Morning all.
One more sleep and I’m so glad I have a chimney for the big fella to ease his way down. It’s funny how Christmas changes for many of us as we go through the years. As a child, it was about games and toys, teenage years was a bicycle and then it was pretty much a “choose your own” time. Now though, I don’t really bother with presents as the days of waiting for a birthday or Christmas to be gifted that special item, we seem to buy it as soon as the idea pops into our head. Within reason I hasten to add. The true meaning of Christmas though has never changed and never will. No matter what anyone tries to tell me, Happy Christmas will never become Happy Holiday. Or anything else for that matter.
Arseblog have a full transcript of the interview Mikel Arteta held with Jamie Carragher. He’s been manager at Arsenal for three years now and it’s this season when things appear to be falling into place. Mikel’s interview is good in my opinion.
It seems like only yesterday I was writing about the looming World Cup and whether or not our players would all return as fit as they left Arsenal. Gabriel Jesus didn’t, we know that, just as we know Takehiro Tomiyasu isn’t 100% and it’s frustrating for the player, the manager and the fans. Kieran Tierney, Emile Smith Rowe, Thomas Partey and Oleksandr Zinchenko seem to be prone to injury as well and that’s a worry for the rest of the season. We’re in such a good position right now, it’d be horrid if injury derailed our season. it certainly won’t be because of disharmony in the dressing room:
We have such a great group of people. We have this feeling of togetherness. What I’ve seen in the past, if you have the right attitude and the right behaviour on and off the pitch, you can’t be tired physically. You can be only tired in the head – everything is coming from your head. If you do all the things right in your routine – your sleep, your food, look after yourself well -and you do everything to prepare your body fresh. If you do everything right, you can’t be tired physically.
The first big test sits on the shoulders of Eddie Nketiah. All eyes will be on him to see if he can fill the gaping hole the absence of Gabriel Jesus has created. He’s drawn a blank in the last two friendly fixtures but then so has every other player. I think the club will sign a player, maybe even two in January but before then, we need to overcome a West Ham team desperate to climb the table. Being at home, playing in front of 55,000 odd fans will hopefully help this Arsenal team to restart the season with a victory.
So we’re having to play catch-up with Totts, Newcastle Utd, Liverpool and Brighton all playing before us but it is what it is. I just hope there are enough trains to get fans to the stadium and safely home again. Chelsea and Man Utd play on Tuesday with Man City in action on Thursday.
Have a great Christmas Eve guys, just be safe….
Merry Christmas and a safe new year all
Merry Christmas and an Happy New Year.
Good morning all.
Christmas eh? My wife and I have sorted our presents to each other, ten days of warm sunshine and relaxation at a five star resort in Sharm el sheikh. All inclusive, flights,
a beach front superior room all for less than £500 each. Roll on January 13th.
Happy Christmas one and all. Feliz Natal JM.
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Morning all
Don’t comment very often but always read, thanks for all your hard work Rico.
Merry Christmas and happy new year to everyone.
Thanks Anon, shame you’ve not left your name.
Happy Christmas one and all. Let’s hope it’s a great one for The Arsenal followed by a fantastic 2023.
Anon should have been Mog don’t know why it didn’t come up.
Merry Christmas one and all. I hope Santa calls to say hello in his red and white home kit gear🎅 And leaves 3points for every remaining game!
That’s WordPress Mog. 😂
Amen to that Wavy..
Morning Rico and the House
Merry Christmas and a happy new year to all gooners
and most of all to the Lady of the house.
Many thanks for all your hard work.
Must be a Norfolk thing , our presents are our flights to Carnaval in February .
I worry that Beth Mead is going to get swallowed by the media , she is getting so much exposure that I can see a Raducanu comparison, today she is the picture girl on the front page of the Times and from the club’s point of view it is time to rein it back in before Raducanu’s drop in form is paralleled. She is first and foremost a football player not an icon for Women’s equality.
Like everyone else I would like a nice new shiny player to add to the squad either permanent or on loan but somehow I just can’t bring myself to believe that it’s going to happen unless a key player gets an injury in which case the trolley dash will begin.Mikel is talking up Nketiah and if Smith-Rowe is close to a return then buying in another forward minded player will leave an unhappy person sitting in the heated Recaro seats.
Anyway that’s all to come . First we have to get the Christmas thing out of the way and try to stay sober enough to watch the Boxing day fixture .
Don’t eat too much , take it easy and relax and enjoy.
Morning Rick, Happy Christmas to you and yours too…
Potter, I think Mead has her feet on the ground and a wise head on young shoulders. Plus she has an experienced player in her private life to lean on..
Not good news! We have three full backs and one centre back doubtful for Boxing Day. Zinchenko, Tomiyasu,Tierney and Saliba. Obviously Ben White will be at right back and Holding can deputise for Saliba, that leaves only Cedric to move across to the left back position.
Both Zinchenko and Tierney are worryingly prone to injury, so the prospect of a serious January bid coming in from Fulham for Cedric could cause severe problems in defence.
Is that definite Cicero? I wouldn’t be surprised to see Saliba in the team.
I believe that Saliba only joined up with the squad today, Rico. Arteta said he will assess his readiness to play when he arrives.
Well he hasn’t played much so should be desperate to get out there Cicero. According to the Beeb, ESR is close to a return and both Tomiyasu and Zinchenko are fit.
I hope that is the case Rico, now I must get to sleep or Santa won’t come. 😉
Good night all. 😴
Merry Xmas all a beautiful day OZ at 11:30am it’s 29 decrees and heading up to 33 degrees
Merry Christmas Rico and the House….
Don’t get me started on ‘Happy bleeding Holidays…. 🤪
Hmm it’s 4 degrees, cloudy and there’s still two hours to sunrise here Geoff.
Happy Christmas everybody, have a good one, but Happy New Year is more important for Arsenal fans, second place would be great as far as I’m concerned.
Top four would be fine for me Andrew, anything better would be a bonus.
New post up now
Merry Christmas to you too Kev..