Morning all.
I always smile when someone comes on here on a day when news is sparse and because of that, that same person starts telling me what I could perhaps write about. Oh, and when he/she is invited to write a post about the very subject they suggest, off they go and never to be seen again…
The joys of the internet eh…..
Anyway the topic was how, with such a small and shallow squad, does Arsene Wenger prioritise our next few months of football.
There is no reason why we can’t beat Liverpool this weekend in the FA Cup. We’ll have Mathieu Flamini back which is good news and of course, the boys will want to put right all that went wrong against them in the league. We are at home and we’ve already beaten Liverpool in front of homes fans in the league this season and thankfully, we aren’t kicking off at lunchtime.
Man City face Chelsea in one of a few fixtures between Premier League clubs so that will be another ‘big team’ gone and I actually believe this competition is our better chance of winning a trophy this season.
If I was Arsene Wenger, I’d play the strongest eleven. By I really mean the strongest, not his favourites, the strongest! Bayern on Wednesday can wait, in fact I’d forget them…..
Then of course there is the Premier League campaign. We sit second so are in a very good position to secure Champions League football next season. Of course we may just go on and win it but as each league game comes and goes, that’s looking more and more unlikely but all the time we are up there and in with a chance, Arsenal have to believe it’s possible.
There are no doubt doubt a few more twists and turns in the league as all the top 6/7 clubs play each other and who knows where Lady Luck will turn up. By Lady Luck I mean the FA and their referee’s because they will play their part, of that I am sure.
Then there is the Champions League.
I’d ditch this one from the off, in fact I’d forget all about the Champions League until we have a squad which is deep enough and strong enough to actually compete in it because my own view is that we simply in there to make up the numbers. Oh, and to take all the money it pays us….
Of course it’s right that we do all we can do secure CL football each season but there is more to football than just making money from what this competition rewards. It’s about being winners and having the medals to prove it, not having millions in the bank yet no-one prepared to spend it.
If I had my way, we’d play all the fringe players. Make sure they know that the result doesn’t matter and just go out onto the pitch without fear and enjoy the experience…
In fact I’d even call Pep and ask him to be kind but be also to be assured that his team will go through…..
Ok, I’m not sure that would be quite ethical but then so many things which go on in football aren’t are they…
What would you do if you were Arsene Wenger??
Quit is not one of the options… lol
Stay safe in this awful weather guys….
Looks like Wenger is throwing the FA Cup at the weekend if reports of wholesale changes are to be believed…?
Morning All,
Can’t believe Adam ain’t sent me a Valentines card of him and his red spandex on the front…!
After how they played on Wednesday, a few changes might be good for the way we play and especially Giroud.
Agree perfectly with you. Stop on 100percent. Forget about the champions league Arsenal and play your strongest team against liverpool, and beat them. After all, by Monday we would have only one big team to compete with in the FA cup.
I’ll be really disappointed if that’s the case Wath…
Mind you, could we do any worse?
If he gonna make changes at least play one or two young ones who will die for the shirt and pls players with a bit of pace..? Not 2 much 2 ask is it..?
Not surprisingly, Everyone voting for champions league,
As if we really have a chance of beating munich..
Nah, not this time.
The way things are going, we will be concentrating on finishing 4th by the end of this month.
laud, and if that team is City, hey could be only focusing on league and CL…
Wath, no it’s not….
Fg, history suggests you night be right but all the time we have a chance, I’m hanging on with a bit of hope…
Wath did you see this link on the B League
http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11676/9165327?
Good read Rico…
ha ha we will beat FC Bavarian 😉
They can’t surely set a record and return the CL?
I am with WATH though.. time to freshen things up with 2 kids.
I am slightly surprised fans are saying AW is a bad tactician but then say he should play his best team…
On paper, AW 9/10 times plays his best team available…
But the Fergies’ and Joses’ who have won 6% more games ( the 6 or 7% are the bigger games which Aw loses btw) do not always play their best teams but their most effective team to reflecty the opposition…
Aw best team will be the team which lost to the dippers minus TR07 & Gibbs depending…
Personally I would rather play Sagna and Kos in central defence and play CJ25 at RB imho.
