Dropping In On The Seagulls
Jan 25th, 2013 by 'holic
If you have listened to this week’s Arsecast then you will know that the FA Cup draw has stirred old feelings for me. The moment we got past Swansea I was praying for the God of tickets to smile on me, and luckily he has. You don’t need to tell me how privileged I am. A cursory search on social media platforms will inform you these briefs are much, much rarer than rocking horse droppings.
I haven’t been to Brighton since they decided we had become too much of a nuisance in the North Stand down there and put all of us on the open East Terrace at the old Goldstone Ground. It was an old-school ground but given the location it was always a much-anticipated fixture. From 1979 to 1983 the Seagulls enjoyed a spell in the top flight. Having met them just once prior to then (an FA Cup tie in 1935) we actually played them five times in their first season up and knocked them out of both domestic cup competitions.
Since Brighton were relegated we have drawn them just once more, an FA Cup tie in 1988, when Kevin Richardson and Perry Groves scored to put us through by the best of three. In the years that have followed Brighton have almost gone to the wall and bounced back. The match will also stir memories for Liam Brady, briefly manager on the south coast and instrumental in the beginning of their revival.
We will be without Thomas Vermaelen, injured against West Ham, as well as Mikel Arteta and Francis Coquelin, but both Abou Diaby and Tomas Rosicky return to the squad. Word is breaking that Jack Wilshere will have the captain’s armband. Where he features, and who plays alongside him in midfield, could tell us much about our approach to this competition. The proximity of the Liverpool home game may lead to a little more rotation than we might otherwise have expected in the competition that provides our best chance of a trophy this season. Arsene sought to assure in his pre-match press conference.
“It has a big importance to me because it is our next game and we are looking for consistency.”
Of course he said a lot more as the assembled journos pressed him on the transfer market. Those comments are being dissected elsewhere but his message changes from day to day. He could be preparing us for a final week of inaction in the window, but equally he will want to keep the identity of our targets a secret for very good reasons. Remember him famously dismissing the Cazorla rumours before Santi signed on the dotted line?
Back to Brighton, and the ‘holic pound. This isn’t likely to be a stroll. The hosts have knocked Newcastle out of the competition two seasons running. They like to get the ball down, keep possession, and attack. If that is their main focus tomorrow then we may find ourselves able to turn it on as a counter-attacking force. However Gus Poyet seems to be a shrewd tactician and may just instill a little reservation into his charges. It could be in their interest to make the opening phases more physical in order to knock us out of our stride. Watch for Liam Bridcutt breaking play up in front of the back four. If they can deny us space in our attacking third then literally anything could happen.
I have to believe we will match their early endeavours and get our best game going the further the tie progresses. I’m returning to an old favourite, 2-1 to the Arsenal for my wager this weekend. Don’t forget if you are having a bet that every tenner punted on Gunners Gaming gets you a chance in the draw for four executive box seats for the match against Aston Villa, subject to conditions. Click on the banner above for more details. Thanks.
If you are down in Sussex for the game and see an old grey-haired boy, buy him a pint. Four thousand travelling Gooners and an enthusiastic home crowd will make for a fantastic atmosphere. If the God of streams is watching I pray he gives the rest of you a commentary-free opportunity. Turn the volume up and listen to what the FA Cup means to the supporters. It’s so close now I want to be there.
Have a great one, ‘holics.
361 Responses to “Dropping In On The Seagulls”
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First round on me.
Random runners up spot?
mines a jack daniels
Triples all round !
Alright quadruples all round if you re man enough…..and I think most of your are;-)
Should be a fantastic day out ‘holic & you will be celebrating a fine win me thinks. Quite a gay day behoves you…wonder if wolfie will wear his red & white purple jimmy choos for the occasion.
Nicely done Holic, I can taste the atmosphere and feel that sea breeze already !
Lucky no 8?
A fine preview maestro.
I recall going to several consecutive Div 1 games against Brighton with a friend. If I remember rightly we saw Arsenal score several – 5 or more – against the Seagulls (cue counter-chant of “Sea weeeeeeed”) without reply and confusing the crowd at the Clock End as we begin to sing “Five-nil to the Arsenal” and “We want six” when the team was clearly only one up in the current match.
1-2 strikes me as an unlikely score as I can’t see us firing at exactly the level required to get 2 – seems to me that we’ll either play properly and get a hatfull or stutter to a 1-0 win or a completely horrible result. Fingers crossed for the hatfull then
(Randomness of runner-up spot was because I had to restart my browser after an upgarde and when I got back to the bar, there was a bright shiny new post for me to drink to.)
COYG
Nice one ‘holic, I wish you a great day out.
Big party (Dance night) in my gaff tomorrow, so I doubt I’ll be able to catch much of the game, because we’ve agreed to start getting everything ready at the exact time of kick off.
But, I’ll be trying to delegate tasks as quickly as possible and hope nobody notices my absence as I sneak off to do a bit of stream searching.
I can’t see AW fielding anything other then his strongest team, I believe he’ll wanna keep the confidence high after we finaly seemed to click against the Spammers.
With all due respect to Brighton, who I admitedly know little about, we really should be looking for a high score with us keeping a clean sheet, but this being a cup game and us being, well, us, I’ll take a win by any margin and safe passage through to round 5.
COYG’s
Top ten?
Blimey Oxon, had forgotten the Seaweed taunt, You are right.
Great days…
Nice preview ‘Holic.
Any Yanks know if the game is on here?
Perry Groves?
My mate, Perry?
Think you’re overdoing it on the 2-1 lark. 4 nil to the Arse.
Speaking of overdoing it, think I’m allergic to neeps.
Or whisky.
Oh no! Holic’s lumbered The Arsenal with the curse of the 2-1 scoreline on the Holic Pound. We’re doomed, I tell you. Those particular numbers bring with them very black wraiths on very large chargers and typically we play like shit under the burden.
Enjoy your day and don’t fall off the pier. The sea is wet down there.
Have a good one tomorrow, Holic!
I like that Arsene says “it has a big importance to me because it is our next game”, this is part of what I was on about the other day in the aftermath of the Chelsea game. One game at a time, don’t care who we’re playing – we’ve just got to go in there and win it.
Never did hear of a man who was allergic to jeeps. Lay of the whisky!
Everton and Bayern (away) games are definites for me. Your allergy will save me a fortune on drinks
and provide the resources to fund TaBS haddock.
For jeeps read jeeps – did once know a man who was allergic to jeeps, he came out funny all Rover.
Neeps for F*cks sake. This spelling thingy is insisting on Jeeps!
Hello ‘Holic(s).
.
Have a wonderful time in the best county in the country. Here’s to a win, and if we don’t let’s hope, like Bradford, we’re beaten away by the Cup finalists
Sleep well.
Arsenal by three clear goals.
I fancy the Ox to grab.
Would also love to see rest days for Santi and Gibbs.
I’m predicting a team of Chesney, Bac, BFG, Kos, Santos, Diaby, Jack, Mozart, Poldi, Ox and one of HFB or Theo.
Hoping for a cameo from the metronomic ice man.
Be interesting to see who our 4th choice CB is now. Hopefully Miquel, otherwise I have no idea why we let Djorou out on loan.
OK now I feel sorry for Villa.
Carlie@24: David or Aston?
Ah, Aston – just seen result. OK.
PS Sorry about the missing ‘h’; wish I could blame an officious spellchecker, but sadly it’s down to my incompetent typing.
COYG
@25
Ricky.
norcal (welcome back!), it’s on fox at 7, iirc. i’ve got somewhere to be, so will be paying no attention to the man behind the curtain until after i watch what the dvr is so graciously going to afford me…
i want to see another 12 minutes, like against the spammers. the opening 12, preferably. *then* we can step it up in the second half.
@N7, Ricky no longer plays for the Spuds. What’s to feel sorry for about? Sounds like a lucky escape.
Thx Scruz.
I am stuck at work until 7am tomorrow. Just in time for kickoff , it seems.
3-0 the the mighty Arsenal.
Oxon @29
That he was ever associated with that shambles.
21 N7 Gooner
I fancy the Ox to grab.
You’ll have to fight off Wolfie.
Villa’s manager will be Doing The Lambert Walk if things continue like this.
Nope, not allergic to Jeeps.
They get me from A to……pub.
Another blizzard here…..who knows when I’ll get home. 10 minutes from the Elizabethan, and yet……
I am hoping for an escort of super quality
Fair enough N7. “Things can only get better”, never a truer word in Ricky’s case.
