Toffees Tough To Chew But Soften Eventually
Aug 23rd, 2014 by 'holic
It’s August, and Arsenal are trailing at half-time in the northwest. Two second half goals get us a result. Next time out we are spared a home defeat against Portsmouth by the infamous Robert Pires penalty award. Now nobody is claiming that eleven years on that this Arsenal side is in any sort of shape to emulate the invincibles. However the invincibles didn’t look invincible every week. A season is always made up of a mixture of performances, usually ranging from the sublime to the ridiculous.
Last season we suffered too many of the ridiculous, and missed out on the title by seven points as a result. Today we returned to the scene of one of those appalling performances with a side that caused some raised eyebrows. Eyebrows that climbed further when the match got underway and we had Per Mertesacker on the left of Calum Chambers and next to Nacho Monreal, in for the injured Kieran Gibbs. Mathieu Flamini stood in for the injured skipper in front of the back four.
There were a couple of surprises further forward. Mesut Ozil was recalled but lined up on the left hand side while Jack Wilshere somewhat surprisingly remained in the ‘number ten’ role. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was called up on the right with Alexis Sanchez switching to the centre in place of the benched Olivier Giroud.
To be fair we started brightly enough. Roberto Martinez had spoken beforehand of the importance of keeping possession, and Arsenal most certainly had the lions share of the opening exchanges. Everton were relying on pacy counter attacks when the Gunners coughed up the ball in attacking areas. Just eighteen minutes in the match, and the mood of many watching, turned when Coleman sprinted past Ozil to head home a far post cross. We were on the back foot and Everton drew confidence from that opener, and why wouldn’t they? They are a good side.
Just before half-time came the moment that could have cost us three points and not just two. We didn’t cover ourselves in glory defensively, but Lukaku’s clear foul on Mertesacker was ignored in the build-up to a clearly offside Naismith being freed to score. For once the former Rangers man’s inner ear infection did not cause him to lose his balance unexpectedly.
Half-time afforded Arsene the opportunity to change his game plan, and quite rightly, earlier than usual, he took said opportunity, sending on Giroud for Alexis. It must have been tempting to keep the Chilean on and go 4-4-2, but the boss decided to retain the starting formation. Of course the first chance of the half fell to the big man who blazed a tricky opportunity over, but his availabilty gave us an outlet that hadn’t existed earlier and caused Everton some consternation.
Two further chances fell to Giroud and went begging, and with just over a quarter of an hour remaining Santi Cazorla and Joel Campbell were introduced for Wilshere and the Ox. Santi went into the hole vacated by Jack and Ozil remained a lonely figure out wide. I can’t help thinking that any psychological lift to Jack by starting him in that position could be outweighed by forcing our best passer of a ball into an unfamiliar role. The name Arshavin was mentioned on Twitter. Harsh, I’m sure. Once fully match fit surely Mesut will be back in the engine room?
Seven minutes were left when Arsenal got one back, Aaron Ramsey (who else?) getting into the box to convert Santi’s fabulous cross. The traveling faithful upped their volume from 10 to 11. A match that for so long had seemed lost was now looking salvageable. The visitors had the bit between their teeth. There was an air of inevitability about who would score the equaliser. The harshly maligned Giroud won the grappling contest with Distin to head home Monreal’s cross.
So at a venue of one of last season’s spineless capitulations we salvaged a point from what had appeared for so long a hopeless position. That says much about the spirit in this squad. A point closer to the seven that cost us so dear in a season on season comparison. Nobody will pretend we are where we need to be right now, but the unbeaten run is extended, and both history and common sense says there is still much to come from this squad. Yes, it would be desirable to address a couple of glaring weaknesses in the final week of the transfer window, but this squad is close.
I wonder how we will look back on this result in eleven years time?
Oh, and SkyGo, thank you for this. Contributed to an eventful evening.
610 Responses to “Toffees Tough To Chew But Soften Eventually”
First!
Very Punny!
😀
I’m just glad I (we) came alive out of this one.
That’s all.
(but more to come)
Bosch
Fucking amazing post, ‘Holic.
Pangloss
You asked a very reasonable question in the last drinks when I said we needed a DM, CB and Striker or in SteveT’s words Adams, Vieira and Henry. One us led to believe we may have around£60 millio plus any fee we receive for Podolski.
The CB could well be the Greek centre half we are following. He needs to be fast, solid and to read the game well.
In midfield it is probable that only Carvalho might have the combination of mobility, passing range and strength that we need. That’s around ££35 million spent and my attempt would be to see if we can loan or sign Falcao. He us the best finisher in world football and would give us many striking options.
It’s all Celebrity Manager but those would be my thoughts.
Spot on, as always, Holic.
Great write up. A point at Everton these days is never a bad point. I’ve not seen any of the game so can’t really comment on the performance. I only have a collective of drinks and the various other reports to go on.
On to Wednesday evening and possibly the biggest game of the season.
One observation from today; your best formation or tactics is not the one which puts all your best players on the pitch at the same time; it’s the one that gives your team it’s best balance. Giroud/Sanogo upfront gives us better balance than Theo/Alexis does.
top teen..and a good draw!! i will take that!!
Perfecto, ‘Holic. Just the right degree of silver lining. The old formula used to be beat the bottom half home and away and beat the top half home and draw away and the title is yours. With just the 36 to go, we’re on track.
Good post ‘H.
