Morning all.
I am surprised they are bottom of league and they want to get rid of their manager. If they keep quiet, don’t panic and stick together, they will get out of that. They are one of better teams we’ve played.
Leicester rolled up at The Emirates and dumped twelve players on the pitch but of course, it wasn’t their fault Mike Jones was on their side. He really was awful, the booking of Giroud was simply laughable and topped off his dreadful performance!
Talking of Giroud, why wasn’t he or Welbeck on from the start? With Theo on the right, Alexis on the left, that side was craving a tall man in the middle….
The away team team clearly had an agenda, play tough and get away with as much rough stuff as they could, and they did. Alexis was the main victim and suffered a scare during the first half after one of a number of hefty challenges which went unpunished. Treatment was required but all seemed ok to carry on.
Santi too was on the end of some rough stuff, I guess both he and Alexis were deemed to be the danger players, so why not stop them any which way they could and were allowed to…..
And what about our penalty shout just after the second half begun? It was clear cut imo but no, not for Jones…
Two good goals from Laurent Koscielny and Theo Walcott earned the three points but after conceding a sloppy goal during a dire second half, things could have been so different and if it wasn’t for the fact that Leicester were so poor in front of goal, we could so easily have dropped two points last night.
But we didn’t and that’s a bonus.
Theo may have scored, and to be honest it was a great strike after Schwarzer could on parry a stinging shot from Ozil but yet again, the effort he put in was was very average. But he wasn’t alone in that department was he…. There’s little point in going over it all again, watching was bad enough.
Conclusions are being drawn from that cryptic tweet that the injury to our little Chilean is serious, although Arsene Wenger has calmed those fears, or has at least tried to:
Alexis Sanchez does not look bad, a kick on the knee.
Unlike Aaron Ramsey who came off of the bench only to suffer what appears to be a hamstring injury which could keep him out for several weeks. Did he warm up properly before coming on? Should Alexis have started, was he 100% fit? We read a lot about how he just wants to play every game which is something to be admired but at some stage, he has to be told ‘no, no you are not starting, your not 100% fit’.
A good night points wise but that’s about it…
Perhaps last night the players, like many fans, especially me, thought three points were a forgone conclusion…
Next up for us is Middlesbrough in the FA Cup on Sunday, a fixture which will be equally, if not tougher than last nights challenge.
That’s it for Wednesday, I’ll be cheering on the Hammers and Burnley later…..
Morning Rico. Until there are some tangible consequences then I imagine Wenger will continue sending out his teams like he did last night and accepting these performances. Buying a few new players won’t make any difference as far as I can see.
1st
Morning Adam…
I was quite surprised Welbeck didn’t start last night…
Adam just got in before me
Nothing Wenger does is of any surprise to me any more Rico.
It was turgid, unimaginative and considering the calibre of the players and the cost of them, quite embarrassing.
Good Morning Chocs and Sweets.
Good match report Lady. Inept is a soft adjective to describe the ref. The yellow card he showed OG was simply laughable.
Were you surprised that Danny did not start??? I was as well…..I would have gone with OG, Theo and Danny up top. As it is AW saw it fit to begin with a 4-1-3-2 formation with Theo and Alexis up front. That could have been suicidal since for the majority of the game since with Bellerin constantly being deployed as a winger we were very light at the back.
But why deploy Bellerin as a right winger to put in crosses and then omit a real target man like OG???
I still think the players have a lot to answer for, ell some of them. Far too many just jog around for fun all too often..
How they are allowed to get away with it is beyond me…
Adam
“It was turgid, unimaginative and considering the calibre of the players and the cost of them, quite embarrassing.”…………spot on mate.
With regret I think it is time to seriously reconsider the contribution that Walcot makes to the team.He spends most of his time on the pitch watching others participating & staying out of contact.When he plays we are in effect a man short.Time to take the money &reinvest! For different reasons we also need to cash in on Wilshire.We should get some 40 Mil. for those two & buy a couple of good replacements with that kind of money.
Hi Rico
Good post as usual. We played rubbish and won, S***s played great and lost – no problem. I thought they were really unlucky – it couldn’t happen to a better team.
I didn’t really understand who was playing where for us, and it looked like the players didn’t either.
I’m not worried about Soton or S***s, it’s Man U we have to beat.
Brian
Rico. Arsene is just too old and set in his ways to reinvent himself now. I would say that was our worse home performance of the season.
