Morning all,
Santi Cazorla, Lukas Podolski and Olivier Giroud are all set to feature in their first NLD and boss Arsene Wenger thinks that experience will see them through, oh, and and of course the incentive of playing Champions League football next season….
They are aware of what we want to achieve and where we want to finish in the league, that does not need to be explained.
Funny enough, this fixture means more to me than where we finish in the league, or the attraction of playing Champions League football next season, it’s about one thing, and one thing only. Beating that lot down the road and making sure we finish above them yet again.
Of course we all want to see the club we love and support competing with the best and only a top four finish will guarantee that but we also want to see a squad to match that standard of the game. We need depth and strength in our squad which will allow us to compete not only in Europe, but more importantly, in the domestic cups and PL too….
Two very important players in our squad were showing off their ‘trophies’ yesterday:
Who says footballers are overpaid??
Of course I am not envious, that kind of car is far too near the ground, a horrid drive I am sure…..
Talking of Ferraris, there’s a Welsh player down the road who has been purring like one with his performances but no matter how good the pundits say he is, Arsene Wenger couldn’t give two hoots and his training methods and tactics will be just like those on any other match day.
We don’t plan for anybody. It’s always the same. Focus on our strengths and forget about your opponent.
That is not our worry today. Bale is not a subject of our worries for the next two or three days. We just want to prepare. We have great players in our team and it would be a complete mistake to focus on any player from Tottenham.
There is nobody special that you least like to face. All players have different qualities, there is no player that you’d absolutely ask to meet.
What is important when you are a manager is that you are focused, you always worry and that hasn’t changed over the last 15 years, you always make sure your team is at its best, prepares well and focuses on playing the football that we love. What is important before a game like that is just to focus on our game and forget all the rest….
So, no research on Bale, no different tactics to nullify one of the most in form players in the PL right now, no looking at Tottenhams tactics as a whole, in fact from what Wenger says, we just play the same old way, regardless of who we face.
Is Arsene Wenger focussed ahead of tomorrow?
It is still special for me even more now.
When I arrived I was a bit more detached from that. Now, the longer you stay here, the more you realise how some houses are divided in two and what impact it has on the mood of the week for everybody.
Attitude, commitment, desire to win, passion, loads of passion and well-timed substitutions will see us through tomorrow and for all Wenger tells the media, I pray he’s been telling porkies about his tactics, don’t you?
That’s it for another day, have a good one…
Morning all….
“They are aware……..of where we want to finish in league”
I think we are all aware that Wenger and his financial team have only one focus and ambition every season.
Sorry……morning Rico.
Morning Steve, I am sure that message gets drummed home….
I know things are bad, but I am surprised to read around on the blogs and find fans saying they hope we lose tomorrow…
Morning all, I feel the same as you Rico, and nice post.
Wenger says we concentrate on our game. What he fouls to say is that we haven’t got anybody in the team that can mark players like Bale anyway. Bales the kind of player who likes to run at defences. I know many Gooners will say he is shit, but the guy has talent he is exciting to watch and he scores goals we are mugs if we just try and ignore him as he will hurt us. One of the faults we have in my opinion is closing down forward quickly, it seems to me that we let them advance and back away. very seldom do we get in with a tackle with another backing up just in case the challenge is unsuccessfull. My aim would be to slow this forward up and back my defender up, Defoe as well shoots on sight he is a greedy little shit but he also scores goals Backing off to either of these players could be disasterous. and with Czezesney not being able to catch a ball the follow up would be expected. Many supporters will say i am negative they say i should be talking up our players, all i can say to them is that if we do not plan for these kinds of attacks we will get hurt. Wenger says we will prepare in the same way he says we concentrate on our game and the way we play let them worry about us. Now that kind of talk may make some fans feel positive, it just makes me worry.
Morning all, I have mentioned this many times and to me having coached although not at Arsene’s level, it reaks of both arrogance and doing half a job in my opinion. It has also clearly has backfired so many times as teams change things and we’re left with holes till we twig whats happening – the more you know about anything surely the better prepared you are even if you are beyond question?
Morning Sp & Oz.
I can’t believe a club like ours does not look at who we play before playing.
Stinks really and no wonder these players play so poorly at times, they haven’t an idea of what is expected of them..
However, we have suspected that was case for a while, just why the defence is in such a mess too….
morning all!
Rico, i have seen these posts as well but think it might be desperation to change things more than any desire to see us loose a game? If Arsene can big note us after beating a poor Villa, just imagine his “i was right all along” garbage that a win tomorrow would likely produce.
morning Joaquim
Morning JM..
Tbh Oz, I am not convinced we will win enough of our remaining fixtures to secure CL footie, even if we do win tomorrow…
Just can’t stomach a loss against that lot….
