Wilshere is Back Today! Our squad should be strong enough… Shouldn't it?

Morning all,

The International break is finally over and Arsenal are back, and so it Jack Wilshere if we believe his agent. Jack is in the squad which heads to Norwich for the evening kick off. I doubt if he will start but I wouldn’t bet against a ten minute cameo at the end.

Injuries have hit us a little from the internationals, Theo Walcott, Kieran Gibbs and Laurent Koscielny have joined the already growing injury list but thankfully, none are suspected to be any more than a week or two.

The provisional squad yesterday was reported to be:

Mannone, Santos, Mertesacker, Vermaelen, Jenkinson, Cazorla, Arteta, Ramsey, Gervinho, Podolski, Giroud, Martinez, Coquelin, Djourou, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Arshavin, Chamakh, Frimpong. Best we now add Jack.

That squad should be good enough to beat todays opponent, shouldn’t it?

Seriously, and no disrespect to Norwich but these are games we should walk into with great belief, not cocky, arrogant or over-confident, just belief!

Norwich sit 19th place in the league, they have played seven fixtures, have just three points and their goal difference sits at minus twelve. That sure is a sign of a team going through a really tough time.

We haven’t lost in Norfolk since 1984 – but  we have also failed to win seven of  last 12 visits there. If we really want to be in with a chance of the Premier League title, a draw would be a failure.

Head-to-head

  • Arsenal have not lost at Carrow Road in 11 visits since a 1-0 defeat on Boxing Day 1984 (W4, D7). They have also won a League Cup tie in Norfolk during that time.
  • Arsene Wenger’s side have scored 18 goals scored in their last five Premier League meetings against Norwich, who have also scored in each of those matches.
  • Norwich are winless in their last nine matches against Arsenal home and away since a 4-2 victory at Highbury on the first day of the Premier League in August 1992.

This is the worst ever start to a Premier League campaign for Chris Hughton’s side, who have the worst conversion rate in the league with just a 6% of their attempts on goal finding the net.

On paper this should be all about us getting our ‘goals for’ column doubled and three points on the board.

Nothing more, nothing less…..

That would be a nice present for Arsene Wenger who turns 63 on Monday wouldn’t it?

It would also be a wonderful birthday gift for Arsenal fan Carmel who is 70 years young today.

Carmel, fondly referred to as ‘Pa’  here by Devilgunner, has been following Arsenal from the sunny shores of Malta since he was about five years old.

On behalf of all of us here on Highbury House, Happy Birthday Carmel, have a wonderful day.

I am sure three points and a few goals would make it a tiny bit better….

Oh, Lee Probert is the referee today, he’s only 40 years old and from Gloucestershire. Now that makes a change….

That’s it folks, have a good one…..

0 thoughts on “Wilshere is Back Today! Our squad should be strong enough… Shouldn't it?

  1. JW says:

    Good morning all,

    Happy birthday Carmel, 70 eh? I’m close behind you!

    This should be three points and a goal difference improvement, but….we have seen this type of fixture bite us in the bum before.

    No slip ups, total concentration, get an early goal and relax, the goals will come.

    I’d love to see ten minutes from young Jack, only I wont because it’s on ESPN and only the usual 2 mins will be shown on MotD and nothing on Sky.

    I’m looking forward to watching and booing both teams in today’s live lunchtime kick-off, Spuds and Chavs what a prospect. I wonder if Bale will get booked for diving.

    At 4.0pm it’s over to the racing on BBC to watch the wonderful Frankel, can he make it 14 in a row? I think so.

  2. tsGH says:

    Good morning fellow gunners,

    A solid performance is all we need today. At least it is not a mid-day kick-off where mostly we play as if we are still feeling the effects from sleeping pills. 😀

    What’s up with Lothar Matthaus having a pop at our only BFG? 😀

    Matthias was in my opinion the most rubbish player to win the World player of the year ( kidding here); and he has the nerve to talk down our dancing German. Anywhere “Kalle” Rummenigge and the Kaizer Beckenbauer rate him so his opinion does not count.

    COYG!!

  3. tsGH says:

    I guess I was wrong to think it was only ex-arsenal players that talked down players of their former club.

