Morning all.
These games are high intensity and high intensity is dictated by how well you prepare mentally and how well you’re ready physically. I believe that on both sides that we will be ready. – Arsène Wenger
It’s Derby Day!
Remember March last year and the same trip? Two minutes on the clock, Tomas Rosicky, 1-0 up and game over. How sweet was that victory…
There’s nothing like beating the noisy neighbours, especially on their own turf and repeat of last seasons feat would make a perfect Saturday. The only annoying thing for me is I’m going to miss it.
Alexis might start, he might not but I fully expect him to be at least sat on the bench like a coiled spring just waiting to get a taste of playing at such a dump.
The back five picks itself on recent form, as does the selection of Cazorla, Coquelin, Ramsey and Giroud so that’s nine done.
Two places left with Ozil, Walcott, Welbeck and Rosicky fighting to fill them. One place if Alexis is passed fit.
What a great problem for Arsene Wenger to have……
And what a strong bench we will have too, one full of game changers should we need them. Ozil/Walcott, Welbeck/Rosicky with Gabriel, Gibbs, Akpom, Flamini and Szczesny. Added to them is Alexis if he’s not deemed fit enough to start.
Surely there’s enough quality, depth and strength there to win this match……
As said, it’s a derby, it’s against that lot from the wrong side of North London and it’s a game we Gooners all want to win. Arsene Wenger shouldn’t need to make some big motivational pre-match talk, the players should know by now what this game means to all.
There’s only room one top class club in North London, that’s all there has ever been and today is a good time to remind the neighbours that they have and always been clouded by darkness….
COYRRG’S
Top read Rico…
Morning again Rico, Kev, Wavy et al
morning all!
If Alex is not fit, dont put him in the squad.
come on Arsenal!
Thanks Ts, morning to you, Jm and all…
Ospina
Bellerin, Merts, Kos, Monreal
Coq, Ramsey
Santi
Welbeck Giroud Rosicky/Ozil..
🙂
The game I hate , wish they would go down again so that I didn’t have to go through it every year. On paper we should have enough , but with Atkinson in charge a man that allows knocks and bangs but cracks down on little tugs and will fall for a dive from any player running at pace with a forward roll and pike , we have to be very careful. Mason doesn’t mind “” putting his foot in “” expect a display of rough and tumble and a few falling cockerels in Erikson’s range. If we keep concentration we should win , but!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A somewhat Churchillian post Rico, very good.
This is always a difficult game to call. Emotions, pride, a few nerves, it has all the ingredients of a great match. As long as everyone is on their game and concentrates for the whole match I see a victory on the horizon.
Could not face a week of ribbing from all the armchair Spud fans…
A repeat of the Man City performance would or should carry us over the line. May pick up a few injuries today methinks…
Coq on Erikson, Kos on Kane and both like glue…
I hate the fixture too Potter, just as much as I hate the team we are playing…..
What do you think of Tottenham?
just found out i will be missing this game..
In-law wants some help with something again… 😡
Bt- i got my hands on Syg’s book…
Try to get you hands on 1.. just 2 chapters I have read have been excellent read…
Syg’s slated the ginge character though 😉
Thanks Marinello..
That’s what I think too, a repeat of the commitment shown at the Etihad should be enough, but I’m nervy as the Toots beat the Chavs with ease not long ago. Maybe they were a bit complacent, and that let them down.
It’ll be tough but we can win this one…
I agree Rico. Both teams are on form and confidence will be high in both camps. The first 15 minutes will tell me how it will pan out.
Let’s hope that the result keeps us all warm inside on a cold Saturday.
Have a good day Rico.
What is the name of the book by SYG?
You know the answer Bt… 😉
Catch up later guys…
COYRRG’S!!!
Good read Rico…… Hi ts jm marinello and all…. . Can’t wait for the game hoping for a victory today….. Rosicky to start as well.. .. Coyg
Rico, you’ll be missed behind the sofa…….
Must be something important to miss this one…
Morning all
Hi guys,
I’m caught in need a live stream to watch the game.
Any suggestions?????
Scott, try first row sport/bz…
For a bit of fun:
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7wCfttJVnQ&w=420&h=315%5D
Ts, the in-laws pushing you around again?
