I’ll do the titbits first and then on to Steve’s fine piece of motivation for the day.
The Sunday People report that Steve Rowley has been in action once again, this time he been watching African hot-shot Ederzito who plays for Academica in Portugal.The 6′ 2″ striker will be 24 years old this Thursday and his current contract expires in the summer. Apparently he has told others he is ready to move on, Porto are also interested in the player.
The Sunday Mirror link us to some kid from Derby, Will Hughes, mind you they link every top six PL club to him…..
Sunday’s Post
Morning Gooners,
Well would you believe it, Chelsea welcomed Manchester City to the Bridge last Monday and Chelsea high jacked them 2.1
City had old Arsenal boy Gael Clichy sent off and as a result he wont be facing us on Sunday – result!
Kolo Toure, another Arsenal old boy came on as a sub for City but there was no room on the pitch for their latest signing from us Samir Nasri – he didn’t even featured from the bench, maybe he was being saved for today.
Everything is falling into place for us and I couldn’t be happier!
I sat and watched that game and was mesmerised by some of the play I was watching, you could feel that both teams knew exactly how much this result meant to them.
For Chelsea, a win would have put them back in the hunt after dropping back to 5th place and for City was the dream of going a whole season without losing in the league. Citeh may have made light of this to the media but any football fan knew that it was immensely important to them and losing must have been a massive body blow. Shame eh….
Mancini tried for all his might to play the loss down in the after game talks to the media and although he didn’t convince me, he showed his gentleman side, he said that they now have to start again and try and get a run of 14 odd games unbeaten for the future.
We have to make sure that doesn’t happen.
As I said they face us at Wastelands today and they will be like a wounded animal. James Milner has even said that we will be made to pay for the result!
They will want to get back to winning ways straight away, Mancini wouldn’t have wanted to face us in his next game, as he knows that this match is going to be a battle.
Ok, City scored first blood in their game with us at Emirates in the Carling Cup but Mancini knows that he faced an under strength side that night, sure his team were also under strength but they had a very tough game there and they have just had another tough one against Chelsea.
They must be feeling vulnerable right now and its good time for us to play them, especially after their issues in the week.
We have played our way back into the title race, its taken us a while but we have got ourselves back at just the right time. You have heard many many times how this is one of those ‘can’t afford to lose games’, well todays fixture is so so important to us, points mean prizes and that is it in a nutshell.
It’s a must win game for us and the same for them but we need it more and we must go out there and want it more!
By the time we kick off at 4pm, City may be in second place and just the thought of losing their position at the top will heap the pressure on them even more, they will come out all guns blazing and we have to hold out and dampen their fire.
The first 20mins will be so important for us, we need to weather the storm and then start to turn the screws and grab ourselves a goal.
I don’t care who scores it, I don’t care how it finds the back of the net either but we must take control.
If City go behind, all that has gone on this week will come back in their minds, they will have to try harder and they will make mistakes.
We have to keep our composure and our professionalism and impose ourselves, we can do this but it won’t be easy. Team work will be imperative, we have to work hard, give our players an option all the time and close the opposition down.
Silva and Aguero must be marked out of this game but we must not stifle our own play.
Gervinho and Walcott must pressurise their fullbacks they must press and discourage them from pushing up the pitch, take control in the middle of the park and above all supply Van the Man up top.
Our back line whoever or however he fields them, will have to work as a unit, the slightest slip could spell disaster, we must keep them out and feed our midfield, do this and the 3 pts will be on the bus home with us.
Can we do it? We have to do it, we have come this far and we have to keep pushing.
We should not think about one point, we need them all!
So lets go and get them……..
COYG
Written by Steve Palmer
Morning all, good motivational post there Steve….
Dodgy Dowd is the referee today, he best be on the ball today, Yaya is a dirty git and he’ll be out to stop RvP anyway he can, so will a few other of the Citeh players…
I see a hard game today and wouldn’t be at all surprised to see a red card or two….
Everyone still under the duvet?? 😉
3 points Arsenal!
….or a punch or two.
Now wouldmt we like to see Na$ri’s faced smashed in??? 😆
Morning guys and chicks of the Gunners’ faith.
