Morning all.
Relying of a few highlights and a stream which when the rain fell and the wind blew, dropped out is tough.
Even so, I saw enough to know that once again Martin Atkinson was nothing short of useless and how he is considered good enough to be officiating at the Euros in the summer, I just don’t know.
Anyway….
A huge gaff at the back gifted Sunderland an opener when Koscielny tried to be too clever with the ball just outside his own box. Lens eventually won the tussle and fired home past Petr Cech. Not the best start.
Within ten minutes of going behind, Joel Campbell made it 1-1 with a well taken goal. Walcott was the provider although Iwobi did pretty well in the build up too, in fact he was denied by the Sunderland keeper just moments before having showed some good footwork to avoid a couple of challenges. Walcott himself tested Pickford but the score remained even.
Arsenal went up a gear in the second half and Campbell nearly grabbed a second but his shot was was cleared off the line, Iwobi too saw a shot saved before Oxlade-Chamberlain showed a bit of class before his shot left Pickford standing. Only the post spared Sunderland from going behind.
The woodwork spared our blushes too as Yedlin, who had got the better of Walcott, fired in a cross which Fletcher headed past Cech only to see the ball rattle the bar and come back out. Thankfully, Watmore blazed his shot high.
Aaron Ramsey was the first change for Iwobi and I thought the youngster did himself proud. At times he looked really at home in the first team, at other times, he appeared to be trying too hard but no-one can knock him for that.
Calum Chambers, who I thought had a bit of a nightmare yesterday, was the second change and on in his place came Mikel Arteta.
Two changes which worked really well I thought and it wasn’t long before our second goal came.
Campbell played a super ball to Bellerin, Bellerin passed to Ramsey and the Welshman made it 2-1. Good goal.
2-1 soon became 3-1. Oxlade-Chamberlain played a super ball with the outside of his boot out to Bellerin, the little Spaniard fired in a low cross and this time, there was no denying Giroud.
There was still time for Martin Atkinson to make his usual cock up when officiating one of our matches. Giroud should have been awarded a penalty but wasn’t. Thankfully, it mattered not. Not yesterday and by the time that incident occurred, I’d lost count of how many fouls given against our players which were a tad harsh to say the least. Thankfully Sunderland didn’t benefit, although they came close….
Joel Campbell was the final player to be substituted with Jeff Reine-Adelaide coming on in his place. Campbell is proving what a cracking little player he is. He’s everywhere on the pitch, he’s busy trying to make things happen and he took his goal well. His Arsenal future seems to be up in the air right now as he’s out of contract in the summer but I really hope Arsene Wenger wants him to stay and that the player himself wants to stay. If not, they’ll be plenty of clubs who will be quick to snap him up.
The draw for the next round takes place tomorrow evening so fingers crossed we get lucky with another home fixture coming out of the pot…
Transfer gossip:
Adrien Rabiot is ‘on the brink’ of signing for Arsenal according to The Star, his mother/agent was in town yesterday finalising the final details of the deal. Not only him, honest as the same newspaper reports that Swiss midfielder Granit Xhaka is on is way in from Borussia Monchengladbach for £37 million!
And don’t forget Elneny is signing too…..
Our midfield is going to be strong, very strong….
Have a good Sunday guys…
New post is up now..
Morning Adam. The news shocked me too, dreadfully sad. He certainly kept his battle quiet…
Morning Rico and all. Terrible news about Bowie. It has shocked me. RIP David.
What it does to people……takes away their dignity and nothing is worse than that.
It certainly is…
It really is a fucking disgusting disease……
It doesn’t discriminate a single bit.
Prick of a thing.
RIP Spaceman…..
Gutted…
Dreadfully sad news. RIP David Bowie.
Bastard Cancer takes another far too soon….
Thanks for your wonderful music, Mr. Bowie.
The greatest.
Damn Lee.
Now that’s a massive shock.
RIP Mr Bowie.
Damn
R.I.P David Bowie…..
Potter you are an old cynic! How can you possibly think that the draws are in any way fixed???
They have half the balls in the fridge whilst the rest are in the oven. We will get a premier club for the telly.
