Match Preview

Wenger interested in Sone Aluko. Is Wenger kidding? Sagna to return & Podolski on the bench?

Posted on by rico

Morning all.

First up, congratulations to Theo Walcott and his wife Mel who announced yesterday that they are expecting their first child. Perhaps he could spread a little bit of his happiness onto the football pitch today and get a couple of goals!!

According to Steve Bruce, Arsene Wenger is interested in Hull striker Sone Aluko:

Arsene Wenger even asked about him the other day. That should give Sone confidence if someone like Arsene Wenger is asking all about when he’s coming back.

A January target? I hope not as he’s currently injured and not expected back until February.

Arsene had some good news in his pre-match press conference yesterday, both Bacary Sagna and Lukas Podolski should be available for today however, the latter is deemed to be a little be short (I guess he means fitness) to play in a game such as this. Not really sure why he can’t get his backside on the bench and be there just in case. He’ll definitely be in the squad for Chelsea though.

He also spoke about today’s opposition:

City has a very strong squad, I don’t deny that, but I look at my squad and I think – I don’t envy them.

I must admit, they have a few players who’d fit quite nicely into our squad, quite a few actually….

So, who will turn up today, a bunch of boys who haven’t been back long from Italy, or a group of grown men who are out to show just why we are and deserve to be top of the league?

If we are to get anything from this game, it has to be the latter. City have a great squad, they are very good at home and we saw what they did to our neighbours.

Tactics from the manager:

I believe you need a strong defensive performance, maybe the best way to do that is to attack and us have the ball and let them not find their flow.

Both teams will certainly produce top level performances … I think we have an opportunity to go from five to eight and that’s fantastic we have to look at it like that.

We certainly have the strong defence, even more so with the return of Bacary Sagna but as we’ve seen of late, we are somewhat struggling to create clear cut chances. Something which I know I struggle to understand considering the glut of talent we have in our midfield.

Manchester City are a side we have really struggled to score against over the last few seasons. In fact we have failed to score in six of our previous nine meetings in all competitions against them. So far this season we have scored 30 goals but City are on fire in front of goal, especially at home. So far this season they have massed a total of 29 goals, the highest in the league and that’s just at The Etihad…

So, that strong defence of ours has to be very strong.

This is the kind of game that will tell us exactly where we are in the league. Not positionally of course as we sit at the top so that’s pretty clear but if we are to go on and finally win the league, matches like this are ones we need to at least be getting a draw.

Only eleven players can be on the pitch at any one time and on our day we can beat any one IF every player and the manager gets it right.

Team selection, tactics and substitutions will play a huge part today and if Arsene get that right and we can win..

Player attitude, passion and the will to win needs to be there too and if we all of that, we can win..

City might be on a high after beating Bayern Munich in the week, well we are in need of a big performance to get our season back on track through this tough period.

And there’s nothing like beating a side like who we face today to do that…..

COYRRG’s, you can do it!!

rico

0 thoughts on “Wenger interested in Sone Aluko. Is Wenger kidding? Sagna to return & Podolski on the bench?”

  1. ozgunner says:

    i am very fearful tonight we’ll face a result that tells us things we don’t want to admit – fingers crossed. I’d take a draw now in a heartbeat

  6. rico says:

    Barcelona starlet Toni Sanabria today told the Spanish giants he is definitely leaving – paving the way to join Arsenal on a five-year deal.

    Sanabria, 17, is set to follow in a long line of players to quit Barcelona for Arsenal as the likes of Cesc Fabregas, Fran Merida, Hector Bellerin and Jon Toral have all done the same.

    Paraguayan forward Sanabria had attracted interested from Roma but that has gone with Arsenal ready to trump their rivals with a big-money contract.

    His agent Raul Verdu said: “Our contacts with Arsenal are advanced and I expect a solution in the next week.”

    The Gunners are set to meet with Barcelona and Sanabria in the next week to iron out a deal and also get clearance from both federations. They are likely to only have to pay compensation of around £300,000.

  9. Tim says:

    hi every one,I hav been away doing my exams and am done and what a time to be back,I must say that I like the way Arsene wants to approach today ‘s game, from what I read he wants the boys to attack city n I guess theo will start this game so if sagna is passed fit I wish Wenger goes for chez,bac,bfg,boss,nacho,flame,theo,rambo,handsome,assister,santi..go gunners.

  10. BrainwashedKev says:

    Morning All

    Morning Rico. A post of distinction Madam.

    Just because Wenger asked after the welfair of a Hull player, it doesn’t follow that Arsenal are on the point of bidding for him…
    But maybe that’s just me being pedantic… 🙂

  13. frednerk says:

    Morning rico and all,

    Rumours galore from around the agents,players and media,
    Sanabria done deal 5 year contract,also the french under 21 striker
    Paul-Georges Ntep would love to join us.

    I know one thing for sure the rumours ain’t coming from the emirates,
    the last scout who blew the whistle…Mark Arber

    No one believed him even the bookies,
    so he backed arsenal to sign Ozil at 14/1.

    We all know what happened next.

  14. BrainwashedKev says:

    Sagna signing for two more years is fantastic news.
    No need to sign a new right-back now.
    We can just let Jenkinson and Bellerin fight it out to be the understudy.

  17. rico says:

    Morning fred, we do, what’s he saying these days?

    Sagna is great news, just pray we hear soon. Rb sorted for me too if he signs. Lets go blow all our money on Suarez or Rooney 😛

  18. HenryB says:

    Hi Rico,

    I was quite amused by the Sone Aluko name in the headline of your fine Post, and thought he must be an exotic big name signing from South America.

