Robin Reliant or will someone else finally step up?? Today we'll see just how far we have come…

Yep, by the time the final whistle goes somewhere around 15.20hrs today, we will have learned if we have taken further steps forward in our Premier League campaign or just same old few steps forward and the same plus one back.

Today is a huge test, not only as Stoke are a big side, they have been a physical side too in the past but now, as they sit above us in the league, they have also become a bit of a footballing side.

They have Crouch and Kenwyne Jones up front, possibly two of the tallest strikers out defence will face in the league.

They really gave Manchester united a fright earlier on in the season and maybe they were a tad unlucky to take only one point from the game, today is gunner be tough.

We know Jenkinson is the latest to be ruled out injured; he joins Vermaelen, Gibbs, Diaby, Sagna and Wilshere.

The good news though is apart from Jack and Sagna, the others are all due back in two weeks.

Stoke’s Pennant is a doubt through a dodgy hamstring but Higginbotham could return.

So far this season we have lost every game after playing in the CL, in fact we haven’t won a fixture after a European match since last November!!

Not so good eh, time for that to change…

Yes, we are starting to look a lot tighter at the back but we have still conceded five goals in our last six games so there is still plenty of room for improvement.

Up front, good old Robin the Reliant has been on form thankfully, he’s bagged 27 goals in his last 33 games. Today we need someone else to burden some of the weight – it’s time for the likes of Walcott and Gervinho to get on the score sheet and we certainly need a greater impetus from our lacklustre midfield.

Stoke are a tough nut to crack but Sunderland managed to do it, and convincingly too by scoring four times, so if they can, we can too. That game apart though, Stoke have conceded just seven goals in their other 15 fixtures.

Impressive eh?

In the centre of the defence they have a couple of old crocks in most people’s eyes, but Woodgate and Upson have done really well, two smart ‘free’ signings in the summer by Pulis but they haven’t face our main man yet, we all know he could undo them in a second, if he’s on fire.

Stoke have never won a solitary point at The Emirates, today we need to make sure that doesn’t change. The last league goal they scored at our place was back in 2009, courtesy of a Ricardo Fuller penalty.

Back in May this year though, they battered us 3-1 at their own ground, we don’t need or want anything similar to that score-line.
Our home results have picked up since the Liverpool and we have won the last three but we are still conceding too many goals, in fact only Bolton and Blackburn have conceded more.

That’s nothing to brag about eh?

Stoke are struggling to score goals, they have netted just six so far this season in the league and stats show that four of them have come in the last ten minutes of the game, hope our boys have been warned! They have only scored one goal in the first half so let’s get three goals in the first half, then game over! 😉

So, despite Stoke sitting above us in the league, it doesn’t necessarily tell the whole story does it?

It’s pretty clear that Stoke are struggling to score goals! It’s clear they don’t like conceding them either but we all believe we are on the up don’t we?

Today, if we get a strong display by our defence, a more dynamic and creative display from our midfield and of course, a clinical, ruthless display from any of our players who find themselves with a goal scoring opportunity – we can beat this Stoke side with conviction…

If not, well then anything could happen.

One thing is for sure though; round about 3.20pm today in UK time, we’ll all know just how far we have come in the last few weeks…..

Come on The Arsenal, your manager believes in all of you, go and prove to yourselves and all others just why he does…..

It’s time to push on Guys, three points is a MUST!!

256 thoughts on “Robin Reliant or will someone else finally step up?? Today we'll see just how far we have come…

  1. devilgunner says:

    Morning guys and chicks.

    Maybe everyone is still asleep!!!!!

    By the kick off whistle I can assure you that everyone will be wide awake.

  2. stevepalmer1 says:

    Morning rico,
    Good rousing post, lets hope our boys read it, could be a tough day, but were at home and the suns going to shine and i hope sixty thousand will come out smiling. my grand daughters birthday today so have got to go to the party catch you later.

  3. rico says:

    Here is Man U v Man City and then later the Chavs play…

    Have to try and find a stream I guess, and read your updates here 😉

  4. rico says:

    Hi Sam, it was a close one though, i thought France were going to nick it, which imho would have been bitter….

