Six years, six flippin years, One step closer today please Arsene…

Well, what can I say, you wait for what seems forever and its over in 90 minutes. Yes I’m talking Champions League and I’m well aware we are only at half time but the euphoria that I have been experiencing lasted one day and an evening of ups and downs.
But that’s gone now for a while; today is all about focusing on another competition we are still in, the FA Cup and today’s opponents Leyton Orient.

Cesc in 2005

Orient may not be Barcelona but they could be just as dangerous if taken too lightly. In my eyes all the competitions are as important as any other and this one is no different. Orient would have prepared well for this game and they must be rubbing their hands together that we had a game midweek against a team that would make us work for the full 90 minutes. They however would have been sat watching with their feet up on a pouf with a beer or similar no doubt – ok, lemonade!!

This will be a tough test for us and we must field a team that can do the business, this is no time for eight or nine changes.
Arsene Wenger has stated that he considers all competitions in the same light, and I hope he means that. From that statement I expect to see a team of adequate proportions to overcome the opposition.

By that I mean no slip ups, a good hard fight and culminating in a comfortable victory, anything else would be catastrophic in my little mind. The season is long enough now so no replay please boss, we need to get in there, get the job done, and get out. Simples!

So who are we playing then?

LO are a Division one side that sits 52 places below us our current position but as we all know, that means very little when it comes to the FA Cup – every minnow wants to one over on a shark one day don’t they? They have a couple of injuries to Matthew Spring and Adam Chambers – both could miss this tie. We have met on ten previous occasions and won seven of those but we have never lost to LO in the FA Cup, despite playing them four times – the most recent being in the quarter-finals in 1972 and semi-finals in 1978.

As for the LO victories in the league, even I didn’t watch those as they were back in 1913 and 1915…

LO have got here by knocking out Championship high-fliers Norwich and Swansea and this is their first appearance in the last 16 in 29 years, in fact their best run in the FA Cup was back in 1978 – we knocked them out in the semi’s that year!.

Right now they are in good form, winning their last three games and scoring ten goals in the process. They haven’t suffered a loss since New Years Day, winning seven matches and drawing four, so anyone who thinks this will be a walk over, think again! Add to that it’s been fourteen matches since they lost a match at home and that was back in September.

On to us, Sagna is back available, Diaby is still banned and JD remains a doubt.

The rest, well that’s up to Arsene Wenger but we cannot afford a loss, we cannot afford a draw and a subsequent replay so best the big man picks the right side to go and get us a win.

It’s been six years since we last won this competition and I miss it – and as the film goes, yes I do remember what I wanted that day and like every Gooner, I got it too. We all sat, watched and cringed no doubt at the way we got battered in the FA Cup Final against the Manure but we held on…..

I loved penalties that day, I loved them yesterday too 🙂

Thanks for yesterday Cashley.......

Have a good day all…..

Written by Steve & a few odd bits by rico….

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K-TR7
K-TR7
15 years ago

Morning all.good read steve and rico.lets hope our players concentrate and get the job done.

Erick
Erick
15 years ago

Nice post we got take every game seriously. Morning folks

Erick
Erick
15 years ago

Rico I hate it when we play non league side esp this year we have not asserted ourselves as we should hope today is a different story

king gooner
king gooner
15 years ago

fa cup would be great,yes,but prem title woild be even better & we have those shit kickers & pulis on wed-if we win we’re 1 point behind MANURE who have the chavs at the weekend-personally,imo woudn’t risk more than 3/4 first teamers but have a very strong bench just in case-if the 11 he puts out today “turn up”that is the worry,with players like “deckchair denilson”in a physical game who knows but prem has to be priority.any cupis a lottery..

Will
Will
15 years ago

Morning guys.

Good entry and let’s go for it.

Rest JD as he is fragile and I would place Cesc on the bench giving AA a time to shine in the centre. Give Nasri for the first half, get a decent lead and then rest him.

Win this one big, show that we are the team on the up and move on.

Pat7
Pat7
15 years ago

Morning all,

That first line reminded me of waiting for a bus…….. hopefully we’ll have 4 come along all at once :-):-)

Erick
Erick
15 years ago

We have to rotate will Stoke coming up and CC final

Will
Will
15 years ago

Good point Rico, the pitch might not be the best but we can’t afford to lose this one and I am not sure our second string are good enough.