    To find out he is a Hull forward and with a serious injury made me almost spill my cup of coffee! 🙂

    We really are getting close to the Transfer Window. 🙂

  19. Donald says:

    morning Rico.Today’s game is a real test of nerves for sure .We are due a big performance as well . Tactically we need the discipline from who ever gets the nod to start. I don’t know about team selection but sometimes we tend to give out of form players a longish run than due. I don’t know Rico, and please can I have your strongest Arsenal 11 for this game.

  20. Adam says:

    Morning Rico and all. Another excellent post.
    We have a great opportunity today to put aside the silly little things that have been creeping back into our game. From Ches forward.
    If only we had Darren Bent. 🙂

  21. rico says:

    Hi Hb,, glad I amused you, but sorry about your coffee 😉

    Just 17 days to go and we’ll be linked to every striker around between now and then… I love it, well, until we get to the 31st and haven’t signed who we really need…

  22. rico says:

    Morning Donald.

    If I had to choose, which no doubt would be different to others choice but:

    Szczesny

    Sagna Merts, Kos Gibbs

    Flamini

    Ozil Ramsey Monreal

    Giroud Walcott

  23. BrainwashedKev says:

    Ah the Darren Bent issue…

    It’s enough to give ya sleepless nights…

    But don’t tell Coach…

    Morning Adam… Busy day for me…

  25. rico says:

    Thank you Adam and good morning to you…

    I too believe we have a good chance today, yes they are very good, especially at home but then we tend to play better away in the league…

    I’m nervous but quite looking forward to see how we can match them..

  26. Adam says:

    Hiya Kev. I believe it was you who started the Darren Bent issue. I must admit I hadn’t considered it, but with Robert Mugabe skinning fullbacks (literally) and bombing big crosses into the box, I begin to see the genius in it.

  28. BrainwashedKev says:

    Adam, that mate, it quite a powerful image… 😀

    Westfield is calling….

    Have a great day everyone.

    A draw for me…

    COYFRRG

  31. AndrewH says:

    Thanks rico for providing me with some optimism! For the first time this season, I’m finding it really hard to expect anything. So want to be proved wrong. If we had had a few more days to prepare, or city hadn’t been able to rest eight….. But I can just see Wenger’s after match lamenting now.

    Enough of this crap, I’ll re-read your post again and forget my doubts 😉

  32. rico says:

    I’d have never known Tim 😉

    We have the players Ah but if AW players a million midfielders with little pace, we will get slaughtered I think. And they need to start taking shots from anywhere, Hart is back in goal and his confidence is low….

  39. Joaquim Moreira says:

    Team in full: Szczesny, Sagna, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal, Flamini, Wilshere, Ramsey, Walcott, Ozil Giroud.

    Subs: Fabianski, Vermaelen, Arteta, Rosicky, Cazorla, Gnabry, Bendtner

    rico heroe is in the bench! 😉

  44. Scott from Oz says:

    Rico, we have our find raising night for the Gooner on the Road.
    Same great prizes on offer, brilliant beer being sunk and even better company.

  52. tsgh says:

    Unlucky; I don’t remember the last time we conceded a goal within 15 minutes in the first half…

    C’mon you reds….

  68. emma says:

    ts – don’t think the problems is not having arteta on the pitch. Problem is on the LHS. England golden boy wilshere has being ball watching zabaleta. He needs to help monral

  69. rico says:

    Get more accuracy on our passing and take our chances..

    Could easily have scored 1 or 2 more in the first half, great shame Giroud couldn’t control his chance, he was through had he done so..

    More shots are needed to, we have had one and scored, more of the same please…

  72. Joaquim Moreira says:

    like we play it’s a suicide.
    We have many free space between the lines. Against quickly players it’s a suicide.
    I hope Kos will be out for 2 weeks… but if it’s he cuciate will be 4 months…
    They won the midfiels on the 1st half. We must change the game there. Wilshere out.

  73. tsgh says:

    Hiya Emma; JW has been decent going forward though..

    I have stopped commenting about a winger defending if I can as I get told some players are there to create goals only. 🙂

    Only 3 successful tackles from midfield and all by 1 man though. 😉

  77. ozgunner says:

    2-1 better than i thought but their right side is a freeway straight in to our area – poor defending on the first goal from Kos, was daydreaming and against the only man close to him, Augero of all people. Need to get a grip in the middle, they are all over us and Giroud is turning the ball over time and time again

  90. BrainwashedKev says:

    I am in Westfield, but I can feel Adam saying ‘I told you so, we need a top quality striker’…

    It’s hard for me to argue…

  117. tsgh says:

    Emma- these recent drop points were lost 4 or 5 weeks before when AW should have freshen the line-up..

    The moment fatique kicks in, it takes longer to replenish… thst id why prevention is better than cure imo…

  125. emma says:

    We have ran out of gas. Just complete shit football from us. Wenger committted suicide taken off giroud. No hold up play from Bendtner, not one. Why not bring in arteta from flamini

  126. tsgh says:

    Comical midfield…I thought the times when we conceded goals like those were far gone.

    Even at 5-2 the lineman… and they say the EPL is legit… tsk

  130. tsgh says:

    Our medical team or AW are liable..

    From some figures I saw 5 weeks ago, the teams’ figures had begun to drop… was AW made aware of this or he just ignored the signs.

    It should have been 5-5 poor officials

  134. MO11 says:

    I have to say AW has lost the plot with his tactics in this one. Against one of the most potent attacks in the league he decides to have one player sitting in front of defence instead of two, whats he bloody thinking. Stupid tactic and it showed, City went through us at will, and we made them look 10 times better than they are. Lets hope this is down to fatigue and we will sort it out for the next game against Chelsea.