    During the second half the Germans where poor at the back. It seems Lowe adores AW and his tactics too much. ;). He had Ozil and Schweinsteiger playing central mid with a high line.

  4. allezkev says:

    Afternoon Gooners.
    Afternoon Rico, nice, upbeat post Ma’m.

    Sitting on the coach to Norfolk, prior to departure at 1pm.

    Many Happy Returns to Carmelo.

    Got good vibes about today’s game…

  5. devilgunner says:

    Good Afternoon my Esteemed Fellow Gunners.

    On behalf of my dad, I would like to thank you all for the birthday wishes. 70 today. It makes W.A.T.H. and Kev look like teenagers 😉

    I know that this is impossible but my wish for today is that we win and all the other games end in draw.

    And I hope we keep a bloody clean sheet.

  6. devilgunner says:

    Off to eat a bit now after a football filled morning. If Goonie comes on here tell him not to forget his stilts and bar stool. 😆

  7. allezkev says:

    Hi Coach.
    See that Schalke are playing their derby game vs Dortmund today.
    Hopefully it’ll be an exhausting game for 04, as they’re visiting Ashburton Grove next week in the CL…

  8. DutchGooner10 says:

    Afternoon TSGH,

    All I’m missing is the excessively honking horn and the women rattling their tongues. 😉

  9. allezkev says:

    Chavs started like a train a few seasons ago, then suffered a mid-season collapse.
    Wonder how they’ll react if they lose???

  10. TT says:

    Actually I hope the scum beat them. We will catch them much easier that Chelsky and the spuds will collapse again. We do have a much better squad this season, RvP was a big loss but I see Giraud and Poldy picking up the slack there and a Arsenal side with no Song in the middle is always going to be more solid in my opinion.

    So if the spuds win and we beat Norwich we will be only 4 points behind 5 if they draw.

  11. Will XL says:

    Hi all. I’m back home after agreat vacation. Loved it. Just watched Chelski beat Twatenham. Chelsea will come back into the pack by February at least. I was hoping for a draw, but i never have relied on Twatenham for a result.

    Vertonghen looked a pretty decent player i must say. Would lived to have had him on our bench. Pretty useful.

  12. DutchGooner10 says:

    JW

    And the rest I’ll be posting a list of checked and working live streams later. Don’t worry missing anything. Extensive highlights will be posted late evening otherwise.

  13. DutchGooner10 says:

    Didn’t catch the twatenham game. How come it turned Van Dycke brown like a dog’s steaming pile after they went 2-1 up?

  14. JW says:

    Thank you DG10, Your’e a lifesaver.

    I have a theory, the chavs are perfecting a new tactic. It’s called the “false striker” role. We’ve seen the “false No10”, now we have the Chav’s variant.

    The way it works is to first of all spend £50 million on a supposedly gifted goal scorer, then play him in the main striker position, this distracts the defenders and lulls them into a false sense of security, then when they are falling about laughing at the hopeless antics of the “false striker” up pops a wily little Spanish mid-fielder to run in a couple of goals. Simples! 🙂

  15. tsGH says:

    Vertonghen was good going forward but defensively he got caught out. It could have been worse if Tom Huddlestone was not covering for him..

  16. JW says:

    Actually I’ve just spotted a flaw in the “false striker” tactic, you don’t have to buy a £50 million striker, do what the chav’s have done, merely buy a blow-up doll that looks like a £50 million striker. the effect is much the same.

  17. JW says:

    I’m really sorry Bale didn’t play today, it would have been really funny to watch Mike Dean trying to make up his mind who to book for diving whenever him and Ivanovich got within a yard of each other.

  18. DutchGooner10 says:

    JW don’t mention it. No effort involved. You’re welcome.

    Love the ‘false striker’ theory. That would give us at least a chance of a lap dance from Falcao given our name will be in the mix come January. Media report we have 35 mln in small coups ballooning our wallet. He can’t be interesting the Chavs being such a beast up front. Think they fear becoming a one man band.

  19. DutchGooner10 says:

    LIVE STREAM NORWICH VS ARSENAL

    Instructions:

    Scroll beyond the Reading vs Soucers links.

