Morning all.
Jurgen Klopp will be missing from the dugout when we face Dortmund in just over a couple of weeks time. He was missing at the Marseille match but his side still romped past the French side but we are stronger than Marseille and should his side be on the back foot Klopp won’t be able to give any words of wisdom at half-time and that can make a difference.
Certainly in a few of our recent matches when we have started slowly, a few words from Arsene Wenger at the break has seen our players come out in the second half and secured all three points…
Before then though we have to face West Brom away, another tough fixture and Arsene Wenger confirmed that Bacary Sagna underwent a scan yesterday after suffering a slight hamstring niggle during the Napoli game. Reports in the newspapers this morning suggest that all was not good news and he’s out for at least two weeks.
In theory, that means he’ll miss WBA, both France fixtures and then back for the home game against Norwich. That should result in Carl Jenkinson stepping in to cover.
Both Santi Cazorla and Yaya Sanogo are pencilled in to return after the international break too.
Another topic Arsene Wenger has been discussing is the fans:
What is positive is that the team plays better when the environment is positive. We played in a sceptical environment last year and that does not create a great level of confidence. What has changed recently for sure is that our environment is positive, our fans believe in us again.
That of course is very important if we want to be successful, if you feel your fans believe in you and they think that you are good. I’ve said many times that I feel it’s important for the team to feel that the fans stand behind the team.
On my side, my job I see the other way – it’s not for the fans to make me happy, it’s my job to make the fans happy. I feel I do that if they stand behind the team, because that gives you the feeling that they have done something right.
Well, Arsene Wenger certainly made the fans happy when he signed Mesut Ozil but it goes deeper than any one player. The fans are happy because the manager is getting it right on the pitch and that’s showing not only in our results but in our performances. We finally appear to be a unit, each and every player is working hard for himself and for the greater good, which is the team and it’s paying off.
We are organised at the front, in the middle and at the back and players are talking more, especially Mathieu Flamini and Per Mertesacker.
The Frenchman has brought stability to our midfield in my opinion, the gaping hole through the middle of the park has shrunk and with him in the midfield, other players are able to press further up the pitch. Maybe that’s why Aaron Ramsey is scoring more goals?
Ok he still has to finish the move and score which he’s doing for fun right now but maybe Arsene Wenger has allowed him more freedom to attack because Mr Reliable is right there to protect him.
Talking of Flamini, he’s enjoying the new Arsenal:
I think everyone knew Arsenal have a lot of qualities. But this year we are showing we have the fighting spirit, everyone is helping each other and it makes the difference because of course in a season you have some good periods and some difficult periods.
I still can’t believe I didn’t want Arsene Wenger to re-sign him but still, we don’t have to be right all the time eh..
All looks pretty good right now and long may that remain as we head towards another boring international break .
That’s it for another day, have a good one….
Morning All…
Bacary Sagna was due a rest, fortunately he’s having his during the Interlull…
Even if he misses the Norwich game, he’ll be nice and fresh when he returns, just in time for the games leading up to the turn of the year…
We have a great squad, full of motivated players with a winning mentality…
Walcott, Oxlade-Chamberlain will soon be fit to return to the fray and give somebody a rest…
Cazorla and Sanogo due to return for the Norwich game…
Plenty of rotation in the midfield, keeps them all fit and rested.
Spot re Sagna Kev and Jenks is more than capable to fill in, finger crossed no more injures during the break..
SS’s are reporting 3 weeks for Sagna.
Jack Wilshere has been caught smoking 😮
Arsene is set to have a word in his ear apparently…
Morning.
I enjoyed that one, great post.
Wenger is spot on there, there is a lot of optimism with the fans that has inspired confidence in the team. He always gets it right when he is under pressure, after the Villa game that was the first time I had questioned if he was still right for the club and now I’m made to eat my words as we have won every game since.
I also questioned the signing of Flamini but thought if he played anywhere near the level of his last season with us then he would be decent, now it’s looking like a masterstroke and he is fast becoming one of my favorite players.
Wenger that wily old fox.
Morning all,
This injury seems too convenient for me, ala Fergie style. Hamstring niggle, Jenks did well against West Brom previously, avoid the internationals, rest up for the return at Norwich.
Not complaining at all if it sounds like it.
Good read…
Its a shame about Sagna… I am not sure about the 2 week prognosis for a man pushing 30 years but fingers crossed…
As Kev has said though CJ25 needs a game or 2 every so often so as not to get ‘rusty’.
Kev, what do you think of Kroos? The statistician say he has a pass completion rate of over 90% and against Shitty he registered 99% pass success from CM…. WOW. The highest ever…
Unfortunately, he is one of those players the Bavarians have never taken to. He has 2 years on his contract and he says he wants to play for AW…
Oddly, Frimpong has been called to the Black Stars fray when he is just coming back from a thigh strain…
I hope our Aussie buddies are getting ready to enjoy the 100 anniversary of having an independent naval force at Sydney harbour…
Any history lessons on that Kev?lol
Morning all btw…
Good read…
Its a shame about Sagna… I am not sure about the 2 week prognosis for a man pushing 30 years but fingers crossed…
As Kev has said though CJ25 needs a game or 2 every so often so as not to get ‘rusty’.
Kev, what do you think of Kroos? The statistician say he has a pass completion rate of over 90% and against Shitty he registered 99% pass success from CM…. WOW. The highest ever…
Unfortunately, he is one of those players the Bavarians have never taken to. He has 2 years on his contract and he says he wants to play for AW…
Oddly, Frimpong has been called to the Black Stars fray when he is just coming back from a thigh strain…
I hope our Aussie buddies are getting ready to enjoy the 100 anniversary of having an independent naval force at Sydney harbour…
Any history lessons on that Kev?lol
Morning all btw…
Morning all..
My post not coming through.hmmm
sorry double post… oddly… I have been struggling to post since yesterday afternoon
Thanks Andy, glad both are proving us wrong right now…
It looks like Zaha’s move to Old trafford has not worked out just quite as he expected… he is looking for a loan move away in January.
Thanks Ts, nothing to do with me re your posts..
I thought it was well know Jack smoked…
Reading between the lines AW is not bothered about his smoking habit as a lot of players smoke socially. He is more concerned about his public imagine understandably…
Not from listening to AW this morning, he’s not at all impressed…
Morning all.
Great post, all that pre-season doom and gloom (from what i experienced anyway) just shows me why non of us are the Arsenal manager! yet again AW seems to have turned things on its head, and its looking fantastic! however i don’t think we should get too carried away as there is still a along way to go and a lot of tough games between us and a trophy. If we keep our current form going however i think it could be a good season to be a Gooner!
Morning folks :- It’s a question of what’s worse , actually smoking or getting caught . Doing it in public is not the best thing to do but probably with two young kids at home he can’t do it there. I wonder if the club have a say in his media rights and feel that smoking will not be the image they want to project.
Jenks has WBA two England under 21 matches and Norwich to get fully up for Dortmund so a good run of games will do him good unless he pulls up with something I don’t see that as a problem..
Brad, sadly, it seems the injury is real 🙁
Both are worse potter, it’s not good for his image, his health or for the team, it may not affect his health too much now as he’s very young but in the years to come, his pace and stamina will go surely..
Morning Rico.
On a lighter and more frivolous note, I used to play for a team in North London where the left winger would smoke during the game and charging up and down the pitch.
A strange sight indeed. 🙂
I do not advocate smomking btw;
Ashley Cole is a well known habitual smoker and he has been the best LB since Roberto Carlos left RM and is still going at his age imho…
Gallas was another famous smoker at Arsenal and AW never made a fuss about it publicly..
Wooney is another smoker but AW is still keen on him…
Saying that I am certain several fans can list a number of AFC players who smoke but maybe not socially. I am sure AW knows you can’t control all the habits of young mult-millionaires even at Arsenal.
😀 ha ha ha
Jack Wilshere’s spokesman insists Arsenal midfielder does NOT smoke despite being pictured with cigarette
Jack Wilshere’s spokesman insists Arsenal midfielder does NOT smoke despite being pictured with cigarette
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A cigarette or a spliff Adam?
A ciggie Lee. We broke the spiffs out at half time for a touch of team bonding. 🙂
I won’t mention what happened at full time on the grounds it may incriminate me. 🙂
Morning Adam, that’s funny..
What’s a spliff Lee?
My mates old man had a heart attack so he went on a health drive…..we caught him jogging around Cheshunt whilst puffing on a cigar!!
Thanks Rico. We called him Daisy and he had shoulder length hair. He was pretty quick and had, what they now call, a great engine. Seeing him flying down the wing to the byline with a fag jutting out of his mouth is an image that has stayed with me. They were less politically-correct times. Things got dicey when we played a Metropolitan Police XI though. 🙂
A joint…
😉 Lee – beef or pork?
Rico. 🙂
Camberwell carrot….
As exemplified in Withnail And I.
Smoking in public is not good for the image of the team and Jackie buy as well but I think sagnas injury is more of avoiding the international games.
Is that the veggie option?
Welcome Young Gun and thanks re the post, most fans on here have their feet firmly on the ground and know it’s very early days. But all we can do is enjoy our run while it lasts and hope it lasts a long long time…
Welcome teddy, Let’s hope so and he’s back for the Dortmund game..
Is the West Brom game tomorrow or Sunday?
Sunday 4 pm.
you beat me to it potter…
I’m bored too , just looking around for things to keep my mind off of doing my V.A.T. returns . Something that bores the pants off me.
Doesn’t help with playing on Sunday and knowing internationals are around the corner…..
I’m now off for my flu jab and then a walk with the woofa..
Catch up later
Ginge, about Kroos, I know the name, but that is all…
As far as pass completion rates are concerned, you may as well be talking Arabic…
And as for Austrailian history? Well I’ve heard of Neighbours…
Lee, good to have you back. Don’t overdo it mate… 😉
Afternoon Adam/Rico… And All…
Rumour is that Zaha has been ‘entertaining’ Moyes daughter. Hope she doesn’t look like her dad!
Nice read rico…i think sagna’s injury is just to avoid the international break(might b wrong thou) btw tsgh hw good is kross? Cause i rate him him very very highly can’t believe pep was gonna put him on the bench 4 thiago(pre injury)
Afternoon all..
🙂 Bj, so that’s why he’s off on loan in Jan…
Thanks snaparse..
All quiet here so off to get dinner…
Evening Rico.
Evening Adam. Nice dinner?
Baked fish and onion mash with sugar snaps. Pretty good – and you?
Nice. I had sausage, bacon, scrambled egg and baked beans – veggie style of course and it was rather nice thanks…
That sounds like a delight Rico.
🙂 Adam, made a nice change…
I bet. I stopped eating meat sausages after you told me what was in them. I tried some Qorn versions and some veggie ones but wasn’t that keen.
🙂 Adam, they are an acquired taste I guess
Well, on that note of culinary exquisiteness I shall say goodnight Rico. I have an appointment with an apple and fear, in the shape of a horror movie.
I hope I don’t dream that he’s coming to get me…
Linda Mc’s are quite nice..
I will take your word for that Rico. 🙂
Nighty..
Ok, night Adam, enjoy your movie….
I’m off too so night all…
Kev, i take offence to your 1.57 pm.
As with Fosters, Neighbours is not even made in Australia, nor enjoyed by Australians 🙂 🙂 🙂
Morning all.
Ginge, Sydney harbour is being flooded…pardon the pun…by visitors today.
Aussies are funny…..we are not as openly patriotic as some nationalities, but when it comes to our armed forces, i guarantee no country in the world treats theirs with more respect and admiration.
If anyone asks me what time of year they should visit Oz, i would say late April, because Anzac day is a day everyone should experience.
Lads, I might be able to shed a bit of light on this subject, apparently Noah was having a bit of a problem with the amount of shit building up on his boat and had no choice but to dump it over-board, that was the last we ever heard of it until James Cook discovered Australia in 1770, hope that helps, morning Scott.
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