I will play Poldi on the lhs because his starting position on the pitch will keep Flanagan from overlapping as SC19 who on paper is better, will most likely come inwards allowing their RB to overlap and overload our LB…
retain*
Thanks Rico…
Have to disagree rico(not very often) to-day
Just my opinion
I believe we should always start with our strongest eleven.
A…it sends out a signal to the other team
B…it send out signal to our team
All us fans would more than likely pick a slightly different team here and there.
But our players know who the best eleven are for each game,
a lot are saying give Giroud a rest,but his the best we have.
I watched podolski against cardiff new years day..playing up tops,
he never had a clue,
not saying his not a player,just not a leader of the line.
Ts, depends on who individuals believe to be the strongest team.
I don’t consider playing without width or pace is us being strong.
Gnabry and Podolski surely have to come into this current side this weekend and that would make us stronger surely. As will Flamini but I am sure not everyone agrees with my theory…..
Ah ! The February question. Like spring cleaning and family birthdays, it’s that time of the year again.
Wouldn’t it be nice if one year we had squad which could compete on all fronts. Never going to happen under this manager !
What’s the betting that Wenger stands up once more at this year’s AGM, looks over the top of his glasses, and declares for the tenth time ” Fourth is the trophy” ?
Morning all, I am bowled over by that post. Which competition should we dump.Have you no shame, I have been blogging on this site since it started and i have only admiration for our administrator and for the support of all bloggers . Yes Arsenal have not won anything in the years of this blog but top 4 has always been achieved and and European football has been seen for 16 years, Our squad that you say is weak, has enough cover and our first team can beat anybody on their day, we are through to the next round of both cups and were second in the league, and you put a poll up to see what competition we should throw. Well i have seen us in the past be out of contention for all the cups before Christmas, and i still wanted us to fight and get above whoever we could. Many from what i understand feel that we are just a joke team, many feel we will fall away and sink into oblivion, many it seems thinks Wenger should get his cummupents and he should be shamed and they want a new manager as he has shot his bolt, they dont like his style of management they dont like his tactics perhaps the press dont clammer at his feet and smile at every word he says but he is Managing a team who are second in what is classed as the best league in the world. I looked at that poll and wouldn’t entertain it at all. I believe Wenger will do things his own way which has searved us very well over the time he has led us. Wenger will wear his heart on his sleeve he will give every competition the best he can do, and if he didn’t i would call for a manager change, i expect him to bust a gut i know over the years the Carling cup has not been a priority but he has blooded youngsters who he had hoped would move to the first team and he stuck by them no matter how far we progressed but to blow a competition out is a no no from me.
🙂 fred, that’s ok…..
My own thought is that Nik will start on Sunday and Podolski out wide on the left…
Morning Rico and all. As a paying customer of Arsenal Football Club I am confident that the manager will play our strongest team. 🙂
As long as there is no width and no pace that is. 🙂
Steve – wouldn’t it just and I guess that’s what I mean by the post, until we can compete on all levels we are unlikely to get over the line in any unless something gives.
No doubt some fans will see that as me being negative but it’s not, I’m just a realist who knows that already we look out of sorts and players are overplayed because our squad is so shallow…
We couldn’t even beat a very poor Man Utd side, how we are to cope with Bayern home and away I just don’t know…
Served us well Sp?
How, if you take away top four and raking in the money?
Morning again Adam, you old cynic 😉
You keep calling me that Rico. It is totally unjustified in my opinion 🙂
I remember standing there when our team to play birmingham was annonced over the load speaker,O’Leary(16).Stapleton(17) and the great Liam Brady(17),we looked like we would be relegated that year..What a three to introduce.
The stakes are much higher now,for me Top four is a must,
blooding young players in front of 60,000 in a must win game can also ruin a young lad,
Every game for The Arsenal is a must win game now.
Wenger know’s it.
