Match Preview

Make or break our season? An early goal would make it very tough…

Posted on by rico

Morning all.

Arsene Wenger has confirmed that the squad for tonight’s match is the same as Sundays.

It’s a tricky fixture though and we need to get the right result to see us through to the next round. We have a tough few matches ahead and we need to be full of confidence, not left thinking, ‘what if’?

A victory or a draw would see us top the group and avoid the big guns in the Knock-out stages of the Champions League. A loss will see us out of the competition altogether, if it’s by three or more goals.

Just why I think Arsene Wenger will start with his strongest side. He wants this big trophy and like all of us fans, I bet he doesn’t want to see Arsenal players performing on Thursday nights!

We have to assume that Borussia Dortmund will beat Marseille so that will draw them level with us on points and of course, Napoli will know that nothing but a 3-0 win will see them through to the knock-out stages, so they will be up for this game…

Rafa Benitez is ready for us:

We know that Arsenal are very strong but we will try. My team has to give 100 per cent.

My players know how important tomorrow’s game is and they have all trained really well. We have nothing to lose.

For us to play at home gives us an added strength.  

He is right, they have nothing to lose, so they’ll be all out to win.

So will we though – Arsene Wenger:

The attitude of the players is focused and ambitious. That pleases me very much. We will play our usual game and try to take control of the ball.

Tomorrow (Tonight’s game) is a decider in the Champions League, that is for sure.

It sure is.

The key tonight is an early goal and we need to get it. That would leave Napoli needing four to go through but if we concede early, the momentum and belief will be with the home side.

One thing for sure and that’s we have to start the game a lot lot better than we did on Sunday, we are the ones who have to get out of the traps early and dictate the pace of the game.

Talking of pace, surely Theo Walcott or Serge Gnabry have to start this game, but I can’t see it being the latter as he’s not featured in any of our recent matches. So that leaves Theo, Napoli will know all about his speed and that alone will give the home side something to think about. I’d play him on the left though and get him cutting in onto his natural foot.

If it were down to me, I’d start with both Mathieu Flamini and Mikel Arteta, just as we did in the home fixture. Let them protect the back five and then play a fast and furious attacking game with width, pace and clinical finishing.

Tomas Rosicky is another starter for me, when he plays, the midfield click and we need a good start. Get him on, even if it’s only for an hour – and yes, I’d leave Santi Cazorla on the bench, as I would Jack Wilshere.

That leaves Aaron Ramsey, Mesut Ozil and Olivier Giroud, all of whom simply have to play.

I’m sure a few of you will disagree with that starting eleven…..

But I see that eleven as giving us balance with enough in the attacking department to get us goals and plenty of defensive cover if the game doesn’t go our way at times.

Oh, and enough strength on the bench to change things when needed….

Wojciech Szczesny has been talking ahead of tonight:

I don’t think we should approach the game thinking that we need to avoid a defeat. We believe that we’re good enough to go there and get a win. We don’t need to change our attitude, we need to keep it going the way we have been and that should give us a result.

It’s a Champions League fixture which is always enjoyable, you’re always up for it. I don’t think there will be any problems with our approach to the game.

Good, every player whether starting or on the bench have to be up for this match if they are to get the result we need tonight.

Szczesny also said:

I think in the first half-hour [of the first Napoli game] we were frightening,I never touched the ball so that should tell you a lot.

More of the same tonight please Arsenal, more of the same…..

Finally, Happy Birthday to AllezKev, who is 21 today! Three points just for him would be nice please Arsenal….

That’s your lot……

rico

0 thoughts on “Make or break our season? An early goal would make it very tough…”

  2. Joaquim Moreira says:

    good morning!
    I’m not very confident for today!
    Flamini and Arteta must play. It’s my advice.
    Congratulations to Allez and to Nigel Winterburn

  4. BrainwashedKev says:

    Morning All….
    Morning Rico, an engaging post 😉

    Yes JM it is Nigel Winterburn’s birthday today.
    And John Lukic…. Thanks JM…

    Cheers Nasher, Scott, Adam, Rico and Lee… 🙂

    Yes Coach, sadly I do remember the Spuds winning the Double, in black and white… 😀

  7. tsgh says:

    21? I am yet to know any 21 y.o who knows his ww1 and wwII history as well as Mr Kev. 😛

    Have a good one buddy…

    With Baup getting sacked by OM I am hoping that a BVB get a draw at most…

  8. devilgunner says:

    for the sake of those who have not my previous post’s comment here it is…..

