Well it’s game day again and I wonder how many of you can’t wait for tonight…..
Yes I thought so, Are you dreading the result, the performance or both? Is there an air of anticipation that you’re expecting to see Arsenal roll their sleeves up get stuck in show some mental strength and get a good result? No me neither…!
It’s as if we all now the team that will start, the way we’ll play and how predictable we’ll be. So will Dortmund.
Wenger says there isn’t a crisis and as much as I can’t stand Rodgers at Liverpool, he was honest enough after their loss at Palace to say they not in crisis but as the manager, he has to be responsible for the poor run of results and to take on board what’s gone wrong and put it right….
Do we ever hear those kind of comments from Wenger…?
No we don’t because he’s too busy telling everyone that he has been manager for 18 years, has managed over 2,000 games and the rest of us don’t know what we’re on about. If he had a bit of humility he’d step back and assess the situation and hold his hands up but he never does.
He may not like Usmanov’s opinion but for me most of what Usmanov said was spot on. Funny how Wenger shares opinions at his press conference’s about all and sundry yet when Usmanov is asked a question in an interview it seems Wenger wishes he said things face to face…! Double standards Arsene…! Hardly a surprise there though as it would mean you’d need to examine what your doing wrong and as stated, the older you are the harder it is to admit you’re wrong…. ( Just ask Kev…)
We all want our team to win and we can all see the amazingly gung ho tactics and total lack of shape and discipline in the team, so why is that not addressed? We are so easily picked off at the back and through midfield and I expect much of the same tonight.
Dortmund are also struggling in the German league but they are playing well in the CL, they truly battered us at their place and were in our faces, closed us down and gave us no time or space and if they do the same tonight we could yet again struggle.
We need to get a foothold in the game and dictate our own tempo, we need to stay solid and work better as a unit and ALL the attacking players need to defend from the front and help out at the back when necessary and not just when they feel like it.
We have the players to win tonight but what frame of mind are they in. What will Wenger do differently and will we play with more discipline.
If we leave to many open spaces and gaps I can see us getting a Klopp and no it won’t be their manager….!
Come on Arsenal, sort it out and get a result, we the fans deserve far more than what we are getting lately…!
Hope your having several bevvies before the match tonight Lee….!
Well I’m the only one here…
Says who…………….. 😛
I wonder if we’ll see Jack again this season…? With past history i’d say possibly not…!
I’m here… Just.. 😉
Good post Wath..
Morning all…
Great post, written by Wath I suspect… 🙂
kev, your not alone….
Well it says so at the top you silly old sod lol 😀
Get back to bed Rico, sick people should be tucked up and getting better….! I suggest for sanity sake you don’t watch tv tonight either..!
Rico, are you having a lie in again?
🙂 Wath, if I’m awake, I’m a Celebrity seems a better viewing option…
Cheeky Bt.. lol
Rico, me, never….
I do hope your not ill……
Just have a stinker of a cold Bt…
Catch you folks later…..
Rico, plenty of hot whiskies………..
Hot toddies Rico, just the job. If it’s strong enough unconsciousness follows fairly soon after consumption!! The best way to deal with the common cold….in the arms of Morpheus!
What you don’t need is anything that irritates the nasal membrane. Crying whilst watching Arsenal is definitely guaranteed to make you slump into despair and dispirit you suicidely! I’m a celebrity would seem to be far better medicine and, not so depressing!
Considering our present form and poor finishing, added to woeful defending, I should think Dortmund should win, 1-2 or better.
And still people do not discuss the late tackle that did Jack’s ankle. They say he has a recurring ankle problem yet it’s the other one that had the major rebuild . They are worried about England relying on this injury prone player. They glibly ignore the problem and his only real problem is that he keeps getting kicked and the Ref’s do nothing about it. I am beginning to sound like Untold but until Dean’s incompetence is highlighted , nothing will get done.
I read until we started heeding what the Russian ex Manc grub Usmanov said.
He wants dividends.
He’s a cretin.
He’s not as bad as Stan, but we don’t want him, and he only bloody talks when we lose so he can piss off back to the Ukraine and keep his commentator himself!!!!
Until he shows his “true love” if Arsenal and buys Stan out, he’s a non event.
He won’t buy Stan out because he doesn’t love the club.
Morning all 🙂
did someone say whiskey?
Ok, nice post 🙂
Bloody Usmanov though.
If he’s our best option, we really are in trouble lol
Wath 😉
From what i saw Wilshere had a heavy last touch and it became a 50/50 ball. He does that often that he knocks the ball ahead and gives the defender a license to slide in on the ball. without studds up, all refs will see it as fair.