Having given up at half time – I know, I know – I was delighted to find we’d pulled it back, and from what I’ve read (only in this and the previous bar, admittedly) we seem to have deserved it. As far as I could make out from the TalkShite commentary we were a little unfortunate (possibly deservedly unfortunate) to be two down at half time but I didn’t hear anything to make me expect us to come back.
Great to hear that the backbone the team seemed to have grown since their last visit to Goodison, on display in a couple of games at Wembley, is still in evidence.
COYG
Pangloss from the last drinks.
TTG echoes most if what I would have said. The Greek centre back seems to be flavour of the month. That said, why that deal has not been sorted when we let a Tommy V go sometime ago is something else I will never fully get.
In midfield I would go for Khedira. I think he is top quality. A class act with the experience an know how to provide the balance we need. More importantly, he would appear to be available.
Up front I still believe we missed a trick with Diego Costa. I said it in January and I said it at the end of the season. He signed for The Chavs and I was told by many that he was not that good and we had dodged yet another bullet. If I could pick anyone it would be Cavani. I think he would be a fantastic addition. If that is pie in the sky then there are a number of cheaper options that greatly improve what we have already that I would have considered to add depth to the squad. I would certainly have considered the likes of Ba, Remy and even Eto’o as squad additions and as back up.
The fact is that for many years now I continually get told about how we have signed the “next big thing” only for the “next big thing” to spend years on loan and never quite make it. I would like to see more ” finished articles” that can go straight into the first team added to the squad. Please note the worded added. I like the idea of additions and not just replacements.
One final point re available funds. Didn’t we also pocket a substantial wad of dosh from the Carlos Vela situation??
I’m not a religious man but A-men, hallelujah and thank the Lord for that.
That was more than just an escape job with an underserved point (or was it? I didn’t see it but judging by the the hysterics in here I assumed we were being badly exposed for another bare ass-whuppin’). No sir, that could well have been a serious confidence-booster, a healthy dose of “well I’ll be damned! Look what we can do!” It was other things too. Another 90 mins of match-sharpness, a tough away game out of the way, a step closer to the return of Theo.
4 points from a possible 6. Bring on Besiktas.
Talk about finding black linings to silver clouds. First line of BBC match report is “Arsenal now five games without a win against Everton”.
NBN,
There’s a ‘win’ and ‘Arsenal’ in that sentence, I’d say they’re softening up!
😀
Narrative, narrative, narrative.
That’s all you get from the media.
I thought we deserved to win this game. “Everton dominated for 80 minutes”, was the MOTD angle. Bollocks. We created more chances than Everton did and they were gifted their second goal. I don’t agree that it was poor defending, the BFG got to the ball way ahead of Lukaku who fouled him, and then Naismith was clearly offside. Yes, Chambers made a rash decision but two out of three mistakes were made by the referee and his lino, simple as that. Apart from that Everton had the Mirallas chance, but Giroud had two great chances apart from his goal, and Chamberlain had a good chance in the first half after Coleman’s poor clearance.
But no, Everton dominated. Arsenal were outplayed… Accordning to the media, that is.
We were far from our best. But even then we kept at it and got the goals in the end and if we had got the third one too it would not have been unjust if you ask me.
Anyway, drinks on the bar – I’ll just have a cup of tea as I am feeling slightly under the weather.
TTG – Thanks for the names.
I don’t think we’re actually going to spend the £40M I quoted (and almost certainly not as much as the £70M) I offered. Like the £60M you quoted, I was working back from the rumoured £100M less £40M that it is generally agreed we have spent so far this window.
I suspect that this figure itself derives from a statement on page 12 of the annual report that we have cash balances of £120M, which excludes £22.8M for debt servicing that is not available for football purposes. (I think that’s an accurate quote, but it’s not an exact one.) I suspect that the rumour comes from someone who misread the above, saw £120M total and £20M for debt servicing missed the word “excluding” and subtracted the two. I don’t think we are about to commit 83% of our available funds on transfers, which to my mind would be excessive – admittedly I wouldn’t be confident to propose what would be reasonable.
I would be surprised to see a further net spend of more than £30-40M net; assuming Poldi leaves (for about 5 million I’d guess) and the Greek central defender would cost around £15M that leaves £15-25 for the “Vieira” and “Henry”.
Now, to me, that adds up to “We aren’t going to get all three”. Would the panel care to select which two they believe we can’t live without?
I repeat that I have no constructive suggestions to make for myself. That’s the basis of my “Trust the manager and wait” position.
As I’ve said, I’m unsure what the remaining budget is. You can see “my workings” above which lead me to my conclusions. By all means disagree with my conclusions, but please, tell me where I’ve gone wrong.
COYG
Fine report H.
Match much as I saw it.
Their first goal was against the run of play as was the second that should have been chalked off on two counts by two cunts who weren’t doing their jobs.
We laboured without a focal point in the attack in the first half but the addition of HFB sorted that. Unlucky not to score more than his one. Our midfield looked unbalanced throughout but everyone put in a shift.
An interesting short and tantalising vignette from Joel.
However if there had been another 5 minutes to play we would have won it.
Hopefully HFB will be fit for Besiktas.
Good spirit you Gunners.
…and now I’ve crossed with Steve T’s response. More from me in a bit when I’ve digested it.
Thanks for the clarification Lars, you saved me a wasted trip to a sports news outlet. How unsurprising that they put that kind of spin on things; I guess it gets more clicks than “Arsenal had enough good chances to win it”.