    Happy Birthday to the Birthday Boy. 🙂

    How old now???? erm let’s see.

    According to WATH, a reliable old source, who remembers THE HOBBIT being written, bless his woolly socks and hairy toes, it seems as if Kev was born something around the middle ages of last century. It was the summer years of the 20th century, he claims. That must make it around pension age. The last time he commented, WATH said that Kev remembers a spuddie lifting YE OLDE ENGLISH LEAGUE…..althoug the latter claims that now that is a distant haze.

    So Happy Birthday KEV. May you have an enjoyable day full of all that you wish for.

  9. HenryB says:

    Morning Rico,

    You have said it all. Tricky!

    It is a bit of a lottery when you are effectively playing a one off cup game. Look at what happened to Bayern last night, coasting at 2:0 against an inferior team and then – whammy!

    Still the thrill of the unknown is part and parcel of football and we have definitely got the team to do it. 🙂

  12. rico says:

    Morning Hb…

    Start quick, early goal and leave Napoli needing 4. This defence wouldn’t let in that many…

    Would they?

  13. Xris says:

    A draw puts us still in 1st place. The only thing to get us out of Tuesday/Wednesday Night Football is losing by a 3-goal scoreline which is something still possible if we didn’t play well. Let’s pray God and our team give Kev something to celebrate alongside his birthday.

    Who ever expected Bayern to lose at home after being 2-0 up?

  14. Wavy says:

    It will all depend upon the Ref……….whether or not the Neopolitan underworld have made him an offer he can’t refuse!
    If it is a level playing field then The Arsenal will go through. I can’t see them shipping 3 goals without reply, so……..there we are!
    I expect at least a draw and I don’t think I will be disappointed.

    Coygs

  17. ozgunner says:

    i agree with the general feeling, we score first, its over. They don’t have the backbone to come back from that. They score first any time in the first 75 and look out. Don’t panic Mr mannering!!

  18. BrainwashedKev says:

    Cheers Ginge….

    Don’t rub it in Coach… 🙂

    Woof woof Rico… 😉

    Footballistically, and maybe in a minority…

    If you gave me a choice, I would rather win at Wastelands…

    Having said/wrote er typed that;

    In a perfect world, winning the next three games would be like a double pie and mash in Bethnal Green Road….

  19. Donald says:

    Morning Rico , great post as usual , I do hope tonight we play to our strengths and an early goal for us will surely allay early jitters and make us dictate the tempo and tone of the match.A win tonight will be a massive uplift going into the weekend.

  22. HenryB says:

    What I think is pretty disturbing following on from the attacks on Arsenal fans in a pie shop in London by the Italian ‘Ultras’, is that the team and the Arsenal support staff have been confined to the hotel in case of further trouble.

    Frankly that is a disgrace and UEFA should ban any clubs with sh*t fans like that.

  24. HenryB says:

    Rico,

    I am not the smartest guy in the world but I am beginning to see a pattern,

    First you said you were referring to Kev’s age in dog years, and now you are talking about his ‘bark and his bite’ — is it possible that he is the world’s first typing, doggy Gooner?

    We could make a fortune here you know! 🙂

  25. HenryB says:

    I understand that very few tickets have been sold to Arsenal fans for tonight’s game probably because no one wants to be bashed up by a gang of opposition ‘supporters’ at any time but especially before Xmas.

    If that was caused by UK hooligans the papers would be in uproar.

  29. ozgunner says:

    horrible fans that lot. They are either throwing bananas at players, or yelling racist abuse or being generally destructive. Should have been banned years ago

  31. rico says:

    I wonder if they’ll be trouble inside the ground, especially if we were to go 1-0 up…

    Sure are Oz, horrid bunch…

  35. rico says:

    I’m off now for a few hours, dog walk and then a Christmas ‘thing’ to go to, just hope it’s all done and dusted and I’m back home before ko…

    Can’t believe I said I’d go…. grrrrr

    Catch up later…

  36. BrainwashedKev says:

    Is that right Lee, 127 today…..

    Yeah, you should ask Wath about it, he was a regular in those there Plumstead days…

    Was always at the front of the Spion Kop, at the Manor Ground…

    Moaning of course! 😛

  39. W.A.T.H says:

    To me very dear Grandad Kev, Happy Birthday Grandad, have a great day and enjoy the new zimmer frame I bought you…. It even has a new bell on it for you to ring to get tea off Granny….!

