Two out and three back for Sunday…..

So then what we all feared has come true, Captain Cesc and Theo are out for Sunday and someone needs to take their place. Suggestion is that Cesc has 48 hours to beg Wenger to change his mind and let him play, so we may yet see a turn around.

Will it be our season??

You know what it’s like, players go off the boil, they can’t play an accurate pass, can’t hit a barn door when it’s right in front of them and their body language just suggests that all is very wrong in their footballing world and subsequently some fans….

Recently though, two of our strugglers have got themselves on the score sheet, one won us a very important game against Barcelona and the other made sure we didn’t go out of the FA Cup.

Both Tomas Rosicky and Andrey Arshavin are class players and on a day when all things click for them they are quite capable of causing any side real problems.

I remember when the news broke about Tomas Rosicky having been allowed to leave the Czech camp in order to take part with a medical with us. I bet I wasn’t alone in feeling pretty chuffed that this guy wanted to play for us… A Czech international!

He’s had a tough time over the last few years and you don’t need me to tell you all about that but finally against Leyton Orient he broke what felt like a ten-year duck and scored a goal…… And with his head!

Tomas Rosicky hopes that this will get him back on the goals trail in the closing weeks of the season.

It’s true, we don’t see too many of those! It was a good cross from Nicklas and I just had to aim the ball towards the far corner across the goalkeeper.

Fortunately it worked out and it’s a relief to score. It’s true when people say that it can do big things for your confidence, so I just hope I can carry on now. Scoring for the Czech Republic was important too, so hopefully this is all a bit of a turnaround for me.

We all have to be patient, everyone wants to play, of course, but that’s why this team is so successful in all competitions – because we have a good squad with a lot of decent options for the manager to use.

We are the only team still in all four competitions and that’s because we have so many good players. Speaking personally, I had a difficult period when I was sick for a while and it always takes time to come back. I’m feeling better again now, and sharper, so I hope to keep performing well and want to make the best contribution I can.

On Sunday…

It’ll be important for the whole team, remember there are a lot of young guys here that haven’t won a major trophy before so it could be a very big boost for everyone – I think that beating Birmingham could lead to more success, it’d be a huge step for the future. Once you’ve tasted how great it is to win something it makes you even hungrier for more, so it’s a vital game for us on Sunday.

The second player is our little Russian, Andrey Arshavin – his strike against Barca was just awesome and after a flow of football that some teams can only dream of being able to play. He’s also been on the end of a few fans criticism and I have to put my hands up, I was one of them.

Arshavin admits that things haven’t been good for him and he partially blames the wonderful British media for that.

I think it was a combination, my form and the media chased me a little bit as well, normally everyone expects something more from me and that is good to hear, because only from good players does someone expects something.

It’s a normal situation for a big club to have competition for places. I don’t do anything against both of them [Nasri and Theo Walcott], I just try to be in my best form.

We must be together, focused on every single game and hopefully we can sort one of the titles this month. Then only three titles will be left.

I don’t think it will get easier though because we still have to play Barcelona away and the end of the season is always much tougher than games in the middle or at the start.

If ever there was a perfect time for these two wonderful players to regain their form, it’s at Wembley and on Sunday….

Oh, the third, well that’s Diaby – he has served his ban and IS fit but I can’t see him starting this final but that’s good news for the Leyton Orient game.

Just what is it about us and injuries……

Have a good day all, it’s getting nearer…..

184 thoughts on “Two out and three back for Sunday…..

  1. rico says:

    no Lee, it doesn’t but someone needs to step up to the plate on sunday – and no doubt most of the games he didn’t play in, neither did RvP…

    But, RvP plays so, he will captain the side….

  2. rico says:

    We need a few to step up but i think rvp will lead the way, we missed him against stoke – had he been on the pitch after cesc went off i don’t think we would have dipped…

  3. rico says:

    Sky Sports are focusing everything on B’ham, no great surprise there eh….

    Thanks KT, couldn’t think of a better day for them to shine, cup final at wembley….

  4. K-TR7 says:

    I wasn’t able to comment yesterday rico but i’ve read the post and all comments.it was a good read from oliver.

  5. K-TR7 says:

    If there was anything we learnt from the stoke game is that nasri is no cesc replacement.i have always maintained nasri is more of a virtuoso player while cesc is the orchestrator linking up play.nasri’s dribbling is wasted when played in cesc’s role.jack can play there but no need to change his current role.AA is a virtuoso player and doesn’t have the engine to play cesc’s role.diaby’s ideal role is there but he is coming back from injury and has the tendency to dally on the ball.rosicky has all the qualities to play there:workrate,link up and passing to keep us ticking but he has at times looked lost out there.who will Aw play?