BtM – will miss you at the Grove next time around.
Emotional night with Wilko in Glasgow that night, I’m afraid.
Let me know when you are next in the proximity of the Seat of Kings.
Not sure what to think of young Frimpong’s loan move.
Had great hopes for him – hope he doesn’t end up being another filed in the nearly category.
And speaking of youngsters and hopes, is Eisfeld on loan now?
Evening all.
Just heard Frimpong to Fulham?
Enjoy your day Holic. Let’s hope for an emphatic, injury free, captain Jack victory.
Up the Gunners.
If he plays regularly I think it is a good move. We will know then if he is good enough.
Probably last chance saloon for him there, Steve.
Judge Judy Dench.
Always have tried to avoid getting dropped in on by seagulls in any case. Just hope the boys “do” the same.
Frimpong loan: if we’re not bringing someone in then I don’t get it.
That’s a defender, a midfielder and a forward, all loaned out this window. From a squad that didn’t feel huge to start with.
The God of tickets?
*disbelieves*
Quiet in here tonight. Drinks on me for the next half hour. That should get ‘em flooding in.
COYG
*Floods in
He’s an all-seeing God. Top fella
He smiled on zico too. Wilko tickets? Well played mate. Hope they film one of the gigs.
Last time I was in Brighton was c1966 (a year before I left England for Downunder) and I was having trouble with my car, a Citroen Big15 it was … lovely to look at and the biggest back seat made for shagging of any car not a stretch limo. I like to think it was my love for this car that persuaded AW that England wasn’t as Francophobic as its reputation and worth pursuing his career here, but this just might be a stretch.
Anyway, one of the mighty 15′s cylinders wasn’t firing. I thought it was a blockage of some sort so had my foot hard down trying to clear it. Strange to tell this had the effect of making the car go faster … faster indeed than the speed limit by, well, by about double. Apparently this caught the attention of the one rozzer on duty in Brighton at the time, who gave chase. With the racket the Citroen’s engine was making (later found to be a broken tappet) I didn’t hear him immediately and it was quite a distance (so he informed me later) before his flashing light caught my attention.
Just my luck, a busted car AND a speeding ticket, and I still had to get the beast back to Leatherhead. That was assuming he didn’t smell my breath and really complete my day.
So what did happen, I feel your curiosity perking? We had a chat, I explained my car’s problem … and he said, words to the effect, “Well just try and keep the speed within limits, lad, and good luck making it home”. That’s all.
I’ve had a soft spot for Brighton ever since. Not soft enough to want them to win tomorrow, or even score for that matter. But if the worst should happen I hope that gentleman rozzer is still around to enjoy the moment.
Oskar
Re Frimpong.
He managed to earn a cult status more to do with his antics off the pitch then what he ever did on it. Being a star on TWITTER, friends with rappers and link to da YOOF is all well and good but that seemed to take priority over his “day job”.
I’d like him to come good, because even though I have reservations about his talent, I don’t doubt that he is a gooner and would die for the cause. I wish him good luck.
I remember us piddling on Alan Mullery’s chips when we beat Brighton in their first game in the top division-I think it was 4-0.
I think we have reason to be mildly optimistic if our second half team get the full gig this week.
As for Wenger appearing to change his mind from day to day this is not subterfuge I fear that he is actually changing it from day to day!! Arsene has not covered himself in glory in recent transfer windows and those of us who feel he is losing it have not had much cause to doubt this given his utterances over the past few weeks. This sounds like we are pulling out all the stops but actually not doing very much and it looks increasingly like he is the only man in the world who thinks we don’t need to strengthen the side. We assuredly do and it stuns me to hear him say we have two players for each position. So did the Dog and Duck when I played for them but very few of them were any good. Those players include the likes of Santos,Squillaci,Mannone,and Arshavin and Arsene they really aren’t Arsenal quality players.We also have the incredibly fragile Diaby and Rosicky in that calculation of yours, Can you really trust them to last? Also you’ve loaned out three players this window with none in which suggests to me the emphasis is on saving cash not saving our Champions League skins.
Perhaps the combination of sea air and FA Cup glory might restore his judgement
4-0 it was ttg,
Alan Sunderland got two, Chippy a pen, and Frank van Persie got one.
Such a wonderful weekend for a 22 year old
Rosicky, who is that? Just joking, hope he gets a run in the side, we need rotation. I’m worried for Jack, Arsene said he will rest him but not yet….when? The PL games are getting more intense given our league position and he will be forced to sit him in a big game or when he wobbles off…..don’t forget he will also most likely get called-up for the England squad as well. We really do need another player in the midfield for insurance.
2 players in every position;
Woj
Gibbs TV BFG Sagna
Diaby Jack Santi
Poldi HFB Feo
v
Mannone
Santos Kos Miquel Jenks
Arteta Coq Rosicky
Ramsey Arshavin Ox
I struggled with the second XI, especially the front three, which wouldn’t exactly strike fear into the hearts of many defences.
AW is right, we do have a decent squad on paper, but only when all are fit and raring to go, but that’s about as likely as John Terry being ordained the Patron Saint of Fidelity.
Some additions here and there would surely have helped, but as I stated before the window opened I really don’t expect us to bring anyone in. *sighs*.
Ah, TTG, so wonderful to see you again.
Pray tell, what exactly is your evidence that Wenger doesn’t “think we need to strengthen the side”? I grant there’s an abundance of evidence that we haven’t strengthened, but, please, what evidence that Wenger thinks we don’t need to?
Well, off to bed for me now. I look forward to seeing your answers in the morning. Do have a drink on me while you consider them.
COYG
Frimpong,
I’ve seen him play “live” three times. Twice in the Emirates Cup and once in the Carling (or whatever it’s called these days). On day one in the Emirates Cup he played against A.C. Milan, was quite brilliant, made Gatuso the snarling dog look like Danny La Rue’s lapdog and Flamini a wax figure from Madame Tussauds. The following day, against Hamburg (?) he played well, but less spectacularly. A week later he burst his first cruciate – 9 month penalty, don’t pass “Go”.
At Reading several weeks ago, he literally stunk the joint out. He looked to be lacking pace and his positioning and touch were terrible – he had of-course, just returned from a second burst cruciate. He has the talent, but is he a victim of cruciate fatigue? Time will tell, I’m a fan, I hope he makes it. I was pleased to see him on the bench this week and I had hoped to see him in Arsenal red again. A loan at Fulham is a very good move with the two that Arsene has coming in
. One is rumoured to be a huge pin-up boy in both Indonesia and out wide at Epping
I would LOVE to see Thomas Eisfeld on the bench tomorrow N7. In a decade, his will be the name we mull over when we recall greatness.
@53 – Agree that’s our strongest starting eleven H2H. Strike Arshavin and Andre The Elephant, from the B Team. Add back our two new incomers with Eisfeld, Gnabry, Yennaris, Meade, Afobe, Ryo and Aneke on the bench and we’re getting a little closer there.
And notice I didn’t even mention Joel Campbell or Wellington in that mix.
Watch out for ex-Hibee Stephen Dobbie … has the skill of Malcolm MacDonald – appetite of Ronald McDonald
H2H, that strongest starting eleven has never played together. Not yet. They will though – opponents beware.
And by the way, your B Team would be stronger with Gervinho as striker. You forgot about him, didn’t you?
Big Ian. you’re not a man of Leith by any chance are you?
Nearby … Sunny Musselburgh on sea … And yourself?
Oxon it’s just I’m a seasoned Wenger watcher and I recognise the signs.I well remember him refusing to pay an extra million on transfer deadline day for Xabi Alonso and then passing up the chance to sign Schwarzer when we needed more experience in the goalkeeping department. The contradictory messages over Zaha and Diame suggest a man whose mind is not made up and the stuff about ‘you English think the answer to everything is to spend money ‘ last week rather suggested where he stands on the issue.
So you might call it an educated guess based of years of Wenger watching!
Auchtermuchty, Ian.
A lot of Arsene’s apparent dithering this January must be down to the Walcott stand-off. Zaha and Villa, for example, were only options if Theo failed to sign or was sold in the window. He must surely still be looking for a DMF though, and appears to have settled on Diame.
If he becomes our sole January signing I can see a lot more disquiet among the keyboard critics. I still want Fellaini, which might just be possible given interest in him by others seems to have gone quiet lately. Could be he is waiting to see if we make the 4 and will then join in the summer?
