Well if you listen to the Stoke manager they are, doesn’t he suggest Stoke City aren’t a dirty side, they play a wonderful passing game…
What a load of tosh, Stoke are all about long throws, hoof ball and getting in the faces of the opposition.
Well, how about we play that way today? We are the home side, let’s get in their faces and if we are struggling to find the breakthrough, let’s try a hoof up field and show them we have a plan b.
Back to Barca for a moment, all the pundits have written us off already, Terry Venables, the Sky Sports team, all the newspapers, even Tony Adams and most of our fans think we are heading out at this stage. Puyol has had a dig at Cesc on Twitter, Cesc has had a pop back at him in Catalan, don’t know what he said but the word ‘mucus’ formed part of his comment to the Barca player!
Wenger won’t write us off, he seldom does, he insists we have a difficult task but not an impossible one and maybe that’s the best way to look at this up and coming fixture. It’s not beyond the realm of possibility to beat the Spanish side over two legs, it will be a mighty task, we all know that but just imagine what it would do for Arsenal and the world of football should we spring a surprise on them.
Cesc hasn’t written us off either; he says:
This is not some mission impossible, we can win this. Barcelona are not unbeatable. If they were invincible, they would win the Champions League every year.
Well said Cesc but you and the rest of the side need to start playing a lot better to convince us all.
When you look back at how we ‘treated’ our last few games in the group stages it’s frustrating, had we just a bit more passion and desire away against Braga and Shakhtah, we would be facing a must less daunting task, however, that wasn’t the case to this side has to reap what it’s sown!
Thats it, Barca are for another month, today it’s a home fixture against Stoke and the long balls and set pieces.
Well, they don’t bother me at all, not if Chesney plays in goal. No doubt Pulis has been concentrating on targeting Fabianski as our weakness, telling his mob to aim every cross and every thrown in at him, expecting him at some stage to spill one. Well Wenger has just p****d all over his chips!
If Chesney starts, is this us finally seeing Wenger make a change to suit the opposition? I certainly believe that was his tactic against the Mancs. Also, is Fabianski really injured or has he had his chance?
I don’t know but the younger of the two Poles has something about him, he talks or should I say hollers at his defence and doesn’t hang back waiting for the ball to come to him. He’s got a bit of arrogance in him and isn’t easily ruffled by the task in front of him. He’s a confident ‘kid’ and from we have seen so far, he’s got every reason to be.
I read yesterday that Stuart Taylor was the goal keeper being groomed to take over from David Seaman many years ago, sadly his lack of commitment meant the player didn’t make it. Seaman suggests he had all that it takes to be the number one at Arsenal..
Anyway, I think Chesney will be our number one, if not this season, it will be soon.
It’s a big game today, time to beat the home rot and get back to winning ways, yes we had a blip last Monday but that’s best forgotten, for today anyway. Also the Barca fixture must be put to the back of the players and Wengers mind, that will be here soon enough.
Today is about Tony Pulis, Stoke City and Ryan Shawcross – let’s get three points off them just for Aaron Ramsey. Stoke have a few big players up front so I hope we see Johan Djourou start. Cesc is back but Diaby is still out.
Lets now hope Fabianski fails his late fitness test and the snow doesn’t stop the game from going ahead 🙂
Have a good day all, mine started badly, head over heels on the ice, OUCH!!
Morning…
Morning All,Rico hope you only bruised your pride. You could be right about czes he does look the part i must admit i like his easy approach i don’t like to see keepers rush about as Fabianski did at the start of his good spell for us,but he did settle down slowed up some and has made some world class saves, i believe Wenger would do well by these two keepers by using them as and where appropriate, they both have their merits and its up to Wenger to use them as a tactic.
Barcelona, as you stated, not many people give us much chance after all they are rated the best side in the world, but i don’t believe we have ever met them with a full team of fit players we have either had players injured or sent off and only one game where we was mauled the other games were quite tight, i fancy if we can get our injured players back and get them fit and used to playing together we have enough fire power to upset them and leave a lasting impression, we just played the Mancs they are most peoples choice the best team in the Premier, 1.0 not a walk over by any means we gave a good account of ourselves although both teams are far from their best one goal and that was a fluke, the ref tried his hardest to earn his bung by awarding a penalty that never was, so with our best team i have no doubts, maybe Wenger may spend a little, so we are surely contenders they must also be worrying about us.
Good luck to the lads put us back on top.
Morning
Morning rico.
First and foremost i would like to see a bit more urgency in attack today,as we were so lacklustre for the last 30 minutes at OT.
I haven’t got the faintest idea of the team that we will put out,and hopefully “the one and only” will remain in goal if Fab still has a hip injury(yet he was on the bench at OT).
it maybe a bit to cold for our little russian and quite frankly he is out of form,so maybe theo will start.