  6. W.A.T.H says:

    Rico, those stats are a bit false because of course we will miss him BUT we have improved a lot when he isnt around, show me stats of games that Liverpool lose without Gerrard.????? The media bullshit at full tilt cos we missing our captain and arguably our best player yes he will be missed but doesnt mean we are no good or don’t have quality to replace him because we do so ignore their spin its typical anti-Arsenal crap as usual.

  7. allezkev says:

    Morning Rico, great post, maybe Chamakh has been saving up something special for the final..? Arshavin has really upped his level recently, it’s great to see as he’s a superb player when on form

  8. Steve Palmer says:

    Morning all,
    An aprehensive post rico, but should turn out ok, we should have enough in the locker to put the brummies to one side, shame about the guys missing, but injuries come, and its always at the wrong time, i would like to see the guys pushing porwards more as i felt they sat back after Cesc went off against Stoke, we need to enforce ourselves more. Hopfully Van the man will demand more service than the guys produced Wednesday, i felt that after Cesc went the players started to think about the final and didnt want a knock and miss it, i wasnt that impressed with the effort,but they got the three pts and thats what matters.

  9. K-TR7 says:

    Anyone seen Cameron Jerome’s comments?he is saying we have a weak defense and that they’ll target our GK.he has also said they’ll play physical against us…i wonder if he’s watched us all year.if he had he’ll know that all of the above is pure fallacy.

  10. K-TR7 says:

    Rvp must be relishing the chance to lead us out to victory.i feel sad for cesc as he may have to accept his medal in a suit.he doesn’t deserve that.

  11. rico says:

    hi kev, thanks – the four goal machine would do for us on sunday – wouldn’t that be something… then chamkah to come on a break his duck too…

    Hi Steve – i think they were thinking about sunday too but also thinking about how to avoid an injury… stoke didn’t exactly go gentle on them… They’ve waited so long to get to a final and cesc going off made them think a bit…

  12. allezkev says:

    Morning SP & KTR7, yeah Cameron Jerome, a tatical genius, bet Wenger is terrified. RVP will give the midfield more options through his intelligent movement, Bendtner is more static.

  13. rico says:

    KT, let that twurp hold on to that belief, his comments will fire up Kos and JD and especially Chesney…

    weaker defence without them yes, but weak with them, sagna and clichy…

    Never….

  14. adrian says:

    If arsenal avoid complacency and do battle with Brum, they can overcome them on sunday. It wont necessarily be very pretty at first, but Brum are not barcelona and their defence is not as good it was. The physical and ariel battle will be crucial and arsenal’s class will be the decisive weapon.

  15. rico says:

    At least Cesc will play a part in the rest of our season, the saddest has to be Pires, on fire, scoring for fun and making defenders look silly – then snap, ligaments gone and out for the rest of the season…..

    he had to get his winners medal in a suit and on crutches 🙁

  16. rico says:

    hi adrian – i don’t think we will see complacency in this game – its been too long a wait to get within a sniff of silverware…

  17. W.A.T.H says:

    The stats are for the media hype Rico to big up the game and to show Brum can win, utter twaddle Brum can win with or without Cesc playing its all about us not them simple as that. I never take notice of the media but plenty others do !. Morning AKev, us against the rest has always worked for me…! fcuk the media.

  18. rico says:

    I can’t disagree with that WATH, if our starting eleven come out of the blocks and play like we know they can we will win, but if they are sluggish, disinterested etc then that will open the brum door…

    i still think cesc will play though 😉

  19. rico says:

    talking of games, barca have got in a real strop over us signing this new kid – so much so they are going after cesc in the summer…

    ZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

    They will go after cesc anyway, 200 Million and maybe wenger should think about it 🙂

  20. K-TR7 says:

    Hi allezkev/WATH.When the media started the media had this to say about us:’Drogba’s b**ch’ ‘Big game bottlers’ ‘No plan B’ ‘Can’t cope physically’ ‘Weak defence and GK’ ‘No winning mentality after 5 years without a trophy’…7 months later we have proved all but the last one to be pure BS.on Sunday we’ll shove the last one down their throats in style.

  21. W.A.T.H says:

    barca are such a 2 faced bunch of slimey twats…. They sign up young players from all over the world and when it gets done to them throw their toys out the cot and this is the saem shower of shit who used the media and their players to destabilise contracted players at other clubs…! they are laughable…! Now to just knock the tossers out the CL…!