Could also be that AW is simply giving everyone the Gallic shrug and will tirer un lapin par son chapeau any day now.
Oskar
PS: Jeez it’s tough getting noticed here!
I have a good feeling about us winning the F.A cup this year, I miss winning this trophy. Really hope to see Rambo do well tomorrow,was chuffed to seem him do well mid week. Lets put them to the sword tomorrow.
Just seen your mail, BtM. I will reply in the affirmative tomorrow. I have somewhere to go today.
Sorry about the pound
Nice preview holic, looking forward to this one.
Have a great day out traveling gooners
is pulis mental. apparently he has asked to take Jenks on loan according to bbc web site and AS is not playing
TTG, that Arsene refused to pay an extra million for Alonso is a myth. The whole deal hinged on Villa letting Gareth Barry go to Liverpool which never happened.
Oskar, tough to get noticed?
Most of this has been done before, but it’s actually from a grown-ups paper, as opposed to that rag that tabs works for.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/d363b054-6548-11e2-8b03-00144feab49a.html#axzz2J4P4hEVu
So FFP is not part of our strategy, says Gazidis. I wonder what our strategy actually is, if indeed there is one!
The concluding paragraph seems to me to confirm why we’re in limbo…..
At times I am here, trying to be funny. At times, I try to be serious. Most of the time, I have no fucking clue what I’m doing here. Then I realise that, of course, it is because of the regulars you are stuck, coming back to banter here.
But I must say ‘Holic, that blog posts such as this makes me remember what attracted me here in the first place. You are a poet, and a damn good one at that. You have a way of flavouring sentences, soaking them in atmosphere, which makes reading what you write never feel like mining through a compact block of text. It’s airy, and it invoked all your senses.
At times I am here, trying to be funny. At times, I try to be serious. Sometimes, ‘Holic, I just want to congratulate you on writing probably the best written blog on the entire vast sea of the Internetfinity.
Oh, and 0-2 to the Arsenal.
Lars thanks for this. It clears up a question I have ruminated on for years. Nice to be put right although I do have to tell you the bloke who told me the story worked for Arsenal.com so I have always believed it up until now.
The FT article is interesting and also underlines a theme of mine that I know a lot of subscribers here don’t line up with — that the club far from having a very clear strategy shifts its position according to the daily whim of Wenger who is becoming more uncertain of the direction he should take as time draws on. Gazidis talks about restricting the percentage of wages paid as a proportion of revenue but we waste a huge amount of money on inflated wages paid to mediocrities.Id rather pay top dollar for a superstar who the rest of the team acknowledged as such.
Looks like a bit of a PR puff for Gazidis. Not sure the family background in South Africa ,noble though it is has any relevance to this debate.
As for Wenger’s credentials as an economist I rather doubt they would stand much scrutiny. He is undoubtedly more intelligent than Harry Redknapp and his ilk but I think too much attention is paid to his musings. A lot of very intelligent people support Arsenal and most of the ones I know were deeply disturbed by his outline of the ‘socialist’ wage structure. Won’t get political but in the environment that clubs operate in now it really has huge deficiencies and if the idea is that it gives the team a spirit and unity denied to others I would cite some of out first half performances recently.
Anyway here’s to a great day out for those lucky enough to be going to the Amex. I believe they bathe the interior at the away end in the opposition colours. How stylish!
*removes Lars mask*
Morning All,
Have a great day Holic, and all the travelling faithful. Cue The Rev.
Can’t get to Brighton and lots to do this morning, so albion me way.
The score could depend a bit on who we have between the sticks, but I’ll go for a feisty 4-0 to the RREEEDDDDSSS.
Off for a read of your link zico/Lars before I start me ‘things to do’.
Have fun, people going to Brighton!
Thunder…
You write that “the club far from having a very clear strategy shifts its position according to the daily whim of Wenger who is becoming more uncertain of the direction he should take as time draws on”. OK, fair enough, you’re entitled to interpret events, as you see them, in that way. It’s a perfectly reasonable way to interpret them, although for myself, I see no particular reason to point the finger quite so strongly at Wenger.
I would point out to everyone else reading this that the same events can equally well be interpreted as a sign of a club that has a position which it reviews, and where necessary, changes in the light of changing circumstances.
The first interpretation reasonably leads one to condemn the club/manager. I suspect that many would find the second something to applaud. (I almost wrote “commend”, but the near-anagram is too likely to lead to another typo.)
We all see things slightly differently and we all have to try to make sense of what we see. Some see what they hope for and some what they’re most afraid of. One of the reasons I keep banging on about “evidence” is to try to filter out the interpretation from the fact. Mostly, they will be misinterpretations anyway; I know mine are!
Kikck-off minus three-and-a-half hours.
COYG
“Removes Lars mask”
…whereby he immediately improved his looks?
Anyway, I’m off to the pub. 50-60 people there will be relying on me finding a stream for the match.
No pressure, Lars. No pressure…
Amen to whuuuup them. Up The Arse!
A fine piece on FF featuring the son of god
nice preview, ‘holic
We can’t let Brighton be Bradford on Sea.
@ Oxongooner, you are a burglar – you keep breaking into my head and stealing my thoughts.
***
Frimpers has hardly played for us because of loan moves and serious injury. He says himself he knows he doesn’t have the technical quality of other players and makes up for it by workrate. He’s a fighter, a Gooner and has no fear. When he tackles players, they know about it. I think there is a place for that sort of player at Arsenal. He seems like a lovely blokee, apart from all the Dench nonsense. And he hates Nasri. I cling to the hope that when we play Man City next, Frimpong will turn to Nasri, lift his shirt and reveal the word “Bench”.
Quick look at Stoke v Man City reveals a half-empty stadium.
Oxon,
Excellent @77. A pleasure to see you “call” an overly-polarised piece of rhetoric in such a balance way.
Many have made up their minds on the root cause of all of our many issues and use that conclusion as the foundation from which to build their argument irrespective of circumstance. Of-course, I NEVER do that and exclude myself from the generalisation of MANY
And, of-course, absent of any really good sources of inside information, swayed by pieces of incomplete data (Deloitte’s Football league) and influenced by those like Le Grove with their poisonous agenda, it is very difficult for anyone to discern reality and fashion a well-informed, insight-driven point of view which is honest and clear.
But, of-course, that’s what makes it so much fun. We wouldn’t need Goonerholic if it was otherwise. Absent that we wouldn’t have the interesting and different perspectives that you and ThunderTiny provide.
Come on You Rip Roaring Reds!
My two 11s would be:
Chesney
Sagna Merts TV Gibbs
Arteta Diaby
Cazorla
Walcott Giroud Poldi
Fabianski/Mannone
Jenks Kos Miquel Santos
Ramsey Coquelin
Wilshere
AOC Gervinho Rosicky
They’re not first and second 11s, just 11s which I think would work.
The A and the A minus teams.
Plus the children (Eisfeld, Gnabry and Yennaris).
For those of you going to the seaside, enjoy. I suspect you will have a great deal more fun than me, who against my better judgement agreed to go to see The Minotaur at the ROH. I have the distinct feeling that the evening will turn out to be as enjoyable as my trip to Carrow Road earlier this campaign!
Will keep in touch with the score but will need to wait for the I/Player for a view of the game.
As always COYRs
He want’s to keep the identity of our targets a Secret holic ? you ‘r either the ultimate akb or have a very good sense of humor.
Is dave, dave an echo, a stutter, or a signal of a constant desire to repeat and recycle, Dave?
BtM – now THAT was an example of a very good sense of humour.
Just watching the second half of the Chel$ki game. Sublime Arsenal. Truely magic stuff, even with Diaby contributing well below his best.
93 minutes in. It’s been ALL Arsenal despite Chel$ki’s $600M debt and the excellence of Arsenal’s finances. A high ball from welsher is heade forward by the excellent Giroud toward Walcott. The pre-leg break Eduardo would, without a single doubt have nailed that opportunity, through talent, guts and desire for 2-2, with a draw being the VERY least Arsenal deserved from this game.
For his part, Walcott is not (yet?) possessed with these three great characteristics of a predatory striker. You can see Theo think “there is a slight chance that I might get a nasty little knock on my delicate ankle” before he reacts, too late and the chance is gone.
Despite that, the “schoolboy’s” game appears to be improving and this team s beginning to gel. Top three? Not a bout in my mind.