Couldn’t resist checking BBC sport anyways. Their second goal “APPEARED offside” according to those bellends.
Great result. It’s been a bit sticky since City but we’re getting the results. We’re now the old school United of the Prem, never beaten till the final whistle blows. Watching the game from my sofa with the boy, went from resigned gloom to exultant pleasure. Coming from two down with six minutes to go to a draw definitely feels like a win. Point away at Goodison is never a bad result. This team will gell and go on to great things. Huge game on Wednesday, the boy and I will be there on the North Bank cheering them on. One more thought – can’t wait for Theo to return. We are not the same team without him.
Turning to other matters, enjoying Twitter tonight on Di Maria to the Mancs.
“Herrera good through ball to Rooney, pushed wide to Van Persie, on to Di Maria, defense splitting pass to Cleverley……….goal kick.”
Lars. A cup of tea????? Please tell me it’s now breakfast and you have skipped sleep altogether???
Spot on re the media. I don’t remember the last positive that came out of the BBC about Arsenal.
Steve T – Thank you also for the names.
In response, paragraph by paragraph:
I don’t know why a replacement for Vermaelen wasn’t signed before he left. I offered an explanation in the previous bar, and others have pointed out that he’s injured at present so wasn’t available anyway.
I was much taken by the idea of signing Khedira six weeks or so ago, when it seemed imminent. Since then I’ve read several times, probably here, that he’s not a DM. I don’t know myself, I’m just passing on what I’ve read, and I don’t think I’ve seen it denied.
For the striker position, you mention Cavani but imply he’s not available and mention four ships that have sailed. Again, I’m in no position to disagree on the quality or availability of any of them.
Since I haven’t mentioned “the next big thing” either above or in my original question in the previous bar I’m not going to respond to your fourth paragraph.
Finally, I thought we were all accepting Ned’s figure of approx £42M fromthe bar before last; presumably they include the wad for Vela.
Off to bed now; happy to continue the discussion until one or other of us gets fed up or we both get banned 🙂
Night all
holy hairy mary
call it what ye want
herself’s computer
will never recover
god help us
what a headless chicken shambles
anyone who disagrees
“saw a different game”
oy vey
Due to family circumstances beyond my control I had to listen to the match on the radio – Just two questions : 1) Is Talk Sport always that piss poor and 2) so vehemently anti Arsenal ? – Just watched the highlights and it may as well have been a different game.
Great comeback and deserved point.
Steve: I would have preferred to stay at the pub and drink more beer but like I said I am not feeling entirely well so I cut the evening a bit short. I shall now have a cuppa and watch the Football League Show!
Pangloss.
I’m not sure where you get your figures from. Everything I have seen quoted re Manolas has been around the £6 million mark. The figures for Poldi have been £10 million plus.
Cent@9. I have to disagree. At this moment in time I do not see anything that Sanogo brings to this team playing at this level. He needs time to develop.
Lars. Keep smiling. Hope you feel better soon.
i think tonight will be sponsored by
The Isley Brothers T neck years
yup
🙂
Cheers, Steve. Think it’s just a bit of common cold, so a good night’s sleep should do wonders.
Nice report holic and summarised the match accurately.
A few extra points of note from my perapective.
A very lucky and pleasing 1 point. Everton just fell asleep and allowed is back in. Prior to that we did not look like scoring.
The most notable thing is how much we look like we are in pre season. What do they do these days in pre season. We just look lethargic, off the pace and out of balance and cohesion. The first half we were well beat. One thing we should have learnt from last season is you cannot and should not base your season on only playing Better when you are 2 nil down.
It does seem we continue to leak the lead from easy goals from set plays.
This is where Chezza was again very poorly positioned for both goals and made another nervy forward/ backwards movement for the first. He just has no self confidence in coming out, but yet is so confident on arsenal
Player.
AW continuing to play jack anywhere in our first 11 let alone in the playmaker role is the biggest area if concern.
For such an experienced man, it is clear he does not want to admit the truth about jacks maximum level of play which is actually quite low, But AW sure is loyal and cannot be accused of that.
Campbell a breath of fresh air.
The germans – should not have bothered to step foot on the park. Both not ready.
I sincerely hope alexis is not injured, as i cannot understand how or why you would take off your most potent attacking weapon when 2 nil down and leave jack wilshire in the creative playmaker role.
Oh my, Fulham really have opened their season awfully. Four played, four lost and they got hammered by Derby today.
Anyone else think Jack maybe a little fortunate to avoid a red today? Certainly what Wenger refers to as a “deep orange”.
c100: some refs would perhaps have given a red but it wasn’t with stretched legs and it wasn’t both feet first so I think yellow was the correct decision.
“Deep orange” is certainly a good description.
In previous drinks during match I feared he was gone and we would be down to 10.
Steve T
The figures are off the top of my head. Accepting your figure (of 6 million) for Manolas and assuming 12 million for Poldi (=? 10+ million) that would leave about £40M for “Vieira” and “Henry”… Hmm that might just about add up.
When does the window close? August 31? We might be in for an exciting few days – although I don’t expect anything before Wednesday’s second leg match.
I really am going to bed now.
I saw the same as others at bar today. For the first half we looked very “pre-season”, but better in the second half when we had Giroud as a target man.
