Daily Bits and Bobs

Leave him at home Arsene! Williams ready to get tough on Arsenal.

Posted on by rico

Morning all.

Loving these Sunday kick offs? No, me neither but it is what it is. At least it’s lunchtime and not a later fixture so the boys will be able to get home early, scoff their Sunday lunch albeit a bit late and put their feet up after giving their all at Goodson Park against what I anticipate to be a tough and physical Everton side.

Who am I trying to kid eh. Apart from at Stamford Bridge, our lot hardly ever break into a sweat.

Ashley Willian’s has told the world he’s ready to get stuck in so that’s nice! However, does he even start for Everton these days? If Jagielka starts in defence, he should be the target as at 35 years old, he isn’t going to be quick. Williams himself is getting on a bit and he’s not the tallest of centre backs but he’s strong.

Arsenal need to get stuck in! Let’s see a bit of fight from our lot for once, you know, like actually going for an ariel challenge instead of just jumping in hope that the ball lands on their head. Go in hard on the ground, all the time playing by the rules though. Stop being the soft lot we are well know for being. I don’t like hearing players from other clubs saying we’re soft, especially the very average ones like Troy Deeney but we all know what he said was right and Arsene Wenger has done nothing about getting that label removed from his team since the day it all started.

I would say I’ve no idea which Arsenal team will turn up today but sadly I’m quietly confident it’ll be similar to what we saw at Watford. That’s what we do isn’t it?

As said in yesterday’s post, both managers are struggling big time to get the best from their players, Koeman and his Everton team though are doing slightly worse than us. The Dutchman is under serious pressure and his job is on the line. Wenger’s might soon be too if he keeps on losing league matches because one day enough will be enough and the board will have to do something. Mind you, knowing how toothless that lot appear to be, maybe not. Not until the summer anyway when Arsene can slope off quietly and slip into managing the French national team after they flop at the World Cup.

I digress, back to today and hopefully Mesut Ozil will be nowhere to be seen. This isn’t a game for his type of player. We need workers out there, not shirkers and Mesut certainly falls into the letter category. By the way, he’s rumoured to be ‘angry’ about the rumours of him wanting a move to Man Utd although I can’t imagine him getting angry can you? He might roll his eyes and look to the skies as he so often does when something goes wrong but turning green and splitting his kit isn’t something I’d envisage.

Alexis Sanchez and Aaron Ramsey are back in the squad, as is Laurent Koscielny. It was cramp behind his departure last weekend so best he adds an extra sprinkling of salt to his breakfast helping of spaghetti bolognese this morning. Mustafi, Welbeck, Ospina and Chambers will all return after the international break.

Alexis Sanchez has been talking about Alexander Lacazette:

“When he has a goalscoring chance, he is a good finisher,” the Chile forward told Arsenal Player. “He’s a classic striker.

“He was a successful player in France, and the two of us work well together. He’s an excellent player.

“I believe we have [a good understanding]. We haven’t played that many games together but when we have, I like how he plays. “He finds space and understands the game well. He is very talented.”

I guess one day we might actually get to see the two working together for an entire match but right now it seems Wenger is hell bent on substituting the Frenchman which can’t be doing him much good. As Alexis said, he’s a good finisher so let the pair of them play until the end is my opinion. Unless either are having a stinker of course.

Bringing on Ollie from the bench can sometimes bear fruit but considering we don’t often seem to find the big man from a set piece, the game Ollie plays suits the opposition far more than it does us imo. Off goes our pace up front which invites teams to push further forward which in turn us puts us on the back foot and we’re hardly renown for our defensive solidarity are we?

There’s always the counter attack but that only works with speed and precision in our passing on the break and with Ollie on the pitch, that won’t happen. In any case, he’ll be back in his own box defending yet another corner conceded against us.

Cynical? Perhaps but reality imo.

As Kev said in the week about Walcott, and I would add Welbeck to that too, both may frustrate us at times but both keep an opposing defence back in their own half. Not all teams I know as there are a few who have a defence which can deal with players like them with ease but Everton? I don’t think so.