The decisions to be made over this team are building and Arsene is really not the man to make them as he has had ample time without result. Theo, for instance, continues to disappoint while his personal wealth increases. He walks, occasionally jogs but offers very little and the there are quite a few in that same comfort zone. Buying Morgan or whatever his name is seems a futile exercise while the team’s mindset is a reflection of a manager who has simply lost the ability to inspire.
When you have picked and set up teams for 30 years your preparations, attitudes, behaviours etc. are ingrained. To suddenly change your modus operandi is a leap into the dark, or perhaps like jumping off the Niagara Falls into the abyss below! That was Wenger 2 weeks ago. He set up the team to beat Man City ‘differently’ or at least someone did. The influence and discipline had us all ‘doing a goonie’! But sadly as Saturday’s and last night’s performance shows the setting up of the team has returned to the default, 30 year in gestation model, ie no plan at all! We were found out at shite fart lane and the foxes nearly wrecked the coop, in last night’s unedifying effort, (good job Rico had locked and bolted the henhouse door!) which is more than can be said of the Arsenal last night.
Back to the drawing board Mr Wenger, the old slipshod ways are past their sell by date and are no longer viable in this brave new world that contains so many top 4 aspirants!
Get a grip man and do your job properly or do one!
Report for the 3rd quarter should read, some progress made but the old slaphappy ways have not yet been eradicated. More concentration required at all times . The team are far too complacent and are far too easily pleased when there is a need for more effort to be made in order to complete a task successfully. They also seem to lack drive, more self motivation required.
Lord knows what will happen on Saturday?
Miserable overcast depressing day here, seems to relect my general mood, today!
Morning all.
And the referee…
Was a cretinous incompetent of course Brudder.
I go with Foresight on Theo and Jack. Yes they should be sold to make way. Look at Danny against the Spuds. He worked tirelessly up and down the right. He was subbed and yesterday did not get a call. The defeat against the spuds shattered him. Did it hit Theo at all???
Theo’s speed has gone. Infact, a few days ago I asked the question….has Theo lost his speed or has OG increased his?? The defenders were closing Theo down while OG had a headstart when he scored.
Did we lose last night?
I missed that.
Morning all.
I know Wenger cops plenty, and fair enough, but when does it come down to grown men earning decent money to give us 100%, if not for the fans or the game, but just for professional pride?
When can we expect to see the game played the way it should be, and the best side winning on their merits?
That’s the referees I’m talking about…….those who plenty of Gooners seem to simply wave off as a non event….but a factor.
Tactics….yep, that referee had them.
Game plan…yep, both A and B.
Subs….none required as he was stronger at games end than he was at the start.
You lucky people in London have access to watch world class players such as Ozil in the flesh, yet seem resigned or accepting of the fact he should and does get the shit kicked put of him,as does Sanchez, but that’s just part of the game, right?
If I were a great technical footballer, the one club in England I’d want to play for is Arsenal, but the last one I’d play for is Arsenal, because I know I’d struggle to walk each Monday morning.
Seriously, we want the players to fight for the club yet so many won’t FIGHT FOR THE PLAYERS, and reading most blogs or forums after a loss shows that…….but we won?
What does it take?
Foresight, I asked that very question about Theo just a couple of days ago…
To add……watch a replay, watch the second half and watch what Ozil copped from Simpson, amongst others.
Then, put yourself in Ozil’s shoes and ask yourself how you’d feel to hear NOTHING from the fans to get behind the boys.
Hi Brian, thanks.
Yes we won playing average and that’s good but the average has been on show for a while. Had it been a one off,or just one of those days, it would be easy to understand.
Adam, I still player signings could make a difference, a couple more who work as hard as Alexis would soon change the mindset. And I still believe that’s the way to go because AW is going nowhere soon…
Wavy, nice comment.. 🙂
I just saw an interesting stat……
Liverpool 20 points.
Arsenal 18 points
Spurs and Soton 16 points
Chelksi and Stoke 14 points
Utd 12 points
Palace 11 points
Citeh 10 points
This is since Xmas….some sides have a game to play but still…..hardly a disaster.
Scott, I’m with you re some of the players, football is their job, for just 90 mins twice a week at the most, darn well work for their wage…
And the ref too, he played his part, I’d be pretty cheesed off if every time I got the ball an opposing player was allowed to kick lumps out of me…
Devil, I still don’t think Theo has lost his pace, just lost the will to use it. His footballing brain is zero, he seldom thinks of, let alone makes the right run at the right time….