  5. EastSidePaul says:

    Today is a huge match, this was one where in previous years we could drop some points and write it off as our boogie team, but today is a must win, simple as, nothing else will do. I can invision more panic, something which we have perfected.
    Not looking forward to today…

    On another note, can we please play 4-4-2. PLEASE!! I think Coq + Arteta can do the job in centre mid, until January when I would like to see the addition of Gourcuff & M’vila.

  6. rico says:

    Don’t want no dancing with our boogie team ESP 😉

    Spot on though, massive game, win and it will give so much confidence, lose and all that has been gained will be undone again, especially if we concede goals through defensive frailties…

  7. EastSidePaul says:

    Just saw a small article in one of the red tops showing the footballing rich list.
    Number 2 – Alister Usmanov (Arsenal)

    And he is only runner up to citys oil money..

    Why can’t we just let the guy and his money in, we don’t have to do a city. But we can pay off our stadium, increase wages, and not miss out in players for a few million here and there.

    What I would LOVE to see is, Usmanov takes control and the first thing we do is go to Barca and take everything that isn’t nailed down, lets see how loyal some of those players are when large amounts of money is waved infront of their face, lets do to them what they have been doing to us for years?

    Is that a tad vindictive?! 😀

  8. agirlagunner says:

    Boo! We’ll take it to Stoke and win this. Both Manc sides to settle for a point; and each get several red cards. 😀

  9. rico says:

    No ESP, that’s what i would love to see happen too… I hope he gets the extra shares to take him over 30%

    Boo agag, I hope so, they ebst be up for this and keep jones and crouch quiet…

    not as much as the spuds though, i bet terry 😉

  10. TT says:

    We need to keep it very tight at the back and in midfield today. I would like to start with 442 with Arteta and Song in the middle and put Ramsey on the wing with Ger. Then RvP and Chamack or Park in the centre. Put TW on the bench he has done nothing to deserve a starting position. And don’t allow AA anywhere near the pitch with a stoke team on it! We cant affort to play with 10 men….

  11. EastSidePaul says:

    I personally don’t like the idea of playing players out of position when there is no need for it, yeah he might have more experience than the other two, but I feel the other two are better players than Ramsey.

  12. terry says:

    spuds i dont envy them or hate them they are miserable… every time i see their manager makes me laugh ….
    todays game is all about our wing backs …. if santos and djouru keep pennant and etherington quiet… they will not have a single shot on goal … all they do is cross the ball our wing backs must close their wingers down.
    normally there is alwayz a big gap between arshavin and santos and theo and djouru if we defend as 451 and attack as 433 we are sorted out,

  13. TT says:

    Team news RvP on the bench and Chamack and Theo both on along with Ger and Ramsey. Thent Arteta Song (c) DJ PM Kosser and Santos with Stczczczczczcezezny in goal.

  14. Micko says:

    I hope dropping rvp to the bench doesn’t cost us today, he could have had the rest of the week off if he had started, you just know we’re gonna concede at least one so we gotta hope chamakh is up for it, he’s got his chance so he’s gotta take it.
    ESP, just admit it, you don’t like the welsh.

  15. rico says:

    RvP Rested……

    Team in full: Szczesny, Djourou, Koscielny, Mertesacker, Andre Santos, Song, Arteta, Ramsey, Walcott, Gervinho, Chamakh.

    Substitutes: Fabianski, Frimpong, Rosicky, Benayoun, Arshavin, Park, Van Persie.

  16. Joaquim Moreira says:

    Hello!
    New Zeeland 🙂
    Here they broadcast both gamaes at the same time 🙂
    I swith on for Arsenal 🙂
    We have no defenders on the bench…
    I’m going to the “stadium” now… just finish watch Lecce3 Milan 4 (3-0 at half time…)

  17. devilgunner says:

    Football is a game of opinions. I like Aaron. ESP has every right not to. But we must all respect each other.

    Personally I do not like Theo but there you are. I respect those who like him. PErsonally I favour Aaron on the right in a 4-4-1-1 formation.

  18. EastSidePaul says:

    Ha Micko those Welsh are a tricky bunch!