Oh, Fun – you’ve put Super Jack in the A minus team? I love Arteta, Diaby and Cazorla and they’re keepers. Does Podolski offer enough to trump Jack in your selection? (Not the Podolski of West Ham – the Poldi trhat we’ve seen in most of our games?)
The GREAT news is that they are both VERY strong teams and The Iceman is the prospet of the decade.
Top 3? Not a DOUBT even before someone calls that little error.
Ref, get that yellow ready, BtM is well on his way to that self-assist!
Morning everyone
Toby, heh not only do I agree with what you said, I really enjoyed the way you said it @ 70 
Really, nicely put.
@ BTM
that’s why I said they weren’t A and B teams. I was putting them together on the basis that they’d gel – it’s about balance, not a reflection on the quality of individuals.
Szczesny, Jenkinson, Mertesacker (c), Koscielny, Santos, Diaby, Ramsey, Rosicky, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Podolski, Giroud
Subs: Mannone, Sagna, Gibbs, Wilshere, Cazorla, Arshavin, Walcott
And the A minus tag was my recognition that the second set of players overall would be a weaker team, even though one or two of the individuals are as strong as anyone in the first set.
And cheers ABB! I See my autocorrect autouncorrected some of my grammar, but overall, I meant it just as I said it.
hi, abb – you’ve come in early to get a good seat, I see. Glass of champers from me.
I like the look of that team. The right players are being rested.
No ice man though.
Smooth as eis.
GOOOOL!
And yes, would have loved to have seen Iceman on the bench. Mayhap instead of Mannone. I’m sure Iceman would be able to keep the goal. He’s got some nerves.
Toby. Good thing your autocorrect didn’t correct that to ghoul.
Well in.
Beautifully taken, Toby. Goal out of nothing.
I like the look of that team as well. Really happy that Wilshere and Cazorla are being rested. I’ve got a feeling AOC will shine today.
Where is Eisfeld, by the way? He wasn’t in the training pictures.
Any iPad compatible streams out there?
Oxon @ 77.
Bravo and well said sir.
It looks like 4-1 to the Arsenal.
And i forget who said it – the Ox with a goal.
My crystal ball confirms it!
Cheers all.
And by the way, your B Team would be stronger with Gervinho as striker. You forgot about him, didn’t you?
Try as I might to forget, I’m afraid Flipper is etched in the old memory banks, BtM
Seriously though, I did consider having him in but his recent performances made me opt for Russia’s finest hair cut (to steal a BtMism).
I hope he has a good ACON and comes back better then he has been, but I just don’t see it in him, he does try but he’s way too eratic for my liking and I don’t think he’s got enough about him to make the grade with us.
Hope he proves me wrong and I’ll gladly feast on Humble Pie if he does.
Hi Toby, Fun and everyone ! Was over on Twitter but now I’m back
Aargh, my ArsenalPlayer stream isn’t working. Anyone else attempting to use it?
Hi all, top o’ the, er, afternoon to you…
Anyone got a stream address so I don’t have to get off the sofa?
Snir, please help these fine folks out! I’m watching on Fox, and Warren and Eric have showed Arsenal a lot of love. Now we have to win
http://www.wiziwig.tv/broadcast.php?matchid=187078&part=sports
Good luck Cam’
And COYG
Allo allo
http://tykestv.eu/streams/nutty/nutty1/
Hi to all especially those at the seaside
Sat watching match
now
the money collector is captain maybe he can score from a corner please
Coyr
Providers of streams (sounds a bit dodgy that…), you are fine upstanding citizens and I salute you for saving me a load of time!
Cheers guys!
Right, down to business.
Thank you Monsieur Alain Pardieu.
Santos strikes like a snake
Good, proper, goal.
girooooooooooo
Giroud!
OG, Goal
Super duper one, too!
Nothing fancy, just a clean hit. Lovely.
Jeeeeeeerrrroooooooo!
Top quality counter started by Schezzer’s super quick throw out to Rozzer.
BtM’s prediction still on.
HFB laser strike!!!
And Woj had a great save as well
the dutch traitor would have been proud of that one. a bit of a curler too. that was as classy a goal as i’ve seen from the tall french bloke.
I’ve been getting stick for my Top Three, One Trophy, Ollie G 20 Goals – and I’m always one to listen to harsh critiques and make revisions accordingly.
I give in.
YES – I agree. It’s time to climb down and admit that I’ve been wrong. I’m making a revision.
My target is insufficiently challenging, The bar is lower than it should be so, let’s go with Top Three, One Trophy, Ollie G 30 (Thirty, three zero, 3×10) golden Delicious.
Great acrobatic clearance by Aaron.
@ 127 BTM
ha ha
Morning/evening all. Just watching the game on Espn live at 4am ! Espn just cut to adverts after the goal, which was a beauty btw. Bloody yanks! Nobody cares about basketball, even more so when the Arse are on! Honestly what ‘live’ broadcast cuts to adverts?
COYG
I’ve kind of missed Rosicky’s ability to always get fouled from behind. He is a master of getting people to trample him on his heels.
TR7 looks great..nice to see him plaing again.
Offsides, whew!
Phew. Offside
Santos hopeless
Jesus wept Santos, you just used up about 90% of the luck reserved for the entire team!
offside but played on. we were lucky
oh that was awful
Andre The Elephant is a circus act and a liability. I’d rather see Meade at left back.
Bugger.
That really was sad defending pretty much from everyone involved.
Now to make up for it!
@83,
That ‘second’ eleven is so obviously a second eleven.
Noone in their right mind would put Jack Wilshere, the best player in the club by a country mile, in the B team, or A- team or whatever else you want to call it.
Not if you want to win anything, or keep your best player at the club.
“Unreasoningly hostile” again ?
Whatever ……
Yet again poor markign on set piece
Btm, agreed. I’m done with his antics.
We need to lose a goal before we begin to play. Glad that’s over.
Time for Andre The Elephant to pack his trunk and say goodbye to the circus. Podolski doesn’t look interested today. No protection for the Jolly Jumbo doesn’t help him with his trumpety trump.
I believe the Seagulls have won something like their last 11 games or so. Pretty decent team, they are.
We give them way too much space in midfield, close them down ffs!
Should have been schezney’s ball though!
Poor deliveries from OX
agree adu
Santos is not a fullback. Rather he was on the wing…playing for Brighton.
Well done Jenkinson some needs to push it forward
Come on! Give FG a break. It’s just two teams supposed to be combative out of the player pool we’ve got. Never has it been suggested that it is supposed to be our best eleven and the rest. It’s two sets of eleven players that could both play a balanced game.
Now, each of us can have a say on if those squads are balanced or not, but to start picking on the choice of Wilshere in the “B-team” is just silly. He’s probably there to help them get over the line see? I don’t think FG is suggesting always playing Wilshere with the so called “B-team” at all, and I think that is plain to see.
Now, let’s enjoy us beating the softie southerners when we come screaming out of the blocks in the second half.
Oh, that was a terrific cross by Jenks!
Don’t understand that call by the ref on OG
Sorry for responding, Toby.
Wasn’t really worth it. As you say, there is a game on.
Santosser
A wasted blast from 35 yards “Of he went with a trumprty trump, trump, trump, trump”
Next stop Mandalay for Santos so that he can heed the call of the Head of his herd.
No way is he Arsenal quality.
Heh, Trev. Come on mate, just saying that it’s unnecessary to criticise a sentiment misunderstood. Point was, as I understand it, a thought experiment to produce two combative teams out of the players we’ve got, not suggest that Wilshere should be considered sub-par in any way. And as you yourself pointed out, you knew you did come on quite hard. Just can’t see a reason for that.
1-1 at the break?
Brighton should surely have looked to build a lead here. Level peggings is no position from which to hang on after the Arsenal get their standard half time caffeine enema.
Don’t usually single out one of our players, but Santos doesn’t deserve to be out there. Poor effort. He was huffing and puffing 10 minutes into the game.
Poldi not interested. Santos not capable. Both off in the second half for Gibbs and Theo.
What abb said.
Usually like to back each and every one of the lads but it’s hard to see a way back for Santos.
Could Miquel not have played this one? I know he’s a CB, but always gives 100% and looks tidy.
Toby, no problem with you at all.
You probably missed the exchanges a couple of weeks ago.
No need to regurgitate, but I did apologise, twice, if I had misinterpreted. An apology that was completely ignored.
Just sayin’
overall that was a poor first half in spite of the goal from the BFF
Our defence waited
for Chezzer to come out and he didn’t budge
must
try harder second half
come on you reds
Maybe Santos is playing “in the shop window” in the hope that someone will buy him?
