So after what seems like the longest two weeks ever, Arsenal are back playing football at 3pm this afternoon.
The Emirates welcome Bolton Wanderers and Owen Coyle. We know a bit about Bolton and their style of play but to be fair that roughtie toughtie ‘in yer face’ football they played was under the instruction of Fat Sam, Owen Coyle has tried to get his side to play football. This afternoon we will see if that remains the case.
Their last game was a 2-2 draw at home to Birmingham, a game that saw Jussi Jaaskelainen sent off in the 37th minute. They did well to come back from 2-0 down with ten men and a ‘rookie’ goal keeper in Adam Bogdan. We will of course be up against the same rookie today as Jaaskelainen will be suspended. Most Arsenal fans I am sure will be glad Jussi is not playing, he’s a class goal keeper and one that I wish Arsene Wenger had tried to sign instead of Schwarzer, hey ho, we didn’t get him in the end either.
In front of Adam Bogdan will be a defender on cloud nine. Having just had a run out for another side in white, Gary Cahill will be desperate show everyone just why he deserved his chance. During their last game, Bolton had five shots on target and five off target but I don’t see them scoring today, not even the spiky little Kevin Davies.
The battle of the day for me will be Fabrice Muamba and Chung-Yong Lee up against Cesc Fabregas and Alex Song and I fully the latter duo to win the duel. Win that and we win the game in my opinion, don’t let anything get through the middle and let Cesc dictate our play going forward. Ahead of him will hopefully be Arshavin and Chamakh, Arshavin being able to destroy any side on his day. Just depends which Arshavin ‘turns up’.
Bolton haven’t lost yet this season so confidence will be high, especially after getting a hard-earned point at home in their last game. But then neither have we and our confidence must be sky-high after beating Fat Sams Blackburn away in our last game. Yes we have a few injuries but like I said yesterday, that’s what squads are for and we have a deep one. Some maybe younger than we would like but if you’re good enough, you’re old enough and I think some of ours are old enough 😉
We all know we have injuries but nevertheless we should win this game today, we are at home, we are playing Bolton and to win the league, games like this should be a definite three points to us.
Bad news for us is that Thomas Vermaelen has been added to our already long looking list of injured players. Wenger has hinted he will call on Squillaci to fill the void – he played midweek and is now set for his full debut. I look forward to it too, even though I haven’t seen him play yet, something makes me think he will be a better option than throwing Djourou in, he needs a few more games in the reserves in my opinion.
Good news is that Cesc says he’s back and ready for Bolton and even with the players we have, we should still win, that’s what squads are for. Wenger has thankfully hinted that strikers from the reserves will help bridge the gap left by Nik, Robin and Theo so no more seeing Arshavin up front on his own like last season.
Talking of Cesc, hopes he sees the latest comments made by Alex Hleb,
“I regretted leaving Arsenal. Not a lot of players say ‘No’ to Barca. But if I’d known before what would happen, I wouldn’t have gone there. I was unhappy. I didn’t play much. I lost form and confidence.”
Other news going around is that the FA are going pay £1M to the Spuds for the injury suffered to Defoe, no mention of any payment to us though for the Theo injury and what about the Dutch paying out for all the injuries Robin has suffered?
I don’t know what’s going to me better viewing on Football First tonight, our game against Bolton or the Everton fans laying into Wayne Rooney, time for the record button I think. Credit where credit is due whilst on the subject of Manchester United, Old Red Nose manages his 700th game for them today. Out of that 699 so far, his side has only lost 100 games, that’s some record so well done Fergie, I hope that loss count becomes 101 today though!
Almunia
Sagna Kos Squilli Clichy
Eboue Cesc Song Rosicky/Vela
AA Chamakh
2-0 home victory….
Have a good day all, we’re back and roll on 3pm.
Morning all, New Post up….
I am Stef 🙂
morning all, gloating sickness 😀 feels so good being a Gunner 🙂
I don’t care if they don’t say we are title contenders it doesn’t matter until in the end of day we win the title.