    I can now confidently say against Everton it was two points dropped and not one won. We need to sort it out quick and have nine days to recover from this shambles. Way to open for me had we played more sensibly we could very easily have taken one point if not all three, had we frustrated City and kept the ball better.

    We should have done to City what Everton done to us, and pressed them high and kept the ball, and with Walcott who took his goals brilliantly we would have always been a threat. I can also add I don’t think we will win the league we need a top striker and a strong player in midfield, Yaya walk through us at will today and it was far to easy for him.

  137. rico says:

    We were very hard done by by the officials but AW really needs to add a couple of players in January if he really wants us to stand a chance of winning the league..

    At times we were utterly outplayed but at others, we created chances but couldn’t bury them and ultimately, that cost us.

    Sounds like Kos is not as bad as expected which is good news…

    Off to walk the woofa..

  140. GunnerDNA says:

    The signs was there from the Everton game, disappointing but the gulf in class is there for the football world to see. This team is not as good as we think. When fans mention we need a better striker than Giroud people think we hate him, but its obvious he should not be starting for a title winning team.

  141. MO11 says:

    I have to agree the offside’s were very dodgy but really that wasn’t the biggest problem. The biggest problem was that we were so open today and should have never been so. We should have just stayed tight and compact and kept the ball.

    We could have even played like we did against Dortmund and could easily have won the game. The tactic today after they scored the first was simple, both teams tried to out score each other, and to me when you have an attack like City’s they were going to win that game every time.

    Shocking from a team who up to this point have been solid and thwarted the best attacks. Today was a joke, and a reminder the bad old days aren’t out of our system just yet. AW should hold his hand up and say he fu*ked up and learn for Chelsea otherwise we can forget about the title, and any other silverware this season.

  142. AndrewH says:

    Zonal marking, really! Why every time an offside is close we 75% on the wrong end. And why no Walcott during week!!

  143. agirlagunner says:

    And not just because I’m a sore loser (because I am), but what the refereeing performance/linesmen, etc. was super dodgy.

  144. ozgunner says:

    wow how impressive was that – we worked our asses off to get the goals and down the pitch they strolled and bang, every time. “If i can’t improve the team i will not sign” right Arsene?? Loose to Chelsea and you are back to a battle for 3/4 lucky Utd have taken a nose dive.

  145. Lewis says:

    Bad week. City are the better than Chelsea IMO, next week has to be nothing but 3 points, anything else and you can see the season unravelling!

  146. Joaquim Moreira says:

    Like I said one year and half ago, our target must be Fernandinho,,,
    He is a fantatstic player .
    Back to the game: we conceded lot of space between lines. What did we wait with this tactic?
    Against City we must play very close. Moreover, they have two strong midfields so our normal footbal never runs.
    Besides, last four City goals, was mistakes in the midfield/defence.
    Finally, we normal make pressure in the oponent; when the oponent make pressure against us and we are under pressure specially in the midfield, we are worst tehn a normal team.

  149. MO11 says:

    Gunner DNA disagree that we were no where near as good as City. We played the wrong game both teams went to outscore each other and in that sense we were outclassed.

    But an idiot could tell you that Negardo/Aguero are better than Giroud everyday so that should have never been our tactic. Even with the team selection we had enough out there to condense the midfield fill the space and frustrate City, like I have said we could have done what we did against Dortmund.

    When we went forward we created a lot and had a few chances, Ozil didn’t have a great game but done brilliantly for both of our goals. The problem we had other than our shocking defending, was we just gave the ball away far to easily, and when we did keep the ball well it was more or less every time when City had a lead so it was pretty pointless. Every time we managed to get back in the game City would score and we would be back to square one.

    We wouldn’t have been outclassed if we played to our strengths and not theirs. We played an open game which invited pressure and we weren’t clinical enough in front of goal to play that sort of game and City were and thats why they won. If we got outclassed it would have been 5-0 to them, but we had our fair share of chances and considering most of our good play was taken away from us and given offside we weren’t helped, but that isn’t an excuse, and today was a fu*k up and AW should take the blame for some stupid tactic that was never going to work and made us look like relegation battlers and not title challengers.

  150. stevepalmer1 says:

    May i just thank Dutch for the stream link, I am glad i was able to watch this game live.
    Well 6.3 result but not to be suprised at, we knew we were playing against probably the best team in the league.. It could be argued that the refs decisions didn’t go for us, but we have to hold our hands up and say the best team won. I felt Arsenal played as good as they could, we gave the ball away right through the game but we do that all the time, but City are good enough to punish mistakes and they did, Czezesney was worked hard today and i felt he should have done better, but were not talking about the worlds best keeper so we know there is mistakes from him all the time. City have a team thats moulded very well, direct football and top class players as well. Our shout for a penalty and Bendy’s fine header seemed a little harsh to me but all in all we just haven’t the team to stop them but we knew that didn’t we,

  151. kel says:

    firstly well done city, but i gotta say the linesman was terrible 2 goals chalked off for nothing imo. also wengers choice of sub, wilshere imo was the worst player on the pitch from 15 mins inn, i was crying out for rosicky, caz, to replace him rosicky being 1st choice. gnabry coming on i was thinking ok bit of pace might win us a pen etc but flamini ?? terrible from wenger yet again imo.

  152. agirlagunner says:

    The scoreline flatters City. They have as many lapses in defense as we do. Walcott could have easily scored a hattrick today. Their scorers, however, were on form. Ours are mostly misfiring. I am a fan of Giroud, but he needs to be burying the chances he has been missing for the last four or so matches.

    And Szcz was poor. Really? Concede a penalty in the dying seconds?? At the rate he is going, we’ll be calling on on Fabianski again.

