Well, if you believe all that’s written in the Sunday rags this morning, Robin van Persie is set for his return today. Whether that means he has a ticket to watch the game or he’ll actually be on the bench I haven’t a clue, your guess is as good as mine. Suggestion is he has taken part in only one full training session but Wenger believes he is ready to play.
Personally, I think it’s stupid, if we play him too soon he’ll be out again. It’s too bigger risk to take and will only open the door for him to play in the international game. If Wenger is playing him early because he thinks we lack something up front, then he should rectify that in January, not take a risk on an injury prone player before he’s fully fit!
After the mid-week fiasco in the Ukraine, Audrey Arshavin, Cesc Fabregas, Alex Song and Denilson all return to the squad fit and ready for selection. Diaby remains injured with what now looks to be a long-term absence but Thomas Vermaelen and Aaron Ramsey are back in training. Kieran Gibbs and Frimpong remain on the side lines as does Manuel Almunia.
It’s a tough call today for Arsene Wenger, who to start with and who leave on the bench but that’s his job and he gets paid a lot of money to do that!!
This man has to be one of the first on the team-sheet though
So what about the opposition today, it’s not too long ago when we travelled to St James Park and walked away comfortable winners but on that day Chris Houghton kept a few of his ‘big guns’ on the bench. There is little chance of that happening today in my opinion. There is little doubt that the in form, man of the moment Andy Carroll will be in the side from the off and he’s the man to stop! Another one to watch is Shola Ameobi and we cannot forget Kevin Nolan.
Last weekend, Newcastle played a strong Sunderland side at home, they absolutely thrashed them, 5-1 so this afternoon will be tough. Admittedly, Sunderland were playing with tem men for nearly all the second half but they were already 3-0 to the good before that and the result will have given Newcastle great confidence and belief.
On to us, last weekend we were off form and scraped three points against a West Ham side which sits at the bottom of the table, they can’t buy a win right now but last Saturday they fought tooth and nail to get a draw, only to be denied at the death by Alex Song.
If we play like that again today, I can’t see us being so fortunate against a side that has goals in it all over the pitch.
We followed the dire performance on Saturday with another dire performance on Wednesday, in fact it was worse..
Enough of that though, today we need to get our performance and attitude right back on track. Start the game as we mean to go on and no letting up either. Today there is no room for complacency, arrogance or sloppiness. Yes, Newcastle may be one of the clubs that got promoted last season but they won’t want to be relegated again either, they want to stay in this league and will fight for ninety minutes today in attempt to get three points to help them on their way. Whoever Wenger selects today needs to realise that!!
My money is on a home win and a red card for Joey Barton, he was lucky to stay on the pitch in the Carling Cup game and he wasn’t on the pitch for long, today I see him chipping away at both Cesc and Jack if they play..
Just hope it’s a strong vigilant referee today, I think we are going to need it…
Morning all, i hope we don’t see van Persie back until after the silly international break, no way should he be in the squad after on full training session….
he might have been fit a while ago….thats my guess…wenger hardly rushes a player back
hi ade, hop you are right, we an’t take the risk with him… but wenger has been questioning the call up for holland, doesn’t make sense…
Good Morning lady of the House, I totally agree it seems quite outrageous that RVP would even be fit enough for teh dressing room let alone a place on the subs bench but then again we’re not the manager and we do not know how long he has actually been training. I think the Boss maybe would of held him back with the thought’s that the Dutch would not call him up and his added break would be beneficial to all concerned, however their pathetic call up has made the Boss play his cards early so why not play Robin if he is indeed ready?.
Time to get the hat, scarf and coat and get my bum into gear to get over the “Arse”. Will see you soon and lets hope for another three points today and I for one don’t see it being an easy game at all.
Yes i agree dont play RVP yet, Chamakh has been doing a great job and is good in the air a top target man.Its Eboue and Denilson that worry me i just dont think they are good enough for us.Come on you Gunners!
hi sammy, good to see you thi morning, i am having a tough time, my internet keeps crashing!!
enjoy the game….
gday all, sounds like he is on the bench? doesnt have to travel, home game, etc.
Perhaps our FM has something up his sleeve. He may allow RVP to play towards the end of the game and then say the DM is not fully fit. This is an ingenius way to disallow him to play in the friendly.
Read about about complaints about refs by pl managers.
The men in black think they are immune to any reprimand/punishment by the FA. The blunders by refs can no longer be tolerated.