It’s smells like silverware to me.
I know, I know u probably thinking `hold ur horses`.
But it really feels like it, everybody is playing better, even Denilson was solid. If we didn’t lose insane amount of players above 10 is critical me reckons there is 50-50 chance.
Our defense is still our weakest link but in time they will better hopefully soon.
Come on Rico wake up 😛
not quite alberto brazil italy or cambiasso goal 2006
evening all
did anyone notice the 25 passes in velas goal and did anyone notice vela point to cesc and tell him where he wanted the ball?? brilliant forward play..
goal of the season already..what a goal..
we were excellent and although we looked dodgy at the back we dominated the final third a finished them off..
the ref was a joke by the way..cahills tackle was nothing more than a yellow card and he should have played advantage cos we were in it was a good move but he spoilt the game i thought..
good performance and good result i though..
Everybody is gone boo
Nighty night Stef, see you tomorrow, have a good one 🙂
Thanks agag, i needed to read that 🙂 🙂
Stekelenburg, now what does he look like 😉 ……
Have a fab evening agag, catch up soon, mind the GG’s 😉 😉
Control yourself, rico. He’s in the wrong side of town now. There’s more where that’Dutch Treat’s from (Affelay, VDW, Stekelenburg)– and we should be getting some of them next year… 🙂
Who knows, we may even get Torres? 🙂 But that’s another story… 🙂
Good night. I’m off out in a little.
at least he is not from the lane 😀
ok Rico I am out to
That’s it, i’m done…
Stef, sshhhhh, he is a chav, you can’t say he’s great 😉
Malouda is better then good he is great.
to bad for Jack he looked good so far, ah well hope Vela starts next game that boy is good 😀
Right you old cronies, i am off for the day now,
stay safe, sleep well and catch up tomorrow…
Late post tomorrow as got to watch the match first, sbe around 11am so don’t think i’m still sleeping 😉 😉
just watching VDV in an i/v, no matter what WATH says, he is stunningly good looking and i’m sure he would suit red and white….. 🙁 🙁
Malouda agag, bloody Malouda, the same on that touted for a move to us… yes he’s good but…… he is good…
Diaby and Jack Stef.. They look a bit iffy 🙁
I hate Malouda’s swagger… but he’s come a long way. And he’s well, it pains me to admit– good. 😉
If we had Essien, we’d be unplayable, rico.
Stef, I think we just lost Abou for Wednesday.
Yeay for todays game lets keep winning and lets hope we didn’t lose any new players today.
agag, just imagine, cesc, essien and song in our midfield….
that is what dreams are made of….. like you, the only chav player i would welcome, well, maybe Alex 😉
Hey jj if you are out there, Phil Thompson says he has seen a lot of Squilli, he even reckons he’s a great defender 🙂
I had an eye on the chavs… Essien was fantastic. He’s the only pensioner I could possibly like.
Jambo, KT. 🙂
Thats fab KTR7, thank you so very much, I for one cant wait to read what your view of Braga is, I haven’t any clue about them…
i never knew that agag 🙁 Eboue will never get a penalty, not in a month of sundays 😉
Rico im up for it.i didn’t know how much i hated the bloody mancs till today!!!…they fielded a team with an average age of 30 years and 277 days…if the mancs win anything all other teams should be ashamed!
Hakuna matata is a Disney song too, rico. 🙂
I thought Eboudinho was unlucky not to get a penalty 😉 Haha. Chamakh could’ve gotten one.
I saw Kolo’s booboo at the Citeh game. Haha. But Paddy scored.
KTR7, you still up for the pre-braga report for wednesday morning??