  153. ozgunner says:

    stevep1 – taken on the chin well mate and you’re right, our stars weren’t ever really at that level were they. 2 goals added would have only have meant more for them, we saw how easy it all was. Training drills for them many of those goals and chances. Could of been much worse lets be honest. Where to now is the real question considering the terrible tactics in a big match on show yet again?

  154. tsgh says:

    Good point MO11;only that since Fulham game we have played 4-1-4-1 even with both Arteta and MF starting…
    Back to drawing board.we win only 12% of our 12:45pm kick off’s so it was important we didn’t concede in the first half but we did.
    we had a midfield that won only 27% of duels with only one man winning that…says ut all.
    Get Cabaye and Muriel/Reus in January…

  156. kel says:

    tsgh, being a stats man i wonder what Arsenal’s points tally v city utd, chelsea over the past 4 seasons is? 18 pts a season available v those 3 i’d say are pts tally would be petty awful, we never seem to win big games in the PL.

  157. stevepalmer1 says:

    Afternoon Oz, I have said many times that our league position flatters us, I have also said that we are about the forth best team in the league and 3 of the teams i feel is better than us have all beaten us quite easily. I felt we played very well considering, but the talent City has is so far better than ours. It all comes down to where you buy your shopping if you buy it from Mark’s then its normally good, but buy it from a market and you take a chance

  158. MO11 says:

    What we need is some steel in the side and thats what we have been lacking for years. Flamini does bring an element of that but I was watching the Keane-Veira program last night and nearly cried watching Yaya go through our midfield again and again, because thats what we used to do all the time with Veira, and thats what we need again and player of that type to come in and sort it out, more than a striker because for all the flair we have you need to be able to grind out results when your not on song and its players like that, who can make that difference.

    The team we have can only win when they play well and thats how we have been for years, because when the team play well we are unstoppable, but when they have an off day they can be shocking, we don’t really have the ability to grind out a result when we aren’t at our best and thats what our problem have been for years. We need steel in the midfield a true leader and then if we can add a top striker we will be as good as if not better than anyone out there. That is what we are missing a dominant midfielder who can put the fear of god into other teams and make them now we will not be bullied.

  162. stevepalmer1 says:

    Afternoon Mo2, good points, but when we come up against a brick wall we have to have shot takers, trying to thread our way through defences has always been hard work and lets face it defences have seen we can’t shoot for toffee. I would just like to say well done Theo, a good display from some one i normally moan about.

  163. kel says:

    mo11, i agree tbh i’d settle for just pure muscle in midfield, the likes of a wanyama could bring that element to the midfield, he may not be as good as yaya but physically he’s probably stronger than him do you think yaya would have ran through us with ease today had we have had someone like wanyama against him, i’d say no.

  164. MO11 says:

    SP please spare us the rubbish. The fact is simple there aren’t three teams better than us. We are as good as Chelsea, because defensively we have been as good as them if not better and no one can argue that, midfield wise both as good as each other and we have suffered far more injuries in that position than they have. Striker wise they have more options none of which I would take because they all rubbish. So we as good as them if not better, you could say they have more character then we do perhaps. We are much better than Manure and if we weren’t the league wouldn’t lie look at the gap between the two teams considering they beat us. Then you look at City who are better than us at the moment but have spent huge amounts that nobody can match so thats inevitable.

    You say our league position flatters us well we have played all the big boys bar chelsea who even if we lose to next we could still remain top of the league depending how other results go and if we get knocked off the top spot we will still be in touching distance.

    We have played more games than any other of the big teams and have played three huge matches within six days of each other two of which are away, so lets bring things into context a little. At the end of the day we all know where our weak areas are and I know 100% that today was the coming together of fatigue and bad tactics which cost us, the fact that the game could have well ended 6-6 is evidence of that and I am struggling to remember a game in recent times which was so open between to genuine title challengers.

    You constantly bash Arsenal and its frustrating not because I disagree with what you say but because nothing you say is based on fact and 95% of what you do say is a meaningless rant. Note a odd comment not long ago about chickens and Arsenal I advise you sharpen up on fact or keep your rants to yourself.

    Sorry if this offends you or anybody else as it goes against the motto of the site but its pissing annoying.

  165. kali says:

    hurt? ..yes…down but not out..
    can’t wait for chelsea game to put things right, nine days seem
    like eternity.

    we hardly/never win at lunch time…! mystery

    team management costing us badly of late….
    we didn’t rotate early enough in the season and now we are reaping the cost.we look jaded and out of gas.Ollie & Ozil and Ramsey are shattered. played far too many matches nonstop.

    Gnabry was getting into stride few weeks ago,then taken off completely out of the squad ,not even on the bench! …then throw him in when we are losing badly! .. unfair on the kid…

  166. ozgunner says:

    watching Toure stride through the tackles towards the end reminded us of what might have been and that is the story of recent years is it not? We’ll beat a lessor team and everyone will be up again. Silverware, i say again, not a chance while Wenger is there. He’s had his day and once again it was proved so very conclusively. Will he outwit Mourinho, not on your life and i ask again, from there, where to next?

  167. ozgunner says:

    MO11 a little optimistic expecting Palace to beat Chelsea to help your case and if they don’t, at least Chelsea WILL be above us if they beat us surely?.

  168. kel says:

    just seen the footage of mertesacker shouting at ozil, fair play to the BFG, although it might have been a bit better to it in private.

  169. GunnerDNA says:

    lol. The game was televised, so blaming everything else and not the awful display from some of the players don’t make much sense. The team needs a mobile/athletic DM who is comfortable on the ball, a striker and a left winger, lets pray it gets better or we will be fighting for 4th come January.