It’s about time the FA get tougher not tough with these guys in black.How about a demerit point system.Those who have blundered on at least three occasions should not be allowed to officiate anymore.
Yeah I know there could be a shortage of refs. Fear not. There are many top class ones in Europe who would be only too happy to get a chance in the epl.
On the subject of these guys in black,today’s ref could if he doesn’t want the gunners to challenge Chelsea,give a penalty for some petty incident near the box.Recall the Birmingham game where Eduardo was injured.
If the gunners fail to win through another defensive blunder,that’s it.The FM must yield the axe and sendd the guilty one to the reserves. No ifs and buts.
hi mark and Evo, just don’t want him taking any part
🙁
Morning all.dudu scored a zidane-esque goal ( the best goal in cl history) yesterday.it was magic!
Nasri looks heavy in that photo…
Maybe RVP thinks more of the Dutch team than The Arsenal. So maybe it’s time to dump him. We have to many players who spend more time in the treatment room than the on the pitch. He is to injury prone.
Phew, seems all is up and running again,
Hi Tim, KTR7 & Big L…
Big L, i would rather he quit the international scene!!
Maybe rvp would prefer regaining his fitness while training with world class players like sneijder and not with denilson,almunia and the reserves.yes it is a big risk but if he comes through unscathed and improved fitness and scores a screamer in the NLD i won’t complain.
Tim, I don’t think wenger would do that to be honest – in risk of a fine for not allowing him to play…
KT, Sami always looks heavy ;)if it works that way with robin all well and good, but like you say its a massive risk and we need him fit….
Rico i think rvp has been fit for sometime.i also think nasri won’t start.he has played 90 minutes since the CC game.i reckon theo,AA and chamakh will be our forward line.
What makes you think that KT?
Aw is usually very cautious with his players.rvp himself does lots of training exercises when in rehab and if you can remember his comeback against the European chumpions,tiny totts,he looked very fit despite being out for 5 months.he was due after 6 weeks but has been with us for sometime now (he attended the W.ham game).with us facing the likes of Everton and the euro chumps in the coming weeks Aw wouldn’t take unnecessary risks with his glass ankles.
Just hope you theory is near the truth KT, otherwise a bad one form Barton and we may not see him for another few months….
If barton misbehaves nasri will be there to ‘get in his face’…
Good Morning People nice post Rico Come on Arsenal!
KT, i nearly put the photo of barton in the post today, you know the one with him behind bars…!!
Good Morning Erick, thank you re the post, at least someone likes it 🙂
Rico need i mention how brilliant your post is?its like a me trying to explain how Megan Fox is so…you know what i mean rico.
🙂 Rico its true and Whats your prediction for today
Today i have loads of games to watch with madrid vs Athletico to end my day.funny thing about A.madrid is that they do real madrid two favours every season:snatch points from barca and then they gift them to madrid.i want to see how De Gea performs tonight.
Kt niaje na hope uko poa mtu wangu leo ni leo msema kesho ni mwongo. AA Leo anafaa kukaa bench ama??
Kt you will be happy to know that De Gea said Cristiano has been lucky in the box 🙂
Erick AA ataanza kwa sababu alipumzishwa kwenye mchuano wetu wa bara la uropa siku ya jumatatu.
KT 😆 just jesting 😉
Home win Erick, just, if we can keep Nolan and Carrol quiet it should be a good day for the gooners 🙂
But he does deserve to start KT he is been poor do you agree?
back in 20 mins, don’t go away 😉
Its good to have the tiny totts back!it seems like gallas signed a contract extension with us down the road replacing the cannon with a cock at the top of it.he was so shaky that it made me wonder how the hell we were able to even challenge with a panicky backline of clichy,eboue,toure,gallas and Almunia!gallas is still an Arsenal player and its good to see him sticking to his ‘guns’.
Erick AA hatoshi mboga wakati huu lakini profesa ajua kuwa mrusi huyu aweza fanya miujiza uwanjani.aanze au asianze tutamshangilia tu.
Kweli KT Theo lazima atacheza amekuwa na miujiza 🙂
This Aw secret ‘affair’ isn’t going away.if its true Aw has taken his eye off the ball recently because of her or maybe he sees potential in her…but it must be said Sonia Tatar is an intriguing name.