Oh to be a gunner…….good evening to the house
Nite rico, here’s to a nice little home draw tomorrow.
Again
night Rico
War and Peace is on my planner and ready to watch, so I’m off for the day..
Night Micko, Ts and all…
Ditto Micko, chuffed for BG having been through tough times. He was on top form and so so pleased he’s joined the gang…
You and me both today, I was rooting for the tinker man…
He was rico and looking really well, he’s definitely in a better place these days.
Me myself would have loved to have seen tottenham get a beating today, the replay will probably be on the box as well, I suppose it will be like a cup final for them.
Hey Micko
You talking Pl alone Ts?
Hi Micko, I love Boy George, he was superb last night wasn’t he… .?
He hasn’t scored 50 goals yet…
Got any stats for the English bashers tsgh.
How do rico, how did you rate Boy George’s performance last nite…….top banana.
Monreal and 14 million in the same sentence, the worlds gone bonkers, that’s modern day football for ya I guess.
Oh no, boring stuff reappears… 🙁
What about how long it took Kane to score 50 goals?
169.3 minutes Rico
Interesting how our points tally after 19 games are very similar. Feb and March when ICL resume is the time where we fall back and then resume when we drop out of UCL around Apri…
2004: 41 points
2005: 33 points
2008:32 points
2010:36 points
2014:42 points… best points tally since 2003 season.
2015:33 points
this season: 41 points..
Compare Giroud with Kane Ts….
OG12 bashers…
Minutes per goal in EPL history
Giroud 168.4
Drogba 168.8
😀 Rico
Monreal to sign new deal until 2019 with Arsenal next week. He turns 30 next month.
Interesting to know that not including replays, the last time we lost an FA Cup third round tie at home was against Bradford Park Avenue in 1947/48
Who cares Ts, we all know Utd are crap… Lol
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlgI2vTAro8
Too right. Replays, injuries, bring them on for all barring Arsenal.. 🙂
Interesting to see the MoTD ignore the stats that say Yanited haven’t scored a 1st half goal since 30th September
Rick- great to hear Afobe is finally back in the EPL.
He is joining Bournemouth…
The more teams around us getting replays the better.
Rabiot will probably say his idol is Zidane and so he aspires to play for RM…
We should have gotten Imbula before he left OM for Porto.
Again what Gavin?
Then the winner can draw city and start all over again
Again
Indeed, on both…
And several injuries to key players, from both teams!!
After extra time of course ?
Afternoon Dublin. If Rabiot does join Arsenal, hope he doesn’t do to us what he’s doing to Psg…
Lucky lucky Totts, amazed that penalty was given… Hope Leicester beat them in the replay…
Very soft penalty when you see what we are not getting penalties for.
There’s the draw ?
Evening, good match report, Rico, didn,t see the game but a good win, considering a few guys rested, job done.
spot on re Chambers, has to be common sense to loan him out, he needs it.
It seems AW,s willingness to try bring in a few midfielders this window if possible could be a smart move, with Flamini, Arteta and Rosicky leaving in the summer, maybe these are his targets to replace them, and if he can get them this window, all the better.
I did read an short article last week, suggesting that the guy who discovered Messi (who ever that is) has been quoted as saying that he feels Rabiot could be the best young player in the world at the moment,
He has certainly not done himself any favours with the club, as he pushes for a move, the fans ain,t happy with him, which leads me to think he could well join us.
I really want Ranieri to do well. He is very unlucky though… he could still get sacked in the summer if we are to go by history.
Tinker man’s boys are 2-1 up… 🙂
Damn Leicester have scored ?
Come on the draw
😀 Joe
I have it from a man who knows a man who talked to a woman down the chipper last night. ?
Joe- are you now Mg’s spokesman on transfers?
So am I 🙂
In a good way….
Commentator having a break down cause Leicester scored ?
What a nice guy Mesut Ozil is…..
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3392140/Mesut-Ozil-invites-newly-married-couple-Arsenal-game-groom-dedicates-wedding-speech-star-midfielder.html
Afternoon Ts Joe and all..