I have a feeling that Gervinho will come good this afternoon. He will score a couple. Maybe Theo will chip in as well.
Back from a 3-2 win this morning. Played in the rain. But it was enjoyable to win today.
Morning DG, i think you may be right…
-2 here 🙁
I worry with Dowd as ref, he still owes us for the Geordie game… grrrr
Off for a bit, laters….
Steve, your penultimate sentence sums up my view of the game perfectly. Just like shopping for shoes. Why settle for one pir when you can get three??? 😎
Boo!! Many probably overindulged last night. 😉
Hey, rico?? That sounds terrribrrrrily cold. 🙁
DG, I see you are having a productive day so far. 🙂
no no no. No Africans, Doesn’t Wenger realize we are looking for players thanks to Africans leaving for the ACN?
You do have to worry about the sanity of Wenger and the board
1.0 utd
Rooney after 53 secs of play
Being trying to get it outta ma mind about the importance of this game buh its gonna be very very hard for us! The key is ramsey and the wingers! Ramsey owes us a really good game and I hope this is it! Defence will be alright, like in the last match with them(whiich we lost! Fuck me!)
quote Steve
” Our back line whoever or however he fields them, will have to work as a unit ”
A great All Blacks coach once said ” A champion team will beat a team of champions
He’s right
We have not played our way back into the title race, not even Wenger has said that yet. We’re in contention for a top 4 spot.
Boo!! We need to be more clinical in front of goal, to be sure. And everyone has to defend!! The way the moneybags Mancs sprung out of the traps this season has been impressive and they have in no uncertain terms set the pace… but we have a good-ish record at Citeh and are the form side of the moment– so now is a s good a time as any to be facing them. 🙂 This has the makings of a cracker! Come on you reds!
Jekyll, were fifth place at roundabout the half way stage we came from 17th to forth in less than half of a season and you don’t think were in the race everybody is in the race and its in our hands to win it
Nonsense quote from Wenger
” Song, Ramsey and Arteta is a wonderful blend of styles as the midfield trio ”
you want one effective style that allows them to work as a team
girlgunner Hi
Here are some stats
The past six Premier League meetings between the two clubs at Manchester City have produced 21 goals, with three wins apiece.
City have not scored a league goal against Arsenal since a 4-2 loss at home in October 2009, when Emmanuel Adebayor scored against his old club.
Arsenal have won 10 of the 14 Premier League matches between the two clubs in Manchester.
Afternoon Gooners.
Afternoon Rico.
Hip hip hooray for StevieP.
Shittie will be uber nervous. So even if we go a goal behind as long as we stay calm we can upset them.
Their confidence is fragile. Mancini can feel thw swish of the axe close to his neck.
They have a team of expensive stars but how many of them are winners?
Hi Allezkev
Fingers crossed 😀
They all are AK, specially on them wages, but that counts for nothing. shitty are on a downer and its only gonna get worse
alan, to be fair to AW, that “blend of styles” at midfield has seen as make some headway into the Top 4. 🙂 Good stats.
Here are some more from sporting preview:
Arsenal have scored in the 88th minute in three of their last four Premier League trips to the Etihad Stadium.
Manchester City have taken 49 from a possible 51 points in their last 16 games at the Etihad Stadium and won the last 12 in a row. (oh no!!!)
Robin van Persie has scored 18 goals in his last 16 Premier League away appearances. (hope he scores more today!!!)
Boo, AK! Tomorrow you are a free man! 🙂
Shitty fans were all out early this morning doing their bit for charity in the rain with their plastic macs on nice touch, Ballatelli was waveing from his Lambourgini.
Alan, i don’t think we’ll win, Dowd will see to that, but a draw represents a great result to me.
The Shittie fans’ expectations have risen and they transfer that pressure onto their team.
At the CarlingCup tie they had most of the Clock End but didn’t make a peep until they scored.
That nervousness will affect theie team.
So as long as we stay cool, we will score and their arse will squeak…
Hey agag. I’m doing a bit of shopping today..
Going to Westfield. You would love it. Wall to wall shops.
Allezkev
we are in with a chance. If they get the basics right and Gervinho Hits his mark, like Robin, we may do it. If we can’t do that we are in trouble
Agag tomorrow i will do absolutely bugger all.
