him then I ‘ll bet lads like AMN nketiah etc know what the NLD means. I ‘ll bet my house on that.
I remember seeing a video where some junior gooners were chanting the spuds goading songs. Oh Rico they know????we raise our right and on the right path.
I’m not so sure Goonster…
Well we ‘ll have to wait to ask rick but am pretty sure they do. It’s a rivalry that goes back a century surely both clubs ‘ll let their youth teams know about the enemy…i know I would.
But now money is killing the game Goonie. All the old Derbies don’t seem to be what they used to be.. For the players I hasten to add.
I’m off. Night goonie..
Good night Rico
Evening all and thanks Rico.
Agree with Goonster here, lots of them youngsters have been with the club for years with a lot being supporters, they will know what this game means, they are schooled at Arsenal , so it will be part of their education to be able to spot one of those retards a mile away !.
I fcuking hate them full stop and I know from reading plenty of blogs that it is sometimes a split in the family of one half Gooner and one half scum and even though I may say it as some bloggers thinking it is jest, I really do feeel sorry for gooners who have brothers/dads etc` who are retarded …………………….hahahaha
Win tomorrow and you wont be able to prise me off the ceiling for a week or two !…………there after I will be walking around with that fixed grin of The Joker and just as mad !…….hahahaha
Lol woke up with the “she said no robin ” chant stuck in my head. Hahaha derby day fever already. Can’t wait. Bring on the spuds. Come on you fucking gooners.
Where are my manners? morning Rico
Are you kidding me? It’s derby day people. Get your butts out of bed already . Where’s is everybody?
Morning Goonster, all.
Early morning shopping for me, had to scrape the windscreen and everything…
Sign of the times I guess, thanks to Arsene Wenger.
Getting the jobs done before the onslaught.
Stupid kick off time it just breaks the day up . Wife not happy.
Agree, 3pm Saturdays are the proper match day/time. Thanks Sky Sports and BT eh…
Early kick offs suck.
Morning Rico.
I’d take 2-2 today, it should be an open game which suits us as it’s the only game we play.
Can’t see us keeping them out for 90 minutes and there’s always the prospect of a penalty.
I hope that Jack gets a start, the word is he’s close to signing a new deal.
Morning Kev. I’d take a draw too, but I reckon we might sneak it…
Read that about Jack, something about a contract and then pay as you play or something similar…
Wilshere starts, no Iwobi or Ramsey…
SMASH the SPUDS….SMASH THE SPUDS!!!!
never offside…
And that goal all started with 350,00 a week Ozil being weak and losing the ball
To be honest only one team in it…. we’re easy pickings they’re better and that’s all there is to it.
This is embarrassing
We made a few chances but nobody really stepped up and they deserved the win. Painful though it is.
What doesn’t make any sense with this madness is that our best teams under Wenger had big strong central midfields. Watching Dembele bully us was like a Dad playing with his kids!
Pathetic… Out fought and out thought tactics yet again abysmal… New manager please..
Awful second half. We should have nicked a point though..
Bob I agree , and when he did his subs he took off Elneny who was the only one putting himself about a bit. However the best team won and the stark reality is now obvious. Our fringe players Welbek and Iwobi are not good enoufgh and Lacazettes confidence has been shot to pieces.
Elneny coming off was stupid imo. One of our better players.
Should have been 4 or 5 ffs… we deserved nothing from that game.
Wenger done again on tactics his team out worked again, beat again away from home his defence no clean sheet in 9 now…
and yet there is still Akbs.. Pfft ?
Surely they’re getting less and less though Kel…
I don’t think we were beaten tactically but we lost virtually every challenge all over the pitch. With a bit more care and effort the Spuds were there for the taking. But, especially first half we rushed the final pass when they were wide open. Clutching at straws but linesman twicemade up for Musta goal at Emirates.
Afternoon Rico and the House.
Just a short visit for the moment.