    Resting RVP is a bad move, Chamakh up front on his own is a poor choice, he is a player who needs a person to play off.

  19. Micko says:

    ESP, he’s definately suited more to a 442 formation, that would probably bring the best out of him.
    Song will hopefully sit in front of the back four today for the whole 90 minutes, its gonna be a battle.

  20. devilgunner says:

    No shots on target yet. Arsenal are trying to build their passing game while SRFC are always odds on to upset the apple cart

  21. devilgunner says:

    They only have one yellow where it should have been 4 already. The ref is letting them play roughly as always. AGAG you are right.

  22. devilgunner says:

    What I cant understand is why do we always drop attention levels after going in front.!!!!! Cant we keep our concentration on from the 1st till the last whistle?

  23. agirlagunner says:

    Their players are clattering into ours with impunity, DG. What’s this ref waiting for? Another broken leg? Arteta seems a target. Our fans are now in full voice at least. And the award for free kick was dodgy to say the least. Grrrr.

  24. agirlagunner says:

    Chamakh has wasted two very good chances. And Theo might as well not be playing. That he has gone invisible yet again is becoming… typical.

  25. EastSidePaul says:

    I am sick of this shit… week in week out, they learn nothing and nothing has changed for years now. With Wenger in charge nothing will ever change.
    Enough.
    We’re drawing at home to Stoke, and you know why? because thats the level Arsenal FC are at, we are now in the position in the league we deserve.
    How can this continue? We need new staff all round, New board, new training staff, new medical team, and I’m afraid to say it new Manager.

    Why do you leave RVP out? The one player we have left, the only player who would get into a team in the top four and he leaves him out. I can’t handle his crap anymore!

  26. devilgunner says:

    I am lightweight Alan. Just 5ft 5′. Yet I always showed that I was there and was never bullied over. I used to do in a player in the first 5 minutes of each game and that was it. I was set for the rest of the game and rarely I was fouled when I used to play. For heaven’s sake these are professionals like Roy Keane/ PV/Petit etc. Cant they do the same????

  27. TT says:

    Don’t blame the ref. We get alot of these decisions going in our favor and regardless if a frekick is just or not it still has to be defended.

  28. EastSidePaul says:

    What AGAG?! Theo has done nothing you say? Cause thats a huge shock to us all, because he has been setting the world on fire the last few years, the guy has really lived up to his potential and is one of Europes finest.. Oh wait…

    WHY does he start?! He never does ANYTHING! Any yet people defend him to the death, he is and has been for years, a waste of a jersey, yet he starts and plays every week… Its unbelievable, another piece of damning evidence that Wenger has lost any credibility as Arsenal manager.

  29. agirlagunner says:

    Why should the ref be held blameless, TT? True, it is our job to defend; but it is their job to get the calls the right; and I think Stoke is pushing their luck with the rough tactics. That ref is letting them.

  30. rico says:

    It’s not down to too many light weight foreigners imho, it’s about players with the wrong mentality – regardless of where they were born….

  31. EastSidePaul says:

    You can never blame foreign players for being lightweight, look at the unbeatables, where they a push over? And Keane, foreigner I am afraid 😉

  32. TT says:

    Because the ref will get these decisions wrong from time to time and they are a part and parcel of the game. We have been awarded penalties and free kicks our self’s that we did not deserve and won games from them.

  33. rico says:

    alan, can you say the same about petit, paddy, henry, bobby etc etc…

    No, reality is, matters not where they come from, it’s their inner mentality and passion – however, i would love to see more arsenal players, playing for arsenal…. if you get my drift, players who love OUR club….

  34. devilgunner says:

    lol. me at 43???? Wish I was Alan.

    I used to do that because I wanted to take care of myself since being on the small side I always used to be roughed up. So I used to dish it out from the start.

    BDW the foul on Crouch was a foul as Kozzer used his hands to push him when he went up. But sometimes they are not given.

    PLC are a man down as Evans who was having the game of his life playing badly pulled back Balotelli as he was clean through. So its 0-1 to Shitty and 10 men for PLC.

    Hope Shitty win as that will only leave Newcastle and Shitty unbeaten and they will surely loose before the end of the season……..so our unbeaten record goes on for another year.