Morning All. Todays team Ospina Bellerin Merts Kossy Monreal Coq Ramsey Wellbeck Santi Ozil Giroud
Subs Chessny Gibb Gabby Flamini Rosicky Walcott Akpom.
Bit of pace on the bench, Rick…
Bench looking very strong BT
Rick, good job to, we need everyone for this one…
First 15 mins should be pretty frantic…
Biggest worry is the likes of Rambo dwelling on the ball in our half. We know they’re gonna be pressing high and have a bit of pace if they nick the ball. Hate this poxy fixture
I’ve butterflies already, Bob….lol
O 2 O2B O2 B A GOOONERRR!!!!!
I’ve watch images from totts stadium now!
Where are you Goonie?
Scott, any joy?
I fucking hate those knuckle dragging deluded fucktards from up the road! Our bench will be the difference IMHO. Rosicky and Walcott to rip them to shreds…. FOYS and COYRRG!!!!!
This is F**kin WAR!!!!!
SMASH the Spuds!!!!!!!
OZILLL!!!!
Spuds 99% Arsenal 1% posession
Spuds 0 Arsenal1
Need we say more?
I don’t trust Atkinson…
Atkinson running true to form. Missing the off the ball and falling for every rolling over collapse. Mason definitely due a yellow.
I’m very concern with this game. They won the midfield clear. We didn’t shot. They had clear opportunities. They are very strong in the game…..
We must change something at hlf-time
and our goal was offside…
Afternoon all.
I’m enjoying my Foxtel working again 🙂
O 2 O2B O 2 B A GOOONERRR!!!!!
Tighten up our right hand side and move the ball faster, make every pass count…
Smash the Spuds!!
Just got back and began watching the game from the 25th minute onwards. What is Atkinson on actually??? Wellbeck’s and Monreal’s yellows were totally undeserved. Neither players touched their opponent. Actually they jumped rather than being fouled. Yet Atkinson deemed them to be a foul and a yellow.
So he is hell bent on sending off someone.
Good Afternoon Brandies and Whiskeys.
Nice post Rico. It will be a great one if we emerge from the spud sack with a clean sheet.
No JM. There was a spuddie foot keeping Ozil inside. Watch the replays again and you can see for yourself.
Bellerin needs to be careful. Yes, he and DW23 may have lots of speed in their legs, however they are leaving holes behind them which are being exploited not and again. So we need to tighten that area up.
That was spot on by Atkinson. Kos got nowhere near the ball. and with that speed it should have been obvious that he would take the man with him. Kos should have never committed since the spuddie would not have managed to control himself and then the ball. He should have continued to run with him.
FFS!!!!
that was a great save by Ospina. However no one was tracking Kane. Why??? the defenders should know that he is not to be given an inch of space let alone a yard headstart.
Other than the goal, absolutely awful.
In a pub full of spuds. Not enjoying this.
We have to hang on!!
FFS!!!!!
Game set and match to Atkinson
Fuckin Walcott jogging again just come on you lazy bstard
Better team won… Arsenal are terrible today, they can barely string a few passes together…
Walcott had 20 minutes and didn’t even break sweat. Fuck off out of my club you waster
I refer you to my post at 11 .02. Now if tonight’s lottery numbers were so easy.
That was fucking awful. Few good performances then back to the same old shit when it matters.
Well, to me, the team that showed more desire and more fight, won the game…
I thought that Arsenal were far far too nice.
Don’t put your arm around the referee Giroud when the ref is booking you.
Get in his face…
Too many nicey nicey players in the Arsenal team….
And Rico, you’ll be pleased to hear this, I thought that Mertesaker was awful…
Arsenal got fcuk all and that’s all we deserved, imo….
Btw, Michael Owen, what a fcuking boring cnut.
Can’t BT do better than him?
Whose fault is it this time, AW?
This is what happened when you have passengers in the team.
Afternoon all
Potter you called it absolutely bang on..
However our midfield was non existent..
Ramsey and Caz didn’t show today..
Welbz was rusty..
Ozil was.. well just Ozil..
Ospina had a good game.. Shame he is in the loosing side..
Rosiscky improved our midfield a bit and Walcott did nothing..
Giroud did well with little service he had…
Cameo for akpom..