Santos needs to come off and should not ever play for this football club anymore. We are playing very bad and it’s because of our left side.
Caffeine enema? I’ll have to try that.
BtM, shop windows are usually full of dummies. Oh yeah ……
Encore une fois, merci beaucoup for the excellent stream, M Pardieu. Rosicky is getting involved, Diaby seems a bit quiet. Not a lot of support for Giroud in the box. We’re almost playing but not quite.
@ 161 abb
me, too – bit worrying.
Cheers, Toby – thanks for getting it!
BREAKING NEWS……….ping, scwizz, ping….
Arsenal announce that following a hard fought negotiation in which both Billy Smart’s circus and Chipperfields were in contention to sign Andre Santos, Andre The Elephant is of to Moscow to star in The Russian State Circus’ next production of DUMBO. Santos will play the back end of big eared elephant in a ballet production on ice.
“Gut! HE haz all Ze right characteristics” – Putin
“Why not me?” – Arshavin
@Btm: I think almost the whole team look uninterested look, for most of the 1st half we just sit and let them have the time with the ball and build up attack, need to at least put preassure and try to disrupt their play. I’m quite optimistic before the game and still am, hope we wake up and murder them on 2nd half
C’mon Arsenal!!
I don’t think we’ve got anyone in the squad who could play LB, have we?
Hey 8ball, stick with the facial
N7, I’m not sure Miquel has fully recovered from (thigh?) injury. Too bad cause I also would just love to see him get the nod.
Miquel has recovered, abb, was training with the first team this week apparently. Maybe just not match fit. Santos was better than this when he came on v West Ham, though, wasn’t he?
Lets hope half time talk was an inspirational as the one in mid week
Fun @ 170, Indeed. C’mon Arsenal !
@171.
Nice hit Jenks.
Oooo la la off the bar
Ooh, unlucky
See vydra scored again eandy on fire at the mo.
Brighton dangerous on the break.
A big heh at QPR 0-4 MK Dons.
Now back to the important game.
Oh my word OG….ahhhhhhhh
over the top and inn
Giroud! Sensational pass from Diaby (?)
God, Giroud makes so good runs.
God bless caffeine enemas and handsome French blokes.
GET in!
Diaby … Giroud … French Connection!!
Time for an upgrade to 40 goals BtM?
30 Golden Delicious.
Just saying.
is he limping?
Holy feeaking Giroud!!
Nearly a third for the big beautiful French man
Great pass by TR to OG ! Lovely bit.
HFB x 2 !!!
Lovely finish to try for the hat-trick. Too bad it was saved. Can’t fault him for that effort.
So nearly
Heh, more than nearly for you, FG. Well in.
FG. It looks like you went all the way.
good grief
i don’t believe this.
Merty !!! Get goal side! Shocker!
bfg was not strong enough
Another one please giroud, we need saving again
Big Mert, you can do better! Come on! Get one back now!
Great cross, Brighton.
Another one that went in off my backside.
Please let this game not be like the Newcastle one. we’ll all be on statins by the end.
It’s puzzling really how santos is there.
we need a couple of changes.
Andre The Elephant had a beautiful view of his man running unchallenged down his wing and crossing a perfect ball, without ANY challenge, into the middle.
The only thing that puzzles me is why didn’t he ask for his winger’s shirt right there and then?
Can’t he hear the call from the Head of the Heard in Mandalay?
Theo and Jack warming up
Subs please
Cheating fucki g seagulls.
Come on Poldi, get this one in
Jenks looks confused.
Look how far inside santos keeps goin. Wtf?
Gibbbooooo
Finally
Gibbsy
Santos wtf?
Finally, thank god for that.
Santos, in the ring for exactly 78 minutes and 17 seconds too long. May that please be his last appearance.
Once again, great movement by Giroud. Seems to be a player, eh?
Unlucky OG
does girooooooooooo want his third or what
Jack wilshire is fucking superman.
In all honesty we made it very difficult for ourself so far
Great effort by Gibbs and OG!
Theo! Yeah
Feo Feow and he
Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!
Come on Feo Feo Feo!
Theoooooo
Worth every penny. This lad is going to be a serious player. There. I said it.
Oh, and respect to Nonny (wherever he is) who called this one right.
Not saying I wouldn’t want to have RvP still at the club, but I kind of like this whole new approach we’ve got of letting everyone in the front line get goals.
Oh dear. Walcott is fucking quick. And he really tried that falling-over-dribble again!
My stream is delayed – Theo’s only jsut scored.
Great hustle by Theo! That’s my son out there
Feo is bloody quick!
but should of passed!
I love seeing Gibbs on the field.
BS. Clean tackle. Fucki. Ref!!
Poldi! Nice.
Thank God. We’re through!
Woohoooo!!!
Yes.
is it over yet I can’t watch any more
well done you reds
Well done lads.
Cracking result at a tough away ground. HFB looking the business. Theo scoring again. Further evidence for the boss we need another left back, stat.
Now rest up and let’s smash the scousers on Wednesday.
Open game, plenty of give and go. OG MOTM for me. Great work from Poldi, Gibbs, Jenks, Diaby and of course, Jack. Very Happy!
Proper cup game hats off to Brighton they played very well.
Job done.
Pheww! Glad we did it and I think Theo just won’t let Giroud has his hattrick :p
BtM, if AW is going to play Santos, play him in the midfield. He doesn’t defend well enough to play full back.
Still job done, even if it took fresh legs of super quality to finish it. On to the next round…
Quite a good game of football that. Some nice attacks by both teams, a couple of good goals, Brighton’s second included. Would still love some reinforcement, but that is the default state of a football supporter. I enjoyed it, would have seen the negatives a bit more clearly had we not won in the end, but job done lads. Job done.
Oh, and I’ve defended Santos in the past, but that was when he at least was a cuddly entertaining player. He doesn’t even seem to want to use opponents as something to bounce the ball off for a forced one-two anymore. It’s not his fault we’ve bought him, it’s not his fault he is being played. I hope we get another alternative on the left (or promote from within) before I get to the point of disliking him for real. That is just plain unnecessary. So, management, it’s up to you, not the player. Thanks for the good times, Santos, there has been a few, but I’d rather enjoy your game (and at times I do enjoy your attacking game) in another team in another league.
ATG, Yes Arthur, Brighton did themselves proud.
I see we are of the same mind, H2H.
@ 254 NBN
Yeah, it’s weird, he almost acts like he’s being played out of position when at LB.
OG da man.
Santos becoming the new Eboue, it seems.
AtH – nailed it.
FA cup is just krazy.
OG what a player he is. BtM – im with you brother!
Cheers all.
Two wins in a row! And still in the FA cup and CL. Could do better, but could’ve been worse. So yay!
I thought Giroud was outstanding although he was up ‘only’ against Championship defenders. I can’t remember him losing an aerial duel tonight. Should’ve had a hattrick too if Theo was kind enough. Story of his season so far, but again I’d say he is saving his hattrick for FC Bayern.
Gibbs showed us why AW should buy a backup left back. Come on Arsene, Santos was up against Championship players there!
Theo, well played. Scored the winner, and should’ve setup Giroud’s hattrick after a superb burst of pace. He’s a real gamechanger this season for us.
An FA cup tie to look forward to now. And maybe Frimpong to bring his dench to Old Toilet tonight.
FG@258: he plays wing-back, not full-back, for Brazil, though I am not sure they have full-backs in Brazilian football.
Couple of dodgy moments for Woj today with the goals, and he got a let-off with the one ruled offside.
I think Eboue was better… :p
N7 – no question we need another LB. I would have like to see Arsene bring A.Hole back until 1) Gibbsy grows into his body, 2) Cole passes on some of his ability to attack AND defend and 3) make a difference in some real crunch situations. I guess that was never going to happen though.
On a separate note, I thought Germaine Meade was excellent when he came on for Miquel at Reading……I’m not suggesting he’s “ready to go” just reflecting that we have talent coming through – so, a seasoned LB, under-studying Gibbsy while Meade emerges is what I’d look for.
Agree with those who said OG motm. He was a handfull all game. Entertaining match.COYG!
@ NBN
Ahhhh. Figures.