    Find the kickoff clock running on Norwich vs Arsenal. Hit the refresh button underneath it 15 minutes before handshakes. It will extend the live streams list up to 10 fresh and checked.

    Ignore the first link from the list cuz it requires a bet deposit and registry. All links from the 2nd to the last are crisp. Some allow full screen option. English commentary available on multiple links.

    Enjoy. http://www.ronaldo7.net/live/sports/watch-sports-live-stream.html

  20. DutchGooner10 says:

    If you can’t go full screen cuz the FREE link wants to show advertising. Just enlarge the screen until you’re satisfied.

    Windows users do this. To quickly zoom in to any part of your screen, hit the Windows key and + key together. Enlarge until the ads don’t bother you anymore.

  21. allezkev says:

    Well I’m outside the ground.
    Changed a lot since I was last here, approx early 1980’s.

    Don’t think this is gonna be a cakewalk Gooners.
    As long as we keep a clean sheet we’ll be ok

  22. Joaquim Moreira says:

    line-up: Arsenal: Mannone, Jenkinson, Mertesacker, Vermaelen, Santos, Arteta, Ramsey, Cazorla, Podolski, Gervinho y Giroud.
    subs: Martinez, Djourou, Coquelin, Wilshere, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Arshavin y Gnabry.

  23. allezkev says:

    Not that familiar with the Norwich squad, think it all revolves around Grant Holt.
    Stop him and you probably stop Norwich…

  24. allezkev says:

    Gnabry on the bench eh?
    Hope he gets a run-out…
    That’ll mean we’re winning if he does…

    Hi Rico….
    A narrow win for me today!

  25. Micko says:

    Afternoon all,
    Congratulations Devil Senior, three score years and ten, I’ll raise a glass to you later.
    Kev, will you be partaking in any carrot crunching or swede bashing today……’ave it’
    C’mon Arsenal.

  26. allezkev says:

    Ha ha Micko, not seen a carrot since I arrived.

    Did go into a local pub though, it was like having a pint with the Wurzels..:-D

  27. DutchGooner10 says:

    Hiya Kev

    Backline Norwich from left to right; LB Garrido CB Barnett CB Bassong RB Martin

    Midfield: DM Johnson DM Howson AM Hoolahan

    Attack: LW Surman RW E. Bennett Striker Holt.

  28. Scott from Oz says:

    Rico,it looked worse than it was…..it was high,but not much solid contact was mad.
    Dont blame Mannone for that goal,either.
    He did well to keep the shot out…Merts didn’t back up for the rebound.

  29. Scott from Oz says:

    No way that was Vitos fault Rico…seroiusly,the shot took a wicked swerve and then bounce just in front of him……plenty of keepers wouldn’t have kept it out.

  30. arsenal11730 says:

    Mannone habit is to save,but knock the ball out into dangerous areas. He has poor handling
    The ball was swerving but he should of done better.

  31. Joaquim Moreira says:

    always the same… shoot! shoot! outside the area!!
    Look how the others score goals!
    Ramsey is tired! Replace him quickly!

  32. rico says:

    I didn’t expect him to hold it Scott, just push it clear, not into the path of Holt for a sitter…

    Really poor half by most of them, too many offsides, we are so tame in the final third, it’s really very average.

    Hope the right words get said at H/t….

  33. Scott from Oz says:

    11730….ok,but when a ball swerves,dips and bounces a few yards out i am sorry,but it is impossible to control.
    Why wouldn’t you question why Merts left Holt unmarked before the shot,giving him a free run to the ball,because that was the problem,and the reason we are 1 down.

  34. arsenal11730 says:

    Norwich are playing nicely compact. We need some magic.
    Always struggle to click after the Intl break.Giroud looks sharp

  35. Scott from Oz says:

    Ok….i am not going to bother…it is too early in the morning,but how not one person can blame Merts is typical!

  36. rico says:

    Adam, and the second one where he nearly gifted them a second was absolutely shocking.

    And who says we don’t need a DM, well sorry we do, who was closing down the guy who took the shot for their goal??

  37. tsGH says:

    Lets stop the blame game guys.the whole team are playing below par apart from Santos.

    A worrying stats…When Keown covers our games our win ratio is a single finger percentage..