Adding to that, Wilshere screaming and in the face of the ref does not help his cause to get decisions.
Arsenal are a broken record…Underwhelming transfer window…dreadful tactics..Poor results..Angry fans..Injuries to same players..Thread bare come January..Underwhelming winter window..Blown out of cups (although a little earlier this year lol)..Nail biting finish for 4th..Some tour in asia/america/india..Underwhelming trans….you catch my drift.
And the beat goes on…,
Nickie, i thought you had stopped drinking until after Xmas……
Ah, take a look in “The Mirror In The Bathroom” Arsene…
Wath, next time you slate Monsieur Wenger make sure you can go without GG for a while… 😉
Afternoon all btw. Good post.
Scott, I noticed the share prices have leveled re. UA.
If we dont beat a BVB team in a relegation battle then???
lol haven’t touched a drop since the Hull game BT going strong :)….
We need an Ipod…Who the F uses record players anymore.
I have not touched a drop of GG for at least 14 hours Ts…. 😉
Yes brudder I am going this evening…..
I’m having pre-match dinner with a client in Camden Passage. Might be tricky to get mangled…..but i’ll give it a go!
Lee, i have faith in you….
Thanks Bt that means a lot to me Brudder!
Sanogo to lead the ‘attack’ tonight?
Deep joy…
Sorry to break away from the topic and also get on the negative wagon… but another thing I can’t take about AFC players is the following: Ramsay saying, “With what he’s done for this club and for us as a group of players, every time we go in we want to work for him and get results for him”
I’m sorry, but AW did NOT employ the players. AFC employed the players! If AW kicks the bucket tomorrow… then AFC will still be there and will still attract a caliber of player and fans alike.
Afternoon Rico and the House .
The U19 are playing Dortmund this afternoon with a 2pm kickoff.
The match is live on the player.
Looking at the team selected I hope Jonker has read the rulebook and our
goalkeeper is eligible.
Might be hard to get mangled….. Oh please for a professional like yourself that will be easy…!
From what i saw Wilshere had a heavy last touch and it became a 50/50 ball. He does that often that he knocks the ball ahead and gives the defender a license to slide in on the ball. without studds up, all refs will see it as fair.
However his studs went into the ankle after the ball had gone . So it’s a foul ! Jack may well invite such tackles but if he is fouled then at least a free kick is in order. Without raking up the list of Arsenal broken bones , tendons and ligaments , whilst the ref’s see this as fair such tackling will not go out of the game .
Kev, are you serious about the Postman.?
Poter you know full well Mike Dean gives us sweet FA and your right the late tackles on our players are a joke, yes Jack did over run the ball slightly but the tackle was from the side late and took his ankle… a foul all day long but it’s us… we know we get stitched up…!
I give up if that bell is starting!
Sorry BT, that’s the rumour I read in the Mirror (could be a wind-up).
But it wouldn’t really suprise me, or anyone else for that matter…
Lee, staying in the pub in Camden Passage seems the way to go mate…
http://www.caughtoffside.com/2014/11/26/arsenal-prepare-mammoth-36-6m-bid-for-real-madrid-playmaker-as-arsene-wenger-looks-to-spend-big-in-january/
Hahahaha good player, but do we need another midget?
Is Isco gonna be our new def/mid??? 🙄
Apparently we’re buying him instead of Petr Cech…. Isco the cat as he’s affectionately known in Madrid!
No, Isco is being bought to cover the gap at CB!
Now that’s what I call, asking myself questions, and solving them, as only I can, after 30 years as a manager!
Ffs.
Another dwarf able to defend at set pieces! Sorted!
This has gotto be a wind up!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/30212184
Wavy it has to be…. surely?!?!
Warwick Davis is the answer to DB/CB issues!
More like, Dionne Warwick……
Regent’s Park ? I am surprised the ghost of old Parkie didn’t chase them off like he used to when I was a kid. You only had to spit on a pitch there and they said it was waterlogged.
Warwick Davis :- I thought that was a hybrid car showroom , or was it Warwick Wright and Godfrey Davis.
1-0 to the u19s
If we buy another midget I will be screaming my head off.
Might as well employ Mourinho as manager. He is a midget as well.
Good afternoon Bucks and Does.
Can we fast forward this evening till midnight so that I will be asleep by then???
The under 19 have won it seems. 1-0.Madividi the scorer.
BVBU19 did not have a shot on target during the whole game.
Nice post Wath. ESpecially the Kev bit.
U19s are clearly another Arsenal attacking side that can’t finish! They win 1-0 but it could and probably should have been 5-0!
The ability to close a game out by scoring a shed load of goals would seem to be endemic throughout the club……
And who’s in charge…….???? Who is the dictator of all play…..????