There are quite a few similarities between the two, yes, NBN. Both players I’ve liked and disliked because both players have really good sides and really bad sides. They are very much not players you would describe as all-round. In both instances, it’s not their own fault I’d say. Still have many positive memories of Eboue and glad he didn’t stay longer because I didn’t want them ruined because of his mistakes and I feel the same about Santos. Both seem to be loveable lads (even if I don’t like people who are speeding, do what you want with your life but don’t put others peoples ives in danger!), but I don’t want them in a position of importance to our club.
Having that said, if he isn’t too expensive I wouldn’t mind throwing on Santos as a left-sided attacker or on the left side of midfield in a 4-4-2 when we want a joker in the end of a game. It’s just that in that position we have quite a few player that is better than him.
We have Miquel who could step in, BTM. He’s fit again. I wouldn’t like A Hole back because Gibbs needs to play, I think. and of course A Hole is an A Hole.
Agreed BtM. A bit of experience at left back would seem a sensible move. Especially if Bac is going to be eased out.
Anyway, that’s for another day. Players rested, game won. That’s the main thing here. Well done lads. Well done Arsene.
And agreed N7.
Well done Arsene for resting a few key players and still getting the win.
Yet another failure for the ‘holicpound. ‘holic out!
Typical cup game, with a happy result at the end.
Lovely. And some great stuff by Olivier.
I wish players wore first names only on their shirts.
If Brighton are in the seventh position in Championship, one must say the quality of second-tier English football has really improved. Tactically and technically solid team…no wonder ‘big teams’ like Bolton and Blackburn are not finding it easy there.
Giroud had a superb all-round game. I hope by now he has convinced the doubters that he is so much more than a big target man. The bicycle kick was on its way as well before being deflected … would have been a hattrick of three really well taken goals. He looked to be limping, hope nothing serious and he is available for the Liverpool game.
Was expecting a bit more from Ox. Rosicky was rusty but showed glimpses that with a bit more match fitness he would be back to the form of last season’s second half.
It would be interesting to see which midfield plays against Liverpool: Jack, Santi and Diaby or Ramsey? Ramsey looked a little tired, he had a non-stop ninety minutes ‘engine’ game against West Ham.
We really did win again: where’s the flurry of post-final whistle posts?
Or are they all in Brighton, the lucky cunts?
Great game, bit shaky at the back though.
Would love a home draw now!
A drink for everyone in the bar
Cheers Harsha
Id really love a home game against Luton. They would be well up for it, it would be a great game and they could use a slice of the gate money. Everyone happy.
And again, not wanting to come down too hard on Santos. He’s just not a player to play in the system we use. He should play with a back three.
I wonder if Brighton is like Coney Island. A boardwalk, amusement rides, cotton candy? Sounds like a lovely escape…
Importantly for those there, abb, I think it has beer.
About the back-up left back position: Unless Santos is sold or loaned we may find it hard to ‘afford’ another specialist in that position. I think Iggy is a good enough back-up option if Santos’s game fully disintegrates as it is threatening to be, with Meade to follow. I have high hopes for Iggy in Arsenal shirt.
The problem with Santos is obvious: the physical fitness. And I don’t think it is because of laziness or not caring as many alludes to. I am sure Arsene has enough checks and balances put in place to detect and stop that kind of behavior. He came to English football pretty late in his career from Turkish league where good players from top level European football go to once their physical abilities have declined, playing in a position in Arsenal where maximum fitness and agility is needed in this league to compete at the top level. He was slowly improving in the defensive department and then he had the injury away at Athens. He has good abilities with ball on his feet — maybe losing some of that due to lack of match and confidence — but I think in terms of pure physical attributes he never really was ‘fit enough’ to play left back for Arsenal. He can be a good substitute to have to throw in variety in attack when we are chasing or ball-holding abilities up front when we are protecting, and he can score the odd important goals, but the way Arsenal is set up to play — release and pace down the wings — he does drag the team down.
I agree, Dr
Gervinho apparently scored another neat goal for the Elephants. Let us hope — for Arsenal’s sake, apologies to supporters of other African nations — Ivory Coast wins the thing this time and Gerv came back with confidence and swagger and contribute mightily to the late surge in the season.
@ 279 and 281 Dr F
Two great posts, thank you.
Just seen today’s Gervinho goal. Good one-two and confident finish.
I want that Gervinho back indeed.
Dr F, thanks for saying what I was trying to say.
A match with the right result at the end of it. A small drink to celebrate, please barman. Here’s hoping we have the opportunity to get used to getting the right result, as we were in “the good old days”.
Thanks for the words of support above BtM and Homer. Thanks also to FunGunner, but I deny ever burgling your head, ma’am. A gentleman never breaks into a lady’s head (and neither do I).
Finally gave up the hope that the old hard-disk recorder would spontaneously repair itself and ran out today and bought a new one so I’m tooled up and ready to record the game off ITV and watch it at a reasonable hour tomorrow.
COYG
“I left a few out, for example Cazorla, but it was for medical reasons. He couldn’t play and it was very risky to play him. Jack [was left on the bench] a little bit to protect his ankle.”
Guess Santi isn’t too badly hurt if he is on the bench, but that didn’t sound too good.
Observations:
Santos actually works for the national health service and is being paid by the number of coronaries he induces.
The best part of Giroud’s game is his runs; once the rest of the side gets to play off of that consistently it could prove really devastating.
Sczeszny: the great and the ugly today. Absolutely critical save early, but doesn’t attack balls within his six yard box on corners. That goal was his ball all the way….
Jenkinson was solid today and should figure much more in rotation.
Notice how much better Diaby played at the end of the match, and Podolski as well? Common denominator: Gibbs (and absence of Santos as well)
Last one: Jack Wilshere’s appearance was Cesc-like in how it just instantly raised everyone’s level. And it’s better than a Cesc lift because of how he injects that level on both sides of the pitch. If not for Giroud’s work, man of the match.
I’ll have some Jean-bon too. Good points.
Thanks Ollie, FunG, Toby.
Arsene said that after the Stoke match the players go away in International duty! If that means there are international qualifiers/friendlies to happen in a week book-ended — between Stoke at home and Sunderland away — by domestic football then it is really crazy. I would hope Arsene pulls a Ferguson and declares our first eleven, and Rosicky, to be all unavailable after the Stoke match.
I’ve seen a highlight package now as well as the bits and pieces I got to see in real time. On the positive side I’d like to say tothose who doubt OG’s ability to have a good luck at that game, he took his goals very well, but not only tha, his movement is very good.
Unfortunatly once again we contributed to our opposition being able to get back into the game. The first was schoolboy defending and Woj really should of done better. The second was just as bad, even though it was a very nice cross (unchallenged) how their striker managed to get in between our backs and header (again unchallenged) so easily really is a worry.
But, when all’s said and done, a win’s a win and 5th round here we come.
UTA
There are only international qualifiers in Concacaf (for the World Cup) in mid-February as far as I’m aware. Otherwise it’s friendlies (like England v Brazil and France v Germany), so yeah, rather pointless.
And a home draw in the next round please. Against a non-Premiership side or someone who isn’t Luton preferably!
Absolutely not Luton in round 5. Remember 1988
COYG
I’d take Man U at home. Get them out of the way now.
I disagree Ollie. I don’t buy this “If you’re going to win the thing we’ll have to beat the top teams” stuff.
I’m all for cowering at the back of the draw, fingers firmly crossed that we draw someone from Div 1 or 2 while Manyoo play Citeh and the Chavs play the Spuds. Winners of those two to play each other in round 6 and the winner of that to lose to Everton in the semis.
Also, if we do end up playing Man IOU, the later it happens the more chance for the Dutch skunk to rediscover is injury form.
COYG
H2H @ 290: Apologies if you have explained this here earlier. I am just curious: why do you write ‘should of’ when you mean ‘should have’? Is this some sort of colloquial usage? I actually have heard it spoken — by Jack in one or two interviews, for instance — as well a few times.
You’re all being a little unfair on Santos. No one seems to have remembered that this is his first start for months and he is just coming back from injury. Before he got a run of games, Gibbs was making similar mistakes at the back – at least 2 of Newcastle’s goals at Emirates for example. But I guess once a player becomes a scapegoat there’s no chance they might get a bit of support from their so called supporters.
Ollie, I am with Oxon… let us please have a relatively ‘easy’ (on paper etc. etc.) run on the FA cup and hope for the good Arsenal to turn up in the final stages. We already have Bayern in Europe and if we win that we would face some other very good team. I think this team is slowly learning not to underestimate any opposition — the true Achilles heel of last few years’ Arsenal — and I am confident that we are better at avoiding upsets than beating teams above us consistently. It is down to confidence or whatever ‘psychological’ color we wile to use, but our performances this season against the top three — except for Man City away — have been between patchy to downright poor.