Come on Leicester… 🙂
New player tomorrow or about 6pm to day ?
Lmfao Joe. Well if I put anymore weight on I will pop.
Well that’s the weather done hope you put some weight on over Christmas.☺
Not raining here either Joe.
Just watched excerpts of hull game.
Hayden played well in the 4-4-2 system next to ex-scum Huddlestone.
Good afternoon tsgh its not raining at the moment
Good afternoon Rico, Joe and all,
Iwobi impressed.
Damn, I miss the Ramsey- Arteta combo. Goes to show why AW can’t find his replacement.
Looking forward to the introduction of technology Southampton’s first 3 goals would not have counted who knows where the game would have ended up.
Now I can ?
Can’t post
Good win for Oxford also a good game
To be fair to Moss, the first Soton goal was a bad offside not given by the linesman…
The corner that wasn’t for Sotons third goal was another decision that the linesman could have helped with. Maybe it was the linesman who flagged for a corner?
The 2nd goal, foul on Koscielny, was a poor decision…
Good news, if true.
http://www.footballinsider247.com/news/revealed-arsenal-seal-14-6million-deal/2
Lata’s guys..
He missed a couple of sending offs and another penalty but we kind of shot ourselves in both feet in the that game. ☺
Clantenburg was in charge of the wba game
Hope Leicester and Totts draw later and Scunthorpe cause an upset…
Exeter should have caused the first upset, shame really…..
3-2 maybe not
Joe, normally, a defeat is down to the ref though… lol
First of the shocks on the way in this season’s fa cup.
3-1
Where’s the fun of not moaning win or lose Rico ?
Didn’t Clattenburg have a mare in that one game he refereed for us?
Cg, if by some miracle we do sign a couple of midfielders, Id send Chambers on loan for the rest of the season, to a club who will play him every week. Sitting on the bench isn’t going to teach him anything…
Kev I agree on Clantenburg he is the best ref in the pl but we have only had him once this season the other 3 have been given 6 games.
Makes a change to be moaning about the ref after a win…. lol
Rico – Yes! Introducing Arteta and Ramsey shored up the midfield. Young Iwobi has some skills, but can’t be expected to come up to first team standard in one game. As for Chambers, he needs an extended run in one position. He can’t be expect much from him a he is played infrequently and and is shuffled between positions. He too needs an run of games to find his feet.
Oxford 2-1 up against Swansea
We have lost four games this season in the pl Dean,Atkinson and Moss where in charge of 3 of them with some shocking displays of officiating.
Joe, I don’t think that Moss is the worst, and I agree with Scott about Clattenberg, he seems honest, that’s why Ferguson didn’t like him…
I like Michael Oliver as well, he stood up well to intimidation at Old Bog last season in the FACup…
But Dean and Atkinson are beyond the pale…
It’s clear that both of them have an obvious dislike of Arsenal…
One decision in one game the list on the other side is quite a bit longer but then it all equals out in the end.
And that was just after we went 4 up, it’s not on !
It’s a conspiracy Mick, just ask Ginge?
Moss did the Saints game
He may have been, but we have had him 3 times this season where we won one drew one lost one.
He was Kev, denied Villa a stone wall penalty on the day as well, I tell ya they all got it in for us !
Dean and Atkinson are the worst for me, Anthony Taylor has been good at times, but I think a couple of weeks ago he was dire.. Saints game maybe?
Cg, maybe a lot of the better stuff was down to the changes AW made?
Love this….
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3391925/Arsenal-star-Theo-Walcott-pulls-fan-crowd-trademark-celebration-FA-Cup-win-Sunderland.html
Wasn’t Moss the referee at last seasons FACup Final..?
You are just hard to please Micko. lol
Rico – The team aren’t quite in tune yet, but they are not far off it. In the last 15 – 20 minutes of the game they had Sunderland chasing shadows as we pinged the ball around their box with ease. With a little bit more quality in finishing we could have had 2 or 3 more goals.
Living in Ireland we get a 3pm game on a Saturday on Setanta Ireland they showed the Arsenal game yesterday.