  35. rico says:

    just why i love him too devil, next season i think he could well be ahead of sagna….

    just why i love Lansbury too…..

  36. TT says:

    Does the cnut have to wait until 75 min to make a change? We are playing with 10 men while TW is on! Get Benny arsh or RvP on or all of them.

  37. alan b'stard M P says:

    Hi Eastside. Yeah, I guess I could have used a better example ( grin )

    Why don’t they bring Delap & Shawcross to Arsenal?

  38. rico says:

    alan, would fans want them??

    bit like the barton rumours, we need a fiesty little shite like him but would we want him?

  39. TT says:

    We dont need any of them rico, just a manager that can gel the team and inspire some fight in them. All are good individual players in their own right but need to be molded into a single unit…

  40. rico says:

    That’s what i mean TT, we don’t need the thugs of the game, just players who want to play and a manager who can get them to play….

    I still think Theo could be a great player… under a different coach…

  41. rico says:

    this is the only game i want citeh to win, just to make sure the 49 stays put 😉

    mind you, have Citeh been beaten yet??

  42. TT says:

    If he doe,s not buy at least 1 world class player in January or the summer and RvP leaves I will take my hat down to RvP and thank him for the memories as i curse AW….

  43. EastSidePaul says:

    Evra should be gone! unreal how united get so many decisions! Come on city, 2 or 3 more please!

    can we please hold this lead….

  44. rico says:

    We really need Robin to stay fit – he’s special, very very special…

    Charlie Nic and Matt Le Tiss were having an arguement with Alan McAnally (spelling) and Phil Thomson…

    Tiss and Charlie say that RvP is the best striker in the league, the other say Rooney….. Eat your words guys, it’s RvP by a long long way…..

  45. rico says:

    Micko – i love that, i truly love that – what we need now is a Batman in the squad, we certainly have our Robin……

    4-1 Citeh….. 🙂

  46. rico says:

    Sky Sports won’t be happy, we should win and their fav side is getting battered…

    hapy feckin days eh 😛

  47. devilgunner says:

    You got to love Aaron. Shawcross went to shake his hand at the end and Aaron walked off. Now why you did not punch him Rambo???

  48. TT says:

    LMFAO

    On serious note the papers tomorrow will be full of how resolute UTD where and that they managed to keep it 6 – 1 is a credit to the manager and the players how ever Arsenal stuttered and spluttered against a exhausted Stoke team that had a difficult European game during the week….

  49. rico says:

    TT – i watched it, it could have been 10, and manure should have been down to 10 – they were far from reolute and they were far from ‘United’……

    But yes, you watch, you will be absolutely right but do we care??

    We should have bought Micah Richards when we had the chance, he was bloody good today…..

  50. TT says:

    Richards is very good in a good team rico but I wonder how he would cope in an Arsenal team when it’s down on confidence…And rico the truth about Arsenal and UTD performance makes no difference the press will write what they will and you can be damn sure it wont be in Arsenal’s favor…

  51. Joaquim Moreira says:

    Back again!
    🙂 happy!
    Where is Theo? I don’t understand… we must be more important for playing only 30 minutes but in a ruuning way that the full time. Is agood “gun” for commimg up where the full back has a yellow cars or tired. Or like I said before, go to the right back.
    Chamack equals to himself.
    More 3 points 🙂
    How was mancs derby? (I know the sore 🙂 )

  52. TT says:

    Now lets get a team together for Bolton in the CC and get into the next round. But FFS rest RvP again inm that game. Leave him on the bench and start Park up front.

  53. agirlagunner says:

    alan, I think RvP and AA are truly world-class. But AA has had a poor run; and needs to snap out of it. Same with Chamakh. The two chances he spurned would have done wonders for his confidence!

    rico, AA was defending, and going after loose ball, as well as trying to run at Stoke defense in his limited minutes. How I wish we saw that from more of our players more often. And I though Rambo had a good game; some wayward passes; but he was going into tackles, and that chip for Gervinho’s goal reminded me of our erstwhile captain (currently sullying himself with the Stains). 😀 Haha.