    Can’t believe you said 21 Rico, you mean 21 years from a century…!

    He’s still got all his marbles despite his age….! Am proud to call him Grandad Kev.

    Couple of my mates have gone over for the game they said all quiet last night.

    As we all know when it was English fans smashing things up we got banned, now others do it and it just gets swept under the carpet…!

    Oh well there is always Jan 4th to liven things up a little.

  41. potter says:

    The story which has been handed down over the generations is that on 11th December 1886, a group of footballers from the Dial Square workshop in the Woolwich Arsenal crossed the Thames on the “famous” Woolwich ferry, and walked to a piece of land which one of them had discovered on the Isle of Dogs.

    The boys from Dial Square, playing on a rough and ready surface (club secretary Elijah Watkins commented: “Talk about a football pitch! I could not venture to say what shape it was…a portion was – I was going to say a ditch, but I think an open sewer would be more appropriate.”) won 6-0, and then went back to Woolwich.

    Happy Birthday.AFC.

  42. BrainwashedKev says:

    I am very humbled by those kind words Grandson…

    And yes, I will now be getting you an Action Man for Christmas,
    as I promised… 😉

  44. W.A.T.H says:

    Action man……….. Just what I always wanted….! Beast the Barbie doll you tried to fob me off with last year…! Least I was able to give that to Lee….!

  45. Rick. says:

    Good afternoon to the House and the Birthday boys. Is this a good sign for tonight.
    HT in u19 comp.
    Napoli 1 Arseanal 0
    Marseille 2 Dortmund 0
    If it stays this way we finish top Napoli second .

  47. AndrewH says:

    HBD Kev, hope its a good one!
    Agree rico, we need Rosicky buzzing about like a bee. And Walcott stretching them and looking for flick-ons from Gir or the release ball over the top out wide.

  50. Rick. says:

    Hi Ts, life is a roller coaster at the moment. A month ago I was told I was in the clear and they stopped all my medication.Since then my days have been up and down but they tell me things will get better and that I have many miles left on the clock.
    Now back to today . Allthough they lost 2-1 the lads finished top of the group and will have a home game in the one game last 16.
    From what i can gather they were on the receiving end of some rather hefty tackles and were unlucky to loose. But they still made it.

  51. Wavy says:

    Mustn’t mock the Old Lady, yet. We could end up playing them on a Thursday night in March! Never count your chickens……..unless you are Rico! – Ts.
    Granted, it is unlikely that we will lose, and even less likely by 3 clear goals, but nothing is certain……..look at Lazarus and I don’t mean Mark! (That was for BK and Potter and WATH)! I wonder if we all share the same birth year? No, not telling.
    1-1 tonight, I reckon.

  53. agirlagunner says:

    Boo!! I certainly hope we qualify. It wouldn’t do to be playing in the Europe League. 😕

    Happiest birthday, Shopping Buddy! I hope you’ve taken time off from your schedule to get yourself some great presents. 🙂 I’d bake you a cake, but I don’t want you to get food poisoning. 😛

  54. BrainwashedKev says:

    Hey Wath, last I heard, Dave was seen running off with Barbie in his mouth…

    Thanks Andrew…

    Rick, sorry to hear your 4.43…
    Hang in there mate…

  57. agirlagunner says:

    All great here, AK. But the sched for CL matches is bad for sleeping habits. 🙁

    How are you celebrating?

  59. tsgh says:

    Wenger say Arsenal will play their normal game today. Says Wilshere & Ramsey are rested with slight muscle problems

    TR07 and SC19 start on the flanks; Both Flamster and Arteta in starting XI

    Evening all…

    TR07 and Sc19 must score

  61. AndrewH says:

    Risicky – tick
    Walcott – x

    Thought it would be nice to have an hour under his belt before Saturday. Obviously not in City plans?

  62. tsgh says:

    Lets hope we can extend our run of not conceding a goal in 188 minutes of UCL football to 278 minutes tonight.
    c’mon you RRsss….

  69. DutchGooner10 says:

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  75. Wavy says:

    Juve didn’t win Serie A by skill alone – if you know what I mean! Naples may have similar pals!
    We shall see.

    Coymrs

  76. agirlagunner says:

    Very stop start, rico. Napoli are pressing hard and seem up for it. We’re not holding on to the ball long enough to do anything meaningful with our possession. BFG has been kept busy!!