  170. kel says:

    GDNA, i think most of us on here have been blaming the tactics, and the performances of certain players? what else are we blaming it on??

  171. MO11 says:

    Even if Chelsea beat us and go above us, by how many points will it be. Its hardly going to be such a big gap that it can’t be bridged is it. What you say is true it would have been good if we kept Toure but the guy couldn’t get a work permit and therefore left because he didn’t want to hang around. That fact is the Wenger you say has lost it still spotted the likes of Toure when nobody else even knew of him and had the courage to give him a chance.

    Don’t get me wrong I’m not saying Wenger is prefect, but then who is and who would you have instead of him. He has done unbelievable things for this club in very difficult circumstances and although I feel Wenger has a lot to answer for today lets bring this into context, we are still top of the league regardless of how results go elsewhere and we have just had 3 very difficult games in six days two of which were away, so what did we all expect. We have every chance of beating Chelsea and Mourinho is no Clough he isn’t the greatest manager to ever walk the face of the earth contrary to what the press would have you believe lets see after Monday where we are, and then we can talk.

    I do know that today we were terrible and that is the manager’s fault for getting the tactics all wrong we had enough on the pitch to get a draw at least, but we were too open and too naive and thought we could out score them, which was never going to be the case.

    Just remember after the Villa game it was all doom and gloom and look how that turned out maybe this will be the same.

    Veira nailed Wenger when he said his biggest strength and weakness is his trust and that is true. Sometimes he puts to much faith in a player or system and its doesn’t deliver instead of having the courage to change a system to suit the opposition in front of you. Let level heads prevail and not right off all the work we have done over the last four/five months are coincidence after one very bad performance.

  172. ozgunner says:

    MO11 – opinions are what makes the world go around and like assholes everyone has one. Not sure accusing someone of talking rubbish is quite the way to make your (incorrect) point. Could the reason for the faith be he doesn’t like admitting he’s wrong, how often have we seen they silly player predictions of his, after all.

  173. MO11 says:

    You know your right like assholes very one has an opinion, but judge someones wrong after producing fact is odd, when someone makes a meaningless rant, which we have all heard before.

    You say how often have we seen the silly player predictions, well I saw those silly player predictions, with Sagna, Henry, Kolo Troue, Pries, Veira, Nasri, Fabregas, Van Persie, Cole, Lunjberg and your right they were so silly.

    Just because someone says something based on fact and it goes against what you say which isn’t really based on fact but your opinion you think I am wrong. But fair enough as you say opinions make the world go around, I did think it was because of the pull of the Sun but then again what do I know.

  174. ozgunner says:

    digging back a few years there mate on the names, i think you might be adding weight to my opinion? Thank you. Unless Palace beat Chelsea your facts on us being above Chelsea after loosing to them is wrong is all i said. The rest is purely your opinion. I happen to agree with your comment of not writing off the last 4/5 month BTW, lets just keep it in context maybe? 2/3 big games now, how many have we won?

  176. Joaquim Moreira says:

    When and what I wrote about Fernandinho a few moments ago, was because since a few years ago, we need muscle at the midfield and a player like a “octupus”: a player playing in front of defence, the first man attack the ball when it belongs to the opposite club, a player which mean function is linking the twio lines between the defence and the midfield, a player which function is destroy the opposite game. Arteta was done that but it’s the the real playe fotr that position, Flamini yes, but can’t play all the games and is not strong and young enougth. But this is the mean position we need a player.

  177. MO11 says:

    Look mate Fabregas, Nasri, Van Persie, Cole, Sagna are still playing at a very high level. You can add more Ade, Song, Ramsey, Gibbs, Seza, Wilshire, etc there are loads of players Wenger has made into house hold names from nothing.

    The fact is Chelsea lost to Stoke for gods sake anything can happen, and beat me for not going into crisis mode after losing to the highest speading team in the league over the last four or so seasons who to add have a 100% record at home this season.

    I like to stay optimistic with a hint of realism. Sorry but I thought we were all Arsenal fans. I didn’t realise I was commenting on a Chelsea/Man City/Manure blog.

  180. kali says:

    afternoon all

    chinsup gooners,it was suicidal day at the office…
    we will bounce back in strong manner…keep it up

  181. MO11 says:

    And CP don’t need to beat Chelsea just draw for us to stay top if we lose to them next week, but I will give you that one before I made that comment I didn’t realise that Chelsea were at home to CP. Your right there I can’t really see them dropping points against them but them stranger things have happened like Arsenal drawing again after being four goals up at half time.

  182. Scott from Oz says:

    Hi guys.
    We were good but a few mistakes cost us massively, and that is what a good side will do.
    Still, a few piss poor offsides and a misses handball can make a difference.
    We are still a very, very good side, but things fell beautifully for Citeh.
    We can do better.
    That did show we need some reinforcements.

  183. ozgunner says:

    the Manager changes was always going to cause some chaos, Wenger was right there, history tells us they often do. I still expect City and Chelsea to settle down and fight it out in the longer term. But nice to get to Christmas and be in amongst it regardless. Jose will spend come January, City don’t need to.

  184. Joaquim Moreira says:

    yes, oz, we must have 2 advanced center that would give confidence to the team. But without the proper balance between defense, midfield and advanced is a pure illusion to have a lethal striker.
    Today, for example, in addition to the replacements have not understood that only weakened the team, and become lost 11 members in the field, unable to understand how JW played the entire game.

  186. ozgunner says:

    anyway off to bed, not surprised at all as my pre match posts indicated. The way they toyed with us for some of their goals was however more than worrying.