Disappointing afternoon, atrocious refereeing, but we didn’t deserve anything tbh.
Hopefully we move on..
Try to enjoy the rest of the weekend.
Don’t really think we can blame the ref for that one
Relax m’lads and lasses. Yes, the spuddies might finish in 4th place……but we will win the CL and leave them to enjoy Thursday footie.
That was not a team vs a team. It was a team plus ref vs AFC. Atkinson got many decisions wrong imo. However that is no excuse for the performance by AFC players. With hindsight everyone is clever, but although Coquelin and the CBs stayed disciplined some of the others did not. Nacho was ok, however Bellerin was too much far up many times and left a lot of spaces behind him. Cazorla and Aaron worked their socks off, while Ozil got his 3rd goal in as many games since he came back. However, I felt that our team were less compact than usual. There was a sort of dis-coordination between the midfield and attack.
One thing though……10 out of our last 15 games are against teams in the lower half of the table. The spuddies still have to play against the likes of Shitty, Manure, Southampton, etc. So relax mates. Yes, we lost today. but the season is still long.
For me today ospina looked dodgy mertsacker was terrible, Ramsey done fuck all, cazorla never turned up, and giroud was also very average. Walcott had 20 mins and tbh he was ineffective the ox and alexis were sorely missed. overall we really lacked tempo and aggression today, spurs had those in abundance, which is why they dominated start to finish, that’s how i seen the game today Not a pretty picture. 🙁
Ospina conceds two, two!
Chesney back next week then?
We were never in control, we never had the ball! We never passed the ball with any authority, we never really came out of the changing room…….conclusion….another 12.45 failure.
From heroes to zeroes in the space of 94 minutes!
Back to the drawing board Arsene! You are not forgiven yet. A few good results do not a season play!
PLAY? …..wtf? …..make….make…bloody, bloody ipad!
Do me a favour mates…….what chance Ospina had in saving those two goals?? On the first he made a good save but was unable to prevent a goal since Kane was not tracked.
The second was a good goal and he was well positioned. But even at full stretched would have been unable to save it.
Ospina was ok. It was someone else who was at fault, but certainly today neither Ospina nor Coquelin were bad. They were disciplined.
Coach, I agree, don’t think that we can blame Ospina…
Here’s the positive before we played city.. i would have excepted 6 pts from city, villa, spurs. games..
dear oh dear!
back to square 1.
Long time Kel…
We need another midfield worker… too many passengers
Ospina? I wasn’t blaming him, honest! I was being ironic!
In fact I was in ‘Wenger mind set’ , like what will he do to rectify a losing team? Well it’s obviously the goalkeeper’s fault because he let the goal be breached, twice. To Wenger’s thinking it’s as plain as the nose on your face!
Me now, drop Ospina? Never! Chesney is not as good as even ‘fingers’ Jim Furnell! Mind you i liked him, he made me both laugh and cry! Chesney only makes me cry!
Today the whole defensive unit was made to look a bit dodgy.
Bad day at the office……let’s move on.
Hi all,
i think we tried to hard to get stuck in and Tottenham knew the ref would blow for them.
When you can get the biased commentators saying that most of our yellows shouldn’t have been then u know the ref was blatently wrong.
Ramsey for me was poor and Kos too.
Worse was ball going out and Rose picking it up 30m up the line and throws in from there for the counter with no problem from Atkinson
TW was incredible. on the second goal, the spurs player had time for everything!
Well, won the best team on the pitch. Merit for them. They want to win. Maybe the best game of the season for Totts (better then versus Chelsea). They have good young players and they can be the surprise of the League.
We scored early (was offside indeed), and we went back very early. We could lost the game but we invited them for control the game and grew up minute after minute. We suffered the second goal when, in my opinion, we were over the game and we were most closer to score then them. However, in my opinion TW disdn’t make his job.
For be in the first 4, we must win mostly of the next games.3 points lost, means fall down in the tale, one, two or more positions.
Thw score was right but I didn’t Forget Arsenal-Totts two months ago where we were must better then them and finished 0-0. With those 2 points, we climb up.
What a shocker!!
Afternoon all…
They wanted it more than us….Ramsey amongst others were shite! I suppose the untold wankers will blame the referee, the problem lies closer to home! Smell the coffee.