Starting eleven without a natural top-man!!!! Wenger didn’t take the game seriously. I know goals can come from any player, but a natural number 9 in any game is important. Putting in OG as sub was a reaction! We needed to go into the game with the best defensive game play, which is score as many goals as u can especially if you are playing a team that is out there on an all out physical play to frustrate your kind of play!!!
Rico. I don’t think so.
you are right Scott with regards Ozil. However we are talking about Theo mate. yes we won mate…but we also know the level that the players are capable of. The thing is, and I will keep on harping it out, Ancelotti or Mouruinho would have around 10 to 15 more points with the same players and on the same budget.
Rico, I’m just disappointed people can watch that game and lay into the Manager and Players, while brushing over the topic of the scumbag that allowed Leicester to have even a sniff at a result through the most biased refereeing I’ve ever seen in the second half.
The club will do nothing.
The FA will do FA.
The media will ignore it.
The players are out there copping it, only to turn to their fans and cop it some more.
Devil, I’m not talking about Theo as I’ve said for years he doesn’t put in.
How can our guys put on a display when they’re not allowed to though?
Seriously, please, can anyone tell me how they’re expected to play good football under those circumstances?
Week in, week out.
Same old, same old.
Adam, re what?
Signing players or AW going nowhere?
Anyway, rant over….I’m off to bed.
I’ll relive the nightmare that was Girouds yellow card in my sleep lol
Night all.
Right 100% again Scott.
But if you notice….the comments are all aimed at AW and his methodology and his tactics. With the exception of Theo walking or jogging…..no one has slated any players after yesterday.
🙂 Scott, I hope you don’t. Night…
Sleep well mate. Giroud’s yellow a nightmare??? Nah. more of laughter imo.
Devil, Ollie got a bit of stick last night…
Devil, the performance has been questioned though.
Wenger is a factor.
Not as much a s the ref though, not this time.
The second half was an all out assault on our lads.
I’ve never been so filthy on a Referee mate.
Does the FA want great footballers in the League, or just thugs?
Anyway, night all…..get behind our boys.
They need us.
Signing players.
I know AW can talk a load of rubbish in his press conference but my goodness, LvG has surpassed him…
Long ball dossier, what a twerp….
I thought so…
Walcott:
“At these crucial stages in the season it is always important to get the three points and we managed to dig in and get the result. We need to move on from it now.”
We dug in Theo?? Shame you didn’t!
Scott, I’m with you (and your Dad) the referee almost cost us that game.
If he gave the penalty he should have done, in the 2nd 45 for the clear handball (coward that he was) then it’s 3-0, game over…
I know Wenger keeps on coming out with all this ‘the players were nervous’ malarkey, but tbh I was nervous with ‘Jones the Cnut’ looking likely to give Leicestef a penalty at the first opportunity….
Do we pressurize refs?
Not that I can see.
We’re too nice…
Walcott scored the 2nd goal last night that means he scored the goal that won us the game he has scored 3 goals in he’s last 3 starts plus assists.
That’s Theo’s job to score and make assists now taking in to account he is just returning from a long term injury he will get better so why would anyone want to sell him.
We need to put lesser teams to the sword, we lack a killer instinct!
Lest we should all forget, we are playing the team that is just one place lower than Leicester City, on Saturday, in the early ko! It doesn’t bode well you know?!
Will we put them to the sword or will we wilt like violets in the vase??
Will the team be ready, prepared for action and willing to fight or will they all still be in bed.? As is often the case with our warriors who are asked to get up earlier than usual!
I’m sure Wenger and his team will be fastidious in their pre-match preparations and tactical teachings, because they know Middlesbrough are a good team, probably better than they thought!!
Beware of the ‘St. Valentine’s Massacre’
“We’re doomed, DOOMED,” private Fraser, Dad’s Army.
Should win the match easily but……..
We do Lee. Afternoon all.
Now that Middlesbrough are on top of the championship will they put out a first team on Sunday on the grounds with all this extra money the most important thing for them is to get premonition.
Excuse me Captain Mainwaring, but aren’t we playing Middlesborough this Sunday? 😉
Promotion Bloody iPad
Lest we should all forget, we are playing the team that is just one place lower than Leicester City, on Saturday, in the early ko! It doesn’t bode well you know?!
Will we put them to the sword or will we wilt like violets in the vase??
Will the team be ready, prepared for action and willing to fight or will they all still be in bed.? As is often the case with our warriors who are asked to get up earlier than usual!
