Daily Bits and Bobs

Mind the Gap! Arsenal’s defence face the best striker in England today…

Posted on by rico

Morning all.

Just six points divide Arsenal in 2nd place and Watford, who sit 12th in the league. That’s how tight the Premiership race is this season. Today’s a tasty London derby, a potential tricky one for our boys.

Watford were pretty much the whipping boys during their last spell in the top flight of football and I think I’m right in saying that no sooner had they been promoted, back down to the Championship they went as the season ended. All looks a little more promising for them this time around although they do struggle to score in front of their home fans.

From the BBC website:

  • Watford are the Premier League’s lowest scorers at home with one goal in four matches.
  • Their four home league matches have featured just two goals in total, compared to 11 goals in four away fixtures,
  • They have only conceded three goals in their last six top-flight home matches.

The above stats suggest they have an organised defence. At home they’ve held Southampton and West Brom to a draw, beaten Swansea but their last match ended in defeat to Crystal Palace.

I haven’t seen a single Watford match this season so I’ve no idea how they’ll play but they do have the highest goal scorer in English football this year in their side, Odion Ighalo, who has scored Watford’s last five Premier League goals. One to watch perhaps, as is his attacking partner Troy Deeney. They also have Tottenham old boys Etienne Capoue in midfield and Heurelho Gomes in goal.

I’d imagine Arsene Wenger will start with a similar eleven to the one which breezed past Man Utd, the only doubt being Alexis Sanchez who played in both international fixtures for Chile. Perhaps Laurent Koscielny who returns from injury will partner Gabriel at the back, especially with the pace Watford offer up front.

Watford may not have a team full of superstars but there’s no doubt they’ll all work hard for each other and want to win this game at all costs. We have to match that level of desire, no, we have to better it, because anything less won’t reap any reward.

By the time we kick-off, City will have probably beaten Bournemouth at home and increased their lead to five points (although with the amount of injuries City have, you never know) so already the pressure is on to win this game if we are to stay on their tails.

The Utd game showed what we can do, so let’s not go and blow it today by resorting back to slow, tippy tappy football which will allow Watford to settle. No turning up believing this Watford side will be easy to beat either because they won’t be. The mindset has to be right, players have to want the ball, get the ball and move with pace. Defend from the front from start to finish and be strong at the back against the two pacey attackers mentioned above.

And shoot, shoot at every opportunity because Gomes is far from being the most reliable goalkeeper so put him under pressure from the off, just as we did against De Gea.

If that doesn’t work, just defend as if their lives depend on it…. 😉

I’m really looking forward to this game, on paper it should be a cracker….

COYRRG’S!

Don’t forget – If you are travelling to the match later today and require parking, Europcar, one of Arsenal’s official partners, have offices just under a mile away from Vicarage Road and are opening up their car park to Arsenal fans for just £1. For more information follow the link HERE.

rico

112 thoughts on “Mind the Gap! Arsenal’s defence face the best striker in England today…”

  3. Joaquim Moreira says:

    Morning all
    Howard Kendall? Everton capitain of earlys 70ths?
    Watford has a spanish coach.
    Was a Benfica managar for a few year ago.

  5. Dublingunner says:

    Afternoon, Rico stats suggest they are well organised defensively, i think they like to crowd the midfield, make it difficult for other teams to play and in Ighalo they have a proper goal scoring threat, 20 goals in 22 last season, and has scored in 5 consecutive games for Watford, we would not want to take this game lightly, though we should have too much for them. Tricky game, I feel.

  7. Joaquim Moreira says:

    yes, rico. Just read now in Eurosport site. I remember when he played for Everton (with Royle, etc) and later, whem he was a coach

  8. Dublingunner says:

    I,M not too sure, i think they like to attack, they like a 3-5-2 as far as i know. I,d say against us they,ll be more cautious, maybe 4-3-2-1 set-up. Is Sanchaz available, I heard he,s a doubt.

  11. agirlagunner says:

    I hop our boys are up for it. No point winning v. the Mancs and failing to build up on the victory. Three-nil to the Arsenal!! But a boring boring one goal win would work for me, too!

  13. rico says:

    Very sad JM..

    Thanks Dublin, let’s hope they play open football today eh… 😉

    Hi Agag, it’s been very quiet for a while now. Perhaps it’ll liven up come ko time…

    Come on Totts… 😉

  16. agirlagunner says:

    Rico, I suspect it’s cos we haven’t been completely hopeless!! It’s always a little livelier here when we’re playing poorly.

  17. Dublingunner says:

    I think its a bit premature of AW to say Theo,s current form all but vindicates his decision to not bring in a striker. He has been playing well but there,s a long way to go.
    ‘At the start of the season, I faced questions from everybody: ‘why don’t you buy a central striker?’ So sometimes you have to have strong beliefs and show the players as well that you believe in them in that position, ” he said.
    Oh ye thats why you wasted/spent the whole of the summer trying to bring in Benzema, cause you really believed in Walcott.

  18. Madhav - Indian Gunner says:

    Good read Rico…
    DublinGunner – We can also say, that’s Why AW didn’t bring in Benzema… Thinking and believing that Walcott can do it… The Benzema story, behind the scene could have been to keep the fans believing that a striker would be brought in by Deadline day TW…

  20. allezkev says:

    Losing Howard Kendall is a bit of a shock…

    I remember Kendall, Ball and Kenyon, the School of Science, driving Everton to the League Title in 1969-70…

  26. rico says:

    Arsenal team to play Watford: Cech, Bellerin, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal, Coquelin, Ramsey, Cazorla, Alexis, Ozil, Walcott

    Arsenal subs: Macey, Debuchy, Gibbs, Arteta, Giroud, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Chambers

    Afternoon all….

