Of course we all do, it was a dark old day in London last season, especially around N5 1BU!!
Seventy three minutes into the game and we were 3-0 down at home against todays opposition, and Almunia saved a penalty in the first half! In the last fifteen minutes of the match we woke up and started to fight back, Nasri scored two goals but it wasn’t enough.
That was our first loss of the season and a bad one it was too…
We lost a few more home fixtures after that, the worst of course being to that little club down the road. Ok we have already beaten at home this season but that was early on, our summer signings hadn’t got used to their new home and house mates and we were missing a few through injury and/or suspension.
We have come a long way since that fixture against Liverpool, the new boys are well and truly settled, we have no suspensions and even Vermaelen is back fit and healthy, as of course is Robin van Persie, fit and healthy I mean.
We have also come a long way since we lost to WBA last season, just not having Almunia in goal tells us that and don’t forget we also had Squillaci, Clichy, Diaby and Eboue playing.
This time they will face a much strong side and I think they are in for a very tough afternoon!
Today will be the 127th time we have faced WBA, 61 victories for us, 36 for them and the rest were obviously drawn. Last year’s victory over us was the first for WBA since 1983!
If we can pull off a win today, it will be our 400th in the Premier League.
West Bromwich Albion
Well, they have managed just nine goals this season in the league but six of them have been scored away from home so we need to stay on our toes. Seven of their goals scored have all come inside the first half, five of which were bagged in the first ten minutes, another reason to be on our toes from the off!
Injuries
WBA have a doubt over their striker Odemwingie, who hurt his knee in training this week and Paul Scharner, is definitely absent having suffered knee ligament damage last weekend against Liverpool. Added to that, their main man, Shane Long is out and I’m pleased as he’s good!
We still have Chamakh, Gibbs, Diaby, Jack and Sagna out!
Makes a refreshing change to say we are facing a side who sit below us in the league but we can’t take that for granted, it doesn’t mean three points are guaranteed. We only have to recall the pre-match banter when we faced Blackburn and we all know what happened that day and West Brom will be no pushover.
So, I will go back to what I said earlier, we are a very different side to the one that West Brom faced last season, we have grown and grown over the last few weeks. The summer signings are starting to make their mark and players like Ramsey and Rosicky are clearly enjoying their football again. Theo seems to have woken up and maybe that’s because he’s in for a pay rise within his new contract offer but who cares, he had one of his better games last Saturday, as did Ramsey and may they both build on that today and put in another fine performance.
Robin, well I needn’t say anything, the man is on fire, Gervinho showed against the Chavs that he is not always selfish- at the back Wenger has a dilemma, who does he play centrally?
Well, that’s what he gets paid £6 million plus for, one thing we do know though and regardless who plays centrally, they will be fine…..
Will West Brom repeat their last season victory at The Emirates today?
I don’t think so, do you??
This may pain many Gooners but it’s got to be done.
Sir Alex Ferguson is celebrating 25 years as manager of Manchester United – as much as you may dislike him, his record and achievement over that time has been incredible.
Well done Fergie, you deserve all the plaudits you get….
I wonder if Wenger will be with us for that long??
Oh and finally, if you are someone that loves all the wizzing, banging and fear that comes with Fireworks, enjoy Guy Fawkes!
Me, I just think they are a waste of money, a stupid idea and something that should be banned for ever!
New Post up …
Morning Guys, just going to try and put a report together, i didn’t get an email from oliver so mine will be a bit hit and miss – be about 30 mins …..
New post please 😉
http://www.talksport.co.uk/radio/matchday-live/blog/2011-11-05/wenger-it-nightmare-making-decision-rest-van-persie
finish… see you tomorrow
Wow….2:3? Come Qpr
Good night agag.
Stan, you are Mr Positive. And thank God for that.
Good news JM.
Offski now.
2-3…
2-2 !
Last time, it was fresh mayonnaise, and it “broke”. Tut tut. 🙂
Good night, all. Have a good dinner, AK! Something nice and meaty!
Like you ll believe that AK…..hahahahahaha. Am a moaner too. Ain’t we all?
Not me….kev. I don’t moan. I argue constructively!
So your brother gets you to do the washing up? 😉
Do you have turkey+roast pots?
Stan, it’s just that we all like a good old moan i reckon.
He has the unenviable task of cooking Noche Buena (Christmas midnight dinner) for the clan, AK. He shoos me out of the kitchen cos he says I’m more a nuisance than a help. 😀
People like to have a moan more than anything else, AK. Haha. 😀 And it’s easier to act learned expert when things go pear-shaped. Suddenly, a thousand experts knew what and how exactly the game would have been won.
