Morning all.
Lee Mason has paid the ultimate price for his massive error in last weekends fixture between Arsenal and Brentford. Left by mutual consent is the way this news has been reported but I don’t buy it, he’s been sacked in my opinion. Rightly so too if I’m right.
Man Utd have received two bids for the club according to reports. One from Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani and the other from Sir Jim Radcliffe, both of whom have a few pounds to their name. Still, if the powers that be are going to tighten the FFP rules, owners won’t be able to simply throw their money around. I know, pigs might fly one day.
Across the other side of Manchester, the FA have charged City with failing to control their players during Wednesday’s game at The Emirates. Don’t worry, Arsenal haven’t missed out. A statement from the FA read:
It’s alleged that both clubs failed to ensure their players conducted themselves in an orderly fashion, with Arsenal’s players surrounding the match official during the 56th minute, and Manchester City’s doing so during the 42nd and 64th minutes.
Arsenal play again today. Aston Villa away at 12.30. Yep, ridiculous really having played in the week but it is what it is and we’re not the only club to have a quick fixture turnaround I’m sure and we won’t be the last. Man City played last Sunday before making the trip to north London on Wednesday and Man Utd played in Spain on Thursday yet they too have to play in the early fixture tomorrow.
Aston Villa, Emi Martinez, Calum Chambers and Unai Emery. I’m dreading it already.
Villa used to be one of our bogey teams. I still remember them beating us on the opening day of a season gone by. Benteke I think it was who caused us problems. Big lumps up front often have. The last three meetings between the two clubs have ended with an Arsenal victory and boy do we need a fourth today. I don’t think it really matters how we get the three points, just get them and stop this little blip from becoming a real concern.
Villa conceded four goals in their last home game which was against Leicester City. Man City beat them 3-1 last weekend but as we know, a 3-1 defeat isn’t always a true reflection of how the losing team played.
Arsenal faced the best team in the league just a few days ago and for the majority of the first half, the home team was the better of the two. But, what’s missing is an end product. It’s easy to say defensive errors cost us dearly but even before Tomiyasu cocked up his back pass, we could have been ahead. We have to get back to being ruthless in front of goal. Stating the bleedin’ obvious, goals scored win games but if our guys don’t shoot, they won’t score. It’s a bit like playing out from the back really, there’s a time for an extra pass but not always is it right or beneficial as sometimes, just putting a boot through the ball is more successful.
Anyway, here’s the squad.
Arsenal XI: Ramsdale; Zinchenko, Saliba, Gabriel, White; Xhaka, Jorginho, Odegaard; Saka, Trossard, Nketiah
Subs: Turner, Tierney, Smith Rowe, Martinelli, Kiwior, Holding, Tomiyasu, Vieira, Nelson
COYG,S
I’m not surprised by Partey’s absence. Even if fit, I doubt he’d be in the mood to play after the news about Christian Atsu..
Morning fellow housers.
So our formation is going to be:
3 or 4 at the back
3 or 4 in midfield
But only 3 up front supported by any number of others!
This ain’t going to be no Partey! Still Jorginho done good the other night, so here’s hoping!
A win would silence so many critics a draw would not be the end of the world but a defeat would be disastrous.
No predictions I’m just living in hope. ( Hope also that Michael Owen is nowhere near a Bt microphone!
COYGs
Good morning Rico and all.
It’s a good thing we got Martinelli signed up to a long contract, he maybe feeling a little dejected after being dropped in favour of new boy Trossard.
Amen to that Owen comment Wavy. 😉
Morning Wavy, Cicero.
Rested I suspect re Martinelli, good decision I think. These players need a break a some stage.
Not a bad starting lineup, hopefully no wayward passing.
We have a referee from the south of England 😀
Good start then… Not!
Not the start we wanted 5 minutes in villa score
Well that’s a great start! One down after six minutes. Where the f**k was our defence?
What a strike Bukayo 😝
That’s some finish by Saka.
Great goal by Saka, Arteta needs to speak to Ramsdale about showing off, nearly cost us a goal
Oh ffs don’t we have anyone who can win a ball in a tackle?
Way too easy, what were our defence thinking
We’re poor..
We are way too slow on the counter attack
Gabriel and Ramsdale don’t release the ball quick enough imo.