Hi Tsgh.. yes mate we certainly do, he plays for southampton lol… thought we were very timid today.
Our players only turn up during the transfer window. Not a single one of our players won there battles today. They obviously don’t understand what a NLD is! I can accept losing to that lot but the manner in which we lost today is unnacceptable. We sorely missed Sanchez today and merts was always going to get owned by Kane because let’s be honest he’s shit.
Kane is class and if he continues In This vein then he will be off in the summer.
Chelski drawing and Citeh 1 down..
Glad I didn’t watch it if we were that bad…..
Actually Lee , Atkinson was as expected just Atkinson, Others may put the blame on him but the way I see it the blame lies in not making allowances for him in the first place . We should have planned for his style and seeing that we were losing any midfield control should have made the changes earlier to try and break up their building momentum. His refereeing was one sided and poor but when he referees The Arsenal that’s the way he does his job.
Chavs 2-1
Reality Check, me thinks…
Well I hope AW gives them all a swift kick in the arse and this loss pushes us in the right direction…
I know that’s being really optimistic but it how I feel. Losing against that shower of s***e, makes this loss a thousand times worse….
Kev, Wavy, Lewis, I agree with your comments.
Apart from the goal, we never got going. Certain players went missing, we were second to every 2nd loose ball, and overall poor. Physically Spurs won individual challenges on the floor.
Red was poor, but Spurs wanted it more from what I saw.
Giroud for a big lad, gets pushed around too much for me.
Hey, never mind, at least we are not homeless and are having to sleep out in the cold tonight…
ffs, who is Red? The word is Ref!
That’s how I see it rico, hopefully a wake up call… also come Tuesday I’d start Rosicky and gabriel just to show one or two players if you snooze you fuckin lose.
Business end of the season no room or time for passengers imo.
Kel, it would have been much better to continue our good form and run, if that there is no doubt and especially by beating that lot of diving cheating scumbags but I’d so love that to be the kick in the butt which pushes us up to 3rd or even second…
I’d sure bring Gabriel in for Merts…..
Southampton have won…..
On a positive note, sperms have just been pushed out of the top 4 by Soton!
Negatives, we are now 6th!
Rico. hope you had a good day out…
I did thanks Bt, although it’s been ruined by our result….
Well 14 games to go and we’re lying 6th… if that doesn’t wake these players and manager up I don’t know what will.
Sanchez and chamberlain can’t come back quick enough for me they will make a difference.
Also Theo needs to take note, that silly comment he made earlier in the season about sanchez needing to calm down… no theo you need to up your game son, you need to hound and harrish defenders like the ox and sanchez and even danny does…
You know, these kind of performances, keep on occurring with the 12.45 ko…
Ok, I’m not saying that it’s some kind of jinx or nonsense like that. But maybe Wenger has to look at his preparations for these early kick-off ( there here to stay) because it keeps on happening.
Arsenal again looked lacklustre, low on energy and second best all over the pitch, especially in midfield where our passing was slow, sloppy and unimaginative…
Tottenham looked stronger, quicker and more energetic than our mob…
It can’t just be down to home advantage.,.
Spot on Kel, Walcott needs to start earning his wage, not jog around looking pretty….
I think ur right kev… there’s something not clicking for us at that time. They way we were playing is the way I felt, knackered and not much energy but i sat up watching American sniper with a six pack lol… i hope they’re not doing the same.. 😉
Theo Walcott is 25, he’s not a kid anymore.
Now I’m not singling him out for criticism, and he has scored 2 goals in his last 3 appearances, and he wasn’t alone in being below par today, but surely it’s time for Theo, as an experienced international, to start to provide a bit more and on a more consistent basis.
Grod was up all night looking at his six pack, in the mirror..
Kel lol
I agree Kel, although Walcott wasn’t on that long, he needs to pick up the tempo of the game wicker and get involved more.
Sanchez sets the example for all to follow. Track back and all defend as a unit.
Off to Cambridge now, have a good evening everyone.
Take care.
Marinello
Wicker? Quicker.
If it wasn’t a bad day I would be enjoying comments from everyone…ditto Kel and kev’s point re Theo
My next door neighbour has avoided me for months and then he comes around asking if I would like to go to the pub… blooding sperds fan.