Citeh leading now. Pfft.
Ah Stan, you still around.
I’m offski. See ya’ll tomorrow.
Spot on kev…..maybe most bloggers are actually spuds fans! Gambon over at legrove sounds like one! What a muppet. Wonder what he ll complain about today.
1-2….
Is it just me, or does anyone out there agree, that when Arsenal lose, the blogs go mental.
When we win, everyone seems to disappear… 😕
I guess you are at your brothers for Christmas lunch then..? 😀 😀 😀
Fulham 16.00 tomorrow
Thanks, JM. 🙂 There you go, goonster. My brother went to culinary school, AK; and gave me idiot-proof recipes. 😀
Stan the scum are away to Fulham tomorrow
Come on guys…..what are the scummers playing?
Wowwww. that dessert sounds the dogs rollocks agag.
“Thanks my friends @leandrobarros and @wwpissudo for your support and follow; a strong huge to you both and to the all “people” of #Biguaçu”
I think Biguaçu is a place in Brazil.
Oh i forgot, it’s Factoring Night… 🙄
Nighty boss.
Rico, i had three pints of shandy, i’m not Stan you know, or Wath….. 😉
Bonne nuit, rico. 😉 Eat plenty.
JM, I don;t even think it has anything to do with the game:
Andre_Santos27 André Santos!!!
Mto obrigado aos meus amigos @leandroabarros e @wwwpissudo por estar torcendo e acompanhando,forte abraço a vcs e toda galera de #Biguaçu 🙂
1:1 jm? Bummer! Keep me posted my man.
Nooooo way agag no in house during the interllul. What do you guys wanna do? Give me a heart attack?
rico, good. I’ll make dessert. Stewed apples in chocolate ganache plus vanilla bean ice cream.
What did Santos say?
1-1
I’m off for the day guys, Halloumi kebabs with peppers, onion, chilli and salad – yum yum…..
Then a night of Strictly and X-Factor – I love Saturday nights after the boys have won……
Have a good one all – nighty night…..
I have to read more about our great club’s history. 😉
Microwaveable meatloaf, goonster. 😀 JM should be able to translate Santos’ tweet.
Keeping my fingers crossed for QPR. 😉
We can have a cook in day agag 😉
JM – a lot are friendlies I think, crazy and a waste of time……
goonster – i am being honest, Norwich are gutsy and don’t know when they have lost, they fight for eachother and their club – you wait and see…..
Hey have you guys seen santos tweet after the match…..its in english. At least that’s what I thought it was.
Wouldn’t it be great if QPR could be the team to beat them…… and keep our 49 going another season….
And yeah agag I do cook. I just “cooked” a meatloaf now….mmmmmmm delicious. Are you having a laugh rico? Norwich a toughie? Don’t make me laugh. Come on arsenal.
yes, I think is Ted Drake too
rico, but the international games is not only for those who have a a definetely draw to be qualifying to the european Cup in Poland and Ukraine?
Hi AK, you had a belly full then 😉
Come on QPR, come on!!
Agag…. 😆
Gotta luv the history….. 😉
1-0 QPR!
AK, doctor and historian. 😉 Bet you enjoyed that.
goonster, prepare yourself for interlull, rico and I get talking about food a lot then. 😉
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/15504082.stm
goonster, Norwich away, that will be a toughie too….
Ronnie Rooke, 33 league goals, 1947-48, is the best by an Arsenal player since the war…..
All from memory….. 😀
Arsenal’s record is 42 league goals by Ted Drake,
1934-35 i think.
I’ve got my anorak on…. 😉
Alan MP.
If my memory serves me right, Dixie Dean hold the record for the most league goals in one season in the top division…. 60 goals for Everton.
I think it may have been 1927-28.
Robin Thighs Persie does it again….
Delighted to see Arteta score. An unsung hero of our recovery methinks.
Hi Mick, bye Mick….
Hey kev enough with the food thingy. Its driving me nuts. Hi guys, great win huh? Slowly we are climbing the table. Who are we playing next? Gotta love the pass from rambo for the first goal. One word….CLASS. A fellow gooner summed it up…cesc who?
Many JM, in fact most of them i think…..
Do we have any players involve in the international games?
See you Micko – have a good one….
hate them alan…. and dread the injuries….
I’m outta here, well down arsenal.