Even with 6 players in the England U17 squad our U18’s were much too strong
in their away game at Reading and won 6-2
Agree Bob. They are strong, we aren’t. As I’m just writing for tomorrow’s post.
Boys against men Rico.. there’s your headline lol…
Just another dismal display to add to this season’s list!
Afternoon Rick. More good news re the Academy then.
Indeed Kel, men v boys…
defeats like that I struggle with more than others I’m a physical guy and can’t for life of me understand why Wenger has refused to bulk up his squad of men sorry boys… or simply buy a few enforcers to counter what we lack. being out muscled all over the pitch drives me mad it’s defeat before you begin… ?
How many games have we won away this season?
And to so many seasons before Bob.
Kel, that’s what I struggle to understand too. His winning formula contained big strong midfielders, defenders too but now we are so soft. Why he changed tact I’ll never understand.
League games only, three wins. Shocking stat.
We’ve dropped 29 points away from home.
3 wins Rico how poor is that for a club of Arsenal’s size and power… Shocking just Shocking…
Certainly is Kel, that’s relegation form. I don’t think we’ve ever been so bad away from home under Wenger but it’s all of his own doing.
Auba today had 0 shots on target 0 take ons and maybe 10 touches of the ball….thats our record transfer looking shit already. I felt so bad for laca poor sod must be kicking himself now. Said it before we may sign ronaldo(the old one) ronaldinho,zizou,messi and Luis figo but as long as lefraud is still managing them we ‘ll still be Shit. Evening Rico. Bummed out.
Afternoon all.
Horrible day with us losing and even my Mother-in-Law falling over with a suspected fractured hip just after the game finished has not raised my spirits, but it`s a start !……………………………. I think the ambulance woman see the disappointment on my face when I asked ..” is she going to live “……..and she replied “of course”………….
What has it become when I have accepted that we lost and I`m not my usual devastated self !…………………..this is what it is like when you get used to your team being a huge disappointment from years og management neglect……………………probably why I was not too over the moon from the Everton result like some others were on most blogs !
Wenger thinks it`s more important to be attack minded where a lot of us think we need to be hard to beat first and formost………………..another season and a bit of this to go……………cant come quick enough !
Unless we win EL, we will be out of CL again and imo opinion our best chance to win EPL or at least get a top four spot, but that was my opinion for this season and look where we are………………..this should have been the easiest season to get top four, what a fcuking disaster !
I will be off later to go and pick up my wife who went with her mother in the ambulance to Plymouth Hospital………………..I will need her to console for the disasterous news that hjer mother is going to be fine !……………………I know I have your sympathy`s….
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where do we go from here i don’t know I personally can’t fuckin wait til the season is over it’s so depressing watching these limp displays.
What I still don’t understand is why have players like Walcott AOC auba with frightening pace yet won’t release the ball in time for a counter attack!!! It’s still mind boggling. How many times did auba looks to be on his way and instead of a through ball to him(or over the top) we chose to pass the ball sideways and backwards. One of which almost led to a goal when cech and mustafi almost made me crap myself. This is unbearable guys.
Kel it won’t stop after the summer either mate not if we ‘re still stuck with that mad cnut as manager. Am sorry man but we ‘re fucked if he continues past the summer.
Evening goonster, Auba had no supply, just like Lacazette often hasn’t. I feel sorry for the latter because he had two great chances towards the end and had he scored from one, or even both, his confidence would have gone sky high…
My point exactly ma’am why sell giroud then if we really won’t use our pacy players as an outlet. One ball over the top and auba is gone. Do that twice in the first 5 minutes and we ‘ll frightening the living daylights out of them but no we had to play the “arsene way” men I hate this guy.
goonster.
I’m still harbouring that a decision will be made come june for him to stand down..
tbh maybe the next 11 games will force the situation.
Shitty already 1 nil up. Looking at them makes my heart break. That was arsenal a decade and a half ago. Movement on and off the ball. Driving through midfield. Shooting from distance. Can’t believe this is the same man that delivered the invincibles.