For Pullis read Phil Brown and though the fans have been told to behave,Shawcross will know how the fans feel about him .
Nic is on maternity leave so it looks like RVP and chamakh upfront and hopefully a fit cesc to conduct the midfield.
I would drop Mozart and with Theo on the wing,let’s see if Samir gets to play more centrally.
A lot of talk about Djourou coming in for his height,we will see.
Stoke have had some strange results so this may well be a tight game and though i would like a resounding thumping of them,as per norm it might be a while until we break them down and get that narrow win to go back where we belong at the top of the league (I hope)
Morning Rico,
flying visit as usual.
Nice post. I think there is only one way to deal with Pulis and co… thrash them and walk away. I see this as the start of our project to rebuild self-belief.
As for Barca…? Couldn’t have asked for a better draw. It will give us a goal to work towards over the next six or eight weeks, and if we lose we get it over early and can then get on with prioritising the domestic stuff.
If we win… and that’s quite possible… we know we can and will beat everyone else.
As for the doom abd gloom merchants… more power to them; it takes the pressure off, and allows us to build without expectation.
Have a good one
morning steve, sadly not, bashed all the left side of my body on the patio, nice bruises 🙁
Just to add its not games against Barcelona i worry about its games against Stoke And Newcastle Wes Brom
Morning KT, Kelsey and Mike
Kelsey, agree re the more urgency needed up front and that has to start from the midfield, we have a very pacy striker in our squad who is desperate to play, i say lets play him today and show that we can get that urgency back…
I have to attend to things at home but will be back later.
I thought AA liked the cold 😉
Mike is right, thrash Soke, walk away victors and say nowt…
Shawcross will be on tender hooks no matter what he says and he will face so much abuse today, and Lee Mason needs to much better than Webb was on Monday…
Just hope our defence can outsmart Fuller and Jones…
We also have to break up this habit of losing 2 games in a row starting today.
Oh mikeB,
i think it was you, if not i apologise.
repossessions are gathering pace and at a meeting of all the major banks over here this week, it was agreed in principle that in about six to nine months,the banks will sell off properies at half the mortgage outstanding and also consider the real price of a property in today’s market.
Steve, i worry about them all, like KT says, we need to break this two game loss streak and certainly stop this run of dreadful league losses at home…
catch you later kelsey…
Sorry to hear that Rico, get someone to rub you in with some Horse oils does wonders for the nose as well
Not if you are allergic to horses steve 😉
Hi Kelsey,
yeah, it’s me, I’m moving over in the spring, but probably to the Valencia area… very interesting how all the toxic debt has been hidden for so long with the banks holding on for a miracle… should be interesting to see how the market reacts.
Although I guess it’s sometimes easy to forget that for every winner there has to be a devastated loser… all very sad for so many.
But back to the footy I guess. Let’s hope we’re not devastated losers come 4.45 😆
I never understand why match days are so quiet in the blog world…
where i live we have nearly three inches of snow and it’s still falling, looks like i’ll have to find a good stream to watch later 🙂
As much as i don’t rate theo,he needs to start as he scares the crap out of teams,just ask messi.we’ll need him fit and firing against barça as they play a high line and he could be put through by cesc.when the chavs beat us 4-1 at home he looked electric in the first 20 minutes and we need that at the moment as we are looking very slow at the moment.
KT, i keep defending theo and i will until he gets a chance to play in his proper position, he’s a striker and not a winger, so many players get labelled as the next this, the next that but i honestly believe walcott will be the nearest we will ever get to an henry style of player…
wenger needs to start playing him, otherwise he will leave and then everyone will see just what a great player he can and will be… he is not just about pace he’s about quality of finish when he gets his chance, but right now, wenger and arsenal are on the road to ruining him…
Rico, my little bruised pipkin, I hope you are not too shaken up. But if you will chase the neighbour’s cat …. 🙂
Great Post. Is this the same Rico who, with Oliver, was so unsure of Arsenal’s chances against Barca yesterday? 🙂
re barca-for me it’s a win win situation-if we get stuffed the media,pundits & doom &gloomers have got what they expect-if we “win”the belief in the team could go through the roof who knows?remember,that their manager claimed that was the best 45 mins( in the first leg against us in last yrs cl)that they’d ever played(inc last months thrashing of maureens madrid!)i personally doubt they will ever hit that peak again & with a full side(need lady luck here)it could be a very diff two legs-in the 2nd leg,if i remember we had five first team players missing.ideally i’d like wenger to go out & get the add c/half & m/f ball winner we need,then as an optimist i beleive we’re ready!