😆 agag, i’m trying to remember the others too,
Hakuna Matata and Muzuri, I know the latter means ‘i’m good’ but I won’t get top marks for the other, Erick will tell me off 😉
I get ESPN agag, just must be a tight euro version 😉
Fergie fuming, makes my evening complete agag 🙂
KTR7, how chuffed are you for Song?? He can stay blonde if he plays like he did today ebvery game 🙂
Jambo, Erick. 🙂 See, we’re quick studies? Cesc was really good, no?
Alex dimitry blondie billong!!!the new vela…
There’s a Goal highlights show after the games at ESPN, rico. Fergie was trying hard to appear cool which means that inside, he must be livid with rage… 🙂 I luv it.
I think Vela’s goal was a study in composure. Really, really promising stuff from him.
Jambo Erick 😆
Stef, Cesc said he was up and ready now, he obviously meant it, its just what we all need after the dreaful summer….
Am back the net has been crap today Song was amazing both in defence and Attack oh to be a gooner 🙂
how come you get the highlights so quick 🙁 i have to wait until 10pm uk time …
good win though really, now we can take that with us to play braga..
Cesc was great today Song too 🙂 don’t know what wrong with Arsh, Vela would of scored at least 3.
Cesc is the man of the match most definitely.
You know, I just saw the highlights. Cesc had a foot on all four goals. Even Song’s.
It occurred to me just now, this is the sort of challenge that Sami would like. High tempo and high-temper. 😉
all over, 4-1 and a great win….
as for tomas agag, i love him, right now he is back to his old self and i can’t wait to watch the game later 🙂
I’m pleased for denilson, not my fav but many have said he has bulked up and looks fitter, if thats the case then maybe he will not get such a bashing… well, maybe 😉
TR7 deserves a goal… To be fair, Denilson’s looked solid.
Come on you Gooners, just one more for the ladies 🙂
Blackpool are winning 2-0 against Newcastle 😆
Go on agag, you can do it 🙂
Fab, just fab for Vela 🙂
Cescy boy, he’s back indeed 🙂
Cesc had something to do with three of the four goals. (Kozzer’s, Chamakaka’s and Vela’s)
Vela scores!!!! Our captain seems to be back…
I’m rubbish, rico. Honest…
Denilson tries from distance. Super save from Bolton.
should be done and dusted now agag, you fancy writing the match report ??
ok, just kidding 😉 😉 😉
and i thought bolton were changing their ways agag…
SONGyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy
‘we know you’ve got white hair’ ……. 😆
Song scores!!!!
And he was offside a dozen times, our Arsh… TR7 has been fantastic so far though…
We’re failing to get a grip on this game, however… Vela should be brought in…
What did my post say ‘depends which Arshavin turns up’, know what agag, he is such a talented player but he plays when HE chooses, it frustrates me big time….
agree, get Vela on and scare the pants off them on the left, just as theo does on the right….
Diaby (who came in for Wilshere) is off. Denilson is in…
He’s fine now… Arshavin is off the pace. Bring Vela on!!!!
bloody heck agag, whats going on!!!
Diaby’s hobbling, Robinson took him down hard…
That red was harsh though.
I don’t think so, rico… I think he’s being saved for Braga.
Cahill red card!!!!
thanks agag, did you see that Stef and JJ reckon TV has been dropped for today because of his Cesc comments??
Jack is okay. Not to worry. He just came off and Abou is in…
PHEW!!!!!
2-1, Chamakakakakakakak 😆
agag, just heard Phil Thompson say AA has missed five golden chances at least, what is going on….
i don’t have a link either, the link police are in force over here to i think and i’m taking no chances…
is jack ok? i heard he got splattered by Davies..
😥 What on earth…?
I don’t have a link, rico. The ones I found have since been taken down. The footie police have cracked down on our desperation streams, it seems. 🙁
It’s live on my TV, rico. The MU debacle was too. 🙂
Rosicky, Wilshere, Song, and Cesc are playing well. Gibbsy and Eboudinho not so well. Arshavin has been quite wasteful with three really excellent chances.