  22. W.A.T.H says:

    If u listen to the media KT you’ll be pissed off 24/7 they never have anything decent to say about us its always a negative spin on everything.

  23. allezkev says:

    Read something on Young Guns about Barca taking about 7 or 8 of their 1st teamers from other smaller Spanish clubs, as teenagers, just like everyone else, total hypocrits, i just hate them.

  24. allezkev says:

    KT, get all your info off of here mate, stuff the media, you don’t need them, you can even get your footie off the net, the media are redundent.

  25. rico says:

    Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger revealed this evening that captain Cesc Fabregas would miss the Carling Cup final after limping off against Stoke in mid-week.

    Wenger said: “It is a very small injury, but certainly Cesc will be out for Sunday. For how long [beyond that] I don’t know but definitely for Sunday.

    “He is disappointed. We all feel sorry and sad for him. The only way we help him now is to win the Carling Cup, as he contributed a lot in this competition.”

    However, Fabregas’ personal trainer, Juan Ferrando, has indicated that the midfield maestro is fit to play despite what the Gunners boss has said.

    Ferrando claims: “If the scanner confirms what we hope, Cesc can play in the Nou Camp on March 8 without problems, no doubt.

    “We are optimistic after tests this morning. Cesc asked for the change (against Stoke) as a precaution. He noticed a strange feeling but it stopped.

    “Cesc could play this weekend.”

  26. allezkev says:

    Cesc does have a bit of a history with his hamstrings, maybe AW is ppotecting him from himself with so many key EPL & CL games in the pipeline?

  27. rico says:

    i don’t know how much truth is in athat though kev, if there is 1% doubt then he shouldn’t play, not at this stage of the season. as said before by a few, we should have enough to beat b’ham without cesc

  28. allezkev says:

    Could be a good summer for us Rico, Miyaichi, Botelho, Galindo maybe, Wenger has a few interesting new faces up his sleeve.

  29. allezkev says:

    Agree totally Rico, we all want to win so much this weekend, it hurts, but we have bigger fish to fry and i’m really optimistic about this being a memorable season. As you said about Pires, yeah, we want Cesc lifting silverware in May, and not on a tracksuit…

  30. K-TR7 says:

    Wellington silva has been misbehaving in Spain.he is believing in his own hype and eating pizzas.he has angered the levante boss by also showing poor attitude in training.bad start by him

  31. allezkev says:

    Rico, i have to go, off to Canterbury for some shopping [maybe i’ll offer up a prayer for Sunday]. See all you Gooners later.

  32. W.A.T.H says:

    Boyo Botelho thats funny….. 😉

    Am sure Cec won’t need reminding a proper tear on that hammie and he’s out til April ! again its just the media stirring things up to make it all dramatic..!.

    Right, whos for a game of tiddly winks then ??? 😛

  33. rico says:

    KT – i read that about Wellington, i reckon thats more to do with being peed off than just a bad attitude, so would i be knowing i had been given the green light to play for us and then have it taken away at the last minute….

  34. K-TR7 says:

    Apparently vermy may make the bench for barca and he’ll make his comeback in the next game.it is thought he may be involved in next week’s reserve game against west ham but if he doesn’t a closed door match will be arranged.

  35. W.A.T.H says:

    See KT you didnt need Cryuff to tell you, you only had to listen to me 😉

    Seeing is believing when it comes to TV playing again…!

  36. rico says:

    he was meant to play in the last ‘closed door’ game KT but suffered a set-back, i think i’ll believe his return when it happens…

    However, if all goes to plan, perfect timing tohave him available for the tough end…

    Mind you, right now I would not break up Kos and JD, not even for him….

  37. Will says:

    Have you ever woken upp thinking it is all going to go wrong?

    I guess this is the price I pay for watching The Arsenal for over 30 years.

  38. W.A.T.H says:

    I wake up all the time thinking its gonna go wrong then I realise I’m still asleep 😉

    The last 20yrs have been pretty good Will so ur only excused the first ten 😉

  39. Will says:

    I just hope there is not too much pressure on the boys and they can play their natural game.

    I did see that Thomas quote about being physical with us. It disgusts me that teams actually tell the FA and the refs they are going to kick us and they still do nothing about it.

  40. Will says:

    Rico, it just the fact these teams and player come out and say they are going to kick us.

    can you imagine a thief saying to the judge, next week I will be robbing these homes?

  41. rico says:

    Ferdinand is out of the next few games for the mancs… hope the chavs benefit from that altough Smalling is proving himself to be a good signing….

