Wenger is reported to have said:
At the moment, I do nothing in January, I have a big squad, but if you knock at my door and say, I have a fantastic player for you’ I will not turn it down.
Knock Knock Arsene……
Wigan today then and it’s another much-needed away win……
Straight on to the team news:
Wigan
Emmerson Boyce could make his return having been out for two weeks through injury but Antolin Alcaraz misses out as he serves his final match ban for his red card against Wolves. He earned that for spitting at Wolves’ Richard Stearman.
Arsenal
We have two new additions to our injury list and shock, horror, its Diaby and Rosicky!! Speculation is that Gibbs could be included in todays travelling squad.
It’s not been the best week for us, having secured our progress through to the knock-out stages of the Champions League; we had a bore draw at home to Fulham, followed by a truly undeserved defeat in the Carling Cup midweek.
Wigan have suffered an awful start to their season, they sit second from bottom in the league but will no doubt be buoyed by their victory over Sunderland last weekend, a result that was the final nail in Steve Bruce’s reign up north.
We have won our last two away fixtures against Norwich and the Pensioners and today we really need to extend that away form if we are to have a chance of gaining some ground this weekend.
Over the last couple of seasons, this fixture has been hard work but today we have a good squad available today and I see us being too strong for the opposition.
Head-to-head
At home against Wigan, we have won the last nine fixtures in all competitions but, as said earlier, our last couple of trips to the DW has seen us gain just one point! Squilli was to blame last season, his late own goal gifted Wigan a point. The season before, we were in a great position in the league, cruising 2-0 but in the final ten minutes we allowed them to score three goals and along the way, Wigan recorded their first ever league win over us!!
So, that’s the facts, the scores on the doors as they say, so what about today?
Wigan are struggling, that is clear to see by their position in the league. They have just 9 points from 13 matches and their goal tally is -12 but let’s not think this game is won before we even kick off! It wasn’t that long ago that we were sat near to the bottom, with a very similar goal average.
A 1-0 home victory against Swansea, which to be fair, wasn’t that easy back then, set us on our way.
Wigan had that kind of victory last weekend when deep into stoppage time they scored a winning goal to secure all three points at Sunderland. They will be buzzing, they will be thinking that their luck has changed and trust me, they will be up for this game and ready to fight all afternoon for each other, their manager and their season.
We need to go one step further than them though, carry on with winning away from home, build on what we have already built and get ourselves ready for the next away trip. We have had it tough this season but have worked hard to build the camaraderie among the players and we finally look like a squad that are ‘together’, something we haven’t seen for a couple of seasons or more.
This squad may have not cost the most in the Premier League but what they have together cannot be bought – and that togetherness will see us get better, stronger and more successful. It’s clear to see that since Robin has taken the armband, things have changed. His comments are all about the team, all about the squad and how important every player is, not just him. Let’s not forget that his career is on an absolute high right now, yet he’s all about others rather than himself…..
That’s what a true leader is about Cesc!!
Ok, we are possibly one or two players away from having a complete squad but hopefully January will see that change.
Today though, let’s just come back from Wigan with three points in the bag and build again from there…..
Morning all…..
Great blog Robin is true Captain not like a Mr Fabregas more intrested in going back home even if he does not play every game.Wanted easy ride”
Morning maam, hoping for a win and a clean sheet. 2:0 to the arsenal.
Typical wenger spin…. bigging up the players he has saying Chamakh and Park are good enough etc etc hopefully thats untill he sells AA and Chamakh n brings in a proper striker in Jan who can score goals and help out RVP..!
Morning all 😉
Hi WATH, you think its a spin? I hope you are right though cause we really do need a real goal scorer. I ve still got the FLU by the way.
Up gunner!!!
Hi Wath and goonster
Wenger is fibbing, he’s bigging up the players so he can sell them 😛
Hi to AYB and DI, welcome to HH….
If you have the flu goonster, you wouldn’t be blogging 😉
Hope you are right rico……hope he’s just bigging them up before he sells them. We could get a whooping 22m for them.
I honestly see both Chamakh and AA going in Jan goonster and wenger will use the money to get a goal machine…
he never truths in the press…
Who do you reckon we ll get? Remy looks the best bet but I won’t complain if we get podolski.