Kev, get them all up for an ice bath at 5am, that’ll sort them out!!
Walcott might start to perform once a new contract is dangled in front of him…
Kel- Morgan and Gundogan in the summer to push us forward…
Bt- I am told Gundogan was electric today…
Damn decent of him Ts, hope you told him to go to…..
Cynical Rico. what has your boy Theo done to you recently? 😉
Perhaps.Rico has seen the real Theo, Ts.
Bt- i asked him if his Mrs would approve as he informed him he had been instructed to lose some weight for his daughter’s wedding? 😛
Re Theo, I backed him when he was younger because he looked like he could have everything but I’m no fool, he’s a lazy luxury who needs a rocket up his backside!
When I watch Arsenal playing I alway try to take notice of players who loose the ball up the pitch in the other team half and how that player respond.
We seem to have those that just stroll and never chased to recuperate the ball back.
You can say all you want about Wayne Rooney but, when he gives the ball away he try to get it back. The same goes for AS17.
So true Rico. I can stomach Theo when he turns up on the big occasions plus the Nth london derby but; it sounds like he had a stinker…
Was Theo checking himself up on the big display like he always does? 😉
”We seem to have those that just stroll and never chased to recuperate the ball back.”- Spot on Ng
No idea Ts, like you I didn’t see the game. Ramsey apparently had a stinker too!
I watched some of that game tsgh I had a financial interest dortmund played well… Morgan and gundogan would be nice indeed.. tbh tho I’d take Mccarthy from Everton.. someone like him today would have put that twat Mason in his place.. Bad day all round fs even my local club got beat …. 🙁
Rico-Ramsey’s shite performance was reported to me before half time by a mate at the game.
kel- I like McCarthy.. i like Jedinak even more…
Ts. Where was that team that played Mancity today? I just can’t blame AW for this performance today. We have to hold these players responsible and put the blame on them.
Good question Ng…
In my view, most of the players are idle…
They cant handle playing every 3 days and get complacent when they win 2 games in a row…
Ts, good to hear you have a reporter at the game…. Lol
The problem is, this Arsenal team will probably give Leicester a spanking, Theo will be brilliant.
Then we’ll knock Middlesborough out of the cup and might even turn over Monaco, but there’s more players, who’ve been with Wenger a long time now, who need the Podolski treatment, moved on pronto..,
And replaced with players of Sanchez’s mentality…
Ng easy answer imo is to look at the line up at the etihad, and then look at the team today…
There’s a missing link…..
Kev, do you remember my lighthearted post about Arsene should sign the Chilean national team? Lol
Back to your best, Kev
Rico. Not the missing players but the missing attitudes. All for one, one for all.
Ng, that’s my point. Who was missing? The man with the big commitment which others feed off…
Rico, is he all that’s missing?
Bt, not the player but his ethics. I think when he plays, others raise their game….
But I still think we need a couple of players and get rid of a few too….
I’m off guys, Tom Jones is knocking on the door…
Nighty folks….
Thanks BT…
I was chatting to Adam earlier, and he said that he wasn’t totally convinced by Arsenals recent results and didn’t seem suprised by today’s result, if still disappointed…
I suppose the next few games should tell us a lot.
Looking at the fixtures, up to the end of March, we should expect this present Arsenal squad, if we are going in the right direction, to actually win the lot…
I suppose we’ll know where we are in a couple of months
It’s not unusual Rico…
Is it The Voice?
Night to you….
What a shit start to the weekend, think we’re reading too much into the Citeh result, they’re struggling themselves, Middlesbrough turned them over the week before us and only a late goal against Hull saved their blushes today.
A draw would have been a good result, 85 minutes gone at the shithole and we were sitting pretty in 3rd place, somehow fcuked it up and now 6th, as Kel said earlier 14 games to go, we gotta get our act together, running outta games.
Just working it out in my head 14 x 3 points =…………………….the 4th placed trophy ! it don’t get any bigger than that Gooners !
They must all have Direct Deposit and that how their monies go into their accounts. If I were the manager (AW) I’d put a hold on all the Deposits until we watch the game again before the funds are release. It’s a shame what some of our players can get away with then played the next game with their names first in the team sheet.