  187. stevepalmer1 says:

    Sorry Mo2, have i hit a nerve. My rants as you put it is my own opinion, I read your comments and i don;t criticise your view, I’m sorry that us losing today has ruffled your feathers but you can only say what you see. City scored 6 goals against our team, it has to be said they were all good goals. that is fact. Did we not lose to United and wasn’t we knocked out of the Capital one cup at the first hurdle by Chelsea how many times have we beaten those teams this season so my estimation of us being 4th best is right, We will see if your right when we play Chelsea next, or doesn’t losing count in your book, And don;t worry about my feelings Arsenal hurt my feelings all the time,

  188. tsgh says:

    Kel to answer your question we pick up on average 1 point per season against Chelsea and United; 2 points per season against $hitty… over 3 years stats.

  189. tsgh says:

    kel we have players like Aneke on loan who have the stature to compete but Aw wants the media off his back so he plays his darlings…

  190. potter says:

    I wasn’t expecting to get anything from this but I didn’t expect to get butt fucked by the officials. Sure we made mistakes , we gave the ball away too often Monreal and Wilshere looked like they had only just met in the car park and our ability to play five a side football on an eleven a side pitch cost us yet again with passes across our back line getting intercepted.Having said that it should have been 5 -5 . Once again a referee falls for the penalty trip. Milner was on his way down before he found Szczesney’s leg with his foot. Would be nice if someone who would be listened to could get the bollocks to publicly say, he Dived.

  191. Marinello says:

    Hi Rico, SP, AGAG, Kev, TSGH and everyone else.
    At 3-2, i honestly thought that if we keep hold of the ball, we have a chance of a draw. But as before, we give the ball away too easily.
    i laughed when I saw Bendtner coming on, but not when I saw their bench. Today, was an extremely bad day at the office for the majority of the players, but also for Arsene. He should have put 5 across the midfield to frustrate City and use Theo’s pace more.
    Have to do a lot better against Chelsea.

  192. frednerk says:

    We still have to play the two mancs at home,utd are middle table and city are not that good away from home..all to play for.

    I will argue with other supporters that we had 2 dis-allowed goals and a certain pen..could have been 6-6.

    What worried me was that as soon as we scored we concided right away the passing through our midfield and leadership totally disappeared,
    the other problem is finishing…Groud had enough chances
    wenger wanted an open game
    and we made enough to win 2 games.

    Wenger will have to try and buy a striker if he wants to play this way.

  193. stevepalmer1 says:

    Maybe i have strange views than most fans, and i know that the facts of life can be very annoying, My views are that if you are in a competition and a team happen to beat you then that team is the better team at the time, like The Capital One Cup we have one game and we lose and were out but in the Champions league you play a team twice so i would naturally feel that the overall score would determine who goes through but that is not the case you can lose to a team twice and still go through depending on other results that seems wrong to me. Equally the Premier league, because of the nature of the rules there are teams you may beat twice but they still finish above you that only determins who has been the most consistent through the year but it doesn’t prove who the best team is.

  194. potter says:

    The league is really the only way to judge. If you take the individual results of a team that wins the league against the team that’s second and the runners up were winners it can’t make them champions. It’s a joke like Scotland claiming to be world champs after beating England in 1967.

  195. emma says:

    Dont want to blame the linesmen for 3 incorrect decisions which could have lead to goals or d referee’s indecisiveness to award a penalty when zabaletta handled. How wilshere england’s only hope managed to stay on d pitch for 90mins requires a coroner inquest.. Wilshere is not tactically disciplined to start on d wings. CM is his best position were he wouldn’t have cost us much damage. Wenger should decide b/w ramsey and wilshere in that CM role. Monreal had a game he would want to forget quickly. The way our midfielders gifted the ball at d centre of d pitch in dangerous positions made me sick in d stomach. Not sure i agree it would have being 5-5. Too many errors in d middle of the pack and so could have being 10-6

  196. stevepalmer1 says:

    Evening Potter, a sad day mate but still a good match. Frustrating but who knows a quirk of fate may still be riding with us 🙂

  197. emma says:

    i would also not stop short to say the TV schedule has not helped as well. Never heard of a team in any of d top 5 league in europe playing in d CL and have to play a TV scheduled match on sunday and to compound it a late kick off(4pm). Played on wed and early kick off on saturday. Thats insane

  198. stevepalmer1 says:

    Hi Emma, i felt we played reasonably, yes your right in your assessment of Jack, he goes to ground a bit to easily for me and with a dodgy ref he didn’t get the foul. I felt every time we gave the ball away city made us pay. they have forwards that all move together and are all very talented that their direct play caught us on the hop. I felt that you could pull our team apart but at the end of the day they fought to the end and made a game of it.City were head and shoulders better than us on the day and Arsene had no answers on the day

  199. rico says:

    5.44 Potter – Agree wholeheartedly…

    Mo – just for info, this place is where fans can talk about what they like when they like and if anyone wants to talk about chickens that’s fine too, especially as the ‘chicken’ comment was directed at me and it’s been a long standing joke between not only Sp and I but others too..

    I’m a country girl who has chickens you see….

    Evening all…

  200. emma says:

    sp – you are right for evey error our CM made we were either punished or close to be punished. Watching the goals back we gifted them 4/5 goals which makes it more annoying. Theo could have easily scored 4 as well. Giroud needs to be taking his chances.

  202. emma says:

    1 from 6pts not good enough. The boys got to put it right against moaniho next week. At least we,ve got enough time to recover. Still top of d league and 2pts ahead. Any thing short of 3pts would’nt go well with d fans. COYG!!!