…….and I do have the FLU,maam.
Morning Gooners.
Morning Rico.
Afternoon Agag.
ZZZZZZ Oliver.
Calm down Stan.
Good post Rico.
Morning AK, I keep missing you these days 🙁
Dude am calm man. You don’t see me freaking out do you?
Heard we’re gonna have some snow down here in the South next Tues’… ugh!
Not sure what to think about Wenger’s comments?!
Is he trying to dampen the fans’ expectations?
Is he trying to ward off the money clubs who are always interested in who Wenger is interested in?
Is it some kind or brinkmanship with the selling clubs?
Or is it just business as usual?
As long as he can score goals, i don’t care who we get – still think we should have signed Doyle in the summer, in our side he would get 20 goals a season….
Best way to deal with wengers comments AK, is ignore them, we all know he lies when it comes to transfers…..
Yeah Rico, both busy at the moment.
It’s that time of year boss.
Stanley you don’t sound very chilled…
Did you follow Dr AK’s advice?
Doyle,rico? Has he ever averaged a 20 goal a season. We need better maam.
Tbh Rico and to be fair to Wenger what else can he do?
Mancini bases his whole transfer policy around signing whoever Wenger is intereseted in.
If Wenger came out and publicly stated that he was gonna bid for Hazard, for example, he’d immediately get gazzumped by ManUre Chavs & Shittie.
He has to act like a secret agent when he’s on transfer business. Hench the disinformation…
So you reckon we are gonna get a player or two in January?
I know AK, roll on the 19th 😉
goonster, at reading he scored more than that in one season, now he’s not getting the kind of supply he needs – he’s an eye for the back of the net, he’s a goal scorer, but we missed the chance…
Gotta go to work.
I’ll see ya’ll lata.
Don’t forget the dingy…. 🙂
Off now.
Catch you later AK, have a busy one…. 🙂
Rico we need a proven goal scorer and Doyle isn’t it. We need better. I ll take darren bent over Doyle.
morning yall..
good post rico we cant take wigan lightly like we have in previous games..we need the points and wigan are there for the taking so strongest team today, wrap the game up and give the key guys a rest with half hour to go 😉
i wouldnt read to much into what wengers saying over the transfers..for a start its just typical wengerisms, december is a busy period hes going to have to use everyone at some point theres nothing he can do until jan so hes not going to come out and say all my players arent good enough is he, not when he needs them all to perform over this period, hes already said he wants them to impress him,… also he was only talking about strikers..he didnt rule out other positions so a deal for someone like gotze could be almost sewn up 😉
and for the record i think we are after reus as well..not podolski…either way two germans in jan and we’ll be rocking….
Morning JJ…..looking forward to the game ain’t ya? What’s your line up.
goonster – just why i said that, that has gone…… he would have been good but now, Remy, Reus, Drog or similar woul do 😉
Morning JJ, thanks…
agree, strongest side and no messing…. 3 points are a must
I ll play jd on) again. My team ll be zzzzz jd kozzer verm santos song arteta ramsey walcott robin gervinho….off the bench ll be AOC and ben anyoun
morning mate
————–ches
kozz—big per—tv—santosinho
——song——-arteta
theo——rambo——gervinho
————reliant
rico it dont matter what wengers saying now..
we all know that rowleys been practically living in germany for the last 6 months..
weve been trying to nail gotze before the other big clubs get interested so if we dont get him in jan i dont think we ever will cos he’ll be part of the 2012 summer wonderkid movement that will include hazard and mvila and once the big clubs open their wallets we are fucked so jan has to be the time for gotze…
weve been making enquiries for reus as well, his manager admitted wengers been ringing him weeks ago so we are looking to get at least one striker….the german media have picked up on it and thats why weve been linked to podolski as well but i dont think its him were actually after…
25-30 for gotze and 15 for reus and the squads done…
theres also rumours weve offered lille 40mil for both hazard and sow which does have legs but i think the germans are the real targets…
I wouldn’t play Ramsey today, maybe a bit too soon after Gary Speed’s passing…..