Passenal, see mine and Toby’s posts above.
It is quite interesting how Santos’s stock has fallen. He was enjoying popularity last season especially after the Chelsea game.
I do agree that it is partly a matter of perception: his somewhat laid back playing style combined with inadequate fitness to be able to run up and down the flank (which leads to him being caught in counter attack after he has contributed to Arsenal’s attack) makes him an easy target. The shirt swapping didn’t help. However I think he has some very interesting attacking & ball-possession qualities that can be used in other position.
Poor show from BtM this afternoon, constant trolling re the ‘Andre the Elephant’ circus nonsense. Not really consistent with this blog’s high standards.
I’m with Oxon Gooner. Home draw against Minnow please. Wenger is not near to signing anyone so if Gibbs were to get injured we are in deep doo doo . Cheers to OG today but if Jovetic wants to drop in we won’t send him back.
Boom?
Well I was slowly reading the drinks and clearly saw too late that the last one was 299. Theredore I tabsed it.
Well in TTG
Heh, mental stuff at the ACN they are after all changing the goal now.
TTG,
i) Well in
ii) Thank you for your support (I will wear it always)
iii) There you go again. “Wenger is not near to signing anyone”. How do you know?
COYG
Very nerdy question alert.
I’m using Firefox 18.0.1. I may have changed a setting somewhere, or it may be all down to an upgrade… Until a day or two ago, FF always used to pre-populate the Name and Mail fields on the “Leave a Reply” form at goonerholic.com. Now, it doesn’t. Can anyone suggest what’s changed and how I can change it back? For what it’s worth, this is happening both on Ubuntu and Windoze.
Thank you, and now, back to the football&hellip
Not sure, Oxon. Works here, it only clears when I clear the cache.
Not sure there’s anything automatic about it.
Or maybe check in Tools if the Private thing is activated.
No idea how it is in English Firefox (here it is Navigation Privée), which you can activate/deactivate with Ctrl-Shift-P
Thanks Ollie. I seem to have decided to disable cookies across all versions of Firefox on all operating systems. Turn ‘em back on and it reverts to the old behaviour.
Ooooh. Exciting (well, exciting-ish). I turned cookies off again but added goonerholic.com as an exception and it still works. Now, if I could just remember why I wanted to switch of cookies…
Right, just back from the pub and I’ll back-drink after posting this…
Andre Santos, as a few attention-seeking youths would have put it: thanks for the memories but it is time to move on.
That must be the worst performance I have ever seen in an Arsenal shirt. Fine, a player can be a bit rusty after some time out but for fuck’s sake at least try! Gibbs came on and immediately shut their right wing down while still providing about ten thousand times more of an attacking threat than Mr Fish & Chips.
Other than that, I think we played relatively well overall (except for their first, WTF were they all doing just standing there???) and Giroud took both his goals very well. We should have had it wrapped up far earlier, but we won it in the end anyway and that is the most important thing.
OK then, back-drinking it is.
Oxon,
with you on the ‘who we want in th draw’ thing.
I’m no computer expert, at all, but I get the Name and Mail thing if I’ve deleted the browsing history.
Maybe that’s what Ollie meant, anyway ?
Cheers.
‘s okay Trev, turns out it’s all down to cookie settings. Bloody things should be called biscuits anyway, on a UK English version.
Try Gas Mark 5
Oxon. I want to eat cookies now. I blame you.
Top drinks in the house tonight, well for the 300, TTG.
299, nice assist, you said my mind re BTM’s trolling of Santos, i hope BTM and everyone else remembers this is his first game back from injury, anyway i trust BTM is a gentleman and will gladly admit he went over the top on that one.
Almost all the boys did well today, there were a few mistakes by a few people but that is expected from a team of players who don’t play with each other regularly.
Would a virtual biscuit do? Or a virtual drink maybe. I’m sure I saw Lars a moment ago.
Andres Santos performance means we may have to put TS on suicide watch.
There’s stuff for you in the HT, TS.
Oxon,
I merely repeat what he told journalists after the game. Can’t be bothered with whether he is playing games with them. He said “At the moment we are not near to signing anyone”. Thus I made my remark!
Doc Faus’
It’s probably more to do with my ignorance more then anything else.
I
was dragged upgrew up in Lahndan, but I haven’t really used english for the best part of 25 years.I only been learning to type since the time I’ve been blogging and I’m still not very good at it.Fair enough TTG. Hadn’t seen the quotes.
Have one on me.
Arsène Wenger admits Arsenal are not close to signing any new recruits before the close of the transfer window next week.
The Gunners are yet to bring in any reinforcements this month despite being linked with a number of players, including Barcelona striker David Villa and Atletico Madrid forward Adrián.
Chapter and verse(via Sports Review)
Wenger was quizzed over his transfer plans after watching his side win 3-2 at Brighton and Hove Albion in the fourth round of the FA Cup.
But the Frenchman revealed that there are currently no deals in the pipeline.
“I cannot tell you that,” said Wenger when asked if he was confident of signing a midfielder this month.
“In this kind of job it is realism that is important. Realistically I cannot tell you I will sign anyone tomorrow, or Tuesday, as we are not close to doing it.”
Thank you again TTG. And apologies, I’m forgetting my manners.
Sorry.
Errr, actually, um.
In my experience of Wenger-watching I’ve noticed that he tends to answer the exact question that he’s been put. If we are to accept that the exchange took place exactly as reportedon Sports Review, and I’m not sure that I do (see previous acknowledgements of a degree of paranoia), then what he actually said was that he’s not close to signing a midfielder.
I’m not sure whether he’s deliberately playing games with the media, whether he believes that they will accurately report what he says, whether he thinks that people will read exactly what is written as opposed to what the expect to read, or whether maybe Wenger is careless when he speaks to the media. Whatever it is, the article at Sports Review isn’t entirely consistent – the headline, sub-heading and first paragraph talk about any signings and the direct quote in the article speaks about midfielders.
I’ve said before that I suspect we won’t be bringing anyone in during the window, and it’s certainly true that we’d be in deep doo doo if there were injuries in key areas of the squad, but there’s a saying about bridges and the right time to cross them.
COYG
I’ve given up on us signing any other player this January, so I’m not bothered or riled anymore. A little bit disappointed still.
Just have to hope for a miracle of fitness and consistency until the end of the season.
We’re certainly light in backup in a couple of positions.
Oxon
No problem at all. I agree with your assessment on signings. Wenger turns us into code-breakers as he is so literal but I really do think he will be negligent if he brings no-one in. I will still probably be clinging to Jim White’s every word on Thursday!
On the radio, after the Brighton game, his very own voice made all the predictable noises about the quality of the squad, but he said,
“I still maintain that if we can do it we will do it”.
Possible downside: he didn’t say what we will do.
Getting anything concrete out of AW is like trying to nail a jelly to the wall.
Speaking of “light in a few backup positions”, and not suggesting that he’s the one, but what’s the Fabianski situation? I haven’t heard anything about him recently.
Also who’s “Jim White”? Some kind of Sky “pundit”?
You realise, incidentally, that Wenger’s literalism should mean that we don’t need to become code-breakers? I think the problem arises because we usually have his Delphic utterances interpreted for us by a less than disinterested and less than impartial (i.e. very biased[1]) press.
Anyway, thanks to TTG for pointing me to his source.
Why biased? Well, a lot of football reporters were growing up in the aftermath of the Munich air crash for one thing.
For another, it’s much more fun for “the neutrals” if there’s not fixed power structure in the game. Manyoo have been a major power in English football for a long time and a lot of people are afraid of getting on the wrong side of them, and Liverpool have fallen a long way from the position they used to be in, so that leaves Arsenal. Chel$ea and Manciti are new enough faces not to need attacking and Everton and the team from the other end of the Seven Sisters Road have been long enough out of the limelight (checks handy clock at top of this page to see exactly how long for the swampdwellers) to be forgiven. That just leaves The Arsenal, who can be attacked for so many reasons – they represent the Establishment and, for God’s sake, they’re managed by a Frenchman!
Enough paranoia for one night. This calls for Single Malt.
COYG
We start the game without 7 regulars, Sagna, Gibbs, Vermaelen, Santi, Jack, Arteta and Theo, relying on our ‘depth’ to put away a lower league team. And did we? Only juuuuuuust … and only after bringing on three of the missing 7.