There’s a reason Everton are nearer a relegation battle than they are challenging for a top four spot, just as there’s a reason we are so far away from truly challenging for the league title. Neither side nor manager is good enough to do so. Koeman spent a lot of money in the summer so perhaps he too will be given a ‘chequebook manager’ label as his club are now quite a wealthy one but regardless of his spending, he’s failing which goes to prove that it’s not always about what a manager spends, it’s who he spends the money on.

Apart from Lacazette and Alexis, Wenger hasn’t done at all well with his spending for a good few years. Or, that’s certainly how it seems but as we often suggest here, under a different management and coaching, who really knows if they’re as bad as they look. Low must see something in Mustafi as he’s no fool is he. Same for Xhaka with Switzerland. Ozil might be a totally different player to the one we are now seeing had Wenger built around him but all we see now is a player so low in confidence and far from being the £42m man we first signed.

It’s widely reported that Koeman has assembled a team full of creative midfielders but what he didn’t do is replace the outgoing Lukaku. Sounds familiar eh, however, I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see Rooney up front as he loves to score against us and often does, certainly during his days at Utd. Never fear, Arsene will have a plan to stop him. At 32 years old and with a marriage breakup on the cards, he’s hardly the player he once was but he can still cause problems. He’ll be up for this game that’s for sure. Calvert-Lewin and Naisse are the other two to keep an eye on, well, they are the other two main goal scorers with three a piece in all competitions. Ashley Williams poses a threat too on set-pieces but I’m sure this time we’ll be well prepared….. (irony Alex, irony)

Prior to this fixture last season, Everton had recorded just one victory in their opening ten matches, we however had recovered well having lost our opening fixture yet again. It was a chance for us to overtake Chelsea at the top and a chance to pile more pressure on Koeman who like now was close to being sacked. We blew it, we allowed them in and from that day they improved.

The lessons were there that cold December evening. The question is, will Arsene Wenger have learned from them?

I guess we’ll soon find out but I’m not banking on the answer being yes..

Have a good Sunday guys….

rico

56 thoughts on “Leave him at home Arsene! Williams ready to get tough on Arsenal.”

  1. Kk says:

    Top post rico. .
    I fear we will be the get out of jail free card for koeman as we often have been.

    If wenger wants to bring in Giroud, he should tell him to stay strong and actually hold the ball..for a big fella he certainly gets bullied very easily,..and he should make sure that someone can cross the ball for him..

    I predict a score draw, but hope we can nick it at the end..

  3. Wavy says:

    Morning all. I shall miss the game today as I’m out to lunch! I think it’s for the best!

    Come on Arsenal prove me wrong and make me regret my Sunday lunch time option.

    Dry but still quote windy here.

  4. ScottfromOz says:

    Morning all.
    Who knows what the hell will happen?
    It’s getting increasingly difficult to be confident, and just as hard to fake it lol
    I’ll go for a 3-1 win!!!
    There, I managed ?

  5. micko says:

    Spot on rico, football is a physical game which involves physical contact, if only Wegner could grasp that.

    Not sure about Giroud mind ya, a 3 year old could pull him to the ground !

  10. Le Coq Monster says:

    Morning all and thank`s Rico for a top quality post………….the first part could/should be the pre-match team talk, but from all accounts Arsene doesn`t really try to rally the troups with inspiring speeches……………….he probaly just shows them a copy of his bank statement !

    I too have a good feeling today that we will thrash the Toffees and if we dont I also have a good feeling Arsene will get the full two barrells from us if we`re poor ( the norm away from home in EPL this season )….so win win situation ! hahaha

    If we are to fight then we need Jack back !……..there are some fighters inthe team but they have been brainwashed by the air born infection from the “casuals”………………………although I can only take so much blaspheming about mesut in these posts before I report you !…………..hahaha

  11. Le Coq Monster says:

    I think I can safely say that I speak for all of us in wishing Arsene a happy 68th birthday today !…………would Lee like to join me in singing happy birthday dear Arsene ?

    😆

  13. allezkev says:

    Afternoon Rico and All, that was a great post Rico…

    Sorry but I can’t imagine there being too many changes from the XI who started against Watford although both Ramsey and Alexis will come into the starting XI.

    We should see a few from the successful UEFA Cup squad on the bench, Giroud, Theo, Jack and maybe Nelson, ah and possibly Maitland-Niles (steady Adam)…

    I’m thinking a 2-2 draw.