Well, er, i might visit the shops.
The sales have started….. 🙂
AK, niiiice. 😉 I shall bookmark that “Westfield” detail. Why only a “bit” though? Do a “lot”! 😀 I’m all done with mine. 😉
Afternoon guys and gals…
How’s things where you are agag, saw the news 🙁
2.0 utd
Manure 2-0 🙁
alan, I should imagine our boys are up for this! Three points is not an impossibility. As steve and AK have pointed out, Citeh’s run has lately been attended by the wobbles.
AK, I’m sure the missus would like you to bring her along. 🙂 😉
rico, a tropical depression swept through the countryside down south and the rains made landfall at night when people were asleep, hence, the body count 😥 I know for a fact that that place is mostly sunny, so this has come as a major surprise. 🙁 And it’s Christmas, too.
I wasn’t sure if it was near you agag, it’s awful, very very sad….
Hi agag
It will be interesting to see if City can bounce back after a loss. See what they are made of. Hopefully bugger all 😀
Good morning
Ederzito is from Académica- Coimbra. Is Arsenal interesting in him? Sure? I’m not believe in it.
I’m watching QPR.. now, the game is over 0-2.
Waiting for M.City-Arsenal.
Hi JM, according to reports Steve Rowley has been watching him and just the fact that he’s free in the summer, makes the story quite feasible 🙂
Maybe a Henry loan and then Ederzito in the summer, have you watched him much?
800 kilometers from where I live, rico. But just two weeks ago, a really good friend of mine was there white-water rafting and holidaying. It really is tragic.
Back in a bit.
Hi alan, steve was spot on in the post, the pressure is truly on Citeh as they are now back in 2nd, the in-house midweek fights and the first loss in the league last week – we won’t get a better time to play them and we really need to be at the top of our game…
🙁 agag……..
I’m back in a bit too – off to make chestnut stuffing 🙂
Hi Rico
being at the top of our game playing as a team is the only thing that will see us win. We have the talent, but all the parts of the machine must work together
re the red side of Manchester, Man U has only 4 foreigners in their squad today, what they usually have. All talking the same language and same culture
Man U still become stronger as the season progesses I think
Ederzito plays in a team 45 km away from where I live.
Academica plays versus Sporting today. I’m going to watch the game on tV. Anyway, I think he is commit to the next year to Porto.
Rico
Chestnut stuffing. That sounds very good indeed. I’ve never had it
good post steve
but i dont think we are looking at more than a draw today..
Just done a nightmare job.
Three Scandinavian Spuds to the Slum.
What a dirty, stinking cesspit Tottenham is!
All those putrid blue & white scarves. Made me want to vomit.
Come on Sunderland.
Where do you live, JM? I saw photos of my friend in Porto. Looked beautiful. 🙂
rico, yum. Marron is very Christmassy. 🙂 🙂
Ak, eeeek to the nth! 😀 Hello, JJ! Howdy? How’s the Little One?
howdy AGAG..hows you?
ohh shes fine…keeping me on my toes and getting giddy for xmas..
i read things havent been great over your end of the world..mother nature can be cruel sometimes 🙁
I bet she’s not so little anymore. 🙂 🙂
Very cruel indeed. 🙁
Alan
re; 1.08.
Gervinho needs to deliver a few more goals, ditto Theo.
We shouldn’t be sweating on RVP’s fitness every game.
Other’s in the team simply have to face up to their responsibilities in the goalscoring dept. Lata
🙂 no shes not so little..running around and talking now…bumping into things, breaking things..the usual drill..
spend ages trying to get them to walk and talk and as soon as they can you just want them to sit down and shut up..especially when the footys on 😉
but it dont matter how big she gets she’ll always be my little one..
bought her an arsenal kit as one of her many xmas pressies.. 🙂
Liverpool 2-0 and now on 29 points with Arsenal
😆 I see someone’s keeping you in line. 🙂 Good job on the kit, JJ. There is no time like the present getting her indoctrinated into the Arsenal fold. 😀
Not good results for us…
agag: close Coimbra in the cost 🙂
coast of course 🙂
and Fabregas score again. Now in Japan
Not good at all. Is that the final scoreline for Liverpoop? 🙁
JM, I looked Coimbra up. Very pretty too. I like those photos of the azulejos in Porto. 🙂
Where you watch the “azulejos” photos in Porto? From where are them from?