  92. Scott from Oz says:

    This really is a different Arsenal than what we have seen over the last decade or so.
    They are calm under pressure and never panic.
    No wasting of energy at there…everything we do is with efficiency.

  104. agirlagunner says:

    Boo, Scott! BFG and Kozzer have been really impressive so far. 🙂

    Hiya, Lewis and Ginge. I only wish our attacking players were able to assert themselves more. Napoli are looking frustrated and if we play with a little more width, we just may nick one goal!

  106. Wavy says:

    I hope they drug teat all the Napoli team cos they are all running around the pitch like headless chickens on speed! Who said it wasn’t a performance enhancing drug. They cannot possibly keep the relentless chasing for 90 minutes, unless of course………..they have all had a little teeny weeny ‘boost’.

  111. AndrewH says:

    Hi all. Think we are being very professional under constant fouling. Walcott to stretch them if we get to 70 minutes. Reality, we will put on Monreal for Cazorla!

  133. Scott from Oz says:

    Giroud carded for that, yet Napoli are chopping trees.
    Strange.
    I just saw a pic of the weapons they actually caught Napoli fans with entering the stadium.
    God knows what got through.

  153. Scott from Oz says:

    That was the softest second yellow you will ever see.
    Never in a million years.
    What a joke.
    These litts shits have been hacking us to pieces and we cop that??
    This ref is a joke.

  155. rico says:

    Spot on Potter, the chance was there to get us going, now it’s gone..

    Hope our boys can defend with their lives….

  159. Scott from Oz says:

    Ginge, it was a not a yellow ever, mate.
    It is a contact sport.
    That was a joke and no way Arteta can be blamed for it.

  160. HenryB says:

    I really cannot believe that the ref gave Arteta a yellow for that when the Napoli players have been doing much worse all night.

    Crap refereeing.

  164. HenryB says:

    We are standing off them and not pressing the man in possession.
    They are pressing and winning the ball all over the park.

    We need cool heads now.

  187. rico says:

    Gdna. I utterly agree re Giroud.

    He does a lot of good work but… we need a pacey goal scorer, a clinical goal scorer….

  188. tsgh says:

    Dna, will you ever give it up… jeez

    I suspect Rico will tell me off but…

    Its not OG12’s fault he is the main striker… get off his case! he gives his best that is all we can ask for imho buddy.

  193. agirlagunner says:

    From topping the group to barely qualifying. I know the calls went against us, but surely our midfield could have tried to create better chances.

  195. tsgh says:

    I agree Agag…

    I never hear anyone say OG12 is shite when we are winning…

    Bayern lost at home last night… does that make them a bad team?

    And Mandzukic has scored less…

    The players are tired… I love AW but poor squad management is showing now…
    Hopefully Theo can be fit for Saturday 12:45 k.o; we need to freshing things up.

  199. GunnerDNA says:

    Ts, u can be deluded all u want, but i wont. The entire football world knows our deficiency, so i will ignore your comments.

  204. rico says:

    Per Mertesacker summed it up at the end. The players thought they were through and took it all a bit too easy.

    Napoli knew what they had to do and they were always going to give their all.

    Helped by us going down to ten men of course, they fell just short…

    But I really do think we missed a golden opportunity to get TW on and use his pace to a) keep their left back back, and of course to give something to our attacking play which was very bland to say the least…

  205. GunnerDNA says:

    Bayer lost, so what? Whats your point? Bayer is the defending champion of the CL, so losing a dead rubber game is pointless to discuss. imo. We are struggling to win a trophy for 8 yrs now and u talking about BM.

  206. Joaquim Moreira says:

    We’re playing with a lot of arrogance and little humility.
    Ramsey is bad physical.
    Be second is very bad in my opinion. and we were there, until last 5 minutes. In last two games, we dropped points and dropped the first place today.

  208. agirlagunner says:

    The mind boggles. Those were saveable goals so I am really disappointed. Plus, we were happy to coast along, as if we had already qualified.

    How was OG to score, when he wasn’t getting any good service?? And we shoot ourselves in the foot again.

  209. stevepalmer1 says:

    Evening all,
    They say Match fixing is happening in the premier league, I believe its prevalent in the Champions league as well and Arsenal are involved. No way does an Arsenal team perform like that without a fix in. was it an old pals act with the managers. . Did Arsenal have a shot at all did we ever get 2 players in the box did we get 2 players in their half what a disgusting performance. A 2 bob team made to look 10 bob by a useless Arsenal performance

  214. rico says:

    I know guys, slight tongue in cheek..