Morning Oz, Wengers not beyond question mate he is being questioned all the time. He is as you say arrogant, but he is also not stupid. He knows the quality of players like Bale and Defoe and he knows they are hungry. He comes across as he doesn’t care about them but he will be shitting himself. NLD against our enemy from the swamp he knows how big this game is for players and supporters, he has been questioned for a couple of weeks from whoever he speaks to, he knows what kind of response the supporters will give if we dont win.He is forever telling us how its been for sixteen years and how we are up there with the best, no one will be worrying about that tomorow this is our champions league Capital one and FA cup final we have to win.
Is Defoe back from injury Sp??
I heard he could be for this one Rico.
Bugger!
Scot
So who in oz didn’t like ACDC. The tin man? The wizard? Most people who listened to rock n roll in Australia liked them.
Tin Man, The Wizard GG, sounds more like something from The Wizard of Oz 😉
Off for a while, laters….
Morning rico,
The issue that we have with playing our game and forgetting about the opposition is that we are not the team we once were. When you are stronger than your opposition it is better not to overcomplicate things. Unfortunately Tottenham have an equally talented squad as us and so we really should be looking to nullify their threats. Tottenham are no longer a small team and even Man Utd came up with a plan to deal with Bale – I am a Wenger supporter but he needs to wake up and realise that making game-plans helps get results.
Afternoon Ladies and Gents…
more i think about it , cant rosicky and Ramsey both play in middle? Why is Arteta so key? He is a great player but where w need a character i don’t think he has it for the derby. Ramsey , with all the sh1t he has been given this season will want 1 upsmanship on his fellow welshie, and former flatmate. He must be thinking time to get those fans back onside. Whereas Rosicky is a creative little genius. So what if he gets injured and never plays again(god forbid as he does have glass legs and a “good social life”). He will always be remebered for a match wining performance should he deliver and be one of those gooners that can come back anytime and get a warm welcome.
The more Arsenal fans we have on the pitch the better. the three musketeers should play Santi Poldi TW, with JW AR TR in the middle.Back 4 of Jenks Kos Verm and Nacho. Chez in goal because we have no one else. Giroud has missed a few sitters recently and if we introduce him in the 55th minute, he might be fired up and nab a goal or two a la Newcastle. Id even toy with the idea of a cameo from our star Clingon “Gervinho”.He is ok for 10 munitutes if you are chasing a winner or equaliser, only you dont want him to the the final shot lol.. I suspect we will have mannone, Oxlade Chamberlain on the bench.If Rosicky and Aaron ramsey dont get the nod , you will see them on the bench for Giroud and Arteta. Mert as much as I dont think he is a bad player, wouldnt be able to keep up with Planet of the Apes Bale.We could use the Salami against opponents like stoke…
What are the odds of Adebarndoor having another stinker against us? He has done nothing for them this season. 1 season wonder with us and he’ll end up playing for al ain in qatar or abu dhabi or wherever lol
Booooooo!! Where is everyone?
I find it odd how AW says that we don’t look at the opponents. How can you prepare for them otherwise? Cesc (whose appearance these days, makes it appear that there is a shortage of bathing water in Barcelona) has already mentioned this, right?
agag , everyone is in tescos lol
Hiya, George. Howdy? Well. it was Friday last night. Maybe Kev and Adam went to a wild party. 😆
Bale is in sparkling form. I hope we end it tomorrow. 😀 😀
Howdy!
They must have agag….first week payday friday …hmmm yeah
Bale is playing well, but if he doesnt see the ball, as spurs will be playing with 10 men as ade cant run wont run, he wont get no joy..Key man for them is gonna be Scott Parker. If he has a bad day at the office they are there for taking
Paycreditcardbills Friday; that’s what it is for me. 😀 😀
Bale is a bit of a one-trick pony. And he dives dives dives. No point hoping we won’t leak goals; I’m hoping instead that our scorers score. Giroud is due one. Our defense needs to step up their game. We have a keeper who has been dropping clangers and defenders who are almost palpably nervous.
they need to lighten up , your right they are a nervous wreck..go and see how Fulham have been looking after our Emmanuel Frimpong:
He is a bit of a Tom Daley. Giroud is due a few actually.I know about paythecreditcardbills friday lol
Yep, he certainly gives the Press a load of old tosh.
Of course he studies our opponants.
As for Bale, i’m sure our players will be aware of his strengths and weaknesses.
Afterwards Goonerdom worshippers,
No I’ve not miss-speaka. Of course ‘good afternoon to all’ but I dread afterwards. Why not identify a gameplan? Does the club wanna secure the spin-award? No key elements to be held accountable for? An abstract mindset can mean anything and everything, are we leaving blanks so excuses are plausible?