Davies?? Muamba?? These people will get away with murder…
agag/Stef, you watching?? I can’t get a stream 🙁
But yes, AA is very guilty by all reports….
Well done Kos though…
1-1 Koz scored 2 goals 😀 Arsh knows better then this.
put Vela in the second half Mr Wenger.
Arshavin has missed some really fantastically set-up ones… 🙁
Citeh 1-0 down to Fat Sams lot, Hart makes a gaff 🙂
1-0 Kos 🙂
Hi KTR7, great result for the mancs 😉
looks like jack is struggling after a bad tackle from, Davies….
Afternoon all.hoping you’re having a very good afternoon.its quite encouraging to see the mancs conceding goals in the last minutes an attribute that we have seen all too often with our team.the mancs are quite poor by the way…
Ah, sorry RA, thought you had gone…
great result for us, now we need to win…
see you at H/T, multi tasking RA, I’m cooking Quiche, Chocolate Pudding and Chocolate sauce and blogging, all while watching football 🙂 🙂
Stef,
I think Rico thinks I am a bug! 🙂
Your avatar looks like a green octopus. 🙂
Got to go guys.
Your avatar is blue RA 😛
l8r
Hi Stef,
Not sure what you mean.
Rico, I am also watching Rugby, Harlequins v Northampton. That’s probably why I keep having to re-do my presentations! 🙂
Hail the King Cahill and King Arteta 😀
Rico,
Part business/part break from tomorrow afternoon. Not sure how long for.
Still trying to finish off my last minute bits and pieces!
Working/blogging and keeping an eye on the Formula 1 qualifying and the footie. You see, we men can multi-task providing sport is involved. 🙂
looks like 4-5-1 formation will be interesting to see how creative we will be
Can you believe that result? 😉
wow, bit of a finish to that game then 😆
wow and I thought we will have all french back 4.
To bad 4 Vela he will need to learn to play on right flank to ever get a chance.
Red Arse why are you blue? :D:P
I thought you had gone on hols for two weeks RA?
He will get his chance this season, maybe the last game…. Crazy isn’t it..
Rico,
I think Vela might as well pack his bags, he will never get a chance!
RA,
well well, and Jacks in 🙂
Rico,
Gibbs and Ebouuuuu, are the fullbacks.
Sagna, Clichy, Vela, Denilson, Flappy all on the bench.
Arsenal
Manuel Almunia
Emmanuel Eboue
Laurent Koscielny
Sebastien Squillaci
Kieran Gibbs
Andrey Arshavin
Cesc Fabregas
Tomas Rosicky
Jack Wilshere
Alex Song
Marouane Chamakh
Substitutes
Lukasz Fabianski
Bacary Sagna
Gael Clichy
Abou Diaby
Samir Nasri
Denilson
Carlos Vela
all over at goodison then, 3-1 🙁
sheet indeed Stef 😉
need to stop gloating at Mancs 2-1. sheet!
Oh well c ya after the game.
Stef, the more points the Mancs drop the better, especially at this stage of the season, history shows that after christmas they usually go on a good run….
Sure the are better Rico, better for us 🙂 1 nill down.
Pienaar from South Africa with love…
to bad Fletcher makes it 1-1
1-1, 🙁
the mancs are playing better without shrek…
1-0 toffees ………
now thats what you call a goal keeper…..
thans jj re rose
howdy Erick,
toffes are looking good 🙂
hi Erick hows the intern 🙂
I was reading this hope we sign her in the mid season transfer window she could play as a defender 🙂
Theo sister is a rock
exactley
cesc wanted to leave and he never got dropped
wengers man management skills are wierd..hes got favorites and its bad for morale..
you are right though jj, play rubbish and you stay in the side, open your choppers in the wrong way and you get dropped…
wenger nevers ill speaks of our players, guess he doesn’t expect the players to either….
i agree with him there though, club stuff should be kept in the club, but he should fine TV, not drop him, its the team that then suffer and us fans…
howdy erick the mancs have just hit the post though..
toffees started brightly..mancs are there for taking
Stef howdy
Rico, re Vermaelen it’s not the first time AW did it.