  205. emma says:

    ts- we only needed to be patient. Keep it tight, cut off d channels and hit them on d break. Our errors in d middle of d pack cost us today. Think this is a reality check. Even at 3-1 i felt we could even up d game. But we kept on giving d ball at dangerous positions. With shitty offensive qualities we were made to pay for our lapses

  206. stevepalmer1 says:

    How many of you held your breath and thought O my God when Kos went down clutching his leg. How many of you thought that’s our chance gone when he was stretchered off, how many of you thought forward to the Chelsea game and thought |Fcuk me. Now that is one player. Vermealen came on and filled in well but he hasn’t started a game all season what was you expecting, if any of you never worried then i would say that you are lying to yourself, while i shit myself, I thought who the hell is going to cover for merts who understands how to cover Merts, yes i felt Kos’s absence was going to be crucial. In the end i felt that the result would have been the same had he stayed on, but it shook me up i can tell ya

  207. rico says:

    I was Sp, and he’s out for a while with the cut he’s suffered…

    If we were to lose Merts now, lord help us..

    TV went to sleep ball watching for one of their goals…

  209. stevepalmer1 says:

    Evening Rico, Yes your right i saw that as well. but what can you expect when you have hardly played and also never expected too. Ring rusty i guess. I seemed to upset one or two with my comments and i apologise if that is how they come across but i love Arsenal to bits but i can see faults and not talking about them and shoving it round the corner does not make them go away.

  212. Scott from Oz says:

    Steve, for all the deficiencies you outline, we still had two proper goals disallowed and a a definite penalty missed…..how would you explain that away as us being a lesser side than Citeh?
    The “facts” you mention are not facts, they are your opinion.
    We were robbed of 3 goals and had a ridiculous penalty against us, so for all our deficiencies should have won the match.
    They are the facts, and not opinion.
    We didn’t play badly at all, but as I said earlier, each mistake was punished by a quality side, just like we punished theirs but the difference was interference by the officials….
    Again, they are the facts /)

  213. BrainwashedKev says:

    Just seen the goals.
    Cannot comment on the rest of the game or chances that we missed, but our defending on some of those goals, was simply not good enough…

    Loved BFG’s reaction to Ozil at the end…
    BFG appreciates the fans.,,
    I luv BFG….. We could do with a couple more like him in the team…

  215. emma says:

    Was that a dive by James Milner? His trailing leg caught szeszny and not the other way round. I am so livid about the decisions that went against us and our abysmal defending. We gifted them all the goals. This Could have easy been a red against yaya toure. Will the FA take a retrospecitve action? I doubt it https://vine.co/v/h2IlOxJE1x1

  216. stevepalmer1 says:

    Scott just noticed your comment about facts, You want facts well try these, Manchester utd 8 Arsenal 2 a year on we still lost. Arsenal knocked out of the Capital one cup fact, Manchester city 6 Arsenal 3 that result will still be the same this time next year what gets forgotten is, how many we had out sick and how weak we was against Utd, How many changes we had against Chelsea, and how many bad decisions we had against city, if you want more facts , what about the sending off against Barcelona while we were one goal up and we still lost. no one ever remembers the reasons all they remember is the facts, the result..

  217. Scott from Oz says:

    Fair call Steve, but you are talking different things there mate, I am talking about facts of the game.
    Play fair 🙂
    We were not great but not that bad, and were simply punished for every mistake, where most clubs can not take advantage of such errors.
    Still, we scored 3 against them….had 2 disallowed and a penalty knocked back, so we hit the back of the net 5 times……I can see plenty of positives in that alone.
    We had some brilliant passages.
    Just some bloody woeful mistakes in defence.
    We move on, and if we attack like that v Chelski and defend a little better, we will destroy them.

  218. Scott from Oz says:

    Love your passion Steve, I really do.
    Kev/Adam, yes, it has taken me a little longer than most to realise it, but we most definitely need another striker ASAP.

  219. stevepalmer1 says:

    Scott i love supporters like you, supporters that show passion, if you scroll up to my comments after the game you will see that i praised our team after the game i also added that i thought City were better than us and i still believe that. Yes we were unlucky with decisions but they attacked us all game and they got 6 goals , and no matter how much i love Arsenal i have to hold my hands up and say the better side won. I have said for as long as i can remember that although Giroud is a fine player he is not the answer up front, I said that Czezesney was an accident waiting to happen and i stand by that. I also questioned Merts lack of pace that hasn’t been a problem of late but if Kos is out for a while it will be.

  220. potter says:

    Yes Emma he dived and as I said earlier no one that matters will have the balls to mention it. Atkinson either had a mare I hope that’s what caused it and not a brown envelope but having perused news now it’s obvious that no mention of the dive or the offside goals is to be made .Despite all of our complaints the record book will show City 6 – Arsenal 3.

  223. stevepalmer1 says:

    Sticks in the throat mate, doesn’t it, sitting hear with bottles of my home brew half pissed and trying to work out how we can recover this scoreline, i think i’ll have a couple more then go up and wake the Mrs up that should cause a row and then i can sleep 🙂

  226. potter says:

    Going to try sleep , but I am turning off the radio alarm ,don’t want to wake up to a load of bollcks being spouted by some disperate gloating scouser like Micky Quinn. It would put me off my porridge and honey.

  233. Merlin96 says:

    Chin up.
    22 more league games to go with the title still within our grasp.
    Hi, we are still TOP of the Table.

    Emotionally, I am drained Rico.
    As posted previously, I do not expect much from this limited team who had over-achieved and played beyond their limitations and more.

    I am still dreaming of 2007/08 season with a happy ending where everybody had written us off … like pundits written off Denmark Euro1992 and Greece Euro2004.