Kel I doubt it. He ‘ll be here for the duration of his contract. Just hope he won’t get a new one. That ‘ll be it for me. I ‘ll just take up curling on some other shitty sports.
Ditto Kel. I’m convinced this summer will see change.
Carlo was spotted at Wembley. Just hope to God he’s taking over soon. Can’t take much more of this.
1.1 leceister.
Ancelotti?
Rumours are he’s going to replace Conte Goonie.
De bruyne is world class. What a player.
Really?? Oh brother.
I won’t be sorry if he goes to the chavs and we get one of sarri jardim nagelsmann or hassenhuttl.
Ndidi ‘ll do nicely. He ‘ll slot in perfectly.
Ndidi is a beast. Holding his own against fernandinho and wining too. How do leceister find these gems?? First kante now ndidi. So glad Steve rowley is gone. Surprise us sven am a big fan of your work.
Funny how Wenger doesn’t spot players like him.
Didn’t Wenger say Sven knows players across Europe but he knows them all? What utter camel poo…
Tell me about it Rico but he ‘ll spot a sanogo amaury bishcoff and gervinho from mars.
Lol he’s also made a billion substitution and coached for 17 light years. What a tool.
? goonie. True though.
Rico that old has been tells porkies. He’s the biggest pile of shit i ve ever seen and and Dutch!
*am*
Shitty turning it on after the break. Oh what I ‘ll give to have a manager like pep. We look lethargic and bereft of ideas compared to this well oiled city juggernaut. The second half has been a lesson on how to play footie. De bruyne with 2 quick fire assists. Best player in the league by a mile. Oh for the days of DB10 titi pires and the Romford pele. Sad really.
Even walker looks a better player already. Pep brings out the best in his players. Young players only get better under his tutelage. Won’t say the same thing about our manager just look at theo since his move. He looks fitter and stronger already. Leaving arsenal was the best decision he ever took.
I dont know about Wenger being Camel Poo, Rico !……………………………………Camel Toe more like it !
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Aguero with a worldie. Oh my world. What a goal.
Not him Lc, what he says..
Agree re Theo. I bet he wishes now he’d left long before he did…
I’m done guys, night Lc, goonie and all..
Finished 5.1 city are relentless. They look unbeatable rico and might even be better than this next season. That’s a scary prospect.
Nigh t Rico
Good night rico.
What a very depressing afternoon.
Dembelee single handedly controlled and bossed the midfield..it was like seen our own paddy reincarnation.
Indeed men against boys. .
Manager and players should be a ashamed. .only jacky boy looked like he actually give a shit. .
I listened to Liam Brady on bein sports, he said he wasn’t only disappointed, he is annoyed and outraged by the lack of effort from the players and in particular ozil who he said didn’t show up in a big game yet again..and it can’t get bigger than a NL derby in Wembley. ..how true I thought. .
I can forgive our new recruits as they still adjusting to wenger’s tedious football. .
The rest didn’t do half of what dembelee and Harry kane did in terms of work rate and effort.
Yeb it’s all has to come to AW
The silver lining on all that shitzo..is his time is definitely coming to an end, and change is inevitable comes the summer.
Liam thinks so ..
Only a blind, dead vertically challenged body of mentally challenged dwarves would think that Wenger’s time was not done. However, I think the Arsenal board fulfill my list of criteria. Gone……not yet….Mark my word So!
Woe, woe is me and all the other realistic Arsenal supporters who know his time is up.
Kept my council since the final whistle. Moving a boat from Wroxham to Acle todasy with my son , plenty of time to talk and form a measured opinion.
Wenger out ! that’s my starting point.
15 minutes by car _== 4 1/2 hours by boat.
That’ll be a cold 4 1/2 hours Potter….
New post up now.
I hired a boat out of Acle once, long weekend on the Broads, stopped off at Wroxham.
There’s some interesting pubs and restaurants worth visiting in that part of the world.