I was surprised to see Per lining up with Nacho on the left side of the defense, and with Flamini in the deep MF role, we had slow, slow, and slow. Combine that with no defending on the left side from Ozil, it was no surprise they lined up Lukaku on the right like last year. I had hoped we would have started this match like we ended the last match against Besiktas with Ox on the right and Alexis on the left to give us width and defense on the left side.
I think one of the challenges with Alexis playing up front is our inability to move the ball quickly from the back to front, thus allowing the opponents defense to move back and protect through balls and quick runs behind the defense.
Would like to see us play better but I’m happy with a point at Everton. Now let’s go get it done on Wednesday!
COYG!
Really good point.
First half we looked rocky once the first goal went in, having controlled the game before that point, and some individuals had days to forget, but otherwise no complaints from me: Goodison is a tough place to go, and I’d have taken a drawn beforehand.
Thought Ozil was the best player on show: constant intelligent use of the ball when others were struggling and always drove us forward. Should have been playing down the centre: when everything is going through a player you don’t stick him out on the wing.
On to Wednesday night.
COYG
And I do owe an apology to O-Dog (aka Oskar the Dog) for questioning his questioning of the Germans coming back into the fold so late. It surprised me to see Per and Ozil play the fully 90 minutes, and yet four days ago they couldn’t be on the bench to make a cameo appearance in the last 20 minutes of the match, especially with Kos limping around on a bad Achilles.
Steve T @ 13 Amen to all that. Did we even try to sign Ba? I know last season we wanted to loan him from Chelsea, but guess what we could have bought him before Mourinho even got there. I know that we will not get another striker, it’s really unfortunate. If Giroud gets injured then what, Sanogo? Stop. Wenger, with all his brilliance is just unnecessarily stuborn sometimes. And like every other season, by march we will start crying for depth.
Popatrz!
Steve T, Sanogo has not scored any competitive goals for us yet but he has great physical presence upfront which is essential for the system we play and the nature of the English game.
Theo and Alexis are by far better individual players than Sanogo but the Frenchman offers us more as a lone frontman than The former two.
Having said that, Theo impressed me in that role in his last game for us and I think Alexis/Theo up top would work better in UCL games.
With more than 350 posts while I was sleeping, my apologies to anyone I’m repeating as I haven’t yet back-read…
Yesterday I was hopeful we could get a point. Today I’m grateful to Everton for gifting us one. And clueless as to why they switched off, generously allowing us back in the game. Martinez must be as furious as AW clearly was through the first half.
I wish I could find something about our performance to enthuse about, but I’m really scratching. I was pleased to see OG entering so early, but surprised Alexis wasn’t persisted with in place of Jack or Ox, both of whom looked a bit clumsy today. I thought the combination of Debuchy and Alexis down the right, where the latter seemed to spend most of his time (is that why AW took him off?), looked a whole lot better than the left flank where Nacho was all too keen to go forward but Özilla all too reluctant to go back. One particular Alexis tackle within yards of our goal-line was absolutely critical and beautifully done. I was surprised to see him so far back.
If Rambo hadn’t scored I’d have said he had a poor game, but he did and that’s part of the lad’s magic. Likewise OG, who could have scored with his first kick but managed to miss that and a couple of others before he finally got our first shot on goal after 83 minutes – count ’em – 83 minutes before we got a shot on target, and we were back in the game.
My motm was Chambers. Lots of excellent work, plus a couple of booboos that you have to expect from a youngster. This lad has Tony Adams written all over him and he’s a future captain of Arsenal or I’m a Dutchman, which I’m not.
Gotta like your solution Ttg – Manolas, Carvalho and Falcao would be ideal. As would Hummels, Khedira and Reus in my wish list. You can’t have too many Germans at this time. Or any combination for that matter!
Öskar
Do we have a replacement for Poldi? If not what is the idea behind him getting sold.
How is Wilshire even still starting games? Why not put ozil in the middle, instead of wasting him on the wings.Also I don’t think Wilshire and Ramsey play well together.
Vital minutes under the belt for our Germans Wednesday will prove as much.
Wilshere is a key player in AW’s plan, SAG. He’s pretty much in the same place Rambo was before he finally got over his injuries and became the indispensable player he is now. Jack will also come good in time. Have patience.
Öskar
Oskar, I just want him to stop hugging the damn ball. That is why he gets injured a the time. He should learn to keep it simple, you don’t see ozil getting clattered all the time.
Oskar –
First off you were 100% right about the german holiday.
To show improvement you first need to have the capacity to improve.
Wilshire is about close to his peak.
This is is not his pre season form, this is him close to his best I’m afraid.
Aaron was a completely different level of class, skills and vision and capacity to improve.
Unfortunately I think this is also chezzas peak level.
He is shaky at best and only confident on arsenal player during interviews.
He goes to pieces at the site of a chipped ball into his zone. Just watch our first goal and it is clear as day.
Top 50 a good result in the end.
In th deck at least?
I don’t see Özil threatening to split a defence either, SAG. I see him slowing down attacks and settling for a safe pass to someone in space all the time. His passing success rate looks great in the stats but doesn’t get us moving forward fast enough. Jack, in his best form, can turn a player and create space, always going forward. He’s much better than he’s been showing for maybe 18 months now, but I’m sure it’s still there. And I believe AW also believes in him and will keep giving him time.
The guy we really miss right now is Theo who can simply outrun the defence and get in behind. Anyone know how far he is away from returning?
Öskar
I think Wenger said that Theo will be back early next month. Fingers crossed, is Diaby available for Wednesday?