Steve Palmer
Steve Palmer
15 years ago

Morning all,
I must admit Barca was a sweet feeling, but its funny how a glow wears off pretty quick, although a great result, only half time. But today is another day and another comp, and although this comp dosn’t seem so important as it used to, well to me, i still want us to win it. As the posy said Orient are having a good spell, so a good proffesional attitude to day, no time for a Utd mentality of turn up and its an easy win. These guys will be pumped and want to beat the team that subdued the best team in the world, they will try like Crawley did, i believe that if Utd had scored a second goal early, it could have been a rout, so lets get in there and play our stuff and get ourselves to the next round

Rocastle
Rocastle
15 years ago

Morning all, great post again guys, I’ll write one up soon, (if you like).

Today is the first day if the rest of the season, AW has stated more than once this week that key players will need a rest and will be ritated from now until may.

Fringe players need to step up to the Mark and be counted. Noteabley SS18, EE27, D15, TR7, NB52 and MC29 need to show they want to be part of a title charge or a cup run. Were relying on our first 14 too much and these guys need to man up and show some bollocks.

FA cup against the eel munchers couldn’t be more perfect.

Steve Palmer
Steve Palmer
15 years ago

Wengers words, one game at a time

Will
Will
15 years ago

Yes, exactly Rico. If we had of had Rambo, JeT and Henri playing, I would have more faith.

I know Wenger knows more about the game than I do but how he rates Denilson above either Rambo or Henri, I will never know.

Steve Palmer
Steve Palmer
15 years ago

Dont worry, Denny Bendy and the rest have a knack of falling in S–t and coming out smelling of roses

Will
Will
15 years ago

I would be happy, no delighted to see the back of Denilson, Almunia and Nik B and I have never said that except for Martin Hayes.

I am sorry if this makes me less of an Arsenal fan but those three players are not of the quality needed.

Dexter
Dexter
15 years ago

Will I will be thinking of you sitting in the cupboard under the stairs while I am watching the game!

6 years you say? Pffft, we used to go alot more than that without winning shit back in t’day! 😀

Morning by the way. Im off, have a good un and here’s to a good Arsenal win and no flipping injuries!

Dexter
Dexter
15 years ago

Will WEnger doesnt rate Denilson over Ramsey, I am pretty sure of that. If it wasnt for that thug Shawcross, we’d be seeing Ramsey getting the same treatment in the media as Jack.

Wait till Aaaron gets back to full fitness and we’ll see him ahead of MOST our midfielders mate.

As for lansbury, he is coming back to the 1st team squad soon enough

Will
Will
15 years ago

Our midfield will be scary as well and I really hope that JeT can live up to his promise and remove Nik B from the squad. Will be nice to have a big lad that has the pace to get beyond defences.

I feel we are missing that a little, I know Theo is at last doing it but we need opposition defences to have that fear that at any second, a ball can be played through to a pacy striker.

Will
Will
15 years ago

That is what I mean Rico. We have Theo and he is starting to show progress with his runs but imagine RvP,Cesc, Jack, Nasri and even AA sending slide rule balls through from high up the pitch for a fast striker to run on to.

Steve Palmer
Steve Palmer
15 years ago

Don’t forget our new guy who cant get a visa,Ive seen a few clips of this guy, can’t pronounce his name yet, but when he gets his visa we will have a true matchwinner, reminds me of Ronaldo type player. Ric you will know his name i know

Steve Palmer
Steve Palmer
15 years ago

I shouldnt have to much trouble remembering him when he does get a visa, perhaps he should have come over on the back of a truck he would of had benefits as well

Will
Will
15 years ago

Are we Man Utd?

K-TR7
K-TR7
15 years ago

Afternoon wath.

Will
Will
15 years ago

Hi Wath and KT

Excited for this afternoon or on a bit of a Barca come down?

K-TR7
K-TR7
15 years ago

Im still giddy after wednesday will.

K-TR7
K-TR7
15 years ago

Vela scored during stoppage time to equalise the match for w.brom.

Will
Will
15 years ago

I just hope we don’t do a Manchester and struggle.

K-TR7
K-TR7
15 years ago

Hi ricolicious.

agirlagunner
agirlagunner
15 years ago

Boo! Hectic few days! How’s everyone? Great one, Steve and rico. 🙂 Lately, all of our matches are on my tv listing. Very happy about that. 🙂

Will
Will
15 years ago

How poor are Man City?

Will
Will
15 years ago

I will never question Wenger again.

agirlagunner
agirlagunner
15 years ago

Hi, KT. Howdy? Will, Citeh are rubbish. 😀

rico, since I’m soon off somewhere soon, I’m rushing everything at work again. Sigh.