  54. rico says:

    TT – but he’s a gooner, he’d give more than a few of ours our doing, suggestion is he’s a party animal, but it seems Anchelotti has stopped all that….

    Tomorrows headline:

    ‘Fireworks at Old Trafford as Balotelli runs riot’…. 😛

  55. rico says:

    Spot on, rest RvP now, ready for the pensioners…

    Feck the press TT, who cares what they write, as long as we keep winning until the end of the year, then go buy two class players to make us stronger for the second half of the season…

    Big test today, and thanks to RvP we came through – and we can’t forget that many players single handedly save their club from losing….

    RvP is our man….

  56. rico says:

    Hi JM, it was cracking to watch 6 goals go in against the manure, but Utd were shocking and De Gea was dreadful….

    Hi AK, i take it you are happy 😉

    1-1 at B’Burn…

  57. allezkev says:

    No Mick. I was working. It was all Mancs on the radio so DG was keeping me up to date on the Arse.
    I’m going Tues. You want a prog? 🙂

  58. TT says:

    I’m not saying he is not a good player rico just that it’s so much easier to shine in a team that is playing well and with confidence. The one player I would love to see in red and white soon is our own Jack, I can’t but help wondering if we would not be in top 4 now and fairly close to the top if he had been available since the start of the season….

  59. allezkev says:

    Hiya Rico. I have a huge grin on my chops.
    Afternoon Gooners btw.
    How did we defend Rico.??? Overall was it a good performance?

  60. agirlagunner says:

    rico, Cesc almost single-handedly saved us from losing to Stoke that game when Rambo was Shawcrossed. 😉

  61. rico says:

    Did you see the story about his house agag, set fireworks off and caused a bit of damage 😉

    no no TT, i understood what you were saying, in a good side, it’s easier but when the chips are down, can he perform the same…

    we won’t know all the time he is at Citeh i guess 😉

    Jack, i seriously believe he would have been the spark our midfield is so badly lacking… .

  62. Joaquim Moreira says:

    http://www.eurosport.com headline:
    Premier League – City humiliate United in derby drubbing
    Sun, 23 Oct 15:30:00 2011

    Manchester City inflicted derby humiliation on Manchester United with a 6-1 Premier League victory at Old Trafford.

  63. agirlagunner says:

    😛 AK. Haha.

    Apart from that goal, our defense was pretty solid. But we need to work on conceding from set pieces, to be sure. Koz stood out.

  64. agirlagunner says:

    I think, rico, for all that he scores, Balotelli is a stupid boy; has an inflated sense of self, and is likely to self-destruct.

  65. rico says:

    Didn’t see the game AK 🙁 I’ll be watching footie first later though…

    SS’s headline – Deby Demolition 😆

  66. rico says:

    He’s another Ade agag….

    Just watching the Chavs to see what they are doing, no doubt they will get a hatful against QPR……..

  67. Joaquim Moreira says:

    Arteta takes to decide what to do with the ball. Ramsey also a little bit. Wilshere is far more decisive in the decisions they must make. Fabregas in addition to having much more confidence in themselves, protect the ball very well, play forward, not afraid to face opponents to be more enlightened to play, do not be afraid to shoot, he decided to move very quickly. Nasri, a different player, believed in their qualities and their ability to invent shots.
    In short: we lack the 1-2 midfield players have been completed.
    There was a game a penalty on the Chamack unchecked.
    Chelsea 1 QPR 0

  68. goonster says:

    Yeeeeeaaaaaaah…..fuck the manure pile down in Manchester….hahahahaha am ecstatic you guys….drinking by the barrel.

  69. Joaquim Moreira says:

    bosigwa red card! ???
    I’m going to read the final report and the live comments of Mancs derby in http://www.eurosport.com

    Live comments (Arsenal-Stoke) –

    BIG SHOUT FOR A PENALTY!! Wilkinson grapples with Chamakh as the pair tussle for the ball inside the Stoke box and the striker is hauled to the ground! No penalty says the referee! That’s a big call.