I’d stick Coq in there or Frimps…
The more reason I ll play him rico. He ll be hurting and wigan will get the whupping of their lives. Besides you can’t change a winning team. Rambo,arteta and song must play.
and push arteta up??
song arteta frimmers
I disagree there goonster…
Or let Song free to be Songinho 😉
Serioulsy, yes, let Arteta be a bit more free, he’s a creater, so let him do what he did so well at Everton…
Goonster – I went to school with him, don’t think I could handle him playing for my beloved Arsenal!
The midfield that played against city during the week should start, so much more enthusiasm and desire than the jaded bunch that will no doubt start today.
Did you say frimps JJ? No way I ll rather have lecoq in there.
ESP, you went to school with who? Bent or doyle?
re your 11.10 jj, good, get moving in jan and get a couple of Germans to add to Merts 🙂
Esp, he isn’t that bad ….
They should have a bit more about them today, their tired little fragile bodies have had a rest 😉
I went to school with Doyle.
theres not much difference between le coq and fimmers…i like frimps heart though..he dont take no shit hes ready for war that lad and i like that in a player..needs channelling but that will come with experience but if i had to go to a shit team on a cold day on a shit pitch and i know they were gunna try kick us id feel better playing with frimmers..
He’s a true gooner jj, he’s got the ‘over my dead body’ attitude…. something we have been lacking in midfield since jack got injured
He was a foul tempered turd wasn’t he ESP? He looks like a real bastard to me.
Nah he actually a nice enough guy, but he is doing the job I wanted to do!
I would play Frims and Coq in centre mid, free up a space for a striker.
Still I ll go with lecoq JJ. He keep the ball well. Frimers will give the ball away way too much. The name of the game is keeping the ball away from wigan at all cost. We can’t afford to lose the ball in dangerous areas.
Hi all.
Hi Kt…
Guys, got to pop off, back before KO….
Hello KT….
Hi KT, how’s you fella..?
frimmer can keep the ball..theres not much difference in the two in that respect..le coq looks more silky cos his range of passing is a tad better and he does edge it but frimmers is just as good on the ball..good control, shorter passes but i dont mind the denilsons cos hes got all the other attributes to go with it as well..he edges le coq in other attributes…
speaking of the brazilian whos really from san marino..is he coming back now cos the brazillian seasons over???
oh god.. mr ‘im a winner and i want to leave arsenal cos i want to win trophies, but im going back to brazil on loan cos noone else wants me cos im shit’ is gonna be our new signing aint he??
Yep. I’d go with JJ’s line~up.
If it ain’t broke etc…
Am fine wath/goonster.there is absolutely no chance we get Götze.firstly Dortmund are top of the Bundesliga and there is no chance they’ll let him go in Jan.they’ll keep him probably till after the Euros and if he has a stormer he’ll be too damn expensive then.all we can hope for is jack fully recovers and that oxo/ryo fulfill their potentials.
And despite chamakh and park looking poor i have lots of reservations about podolski.don’t get me wrong he is better than them but eeerrr…
Reus for me.
Get him and i’ll be ‘over the moon Brian’…
howdy ktr..
i think dortmund would be prepared to sell if we made a decent offer..clubs in germany love the self sustaining model dont they so every player has a price…it depends if we can successfully negotiate that price and if gotze does actually want to come…
i think there was alot of wining and dining when dortmund came to play us, but we’ll know for sure in jan..if he dont come then i agree come the summer if he leaves dortmund it wont be to us..
Just get us the three points guys and I will be very happy! Can’t afford to slip again, spuds are getting away!
Its a thing of joy that we have both le coq and frimm in one team! I just hope frim won’t be a ‘anderson’ cos dats how he started!
As for signings, goetze coming this january is almost impossible and hazard won’t come either! I just hope we sell chamack and buy remy! Dat guy is good!
Nice post rico, cheers the gang!
Hi jj.i don’t think Dortmund will consider selling Götze in jan especially if they are top of the bundesliga-no chance.unless we make a crazy offer which won’t happen.if na$ri continues to be average city will go for him and they’ll get him.right now i would not dream of any of mvila/götze/hazard or any of those wonderkids.we are tight fisted and not exactly the cream of European football.all we can do now is hope our academy churns them out or Arsene unearths rough gems.