Sorry to come across so negatively before a single Sunday ball has been kicked. But lately a quote from the old war dog Churchill been running through my brain: “Planning means everything, plans don’t mean nothing”. Basically comes down to ‘failing to prepare is preparing to fail’.
Don’t get me wrong, I do want us to turn up at the races tomorrow. Only asking myself why can’t we look in the mirror, telling ourselves how we’re up for the challenge? Isn’t that our issue altogether, we fail miserably expressing ourselves off and (as a consequence) on the pitch. With these kind of statements we certainly look a bit too pale to ignore the need for a doctor.
Rico great read. Indeed, boys need toys, men want glory. Enough said.
Hey SteveP, sorry mate stepped out, agree with your post, tomorrow is huge for both teams – Spurs win and they might finally believe, we win and they’re back to square one, i sense their supporters know as well – not actually sure what a win to us would do other than feed Arsene ego. I say that because we are now so inconsistent
good post DutchG
Hiya Oz,
Same to you, spot on with your reply to SteveP.
Wenger certainly needs the derby result come May. He promised to meet, assess and debate with the fan base after the season has ended. Think he would rather turn up with a scalp in his pocket.
Another Wenger classic for mine – “We go into every single match like it is a must-win game and we will have exactly the same approach (for the rest of the season).” – amazing statement given our clear lack of intent shown so many times early on in games. its a real problem ffs. Does he truly believe this i wonder and its little wonder the problem continues if so
I’m watching Madrid-Barça. why we want De Villa?
Oz
All we really want is combative play, isn’t it. A squad playing for the name on the chest, so we remember the names on their back. Wonder if they wear their socks and undies inside-out, cuz they sure do with basic principles.
Buenos Dias JM.
What’s the score? Match any good? Villa is past his best I believe. Don’t know why we should risk another Arshavin debacle letting him sign a 2 year contract in the summer. What will be the encouragement to perform being on the top salary Arsenal dish out, win or loose? Maybe a gamble is worth when the contract is pay as you play, highly doubtful Villa would ink it though.
Hello all…
Nasty footie results today 🙁
Bad results today…
Madrid 2 Barcelona 1
It’s great that Barcelona lost. Absolutely great. I hope they lose to Milan, too. 😀 Madrid could have won by more goals. Ronaldo was unlucky not to score two.
yep, you are spot on DutchG – OK guys off to bed, catch ya tomorrow
You are a cruel lady agag 😉
Love it…
Hope Madrid batter Fergies lot too…
Night Oz..
Thanks re the post Dg 🙂
Evening Rico and Agag.
Evening Adam….
Funny old day eh….
What is more, rico. Valdez got a red card for protesting. After the game. Hahahaha. God, what a donut. Mourinho’s best play was bringing Ronaldo on. Barcelona was all over the place after that. I love it when the stains are shown up. 😀 😀 They have lost how many
These Spaniards go down too easily. And the way the roll around after the slightest contact still completely mystifies me.
You excited about tomorrow, rico?? 🙂 Hi, Dutch. JM, those are great results. Why would you want Barcelona to win? Eeek. 😉
A funny old day indeed Rico. I isn’t realise that the RM v Barca game was played earlier. I won’t bother to watch it later now.
Nice Farraris. Wrong colour though.
Ferraris. Clumsy me.
Not sure excited is the right word agag, fear and trepidation more like….
I might have watched that too Adam had I known, but hey, I did the ironing and washing instead…..
Sounds exciting Rico. I listened to some music.
Hi, Adam. 🙂 Are you reviewing any good stuff?
I decided to clean out my closet today. Then decided against it. 😀 😀
What did you listen to Adam?
Good move agag 😉
I wonder if it’s really quiet because of the game tomorrow, the last few days have been so so quiet on here, are we all concerned we are going to get battered??
Hi Agag. I have a long list of things to write about including some computer music hardware which is fiddly to get working nicely sometimes. Mrs Adam would love me to clear out my cupboards and throw away my ” junk” as she calls it. 🙂
I listened to some classical music today Rico. English composers mostly.
rico, I think there is just a general air of resignation regarding what we feel about the club; hence, the silence. Nothing much to look forward to. 🙁 🙁 Fourth place finish, pffft.
Sounds exciting, Adam. I try to leave reviews of shoes when I buy stuff. Esp. about the ouchy ones.
Oh and you should listen to Mrs Adam. 🙂
Off for some food. Later
That’s what Rico tells me Agag. 🙂
agag, I don’t care about anything else Arsenal other than beating that lot tomorrow…
Even though any victory will just be papering over the cracks, as will a top four finish if we get one…..
rico, I agree. It is imperative that we beat that lot. We must!!
😆 Adam – yes I do …
I too need to go and eat….
agag, if you go off for the day before I return, sleep well and catch up tomorrow… Its a big day ….