If your having a bonfire party tonight have fun and remember the catherine wheel is always guaranteed to fly off the tree, if it doesn’t it will spin round once and get stuck, enjoy the baked potatoe’s.
oh God those internationals are boring
At last eh JM, that OT fixture hurt in so many wany ways ……
If any of you feel the urge to write something football realted over the next 14 days, please do and email me – it’s the boring international two weeks….
Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeese 😉
now and finnaly, the goal-average is positive!
I don’t know what you mean agag 😉
Then a Fulham victory tomorrow would be nice……
van Perfect is man of the match, again. A goal and two assists. rico, you must be very pleased with his thighs. 🙂
Phew Micko 😉
Come on Joey Barton, get your team a win 😉
Close but no cigar rico.
Oops, no we don’t 😉
up to QPR now
We go above the Dippers into 6th….
Excellent result at Anfield Rico
Blackburn unlucky 1-0
Great result at Anfield too 🙂
ah your right. 2 games. Bugger!
2 games in hand
Liverpool ahead by GD only. We are same as Spurs who have a game in hand
another two pts on liverpool
rico, Fergie must have whispered something into Wes Brown’s ear. 😀
Liverpool 0-0 Swansea full time
we are equal to Liverpool on the table
liverpool 0-0
Good win, three points and thats all we asked for…….
Come on BB and Sunderland….
i think they have missed a few chances agag
alan, dippers scorer but the offside flag went up, and it was Sian Masey’s 🙂 🙂
Listen to the fans cheer! Niiiice.
Bendy should have equalized for Sunderland. He missed a really good chance.
Come on, AA or Rosicky.
scousers still being held by swansea 0-0
One more…… 😉
No alan, just the league but in one year rather than season, who cares eh, robin will beat it and maybe even the season one if he stays fit 🙂
now to keep a clean sheet
Come on, AA. Go score, too!
🙂 JM
why I’m not the coach with AW? 😉
ha!
Amaaaaazing Arteta!
Arteta yeahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
3-0
ah ok. In all competitions
Denis Law is the player your looking for. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denis_Law
BUT
Dickie Dean was the most prolific goal-scorer in English football history with 63 goals in one season. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dixie_Dean
there is another reference tp Dean scoring 67
Swansea are battering the dippers agag, they should be one or two up by now….
we need one more JM, otherwise. anything can still happen….
We need one more goal; come on, Gunners!
woops, sorry alan, i was talking about the most goals in one year rather than a season 😉
we need to score more goals…..
JM, don’t jinx it. 😉
van der Wiel, for me, alan. Haha. I wanted Affelay as part of the Cesc to Barca move, alas!!
And Liverpool and Swansea still at 0-0, rico.
say not sat. Sorry
Rico I’d sat that is right. 35 to beat the record
I’m starting to have a strange feeling about this game…
Rosicky or Benayoun on please
Hi Girlgunner. Yes indeed he should. I would not mind seeing 1 or 2 of his Dutch team mate4s as gunners
Man Utd are poor, to be honest. I have one eye on their match.
Chelsea 1 up and there is a plane towing a banner saying ” Steve Keene out ” LOL
1-0 to the chavs, shame….
me too agag
alan, ss’s said earlier that shearer got 35 one calendar year… maybe they meant rvp needs 35 to beat him…
alan, he should be renamed Robin van Perfect!! 😉
Rico I had a bit of a search. Most goals in EPL season
Andy Cole – 34 goals for Newcastle in 1993-94 season.
Alan Shearer – 34 goals for Blackburn in 1994-95 season.
Kevin Philips – 34 goals for Sunderland in 1999-00 season.
Source(s):
http://en.allexperts.com/q/Professional-…
It’s possible he could beat that
Very impressed with Jenks, rico. Rambo needs to get more involved.
That was close, unlucky Tommy…
Jenks must be one of our best crossers of the ball, he should take our free kicks 😉
Finally, a spark from Gervinho. Come on, Gunners!!
7 to equal Shearer and 8 to get the record, totally agree, he just needs to stay fit and should do that with ease the form he’s in….
I’m so glad Le Tiss is the commentator for Sky, he talks sense, makes a change for one of their panel 😉
I saw that too Micko, the rumors were around yesterday – Jeff Stelling said that FIFA should hang their heads in shame, and so they bloody should too….
Just a stand of the OT, rico. Ooops.
I’ve got a stream thats so bad its painfull but 2.0 and i’m happy at half time keep it up you gunners
Hi Rico, Not sure, but barring injury he will get 7
OT has been renamed? Surely not agag 😉
Couldn’t believe it when I heard it agag, its all wrong.
I don’t know of a governing body that is as disliked and disgraceful as FIFA, Micko.