    There isn’t a week side who we face next and one thing is for sure. Play like we did tonight and we will get battered..

    I’m already dreading City because our players look dead on their feet.

  218. tsgh says:

    Agag/Emma- I think it will be Barcelona with our luck…

    Hopeful Messi will be out… 😉

    Maybe lets concentrate on the EPL afterall… Barca’s dominance started with winning La liga after 8 years without win anything…

  219. kel says:

    wenger’s worst performance this season imo, we desperately needed pace on the pitch and he leaves walcott on the bench? OG12 was knackered at 60 mins, Ozil looks tired, Arteta is just to slow imo it showed against everton and again tonight. on a positive note we still qualified 🙂 negative, some players look shattered, and city will be rubbing there hands.

  220. agirlagunner says:

    rico, haha. 😛 I’m still cross, but we have to beat one of those teams at some point; I guess we’ll just be meeting them earlier.

  222. GunnerDNA says:

    Scz
    Jenks Mert Kos Gibbs
    Flam Ramsey
    Walcott Ozil Caz
    Giroud

    The above-mentioned team can beat city. Why buy ozil when he constantly have to pass the ball infront opposing defenders. We need at least 1 player who can get behind the opposition defence to create space for other players.

  223. emma says:

    I thought Wenger would have taken ozil off and bring in Vermaelen. We were never interested in going forward. Like kel said ozil and giroud were knackered and should have being taken off. Tactical masterclass form Benitez bringing on insigne and wenger didn’t respond quickly enough

  225. tsgh says:

    I agree Kel, key players are shattered at this stage…

    AW should have rotated earlier before this period…

    SP1, the look on AW’s face says something… lol

    I am sure I will make more enemies but SC19 needs to be given 2 weeks off before January. He had no summer break; his performances are becoming quite worrying recently; he looks like he has lost confidence….

  227. rico says:

    🙂 agag

    I’m going to leave you all to it, I’m off to write it up for tomorrow…

    Won’t take long 😉

    Night all….

  228. emma says:

    Not moaning but I will take 2nd anyday over europa league. Wenger need to rotate the squad wisely this festive period. We are the arsenal bring any team and we will take them on.

  230. tsgh says:

    I have been talking about rotation for over 4 weeks now…

    its naive with all the data AW is privy too to keep playing the same players whilst decent players sit on the bench…

  232. agirlagunner says:

    Our midfield, bar none, was way off pace today. Our defenders were busting a gut to defend, and the midfield was ball watching.

  233. tsgh says:

    No sagna on saturday; I hope CJ25 and Nasri goes in our favour.

    A draw will be a very solid result…

    Disappointing but we are still through… hopefully this result compels AW to buy in January or rotate.

    Night all..

  234. stevepalmer1 says:

    Its all about the money, get through and a nice little pay out. Its the only competition that Pays you out the further you go and thats our lot, maybe enough for a down payment in the transfer market

  235. agirlagunner says:

    CJ did better today than he did against Everton; although you could see that Napoli had some joy on the right.

    Like I said earlier, the way we played invited wave after wave of napoli attack, and so it proved with them scoring two.

  236. kel says:

    couldn’t agree more tsgh, Rotation is key, fergie was a master at it for yrs, walcott, vermalen, gnabry.. all good players and need to be used, pod & ox will be back soon they also have a real part to play this season.

  238. Scott from Oz says:

    Dna, so now it is Giroud?
    Last season it was Ramsey.
    Whose career are you going to give a massive boost to next 🙂
    Seriously, why the stress, everyone?
    Saturday is what it is all about.
    I could not care less about the CL, the PL must be our priority.
    As for rotation, well, since we have Theo just back, Pod soon and Ox not too far off, doesn’t that automatically mean rotation will happen?
    Damn, one loss which realistically has very, very little bearing on things, and people are panicking.
    Watch us v Citeh, because then we will know exactly how we are traveliing.
    Ginge, pass mark on your response re Arteta hahaha.
    Damn we panic after every little set back.

  239. Scott from Oz says:

    Oh, and when one aide can get away with blue murder, yet Arteta is sent off for that, what chance does a side really have?
    CL referee allocations needs addressing.
    So many of these guys from poor leagues are poor referees.
    It is a disgrace.

