Daily Bits and Bobs

Start scoring and Arsenal start winning… Simples!

Posted on by rico

Morning all.

Go on admit it, you’re hung over and the first thing to pass your lips this morning was water with a strong painkiller. Or two. No such problems for our players, or at least I hope so.

Our injury list has slightly improved with both Granit Xhaka and Dani Ceballos back in the squad for tonight’s match against Man Utd. Hector Bellerin and Gabriel Martinelli are doubts though. There’s no update on the progress of Rob Holding but he’s not listed as being injured. A few additional academy players took part in training yesterday, probably more to do with the upcoming FA Cup fixture with Leeds Utd rather than today. After all, every player at the club needs to be on the Arteta page of football, not just the first team squad because who knows when their services will be called upon. Ben Cottrell, Harry Clarke, Tolaji Bola, James Olayinka, Matt Smith, Folarin Balogun, Robbie Burton, Nathan Tormey and Zech Medley were all involved according to Jeorge Bird.

So, onto tonight. A second home game for Mikel Arteta and he’ll be desperate to win this one. The longer this non winning spell goes on, the harder it’s going to be to break the habit.

This fixture used to be the one nobody wanted to miss. The 49th game, pizzagate, the Keane v Vieira battles both on the pitch and in the tunnel and of course, who can forget van Nistelrooy penalty miss and the aftermath. When these two sides went head to head, it usually spelled trouble. Those days though are a long long time ago. 16 years to be precise. The 2005 FA Cup Final against them was hilarious, well it was when McVitie’s missed his penalty and after Patrick Vieira buried his.

Utd have had the better results against us since then, including a few hefty defeats thrown our way but just recently, we’ve kind of steadied the ship and right now and there’s little between the two, apart from a few points which separate both clubs in the league. Rashford and Martial are going through a bit of a good spell but then Aubameyang isn’t doing too badly either. If Lacazette could find his shooting boots, Ozil and Pepe too if all start then we can more than match them. We seriously need to start scoring more goals from the many opportunities we’re creating. Do that and we’ll start winning which might sound bleedin obvious but there’s no point in everyone working hard to defend when those responsible for scoring the goals are missing chance after chance.

Perhaps today will be that day…

See you in the comments guys..

 

 

 

 

 

rico

70 thoughts on “Start scoring and Arsenal start winning… Simples!”

  1. Le Coq Monster says:

    Thanks Rico and morning Transfer Window Lickers! 😆

    We need to keep this unbeaten run of 2020 going!

  4. rico says:

    Morning Scott, all.

    Our goals need to start coming from someone other than Aubameyang and even he misses more chances than he scores.

  6. ScottfromOz says:

    Lacazette must do more, Ozil needs to take more shots and our wide men need to provide better service, imo.
    A little confidence will help this, so let’s hope we can pinch an early goal or 3.

  9. Cicero says:

    Good day all.

    Just back from New Year swim, panto this evening Dick Whittington at the Little Theatre in Sheringham. It will be hilarious if anything like the last few years. My youngest grandson will be attending his first, he’s four. My eldest grandson will be attending his eighth, he’s sixteen and loves the panto despite being a stroppy teenager. 😉

    I just hope it isn’t Panto time at The Emirates tonight.

    No Pogba for the Mancs, is that good or bad for us?

    I’ll be recording the game and hope to be able to start watching around 8.45.

    COYG.

  10. potter says:

    I appreciate that we can’t defend and ae likely to leak a goal or ten , as long as we score 2 or 11 I will be happy.

  11. Le Coq Monster says:

    When I watch DeBruyne, he gets into similar positions to Ozil and always takes a shot on whereas Ozil does not…………..very similar apart from the shooting, Ozil needs to be less unselfish!

  12. Limey says:

    2019 was a terrible year for us, the only League games we’ve won this season were against Newcastle,Burnley, Aston villa, Bournemouth and West Ham.
    Let’s get the 20s off to a winning start,it’s being reported some of the injured could return.
    COYG

  13. andrewh1313 says:

    Nothing past my lips this morning, not until after an early bracing special NYD 5k parkrun with 330 others. Really painful when you want a wee halfway round 🙂

    Not sure how much I’m looking forward to tonight, I am looking forward to the feeling after our next win, let’s hope it’s soon!

  14. potter says:

    Looked back into the roaring 20’s and strangely we finished 12th 100 years ago with a new manager in Leslie Knighton who stayed for 5 years before being replaced by Herbert Chapman who transformed the club.

    Lets hope that Arteta can be this centuries Chapman.

  17. Cicero says:

    Kev, if Pepe starts watch the first three times he gets the ball. He will be fouled each time and will for the rest of the time he’s on the pitch dump the ball off rather than take another tackle.

  22. rico says:

    Seriously though, there’s half a season left to go and we’ve shown improvement already as far as attitude goes which might just help against the teams in the bottom half of the table.

  30. allezkev says:

    When we look back over the last 9 years, well since April 2011 when KSE took a controlling interest of Arsenal, hasn’t this era, the Kroenke era, been one of unbelievable development and growth, well for LA Rams, but for Arsenal it’s been 9 years of stagnation and a steady unerring decline, so I guess going down to the 2nd tier of English football shouldn’t really shock any of us – it most certainly wouldn’t shock me…

  32. allezkev says:

    Thanks Rick, that’s about as experienced a team as Arteta could possibly pick…

    Anyway, don’t panic, Raul is on top of everything and Stan will ensure that the funds will be made available for January…. 😄

  33. Rick says:

    Evening Rico and the House.
    1year ago our u23 side were 3points above the drop zone, and looking certain for the Drop.