Ha ha ha KT 🙂
Gallas pulled up in that game yesterday i think KT…
Where is everyone…
I don’t know KT, i’m here, cooking aswell, but here 😉
I hate joey farton, he’s a crud bag with extra poo on the side, he also looks like a scum bag pikey criminal. He should be in prison with harry rednap.
Starting line up Fab sagna Sq kos clichy cesc song jack theo nasri chamaka and Rvp on the bench
hi afc, you and all of us….
good side Erick 🙂
Where is AA Erick, bench??
hola gooners r u ready 4 d game
Bench Rico Eboue, nikky chesney Denilson
Ready as ever
that’s the spirit 😀
see you at H/T –
Come on you Mighty Reds 🙂
Get in 🙂 🙂
Hi Stef, Erick has me on the bench 🙂
Unbelievable… 🙁 🙁
Oh bloody dear!!
Shocking mistake by the keeper…..
🙁 indeed agag….
Newcastle has one shot on goal and… makes it??? Pffft. 🙁
what happened :S my link went down I didn’t see the last 3-4 minutes
I rushed rushed rushed dinner in time to see that catastrophic bit of play, rico. If it weren’t so awful, it would be funny. 🙁
How are you?
Carroll scored, Stef. 🙁
arsenal are so shit just watched first half , song shit chamack awful, fabregas thinks he’s super man trying to do it all on he’s own,sagna shit wallcott is so think all he knows how to do is run, fabianski needs to go arsenal are shit game over
afc Arsenal weren’t that bad if we scored you wouldn’t say they were shit.
Come on you reds let’s take the game to an other level and grab all three points we must show some spirit in the second half.
good thanks agag, well apart from flappy’s error, you??
we are playing better now, they got lucky… come on you reds…..
Can’t blame Fabianski the defenders did do their part
Good, rico. I pleaded a headache so that we could finish dinner early (not that it wasn’t lovely)… Caught Fabianski’s gaffe just in time, and now find myself really contending with a keeper-induced headache. 🙁 🙁
Erick!!! How are you? Haven’t spoken with you in a while. I hope you’re well. 🙂 🙂
Hear the roar for RvP!!! I hope he shows us his stuff… and stays fit
The man has come..
I only wish our players approach this with a greater sense of urgency. Pitiful.
Where the f- are the goals???
Good god.
Shite!!
Erick, the defenders didn’t go for the ball as Fabianski shouted, then ……
Absolute shite KT……
Pathetic, pathetic, pathetic, KT. Absolutely no desire!! And Fabianski really should’ve done better defending against that goal… Newcastle weren’t even great.
Krul had no save to make in the entire 2nd half!fab4 was very poor as was theo.no desire at all!
What a dreadful 30 minutes 🙁 almost nothing happened
this is no way to win a title.
2 promoted sides winning at the Emirates I wonder how many times has it happened in the past (if it happened at all)
I more frustrated that we didn’t produce anything then the way we lost a goal and the game eventually.
well ther it is .. signs started to show in whu game and now we are up here..
..there is a naked truth, if one game lost there s another following
We play better with a depleted squad…
I am seething!!! 😡 Squad’s almost at full strength, and that’s the best they could manage? How they short-change the fans! And I am blaming solely the players for this.
November Rain again 🙁
Why do we always lose 2 games on the trot?
KT, why such ccontrast existss in arsenal games!!
I’m seething too, we were just so weak up front… i’m gutted…
Rico, you are right,a bad time to make an RVP come back.
If the chavs don’t win the league they should be ashamed.
Hi, STV. How are you???
A gutless performance, and another red, too!! What the players say about having “learned” from the West Brom debacle has been shown as nothing but a lie. 😡
Hi STV, what was the point in bringing him on?? I could’t see one either…
what really pisses me off is we lose again at the emirates, no-one will fear us at home….
SOS.Same old story/style.No more ifs and buts.The failur is going to cost the gunners dearly.If Chelsea win the gap will be eight points. Their team maybe old compared to the gunners,but they possess traits which the youthful gunners don’t have.
One more thing they go direct .Yeah this only the third defeat and its early days but this could be a marker and the gunners have failed.
No one is to be blamed except the manager who must quickly conjure a winning team.
They all need to take a long, hard look in the mirror and see if they deserve to wear our shirt. rico, they were an embarrassment…
I have to write about that shower of s***e!!