  240. agirlagunner says:

    Kel, also, the ones who get game time should be playing better, and with greater urgency. We cannot afford to be carrying non-performers with this mad Christmas sked. I’m a fan of Santi, but he needs to shape up. Same with TR07 who had no business looking jaded today, with all the rest he gets.

  241. stevepalmer1 says:

    Get your hands on him Agag and spend spend spend 🙂 But leave our wilted boys alone they need their rest, lots of it

  245. kel says:

    i wouldn’t say we are panicing scott lol you may not care about the CL fair enough, but the result tonight did have a bearing imo, who we face in the next rd.

  247. kel says:

    love the optimisim agg 🙂 i really hope your right, personally i cant see it jmo of course, i think city will be a fair bit fresher.

  248. NashuaGunners says:

    Hi agag,

    Please do us the favor and get your hands on him. And please make sure he understand our frustrations. We need a mobile DM and another striker that can compete with OG12. When luck don’t go OG12 way we can at least have another option up front. 🙂

  249. agirlagunner says:

    My optimism is not unfounded kel, because over the last three seasons, we’ve been pretty even with Citeh, despite their injection of gazillions into their team including dodgy stadium naming rights. 😀

    Watch Koz own Aguero. 😉

  250. Scott from Oz says:

    Kel, the best sides don’t always top the group, so it can mean we meet a weaker side…it is possible.
    Ayway, what i mean is, i do not really care about the CL in general.
    Not now.
    Maybe in a year or two.
    We need to consolidate out position in the League, imo.

  252. agirlagunner says:

    Nash, I will try my very best. 😀 But you know how stubborn AW is. :

    Theo and Lukas need to hit the ground running if we are to last the entire season. And Santi needs to contribute more.

  253. kel says:

    well i suppose its possible, but generally it’s best to top it, yes your right we must consolidate are position in the league, i hope that continues on sat, but im very doubtful tbh.

  254. agirlagunner says:

    Good night, guys!!

    Sorry about your birthday gift, AK! 🙁

    Off to eat my three-cheese omelette as it is morning here. 🙂

    Bring on Citeh!!

  255. kel says:

    agag, i agree they need to perform well, to give us some depth, wenger should really try to bring someone inn in jan, i know it’s hard in jan, whats the thoughts on maybe Berbatov 3-4m?

  256. Scott from Oz says:

    Berbatov brings plenty, but will he put in?
    If so, definitely worth a go.
    He can change a game with a single touch.

  257. agirlagunner says:

    kel, Suarez would be the best (also impossible) solution. I’d love Torres on board (hahaha, and yes, I know he hasn’t been scoring), but Mourinho will never sanction that move.

    If we can get Berbatov on three million and a short contract, why not? He lloks lazy and uninterested a lot of the time, but he is a proven goal poacher, so that does not seem like a bad idea.

  259. kel says:

    well he’s looking outta fulham atm, apparently unhappy there, 3-4m 2 yr deal why not he is better than NB 😉

    gd night agag.

  264. tsgh says:

    Piers Morgan ✔ @piersmorgan

    We need a striker. Giroud worked hard again but missed a lot of chances. He’s too slow against top class defenders.

    It appears club legend TH14 does not agree with most fans call for a new striker.

  267. tsgh says:

    Hiya Scott, how was your day?

    Re. Ox, I think we will be asking too much of him if we expect him to hit the ground running after being out for so long.

    Based on history also when a player has a cruciate injury there is a huge possibility that he will injured the other cruciate within a year too; as Pires, Diaby, Frimps, Gazza, Essien etc have experienced.

    Wish him all the best though…

  268. stevepalmer1 says:

    Morning all,
    Giroud is a hard worker no disputing that, but and its a big but, he is like a blind squirrel he finds a nut now and again, we need a fast squirrel that sprints to the nut a squirrel that can catch a nut before it hits the ground thats not Giroud. Giroud cannot outsprint a tortoise and it shows in every game. Per Mertsacker has the same trouble in defence but he has a willing partner in Koshielney to covber Giroud flicks a ball on and never ever does it find an Arsenal man because no other Arsenal men are ever up there. We have to realise that it doesn’t matter who sprints down the flanks because he has to stop and wait for somebody to cross to. Our goals come from all over the park which tells us that our forward line is not doing its job, a centre forward must have pace. I like Olivers workrate but he cannot be the Arsenals answer as a CF A new striker is a must or we will not win F all

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