🙂 Adam, I’d remove the ‘un’ if I were you…lol
You are right Rico…
I guess it depends on what the definition of strongest XI is for each one of us…
You have a point fred, a battering by a Bayern side will do no-one any good, especially a young player but as we all know, sometimes they play without fear and dare to go where others may not…
In our case, forward… 😉
All comes down to not having a squad deep/strong enough I guess…
And we’ll probably all pick a different strongest 11 Ts…
Right now Jack, Giroud and Arteta wouldn’t be in mine….
The record books can not just dismiss 16 years as easily as you can Rico. Go back to Highbury with our 30,000 stadium, and imagine that we never ever had Wenger, where would we be today. I know you will answer that question with probably a lot better than we have now, But you won’t convince me.
You make it out like it is bad being a paying customer Adam? 🙂
There are pros you know…
Have you tried the Michelin star hot dog?
An audience with PHW and Mr Chips…
You even get an MBNA credit card with AFC stamped on it as a loyal customer at 2500% APR. 😛
Am with you on Arteta and JW being dropped… not sure about OG12 but as Sp1 says SAnogo/B-52 can’t be worse than OG12
I’m not out to convince you Sp, you are free to have your view and I can see where you are coming from but history is just that, history.
What AW has done for Arsenal I doubt any other manager would have been able to but instead of building on what he did, he’s stagnated both on the pitch and off of it when it comes to the transfer dealings.
The departure of David Dein has a lot to do with that imho…
Oh, and having a gutless owner and board who clearly seem to not want to get involved….
Morning all,
I believe we are not yet strong enough to compete on 3-4 fronts….yet.
Of the 3 available, there is one we realistically can not win, and that is CL.
I dare say we don’t throw it away, but make it third priority.
We are a decent chance in the FA cup, so must go at it on sunday…there are no second chances.
The PL is still there for us, and it is a realistic target.
No, i don’t believe Rico meant take 18 year olds out v Bayern, but we can not give 100% on all 3 fronts.
Sanogo and Nik aren’t the ideal answer by far but if Nik can get his brain and feet to work, he might actually bury one or two of the crosses which come in.
Sanogo, well I haven’t a clue what he has to offer but at least he’s meant to be quick. One burst past the Liverpool defence and they’ll think twice about attacking us quite so much…
Like I say, it’s not the way this club should be operating but……
Thought Ozil had a good game the other night,had to watch it again the next day,after hearing what O’Leary and the papers saying,
about him not showing up.
You have to watch Ozil very closely throughtout the game to see how good he is.
This is fascinating. Ozil only shoots 1.33 times a game – 22 shots in a bit over 16 full matches this year. Yet when he does shoot, he’s been the best player in the Premier League at forcing a save . The ball has been on target 70% of the time. It makes you wonder why he doesn’t unleash a bit more often, as he’s almost certainly capable of scoring more goals.
Much like Mata, Ozil’s assist and key pass numbers are some of the best in Europe , despite the fact that he’s no longer playing next to Ronaldo, Benzema, and Di Maria. Would these numbers be more impressive if Theo Walcott had been healthy most of the year, or if Olivier Giroud’s lifetime conversion rate were even above league average? Almost certainly. As it is, Arsenal are maybe one key piece short of bringing out the best in Ozil, and potentially turning Ashburton Grove in to Arselona.
Regardless of a dip in player quality around him, and the strong caveat that stats are unlikely to ever truly capture the sublimity of his first touch or Ozil’s understanding of space, Ozil’s production as an attacking midfielder remains outstanding.
From the Mirror news paper
Gotta hunch that Wenger might start Sanogo against the Scousers this weekend…
They won’t know what to expect (nor would we 😉 ) & that might unsettle them as they’ll set up to defend against our usual pedestrian attack…
Giroud on the bench, with Ozil (who AW will probably rest for Bayern), Arteta (who needs a rest also) & Rosicky.
If he starts Bendtner, then that’ll play into the Scoucers hands…
Happy Birthday to the one and only Sagna…!
Crazy hair-do but the superb footballer…
Morning Scott, no, just a second string which actually might consist of a few 18 year olds… 😉
SAnogo has some very good attributes at least watching him at u-20 and u-21 level…
Not sure he can handle Agger that well but he will work the ‘channels’.