I rest my case.
Final score 1-0 to the Arsenal, should have been a few more,,,,Mavididi with the only goal, should have had a hat-trick, Iwobi played well…..imo..based on 2nd half
My friends….take note………read this article……its VVVVIMPORTANT……
http://www.express.co.uk/news/nature/540052/UK-weather-December-forecast-heavy-snow-winter-freeze
Wavy , Jonker made it clear he was in charge and changed the style of play.
He is to blame for the lads loosing the goal scoring touch.
In which case it’s not endemic throughout the club, it’s worse, it’s pandemic! Not scoring goals for Arsenal has gone viral! And there’s no antibiotic in the world that can cure a virus!
I think we should call it a wengurial disease.
HI HHousers!
The most important player in this 1/3 of the League and the most influential player in a team: Fabregas.
This was the big mistake for AW this year.
Fabregas replaces Lampard in Chelsea, giving the game a different amplitude, a mechanical another, another vision. With Fabregas, Chelsea takes advantage of playmakers who have, have a player who thinks the game, play forward, defends and still score goals. He is the engine of Chelsea. Chelsea was enough to buy Fabregas (in the Arsenal “beards”) and a central forward (which did not have last season), strong, with a presence in the area, and fast fighter, to “balance” with the artists playing beside him.
This Arsenal team, with Fabregas, would surely another position with other physical and mental freshness.
It had everything to succeed at Arsenal: he is a gooner, he was (and will be) cherished by fans, he wants to play,he was not a stranger, etc.
Contrary to AW justified, would not collide with anyone. It was exactly the opposite.
And prove it at Chelsea.
Chelsea, had spent money much less than we do, but well.
But at the cost of a lack of AW view.
And none of the dozens of names and assumptions that have appeared in the media since August, will replace Fabregas.
Be convinced of the following: Individually, Arsenal are probably the best team of the League; collectively not.
In the end of the League, we will see who will be the most precious player of it. (and he is not injury since the begginiing)
And the beat goes on…
Arsenal’s needs tonight are fairly straightforward too, which comes as a relief after the head-scratching and mini-leagues chat at BBC Sport last night.
If the Gunners win or draw, they are in the last 16. In fact they could lose and still qualify if Anderlecht and Galatasaray draw in Brussels.
so essentially we could qualify with just 7 points
FFS…. Sanogo starts,!!!!!??? WTF!!??
Stand down —–. stand down please. stand down—–‘
I said i see no joy, i see only sorrow.
I see no chance of your bright new tomorrow..
The Beat, goes on
Sanogo??
What about Podolski & Campbell….Wenger you really have lost the plot!!
Evening all…
Rico, both on the bench with Kosser
Hope your feeling better…..
What on earth must Alexis be thinking playing alongside Yaya Sanogo…
It’s embarrassing… !!
Borussia Dortmund got in a cheeky training session this morning, but it wasn’t at the Emirates. Or Arsenal’s training ground.
In fact it was on a pitch more commonly used to host matches in the Camden and Regent’s Park Sunday league.
That says it all………they are treating us as a sunday team.
not that we are far from it
Bloody heck!!!!!
Thanks Bt, feel like rubbish but glad I got to see Yaya score 😛
I missed it Rico, only turned on!!! lol
I fainted Bt… 😉
Go on son now get a hat trick , we probably will need another three or four to make it safe.
Chambers is far too forward….
And the postman FINALLY delivers 🙂
Or too far forward even… lol
dont illude yourself my friends. still around 84 minutes to go.
Might have a drink to celebrate a piece of history..Rico..
we need between four or five more to rest a little bit easy.
I am Bt, PG 😉
Tips.
You wouldn’t think we are playing at home, all I can hear is Dortmund fans….
I haven’t any Bt… lol
http://arsenalist.com/f/2014-15/arsenal-vs-dortmund/goal-yaya-sanogo-1-0.html
Rico, had a drink with Dortmund fans few years back great craic…..
Going forward we are threatening.
Its in our back side that we have problems.
Sort of we have no toilet paper and end up wiping our arses with Pavarotti’s handkerchief.
http://arsenalist.com/f/2014-15/arsenal-vs-dortmund/alternate-angle-of-sanogo-goal-great-skill.html
Cheers Devil, I’m at work so thanks for that.
That’s one quality goal.
I hear that Syrup and the BVB chairman will be meeting in the centre circle after the match. While the players change their shirts around them, Syrup and the BVB Chairman will be exchanging managers.
I hope not.
Another mad hatter.
I prefer Ancellotti.