How are you JJ Everton making the Manc work hard
JJ, we saw Nordtveit in the preliminaries he did very good in my book., so he is a contender for a plays in the defense.
We need it another defender and DM that’s it really Almunia is better then Mark Schwarzer.
There are at least 6-7 keepers in the PL who are better.
Last thought it is OK not to be satisfied with the transfer period, but I don’t like the trash talk.
yeah rico..i thought that when i heard he wasnt playing..
i vaguely remember rose
i’ll see what i can do
i think we’ll go with
cesc song diaby
rosicky chamakh AA
we dont need to risk nasri or play jack either..jack reminds me of a young paul scholes..hes nasty in the tackle and he’ll get alot of cards.. wenger shouldnt risk him against bolton..hes too young he’ll be too fired up and get red carded in 5 mins..
still too much fire power up front..no matter who plays they are all capable
its the defence im worried about
jj, a few here would like to get in touch with Rose who used to blog on AR, can you help in any way please??
you guys saying TV has been dropped because of the i/v about cesc???
Nasri can play as a substitute in the last third.
Good we have some `proper` football upon us, the interlull was sickening.
hi stef
Tv told the truth though..
hes more the arsenal captain than what cesc is..but your right hes been dropped..dont know why though..
if find it ironic that wenger will drop a player in form yet he wont drop a player who puts in poor performances or wants to move to another club..
and if your happy with squidgy then thats your right but its also my right to express dissapointment in summer purchases..it was shockingly bad..
we needed a new keeper..we didnt get one..and we embarassed ourselves chasing schwarzer..
we also needed some quality reinforcements at the back..and we buy two players who cant even get into the french national squad and we all know how bad that is
im not convinced..not one bit
we’ll be good at the start of the season we always are but i’ll start to judge these players when the real test comes against the big teams
only then will we know how good they are..im afraid wenger has to deliver this year..and his signings doesnt convince me hes after the title..
hes after 4th.. again..
Hi Stef
We should have enough in the tank today, wouldn’t risk nasri though after an early comeback, great to have the footie back though eh….
i’m looking forward to seing how squilli does…
hello Ladies, would be interesting to see who will chose AW to start Jack had a gr8 game for England U-21 so did Diaby for France, Nasri was doing good b4 he was sidelined it, Eboue is Eboue :D, Rosicky was very good but always second choice Vela is lovely technician who desperately needs some time on the field.
who will most definitely start the back six, weird Al + the 4 def + Song, Cesc + AA(he can play forward and middle) and Chamakh up front.
So we have two spots for the rest of the players to bad for ’em really.
PS i cant see why you missed JJ, Squillaci is far from Stepanovs or what evere his name is.
I have seen him play in Monaco and Lyon he did good and he has won trophies with all of his previous clubs and he will win something with Arsenal I am real positive about this.
Vermaelen will play the next game as long he puts a sock in it.
Got to pop and feed a neighbours cat, back shortly…
Bother, Rooney has not travelled with the Mancs, so he’s bottled it 🙂 Mind you, I don’t blame him….
Ding Dong indeed, Karma agag….
Is the manure game on television where you are? I never know what time of day it is for you 🙁
I really hope so, rico. It’s not as if we haven’t been patient with Almunia. 🙂 Pepe Reina, on the other hand, ha ha ha. First that clanger v. Arsenal, and now several clangers for Spain. He deserves it, the ding-dong!
agag, i honestly think that all this stuff about us getting a keeper has got almunia fired up a bit, if he carries on as he’s started or gets even better, we’ll be ok. Sadly we are so used to seeing him make glaring mistakes, its no surprise we all sit and just wait for the next one…
maybe this season one spanish keeper will play well and the other, reina will have a torrid time…
Howdy agag and tata for now jj, catch up soon 🙂
I think we are all agreed Almunia is not and will never be great; but he hasn’t been all that bad in our first few games. And Squidward has the look of someone who will not hesitate to elbow back. He looks psycho-ish too, JJ. In the best possible way. 🙂
im off..