  17. Le Coq Monster says:

    Some stats for anoraks……….

    Arsenal’s defeat against Watford last weekend is their only loss in their last nine league and cup games (W7, D1).

    This fixture marks Arsene Wenger’s 400th Premier League away match, making him the second manager to reach the milestone after Sir Alex Ferguson.

    Arsenal are one short of 1500 Premier League goals under Wenger.
    However, a defeat would mean they equal Wenger’s lowest points tally (13) after nine league fixtures.

    Arsenal could go five away league matches without a win for the first time in 10 years.

    The Gunners have conceded an unrivalled 11 goals from penalties since the start of 2016-17.

    Only Crystal Palace (29) have conceded more Premier League away goals than Arsenal’s 26 in 2017 (prior to the latest round of matches).

  25. rico says:

    What has happened to Bellerin, I’m sure he used to be to whip a decent cross in.. And a few times he’s shot from a tight angle when Ramsey, Alexis or Sanchez were free…

  27. potter says:

    I’ve said for ages now ,he doesn’t look up before he centres.Goes too close to keeper when two players are by the penalty spot.

  41. Le Coq Monster says:

    OK !…………………How did my Holy Trinity do ?……………………………and dont think I haven`t written down the names of the Mesut blasphemers on here ! hahaha……………….most goal scoring opportunities created in a game this year, but oh I forgot …….he cant tackle ! hahaha

  42. Kk says:

    Excellent performance. .
    sloppy goals conceded not to mention the customary rooney goal!
    Top game from sanchez and finally ozil showed up!
    Ramsey and Xhaka in midfield still not reasuring!

    Bring on the city slickers. .

  43. Adam says:

    LC. If Ozil played like that with any degree of regularity I doubt he would have many detractors. We all know what he can do. It’s doing it that is the problem.

  44. allezkev says:

    From what I heard on the radio, that must be close to our best performance of the season…

    Still questions to be asked about our defence, and we know this won’t last, but hey, it’s the League Cup next.

  45. Joaquim Moreira says:

    Best performance of the season.
    11 to 10 it’s necessary to play with the goalkeeper, constantly?
    The goalkeeper is not secure playing with the feet, specialy when the ball goes to the right side.
    worst player for me today: Ramsey
    Why with 1-4 AW not did the last sub? He most give minutes to others players

  46. Le Coq Monster says:

    Is it Ozil`s fault ?, Adam…………………….maybe it`s Wenger`s tactic`s and team`s he puts out, today even allowing for Wenger`s lack of tactical nous, we had a decent starting eleven which should imo take care of it`s self on the pitch, not a coincidence that we had a better game with my much vaulted holy trinity in a game for the first time………………also I am only jesting and will not report you to any church leaders !

    😆

  48. Adam says:

    LC. I would say that yes, it is his fault myself. When you’re one on one and spoon it tamely into the goalie’s hands (to name but one instance) I can’t put that down to Wenger myself. Apparently he is fit again and you could see that he fancied it today.

  49. rico says:

    I agree re Ozil, play like he did today more often than not, I certainly wouldn’t have typed he should stay at home this morning… ?

    But the question I would love to ask him and Wenger right now is why? Why is today’s kind of performance not a more regular thing…

  53. ScottfromOz says:

    5-2 win and we are looking at all the negatives.
    Considering none of us were confident before the game, we should be pretty damn happy atm.
    As always, a performance like this raises more questions than it answers, but let’s enjoy the win.

  54. Le Coq Monster says:

    Excuse me, Scott !!!………………..I predicted an EPL record away win for us once I knew The Holy Trinity were playing!………….

    🙂

    ………………………………….and I dont/didn`t blaspheme about Mesut the Messiah !

    Nice Birthday present for Arsene, I did want to give him 68 bumps as is the tradition, but some on here wanted to be extreme and push him off a mountain, plane or something 68 times !

  55. ScottfromOz says:

    LC, we remain optimists, against all the odds 🙂
    Sometimes, we can revel in that, but not often lol

  56. rico says:

    Scott, probably because the negatives have been apparent for so many seasons yet still go unaddressed by Kroenke, sorry, Wenger….

    Morning all.

    New post up now.

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