Thanks for the link JM it’s slow but I managed to see both the goals as they happened:) Varmaliens reaction to scoring was fantastic shows how much it ment to him:)
Very slow, JM. I agree. We are not playing badly, but our midfield looks almost rusty.
Has anyone else heard the disgraceful news coming out of fifa, they have banned england from wearing the poppy on their shirts next week for their friendly with spain as it could be construed as political, bunch of cowardly scumbags.
the midfield players are very tired…and slowly!
An aside, so Old Toilet has been renamed to Old Red Nose. Hah.
rico, me too. Haha. And the streaming just went “illegal”. Bummer. On the telly, the United and Liverpoopoo games. Crap.
yes!!! 🙂
TV!!!!!!
TV – welcome back …. 🙂
Jenks is having a good game. 😉 Come on, Theo. Show us what you got!
hi agag… bit like my stream, thats a bit stop start 😉 but it’s far better than not watching…
Also, we need to keep the ball better. Very stop and start.
We’re not looking very sharp though. Gervinho, notably. Hmmm.
villa 1-0
he needs 7 more doesn’t he alan??
29th league goal 2011
Robiiiiin!
Thanks JM
Robinnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn 🙂
rvp!!!! 1-0
very slow…
try this: http://www.rojadirecta.me/goto/sporthd.cp.cx/ch3.html
I can’t get a stream – again! 🙁
Have one for me AK 🙂
Afraid so Rico. Someones gotta do it. 🙂
Cheers
Should be enough AK..
I take it you are in the pub 😆
Oh no, what a chore. Someones just got another round in. Ah well, i suppose i’ll have to stay ‘ere and drink it.
Wath & Lee would be proud… 🙂
Hey Mick, me o’ china, we call them kebabs over ‘ere.
Good team methinks Rico
Maybe JM 😉
thanks Micko, i haven’t seen wba play this season but i know hodgson likes to play… could be a good game then….
rico, wba like to pass the ball like us, this will suit kozzer today, not so many aerial bombardments.
AW said about Santos what I had saying here…Did he read Highbury House?
Kev, i do remember hearing somewhere that you would eat off a gammy leg !
Not under Pardew Micko 😉
Hi AK, you and me both…
Merts rested then, I take it WBA have no big strikers??
Team in full: Szczesny, Jenkinson, Vermaelen, Koscielny, Andre Santos, Song, Ramsey, Arteta, Walcott, Gervinho, Van Persie (c).
Substitutes: Fabianski, Djourou, Mertesacker, Benayoun, Rosicky, Arshavin, Park.
I love talking about grub. What’s the problem? 🙂
Excuse me, it’s my round… Cheers me dears.
COYG
If newcastle win today they go 2nd, who would have thought ! Make hay while the sun shines, it ain’t gonna last.
Wenger on Santos:
The Brazilian is always attack-minded and struck his second goal for the Club in the 5-3 win at Chelsea last Saturday. But, as Wenger admitted ahead of West Brom’s visit to Emirates Stadium on Saturday, he is still learning about the rigours of defending in the English top-flight.
“Andre needs to improve on that, of course,” said the manager. “But it’s easier to give him that than [to teach him about] going forward.
“I believe he is much better defensively than people are giving him credit for. He is still sometimes caught but in a one-on-one he is quite good and in the last 10 minutes at Chelsea he saved three or four goals.
😆
Good, come on Everton, need them to get a win today 🙂
2.1
2-1 ! 🙂
Agree there too Steve…. and i know who you are refering too 😉
Ivory Coast have qualified for the ACON… so we won’t have him in january…
Agree rico, We need defenders who enphasise defending and not think their wingers
Steve, every other side closes down in a flash, we don’t even seem to challenge for balls in the air let alone on the ground – that’s why we need Jack back and should have got Parker….
N’castle 2-0…
2.0 newcastle
Hi JM, trouble is, what we all see we need, Wenger doesn’t, but we’ll have to wiat and see in january, he could just be not wanting to unsettle those who are with us…
Merse has got a point rico, When you watch the manchester sides and a ball is punched forward the opposing forwards are greeted with a shove in the back when the ball is delivered in our games they have time to turn and pass thats the difference
New 1 Everton 0
Chamack goes. Fripong goes. Gervinho isn’y from Cote D’Ivoire? If he is, they belong to Angola group.
rico, he need not only a central forward but two more players
Agree though, we are shocking at closing down, why i wonder?
TT – are we really worse than Oxford 😉
Won’t get that for another hour i think Steve
Arsène Wenger is happy with his centre-forward options.