Dortmund and B.Moenchenglaback are both in the top off Bundesliga this year
Lille is in the top of French League too.
The “noising neighbors” won 28 points in the last 10 games. After both early defeat, they change the team and they are where we would like to be. If in the end of December we are in a good position we must go to the market.
I commit to to the match now.
Where have you heard that Gibbs could be in the squad?
with Gervinho and Chamack out in January with normally, so many injuries, it’s difficult to understand AW theory.
Hello gooners..
JJ think you’re right on Gotze.If it’s not in jan Then it wont be us in summer as well.
btw we need good win today. It’s a must win game.
Will Frim be off to the ACN?
Will will be losing a few players alright, really need to bring in a few in Jan. Not too fused about the loss of Gervinho or Chamack to be honest. We just need numbers, good numbers!
There i was, sitting outside the StPancras Hotel about 50mins ago.
I got a ride up to Marble Arch.
As i pulled away i noticed a couple of guys coming out of the hotel in tracksuits.
One of them looked the spitting image of Kevin Davies.
When i looked at the insignia on his tracksuit it did indeed say Bolton Wanderers FC.
As i turned around, cafefully avoiding the elbows of Davies, i saw other tracksuited figures emerging from the hotel.
Jaaskelinan. Muamba.
I also noticed the bloody Bolton motorcoach blocking me in.
So i had to sit there.
The driver apoligised. Fair enough i thought. The meter was running. 🙂
And then he was there Rico. About 4 ft from my window, stopping to sign some autographs
Boo! rico we are a few key men away from being a squad to be reckoned with. I cannot wait for January to find out. 😉
AK! A brush with the stars, eh?? Nice! 🙂 Hope no elbows were flying.
I lent out of my window and said.
“You signing for Arsenal, Gary?”
He lookwd back and smiled and said,
“I don’t know mate”
I then said,
“Jack wants you to sign, i’ll get him to give you a tweet”.
He grinned and said
“I’ll be seeing him later”.
By then the coach had moved, so as i pulled away i said
“Have a good game Gary”
“Thanks mate” he replied.
The question is? Does that constitute ‘tapping~up’…?
0-1 chelsea
2-2 on the bars
AK, rico would be soooo thrilled!! 🙂 That’s a great story. 🙂 🙂 The FA might fine us now, AK. 😉 W won’t be too pleased.
Hey, JM. Now, we really must win. Just caught LA Galaxy play our national team, the Azkals on TV. We were awful. Haha.
Hi agag. When are you gonna get a proper Gravatar.
How about a sandy beach or a palm tree…
See ya lata agag.
Boo, we signing Cahill 😛 😛
Hoorah 😉
Afternoon guys and gals….
AK, we miss you again?? 🙁 You work too hard. 😕 I’ll go look for a good gravatar. rico, are you able to see the match?
Chelsea still leading :O
Hello, STV. By how big a margin do the Chavs lead? Eurgh.
1-0 AGAg 😉
How’s your day going ?
No agag – unless i find a link 🙁
1 goal.
3-2 for Newcastle at the bars !
ico, widt Cahil on Janaury and without Gervinho and Chamack, we play for draw all the games
Hi jack and nedox, sorry for the delay in letting you out of moderation….
Good afternoon guys and chicks of the gunner’s faith.
Hope you are all ok.
Just for a short break to say hello and then off to run the rule over our under 17’s this week. And tomorrow its the under 9.
AK……that is not tapping. Promise him free taxi rides around London if needs be.
Goonster….calm down mate.
And off I go. I might not see you later today. Maybe very late or else tomorrow. Here’s to an ARSENAL win.
I leave you with this mates………we are all Gladiators. Strength and honour……
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45BnzzSptZY&feature=related
Thanks, STV. How are you? I’m well; rico would have given my dinner two thumbs up. Salted egg-battered fried chicken and shrimp and pork dumplings. 😀 😀
JM, we’ll always play to win. 🙂 Don’t you go getting rico all excited about Cahill. 😀
JM – i’m thinking of the future, Cahill would be a good addition, but, not at the expense of a striker 😉
2-0 chavs…..
Well then.., 5th place on the cards..
yes, 3-0 and now Newcastle with 10 men
Newcastle won at he shots at the bars 3 – 2 (and one of chelsea was the penalty).