He likes to turn with the ball too something B-532 and OG12 don’t do much off…
Sorry SP, but going into a season with only one average, journeyman striker and then refusing to bring in reinforcements in January, doesn’t equate in my book with “busting a gut to win three trophies”
I would never claim that Wenger doesn’t want Arsenal to be successful. I just don’t think his abilities and priorities make him the man to bring us success.
fred, agree re Ozil against the Mancs…
Kev, Yaya has to play soon surely.
Be interesting to see what Brenda does now they are well and truly in with a chance of a PL victory…
No doubt his strongest side will turn up full of belief…
Guys, i may have missed it, but is Sanogo actually ready to play, yet?
Sanogo has been back for ages… Scott
Only 60 minutes under his belt at reserve level though…
Thanks Ginge,
Maybe Aw does not want to do to the days of being a one man team again…
‘When Henry left Arsenal for Barcelona in 2007, after eight glorious seasons in north London, the joke was that he needed an additional business-class seat for his ego. He had almost transcended the club with his personality and status, and his departure was considered by some as necessary for the younger players to blossom. Henry had become such a focal point that his team-mates would feel compelled to seek the pass to him even when it was not on.’
Guardian
Remy has been cleared of the Rape charges, maybe AW will sign him now….
He was on the bench for the Manc game too Scott…
TS. I am of course happy to take your word for it. I did pay about £20 for Goujons of fish and chips x2 in the ground last season. But I am an old fashioned kinda guy who, unreasonably, was anticipating that a piece of fish might be lurking somewhere beneath the inch of rock solid batter. I think I detected a sliver of fish DNA which was probably enough to pass the Trade Descriptions Act.
Apart from that, it was a cholesterol-rich feast of crunchy greasiness.
But enjoyable, Adam? 🙂
Thanks, Rico…..let him loose, i say.
I am a believer in the one game at a time, See who we have available and who we are playing and field a team to try and be competetive. It is only logical that if you have a relativley easy game followed closely with a very good team that you may feel inclined to rest certain players who you feel may well be vital in the later game. Tell a player he looks tired and the result is that he will play tired, tell him he is crucial to winning the game and you should get a tryer. Not every player is suited to play every game, certain positions require lots more energy than others and should be taken into consideration, We have played Liverpool and we know how they battered us, we should in all honesty know where we went wrong. hopefully Wenger will strengthen in those area’s but should we also gain a little up front as well a win will sow we have worked our socks off. Concentrate on one game at a time, They will all come in the end.
It was a fabulous meal Scott. 🙂
😛 hilarious Adam
Until AW does, we don’t know what he’s made of Scott, he may just be a surprise…
Well, maybe… or….. 😉
Agree Rico, we don’t know about Sanogo and nor does Rodgers…
As for Agger, well if Yaya can thump BFG, then I wouldn’t want to be Agger or Skrtle or Toure…
Fabianski , Jenks, Mert, Kos, Monreal, Rosicky, Oxlade-C, Cazorla, Gibbs, Sanogo, Bendtner.
A category ” B ” team for a category “B ” price.
That’s half the battle Kev, a surprise 😉
But we don’t ever seem to dish those up…
Hmmmmm, crackling and chips, must have been a feast Adam….
Mind you, when I was a very young nipper, the chippy would give you a bag of crackling for nix….
£10 for a bag of crackling, is nothing sacred… 😉
Potter you have a way of making me laugh blinding mate, Had i been in charge at Arsenal tickets i would have bumped the prices up as soon as the northern moans came in, Don’t come if you don’t like it, and if you do and you lose it makes it even better.
Hello all! Good reading Rico as always.
I really don’t think AW will change his priorities, so i expect couple of changes in starting lineup against Liverpool.
I’d like to see something like
Szczesny,
Sagna, Per, Kos, Gibbs
Ox/Gnabry, Flamini, Rosicky, Podolski
Cazorla
Giroud
Ox/Gnabry can match Sterlings pace most of the game but both are physically stronger, so lets put a shadow on Sterling.