The Arsenal manager has rotated three strikers this season, Robin van Persie taking the lion’s share of first-team appearances with Marouane Chamakh and Ju Young Park in support.
Chamakh is expected to represent Morocco at the Africa Cup of Nations in January and, at first glance, that would leave Wenger with only two candidates up front. But the Frenchman sees it differently.
“I feel as well that you can count Gervinho and Walcott as strikers,” explained Wenger.
“Many times in press conference people ask me why we don’t play Walcott in the middle so he can play there if we need to do it.
“At the moment I have a big squad and we need to keep them all fit and motivated.”
Isn’t Gervinho going to the ACON’s ??
I have to agree with Merson on that rico. It is criminal how static the players are when we don’t have the ball. All sucessful teams have exseptional work rate, all we have is spectators when the other team has the ball.
Any news of the team rico
Haha Steve, i didn’t bring the subject up today 😉
Blooming heck, Merse reckons when we haven’t got the ball, we are one of the worst teams in the entire leagues, yes, leagues.. for closing players down!
Hi rico, your always on about food you sure your getting enough nourishment on that bunch of carrots and three beans
I’m comming back for a litle walk along the seaside. I hope win today and if possible, turn the goal-average 🙂
Merse is defending Cesney today on SS’s…. 🙂
Afternoon folks, all things done and now a quiet rest of the day..
🙂 Micko re the apples, i like mine in pastry with custard 😉
Micko, what people don’t understand is that other teams have got diferent ways of doing things, they train diferently, and drills are also diferent, it takes a little time for players to fall in line often it has taken more than a season to get the best out of them some times never, Arteta and Yossi will have to be given time, when we watch them we remember Cesc and how he did things and its hard to take , but as you say, they have to do it, if we want to do well this season
Steve, time for arteta to start expressing himself more in games, he’s better than what he’s shown us so far.
Rico, beware of those toffee apples later on this evening, don’t want ya losing a filling.
I sure hope your right Micko
Morning all,
For the first time in a little while i’m feeling pretty pretty confident about today, I’m going for 3-0.
C’mon arsenal.
In football, u underestimate ur opponent at ur own peril. So, AW should pick for today’s match his strongest team ever. No gamble.
AK, those pictures were terrible. ha ha
JM, probably means he can’t digest his cornflakes.
Morning all, nice one rico.
Wenger will play his strongest team, the League is his main concern the other comps CL we don’t stand much chance to be honest, CC if it happens it happens he wont go all out for it, and FA cup i don’t think his that interested in that either. Premier league is where your team get recognition for your seasons work also qualification for a lucritive CL spot. I expect him to try and get on the right side of the fans games like todays should be wins as there are bigger games coming we can’t afford to lose .
http://www.talksport.co.uk/magazine/features/2011-11-05/alex-ferguson-bill-nicholson-arsene-wenger-and-footballs-longest-serving-managers
Interesting stats….
I deeply apologise for the picture… 😳
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/15599275.stm
Arsene….
Gibbs problem: “stomach muscles”. What’s that?
Very interesting post Rico, and yeah, no Shane Long & Paul Schnarner is a big plus for us.
Reckon WBA will patch-up Odemwingie and send him out.
A very dangerous customer, gotta keep a close eye on him.
Maybe just the type of game for Kozzer/Verm..?
Morning Gooners.
Morning Rico, see ya when you’ve done ‘your things’ 😉
I don’t expect 90 mins of sparkling open attacking football, not with Roy Hodgson, who is an expert at making a silk purse out of a sow’s ear.
Patience from the home fans is essential.
Personally i’d be delighted with a dull 1-0 win for the Gunners.
Good morning!
Different games and different competitions. Last Tuesday was important win but more important, not loose. Today, we have only one idea in our minds: win. I don’t expect many diiffrences to the line up. Probably will be the some at stanford Bridge.
Morning everyone, looking forward to 3 points today, very interested in seeing the team line up for today, some decisions to be made.
Seeing as it’s so quiet, off to get a few things done… laters…
Hi TT, strongest side today, has to be if we want to acrry on with all the good work….
I’m going for a home win, hopefully with a much better display than on Tuesday….
Need a lot more from the midfiled too, they were dire against OM, wouldn’t be surprised to see Rosicky back for this one…
Morning all….
Morning all.
Hope we have recovered from the midweek hangover, we where awful on Thuesday night and another performance like that will gift the points to WBA.
Hope he starts with RvP upfront because we have showed alarmingly how toothless we are without him and if not for his goals we would truly be fucked.