  70. rico says:

    looks like thats a win for the scummers, hey ho – let’s worry about us rather than them, we catch them and overtake them very soon……

  71. rico says:

    goonster –

    i think we will – i really do, not soon but by the end and if Wenger wants to grow some balls in the Jan transfer window, anything could still happen this season….

    I don’t think we have a cat in hells chance to win the PL, not unless something goes horribly wrong at the two manc sides, but, the FA Cup, CC Cup and anything can happen in the CL yet….

    That’s not me getting too confident, it’s just realism,,,,,

    And, a lot depends on Wenger in Jan…..

  72. rico says:

    Yep, 1-0 still and the chavs are really going for it – wouldn’t bet against qpr getting a second on the break 🙂

  73. devilgunner says:

    I would feel more happier if Terry or Cech are shown a red. If two more are shown red the game will be over and chavs will loose 3-0 plus a hefty fine and some sanctions.

  74. stevepalmer1 says:

    Evening all,
    they must have read your post rico, were moving in the right direction, A humiliating defeat at home for United Chelsea losing 1.0 to QPR Chelsea with two sent of shame they wont be playing against us, looks as if our luck is slowly changing.

  75. goonster says:

    The scums played at shite Hart lane right? If only we won that BB game. We ll be on the same point with the scums and pushing manure and chavs for second spot. Bummer.

  76. rico says:

    Evening Steve – i’d like to believe they did 😉

    Hope your grandchild enjoyed the party ….

    No, away at BB goonster and the game in hand is against Everton at Shite Hart lane…

  77. Micko says:

    Not a bad weekend results wise, I think spurs still have a game in hand on us.
    Goonster, are you storming the stella barricades again ?

  78. rico says:

    Cole just got a yellow – that’s an automatic ban

    hope he gets a red now to keep him out of our game, he’s serve his ban in the midweek CC game 🙁

  79. goonster says:

    Micko you know me very well my man. Wish I don’t have to go to work tomorrow. Its been a wonderful weekend all round for me.

  80. goonster says:

    What? I ll never wish that on mata….I ll rather he falls off his balcony while kicking terry in the head…two footed that is. And I hope it happens two minutes to kick with terry in a coma. Then a brawl ll ensue which ll claim lampard Ivanovic and Torres. Now that is the goonster way!

  81. devilgunner says:

    If QPR cannot keep the ball for more than 3 to four passes against 9 men imagine what would happen if the real ARSENAL who pass the ball till you die, turn up. We should whack them but then we are ARSENAL so expect the worst.

  82. agirlagunner says:

    QPR lucky on the day, DG. They were abject in the second half.

    Goonster, have you anger management issues?? 😉 I agree with your 5:51 though.

  83. Joaquim Moreira says:

    I’m afraid for Saturday. Now Chelsea goes to the press and media protest against the referee and probably they will “help” them next game…

  84. devilgunner says:

    Can we just bring back Fabregas for the QPR game??? Just for that game only. Nah. We will murder them with what we have if we all turn up. but still. with FF at his best we would have reversed our goal difference

  85. agirlagunner says:

    Cesc on some racism row? I don’t buy it.

    Good night, friends!! Come on you reds!!! Let’s keep winning!

  86. rico says:

    Guys, i am off to fetch my chinese meal, then have another x-factor and strictly night – it’s the results day 🙂

    Catch up with you all tomommow…

    Nice day to be a Gooner, long may that remain eh….

    Night all……

  87. devilgunner says:

    Good night Rico.

    Watch out for the next Blockbuster directed by Conor Henderson….Six in the City.

    At around a week later my film……Shitty Shitty, Bang Bang

    AK’s Film…….. 6 miles a penny.

    Lol.

  88. allezkev says:

    Quite an enjoyable day.
    Hey Rico. Remember only ONE Cobra. Or else you’ll be up on table again belting out ” I did it my way”… 🙂
    DG. Only one cydrax for you tonight young man.
    Stan……. No drinking & driving. That’s an order…!!!

  89. allezkev says:

    Boswingha and Drogba out for the visit to the Bridge.
    But Torres will be back.
    All the same, although no one will give us a chance, i reckon we can get a draw. And a month ago if i said we could get a draw at Chelsea. I think Rico would send the men with white coats around. Goodnight all.

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