What on earth is wrong with Fabregas???
hi james, sorry for the delay, all is not good is it…..
james, i’m not for calling for the head of wenger, that’s all too easy a cop out, agag is right, every player needs to look in the mirrow and ask themselves if they gave their best…
for me, its clear… they didn’t, yet again!!
That type of performance is NOT what I abbreviate my social activities for, rico. 😡
Torres can go some way into saving our season though… 😉
shocking agag, so so poor, all over the pitch and as for the red card for kos… how intelligent was that, now he’s out for three games, just hope TV really is ready to play again…..
Rico here is a post”i did not see it.over to you…”we are losing our home fear factor.so much for kozzer hoping we make Emirates a fortress…
and deep joy, we play wolves on wednesday….. a side who should have won at Old Trafford….
Torres!!!
Rico,
It’s not often I fel so distraught and let down!
That performance was absolutely disgraceful!
I was pretty down when the NY Yankees were beaten in the playoffs for the MLB Worlds finals, but heigho, the NFL has started and so I pinned my hopes on the Giants in the NFL, with the satisfaction that the Gunners were also starting to play pretty well.
No more!
Sorry to sound like a turncoat, but Arsene should seriously think of going now with some dignity, because he is now doing a “Benitez” impression, and we will win f*ck all playing with this team.
Absolutely shattered with the clueless, gutlessness of this performance!!
Possibly Fab4’s worst game this season. Theo was close to ineffectual. 🙁 🙁 Nothing was clicking. Nothing. They should hang their heads in shame– No wait, they should all be hanged by the neck until…(reminds self to be a little more charitable.)
I know agag, trust me, I know 🙁
KT, you know what, that’s just how I feel, I really cant be bothered to write about that game…
we can only hope the dippers help us out today, i had a horrid feeling about this game today, i really did……
Hahaha. I knew it!!! Fernando Torres, te amo. 🙂 😳
We had injuries…oh wait…theo needs space and thats why he’ll never be henry because he doesn’t have a clue in tight spaces.cesc was poorest of them all.
I fear what will happen at the Molineux now…Aw took his eye off the ball with this Sonia T Chick…
It’s not Wenger’s fault KT, its the idiots on the pitch….
Let’s hope the chavs-dippers scoreline stays this way or better yet that Torres is up to some tricks tonight (of the “hat” variety, fingers crossed)… Fudge! I hate that our title hopes (what title hopes??)are pinned on other teams’ performance…
Rico if that war mourinho he would bench a bulk of that 11 for the next game.Aw doesn’t have the balls to do that.
We should be good enough to need no favors agag but saying that, ‘Come on Torres’ 😆
I’d bench the lot of them… Starters and subs, KT. Without batting an eyelash. The reserves might have done a better job…
Don’t agree Rico.
Wenger takes credit when Arsenal win, he must also take responsibility when they lose.
You know the old game we all used to play, in the days of the invincibles, who would get into our team from Manure, Liverpool or wherever?
Well during the game I thought to myself, would Fabianski, Clichy, Sagna, Song, Squidgy, Chamakh or Walcott get into the Chelski, Manure or Spuds sides, and the answer was a resounding NO!
And they should not play for us either.
As for tactics? — What tactics? AW has a lot to answer for because our team looked absolutely clueless.
This is hurting me and every other Arsenal fan, and something needs to be done, and soon!!
I completely agree, rico. 😀 Torres may prove to be the silver lining to this Arsenal cloud cover…
KT, all we have then is a mix of youth and and some, but you know what, the youth players who love the club would give more than some of this team did today…
Torres you beauty!
Torreeeeeessssss. Te amo. Te quiero.
‘Pool 2:0 up. What a day to lose to the Barcodes.
RA,
i disagree, he can’t get on the pitch and play in their kit can he?? He picked an eleven most would be happy with, they let themselves down….
And Clichy was not so bad today, well apart from his silly yellow card…
Agag, I used to say “ti amo”! to my Italian girlfriend. (very effective 🙂 ). You are either writing in Spanish, or it is a typo, mi amore! 🙂
Rico, you are entitled to your opinion …… and I am to mine.
The team let themselves down, which does not need debating.
Wenger let us all down, because he did not do his job by managing the team properly and changing the team tactics effectively.
In addition, that squad, particularly the keeper, who cost us the match, was his responsibility.
This is so self evident it does not deserve debating, so I say good night.
Thats what chamakh should have done today not passing the ball in the box.