  38. Joaquim Moreira says:

    Mets mistake? No.
    The defenders must adavance and put the opposite forwards offside. This is homework.

  39. arsenal11730 says:

    Lethargic. There is no urgency. If nothing by 60th min,maybe time for Oxs direct running and a hungry Russian.

  40. arsenal11730 says:

    Where is our desire for the League championship. Our rivals win and we lose. We seem to be battling for Top 4 again…

  41. EastSidePaul says:

    How does anyone expect Arsenal to compete when Gervinho not only starts a game, but plays 90 minutes?! Its a joke, and it makes me sick to the core seeing Arron Ramsey in an Arsenal jersey, the guy wouldn’t get a game in any other team in the league.

  42. Scott from Oz says:

    Again i ask if anyone can name one player who played to their best though.
    We can’t single out the normal suspects,because they were all awful.
    That was just a shocking performance.

  43. gunnerdna says:

    AW out, proven can only teach pass, not a f87879g coach…the bottom team outclass u tactically,,,moment of truth clown

  44. rico says:

    They were all pretty poor today, not just the odd one or two. Santos and Jenks were about the best and even they didn’t really shine…

    If AW blames the international break, he’s a fool!

  45. eastsidepaul says:

    Its a joke, nothing has changed. Defense still awful TV5 has taken some worrying steps back.

    Once again, it is obvious we are a one man team, only this year that one man isn’t going to score 35….

    I see RVP scored again today, good job Arsene, that 25m sure is helping now!

  46. Joaquim Moreira says:

    We were playing with 10 palyers all the game. Ramsey was completely out of form. What have been doing Podolsky in all the game? We were so slowly, so predictable. Only Gervinho put some speed in the game.
    Where we want to go with this team? No shoots, no chanches,no speed, mostly of the players completely tired ou our thougts are in next Wednesday?
    And forgot the League. In middle October!

  47. gunnerdna says:

    rico – jenkinson is overrated, he always looks nervous in possession and i know that that clown AW is planning to sell sagna, i can’t wait to see his back, he is just bringing down the club with his economic shit brain.

  48. emma says:

    Dont want to be pessimistic, I think we should start concentrating on the cups, if we qualify for the Champions league next season it should be a bonus. This are matches that wins you league but we bottled it. We ve dropped pts far too easily(Chelsea, Man City, stoke,sunderland, norwich)
    Not a single player stood out. Too sloppy, lethargic, no sense of purpose, no urgency etc.
    Gnabry did better than Ramsey, Gervinho put together
    Gervinho has forgotten his forhead in africa, If i were wenger I would send him back to africa to retrieve it.
    Ramsey gave the ball far too easily in the middle pack, his passes where nothing to write home about
    Was Poldi in the match today?
    Giroud is trying to hard needs to calm down
    what used to be our strong pt was very weak today in the absence of Gibbs. Santos offered nothing going forward. He cuts into the middle which was already congested. Lets forget about the bould effect, this is poor vintage arsenal back again.

  49. emma says:

    Forgot to mention arshavin. I thought he was playing for Norwich. We needed to make use of the flanks instead Poldi and Gerv were going thru the middle which was already congested.

  50. Will XL says:

    Sorry to tell you Paul, but not even TH14 would score in this match.

    After everything we’ve done, to see the team revert to a seemingly scripted, programmed playing style is disappointing. No dynamism at all. Time and time again a forward pass is nullified by a back pass or an unimaginative move. Just a poor excuse for top flight football.

  51. DutchGooner10 says:

    How fitting the radio played the entire ZZ-Top greatest, by the end of the game I felt I had grown a bush capable of rivaling their most die hard fan. Hell, I can even stunt double for Rapunzel.

    Thanks for f*@#ing up our birthday party.

  52. rico says:

    I’m stunned really, just thought every player was very average, very very average and we had no-one to take the game by the scruff of the neck….