Coimbra is a student place Like Cambridge and Oxford.
I’m going to start watching Tots-sund.
No agag a while to go in Liverpool Villa game
How much Liverpool want for suarez?
I am not sure, JM. My friend was there and she showed them to me. If I remember right, a train station. Like toile de jouy walls. I thought they were lovely. 🙂
Alan, shame Villa wo’t do us a favor… We heven more to play for now.
Its somtin special, wen i feel this way. I av a strong conviction we are wining. Join me gunners wit the positivity.
Saurez is a good player
L’pool 10 shots on target Man U 11 shots on goal
Gunners have to take many shots at goal
Agag
Yes, Villa and QPR have made it more difficult for us
Wouldn’t it be nice if all four sides playing away won 2-0 today???
Szczesny, Djourou, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Vermaelen, Song, Arteta, Ramsey, Gervinho, Walcott, Van Persie.
Round the weekend off nicely DG!!!! 🙂
We missed out on Enrique!
aggag: it’s the S. Bento railway station (central raiway station in Porto). The station was built where it was a former convent and its colection of tiles, with several historical episodes, is considered national treasures.
Good read.ramsey must really step up today.he has been below par lately.
As a waste of money goes, Andy Carroll has to be the biggest waste.
Subs: almunia, Miquel, Frimpong,chamack, arswavin, benayoun
Villa, toothless without Agbonlahor
full time villa 0 Liverpool 2 .. half-time toots 0 sund 0
COME ON YOU GUNNERS
Let the victory begin.:-)
And so it begins………..
Boo…..
Welcome Upgunners….
Song needs to be very very careful!!!
Take song off now before he is sent off.
totts have gone 1-0 up 🙁
How nervous does our team look? Yikes.
Hart is lucky…
Twice
Walcott is awful.. nothing but awful.
So easily dispossessed, ESP. 🙁 Come on Theo!!!
chesney saves!!!
What a good save!!!!!
hey Lee, was having a worry that you hadn’t got home after your christmas party…. 😉
lets not batter the boys yet guys…. 🙁
great defending by kos and gerv…
The commentators are speaking non stop about how great Citeh are. Even during the passage of play when we were the better team. Ha ha. Typical
I’m ok, only just been able to have a beer…… Must be getting old! 😉
Should be 1 up!!!
I just bet you if it were us with the better possession, they would be moaning about our pointless tippy tappy.
Rambo! Darn.
any links for live chat????
Ah right, so Song deserved his booking, but Barry didn’t?
Now if Theo would wake up, it would be soooo much better for us. As it is, Citeh are not looking as zippy and bright as they did in the first 15 mins. of the match.
We defend well and put bodies on the line, and the commentator says we are desperate. Ha ha.
Chesney again!!
Come on Gunners……..Unleash Hell!!!!!!
Walcott is not in the game…..
Surely that’s a foul??
How biast is this asshole?
Walcot has to find a way around Zabaleta. This City defense will tire… Already they look vulnerable on the counter.
I am enjoying the look of frustration on Citeh players’ faces.
The spuddies won by a goal??? 🙁
Nicklas Bendtner had the best chance of a equaliser after a sharp one-two with Stephane Sessegnon….
,,,,,some things never change do they. It wasn’t as if he was playing the mighty Barca was he??? He was playing against the scum. Or does he want to make sure that Arsenal do not finish above the totts, the slimy big oaf???
First half over safely, now we need to impose ourselves Gerve and Theo pull your fingers out streatch them down those wings and push em back
Lee – thats funny – you are a mere whipper snapper 😉
First half we had better possession, more shots on goal, more corners and the commentators still say that Shitty are better. Wouldn’t I love to smash a fist in their faces. Anyone wants to join???
Second half will be Theo’s 🙂
Walcott must appear and play more…
Why not Coquelin on he pitch or even at the bench?
…because Coquelin will not scare Na$ri. Frimps is on the bench. He has more of a powerful hold on Na$ri.