Flamini to sit a bit deeper as Gerrard did over the weekend.
Rosicky to be in charge of bringing the ball forward and keep an eye on Coutinho.
Podolski on lhs, where probably Sturridge will play, but as he likes to go centrally, Flamini should be there cutting him off. Of course Podolski should help out Gibbs too.
Cazorla as no10, because it seems he’s at least willing to take a shot outside the box and probably, as i see it, the only player that can truly go past any player with his fast feet. If SC19 goes quiet then bring on Özil.
No doubt Liverpool will start the game in the same manner as they did over the weekend. Press up high and close us down as fast as possible.
I’d have Flamini in there instead of OC Potter…
Your a Top Man Rico.
Always giving your time to reply to fans.
keep up the Good work.. : )
Fg, you should know by now I’m a lady 🙂
But thank you….
Welcome Slogooner and thanks…
I too think Podolski will be in the starting eleven and if he is, we’ll need both Gibbs and Monreal behind him as he’s not known for his tracking back qualities…
I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see both Arteta and Flamini start but that’s just me guessing…
Rumour has it that Cazorla is sick , so Flamster will probably come in and miss and match again.
If he’s sick, how many others will follow….
I am off guys……have a lovely day.
Night Scott…
Question is :- What is he sick of , ?
Regarding Scudamore my Invoice is in the post special delivery for Saturday and in the bin by Monday.
Piers Morgan is in for some stick, he’s been interviewed re the phone hacking enquiry….lol
Passing sideways maybe??
🙂 Potter
thanks rico
I don’t really fancy Arteta and Flamini playing together, but I expect that to happen against Bayern. It just might happen on Sunday too yeah. A lot depends on how much AW can prepare players mentally. Loss like that sinks deep in the minds of us fans and even more in the minds of players. Let’s just hope players come out without remembering what happened over the weekend. It’s a new game, new 90 minutes and above all at Emirates stadium.
remembering = thinking about
Think you’ll be right Sg re Bayern, especially away if we are in a good place after the first leg..
Right now tough I just want us to beat Liverpool and get through to the next round…
We are at home, need to make that count….
Arsene has done it again, when asked why he thinks Jose and others are ruling out their chance of winning the league, he says:
‘They are in fear of failure’…
Why not simply say:
‘Why don’t you ask them instead of asking me’??
Wenger says Sagna’s contract extension talks are ongoing, but a new deal isn’t close
Lack of common sense on AW’s part.. Rico
SC19 is definitely out…
Agree Ts. Same as saying the league is Chelsea’s to lose, although he’s right, it is…
Santi is in bed sick isn’t he…
See, Jose has responded:
‘Arsene Wenger is a specialist in failure’…
AW really is naive at times…..
He should have learned by now not to enter a war that you can’t win. In any war of words with Mourinho through the media he is on a loser.
Absolutely. He won’t in a battle with Jose on or off the pitch…. Sadly!
Jose also fights back with ‘8 years, I won’t need 8 years’….
And ‘If I fear failure, it’s because I don’t fail’…
I bet AW wishes now he’s kept quiet…
True Rico… I now know you writes Jose’s lines for me… 😉
When will Aw learn? Stop being honest with the media(although he is always dishonest during the transfer window).
Hahahaha… Jose talking about Wenger failure? He failed to win La decima and end barca’s dominance madrid and was sacked on the other hand AW has satisfied every of his employers demands hence he has won himself a new contract. See failure is relative.
I write them for Jose Ts… 😉
Joywed, to be fair, the press started the silly questions and then with Jose, made it look like AW started it all..
But regardless, AW should know better..
🙂 Rico …for him* even
😀 Joy… well put
Amazing isn’t it… we have 142 million cash reserves in the bank yet sign a crocked midfielder on loan in Jan…. Oh and put the season tkts up by 3%….
Is anybody really going to come on here and say we can’t compete financially….??? By the summer those cash reserves will be in the region of 180million…!
when we were second in our group stage, the Champions League is out of our minds.Also, we can’t forget we will be in this stage, because we scored one more goal then Naples .