    However after christmas they were undefeatd and finished 2nd just 4 points behind the winners.
    I honestly think the first team could recover just like the boys.

    Rico please excuse the mistakes having trouble with the keyboard

  34. rico says:

    Evening Rick. I too think the first team can turn things around. A big boost having Kolasinac back and Holding, Ceballos on the bench.

  39. rico says:

    Auba’s wasn’t easy I think, Lacazette will be kicking himself although I’m surprised VAR didn’t look at that one and Torreira hit the post. Soon though they’ll start going in.

  43. ScottfromOz says:

    Sorry Rico, I had to say it once hahaha
    Damn, how good do we look?
    It’s only been a few games since Mikel took over, but we’ve progressed each time.
    We need to stay settled and calm at the back and midfield must hold their ground and we will just win.
    If, if, if.
    To be fair, we look like we have more goals in us.
    We simply must go on and win this game from here, as anything else will be very deflating for all concerned.
    The two players who’ve copped the most criticism, and often deservedly so, Ozil and Xhaka, are both playing brilliantly.
    So are plenty of others but I highlight these two as they seemed the players most out of favour.
    The stadium seems to be rocking, well and truly!!!
    Finish the bastards off!!!

  44. Potter says:

    There is no mistaking the fact that Arteta has got the senior players playing again. Scott I would add Kolasinac to your come alive players
    4-3-2-1 suits us ,we need to stick with it.

  45. andrewh1313 says:

    Speechless, not saying anything more till end of game. Oh ok, one thing, I did say give Ozil one final chance, he might just he taking it?

  50. andrewh1313 says:

    I think some fans started to believe Neville and co that our defenders were uncoachable. Well we know our defence isn’t the best but with so many injured, they were bloody good tonight. We must have a coach who can actually coach. When the whole team defend, the defenders don’t look awful. Pepe 50 touches before he went off. Top performance.

  51. ScottfromOz says:

    Andrew, it remains the biggest failure of Emery for mine.
    We knew Wenger wasn’t dealing with it and these guys don’t just forget how to play, but Emery didn’t appear to address our defensive failings at all, or maybe he didn’t know how, but go 20 yards up the pitch and you see Xhaka and Torreira, two guys who either weren’t playing or were pretty average, suddenly looking bloody good, and that offers our backs that little bit of protection, which takes the pressure off to an extent.
    Arteta has the right players in their best positions, the formation is right and they’re working for each other.
    You just can’t go too far wrong if those three things are happening.

  52. Limey says:

    Two clean sheets in last 4 games.
    Luiz very good, to be fair everyone was.
    Leeds in FA cup Monday, I’d expect to see some youngsters – I see that Eddie Nketiah has been recalled,he will probably be loaned out again but it would be nice to see him against Leeds first.Its 11 days until the next League game.
    Brilliant performance tonight, you look at the league table, there’s no reason why we can’t go higher.
    COYG.

  54. rico says:

    The interview with Sokratis and Luiz answered all the questions I think. They didn’t believe in Emery, they weren’t happy and they’re not fit enough. Now that has all changed and everyone believes in the philosophy Mikel Arteta has brought to the squad. They are happy again…

    To see the players reaction after the game confirms they are happy. Xhaka all smiles, Ozil too.

    The fans were excellent too.

    Night guys…

  55. Wavy says:

    “Gud gime, gud gime.” As Bruce would’ve said.

    What a difference a couple of weeks makes! If they look like players performing like a team, they probably are a team……At last. Thank you Mikel for restoring the faith. Brilliant!

    “Evening all” George Dixon is resurrected, yet again.

  60. Cicero says:

    Yowzer!!! Three points, yippee, clean sheet, wooee. Where did our new fighting, determined, side come from?

    Fanbloodytastic! Oh yes it was! Sorry, still in panto mode! 🔔🔔🔔🔔

  64. Positive Kev says:

    I’m finally beginning to like our players once again, the Luiz/Sokratis interview was a real eye opener and just goes to show how much of professional football is between the ears.

    The fans were brilliant and there’s finally a connection between them and the players again.
    Yes top four is probably gone but we have something to build on and three targets to aim for in the remaining 4.5 months, top six, FACup and Europa League.

    Arteta said that Xhaka has told him he wants to stay and I’m genuinely happy about that.
    Ozil seems to have rediscovered his zest for the game, Luiz looks a defender and Ainsley Maitland Niles is showing the form that Adam insisted to me that he would eventually.

    I’ve got my ticket for the Leeds game and I’m really looking forward to the game.

  65. ScottfromOz says:

    Hiya Kev,
    We were brilliant.
    We’ll be even better as the season progresses so its good times ahead.
    Players don’t suddenly forget how to play, they just lose form for various reasons and it’s incredible how quickly and how dramatically they’ve improved.

  66. Positive Kev says:

    Hi Scott, yes the improvement and changes in attitude have been astonishing tbh, it makes you wonder where might we be now if Raul had acted sooner, probably during the last international break allowing Arteta to take the reins during a run of very winnable games.

    Night Digger

  68. ScottfromOz says:

    Kev, I just saw the Luiz/Sokratis interview.
    I think it came through that Emery really was a hard manager to play for.
    Two weeks in and Luiz is already saying Arteta “knows football”.
    I don’t think he was trying to stick it to Emery so much as appreciating what the new man has brought to the club but it still was a criticism of Emery, no question.
    Still, he’s gone, we move on and the very best thing for the club is the players already have brought into what Arteta wants to achieve.

  69. Aussie Geoff says:

    Hi All Mist match but good to hear pepe score he needed that maybe now they might give him a bit more game time how did Ozil go

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