    No pace……. do I dare suggest we missed Theo a little, even it it would have been from the bench…

  53. Joaquim Moreira says:

    Grant Holt gave Norwich City a priceless 1-0 win over Arsenal at Carrow Road, the Canaries’ first win of the season and a hammer blow to the Gunners’ title hopes.
    Holt capitalised on an error from Arsenal keeper Vito Mannone 20 minutes in, but the Gunners response was poor, failing to test the opposition keeper despite dominating possession in a dreary match.
    Norwich were resolute and organised but the Gunners were poor by their standards and now lie 10 points off leaders Chelsea, with Chris Hughton’s side out of the bottom three at last.
    Arsenal started brightly as Lukas Podolski almost exploited a poor John Ruddy clearance but was denied by a fine challenge from Russell Martin, while the Germany international flashed a vicious drive just wide after a lovely one-touch build up.
    That was pretty much it for the half as far as Arsenal were concerned as, despite boasting 72 per cent possession, they created next to nothing, overplaying every abortive attack and falling short with the final ball with alarming regularity.
    Meanwhile, Norwich took the lead thanks to some poor goalkeeping from Mannone, who spilled a daisy cutter from Alexander Tettey into the path of captain Holt, who gobbled up the easy finish with glee.
    Mannone is not a Premier League keeper, and soon after he was all over the place when he inexplicably failed to pick up the ball after a heavy touch from the hardly electric Holt – the Norwich striker was somehow allowed to cross from the byline, but luckily for Arsenal no-one was there for the tap in.
    A keeper should inspire calm and confidence in a defence but Mannone provoked panic stations whenever the ball was in the air – he stood rooted to his line as an unmarked Michael Turner was afforded a free header from a corner, but the former Hull City and Sunderland defender headed wide.
    Half-time could not come soon enough for the Gunners, who looked blunted following the international break.
    There was no tangible difference at the start of the second period, as Arsenal continued to toil, while Norwich looked tasty on the break, Holt inches away from converting Javier Garrido’s excellent cross.
    Arsenal’s travails were summed up when Giroud made a clumsy mess of a bicycle kick after a weak punch from Ruddy – they may have had all the possession but Norwich still looked more dangerous in the final third.
    Arsene Wenger brought Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain into the fray and, while Arsenal looked a touch more threatening, Ruddy was still to be truly tested.
    Things got even worse for the Gunners as Oxlade-Chamberlain quickly picked up an injury, Andrei Arshavin given a rare run out in his place.
    Norwich, meanwhile, were threatening on the break as Arsenal left huge gaps at the back, Holt shooting well wide and Wes Hoolahan making a mess of his run when the Gunners should have been punished.
    Holt had another chance at a run on goal following a Thomas Vermaelen slip, but he is not the best with the ball at his feet and wasted that chance.
    Wenger’s last throw of the dice was young German winger Serge Gnabry, Jack Wilshere on the bench but not deemed fit for first-team action after a 14-month absence.
    The 17-year-old’s first act was to scuff a shot wide, and he looked well short of a first-team player when he embarrassingly mis-kicked another high into the crowd after a Giroud knock-down.
    Arsenal were getting desperate, Mikel Arteta’s weak low drive at Ruddy typifying their malaise, while Norwich continued to ask questions on the counter attack.
    That made for a comfortable finish for the hosts, who – aside from a fantastic Sebastien Bassong challenge on Gervinho – had little to worry about as they closed out their first win of the season in surprisingly unthreatened fashion.
    Related game – http://www.eurosport.com

  54. arsenal11730 says:

    Poor and I’m sick with another headache. I need to take another aspirin. This team takes us on a massive roller coaster. One week we are in champions form, another week mid table form.
    I honestly CANNOT tell you the answer. We struggle to break down both banks of 4. Respectfully,the team AW put out should beat the Canaries. If you dont have the right attitude,you will get beaten.
    It’s between Chavs, Man U and Man City. We are battling Spurs,Everton and Scousers for 4th.

  55. gunnerdna says:

    jenkinson is so nervous in possession he sometime put the team under pressure, so i’m not being harsh on him, he isn’t ready

  56. Adam says:

    Utter complacent crap. An embarrassment to Arsenal FC and their fans. Shocking and totally inexcusable. Moment of truth? Definitely. And the truth hurts doesn’t it Arsene?

  57. rico says:

    I could think of other words to follow too Dg…

    You honestly think he’s hurting Adam? I sure hope so, because I am and I know you all are too…

    When was the last time we were so so poor…..