Just rewatched some of the highlights. Interesting that Giroud wants to celebrate his goal like it was a match winner, but Ramsey goes over and tactfully, without embarrassing the Frenchman, kind of pulls him around as if to say, settle down mate, that’s not really good enough.
Aussie — we are only entitled to our opinions, which are subjective, and I have nothing against you find its reasonable to criticize players reasonably.
But a few of your self-convinced final verdicts claiming to be factual are anything but: [
“To show improvement you first need to have the capacity to improve.
Wilshire is about close to his peak. This is is not his pre season form, this is him close to his best I’m afraid.” ]
First of all, his name is Wilshere. Rather easy to spell accurately.
Anyway. Really?? The 2010-11 season had happened or did we just dream that one? The match at home against Barca where he played as well as anyone in the midfield from both sides at 19 years of age. And then the injury induced lay-offs and subsequent bulking up (which is needed to sustain his all-action bustling style) had nothing to do with his loss of abilities? This is nowhere close to the peak of his abilities. As Arsene says, all he needs to do is stay fit. If that happens in a year from now we will be speaking about him in terms we are speaking about Rambo now.
The point that Lurky raises in the previous drinks is spot on: Jack needs to simplify his game significantly, get back to doing the basic correct, build from that and then the technical abilities and the game-changing charisma would flow. Did you remember how long it took TR7 to get his mojo (what a mojo though that is) back after that more than a year lay off due to injuries?
The dilemma is something more complicated than whether Jack can raise his game, which he can and he will, but how do we make that happen without sacrificing a few matches and points in the short run? I am of the opinion that in the immediate future (a) he should be given center-of-MF responsibility only against opposition who are not very strong in the middle (there are quite a few PL clubs like that especially in the bottom half) and (b) against teams we are finding hard to break down release him on one of the flanks and asking him to go crazy on his direct style for a while.
Both will bring success and build confidence, which aligned with simplifying his game would make him take the next step.
GL @ 55: Giroud has a penchant for the theatrical, which I like. He always celebrates goals — his or any of his team mates — with genuine gusto and enthusiasm. We already have well-behaved, balanced , responsible players like Rambo and Arteta and Ozil…I think a bit of bravado and chutzpah won’t go amiss in this team.
Just my opinion, of course, I could be wrong. 🙂
Cent @ 43: I think the true gamble with Sanogo is not his presence, or even his abilities (in every age group he has really unbelievable scoring record, including in the few matches he had managed to put together for Auxerre in Ligue 1), but his fitness. There is a reason despite having such spectacular youth group records — including in u-21 internationals — he was not chased by others, he really had major fitness issues in his career. It is a risk worth taking, but only if we have a genuine alternative to Giroud and Sanogo plays under no pressure for a season only trying to stay free and put some games together.
I would love, love, love him to come good for us. But I think this season at least we shouldn’t put too much faith in him playing Giroud’s role consistently enough.
Dr. F – yeah I like your perspective. He is dramatic (saying things like “I would die on the pitch for Arsenal”) and that’s part of what makes him likeable. I also appreciate Ramsey’s attitude, though, which is closer to what mine would probably be in that position, of “we’re the Arsenal, we’re not going to go crazy celebrating a late equalizer, even against a good team like Everton.”
So yeah.
Aussie @ 50, continuing from 56, then you say: [
“Unfortunately I think this is also chezzas peak level.
He is shaky at best and only confident on arsenal player during interviews.
He goes to pieces at the site of a chipped ball into his zone. Just watch our first goal and it is clear as day.” ]
That is a truly strange one. You mean a GK reaches his peak at the age of 24!! Who knew? Even Buffon who excelled at Parma at the age of 23 continued to improve his game significantly once he moved to Juventus and his best performance probably was in 2005-2008 before the injuries started to pile up. That includes the unfortunate stint in Serie B once Juve was relegated, but he had his peak around 27-30 years.
And Buffon is an exception, a prodigy of a goalkeeper, an original phenomenon.
Szczesny had come in leaps and bounds in last season. There are rough edges to his games that sometimes come unstuck, but with a run of matches he always gets better and better and last season he was by all accounts the second best GK in PL after Cech (yes, better than Howard who were beaten in his near post a few times).
He had a shaky start to the season, just like everyone else, but he is a brilliant talent and with pressure from Ospina he would get his act together very soon. Between Szczesny and Ospina we really have our GK situations well covered.
GL@59 — In a successful team we need the balanced ones like Rambo or TR7 as well as the ones with dramatic flair, and also the ever smiling positive types like Poldi. Once Poldi leaves we must ask Santi to get back to his perennially amused ways. Nowadays there in a snarly seriousness to him. Maybe with the big thirties approaching.
Another way to understand Giroud’s enthusiasm is all of these probably seem more exciting to him than most other Arsenal players who were all veterans by the time they reached 20. A true late bloomer, who was written off in his career multiple times, plying his trade in 3rd division well into his twenties…and now here he is leading the line for Arsenal and scoring goals, all because of his effort, attitude and intelligence.
I genuinely like him and Kos, I think those two are the kind of characters — no sense of entitlement or privilege, genuine pride to wear the jersey and full effort — we had missed so much in the early emirates era when we had so many talented (some not so) but a bit spoilt youngsters who were often under the illusion that they would win matches just because they play for Arsenal.
DrF@56- as always full respect.
As equally subjective as my thoughts on jack being near his best now, your thougjts on his full capacity being much better are equally as subjective.