You name the player Dg, i’ll join you…..
Me, me, me! I’ll join you, DG!!! Let me put on some rings with rocks first!
@ rico!thanks. I say Arsenal wins!!!:-)
…its not the players I meant Rico and Agag. Although I would not mind if it was Na$ or Balotelli. Its the commentators I meant.
…in which case I can drag the missus with me. She’ll beat the shit out of them.
Who is the second commentator? He is wrecking my head..
Who gives Gary neville a job???!
I meant the commenttors s well. I think we are working very hard. I appreciate that.
Should be off
gutless dowd! barry should be off!
I become more convinced by the match that the press want us to lose.
clowns
Awwwww 🙁
More of that, Theo!!!
RVP not offside, what the fuck is going on here.
RVP was onside….kept by Richards
Dowd is such a biased twat!!
The decisions have been a joke
THe commentator is desperate for Aguero to score. Hilarious!!!
Why can’t we defend? How much of a circus does it have to become??
“Great courge from Kompany”
“He’s (Nasri’s) so unselfish…”
Whaaaaaat?
Songinho is loosing his head
Quick everyone PANIC!!!
The linesman’s a fucking joke too…..
Song and Miquel need to calm down.
Theo, come on!
Theo loves blind alleys, doesn’t he?? 🙁
AA, come on! You love big matches!! This game has your name written on it!
Arshavin is s**t!! Just one ball across the area and he passes to Hart!!
The clock is ticking, come on!
Arteta’sgotta be careful….
AA??? I never liked the guy nor the player Rico. 18million??? Yes 18 fu***ng million for a waste of space.
come on boys, we can get a goal….
Handball
Arteta and Son Lee…
PENALTY!!
AA – 18M, i thought it was 13M DG… either way, waste of bloody money….
Ramsey and his stupid flicks
That’s a penalty!
Merts is finished!!
And then Richards feigned an injury… Pffft
Arteta has been immense today imho 😉
I’m really sorry “The laws of the game have to me applied” Why is Barry on the pitch so?!
Chamakh….fucking hell!!
Oh, here comes Chamakh, guess that means we’ll nab an equaliser then 😉
Arshavin is sooooooo disappointing. Come on Chamakh!!!
Could ask the same about Song and Arteta Esp….
More importantly squillaci in contention FFS!!!
Maybe on the 88th minute…
Jeez, if Squilli comes on, we know it’s Christmas….. !!
We deserve a point!
Aguero should be off too!
I’m worried if there’s anything long term with PM…
Like i say, Arshavin is S***T!
Should have been Benayoun not AA.
He is shot Lee, I think its hamstring or ligaments…..
We do, rico. Robin has been isolated though…
What happened with Merte??? I did not see the incident???
Agree there Dg
What a shot by TV…. Come on, 4 mins….
Come on!!!
you dickhead AA. You should have aimed at the 2nd post
Blame the 4-3-3 agag, it’s not right for us!
He pulled up badly Dg, and he’s still on the pitch, it will only get worse….
TV – bollox to buying a striker, lets get another centre half and play the guy up front!
Manchester City have named Samir Nasri as man of the match over the stadium PA.
If this had gone on for bit more, we would’ve scored!!!
We played well today. we should not be ashamed of anything.
We will never win anything with players like Walcott, Ramsey and Gervinho being starters, people can defend them all you like, but they bring nothing to the team. We’ll also never win anything with chumps like Arshavin on the bench, Spurs have us i think.
We did give a good account of ourselves. And were on the fudged end of poor refereeing and fuck that linesman.
ESP, you just don’t like them. You never think Ramsey does anything good. Ramsey had some good chances, I thought he played okay. And too bad for you, we’re keeping them. This is the team we have. 😉 😉
This team isn’t good enough, I guess you’re more than happy with that, I didn’t know we got points for giving a good account of ourselves.
You’re right, I don’t like them, they aren’t good enough to play for Arsenal. City aren’t as good as they should be, and if we had some more QUALITY players we could be up there, but we don’t, and we’re exactly where we deserve to be in the league,
AG could you explain to me what those players I mentioned bring to the team? Ramsey especially.