Giroud aside it isn’t hard to understand why we are struggling.
Where’s your wallet, Arsene?
The best that can be said of today is that Giroud is maturing nicely into a hybrid of Supermac and a certain tulip of recent memory. And I believe there’s a lot more improvement still to come from the lad. He may well prove another Arsene genius signing, imo.
Oskar
Oxon@323: I don’t think AW is careless about anything.
Also the sports press has a terrible habit of turning a specific into something general and then back into a different specific. Now that is careless.
Ned@329: I’m inclined to agree. I think Wenger is pretty careful too.
As to the sports press, I had noticed the habit you refer to. I’m not as charitable as you, though. I don’t think it’s careless.
Jim White is a very sad legend who runs a hysterical deadline day show on Sky Sports News. Not worth wasting a decent malt for but he gets orgasmic over the possibility of a Lebanese left back going for a Medical at QPR.
Grade 1 nutter
Well that was a grand day out.
A few travelling faithful did not exactly cover themselves in glory today, the sort of half witted minority (very small, thankfully) we could properly do without. For those Gooners who think it’s ok to shout vile bigoted chants, fight with other Gooners, and then boo off one of our own players, I hope you realise that most of the rest of us think you are utter fucking vermin. SO happy they rarely bother us on this site.
The shame of it was we were made incredibly welcome, in a lovely stadium, by a group of proper supporters. By far the nicest away ground I’ve been to this season, by a nautical mile
Brilliant atmosphere, lovely bunch of people who are clearly so proud of their club. They really deserve to do well, particularly after the torrid time they have had to endure over the past decade or so.
A bit of me wishes we could have dispatched one of the teams I really fecken’ hate today. But, well, I’ll take a victory wherever it comes from these days. Sorry Seagulls, you were actually really ace. Someone had to win and I’m glad it was us. But I do wish you well and hope to see you promoted soon.
Hope all the regulars had an equally good day – off to back drink now, drink some more, and then wait for the highlights which I believe will be on shortly.
And to West Stand Tone – you are a LEGEND. Thank you so much for the lift back to the smoke, you are truly a saviour (from the wretched rail replacement service)
Thanks Snowy, top drink.
Snowy, i see you had a good time, thanks for sharing with us. Cheers.
From ESPN:
He was instrumental in the first goal in his one-two with Gervinho, who remains the most impressive, resourceful and determined player in the Ivorian lineup. Every time he has the ball, Gervinho has looked dangerous with incisive runs, selfless passes and top-drawer finishes.
Who is this Gervinho?
Maybe we should sign him?
Hey snowy,
Shame about the idiots – nice write-up on The Seagulls though.
Will you be inThe Tollie before Liverpool on Wednesday ?
Hope to make it in time this week.
Snowy,
Nice drink. When your team has had to play for two seasons in a stadium fifty miles away it tests the fibre of the club no end. I saw their last game at Gillingham and they deserve a great new stadium. Nice to see they play the right way too
What a great set of drinks up there.
I’ve never been good enough to multi-task (as in watching a game and also typing up stuff on the interweb) but my word, for those of those of you that do, great job.
Ta Cent and Oxon, and NorCal 2 335 – top post!.
Trev yes I shall be heading to the Tollie before the game Wednesday, hope to see you there.
TTG @ 337 – ta, for that. On the way to the game (in the rail replacement bus) I was eavesdropping on a conversation between some BHA supporters and a Gooner a few rows back, and my goodness that team has been through the mill. Makes our current issues seem completely trivial, which is why the idiots with the stupid banner and the boos really, REALLY annoyed me today. Spoilt brats. Many of us here have big concerns about the direction of the club and our current state. I have big concerns too. I love this place because we can debate these things with civility and, by and large, a very healthy respect for our different positions on matters of the Arse.
Toby, Dr Faustus, Passenal and Lars. Read your comments about Santos. Appreciate all of them. When I singled him out, I did so with a heavy heart
I don’t give up on anyone who wears our shirt 
But he needs to work on his cardio. And I have often thought he is capable of scoring, just not so much at defending 
“different positions on …… The Arse”, snowy. Oo err!
Sorry, sounds like it hasn’t been your best day to be trivial.
Trev – heh
Snowy, check your mail
Just seen very brief ITV highlights.
Two very good goals from Giroud, the second one a real replica of Song-RvP from last season.
Diaby is such a talent. Please, please, please stay fit.
Our dealing with crosses from open play and set pieces is awful.
Given that it is, why oh why don’t we concentrate on at least stopping crosses coming in from open play. We rarely or never do, whoever is in the full back positions. There are various reasons for it, and we all know them well enough.
Come on Bouldy – sort it out, please.
snowy, spoilt brats sounds like a very good description. There are things that this club can do better, but some people have lost all perspective.
Happy to hear you had a good day despite all this though!
I have now seen the goals again and I must say that the defending for their first is an even greater mystery to me now. I can’t really agree that Szczesny should definitely have got the ball because it really doesn’t drop in his area. Then again you could argue that he should be able to get there anyway, but then the defenders MUST block the runs from the opposing team to give the keeper the time to get there. The whole team just stood there and did absolutely nothing.
And for the second one, there was absolutely nothing Woj could do about it. Santos gave the winger all the time in the world to aim the cross, and Mertesacker didn’t cover himself in much glory either. Woj would never have got to the ball before the attacker so all he could do was stand there and hope to save the header.
Also, it is worth noting that it was a quick and precise throw from Szczesny that started the counter-attack that gave us our first goal.
Evening all.
By and large a cracking day out and great company. The good man has captured the unfortunate negatives of an otherwise blinding trip.
Report will follow at some stage of tomorrow when I have slept off the many pints of Dark Star and the black pudding hash.
Be good, all of you
3-2 to us in the FAcup – i like that score. A lot.
Psed – Sknowy knows!
Black pudding hash. Sounds like something made in Morocco to me.
Hey Norcal @ 335, this G fellow sounds tippy with a cherry on toppy quality.
Also, you had asked earlier about tv coverage…just fyi, philly soccer page does a weekly US listing of all televised matches for internationals, top euro leagues, etc called footy on the tele. I find it handy. Cheers.
Thx PaGooner.
I usually look ahead for the games on TV. I just didn’t this time. Thanks for the info.
Just hope Gerv comes back this time with some confidence instead of absolutely none.
I wouldn’t call it a coincidence that Brighton didn’t score in the last 12 minutes after Santos was replaced.
Lars@345: Woj went for the first one, and having gone he has to get it. Second one didn’t really give him much chance unless it had been headed straight at him. But he got a let-off with the goal ruled offside.
Woke up to a shock seeing a big Frenchman on the local news during a match yesterday
then
they added a second and a third
Apparently they were pleased that a local lad was making good
So am I, now I think of it
Having back drunk, I. an in the five him a second chance camp for Santos but have to believe that LB is not the right berth for him.Heis very good when the p player is coming straight at him, but needs close support against a fast wonder.We rely on FBs who recover their positions fast which he clearly ain’t shops he would be better as a relief DM when we are defending a lead towards the end of a close match
T
here was a drink earlier which compares OGs pass to Song-Rvp.It was much more delicate and precise over a very short distance IMO
T he defence is still a sieve and clearly needs a lot more work because with respect for the seagulls who played brilliantly or defence was poor
finally a word on the Ox who still plays out of position in a not quite inside right role of years ago
Oh sit still cannot get Swype working too many errors there
No evening blog for a 3 o’clock kick-off? Wow, must have been a heavy one in Brighton? Maybe the barman woke up in Bristol? ;D
Top 3, one trophy and OG 30+ goals! Feckin’ A!
Momentum! Momentum! Momentum!
“Must defend better on set pieces and get goal-side of your last man”! “Otherwise, decent performance against a banana skin”!
Victoria Concordia Crescit! COYBG!
Dr Faus @ 295.
People write and say ‘should of’ instead of ‘should have’ simply because they sound similar. When we shorten the ‘have’ to ‘ave’ it starts to sound more like ‘uhv’, which people then hear as ‘of’. The same also happens with ‘could’ve’.
I used to do that myself until I discovered I was one of the biggest and most committed grammar geeks in history…and then made a career out of it!
“Gerv the Swerve” havin’ a blindin’ tournament in the CAF! Keep it up lad!
If Eandy’s around, he was reading a match report and it looks like Watford’s Czech had a great game again.
Urgh>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>