I hope our boys are up for this one. 🙂 I certainly am.

K-TR7
K-TR7
15 years ago

Almunia; Sagna,miquel,squilli,gibbs; denilsong sicky ; bendy,Arsh chamakh.

agirlagunner
agirlagunner
15 years ago

KT, that line-up does not exactly fill me with confidence. But at least, AA and MC start. 😉

agirlagunner
agirlagunner
15 years ago

In my head, rico, I deserve a monthly vacation. But my bank account strongly disagrees! 🙂 I’ve never seen Miquel play. Hmm. Would be interesting. rico, your boy Lansbury did good. 🙂 I really hope he makes it to our first team next season. I suspect AW will recall him for the tailend of our season though.

agirlagunner
agirlagunner
15 years ago

Hola, WATH. 🙂 Howdy?

agirlagunner
agirlagunner
15 years ago

Of the young ones, Rambo is my favorite. How can I not like someone who chose us over United?? Lansbury seems always game! And loves dogs too! 🙂

agirlagunner
agirlagunner
15 years ago

Hello, WATH, (fill in the blank with the appropriate adjective) man. 😉

Worked yesterday for a bit and today a lot. 🙁 Would you believe I have to “train” 15 people on something I know next to nothing about?? Eeeeek.

JonJon
JonJon
15 years ago

nice post guys..interesting read
dont agree with the no time for 8 or 9 changes bit
we have stoke in 2 days in the pl then we have the final next weekend..
i expect to see a whole squad rotation for this one..
leyton oreint are no pushovers but they are no pl team either so as long as we apply ourselves there is no reason why we cant stroll this one even with the squad players playing..
id hate to see another nasri incident v hudds..
its a risk we dont need to take..
aa chamak and nikki have enough firepower to beat these guys..
and if they struggle again-time for a clearout in summer

Will
Will
15 years ago

Man Utd away then

JonJon
JonJon
15 years ago

im having serious connection probs today..bear with me..even if i have to get back to you tomorrow 😉

JonJon
JonJon
15 years ago

good..
we are on a roll..get them now and do them at their place..revenge

JonJon
JonJon
15 years ago

always too many???
in the pl or cl yeah
but for league 2 comp??
our reserves are playing for better teams than orient..
our squad players will do them as long as they ally themselves

JonJon
JonJon
15 years ago

ey up wath..hows things going down at the ymca??
and aint lycra-its pvc spandex 😉

agirlagunner
agirlagunner
15 years ago

Haha, I just might do hat, WATH. 😉

United??? Well, I was hoping for something easier. 🙁

Hey, JJ. 🙂

JonJon
JonJon
15 years ago

u scared of the big bad mancs wath???
it’l take their first team to beat us and if they do that it will mess up their pl chances..

JonJon
JonJon
15 years ago

hey agag..
utd are easy.. 😉

but lets get passed orient first

JonJon
JonJon
15 years ago

i want us to keep winning too but we didnt need nasri for hudds and he went bye bye for 3 weeks..

orient will try kick us today they wont play us so why risk the first team…??

let denilson get kicked in the air intsead 😉

JonJon
JonJon
15 years ago

excatley wath..
utd are shit they’ll be fucking shitting themselves..
chelsea twice liverpool and us all in the league and now us again in the cup..
fergie will be going mad..his second string failed to ut the mighty crawley to bed he’ll need his best v us and it will thro a massive spanner in the works especially if we are ahead of them in the PL 🙂

agirlagunner
agirlagunner
15 years ago

😆 on Denilson, JJ. March 12, hmmmm, right after we beat Barca. 😀

agirlagunner
agirlagunner
15 years ago

And Almunia spills it…

JonJon
JonJon
15 years ago

almunia back to his best ;)two cockups after a minute
see ya at half time

Will
Will
15 years ago

I am really not sure about that team.

agirlagunner
agirlagunner
15 years ago

Bye, WATH. Easy on the tipple, sir. 😉 😛

agirlagunner
agirlagunner
15 years ago

What a sorry-looking pitch. No grass seeds, it would seem, rico. 🙂

Will
Will
15 years ago

How many shots does Nik B get on target?

Will
Will
15 years ago

Why are we the only people who can see these players are not good enough?

agirlagunner
agirlagunner
15 years ago

Rice Crispy will do, rico. 😀

This isn’t looking good…

Will
Will
15 years ago

We have several passengers who are with us for the wages and prestige. They need to be shipped off.