Dennis 🙂
Two Dortmund defenders on a booking, get at them big time…
Scott, hopefully at some stage…..in some capacity…
Half time.
We have scored with our only shot on target. We have more possession (same old), more corners and more throw ins than BVB.
Yet we should not lie comfortably. we need to kill them. score in the first five minutes of the next half. That would really kill them. Otherwise it may turn on its head and another result frittered away.
At least Gala and Anderlecht are drawing. So even if we loose, we can still qualify.
Well, I always maintained that Sanogo had hidden qualities… 😐
have you seen those hidden qualities Kev???? 😛
Ox, what a shot…unlucky…
Actually Coach, I have not…
It’s just a hunch that I have, and of course the experience of watching John Hawley all those years ago… 🙂
Alexis magic!!!!!
Gooooaaaaaallllll 2-0
BT, I’m not watching the game, so info would be welcome mate…
Cheers guys 😀
no problem mate. we will keep you informed habib.
About those hidden qualities now, you were saying………………
We are knocking it longer but I am still not relaxed.
Cazorla has got two assists today.
Seems that the little one prefers to have the central role for himself and functions better without Wilshere and Ozil.
I recall Ginge used to say something similiar a few weeks back.
Kev, Artita on a yellow a bit of a worry.. Flamini on….
Arteta off. Flamini on
That’s what you get when you have so many clones of each other. Only one can play there and when they do they improve. Flamini on now , lots of pointing and shouting and a loss of the midfield as Ramsey won’t drop in to help.
Arteta has got injured again. Let’s hope we do not fold again. Last time he went off we folded like a pack of cards.
Luckily Klopp is a mad hatter on the same wavelength with AW. He is 2-0 down and subs his two front men for two midfielders. 4-6-0 formation.
lol
exactly Potter. We can see it over here but AW simply cannot.
If we get another one and keep a clean sheet then it means that if we win the game vs Gala while BVB draw or loose against Anderlect then we will finish top…..based on direct encounter with BVB……3-2 on aggregate.
But we must score another and not concede.
had we won vs Anderlecht we would be top today if we scored a 3rd and not conceded.
Any substitutions, or is it too early???
He should throw on Campbell and Podolski…
But he won’t, will he…?!
Sanogo off injured by the look of it…
Ok, Arteta injured is a worry…
Thanks BT/Coach
Poldi on, Kev
Even if Poldi manages to do a Kanu and score a hat-trick in the last 10 minutes….AW will only use him sparingly.
Campbell, coming on for the Ox…..
he does not have enough time to fart
3pts, pretty comfortable…..imo
yes but 1st place thrown away with a shambolic display at BB’s own backyard and an almighty collapse at home to Anderlecht when we were 3-0 up.
AW will never learn
Good night my friends.
Night Dev, nothing new there…..
Night Coach, and thanks…
Good result BT, but we ain’t gonna go any further than the 1st knockout stage…
http://www.thickaccent.com/2014/11/27/video-alexis-sanchez-curls-one-in-arsenal-double-the-lead-against-dortmund/?
Kev, a much needed one, sad but true,
Can’t believe Ox has a 100 games for Arsenal…
Fantastic goal by Sanchez…
Yeah BT, a badly needed victory, and Koscielny could be back for West Brom, so with a bit of confidence and a few players returning from injury, Wenger could turn things around, albeit temporarily…
A 100 games!
Blimey that’s flown by BT…
hello!
Finally, one victory! , albeit first goal was off-side.
Good result and defensive display..
I still maintain that sanogo shouldn’t be near the first team.. He is so clumsy and awkward….
His goal is clear offside, but he’s done well to slot it in through the keeper’s legs..
Anyway he’s done a hammy by the look of it..
Outstanding goal by Sanchez..
Ramsey showed good discipline today, Ox was excellent and so was chambers and monreal..
The BFG still worries me with his lack of pace..
Shame that Campbell didn’t get enough playtime..
Arteta limped off injured yet again .. Will Wenger ever learn this guy can’t play twice in a week..
Nite all..
That’s me done, Night All…
Night BT, thanx for info mate….
Just saw the goals.
Yaya was brilliant all round in his….very, very impressive.
Sanchez is just Sanchez……watch the replay and tell me he’s unhappy at the club!
Fuck the media!
Kev, no problem mate, checked the Ox and it’s true, Tempus Fugit , i guess..
A win! A palpable win!
Astonishing!
Seen the goals, from the links above, ta. Both impressive, the skill from the ‘lump’ was remarkable, but why didn’t he start the German international with 100 caps? And a few goals as well. Wenger is a tosser, and I am certain of that fact! Sanchez goal was the strike of a world class footballer, our only world class footballer!