Good night, guys!! Am sleepy. 🙂
Hello 😛
No-one here so I’ll head off too…
Night all…..
Some stats for the NLD
Looking at the current league table there’s little daylight between our rivals. Arsenal are on 47 points, totts on 51, Chavs 52. The North London gap was acquired by the swamps winning 2 more games, where the Arsenal have twice settled for stalemate.
Season table 2012-13 as it stands before kick-off tomorrow:
Arsenal W13 / totts W15, Arsenal D8 / totts D6, Arsenal L6 / totts L6, Arsenal GD22 / totts GD15
If we loose tomorrow, totts leapfrog the Chavs to 3rd, finding themselves within smelling distance of Mankini’s Shitty. (Table when we loose: Everton P45 / Arsenal P47 / Chavs P52 / totts P54)
Win and we are 2 points short of celebratory preparations for St. Totterham day. (Table when we win: Arsenal P50 / totts P51 / Chavs P52.)
North London derbies are notoriously high-scoring edge-of-the-seat thrillers, with previous matches ending 4-5, 4-4 and 5-2. However, the derby can also become a cagey affair, with both sides too set on not losing the game rather than winning, though with 53 goals in the past 11 fixtures between these teams, it would appear unlikely to repeat itself.
Arsenal have had the better of the two sides in recent North London derbies, with the previous two results ending in 5-2 victories for the Gunners.
Both sides are on excellent form of late in the league, with both teams unbeaten in their last 5 games.
These fixtures can often be messy affairs, as in the last three North London derbies there have been over 75 fouls with 13 yellow and 2 red cards
In the last three meeting between the sides, the team that has scored first has gone on to lose the match
In the Premier league there have been 121 goals in the North London derby, making it the highest scoring fixture in Premier league history.
Arsenal have finished higher in the league than Spurs in 63 seasons out of 93 (68 per cent)
The last time Arsenal won at White Hart Lane in the league was 3-1 in September 2007. The referee was Mark Clattenburg, who is referee for the fixture this weekend.
Credits to Sam Steele providing extra stats.
Find Barclays EPL table here:
http://www.premierleague.com/en-gb/matchday/league-table.html
Don’t forget Adam, be positive… 😉
wow 1.5b pound offer? Is it real? Will the part timer Kroneke sell – at least we could achieve one world record – expect the board to go crazy Rico!! lol
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2013/mar/03/middle-east-takeover-arsenal?
Bloody heck, that’s a story and a half to wake up to Oz…
Morning all…..
morning all,
Hi Rico… the rumoured Arab interest in Arsenal should be getting your pulses racing… ?
I guess the oil wells are drying up and as the EPL is now the cash cow…. cynical
i know amazing – have been trawling the international news sites all day hahah
i read a supposed statement that basically said “the arabs are ok working with the russian” uumm and would prefer to keep Arsene around the club due to his knowledge – nice way of putting it hahah
Hi Tsgh. Not sure it’s getting my pulses racing, I’d rather AU bought SK out….
But this offer reported, surely will be too good for SK to turn down, that’s an awful lot of money….
tsGH – seems to me to be a now or never style offer – maybe fifa fair has something to do with that i suspect
I’m doing that now Oz, reading the online newspapers.
Today could be the last time the Totts have any chance of beating us then 😉
a number of AU’s money men are from that part of the world Rico, would it really surprise you? He freed up substantial cash reserves lately as well
I suspect they don’t mind working with AU because he has ambition, read one story that suggests Wenger has been talking to the ‘Arabs’
What wouldn’t surprise me Oz, is AU being at the top of the ‘unknown group’….
Silly me, that’s what you are getting at isn’t it 😉
sort of 🙂
Morning Rico. Interesting stuff indeed.
i expect a quick “i am not selling statement, i am committed to the future of arsenal blah blah blah” statement from the American but, double ya money on an investment you check out twice a year or so, got to be tempting?
Morning Adam…
Kroenke would be a fool not to sell, an absolute fool….
If true, it heaps pressure on Kroenke I think. If true that is.
Do you think it might be made up then Adam?
Who knows. Somehow I doubt it, but I can see that the timing is everything here. It would be interesting to know whether Usmanov is involved or not and I think that it is no surprise that there is a mention of lowering ST prices. The price is high but a couple of dollars on a barrel of oil and we will be paying for it anyways at the petrol pumps. 🙂
I have thought that this NLD is a sideshow all week and that the club’s problems are deep. In a sense this whole situation could be seen as a “put up or shut up” to Kroenke because I think he is about to find out what it really costs to run a top club.
Fuel can’t go up much more, I’ll have to sell my car ….
I’m intrigued…..
You should get a Porsche Rico. I know you love ’em. 🙂
Ha ha, only because they are one of few cars I can see over the top Adam 😉
New post up now…