The player of the match, for me, was Zabaleta.
I’m proud of the team. we prove we haven’t afraid of any team. Unfortunatelly, we have any strong solution on the bench for changing the role of the game. Was a superb game.
The mean difference is City has players who haven’t afraid to shoot inside or outside the area, and we have.
The goal born of a terrible gap on the right side probably because our defense haven’t be concentrate and don’t understand the new positions.
However, the title is gone. No more dreams.It was absoluteley necessaru have more then 30 point now.
I disagree ESP, they are really good players and on another day they would have had more success….
BUT, the difference for me is having players on the bench who can do something to change the game….
Had we had that, who knows….
RvP was of his game today too, many were imho….
Ramsey’s cute. 😉 You sound like those commentators, ESP. 🙂 🙂
It is not as if we went there with no ambition, ESP. Give credit where it is due. It is not as if we were generally a shambles or the game ended with us ten goals down.
Great game, boys played well, we couldn’t finish chances which we all know that we have always had problems with, I am afraid Theo was inafective today Gervinho i am sure will get better but also inafective, Arshavin should be replaced waste of time the same as Chamakh. Resting RVP has brought an end to his prolific goalscoreing, now you can rest him.
Look we are so close to being a great team, and we’ve been waiting for the last 6-7 years to be a great team, but the money won’t be spent, instead of buying known quality players, we are buying bargin bin players and its showing.
To have Ramsey walk around the field, we have to sacrifice a striker which we need badly.
I served with Cesc Fabregas, I knew Cesc Fabregas, Cesc Fabregas was a friend of mine. Ramsey, you’re no Cesc Fabregas.
we played well today..
theo was piss poor but theres no shame in the overall display..
we keep playing like that over xmas and we’ll have another good run..
still need a couple of players in jan though
Great stuff from the lad…even a few chavs and pool fans applauded our spirited performance. Am so proud of the lads. Kozzer arteta song and BFF were immense. ESP calm down mate we lost yes but would you rather have this team or the previous years. Somebody put dowd out of his misery. I physically hate that coont…what a turd.
I would say that the defence was pretty good today, they had some blinding players up front against them, and we played them well, but it has to be said that the lack of two natural full backs was a big loss for us , i felt they covered one another well, unlike our forward players, they were left to their own devices and they were really not up to it on the day.
I’m off for the day guys, catch you all tomorrow….
🙁
Nte rico and thank you.
gd night Rico.
Djourou was injury?
The commentator seems to have said so. That means that now we only have 3 fit defenders….Lozzer, Verminator and Miguel. Yiiiikeeessssss
ok…I’m disappoint with the score but if were playing like today in all games before, we haven’t now only 29 points
Worst commentary i’ve heard in a long time, those commentators must be shitie fans, had to mute my tv @ a point. Still we played well.
Djourou is out for 21 days. AW has the some opinion then I.
Ederzito scores now !
Unfortunate result but the boys done good, as many of you say the difference is a squad with proper depth…..same thing we’ve been saying for years…..how much longer will Wenger take to admit Chamach is not good enough…? Zero on the bench!!!
Ps today Nasri officially took the place of Ashley C*nt as the ex-player I hare the most
Just seen the highlights on MotD.
Arsenal deserved a draw. Our lads shouldn’t feel down.
The officials ensured that Shittie won.
It’s the same old story with the referee & linesmen.
But it’s gone. And now Aston Villa is the biggest game of the season so far to date.
So many times in recent years, a defeat in a big game has often led to a bad run.
Fortunately we have a strong mentality running through this team/squad and now they have to do what Shittie did after a defeat. Bounce straight back.
I was asleep and missed the whole thing. just woke up to the bad newsj
AW must do some shopping by the sounds of it
We shouldn’t over~react to this result.
Arsenal never deserved to lose.
But yes Alan, Gazides need to get his finger out of his arse and do some business this January. But that was the case even if we’d won today.
Our poor start to the season is down to the poor work done by Gazides in the summer. Crucial points were dropped while he piss~balled about.
And now the team is trying to make up for those lost points but it’s unlikely that they’ll manage it thanks to the poor summer transfer window!
We did well, but we need change, and we need it soon.
New Post up…