I’m sure Wenger and his team will be fastidious in their pre-match preparations and tactical teachings, because they know Middlesbrough are a good team, probably better than they thought!!
Beware of the ‘St. Valentine’s Massacre’
“We’re doomed, DOOMED,” private Fraser, Dad’s Army.
Should win the match easily but……..
Sunday? Of course. I must check my diary! Sorry, that should read, I must buy a diary!
“Stupid boy!”
Mind you we’d probably win if we turned up on Saturday and the borough turned up on Sunday!
Come on Pike…
Afternoon all..
How are the book sales going Syg?
Okay Rico, but profit was/is never a motivation – I really mean that.
I’ve met some great people whilst doing it.
The guy on the executive committee at Arsenal Supporters Club for one … Unbelievably helpful, as was Kev Whitcher at Gooner fanzine – who personally thanked me for making an interview with Jon Sammels happen.
one game at a time mates. The game on Sunday will be far different than the one we played yesterday.
Must have been quite an experience Syg….
It sure will be Devil.. Boro will be seriously up for the match and give their all. Just hope our boys are….
I still think it won’t be a full strength Middlesbrough team now they are top of the championship I may be wrong it wouldn’t be the first time.
Joe, you might have a point.. Could be they will focus solely on promotion but they’ll still be tough to beat….
Also, what will Arsene do, play his best eleven (if he knows who they are) or opt to rest a few….
It would be nice to have our best eleven to start any match 🙂
I think Gabriel will get a start is Gnabry fit if so I’d like see him get a run out.
Also the best person on the pitch could be a ref who does a fair job.
I think that AW will go with the following team……..
Ches
Chambers, Per, Gabriel, Gibbs
Flamini, TR07
Walcott,Cazorla,Welbeck
Giroud
I don’t think Arsene knows his best eleven…..
I hope he doesn’t Devil…..
Dev good team I would think of resting Cazorla and play Özil in he’s stead he needs more game time to improve his match fitness.
Ospina
Bellerin Gabriel Kos Monreal
Coq Rosicky
Santi
Walcott Welbeck Akpom
🙂
The team have 6 days off after the cup match so the first team should be on the pitch and the bench.
Merts needs a rest. Akpom deserves to start and Alexis needs another week off..
Imo of course….
That is a good team Rico. But I would go with Joe and play Ozil instead of Cazorla.
Chambers needs to play as well.
So it might be a defence of Bellerin, Chambers, Gabriel, Gibbs
A midfield of Flamini, TR07, Ozil
Attack as you Walcott, Wellbeck, Akpom
Santi or Ozil is ok imo Devil, both is a no no for me though…
And, I wouldn’t start theo with Ozil either….
I am not sure I would play Chambers as cb right back yes Gabriel needs some time playing with our first choice cb’s.
I wouldn’t play Chambers at right back… He’s a centre back or nothing imo
I’m off, night folks…
Interesting comments on the line-up for the FACup…
I think that Arsene has to rotate as much as he safely can, with such a busy period coming up after CPalace (a) Saturday week..,
One for you Ts
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/31367988
Lambert gone from Villa….
Dean on Sunday f***ing hell
Giroud hits the ‘g’ spot!
Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud has been crowned the hottest player in the Premier League following a poll of American women. Burnley topped the overall league of attractive-ness, with the hottest team overall
The net would be better!
Why don’t we ever get Clattenberg, it seems that we get the same referees, time and time again…
Morning all.
Good Morning Lovelies and Hunks.
Yesterday’s discussion about the FACup team led me to an interesting reflection. Could it be that the next CB pairing after Kos/Merts be that of Chambers and Paulista?? Seems that Bellerin has already cemented his place on the right. So that makes it 3 out of four positions already taken. You might point out that Gibbs should take the LB position and that is also my wish, however he has to put in more seeing that at the moment he is warming the bench.
Maybe the FACup backline will read……Bellerin, Chambers, Paulista, Gibbs.
What do you peeps think???
Maybe next season will see a game where the line up could well be …..
Ospina
Bellerin, Chambers, Paulista, Gibbs
Bielik, Coquelin
Welbeck, Cazorla, Ozil
Giroud
Hang on…..that can well be next Sunday’s line up!!!!!
I really hope that Ospina gets the nod on Sunday as well, but the chances of that are about 1%
Hi Devil,
I am in no doubt at all that Gibbs is better than Monreal, but saying that, Nacho is paying fantastic football and has done nothing to lose his spot, so it’s good to see Arsene rewarding him.