  42. W.A.T.H says:

    I think we will be fine Will most have already played at Wembley and the pressure thing is yet again media generated, they wanna win for themselves as well as the club n fans not cos the media goes on abt 5 yrs no trophy, I been when its been a lot longer than 5yrs !!

  43. rico says:

    Will,

    all eyes will be on Dean, if Brum starting putting the kicks in, he’ll want to get it right no matter how much he dislikes us….

  44. rico says:

    Theo likely to miss the Barca tie, that’s annoying, he may not be playing as well as he can but his pace scares barca….

    fingers crossed on that one…

  45. rico says:

    I think it probably cheeses evry player off Will, you want your captain in a final but Robin’s the man now, he has to lead from the front,….. literally ..

  46. W.A.T.H says:

    RVP will def lead front the front Rico 😉

    He will gee people up as well, can see him having a blinder and with all the goals he scoring none have been rockets either I think about time he scored a rocket !! 😉

  47. rico says:

    Feyenoord defender Stefan De Vrij is being tracked by Arsenal.
    The ‘Young Guns’ website reports Arsenal chief scout Steve Rowley was in Holland to see Feyenoord’s 2-2 draw with ADO Den Haag.
    Rowley was there primarily to check on the form of Ryo Miyaichi.
    But Studio Voetbal says he was also making checks on 19-year-old De Vrij, who is rated as one of the best young prospects in Holland.
    A move to Arsenal in the summer is mooted for De Vrij for around €3.5 million

  48. K-TR7 says:

    Rosicky is probably the closest thing to cesc but he has been poor in the final third.we need someone who will feed balls to rvp quickly making us direct.Aw has to decide who.

  49. rico says:

    ‘ready sorted’ Will 🙂 and you really have got that right….

    one day he will have to come good KT, maybe sunday….

  50. allezkev says:

    “Only the people who want to stay, should stay. We wish him all the best”, Pep Guardiola commenting on Jon Miquel Toral Harper’s decision to join Arsenal this summer [rumour is he’s signed already]. His Mum comes from Darlington and he has a British passport. Hiya Rico.

  51. allezkev says:

    Not sure about the visa situation on Wellington or Miyaichi. I did hear that it’s easier to get a visa if you are Japanese, so maybe Ryo will be ok this summer, hope so…

  52. allezkev says:

    There was a rumour, a few months ago, that Arsenal might approach Guardiola as the eventual successor to Wenger. We could do a lot worse…

  53. K-TR7 says:

    Barca have just signed a 7 year old…and they call us immoral.they behave as if they are on a higher moral ground but they are worse.they are selfish in that they want all talent for themselves and those that don’t make it earn them transfer fees.valdez/iniesta/dos santos brothers/pedro/alcantara came from other clubs.Toral chose us and it really pissed them off.

  54. allezkev says:

    Conceited KT, totally up themselves. I’ve got no love for Mourinho, but i thought it was a hoot when Inter knocked them out of the CL last season.

  55. K-TR7 says:

    I hate how barca paint themselves as angels.they make us believe all their players were born in La masia.they also signed a deal with UNICEF but they later realised football is a business and sold out to the Qataris.that coupled with their players lacking humility after we beat them really pisses me off.you would think they created football with their behaviour.’mes que un club’ my a**!

  56. allezkev says:

    When we drew Barca, i just thought ‘ah well, going out will help us in the EPL’, but now i really want to stuff those arrogant gits.

  57. K-TR7 says:

    allezkev i was very happy that day.barca switched on the sprinklers on the pitch when inter were celebrating.Rosell has no right on speaking about morals.

  58. rico says:

    kev – i have always said that about our players too – a while back i suggested that wenger go round the changing room and say:

    ‘Right, if you want to stay, stay, if not, leave the room now’….

  59. rico says:

    KT – re Theo and Barca..

    AW said ‘ i hope to be pleasantly surprised’

    For sure he will be in the team, even if its on the bench…. he is the one thing Barca fears most…

  60. K-TR7 says:

    allezk exactly my point.you don’t know how much i want us to stuff them on their home ground.the way the likes of xavi belittle us despite our rich history really pisses me off!xavi even had the nerve to say cesc would join them in january after we were out of the title race…can you believe that!

  61. rico says:

    kev – i also think Pep will be in line to replace AW when he finally steps down….

    sorry for all my comments, just catching up 😉

    have i missed anyone 😉

  62. K-TR7 says:

    allezkev Aw is a cunning fox.’pleasantly surprised’ is all you need to know that theo will be involved in that match.Aw knows it but won’t say it.