The fact that the last time you can recall some outstanding play from jack having to go back as far as 2011/12 season says it all.
I will admit I am no fan of both jack and chezza and I am sure my posts are slanted in that way but we have all have out favoured players.
It is nothing against either personally but i believe they are both weak links in our squad. I am also aware i am probably in the minority as they are both very popular players.
Personally I feel chezza was at fault for both goals yesterday due to his poor and unconfident decision making.
Likewise I was not a fan of carl jenkinson as an above quality player, but liked him as an arsenal fan.
DRF- I simply dont think jack is anything special. In spain and barca academies they have hundreds like him, small, average speed and skilful when playing at youth level and only the special truly make it to the top level such as cesc and co.
To balance the ledger I am equally full of praise for ozil/ sanchez/ debuchy/ chambers and aaron who are top shelf buys from AW.
I am sure you would agree we all have our favourites and jack is simply not one of mine because I dont think he is a high quality player not do i think he will become much better.
It is not fair to compare him in anyways to aaron sumply due to both having injurys. Aaron had a leg snapped in half at his peak and has now gone beyond his original peak. Jack has niggling ankle problems that never seem far from the surface as one area of concern, but for me his ball skills and control are average at best.
Nothing more nothing less.
drF@60- i didnt say chezza has hit his peak due to his age, I sumply believe like jack, he wont get much better.
Nothing more nothing less.
And yes it is just my opinion and as i said above it is completely subjective, but we will see.
IMHO the first goal was pure lack of confidence from szcez. Half out half back and end up in no mans land.
He should of kept coming out as he was originally intending to do and simply punched the shit out of the ball as most keepers do.
We get your opinion of Jack, Aussie, but disagree. And since AW seems also to disagree with you by picking Jack whenever he is fit I believe you are seriously outvoted! 😉
Öskar
Aussie @ 62: Actually Jack missed the entirety of 11-12 season due to injuries, that stress fracture on the ankle was a debilitating one. He is being slow to get back to being excellent in a consistent basis, I will agree, but I think that is not because a lack of abilities but because the full recovery and in the process he has bulked up so much he probably needs to re-master the fluidity of his movements.
Even then he actually improved in last season compared to the previous ones. Far from consistent, but we had seen glimpses of abilities last year. Watch each of his 5 goals last season carefully and you will be impressed his overall contribution to all of them and the variety of attacks they pertain to.
I will give you this though: this is kind of his make-or-break season for us. If he stays fit, keeps his game simple, and just forgets about the England duties for a year to stay fresh and fit I see nothing fundamentally limiting in his game to not expect anything but brilliance from him next season.
It is nearly midnight here in Boston, there is too much Cognac in the system, and reading my own posts I see that words I thought I had written had mysteriously started to disappear.
Hence time for me to disappear in the night to.
Good night, or good morning, all!
Sorry. Back to the party late.
Oscar – yer wish list is 6 players?!?! SIX?? Whoa head.
And im not looking to wind you up – but how on earth can you have 6 players on yer wish list? Its like wishing Arsenal had … an entirely different squad. That strikes me as really odd. Its like wishing arsenal was … A different team. I dont want that. And i dont understand How a alleged supporter could want that? Perhaps i just lack vision or something.
Im off. To ponder this question for which i cannot comprehend the answer.
I was there at the Blind Pig in NYC. I was excited by the lineup. Until Everton’s goal, I thought we looked much better than we had in the last two games. My only consolation after the second goal was that Wenger would have to buy players. There was no way we were going to win.Sanchez seemed far less impressive in the center than in the wing. I was relieved when Wenger substituted Giroud at halftime, rather than waiting for the hour.
The World Cup was my first real introduction to Messi. Why don’t we decide Aaron is our Messi and always get the ball to him? The red card was a disaster because he could possibly have scored a late goal. He seems to feel responsible for a goal a game.
My feelings about Wenger swing with my moods. When I’m up, we are so lucky to have him. When I am down, I better take a break from Twitter before I am told to ship out. At least on my twitter timeline, criticizing Wenger over Podolski’s likely sale, lost me 15 followers. Some of the responses evoked memories of my day’s at Vietnam War protester. Love the US or leave it. Unhelpfully, I retorted I didn’t trust the president, Congress, Supreme Court, God, so how could I possibly trust Wenger. I hate abusing players, but that is very different from rational criticism. Arsenal is a football team, not a religion. My devoutly Catholic Dad told me God loved heretics the best because they took him seriously. A Manhattan pub is very different from Twitter. The guy behind me blunted my negativity because his was so much more profane.
Following Arsenal fans on twitter I am seriously beginning to question my manic depressive diagnosis. The Giroud haters were so vehement after the last game that I was profoundly grateful the British do not share American’s passionate love affair with guns. Sometimes twitter feel like a discount loony bin.
My Arsenal Twitter account has made me feel part of the Arsenal family. I will be taking the next step and commenting regularly on here. Goonerholic has been very supportive of me. I’m Mary Jo Koch; my twitter name is the Flameproof Witch @BipolarArsenal. I began this account the weekend of the FA Cup. I had been retweeting most of the time, but now I am mostly writing my own lines, mostly about Arsenal but also about everything else.
I am a social worker and a public librarian. I have 5 younger brothers, 4 daughters, 7 grandkids. Guys have always been my best pals, and I relate to them as a big Sister. I have 67 years experience being Big Sis.