    I am glad that this rebuilt 3rd TEAM went down swinging and mentally strong. This borne well for the FUTURE as we now have a team of fighters with leaders in Mertesacker and Flamini.

    (Rico, you may transfer this posting into your post-mortem of that match.)

  234. Scott from Oz says:

    Steve, yes, Citeh were the better side for sure….they made less errors for starters, and penlaised ours ruthlessly.
    Still, for all our failings, we should have finished a lot closer, so that fills me with confidence.

  235. ozgunner says:

    hi Scott – how that defensive performance filled you with confidence is a bit beyond me mate – they scored at will and missed plenty? Many of our players again, failed to do the basic things. You have rows between Ozil and Mert, you have Bendter mouthing off in front of kids, JW giving the finger – total lack of discipline all round.

  236. ozgunner says:

    we are also now 1 point from 9 and poor tactical decisions have played a huge part in that in fairness to the players.

  238. Scott from Oz says:

    We have proved over 18 odd games that we have a very good defence, so it is totally unfair to criticise the side bases on one or two games.

  240. Scott from Oz says:

    Mate, I am not pretending we were good.
    We were punished for every error by a good side, but still, the fact we were average but should have finished with another few goals gives hope.
    We know we can defend better but need to.
    It did show Wenger MUST act in the January window.
    He has no choice.

  241. ozgunner says:

    my opinion is if we were punished for every error, we’d have conceded a lot more than six but we all see things differently i guess. The ease with which they answered every goal has me really wondering about these supporters claiming we could have got a point, but there ya go. To me what happened yesterday is so typical of recent years, when the real questions are asked we fold and quite spectacularly at times.

  242. stevepalmer1 says:

    Morning all,
    after a restless night, i have had a think about where we stand now, and when i think how our team has played so far this season and where we are in relation to the league position, I have to say that we are ahead of where we was this time last year. Yes we have lost a few games, we have lost them in the league and we have lost them in the cups but we have still won more than we have lost, so our future is still looking remarkably good. Still in the FA cup with a match with Spuds to come. We are still in Champions league in a group of fine teams, and we head the league table so lots of positives. Transfer window opens shortly and we have cash in the bank. We have been fortunate that Kos has a bad cut instead of anything more drastic. Theo has got off the mark with a fine pair of goals, Yes things are on the up. We are fortunate that we have time to study the match with city before we play them again and any weaknesses that Wenger finds can be papered over in the coming window. Of course our next game against Chelsea has come at a bad time, our team have suffered bad losses of late so the confidence has taken a little knock, but what they have to remember is they have to lift their spirits because if we lose this game we will lose our standing at the top and that will give a big lift to the side who top the table. Arsene Wenger has a tough week ahead of him he has to lift our players spirits he has to try and instill in them that Chelsea have not had it all their own way he has to tell the players that Maurene has had the upper hand on us in the past and that he doesn’t want to see his laughing face after the match. I certainly hope he can lift these deflated players as another defeat could send us spiraling.

  243. Scott from Oz says:

    Oz, two fair goals disallowed means those people could be on to something.
    A misses penalty adds weight to the argument.
    A dodgy penalty to them adds more.
    That is not making things up, that is fact.
    We were average but were some terrible decisions away from winning the game.
    You can not possibly deny that.

  244. Scott from Oz says:

    Chelski game is pivotal, I agree Steve.
    The right result could set is off towards the League.
    A loss could kill us.
    At home, we really should roll them.

  245. rico says:

    Morning all…..

    AW needs to sign a Yaya kind of player and a striker imho…

    Our midfield yesterday was like a soft centred toffee…

    The officials though were diabolical and cost us dear….

  247. Bradster says:

    Morning all,
    What were we expecting from the officials? We never get decisions that are border line, not clear cut penalties or any opportunity to penilise us?
    For some reason even papers and pundits try their best to paint Arsenal in a bad light.
    Wenger set the teams mind set up wrong, best way to beat City is to attack and keep possession. No, the best was to do as we have against any side we’ve played with strong attacks and poor defence is soak it up and catch them as they push.

  250. rico says:

    Brad, I have to be honest, someone asked me who I would start with yesterday and AW picked the same team, apart from I’d have started Gibbs instead of Jack.

    The game itself was very open and at home, I expected City to have majority of the possession and chances but we snuffed them out a lost of the time.

    Had decisions alone been called correctly, that game would have ended up 5-5 and everyone would be reporting about what a wonderful game it was.

    And just has they had many other chances, so did we.

  252. Merlin96 says:

    Morning all.
    Yes, Chelski game is pivotal in a sense it will test our mental strengthen in bouncing back from two successive defeats.

    More importantly, is Arsene Wenger that shrewd tactician that will select the proper personnel with the proper tactic as to not to lose to Chelski, never mind about winning.

    Put it this way:
    If we can’t handle the pace and power of Barkley-Barry and Yaya-Fernardinho, then Wenger better devise the right tactic to handle the pace and power of Hazard-Ramires-Essien-Oscar, even t the extent of playing anti-football .. and not gung-ho attacking football at EIthad against a vastly superior side at their home-ground. That is suicidal football.

    You know, Wenger has yet to beat Mourinho’s Chelski?

    “If you can’t win a game, make sure you don’t lose it.”

  253. stevepalmer1 says:

    Rule of thumb for keeping possession is to not give the ball away lightly, against lower sides you have time to get the ball back, but against the best sides they punish you before you know it. We say we should do this or that and that as a team we played bad with bad tactics but whoever gives the ball away, put his side under undue pressure. When you press forward and all the team are going forward and you give the ball straight to the other side then you are asking for trouble. City thrive on mistakes they know how capitalise and their scoring record shows how good they are.

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