RA, I have a feeling (warm, fuzzy, honeysweet) our no. 9 shirt has been kept vacant for Torres. 🙂
rico, you’re right. Maybe I won’t bench Jack AND Clichy. 🙂
RA,
of course we can all have an opinion, anyway you have gone so i shall not bother answering your last… good night…
agag, not jack, no way, he’s the bright light right now but i didnt think clichy was too bad either….
I can’t believe I’m having to stay up for a chavs-dippers match. If Liverpoo win, we’d have been granted a lifeline… But our results are no less angering for all that…
There are no positives to take away from that match. Anyone from AFC who says otherwise has to have a brain scan.
they are more annoying agag, if the chavs lose and we had have won, just two points would have been in it… 🙁
just a brain scan agag???
Arsenal Wenger admits his side “never found their flow” in the 1-0 defeat by Newcastle, and suggests his goalkeeper Lucasz Fabianski was at fault for the goal.
I was sugarcoating to give it a more palatable spin, rico. 😉 But brutal honesty works, too… 😀
looks as if wenger will appeal the red card…
A brain transplant! Hopefully, with more footballing grey matter. 🙂
i get it agag, honest you are as naffed of as me 🙁 🙁
and i think RA has gone off in a huff….
grey matter!!
we need to culture brain there AGAG cause there was none
😆 agag,
Hi STV, dreaful day, eh….
what else to say rico, a totally un expeced result though I feared some kind of..
Today’s results are very difficult to take, STV 🙁
just hoping we dont end up in march whining
its a tough result to take, have been reading around, some want wnegr out, some blame theo, some blame chamakh and some blame cesc….
i just blame them all…..
Never thought i’d be grateful to the dippers….. but i am..
i’m off for the day all, be good and stay safe….
til tomorrow….
Hi Lady Arsenal, i am so sorry for the delay in getting you on, you were stuck in moderation, sorry…
as for cesc, i’m not sure, he doesn’t look fit and to be honest, i think we try to play the ball to him to much…
I am off, kids. Try to enjoy your evening. STV, I know you’re in the medical field, so go get out that petri dish and culture some brain cells for the boys!!
rico, I emailed you something that may make you take to the air again. Or not. But I shall keep trying. 🙂
I have fallen in love with Torres all over again. 🙂
bye rico, sleep well and hope Cesc theo wengr faski.. are not coming in dreams.(for tonight)
I have fallen in love with fabianski again AGAG.. 😉
Thanks agag 🙂
night guys and gals – be good…..
STV, i hope not too, i don’t need nightmares 😉
wrap him up in bubble wrap everytime he plays..myt get 3 games in a row!!!
morning all, anyone around??
Good Morning Lady of The House.
I Sammy of the short is here, what a dire spectacle that was yesterday, I almost wished I had stayed in the drinking establiment I was so comfy in before kick off. How can players turn up when they feel like it. So annoys me.
Morning sammy, what a dreadful performance!! you didn’t go to the game then?
What is it with our players, so lazy at times…
oops, stupid me, you did go to the game, what a waste of money!!
Yes thank you for reminding me of the waste of money kind Lady. It was indeed woeful at times, two yard passes sideways and backwards no width to stretch a team well disciplined and who played deep to not allow us the space we like and yet we didn’t have the knowhow to then make the space or create it, very sad for players with so much technique. All far to predictable as usual trying to walk the ball into the net passes through four players, so tedious at times yes the pub was calling me long before the fianl whistle I must say.
You should have stayed in the pub sammy…..
i’m going to put the new post up, can you copy your comment sammy and bring it with you to the new one?
Do I just copy and paste as per normal ?
yep, it should be ok
Hey, u can’t blame the players. U blame Wenger becoz he’s failed to put in his players a sense of urgency and ruthlessness when they have the game under their control. i hate to say this but he has failed to put in the players what Mourinho and Fergie do to even their worst players i.e Urgency and ruthlessness.
Wenger should avoid rushing half fit players becoz by doing that he is:
-Risking recurring their injuries.(Risk a player for one game and he misses 7!!!, not worth it in my opinion.
-The team plays like it’s one man down, due to lower workrate of a half fit player.
-Not motivating to a benched fully fit player.
Wenger should avoid rushing half fit players becoz by doing that:
-He is risking recurring their injuries.(Risk a player for one game and he misses 7!!!, not worth it in my opinion.
-The team plays like it’s one man down, due to lower workrate of a half fit player.
-Not motivating to a benched fully fit player.