Szczesny is seemingly your Cup keeper so he will get a run, I’d say.
I look forward to seeing Gabriela, I must say
Gibbs is more offensive than Monreal Scott. So he plays because the team must be balanced. And I agree with you…he has done nothing to loose his spot.
Ches my cup keeper??? you gotta be joking right??? Based on how Ospina handled the last 6 games and how the defence has reacted to having him in goal I would say Ospina should play every game. I do not want Ches anywhere the goal atm.
Lol…..Devil, the Y snuck in mate, believe me, it was meant to read OUR….
What do you think about the above defence mate???? Bellerin, Chambers, Gabriel, Gibbs.
As long as we have Coquelin in front of them, I’d say go for it, Devil.
That side looks a decent option.
Morning All,
Players performances buffles a lot people,
watching tv and re-runs of games,
is sometimes not a true reflection,for example,
scouts will watch a player many times,before making a rating.
Stats we now know from Mr Wenger are included
in ratings of new signings.
But wenger made a point when he said,
Through the eye is what I trust most.
Watching a game from the line is a different,
kettle of fish.
I know most fans know this,but some don’t.
Some of us…very, very few….saw Ramsey as a ripper flying in the face of plenty who watch live week in, week out, and I watch from a million miles away.
Sitting at the game does not give you an eye for a Player.
It’s either there or it isn’t, and you cite Wenger yet he gets plenty wrong as well.
Its not a science, and there are no guarantees.
I know what you mean Fred. I have been through a similar experience once. I was coaching my club’s under 17 and there was this lad who everyone had high hopes for. And they kept harping about the fact that since the age of 11 the team was built around him.
He was good. Some of the things he did with the ball were unbelievable. Yet after half a season with him I told my assistant that he would never make the top grade. One of the directors heard me and scoffed at my opinion. That was around 10 years ago. Now he is 26 and still has to play in the premier division of my country.
Yes, the stats he racked up during the games were impressive. But I had noticed one thing. When push came to shove, he always hid.
Meanwhile, the player behind him who grafted and worked his ass off to present him with opportunities and clear balls has been playing Premier division football for the past 5 years, albeit with another team.
Such is life.
Yes….stats can give you a picture, but your eyes and that gut feeling give a clearer picture.
Players can play better for one manager than another,
even when getting paid £50,000 a week,
why is that…Funny old game Sainty..
Devil, nothing beats work rate and effort for mine.
Well obviously they must have some ability to go with it lol.
Still, those two attributes can make an average footballer a very good one, IMO.
Just as some managers do a super job with one club then a crappy one with another.
The unpredictability is what makes the game great.
Where are you from devil?
Morning all, I still feel Gabriel needs to play on Sunday with one of the regular CB’s so he can get to know how they play in a game not just in training.
Joe wenger says Gabrial is ready to play,
BFG says his not
Frednerk, I wonder why Merts would say that 🙂
He said we didn’t need any CB’s brought in….self preservation, maybe?
Bt I saw that earlier… amazing news that. I would never have thought in a million years he would stay with the black and yellows.
Morning Rico et al..
I have a lot of time for Merts but my fear is that Gabriel will have come on or start for an injured CB with no real game time.
Joe, he most definitely needs game time.
If not, we should have waited until seasons end to buy him 🙂
Re Gabriel, I would consider how Rednose would have handled it…
Fergie never waits for last minute or desperate time to play his new CB. You play him when you have all your fit CB’s available so that he gets a taste of the ePL.
AW always waits for his first choice to get injured or get suspended before he introduces his new CBs..
So Gabriel starts on Sunday but with who?
Joe- Personally, i won’t start Bellerin with Gabriel as Gabriel is not very good in the air…
Ideally AW should play Gabriel with Per as Gabriel prefers to play on the LHS of the CBs…
pairing him with Kosser who prefers the lhs of central defence will not be a sensible choice imho…
Saying that our opposition are not that keen on aerial bombardment so…
Tsgh I agree start him with Per and give chambers a run at right back
This video summises Gabriel P’s game to the tee… imho
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20hobJuig_U
One reason why i never understood AW buying Gabriel is that our issue over the last 4 years has always been who plays with Kosser.
Kosser and TV could not play together because both like to play on the lhs of CB.. buying Gabriel means Kosser has to play on the rhs of CB…
Most of Kossers own goals has come with him playing on the rhs too…
Like Rico, I would have preferred Reid instead
New Post up……