KT,
Theo scaring the crap out of teams? he’s not that ugly surely! 🙂
In all fairness to Walcott he comes on and everybody judges him as a winger, i don’t understand that because he is not,he has shown the ability to score some really good goals and the pace he has could and would catch most defences Wenger is a stupid man to buy Chamakh befor playing Walcott in that position i am not knocking Chamakh but playing somebody like Walcott on the wing is a waste he is not the best crosser of the ball and on a burst through down the wing if he were to cross a good one there is never anyone there that can keep up with his pace, that’s why pace like his will work better going down the middle he has the ability to finish and as Rico has pointed out leave it to long and someone else will get the benefits
Steve, I have said on here many times before, that I really want Theo to show how good he is. So far he has been disappointing.
If he plays in the centre he must try and learn from Cesc. Calmness, weighing up the options and then moving into positions or passing the ball.
At the moment he is a bit head down, bull in a china shop and runs into defenders and loses the ball.
If he cracks it he could be wonderful, if not … he has got to go!
Hallo guys. What’s the weather in London? Is the game to be postponed? Liverpool nad Wigan are already off.
At 11.30am on Saturday, the match is still on, according to arsenal.com.
It is snowing really hard, just outside London.
Seen pictures of the Emirates on Sky TV a few minutes ago, and the snow was very heavy.
My guess? The game will be off!
Hi RA, i’m still unsure about Barca – i was just telling you what everyone else has said 😉 😉
king, too right, no-one honestly expects us to win, except my dinner guests last night and they are not even gooners 😆
steve, spot on, the lad is a striker not a winger, and RA, i’d hate to watch him ripping sides apart with him wearing a liverpool shirt…
Good point RA but in all honesty in all the time he has been with us i don’t remember him in any other position even for England surely its about time he was moved about to find the best position many right footed players have had a career on the left, why its taken this long amazes me and when supporters with your kind of knowledge of the game start to talk about him going, and we haven’t tried him properly yet
RA, if it’s off at least we won’t lose 😆 😳
steve, wenger has said he is going to move him into the striker role, just wish he’d get on and do it….
At least Stoke isn’t a newly promoted team Rico.. 🙂
😆 Gunnernet, we are going spank them today….
*********** Games Off **********
Let’s wait and see. I want to see Theo start. I would say Vela too, but i don’t see it happening for the latter one.
At least that gives TV and Cesc another week….
Shit!! Match postponed..
Rico,
I think the ground itself will be OK, but the police usually call it off on health and safety grounds, if the pavements etc become dangerous.
Steve, I know Theo has had a lot of injuries but he has been with us for several seasons now and just hasn’t been consistent. (Something you could say of so many of our young players)!
Hope he proves me wrong, but a club like ours has to be ruthless and move on if a player doesn’t perform.
And RVP too, Rico. Anyway, i am off as well.. See ya.
RA,
I thought that’s would be the case to be honest, mind you, the pitch looks white too, lets just hope the chavs and mancs play tomorrow and the freezing ground does us a few favours 😉
See you soon Gunner 🙂
RA be a shame to see him go and come back as a great central defender
Boo! Hello, everyone. rico, I hope you’re not too achey! 😉
While Fabianski has not done badly, there is something very commanding about Chesney. And I am looking forward to seeing more of him on goal.
Theo has to work on his positional awareness and crossing. I really do want him to do well for us; and hold out hope for improvement in that regard. 😛
As for Barca, there are chinks in that armor; we just have to find them. 🙂 And I seriously believe Arsenal would be the lesson in humility for those smugs sons of capital Bs. 😡
Boo to you agag :)I am 🙁
What I like is Cesc coming out really soon after the draw and giving Barca a bit of lip, about time too …
Oh no, rico! 🙁 That’s terrible. Tomorrow, you’ll be all black and blue and and soon after green and purple. 🙁
I am excited by the prospect of playing Barcelona, tbh. I think we will do better this time. Although that may not be much since the standards set by last year’s similar tie was… well, not very high. 😉
Shame about the game, I was looking forward to watching us show those thugs that this time, we will not be pushed around. 🙁
I am already agag, but i will survive 😆
I’m dissapointed too, I hoped we would play, the others get postponed and then they get a lot of fixtures to play all at once, while we rest well 🙂
Shocker that Steven Ireland wants out of Villa in January, Hollier has said he can go too…
Another fine player ruined by City….
Hollier = Houllier 🙂
Ouch. But that’s a good a reason as any to stay in bed and not do anything, rico. 🙂
I hope the mancs and chavs play… and both lose. 😀
Wasn’t Ireland linked to us at one point?? Well, it seems everyone has been linked to us at some point.