Easy Nash, it that were the case Diaby would be a tramp sleeping on a park bench in Islington with only a spurs top for a blanket !
This game was for the fans, some of our players have to take a long look at themselves in the mirror tomorrow morning, let us down badly.
Time for me bunk, nite all.
Micko, you’re not looking for much….it’s all to easy for them…
Time for a pipe….
Terrible.
No speed of play.
No stringing passes together.
No nothing.
Exactly Scott…
No Passion…
Ozil and Cazorla together in a game like that is too much of a lightweight thing. In the middle only Coquelin did himself justice , Ramsey was overrun and did himself no favours playing statues for Kane’s first and the second was almost a force of nature as they swarmed over us and didn’t let us string two passes together. We were poor and probably will be again later in the season when we play the next ” big team “. Nothing to do but accept that when push comes to shove , and there was a lot of that today , we are not good enough.,
Morning all…..
Lovely sunny and bright morning outside, doesn’t feel like that on the inside though…..
Morning Rico
The Scummers were out in force yesterday after the game…
Change in the balance of blah blah blah.
It’s the same every time you let a Scum out of his box, it goes right to their empty head.
But we need reminding, from time to time, just what a bunch of tossers they are…
Whatever the result, they’re still, and always will be, in our shadow…
Morning guys.
Morning Kev.
They have to cherish the moment I guess, it’s all about who finishes where at the end of the season now….
I can’t believe how dull our performance was.
Hi Scott…
Hi Rico.
I don’t belive we over rated how good the sides recent performances have been, but I reckon the players may have.
Morning, Rico.
Every one is disappointed, and it is difficult to find a way to rationalise how bad it can make all Gooners feel.
The fact tho’ is that every game can be influenced by how individual players feel on the day, or how good or bad a referee’s decision making is etc. Even tho that is true it does not make it feel any better.
But it is just one game, and there is still all to play for in terms of the top four, and frankly it was never likely that we would beat mainly bags Citeh and Chavs to the title.
Let’s go again on Tuesday and let the team take out their hurt on the opposition then, and we can stick to supporting our guys.
Same for me Scott, it’s all to easy to suggest the opposition was poor and that’s the only reason we have won recently. Like you, I think the players underestimated how poor Atkinson was going to be and yesterdays opposition.
There are two things that cannot be denied about yesterday’s game;
a) Our midfield was poor. Ramsey, Cazzor and Özil were overwhelmed. That buggered up both the defence and the attack.
b) The Spuds (sadly) were good on the day and deserved to win. 🙁
Morning Hb, it’s just because it was ‘them’ – all the talk about ‘can’t lose the Nld’ by the players and they choked it….
Yes, they were very good and much better than I thought they could be.
They were up for it and we weren’t.
All the talk during the week of the players knowing how big a game it was fell by the wayside after the whistle blew.
Atkinson was his normal shit self but we didn’t deserve to win the game and that’s quite clear.
Cue the release of the Spud’s NLD DVD….
We were pants…
Morning all….
Morning Bt…
Just can’t understand why our lot didn’t turn up. Lunchtime ko’s really aren’t something our boys cope well with away from home…
Rico, I know that is a fact….early kick offs…..but damn, it’s a poor excuse lol.
I wonder why it has such an effect on them.
It MUST be preparation.
Away from home, they only travelled a few miles up the road…..load of …
Early kick offs, they have not played for a week, well rested, no excuses.
BT, it’s not an excuse, but it is a fact we don’t do well in that time a lot.
Interesting stuff about Pep here and there on the web.
Tell us more Adam, and good morning 🙂
Maybe our boys had been on Shisha pipe the night before Scott/BT
Too many excuses really Scott, I just think the players need to take a look at themselves in the mirror, well those who were shoddy yesterday…
New post up now…
Scott, it’s a poor one if it’s a fact, pampered over indulged individuals, now that’s a fact.
Not a conclusive fact…Scott
What’s the Pep stuff Adam?
Not sure what is being said about Pep G but Simeone the manager of Atletico Madrid is a good manager, and a bit of a nutter, but after beating Real Madrid 4:0 yesterday and making it look easy, as well as doing so well in the CL last year, maybe he should be looked at when Arsene calls it a day.