Atkinson had me worried yesterday I’d put him the same group as Dean and Moss referees Arsenal find it very hard to win a game when they are in charge of the game.
I’m with Daniel, room for improvement rico.
And the very good news is Sanchez, Rosicky and Welbs are on the way……….feels nice to be a gunner
That explains a lot Joe…. 😉
Campbell not bad for a 6th choice player
Morning Cg. On my stream it looked like the game was being played on ‘fast forward’… 😉
By the way Rico UA is where I go to get conformation I am not just a madman howling at the moon. ☺
Thought he’d be back in the PL by now Scott..
Joe – never, just a bit of fun really… lol
Good Morning to The Lady of the House and all fellow Gooners in residence.
Not our team’s best game game, but they they played with a lot more fluency and rhythm than they did against Sotton.
It is nice to see some of the quick transition and direct attack of old return to their game. However, that quick transition left our back four exposed too many times. Fortunately the Black Cats only made us pay for it just the once. This only reinforces the need for credible backup/competition for Le Coq.
I can’t see Arsene signing all three players in the January window. Maybe Arsene is hedging his bets by negotiating with multiple players, so he is sure of getting one of them. Then again it could be misdirection by our club, hack journalist fantasy and/or fishing/promotion by player agent(s).
At least it seems that Arsene is serious about strengthening the team for the second half of the season.
News papers when are they always right Rico ?
And Henri 🙂
Daniel, where’s your sense of humour?
A few I’d say Scott, I reckon Afobe will do well at Bournemouth…
Welcome C05, i’ve got it now… lol
It wasn’t a bad article until you started quoting Daily star articles.
Also Joel Campbell’s contract runs until 2018.
Rabiott had received a yellow card. He is good in his position. I just watched a short resume but I think he will be a good sign. Similar to Coquelin. A typical DM.
After Coquelin and now Campbell, I hope Arsenal realise that players must be given a chance in Arsenal colours, and we shouldn’t discard them after loan spells.
How many more have we lost?
Agree Kev re Nacho etc. Some of the youngsters coming through look and we could finally see a few get their chance…
In some ways, it would be a shame if AW wasn’t the manager when/if they do…
Transfer Market needs to keep up, shan’t rely on them any more… lol
But it’s funny how all the newspapers report him leaving for free in the summer too..
Darn glad he’s not…
It’s the influence of Adam, Rico… 😀
It’s all good Rico, now to sort out Nacho and sign a couple of new faces…
With all our promising youngsters, it’s happy days….
Kev, you get more and more cheeky each day… 😉
Yeah Scott, a pay rise and an extension to 2020 methinks…
Arsenal FC ✔ @Arsenal
.@joel_campbell12 has also signed a new @Arsenal contract before joining Villarreal on loan: http://arsn.al/T0mLNY
4:42 PM – 28 Jan 2015
3,169 3,169 Retweets 2,029 2,029 likes
🙂 🙂
Probable… 🙄
So just an upgrade?
Well, it’s deserved.
Rabiot eh?
No that would be interesting and probably.
£37 million for the other herbert,
yeah right?!!!
Olly, you know what I kinda vaguely remember that being the case with Campbell, good spot…
Rico, that was a very good post btw…
Nah, really boss… 😉
Well that’s good news then Olly, thanks…
Thanks.
Yeah think thats why some press are reporting it. It was buried on the official site in the Gabriel signing story when Joel went back on loan. 2018 was mentioned at the time in the papers but just ‘long term’ on the official site.
Joel Cambell signed a 3.5 year contract at the start of 2015
Olly, welcome.
You sure as on transfer market, his contract expires this summer…
So’s Elneny Scott… 😉
Sure does, Rico.
He, we all said we are short though Hahahaha
Campbell signed a new ‘long term’ deal this time last year. The contract this time is just more money.
Was he any good Jm? 😉
Does make you laugh though Scott, 3 DM’s… lol
We have no room for all the new signings we are apparently getting 🙂
Morning guys,
Great post, as always, Rico.
Arsenal! Arsenal! Arsenal!
first…
Rabiot was played last Friday in 2-o PSG versus Bastia