Oh, and good for Cesc; I hope time has given him some perspective and he knows better than to angle for a move away. There are some stainy persons there.
i’m ok really, just annoyed for falling…
he was agag, shows how big money can destroy clubs…. and players
Wenger’s post match interview will be great today.he will tell us that he was going to do something he has never done before and that we would all have been amazed to see his team selection.
chelsea game is also off.strictly no football.
rioco, at least no broken bones. 🙂
Hi, kelsey. Howdy?
I was hoping the chavs would play. We wait again for the chance to go top. 🙁
I meant ‘rico’, of course. Someone’s thinking of rioja, methinks. 😀
agag hello.you said something about going to the beach.where do you live. brighton 😉
at least we have strictly kelesy 🙂
Ireland was fantastic 2 seasons go.wouldn’t go amiss with us,even though he isn’t the most handsome chap in the world.
rioja agag, now theres a thought, bit early here though… 😉
we do rico. Pamela Stephenson had a daughter the same day as my wife and they had rooms next to each other in the portland.considering she is 61(a lot older than my missus) she has done really well,though I think Kara will win.
looks don’t matter kelsey, look at diaby 😉 but is he better than lansbury…
I’m hoping Matt will win Kelsey but i think the same as you… you little name dropper you 😉
hows your wife kelsey?
Ireland i mean, is he better than lansbury?
she’s sleeping rico but on the mend,thanks.
i thought ireland played really well then city splashed the cash and he was out of favour.scott parker would be a good buy.
kelsey, I live in SE Asia. This year it’s been strange, a hot December even by our hot standards.
I like Lansbury. Diaby, not so much. Ireland’s a bit flash in real life, but he was/is a good player. Maybe, we can buy him now. 🙂
gordon just made one of the best saves from bent 5 yards out,i have ever seen.incredible reflexes.
oh i see agag.I am in southern spain as you most probably knew.it’s actually raining here today,which is a novelty in itself.
i liked him too, but now he’s lost all confidence, johnson will be the next to follow him i think…
glad she’s on the mend kelsey…
rico,
just to let you know there maybe gremlins in wordpress.if i go to another site/page and then come back to hh, it gives me yesterday’s post. several times this has happened today.
http://jacksfootballopinion.wordpress.com/2010/12/17/why-arsenal-dont-have-to-worry/#comment-22
Good to hear about the wife, kelsey. 🙂 Spain looks beautiful in photos. Unfortunate about their NT though. Too many stains. 😉
It’s almost 10 pm here, rico. Perfect time for a glass. 🙂
how strange kelsey, hope it sorts itself out though as i sure as heck won’t know how too…. techy stuff and me don’t go together…
Arsenal Football Club is delighted to confirm that Japanese forward Ryo Miyaichi will be joining the Club in January 2011.
Everyone associated with the Club wishes Ryo, 18, well in the forthcoming All Japan High School Soccer Tournament, where he is representing Chukyodai Chuyko High School.
Of course we all knew about this, didn’t we 😉
😆 agag, have a glass for me please, i better wait a few hours yet 🙂
Ketch, did you know that if you sit in the gods at barca, a seat cost 9 euros about £7.50.
That’s vela’s days numbered then, what is it with wenger, how many strikers does he need to buy and how many kids…
we need defenders…
Consider it done, rico. 🙂
I hope Miyaichi cuts it at Arsenal. 🙂
i sat there once kelsey, didn’t cost me a penny, my friends had season tickets 🙂
Oh to have friends with season tickets. 🙂
that was a long time ago agag, i liked barca back then, now you wouldn’t catch me anywhere near their stadium…
the pick pocket capital of the world….barcelona.
kelsey, re your comment on craig gordon, i suggested we bought him once, i got afew choice replies 😉
What’s there to like about Barca, rico?
The city is pretty and back in the 80’s, i kind of followed the football club too due to fiends living there, but now…..
Nothing agag 😉
Hello ladies…
Hi KT
Where is everyone?
Hello, oh well 9 days until the next game which means 9 posts, not easy .
just watched Blackburn v WH. must say Scott Parker is wasted at WH.
I’ve been here KT, you dissapeared 😉
Kelsey, theres always something to find somewhere, trust me, i have to keep looking 😆
See, now you have all gone 😉
Night, rico! Be careful walking in the snow! 😉
Night agag, i will, i promise, you should be asleep by now 😉
I’m off for the day guys and gals, catch you all tomorrow…
Stay safe
Morning all, another nippy one here in the UK….
morning rico.
just to make you feel a bit better we have had 36 hours of thunder and lightning and intense rain storms and our street has become a river.
by the way that new japanese kid we have bought “the new henry” is just recovering from a broken leg.now i know why we bought him 😉
Morning kelsey, wow, thats a good old storm..
Why oh why are we bying a player who is already injured?
New one up