ill speak to u all soon..
ola AGAG 😉
i think weve got enough firepower in the midfield even if we are short of numbers up top..
its not scoring goals im worried about its almunia scoring a hatrick of goal kicks in his own net and stepanovs getting bullied by pointy elbows
il always pop in rico..
i wont be around as much as i used to but when i am i’ll come say hi 😉
Hola! rico, we’re looking quite lightweight on the striking front; definitely worrying at defense; and our captain is still grappling with certain stainy distractions (no, not Song’s atroocious hair)… All in all we’re looking good! Could be worse.
Hello, JJ. You are very sunshiney. 😉 Haha.
i’d hate to see a shawcross kind of player jj, hard and fair for me any day of the week, Cahill and Subotic would have done me… 🙂
jag would have been too expensive
everton arent skint in the last few years theyve sold two players for 60mil rooney and lescott..
we would have had to break the bank for him
cahill and shawcross on the other hand play for shite clubs who are on their arse and i would have taken either of them
shawcross maybe in the bad books but hes what we are missing at the back and i wouldnt have minded getting him..
good young player and takes no prisoners..just ask aaron..
thats what we need..not some 60year old from france..
And I’m glad you popped on to jj, its always good to see you 🙂
jj, we will win and not concede 🙂
no problem RA, no red faces 😉
enjoy your break and catch up soon 🙂
unless almunia has his gloves sponsored by lurpack today
we’ll win but i expect some squirty bottom moments
Erick popped on earlier jj, agag, oliver and KTR7 will no doubt pop on a tad later…
hi sharp, i wouldn’t risk nasri either…
Shawcross jj?? Cahill or Jags, but not Shawcross 🙁
wheres the rest of you guys im nipping out in a while i was hoping to catch a few of you 😉
Good post.Let us see how it turns out. Nasri should be given more time to fully recover instead of rushing him back and risk worsening his injury. Even with Nasri and the injured regulars out, I still believe that we have enough quality and depth to deal with Bolton.
😆
Rico, JJ,
Did not mean to cause any embarrassment. I have enjoyed both AR and HH and AA and as I am only a blogger I was expressing a personal and perhaps selfish wish to see more of JJ, as AR is not around v. much at the mo’.
I will shut up now and mind my own business! 🙂
haha rico
thats why im not bothered if stepanovs gets a chance or not rico
he can have all the chances he wants but bottom line is he shouldnt be here we should have signed a monster at the back..a young english leg breaker like shawcross..
see how the other teams like it when we kick them in the air
but no we pissed about trying to save 50p and ended up with another soft french dude whos not even as good as the other french dude we let go..and it cost us 6 mil to do it
rubbbish..
and why we always end up with players out wide and no-one in the box… playing with freedom is ok when you have the gift of Henry, but…..
jj, i’m not old and I wouldn’t expect you to write a post for HH 😉
there is no system red and dread
it looks a 433 on paper but we never look like it on the pitch
its either a 4-5-1 or a 2-0-8 or a 0-10-0
wenger lets them do what they want we have no shape and thats why we conceed shitty goals
Squilli won his silverware with Lyon and Seville, I muddled him with Chamakh – and of course the facyt he’s French 😉
jj, i hoped for English CH’s and not any other French or Spanish players, but Wenger goes for the cheapest option, always will….
jj, you are right, sorry, got my wires crossed 🙁
RA, jj knows he is welcome to write a post for HH, i don’t try and push anyone to do something they don’t want to.
haha RA if ive got anything it will go up on AR..
i just come on here to catch up with old friends.. 😉
hi redanddread, with the players we have wenger may just change, after all, he has hinted he would…
JJ, 😉
It is brilliant to have my forthright linguist friend back among us! We are a better mix with you JJ. 🙂
Unfortunately, I am not going to be around for the next couple of weeks, so I hope you will help Rico keep Agag and WATH away from the GG! 🙂
And what about a JJ Post?
didnt he play for sevilla??
sevilla bought him from lyon for 6mil and told him to us..
weve basically bought gallas backup for the french squad for 6mil at the same time losing gallas for naff all..
fantastic business makes sense to me..