  58. tsGH says:

    Back to the drawing board there…..

    8 games in and we are already out of contention. I am beginning to wonder what Garry Payton and Matt Poom are doing with our goalies? Bould seems to be blending into the background as Rice did.

    Cazorla was very poor. He slows our game down. It seems we need wingers more than strikers now…

  59. gunnerdna says:

    rico i gave up on certain players in this team last year so i’m not even tripping over these ass holes who pretends like they are any good, ramsey, ox, gerv, walc, santos, jenk, arsh and djou should never be making the 18 most match day and if you add the crap manager AW who is just like chamack and squid just riding the wage bill.

  60. rico says:

    I can’t recall it being ‘that’ bad Adam, bad yes but today was the worst I have seen in a long long while.. Maybe last season was a home match when I only saw the lowlights….

  61. goonster says:

    Christ DNA calm down buddy. go get a drink or something. the totts lost too didnt they? we ll be alright. keep the faith. nobody ever said we ll win the league this year. its a working progress. the cups look like the best option here. i ll still believe no matter what.

  62. rico says:

    Tsgh – it’s funny really, both Kos and TV have gone backwards under Bould, but Merts, Gibbs and Jenks have improved….

    Are keepers are simply not good enough, no coaching can make diamonds out of old stones…

    Santi was definitely off his game, but he wasn’t alone…

    I hoped half time would see a change in the way we were playing but sadly not…

  63. rico says:

    gdna, we cant have a squad full of superstars you know, of course we’d all like that but we can’t. Some of those you list are very good squad players….

  64. tsGH says:

    I love Arsene Wenger but time is up for him to turn to what he enjoys doing…. which is player scouting.

    Final nail in the coffin for me and I am his biggest fan. I thought he had turn over a new leaf but I was wrong. The same lazy tactics applied time and time again.

  65. rico says:

    I thought so Adam, and yes, maybe my memory has let me down…

    Hi goonster…

    Oh well, I am heading off guys and gals….

    I won’t even bother saying have a good night….

    Catch you tomorrow….

  66. rico says:

    And the lack of ability to change things when it’s not working Tsgh…

    Same old same old…..

    Gone now….

  67. tsGH says:

    Hi goonster… its ginge here. Long time!

    We wait for two weeks and this is what we get?

    Rico- it is worrying what you are saying about the Bould effect. The goal we conceded today is reminiscent of the Olympiacos goal. For 4-5 years we defended as individuals and this season we are more worried of keeping team shape instead of individual players committing into tackles. When we lose the ball the first thing the team does is fall into formation like a bunch of squaddies on a parade square.

    Everyone says Bould is obsessed with team formation and he is taking it too far.

  68. goonster says:

    hahahaha we get a dosage of reality! hahahaahahahha OMG i love arsenal! hahahahahhhahahahaha( i cant breathe)

  69. gunnerdna says:

    goon totts dosen’t exist for me, if that’s the team you want to compete with it u might as well forget about this season, because chelsea, man city and man u are the league contenders, totts is just like west ham or norwich. This team is in decline because of that shit house AW….AW OUT

  70. goonster says:

    hahahaahah dont you just love our beloved club. you wait for two weeks and what do you get? hahahahaahhah gosh am gonna rupture something if i continue laughing this hard.

  71. goonster says:

    calm down DNA……. you know that’s never gonna happen. who would you rather have? bacon faced ferguscum or maureen? get real brother.

  72. gunnerdna says:

    @ goon any other manager than arsene, he is a f ing lunatic, look at the managers who out smart him. I can’t wait to see his back, he is the R Kelly of football….

  73. gunnerdna says:

    bacon faced or maureen would find a way to motivate thier team against 1 of the worst team in world football, but that shit house AW only talks

  74. goonster says:

    get back here DNA……….once a gooner alway a gooner. you know you ll be back. we always do. that’s why we are the best football club in the world. ooooooooh to be a gooner!

  75. goonster says:

    ohhhh i remember him in my teens. the bald head creep who got tupac murdered right? is he still in music? yikessssss.

  76. goonster says:

    well i liked old hip hop. its the new pant sagging. tattoed weaving gold chain tossers these days i cant stand. i mean is soujah boy a rapper?