Arsenal
13 Szczesny
04 Mertesacker
05 Vermaelen
06 Koscielny
11 Santos
08 Arteta
14 Walcott
16 Ramsey
17 Song
10 Van Persie
27 Gervinho
Substitutes
21 Fabianski,
20 Djourou,
15 Oxlade-Chamberlain,
23 Arshavin,
30 Benayoun,
39 Coquelin,
29 Chamakh
Me too giving thumps up AGAG,. enjoy ur time.
Cu mates and lovelies.
3-0 chavs…. FT
3-0 , newcastle’s GD going rock bottom
Hi DG, bye DG and catch you later, Hi Stv…
Hi DG and bye DG. Man, I keep missing everyone. 🙁 The game’s on ESPn for a change here, rico. I have had to put up with lousy streaming for weeks now. 😉
Catch ya at HT, STV. so, rico does my dinner meet with your approval? 😉
Rico, Hi..
Seems you’re bit busy tat u can’t even watch the game
Same here agag,, 3PM kick off after ages 😉 see ya @ HT. see u rico 🙂
I just seen that agag – no comment 😉
HT it is then 🙂
Cahill sent off against Totts, shocking decision by the ref……
Hoorah – Arteta 🙂
Double hoorah – Tommy V …
2-0 🙂
AW said in Telegraph today, no more signings in January
Ah yes Hi all 😀
as it stands we are ahead of Newcastle via gd
what?? a long pop and a corner??? no tippy tap??
and we are two nil up??
i fucking love arteta and tommy v…
anelkas banged in a transfer request..
any takers?? im in…
yes he is a good player
Alex and Anelka have handed in transfer requests at the Chavs….
I had salad greens, too, Madame. 😉
Le Sulk, JJ??? Meh. 😕 Howdy?
I know Robin hasn’t scored, but he has such great movement and timing; so happy he is ours. And TV5? Oh my. Sigh.
progressive table
Man City 14 32 38
2 Tottenham 13 11 31
3 Man Utd 13 17 30
4 Chelsea 14 14 28
5 Arsenal 14 5 26
6 Newcastle 14 4 26
7 Liverpool 13 5 23
Should have F5 🙂
Hi alan….
agag you are so right. We are lucky to have RvP
Hi Rico 😀
alan, I am gilr, therefore always “so right”. Haha. 😎
Seriously, I’d be surprised if Robin doesn’t gran himself a goal or two. He’s almost always the first to get himself in a scoring position. Amazing.
Nice to see two others popping up with the goals…
agag LOL. My website maker is a lady ans she also admitted she knows everything 😀
Anelka and Alex placed transfer requests in
rico, if Robin doesn’t score, I bet you the press would start writing of van Perfect’s “goal drought”. Hah. They must always write something about us.
62 mins: Wales 6-24 Australia in rugger
How’s that foul on Rambo not a pen for us? How is Song standing his ground a yellow?? Marriner, do you want to lose this for us???
Your website maker is only being honest, alan. 🙂
Three goals; three different scorers. And Robin doesn’t even have his yet. 🙂 🙂
that idiot Gervinho scored, Good!
very nice snowing effect of the site here, Rico
Goal RvP.
Ik hou van jou, Robin. 🙂
*Clattenburg, oops.
Bloody Internet 🙁
Great win guys, did we play well once we got going?
I love the snow alan, it’s here now until Jan, glad you like it – Lee thinks Theo just has a dandruff problem 😉
Well done Robin, have a nice rest for a couple of weeks now COYG
A fine performance and scoreline by the boys in red.
Now lets hope the boys in claret and blue can overturn the manc’s 🙂
We were quite clinical on goal, rico. 🙂 On cruise control most of the time. Can’t think of a hairy moment other than when Gomez almost scored but for that Santos block. I liked that we held on to the ball when we were winning. I’m always a bit nervous when we do all those “Ole’s”.
Latics are scraping the bottom of the barrel now. Shame. Should be the Stokes etc. there. What an unambitious showing from them today.
Agreed agirl but I think we have a lot more steel this year to cut out those silly mistakes of the past few seasons. The squad seem to have winners in it now whereas before we only had wimps.