Wenger needs to be told, it is not world class signings that kill the youth coming through, it is dross the likes of Nik B that kill the youth.

agirlagunner
agirlagunner
15 years ago

This midfield is doing nothing for our strikers…

agirlagunner
agirlagunner
15 years ago

Bendtner is woeful, and I do try to be kind…

Will
Will
15 years ago

Thing is Rico, we can see it but can Wenger?

Players plainly not good enough for a PL and Cl chasing team.

Almunia
Nik B
Squil
Denilson

Maybe Rosicky if he can’t find his form.

Why get rid of Henri, Rambo and Jet and play this dross?

agirlagunner
agirlagunner
15 years ago

Chamaka should score soon. It can’t be good for his confidence…

We’re better than this. Come on, boys!!!!

Will
Will
15 years ago

This is shocking. I am sorry but Leyton are 50+ places below us. Our youths should beat this lot. This shows just as it did at Ipswich and Leeds that several players are not worth the shirt.

agirlagunner
agirlagunner
15 years ago

Ring in the changes, AW!!! No more of this indifferent, gutless performance.

Will
Will
15 years ago

It is shocking and disgusting. Wenger needs to fire them.

agirlagunner
agirlagunner
15 years ago

I love you, Rice Crispies. 🙂

Stef
Stef
15 years ago

rosiky head goal 😆

Stef
Stef
15 years ago

hi rico Ignasi looks good

Stef
Stef
15 years ago

denilSong never a good combo

agirlagunner
agirlagunner
15 years ago

Stef, Ignasi is good-looking, too. 😉

Song is having a stinker. What is going on???

agirlagunner
agirlagunner
15 years ago

He’s given away too many balls, rico. And he looks lazy. Knowing how well he can play makes tonight’s performance seem awful.

Will
Will
15 years ago

If I met Nik B, I would ask him to do the decent thing and leave Arsenal.

Will
Will
15 years ago

Only punching if he refuses.

agirlagunner
agirlagunner
15 years ago

You guys are funny. 😆

agirlagunner
agirlagunner
15 years ago

Stupid, stupid, stupid.

Will
Will
15 years ago

NOT GOOD ENOUGH.

Will
Will
15 years ago

How many fucking times has this second team let us down?

Will
Will
15 years ago

Fix? It is the fact that Wenger continues to play shit players who would not get in a fucking championship side.

Wenger needs to sort his fucking ego out and ship these players who are letting us down. Not him, us teh fucking supporters who will still be here in 30 fucking years time supporting this club.

JonJon
JonJon
15 years ago

someone shoot almunia
what a useless prick that man is..
we were on the verge of a very nice, tidy, composed, professional performance and hes asked to do one thing all game and he lets it thru his legs from more than 12 yards away..
that was just criminal – its worse than being nutmegged from the penalty spot..

JonJon
JonJon
15 years ago

i dont know about it being a fix rico..

but we’ll do them in the replay..your right it wont affect us we’ll just send the second team out again

minus almunia..fuck him…

agirlagunner
agirlagunner
15 years ago

Almunia… What a disaster. He should be disposed off for free. In fact, we should pay to give him away.

Will
Will
15 years ago

Ipswich, Leeds and now fucking Orient.

This second team are plainly not good enough.

Steve Palmer
Steve Palmer
15 years ago

I’m with you rico, no subs, it makes me think that the FA cup is a money earner for both clubs, i dont know what Arsenal make at each home game, but i do know its a lot more than at Orient. At the end of the day football is a buisness and Arsenals squad is big enough to play many games. In four comps and we have had replays before a nice little earner, i believe the fans are getting turned over without realising it.

agirlagunner
agirlagunner
15 years ago

Hey, Steve. Good article! Rubbish performance though.

Steve Palmer
Steve Palmer
15 years ago

Thanks Agag, i was expecting a twist somwhere, and while i was watching the penny dropped and i realised that the money generated wasnt that much with such a small gate, not to far to travel, a nice little earner

Steve Palmer
Steve Palmer
15 years ago

Precisely

JonJon
JonJon
15 years ago

money for who tho rico??
we dont need the money..
so unless its some conspiracy to help orient pay for their legal fees in their case against west ham i dont see why we would do it
it doesnt help us one bit

Will
Will
15 years ago

I am telling you guys, it is that second team, many are not good enough.

Steve Palmer
Steve Palmer
15 years ago

JJ everythings about money, you always find the succesfull clubs are normally the richest.

Steve Palmer
Steve Palmer
15 years ago

This way Will, they will get plenty of practice

Will
Will
15 years ago

Alumina
Squl
Denilson
Nik B

Would not get in a promotion chasing championship team.