  77. allezkev says:

    Evening Gooners…
    Disappointing result, that’s for sure, but we are where we are.
    4th and a cup run or two is the height of my ambition now this season.
    A tilt at the EPL title now looks a forlorn hope.
    January and spending that £35+ million is an absolute must…
    A new goalkeeping coach might be worth looking at as well.

  78. tsGH says:

    Ak that must have been a waste of time going to see the boys. My mate went up there and he is seething with anger. It coast him 120 quid he said

  79. Scott from Oz says:

    How did i know i would wake up to this crap….because it happens every time we lose.
    Some of you guys are so predictable.
    A month ago we were winning,and everyone was talking of challenging for silverware.
    Now,it’s all “Wenger out and our players are not good enough”.
    Tell me guys,when were your comments just plain stupid…..a month ago,or now,because it MUST be one or the other.
    Seriously,comments after a loss are so predictable it is scary and bloody boring.
    As always,i am always more disappointed with the fans reaction to a loss than i am the actual loss.
    Make no mistake,i know we were woeful last night,and i said it repeatedly during the game,but so what…..it was one piss poor performance so far,and some of you carry on as if we have been playing this way every game.
    And again,we blame Vito,Ramsey,Gervinho etc,etc.
    EVERYONE WAS ORDINARY AT BEST,so at least lay blame where it belongs….ARSENAL FC in total,not just the handful of players you choose to blame for everything wrong at the club.
    On the bright side….oh,no….there was’t one because every single player had an off day,not just your (un) favourite few!!!
    The responses,in general,are tedious, boring and bloody predictable,and just shit!!!

  80. allezkev says:

    Yes Ginge, not least the fact that I could have gone to work, on top of the cost to go up there.
    But I kinda enjoy it, well most of the time.
    Today was a day to forget…
    Maybe we all needed a reality check?
    Tbh, the way the team played at Stoke, Liverpool and West Ham, gave me false hopes.
    Hopes that this team was hard to beat, hard to score against and a team that could actually challenge for the title…
    Well more fool me..!

  81. Micko says:

    No heart,
    No guts,
    No balls,

    We had our reality check at home to Chelsea kev, this was just a kick in the nuts.

    Nite all.

  82. Scott from Oz says:

    AK,Micko….i agree 100%.
    i am just very disappointed that some choose to point the finger at a few,when we were terrible as a whole.
    A day to forget is right….it was the most lethargic perofrmance i have seen from Arsenal in years.
    I stand by the points in my last post,but will apologise to anyone i offended by the wording.

  83. Scott from Oz says:

    Will,thanks mate.
    I understand the disappointment everyone feels,but i am a Gooner,and as long as the boys put in an effort,i won’t complain.
    They did their best,played like shit,but so be it.

  84. Scott from Oz says:

    Is it ironic that not one single person blamed Steve Bould for yesterdays loss??
    Think about it beore responding guys.

  85. rico says:

    Morning all…

    I don’t for one minute believe those players gave their all…

    Bould didn’t play

    Bould concentrates on defensive coaching and we wouldn’t have conceded but for a bit of immature keeping but then he is immature in goal keeping years and he shouldn’t even be in the goal…

  86. Scott from Oz says:

    Rico,they are not machines.
    Nobody,but nobody goes to work every day and performs at their absolute best.
    I don’t,you don’t…it is impossible.
    Why do we expect players to??

  87. rico says:

    Come on Scott, you can understand one or two having an off day, but all of them… It was shocking…

    90 mins they have to work for, sometimes only once a week, it cannot be compared to the normal working life…

  88. Scott from Oz says:

    Bould was getting all the praise when we were winning…..it would be hypocritical not to blame him when we lose,wouldn’t it??
    Vito should not be playing as our first choice keeper…i agree he isn’t good enough,but anyone that has ever played as a keeper knows he isn’t to blame for the goal!!!!
    Merts let us and Vito down.
    Before Merts,the midfielders let us down.
    Not that it matters though,because we weren’t good enough to score anyway…not even close to being good enough.
    Wenger did one thing wrong yesterday…taking Podolski off.He was the only player that had looked like sorong at that stage.