Cahill to Arsenal rico? No thanks.
We had gone through 179 corners in the PL without scoring 😮
Hi Steve, that’s funny 😉
Hey smudge, no reason why they can’t, manure are fragile right now….
How dare the referee send off my ‘mate’ Gary…!!!
Hope he now realises that the Slum is not the place for him to be…
Jack has to give him a serious talking too.
He’d look fantastic in an Arsenal shirt.
Damn Rico. That’s what i should have told him.
Have to pop back to StPancras and have a word in his ear…. 🙂
hello
I’m happy today . Good for all goal-average.
Spurs won once more…
who is goig to shut up them?
even Paok…
Good to hear that agag and agree, i like Martinez, much rather see ‘Arry and Pullis down the bottom…..
smudge, he should never been sent off today, i’m convinced he’s coming our way 😉
AK, i want that meeting in an email, detail by detail 😉
Haha Rico, you got it.
If you had been as close to him as me, i think your knees would have gone wobbley….. 🙂
smudge, I think our win at the Chavs did wonders for our confidence. And to win in such a fashion, too I wish Rambo had scored. Got himself in some good positions. He was at the end of some challenges that in the flush of victory I will magnanimously describe only as “robust”. He’ll be achy all over, after this match.
JM, I should imagine we are all happy. A clean sheet, too. Yay!
AK, rico would love your “mate” to sign. 🙂
Hello, Steve! Nah, he gets no rest in the League games. He’ll get one for the next CL fixture though. 🙂
KT!!! How are you?
Delighted to see Gervinho score.
He and Theo should be giving us 1 goal every 4 games minimum.
That’s about 10/12 EPL goals a season.
Amazing game. got every thing i hoped for.. We are now 5th with only 2 pts behind chelsea 🙂
If Gerv can get some composure to his finishing he’ll be a scary player.since freddy i don’t think we’ve had a wide player that gets into so many promising positions in every match.dare i say he gets into as many as rvp maybe even more…
Not liking the way spuds seem to keep on winning with decisions going their way. I hope that there are a few problems around the corner for them but don’t see were they are coming from.
I think we have a better chance of catching united atm ;(
Hola agag you lovely lady.i guess you’ve missed me so much 😉 im just very busy nowadays.hope all is well with you.
KT that was a shocking fact. But we’ve scored in 2 of our last 4 game via corner.
very happy to see Gerv back on scoresheet.
winter on our sight 😉
oops on site.
There is nothing to like about the Spuds, to begin with, smudge. Let alone the fact that they keep on winning. Eeeek.
Of course, we’ve missed you. No one’s talking furbizia etc, etc. anymore. Haha. Don’t be too busy for your CL write-ups though. 😉
STV, I just read on The Independent: Van Persie has scored more goals this season than Wigan’s entire squad.
Herandez carried off for united (8min)and wasn’t even tackled. It looks like their luck is starting to run out. Enter the refs to even up the balance! 😉
So true agag but we can only hope that the wheels come off and their cockerel gets mistaken for a turkey 🙂
It crashed again 🙁
Ak, good, can’t wait 😉
Whats crashed again rico?
My internet smudge, bloody thing – we girls get ver cross with things like that 🙁
I like your turkey comment 😆
Manure 1-0 up 🙁
Check your in~box Rico.
Off for the evening now.
Great result.
Check yours AK 😉
Nighty to you, go get some rest and enjoy watching Craig the Revel 😉
I too am off, catch you all tommorrow…..
Nighty Night all, be good and enjoy the rest of your day….
Still on a high guys. Great effort from the team. Arteta was awesome in the middle of the pack. Like I said previously…..this team can only get better. Bring on shitty….COYGs
4-0 COYGs!!!!!!!!!
Just watched Match of the Day.
Gotta say that this team of ours has a toughness about it that we’ve lacked for a fair few seasons, probably since 2006.
Loved the way RVP pointed to Theo and made a point of praising his work in creating his goal.
Great team spirit!
Great captaincy!
Delighted to see the defence keep a clean sheet.
Now to keep that going at home to Everton.
No doubt Arteta will be up for that one?
Morning Lee.
COYG.
New Post up…..