I eagerly welcome new Bros. I lovingly tell my bros when they are fucking idiots, but I defend them to the death against the cold, cruel world.
More than enough.
As for the first goal it was more the fault of Özil, not covering Coleman’s run although he was standing next to him when the ball came across. No way should Sir Ches have tried to collect the ball, it was way too wide of his goal.
Öskar
Six, Homer, where did that come from? I was praising Ttg’s wish list of three and offering three of my own for the same positions. Any two of the six would do me, and three would be a fantasy. Changing half the Arsenal squad is also a fantasy because there’s a degree of mediocrity in some areas, but irrational given what it would cost and I wouldn’t support it.
Öskar
Interesting post Mary Jo, and very welcome to hear from our new Big Sis. I understand your wariness of trusting AW, but doing so is a lot less risky than trusting any US president. ‘If you have what it takes to become president of the United States you can’t be trusted with the job’ is a truism I have long subscribed to. Much the same as ‘it doesn’t matter who you vote for you still get socialists’ is true of every election I have voted in since Churchill was prime minister of England. That includes elections in Australia and New Zealand as well as the UK by the way.
I look forward to reading more of your US Arsenal perspective.
Öskar
I wouldn’t stress too much about any Poldi sale. He has never featured highly in AW’s set-up and is virtually surplus to requirements now. If he is to be sold I imagine it will be as part of a cash and player deal for someone much better, or simply to raise cash for someone better. Reus is the obvious target. Better to sell Poldi while he still has some miles on the clock and likely to bring a modest but reasonable fee.
Öskar
While on their goals the second was a shocker. Never mind the marginal offside, what was Per doing throwing himself at the feet of Lukaku halfway into THEIR half? Followed immediately by Chambers also sliding into Lukaku (who simply jumped over him), ALSO well in their half! Who were our CBs doing so far upfield? Both of them! No idea where Nacho was, presumably even further forward.
Appalling lack of communication somewhere.
Öskar
With the team still finding its feet, we may have a problem now with Giroud looking likely to miss (or play with injury) the next match!
Well, lets see if we’ll play with Campbell or Alexis up front or even a changed formation.
It shall be very interesting against Besiktas..!
Oskar…that may be true most of the time about not jumping into tackles, but that’s Per we’re talking about, if he doesn’t get Lukaku in that instant, he’s never going to get him later!
Cheers Holic!
Taking the boy on Wednesday evening for first game this season.
CANT.
FUCKING.
WAIT.
My point, Feng, was not so much the tackle but finding both our CDs and a fullback all in Everton’s half at the same time.
Öskar
http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/28915947
Interesting take on matters??
Steve, that article covers it.
Everyone can see the squad gaps but if they don’t get filled, well, ho hum. I’m going to enjoy the next 9 months no matter who we sign, it makes no sense to look forward to the season half the summer and then spend the whole time complaining about it.
Dr F. Spot on re Sanago. He is nowhere near the finished article and needs time to develop to see what player he can actually become. That is why I would like to see him go on loan.
Countryman. Your last para on the mancs was awesome. Made me laugh out loud.
Sanogo even…..
Oskar@64- outvoted of course and also by the only one that matters in AW.
He seems to love Jack so much he even took alexis off first….
While we are on the subject of voting, did you not suggest quite firmly with 100% confidence some drinks back that AW would never put Sanchez up top on his own in your lifetime…..
I guess you were equally outvoted there…..
Cheers DrF it will be interesting to watch jacks progress I guess
Oskar@69- if the first goal was way too wide for chez to come out for the ball, then why did he come halfway out..
One answer – he is not confident and his decision making lacks the confidence.
If he made a decision either way, that goal could easily been avoided regardless of Ozil’s position earlier
I’m still a bit baffled by the reaction to the match yesterday. We were far from our best, but the way some go on you’d think we were playing a League Two opponent. We were playing Everton away, a tricky game at the best of times. Roberto Martinez said in his post-match interview on MOTD that Everton ran out of steam in the last ten minutes, i.e. we ran them ragged because we kept at it even though we lacked that last bit of fluidity to our game. And for all of the talk about us being outplayed, where were all the Everton chances to score then? They had a grand total of two attempts on target, one of which was the result of a blind linesman. They had eight attempts in total, we had 13. Three corners for them, three for us. They had 46% possession, we had 54. They had one chance in the first half apart from the goals that they perhaps should have scored from, Giroud had two that he perhaps should have scored from. Apart from that we had two shots (Giroud and the Ox) that went just outside the post.
But nah, let’s ignore all that and go with the media narrative that we are in constant crisis and can’t even win an easy away game against an inexperienced and newly-promoted (after all, they’ve only been in the top division for some 70-odd years and been a solid top-six/seven team for no more than the past ten years or so) Everton when we have had a very staggered pre-season because of the World Cup.
Lars knows.
If people want to be miserable, then fine, but anyone with a bit of sense knows that a point at Goodison is a decent result, far more so when you’ve been two goals down.
We were terrible at the back end of the first half, but other than that we did fine – we sorted ourselves out, chased the game down and deserved at least a point. All this after flying to Turkey and back midweek.
No complaints at all.
Also find some of the complaints bizarre: Per “dove in” on Lukaku? He was blindsided and tripped, he didn’t dive anywhere. Ozil can’t thread a through ball? Riiiiiight.
It’s taken four games for the wailing to start. God help us when we actually lose one.