  27. rico says:

    Hi Rick, you beat me to it…

    Agag, you have a point, well in the league. Don’t mention the CL…

    Bt, where have you been hiding? lol

  31. Dublingunner says:

    Evening, City just showed today, what strengthening can do for an already strong squad, without Aguero and Silva, they can still throw on Sterling and Bony and have the luxury of a player like Kompany on the bench, thats why they,ll win the league this season, one injury to Giroud or Theo and were in Dire straits. We should be too good for these today though, hopefully.

  49. Lee says:

    Sorry BT just seen your earlier message…. at the moment I’m not going but that could change! I take it you are?

  50. scottfromoz says:

    I’d say our best chances are a piece of individual magic…as you mentioned earlier, Rico…..or Watfords effort telling and them fading in the last 15-20 minutes.

  52. Joaquim Moreira says:

    Coquelin must play closer the two central backs-
    Mostly of the players are tired.
    Ramsey is completely tired

  53. Lee says:

    Still feel like a sack of shit, I reckon I’ve blown my Hooter a thousand times today…..I look like santa’s reindeer!

    An Arsenal win will definitely be a good pick me up!

    Thanks for asking Rico.

  55. rico says:

    Just in time for a Christmas run then Lee… ? An Arsenal win might make you feel better although not sure that’s going to happen….

  77. Dublingunner says:

    Job done, beginning to think it wouldnt happen, they don,t know whats hit them, could watch ozil all night, brilliant player.

  82. rico says:

    I disagree Ng, he always looks lazy but his footballing brain is too superior for many of the other players imo… Give him movement off the ball and he’ll find any player with a pass…

  83. scottfromoz says:

    NG, I’ve read that comment so often, and then point out the amount of kilometres the guy does in game….he’s always one of our hardest workers.
    His subtlety is what people miss, IMO.

  90. Nashua Gunner says:

    Rico and Scott. Do you guys remember when Ozil started playing for us, whenever he got pull to the ground, he just put his hand up and complaining to the ref? Even his body language wasn’t right. Quality he is, but needs Sanchez attitude.

  91. Malaga gooner says:

    Evening Rico and the house

    This is a huge win for us

    Not bothered about Tuesday, let’s just go for the league

  92. Dublingunner says:

    They could have punished us on a couple of occasions but just weren’t able to take advantage, once Alexis, the game changer popped up with the first goal, the heads dropped a bit,
    Overall decent performance to which was always goin to be a tricky fixture, ill say it again, Ozil,s touchs, passes and uncanny ability to spot those runs are a joy to watch.
    What will happen Tuesday night, god knows.

  94. rico says:

    Perhaps rightly so Ng but no-one can question is talent, surely?

    Stuff the CL, let’s win the league…

    Off to watch the rugby so night all…

  96. Dublingunner says:

    True,I think tuesday should be more about playing for the badge than our C,L survival.
    We do play better when the pressure is off, but definitely should just concentrate on the title this season.

  98. Joe says:

    Evening all, great result today as a suffer of something worse than the man flu I didn’t get out of bed till 17.30 just in time to watch the match.
    Must admit I prefer it when we score our goals early rather than late.

  99. allezkev says:

    Sorry Wavy, only been home half an hour and listening to rugby…

    Yeah, I was working today, but I don’t do Kings X, usually I rank at St Pancras…

  100. Rick says:

    After the good win at Watford our young players are doing well in the u 17 world cup.
    After 70 mins England are winning 1-0.
    Hinds scored from a Chriss Willick cross.
    They are both looking good.

  101. scottfromoz says:

    NG, you did say “when he started with us”, but are we walking about his effort now, or then?
    The stats suggest he works hard and my eyes tell me he puts in, so he’s improved remarkably for mine because early on he was lazy/static, whichever suits lol.
    He will never be a Sanchez, but who is?
    If we judge all players using him as a comparison, there’d be barely a player
    left at the club-the man is a freak.
    When we have movement off the ball, we play well and when we have movement off the ball, Ozil picks his options beautifully.
    When we don’t have it, we are terrible and he looks bloody woeful.
    It’s a vicious circle because what makes us play badly also shows up the worst of Ozil.
    JM, yeah I reckon it was a decent performance.
    Did I underestimate it, or was I too kind 🙂

  103. allezkev says:

    Jason Cundy has to be the biggest cnut on the radio…

    Not only is Cundy a cnut, he’s a fat cnut…

    Night All

  104. Wavy says:

    Is King’s. Cross taxi rank not the same as St Pancras? Next to and dividing both stations? Or have I Ben queuing in the wrong place?

  107. Lee says:

    Ozil apparently equals Riquelme’s assist record…..
    Still only 27yrs old…..
    Sublime player that we need to compliment with a world class pacy striker….

    Sanchez was just Sanchez … unreal talent!
    Cazorla, Bellerin,Monreal and Coq were excellent too…

    Still feel average at best but that was a nice tonic from the boys last night!!!

  110. Wavy says:

    That’ll explain it. We’re by Southwark up station in the marvellous Ibis hotel. Waterloo then how wrong could I be?
    Good win yesterday, only saw Mod highlights so……!

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