JonJon
JonJon
15 years ago

everything is about money but we are not skint…we rake in over 30mil a year as it is without selling players and without replays against div two teams…

if it wasnt for AA clipping the wrong side of the post it would have been 2-0

so i just think its more a case of almunia being crap than what it is we needed abit more cash…

Steve Palmer
Steve Palmer
15 years ago

All of those players, i would agree, but they gave our first string a night off, and generated a couple of bob as well

Steve Palmer
Steve Palmer
15 years ago

Fair do’s JJ we beg to disagree, but i do agree with us winning the replay

JonJon
JonJon
15 years ago

id add rosicky to that list and swap chamakh for nikki

JonJon
JonJon
15 years ago

eboue in for sagna
rambo in for song
ches in for manny
other than that same team…
we’ll go thru but we shouldnt need to play at home to beat teams like these…

Steve Palmer
Steve Palmer
15 years ago

The champions league two legger, 175.000 people for two matches, our profits will look pretty good this year.

JonJon
JonJon
15 years ago

oh and TV should be back by then as well

JonJon
JonJon
15 years ago

so we are clogging up our schedule to help barry hearn??
thats the way i see it but i dont see why..

Steve Palmer
Steve Palmer
15 years ago

There is a plus on this game i liked the look of Miquel not seen a lot of him

Steve Palmer
Steve Palmer
15 years ago

Quite easy JJ it helps pay off the Emirates

Steve Palmer
Steve Palmer
15 years ago

Nte nte all

Will
Will
15 years ago

rico says:
February 20, 2011 at 7:26 pm
Alumina – Shea, Manonne
Squlli – Miquel, Bartley
Denilson – Lansbury, Coquelin, Frimpong
Bendtner – JET, Afobe, Sunu

We don’t need them – sell the lot and use the money to buy a player who will immediately improve our first team…..

YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES

JonJon
JonJon
15 years ago

yeah conspiracy theorys out
certain players just cant cut it..
again…
too big for their own boots
but rambo will be back for the replay at least…

Will
Will
15 years ago

I am angry again. Someone needs to speak with Wenger.

JonJon
JonJon
15 years ago

night rico..

JonJon
JonJon
15 years ago

i think weve been thru this before will..
but
almunia
squidge
denilson
rosicky
and yeah nikki
should be got shot of
id wanna keep aa but i think this could be his last season..
and the only signings i would make is hazard and sakho
the likes of frimpong rambo lansbury miquel bartley and jet should be promoted

JonJon
JonJon
15 years ago

on paper wath you would expect them to do it wouldnt you…
i mean..i can see why wenger changes things cos you would expect we dont need the first team to beat fucking leeds or hudds or ipswich or orient..these are the games we pray for cos it means we can keep our players fresh for the pl and the cl and the finals..

even the fucking kids are playing for better teams than these lot…

Will
Will
15 years ago

Get rid of those 4 and bring back the loanees.

Will
Will
15 years ago

Pat Rice needs to man the fuck up.

JonJon
JonJon
15 years ago

a big bonfire lol
a new tradition in england
i’ll be helping my lil un make nikki b’s manny almunias and denilsons on nov 5th… 😉

Will
Will
15 years ago

If we beat Man Utd, look who is left in the cup.

JonJon
JonJon
15 years ago

i expect only AA song and sagna out of that lot today to play in the final next week
the rest shouldnt be given any game time.. until the replay

nikkis pay packet does take the piss..
hes on 50
so is almunia

ouch…

get rid of those two and we can get hazard and pay him less

JonJon
JonJon
15 years ago

if we get passed orient first 😉

but yeah the manu game is perfect cos it means fergie playing his best 11 to beat us…if wenger fields this lot we’ll get slammed but if he really wants all comps we’ll see a first team and we’ll spank em

either way it works in our favour and yeah once their out thats it..city left but their shit..

Will
Will
15 years ago

Think about it, we could get a £70k a week player of we get rid of those two alone.

JonJon
JonJon
15 years ago

yup
if wenger wants to promote some of the kids he’ll need to cut the wage bill anyway cos the young guns will get new contracts to tie them down…

there will be a clear out and as long as it aint any of the first team i dont really care who goes…

also AA is on about 80k
rosicky about 50

so theres loads of room for a signing or two as well…

Will
Will
15 years ago

Almunia
Denilson
Squil
Nik B

Has to be £150k a week there. That will get a top class defender and pay Nasri some more.