  63. JonJon says:

    evening yall
    nice one rico
    i think cesc will obviously be missed but we have enough in jack nasri and rvp to beat brum..
    rvp the key man for me..as long as hes in the team we will always create and always score
    the stoke performance was a good one..we didnt have that edge we normally have but i think once we took the early lead the players focused on just seeing the game out..we held back and seemed only 75%
    we will be firing on all cylinders and with rvp up top the goals will flow..

  64. allezkev says:

    Every time some idiot from Cataloonya opens his gob, it’s usually a tap up for Henry/Cesc etc. Marca makes the Sunday Sport look like The Guardian, the whole place is full of merde. just like you KT, i’d piss myself [not really Rico] if we stuff them in the camp Nou.

  65. K-TR7 says:

    Its not only us who view barca that way,even the spuds/mancs/chavs/scousers want us to beat them.they are tired of hearing how holy they are,they have been put on a pedestal by the media.the aforementioned lot were just as jubilant as we were when we beat barca.i really hope we stuff them!

  66. allezkev says:

    Mind you KT, some of those teams see us doing ‘them’ a favour by knocking out Barca. But we’ll, hopefully, just do it for ourselves, hi JJ

  67. K-TR7 says:

    It would be funny if we KOed them in the 94th minute on a counter attack after xavi smashed the bar on the other end.

  68. JonJon says:

    kev
    a bit late but yes i went to cardiff but didnt enjoy it..thought it was a shit hole to be honest..didnt understand why we had to travel to bloody wales for an english final either..
    but it will be good to be at the hallowed turf 😉
    wembley has more of a ring to it than the millenium stadium..

  69. K-TR7 says:

    Of course some of those fans view it as a favour but there are some who really hate the ‘holier than thou attitude’ barca put up.

  70. allezkev says:

    KT, that sounds just dandy to me mate. I was outside St Pancras during the first game. When the 2nd goal went in i just burst out laughing, all those big-time Barca pimps, i thought it was hilarious.
    JJ i loved Cardiff, loads of lovely bars and eateries, Wembley is a dump.

  71. allezkev says:

    I used to leave at 6am, get parked up, have an unhealthy breakfast in a ‘greasy spoon’ then find a bar near the ground to get into the mood. You can’t get near a pub in Wembley.

  72. K-TR7 says:

    Rico/jj i promise to now switch focus to the CC.barca can wait.in less than 2 weeks time they’ll probably be facing winners and that will work in our favour.

  73. allezkev says:

    JJ, agree with your line-up, but i wonder if Rosicky might start instead of Bendtner? Do you think Diaby will get a game?

  74. K-TR7 says:

    JJ im of the view that nasri is more of a virtuoso player and therefore his dribbling and final third clinical ability would be wasted dropping deep.what we need there is an orchestrator and nasri doesn’t have cesc/jack/sicky passing ability.with rvp playing we need someone to play him in fast and am afraid nasri can’t do that.

  75. 4pigs says:

    No Rico – I’m off to a local with big screens and bacon sandwich at 2 – with a pint thrown in! Happy days… Hopefully!!!!!

  76. JonJon says:

    you say u wouldnt play nik but in every game hes played in for the past few months hes scored or assisted..
    eboue hasnt done either for about 2 years..hes a right back..

    nasri doesnt have to change his game or become cesc..
    we didnt play with rvp v stoke either so his game will be different..just interchange with the other two as second strikers with jack pulling the strings
    and no i wouldnt start with diaby..
    we could see diaby the magnificent, who would win us the game, but at the same time we could see diaby the half asleep and for a final its too much a risk..
    go with the players who can do a job..
    jack pulls the strings and rvp creates havoc with nasri nikki and AA feeding off

  77. JonJon says:

    alot of nasris goals were when cesc wasnt fit..
    and they came from the centre..
    the team line up says he plays on the left but he dont he pops up wherever he wants and when cesc werent playing nasri was scoring his goals through the middle..
    nasris game this season has been linking up with chamakh and dancing through the defence..so play him behind robin and let him dance… 😉

  78. K-TR7 says:

    JJ nasri hasn’t impressed me so far this season when playing central.he will slow down attacks while trying to dribble instead of passing.

  79. K-TR7 says:

    JJ according to me nasri is better when coming off the wing as he is less predictable.playing him central may necessiate him to drop deep where he’ll lose his effeciency.

  80. rico says:

    Actually guys, i’m off for the day, you all have a good evening and catch up tomorrow for the pre-match day stuff…

    Be good and stay safe….

    Nighty 🙂

  81. rico says:

    Morning peeps..

    JM, just read it, Van the man then 🙂 I think he is right too, had RvP been available all season we would be ahead of the mancs too – that’s what having a class footballer up front does…

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