As I said Rico, your right to give him a chance.
I watched the Ligue1 last year, from time to time. It isn’t the most interesting league, I was keeping an eye out for Cham, but I never noticed Squidgy among a host of other also rans.
But I wasn’t interested in old CB’s. I did also keep an eye out for a great big hunky CB playing for PSG, only 20 years old, built like Sol, and I was convinced Winkie would sign him. But what do I know?
Salou mon amigo..
je voudris le trois points sil vous plait 😉
in the words of willy g.. je suis un pomme de terre..
i remember saying a while back id be angry if we went after any french players..
we had enough and the french had a shit attitude and werent good enough anymore to get away with it..
who were our biggest signest..two frenchies and a player who speaks french and played in france all his career..
we were that busy pissing about that players like VdV get bought for 8mil and wenger didnt even know about it
what a joke this summer was
there are no more chances..
We will see today, just why we should have bought Gary Cahill, now his price will have gone up due to Englad and Red Nose will buy him in January to replace Ferdinand…
Bonjour JJ je ne savais pas que vous parlait Espagnol! 🙂
RA,
I am not for one minute suggesting he is the best defender wenger could have bought and he wouldn’t be my first choice either and i agree with jj about the price was behind him signing too.
All I am saying is I haven’t seen him play, had I followed the French league no doubt I would while winning league trohies for Bordox, until i see him, i cant slate him, it would be wrong…
i just think wengers prudence is gonna come back to bite him in the arsenal once again..
only this time there are no excuses..
he had all summer to sort out the weak spots and he pissed it all down the drain chasing a 97 year old keeper for £1.95 and ignoring the best young CBs in the land for the sake of the language they speak and a few million..
shame on him..
Rico,
You are right to give everyone a chance, of course, and I will too, but I have always thought much the same as JJ.
If Squidgy was any good, we would at least have heard of him before now. His signing is so out from Le Prof’s usual finding of a rough diamond it does smack of either money issues or a Sylvestre space filler.
Hope I am wrong. 🙂
Why do so many of our bloggers continue to select a team in a 4-4-2 formation. We no longer play that system. He will play Cesc, Song & Diaby in a midfield trio if all are fit…….
bonjourno RA
it was and sebastian svard the same year….
tavidis is still only 30 and know as the bull or something similar, he’s still playing too,…
your a hard man jj 😉
silvestre was a freebie, a throw out from the mancs, we all knew he was a crazy signing, but squilli was bought from bordox who didn’t want him to go, surely we can’t compare the two?
as for gallas, i know i am one of few but i’m glad to see the back of him…
who was the other CB wenger un earthed??
around the same time as stepanovs??
he was a greek chap and was supposed to be the next keown and turned out to be quite the opposite
stavis tavidis or something..
Morning RA
Trust me, the newspapers have a lot more news worth reading 😉
we needed quality..
silvestre had experience look how that turned out..
we might as well have given gallas 6 mill for one more year at leaast we knew he could do it..
if stepanovs was that good then for 6 mil he would have been at a big club long before now..
Hi Rico, Guys and especially you JJ. 🙂
Good post Rico, saves me reading the newspapers!
JJ it would be good to see you more often. Someone has to give WATH a run for his money! 🙂
I hope you are wrong about Squidgy, the idea of another Stepanovs would be too much to bear!