Usually, those who finished first in their groups fight for be champions and the winner, was the history said,it’s always one team who finished first in their group.
Anyway, we can be out (90 % of chances) but if we win one of the games, will be good for our budget,
I hope we will fight for the Fa cup and for the League. First: we must win sunday. Question of proud, “revanche” and injection of confidence; Second: M.City wasn’t play yet, but for the moment, we only depends for ourselves. Third: if everything going well, in a couple of weeks we starting to have more players fit and more solutions.
So, probably will not have team (short, injuries, suspensions, class, experience and BM is much more stronger) and time for be in the next stage of champions League
And don’t forget that Bundesliga were stopped for 2-3 weeks in winter time…
I genuinely think that Wenger doesn’t give a shit what Jose says or thinks, not anymore…
Mourinho has been sacked twice and will be out of Chelsea again, before Wenger leaves Arsenal.
Mourinho would love that security, but he loves more the big bucks he got from Chelsea 1st time and Madrid…
Rico, I agree with those earlier sentiments, you are a great guy… 😉
Who’s this bloke your impersonating Rico lol
Afternoon Grandad…! you ok..?
True Kev…
AW left Nantes over 30 years ago and he is still adored there…
He is still adored at AS Monaco even for getting sacked…
I doubt Jose will be getting a statue at Inter or RM…
I always suspected Rico to be an alias for a double agent… 😉
The true Special One on the fake special one…
“It’s one of the main reasons why his spell at Madrid was unsuccessful and I don’t think Mourinho will achieve anything in the future either.”- Cruyff
Jose- ‘Like me or not, I am the only one who won the world’s three most important leagues. So, maybe instead of the ‘Special One’, people should start calling me the ‘Only One’. After having won practically everything, as time has passed I have become less self-centered and egocentric…’
Less egocentric? Don’t know if Cruyff would agree with that. Taking a self-bestowed “Special One” tag and refining it down to a self-bestowed “Only One” tag, actually proves that Mourinho is MORE egocentric.
Johann- ” Cruyff told the Spanish TV station, La Sexta. “How do you make sense of some calling themselves ‘the only one?’ It is good to put that name on a jersey, but nothing more. I do not like that sort of behavior.”
On other news…
QPR keeper & Brazil no.1 Júlio César joins Toronoto FC on loan for the rest of the season…
mind games is Mourinho classic boxing
AW must not answer him. Just forget him. He wants ths for be focus on his success. But ask Mourinho why he never coach small ou higher teams without fresh money for spend and for buying all thoses he want too.
Afternoon folks, what a rubbish day weather wise….
Kev/Wath 😛
I knew many years ago that maybe I should have chosen a different name lol
Jm, Arsene spoke first on this occasion…
yes, I know, but Mourinho is in his world in those scenes.
Very true Jm, very true and his trophy haul speaks volumes…
Dinner calls, later….
Lady and gentlemen goodevening. Let me weigh in in this discussion about Mr Wenger and Jose. I have a lot of respect for Arsene for what he’s achieved but I think arsenal has outgrown him. I am a football fan and I take pride in winning games and hence trophies. I therefore feel trophies should come first as opposed to profits. Money should prop football not the other way round. Jose’s antiques however take the colour off winning but their might be some honesty in what he said today, given Arsene’s back seat approach towards transfer windows especially the past two.
Guys, my electric is going up, down and off intermittently so I’m off for the day…
Night all….
Welcome lule, surely there is a balance to had between the two?
Maintain the self sufficiency, but spend the money we do have?
It’s not like we need a massive overhaul, just 4/5 players and a manager willing to look into the future rather than be stuck in the past….
A shilling in the meter usually works Rico…. 😉
Morning all.
🙂 Kev..
Morning to you, Scott and all…
Quiet morning?
We have had awful weather here Scott, could be that people are without power etc, ours has been going on and off since yesterday afternoon…
That bad hey?
Let’s hope everyone is safe.
A few lives lost in the storms but thankfully not too many, as far as I have heard anyway but an awful lot of storm damage to property and flooding…
New post up now….