Glad Campbell got a run out he must have been delighted that he had so much time to impress the fans and show what he could achieve, to the Manager! Another bizarre omission from the substitutions that usually occur at 70 minutes!
Wshen is Wenger show his faith in what he has collected instead of using his ‘loyal’ recruits? Sometimes you just have move on and shake things up! It’s the caution of old age, slippers and your favourite pipe!
But a wins a win, and it makes a much more pleasant homecoming than the defeat that I anticipated. I didn’t even bother to record it! Was out wathching/listening to a bit of Verdi it didn’t end well!
2-0 can’t believe it!?
Night, night all.
A very professional team performance tonight with some nice play. We really needed that, so well done the team.
Well done indeed . We mixed things up a lot tonight used a lot of width and were disciplined in defending albeit Ramsey doesn’t understand keeping a lead safe and continues to go forward when he needed to sit and help Flamini.
Aaron’s head isn’t right compared to last season.
His concentration is way down, and he’s trying too much fancy crap.
RIp Phil Hughes.
Top cricketer and even better man.
Died playing the game he loved, but 25 is just too young.
Watched arsenal win then shatered Philip Hughes dead at 25 playing the game he loved so sad Rip. Not your fault Sean Abbott .
Gavin, the poor kid is in suicide watch.
He killed his mate and though we all know it’s a freak accident, I can’t even begin to imagine how he feels.
Terrible stuff.
Good Morning Shrimps and Crabs.
Today is the morning after the evening before today.
Was I impressed with yesterday?? Yes and no.
A win is a win certainly, and I was impressed with the team, but let us say that yesterday we papered the lush green velvet of the billiard table with pumpkin paste and gave it a touch of green over the orange surface.
I was impressed with Martinez. That is his first clean sheet for a whole game, and surely his rating is shooting higher as each game goes by. Make no mistake, after the travails of Mr Gentlemen (and I say it with respect) Almunia and also the Flappiness of Mr Fabianski (he has improved) we have 3 good to very good keepers. Chezzer, Ospina (when fit) and Martinez are all dependable and I feel very comfortable with either of them in goal.
The defence was also good for once and although Chambers was too far up, much more than I would have liked, he did well. Gibbs was very good while Per and Monreal did their jobs efficently.
In front of them Arteta showed that had he been 10 years younger than he would be top player, however his age is showing up and I simply blame AW for overplaying him when he knows that at his age he cannot manage to play two games a week. The result??? He got injured and will be out for a while. This comes on top of Jack’s injury. So now we have to revert to Flamini and he will surely not offer what JAck and Arteta can offer.
Cazorla seems to enjoy playing without Jack or Ozil as in the last two games he showed that he is tailor made for the AM/F role. Ramsey needs to keep it simple and get back to basics and make those runs where he can destroy teams. But I have a feeling that its not Ramsey’s fault but the system that AW is using presently which is limiting his abilities.
On the wings we had Mr 100 games the OX, and he showed that he is vastly improving game by game. Soon he will need a rest and this is where Theo should come in however imo he will soon make himself undroppable. His work rate and his all round game are on the up and I feel he will also be a nailed on name on the English national team sheet.
Sanchez……those who have eyes will know that whatever I say about him would be an understatement. However, AW does need to rest him. Otherwise he will run him to the ground.
A great piece of skill by Sanogo showed the hidden qualities that Kev has always dreamed about for this kid. However, while his work rate is also good, imo he is miles behind Giroud and Wellbeck for the CF role. Nevertheless he did well yesterday.
Some questions………
Why not do subs before the 60th minute yesterday?
Why was Campbell put on the field on the 90th minute?? He did not even have time to fart let alone show us his locker.
At 2-0 why wasn’t Bellerin given a chance so that Chambers would have been moved inside or given a rest?
Why wasn’t Poldi put on earlier?? What has he to do to get a game?
Am I impressed with yesterday??
No. still many questions that need answers which I fear will never be given,
Good morning all..
RIp Phil Hughes.
Spot on summary of the game Dev.
Its amazing how things change so quickly in football…
Klopp and BVb can’t seem to get a win anymore…; like the board of AFC the BVB board are standing by Klopp even when sections of fans are questioning Klopps tactics and selection by dropping jojic and bringing Gundogan straight back into the line-up after almost 2 years out…
Morning Rico and all. Shocking news about Phil Hughes. RIP.
In which case it’s not endemic throughout the club, it’s worse, it’s pandemic! Not scoring goals for Arsenal has gone viral! And there’s no antibiotic in the world that can cure a virus!
I think we should call it a wengurial disease.
There is only one cure for the Wengurial disease……take the Acellotti antibiotic.
New Post Up……………