Chung-Yong Lee jj 😉
ever the positive then jj 😉
thing for me is, we have almunia and thats it, we have to put up with him, we can be downhearted but he will still be the keeper. if/when he makes a mistake then i only pray that wenger throws chesney in as flappy worries me far more than almunia right now.
i haven’t seen squilli play and you may be right about him being a desperation signing, but we don’t know that for sure, and he made turn out not the best, but i can’t knock the signing until he’s played. he got a good review after the reserve game and BB put out a strong reserve side.
i’m going to give him a chance first. we needed experience and he ceratinly has some of that.
theyve got a little china man as well rico..
one hung low or something like that 😉
very tricky..i can see clichy having yet another bad game if he doesnt concentrate
almunia may have had a few decent games but he still looks the same dodgy keeper we had last year and the year before and the year before.. its only a matter of time before he throws the ball into his own net
no rico ive never seen stepanovs play and i dont think wenger has either..
he was a desperation signing..he just signed him cos he wouldnt pay over 6mil for anyone decent and he was out of options..he needed backup so he bought another frenchie..
jj, have you seen Squilli play yet?
I can’t see Davies getting the better of Squiili jj and Almunia seems to have started a tad better, not that i think he is better than average. the whole saga seems to have kicked in the pants and that has to be the same today..
Doesn’t Petrov play for them too, he can be dangerous
stepanovs might look mean rico but davies has been mean for about a decade in the PL
today will be a test if he cant handle davies then hes got no chance against drogba and the rest..
theyve still got davies so the long balls and set pieces will still be a weapon but they will try to play..
as long as we take our chances when we get them we be ok..
what i dont want to see is 10 chances before half time only to miss the lot cos bolton will score..maybe a couple
weve got the same average keeper and a whole central defence whove never played together..
no club has won a major trophy under those circumstances never mind a PL game so we have to be alert against bolton
If Squilli plays as mean as he looks, he could be good 😉
Morning jj 😆 re Cygan and Stepanovs
how’s you?
Coyle has certainly got them away from the fat sam footie, but whether they stick to that today will be interesting..
morning rico..
it will be interesting to see cygan and stepanovs against old pointy elbows, if they wanted a baptism of fire then theyve got one
bolton have changed the way they play though under coyle they like to pass more the days of long ball have gone so we should win..
Hi Erick, no reports that Diaby is injured
Howdy Folks today we get back to the best team in the world playing am hoping to see Diaby Rico or is he injured
What about Gallas and his debut today, wearing the armband too, self destruct button or what….
Morning Stef, check out The Sun online, its in there 🙂
We are at home so i expect him to pla 4-3-3, not that it makes much difference, once we start our strikers go wide anyway…
Just realised that the Mancs are on live at lunchtime, may have to sit and watch that and cheer on the toffees 🙂
Morning Rico and Dgob, personally I think we will retain our 4-4-3 if we play 4-4-2 me thinks Chamakh will play on the right side and Vela on the left Arshavin behind hem.
Anyway we have more then enough gun powder for 2-0 🙂
would like to see a link about the 1 mill payoff.
Hi Dgob, that’s not crazy, a few here yesterday thought about playing Rosicky instead of Cesc..
Tough one re Nasri as he’s only just coming back from injury, I think wenger will bring him on from the bench..
Clean sheet is imperative, for Almunia’s confidence…
I hope Nasri starts in the centre and we bring Cesc on from the bench. Crazy? Maybe, but we need to be building and with him making it crystal that he’ll be going home next year, Cesc’s importance to the team needs to be managed. Also, given Nasri’s commitment and strengths, I’d like to see us grooming him as the natural replacement. Maybe we could allow Rosicky to also share that creative central role.
Today will be a challenge but one that we should win. A 1-0 result would do me although I’m as prone as the next gooner to a little greed (6-0 being even better). A clean sheet and goals is my key hope!
COYG
Morning all, a welcome return for club football, it seems an age away…
Yesterdays poll showed that 77% of voters thought we we pass the tough test ahead, starting today 🙂