I’ve gone from believing this is a blip to thinking we have problems..
We’re too slow all over the pitch Geoff, when we are trying to play out from the back there is little or no movement from our midfield and forwards, the same applies when we get throw-ins.
I think you’re right Rico. The lack of confidence is running right through the team now.
Everything which took us to the top of the PL has gone I think Adam.
Hi Rico, Partey’s absence should not be a reason for such a disjointed performance. This is as collective pathetic team performance bro.
I didn’t suggest it was Kyalo.
Leaving Saka on the pitch is a bit of a risk..
Another lovely strike..
Can someone please tell Eddie we’re the goal is
Omg! What a miss…
Trossard off for Martinelli, he has been pretty anonymous.
Stan fire up the jet, we need a striker
I wish this ref would stop Villa from time wasting
Jorginho, I think I might love you. 💕 😂
Mmm, offside?
Yes great header by villa’s keeper
Brilliant end to the game, just brilliant.
Now I breathe,
Wow, what a game, superb character and biggest karma for Martinelli!
What a comeback. Really dug in when it looked like they were shot.
Yep, I couldn’t see us coming back at 2-1 because the players looked down but boy, I was wrong. The Jorginho shot in off Martinez’s head was so funny.
Nice from Vieira too to set up Martinelli.
We needed that..
2 – 4? I didn’t see that coming!
Let’s hope Forest can do us favour and beat Man C,
Martinez for man of the match, after all he helped us win with 2 goals and a yellow card.😊😊😊😊
Hello Houser’s. The game was hard especially the first half, we turned it on in the second but the final ball was lacking. What a boost for Zinchenko’s confidence with the goal! Then Martinez gives us a parting gift. Couldn’t have ended better. Up gunners
Good result at Forest.
What a day, forest draw with Man C
Back at the top of the table by two points still with a game in hand.
Well it’s 4am in oz time to hit the sack, all that money that Chelsea spent and they got beat by South Hampton
Well done Forest, and Southampton 😂
>> biggest karma for Martinelli!
that of course should read ‘karma for Martinez’
I was over excited, but to be fair think phone changed it😃
So pleased for Jorginho as well, he’s been a better replacement for Partey straight off the bat than I think we could have dared hope for. I would like to see them pair together giving us a solid centre, and letting the flair players further forward do their stuff. Especially now ESR can come back, fingers crossed.
Bet Jorginho is happier with his move than Mudryk?
Poetic justice meted out for the over confident, time wasting, strutting peacock that was once one of our own. Too much success too much hubris. But to score what was effectively the winning goal for us made all his time wasting, from the sixth minute on was the slap in the face his ‘performance’ deserved. And to insult to comedy, he just couldn’t have made contact with ball more sweetly! And then to concede the fourth by dint of his greedy attempt to score at the for them but was absent from his post to defend his ‘ honour’ to allow Matinelli to score having the time to celebrate his goal 10 yards before he passed it into the enpty net, was generosity beyond the call of duty. What a shame for the goalie who aspires to be the ‘best in the world’
Oh dear what a pity, never mind.
Good win though my blood pressure definitely rose far further than it should, but the result was very satisfying.
We’ll done you Arsenal.
Ha ha Andrew, I bet he is. Partey and Jorginho together might be the closest we’ll ever get to Vieira and Petit. 😆
His post match interview was good, he looks so happy. Zinchenko too.
41 comments today which is really good too. Most it’s been in years. 😂
https://twitter.com/afcstuff/status/1626967995355484162?t=7HtW3rBrFEoWwbXr-CWUQA&s=19
Hi Rico.. I loved this 🤣 What a result, loved the smacked arse expression on Emi’s face (that was a hell of a header 🤣) Fantastic result – just the job and with City dropping points – perfect! Oh and let’s all laugh at the Chavs 😊
Hi Sue, almost the perfect day. I really don’t like Martinez these days.
Considering how we played for most of the game I still can’t believe we won 4-2 that just proved the point, you can never give up.
strong support for the Arsenal today in a bar in Catalonia . Norwegian , Swedish , Spanish , Danish and me . No- one wanted City to win the league .
No surprise there Potter, I doubt anyone other than City and Tottenham fans want City to win the League.
New post up now