  89. Scott from Oz says:

    Rico,15 of our players had been playing internationals…please don’t tell me you believe it has no effect.

  90. Scott from Oz says:

    Oh,and for the 10th time, said during the game we were shit,and i say i now.
    They did their best…it was crap…..why blame Ramsey,Gervinho and Vito though??
    The entire playing squad had a shocker.

  91. rico says:

    Bould was being praised went we weren’t conceding, recently fans have left comments suggesting he has a lot of work still to do…

    AW is the manager, he selects the squad, his tactics, his ideas on subs etc etc….

    It stops with him….

    Podolski is playing with an injury…

  92. rico says:

    I disagree Scott, if that was their best then they should be dropped. We started all wrong and I just knew it was going to be one of those afternoons.

    We were happy to keep the ball, left, right, back, left, right, back again… It went on for too long. As soon as we got the ball in the first few minutes we should have been on the attack, show what we had and really gone at them with pace.

    All we did was slow the game down which Norwich loved….

  93. Adam says:

    Morning Rico. The debate rages on I see. There’s the wood and there’s the trees. Seems some can’t see one because of the other.

  94. Scott from Oz says:

    Rico…..where did i say anything was good about the game??
    It was shocking…including our defence.
    Why don’t you name the players you feel didn’t try?
    Trying your best and doing your best are two different things,and i know not a player out there didn’t put in.
    As a Theo advocate,you should know that better than anyone!!!
    He looks disinterested plenty of times,yet you defend him.
    Sorry,but you can’t have it both ways.

  95. rico says:

    Morning Adam.

    It appears so, for me that showing was shocking and I feel dreadfully sorry for the fans who made the long trip to watch such a gutless display.

    Don’t get all defensive Scott, and naming the players is easy, all of them….

    I defend Theo for what I believe he will one day do, not what he is doing now. I don’t recall a time when I actually said he played well, other than when he did on the day.

  96. rico says:

    Scott, this has been going on for the last seven years, why do you wonder that fans are frustrated an angry about yesterday?

    Games like Norwich should be 3 pints, nothing else..

    Had we been battering their goal and Ruddy was making save after save and we lost, that would be different, but did we actually have a shot on target, I have forgotten…

  97. Scott from Oz says:

    Rico…i have said we were terrible as an entire squad….no problems.
    Name me one player who didnt try though!!!
    I say the entire squad played terrible.
    You say the entire squad didnt try..is that right??

  98. Adam says:

    Hi Rico. I was going to reply to Scott but thought better of it. As he says with his old time charm, I am always right.

  99. rico says:

    You don’t know any more than I do Scott, from what I saw, they didn’t look like they were trying too hard to hard to me and it’s through my eyes I comment..

    Trying hard is doing what we did against Liverpool, West Ham and even City to an extent.

    (But had we learned how to defend we would have beaten City).

  100. Scott from Oz says:

    Rico….i suggest you read all of my posts….beginning with those i posted during the game.
    Then,and only then will you understand my points.
    Why is it so many on here turn nasty,and turn on each other when we lose?

  101. Scott from Oz says:

    Onya Adam…..you’re a good man,and very staunch.
    Your first comment was directed at me,but away from me….typical.
    Talk TO me mate,i can take it.
    Rico,it’s a simple task…..name those who didn’t try.
    You made the call.

  102. Scott from Oz says:

    This site is so much more fun when we win,isn’t it lol??
    Funny,my opinion of the club never changes……….win or lose,i still talk the place up,but as someone said…i cant see the forest for the trees.
    At least the club can rely on us “ignorant” few to support them,no matter what!!!

  103. rico says:

    I am not doing that Scott, I am just answering the questions you seem to be angrily throwing around this morning….

    Which part of all of all of them apart from Jenks and Santos is tough to understand Scott, the rest for me didn’t seem to be trying. Ox did for the few seconds he was on the pitch….

    Look, we differ with our view, I thought the game was dreadful, the players were dreadful and the tactics were dreadful.

  104. rico says:

    We all love Arsenal Football Club, doesn’t mean we all have to love what goes on within it, especially when it’s not good……….

    New post up

Leave your comment.

Discover more from Highbury House

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading