Morning all.
I can still remember it now. The whistle had barely blown to start the game and Arsenal were 1-0 down at The Britannia Stadium. Ollie missed a header from just yards out to make the score even but before half-time arrived, it was 3-0 and we had been well and truly battered.
3-0 nearly became 4-0 after the break but an offside flag spared our humiliation..
A lifeline came when Flamini was tripped in the penalty area, Santi Cazorla made no mistake – 3-1. Arsenal had come alive at last, partly due to the introduction of Danny Welbeck for Hector Bellerin. 3-1 became 3-2 when after Arsenal earned a corner following a shot from Welbeck which the keeper tipped over the bar. Ramsey was the man to find the net.
Arsenal looked like the only team likely to score as the game came to a close but Anthony Taylor soon put pay to any hope of us salvaging a point by sending off Calum Chambers.
Arsenal sat 6th in the league at the time, thirteen points off the top and the season was just four months old. To witness such an awful display, certainly in the first half was not only embarrassing, but just so wrong for a club like ours who by then and now, should be fully aware of how teams play against us and strong enough to withstand such early pressure. No, we surrendered with ease.
What followed was pretty grim. Arsene Wenger and his players made their way to train station for what would be a long journey home. A number of Arsenal fans were at the station too and they made their feelings clear to the manager. Arsene Wenger said he he was upset that day, not so much by the fans but by the result.
The funny thing is though, Arsenal had the majority of possession, more shots in total and more on target which just goes to show how statistics can lead the reader a merry dance because at the end of the day, we lost and that’s all what counts in sport. And no stats will ever convince me that Arsenal were the better side that day.
I watched Man City get torn apart by Stoke just a few weeks ago at The Britannia Stadium. They are a hard side but these days, Hughes has added a bit of football to their game and when the game kicks off, one can expect Stoke to be right at us as they were City and as they were us last season. Arsene Wenger reckons his side are better equipped as we head up north tomorrow and you’d have to say he’s right looking at the line up back in December 2014.
Martinez was in goal, Calum Chambers in the centre of defence and Gibbs at left back. Tomorrow we’ll have Koscielny, Cech and Monreal playing. The midfield though could be the same with Flamini and Ramsey as I doubt our new man will get thrown in at the deep end.
But you never know with Arsene Wenger, he may just surprise us all by starting Elneny, he might just bring back Alexis too and what a boost the latter will be…
Gossip pages:
Charlie Nicholas is thrilled about our new signing:
Elneny is a perfect fit for Arsenal and someone I’ve been screaming out for.
At the start of the season Arsenal needed two positions filling, goalkeeper and a holding midfielder. They signed Petr Cech but never filled the other position, which was a bit of a mistake for me.
Finally – Arsenal have reportedly opened talks with Dynamo Kiev ahead of a potential swoop for Andriy Yarmolenko. The winger is valued at £20.5million by the Ukrainian club according to Portuguese outlet A Bola.
Yarmolenko has scored 13 goals racked up eight assists for Kiev this season.
Have a good Saturday guys….
Morning All
Morning Rico, good post…
Don’t believe that rumour about the Ukrainian forward. Sounds like classic agentcrap to me…
I dare say we’ll soon be linked with Cavani again zzzzzzz
Do I get an award for being first? ?
BT. I hope the cats are ok.
We should never take Stoke lightly, and my guess today is that they will revert back to their ‘leave no opponent standing’ brand of football. If they don’t, and they play open stuff, we have more than enough to beat them. Hope Elneny plays as I think he has lots of energy and points to prove.
Morning Kev. I don’t believe it either, just like all the other garbage written..
I thought Charlie’s comments about Elneny were interesting…
I’m not sure they will Iceman, Stoke have a few really good footballers in the side. As well as a few thugs of course..
Our record up there is shocking…
How about Elneny and Flamini as a pair, with Ramsey back on the right side of midfield, Campbell on the left, supporting our full backs…
Theo on the bench…
When was the last time we went to Stoke and actually took the lead?
Rico – do you not think that they will see this as the ultimate scalp, therefore deploying Adam et al to take chunks out of Mesut on a bone hard freezing pitch? I hope you are right, but I have my doubts as Hughes has always hated us. Way back in the day, me and my bro won on a ‘make money with Arsenal’ scratchcard, and stood next to Hughes in the tunnel. He was saying to other Manure players that today was easy.
Good call Kev. Especially dumping Theo on the bench, he needs a wake up call… But now watch him play a blinder… 😉
I do wonder when Ollie is going to get a break though…
That’d be a great line up Kev.
You are probably right Iceman, Hughes hates us and he’d love to beat us any which way he can…
Fingers crossed though that we turn up to start with ….
Rico – first goal is non-negotiable tomorrow.
Spot on Iceman…
We can be sure that, no matter how much Hughes hates us, it is fully reciprocated with full interest.
🙂 Adam, it sure is.
Enjoying the cricket Adam?
Broad is on fire….
Shaqiri is a doubt for this weekend due to a hamstring problem… Arnoutavic will be playing has done well for them… Hopefully, we’ll be playing our top game… This a very important match for getting more confidence for setting up a great run against teams like Chelsea, Leicester etc.,
Shame Adam isn’t injured too Madhav…
Southampton have signed Charlie Austin!
Good Afternoon Lovelies and Hunkies.
Here its stormy with hail and thunderstorm expected later today.
Temperatures are plummeting (not the same as in GB mind you). I pity you all, especially the old people who are alone in brutal weather.
I am sipping wine as I type. Red wine makes you warm in this weather.
My line up???? If Alexis is to be bought in, imo he should come in at around the 50th minute. But if he is to start than it should be at the expense of Theo. But not Ollie or Joel. Why?? simply because against Stoke Ollie is needed. while during the game against the dippers it should have been Theo who should have made way not he and Joel. Taking them both off was a gross mistake. Only one should have been taken. Once Theo, Ozil and Joel were taken off their defence was not on their toes. Had 2 of these three remained I am sure that we would have won.
So here goes……
Cech,
Bellerin, Merts, Kos, Monreal
Elneny, Flamini,
Aaron, Ozil, Joel
Ollie
Subs……Alexis and Theo for Flamini and one of Ozil/Aaron.
Maybe last 10 mins Gibbs for Joel.
Alternatively it should be an attack of Joel, Theo and Alexis with Elneny, Aaron and Ozil behind them.
I would have loved Austin at AFC Rico. He would have had Adam on the edge of his couch.
Sip and wine in the same sentence Devil?? Never.. 😉
£4 million for Austin is a smart move imo….
I take wine sip by sip Rico. Honest. I want it to linger on. but I have the bottle near me in case of an emergency. Red wine is waaaaaaayyyyyyyy better than beer or any other type of alcohol. Esp in cold weather and if it is mulled wine. But I never go overboard so do not worry. I will not get drunk.
4mill for Austin???? Geeeeezzzzzz that is a steal. Now why hasn’t AW gone for him??? imo he is better than Chicarito.
Proven goalscorer in the Premier ,precisely the back up for Ollie . Invaluable last 20 minute player that could force his way forward.
I like that team Coach…
We can’t be carrying any passengers up at the Staffordshire Shithole…
Are you watching the cricket Rico?
Our boys are doing quite well. ?
Win the Test today and I’d give the squad players a game at Pretoria, just to make sure that nobody eases up…
As always Wenger’s telescope points due south , at least anywhere but in his own back yard.
All a matter of taste Devil. I don’t like wine much at all in fact I can’t remember the last time I had a glass.. Years ago really but add a few bubbles and i come alive… 😉
I’m amazed AW didn’t go for Austin. Perfect for us in so any ways…
Yeah Rico, we’ve got Chris Woakes, Chris Jordan, Mark Footitt and Gary Ballance out there, why not give them a game?
Compton could open with Cook freeing up a place down the order…
I certainly am Kev, my chores for this morning have been put on hold…. 2 wkts to get… lol
Yeah, Charlie Austin for £4 million is a bargain…
Good call Kev, give a few others a chance to get some confidence… Get this one won first though as you say…
It could be close lol
Rico. Some fantastic stuff in the cricket. Broad’s bowling and those catches by Taylor. Superb.
Shame we missed out on Charlie Austin 🙂
Adam, I think Taylor will have a few friends now 😉
Good post rico, I’d consider Starting Gabriel tomorrow and stick him on Austin ? fight fire with fire imo. We’ve tried everything else up there.
Catch up later….
South Africa 83 all out…
A great effort by the English attack…
Bloody Mike Dean (add your own expletives here) is 4th official tomorrow.
Be great for confidence if Cook and Hales both get a decent score and carry their bats.
Mike Dean….. Why?
To help fu*k us up imo….
But than i am paranoid
Riley’s way of saying that he won’t bow to pressure , unless possibly unless a brown envelope appears mysteriously.
Somebody needs to take Riley for a ride out into the countryside and give him a shovel
I think we know that S***e will revert to type tomorrow. Arnautovic is a nasty piece of work who did for Debuchy’s Arsenal career when he shoved him into to hoardings last season. Hughes was a dirty b@st@rd of a player and he will make sure that kick the granny out of us tomorrow!
Afternoon Rico and the House
It is turning out to be a very good w-end for our young players.
After beating Swansea in the Youth Cup last night the U18’s have today beaten Leicester 3-1
in the league. This puts them 3rd with 2 games in hand of the teams around them What a change around from last season.
The u16’s also played Leicester away this morning and won 4-0.
So far I have no info of what the teams were or who scored the goals.
Some good news for Isaac Hayden not only has he played the full game for Hull he scored Hulls 6th goal against Charlton
And well done Broad Cookie and England great win
Aforbe has scored today. his first ever Premiership goal. Just a toe poke, but it still counts as well.
Dean!!!
Back to third place then…..
Evening guys..
Chuffed for Afobe too Devil….
Afternoon Rick, great news for the young guys…
Once again, Lucky Chelsea…
Methinks that a certain Linesman officiating at Stamford Bridge today, has earned himself a months holiday on some Russian Billionaires yacht this summer…
Hi Rico, it’s bleedin’ cold this evening…
Bob, spot on re Arnautovic, he’s a doubt I think which if true, I’m darn glad…
Seems Debuchy is close to joining Villa, how stupid is that….
Hi Kev, just got home from shopping, it’s 1c here but feels warmer tbh, I reckon some of the white stuff will be on the ground by morning….
+8 mins for Terry wasn’t it? I bet Martinez has something to say about that. So would I….
Martinez wasn’t very happy….
One Lino was that geezer Mullarkey , always seems to in the middle of controversy. He was always Howard Webb’s wingman famous for this :-
The 2007 Football League Cup final at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff was an incident-filled match. Theo Walcott gave Arsenal the lead early in the first half – his first goal for the club, but two Didier Drogba goals gave Chelsea eventual victory.
The match ended with a brawl, with most of the players on the pitch becoming involved. Managers José Mourinho and Arsène Wenger both entered the pitch in an attempt to calm the situation. As a result of the mêlée, Webb sent off Mikel John Obi of Chelsea and Kolo Touré and Emmanuel Adebayor of Arsenal, and showed yellow cards to Frank Lampard and Cesc Fàbregas.[18] This was the first time that three red cards had been shown in a League Cup final. Indeed, before this game only three red cards had been shown in all of the previous finals.
why where the chavs given 8 minutes on the clock?? was the game held up for a long time?? or was it an ‘until we score’ situation???
I hope that Elneny plays tomorrow from the beginning.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/diabolical-roberto-martinez-tears-officials-7191686
Why am I not surprised…..
Catch up tomorrow guys, enjoy your evening…
Kev, tonight really is Casualty… ?
Night all…
http://www.101greatgoals.com/blog/steve-bruce-says-hull-want-to-sign-isaac-hayden-from-arsenal-on-a-permanent-basis-audio/
Casualty, and The Voice, and Big Brother…
I know this Rico because Adam told me.
He never misses Big Brother, he enjoys watching the emotional turmoil of fading personalities, as do I… ?
Steve Bruce has a habit of taking young Arsenal players on loan and then keeping them. Matthew Upson, Seb Larsson and I’m sure there’s a couple more…
Wenger should wait until the summer before making a decision on Hayden…
Back down to 3rd……knew it would never last !
Kev, don’t you dare knock Big Brother, David only came back from the dead earlier this week you know lol !!!
Fair play to Steve Bruce, obviously see’s something in Arsene’s so called cast off’s, fully expect Hayden to go the same way if I’m honest.
Stoke, haven’t won there in the last 5 visits, 3 defeats, goes without saying we’re gonna have to dig deep, win and we go top, what other motivation do we need.
Looking forward to Elneny making his debut.
Nite Gooners.
Good Morning Lovelies and Hunkies.
What a superb goal from JRA……..
You like a bit of Meatloaf then Kev… 😉
Morning Devil and all…
Morning Rico. A light touch of snow greeted me this morning. Yesterday’s Chelsea v Everton game was a sham. I completely get why Martinez has the hump about it.
Bonjour Adam. So many games are a sham. And they have a whiff of a nasty smell as well.
Keep warm mate. Here temperatures are plummeting as well.
Morning Adam. None here thankfully..
Me too re Martinez, 98th minute was bad enough and Terry was so far offside too. What is wrong with these so called expert officials.
That linesman should be dropped, as should the lump with the whistle. Glad we have one of England’s finest in charge today!
What a joke…
If technology was in place I assume Terry’s goal would have been disallowed.
Shame it’s not…
New post up now…