COYG
Just to clarify: do I think everything is rosy and that this squad can’t get any better? Absolutely not. I want another central defender, and I want someone with a bit more physical presence in midfield. We can definitely strengthen, but equally I don’t think we are doomed to “failure” with this squad.
Well for me it was certainly a point gained.
And its was even more impressive considering that we played so poorly.
I’m quietly concerned about Wilshere. His form has been poor and I’m not altogether too sure if you can play both Rambo and Wilshere in the same team unless you’re prepared to shove one of them onto the wing which just doesn’t work at all. If we do sign a DCM and forward – its going to make Wilsheres job all the more difficult in making the team.
Oxlade tried hard, but still takes the wrong decisions at crucial times and has a habit of taking too much out of the ball. I guess its youthful exuberance but he looked a little lost yesterday.
I thought Per did well hang not played in so long. And while nothing came off for Rambo (apart from the goal), his work rate was superb.
I also thought Alexis did ever so well. His work rate in closing down the CH’s was impressive. I thought he was subbed with the Turkish tie in mind.
As for Per, he really needs quick CB partner like Kos around him, his reading of the game is as good as it gets but he works best in a pairing with the sweeper like the Boss is.
Not wanting to take anything from Chambers performance, he has been immense for us while being appointed pretty difficult task at very young age, but you could see that there was not that usual calmness in Pers defending when he knew he has not Koscielny around.
I am sensing that young Calum is going to play much more games he, or we have expected when we signed him and I have a hunch he is going to be used in front of Per/Kos as DM in some games.
Eandy: if you look at the way Chambers plays, he is basically playing the game of a defensive midfielder but in central defense. I would really like to see him in midfield, I think he could be brilliant there.
A very fine report on a rather difficult day in the sweetie jar, Holic. It was almost a gobstopper but the French eclair at the end was a bon-bon and polished off some Ozil flavored Turkish delight quite nicely.
Your prognostications (in May) that players returning from the World Cup, coupled with the challenge of introducing several new players, plus the added pressure of needing to overcome the early hurdle of a difficult CL qualifier double-event, have proved absolutely spot-on. You should have had the Holic pound stalking that one, old chap.
I thought we started off well and had two great chances to score early. Alex Ox should have netted from Coleman’s gift. Everton’s first goal was very much against the run of play and a back six that had never played competitively demonstrated quite clearly that they were a back six who had never played together competitively 🙂 Shit like that happens in these circumstances.
Their second was a travesty of officiating incompetence. I was amused to see Shearer describe it as a great goal and then qualify that with admissions that ‘yes BFG was fouled and yes Naismith was offside’. Er, doesn’t that mean it wasn’t even a goal then, Alan, never mind a great one?
Excellent tactical nous in the second half by the boss in two phases (plans B and C for those who think we don’t have either 🙂 ). All three substitutes performed well and transformed the outcome.
I remember the outrage associated with Dick Knox investing a whole two weeks and a million pounds on Joel Campbell. I have a feeling that that investment will pay out quite nicely. He and Sanogo are two great young additions to the squad for a total fee of 1M. That Debuchy, Chambers and Sanchez are golden additions to an already winning squad will be denied only by the sight-impaired and Spuds fans.
We’re off to a good, not great, start. We’ve played just about as badly, in spells, as we’re capable of doing. Nevertheless, there’s one trophy in the cupboard, we’re undefeated and well positioned for Wednesday’s big event and the CL proper. I read somewhere that “A season is always made up of a mixture of performances, usually ranging from the sublime to the ridiculous” 🙂 . We’ve had some ridiculous already, the sublime isn’t too far away.
Am i the only one getting niggled by the thought that although we have our strongest squad in ages, with more midfield options than you could hope for, we also have a side that needs two or three new players to be competitive?
And that we could do with shifting two or three out?
@89Lars- very true except we have no CB to call on due to german holiday season and no transfer splash in that area and an injury, so once again we have to play a quality player out of position. This time it just happens to be a truly young talent that we are asking a huge responsibility.
Also That is one of the spots that cynic @91 is spot on about.
We have a good squad on paper, but the truth is we are 2 or 3 short
Cynic, I feel that flamini, jack and arteta are all way too similar and sadly just not the next level and that is where we have wasted 3 important spots.
We need 3 monsters IMHo
We need a monster in the DM role, big, strong, quick and tough and with a pass
We need a monster striker, same qualities but a shoot and kill type
We need a monster CB, all the same qualities as the DM
Yes they will all cost AW in the pocket and yes they would be worth every single cent and yes we have the money.
Lars. The tea has worked. Very well put.
I have a feeling that we might see us signing Jackson Martinez. Just a feeling, based on almost nothing, except that Poldi is almost definitely off and Porto just signed another striker this morning.
Add to that the fact that Martinez is an Arsenal fan, it looks to me like he will be the one competing with Giroud for the striker role. Might be wrong of course.
Decent drinks those after a difficult evening. Good to see so many old faces, and welcome to our new big sis, MJ. Someone else to tell you off when you derail 😉
Lovely review BtM, not surprisingly. 🙂
Esso, hope Patrick has a whale of a time on Wednesday. I know you both will.
Lars, tea? Steve, you’re hallucinating 🙂
Have a great Sunday all.
Cheers Steve!
Aussie: I suggest you read my post@86 too.
Just humouring the man Holic. I didn’t believe it either???
🙂
*has a cup of tea even though I don’t really want one right now just to spite Steve and Holic*
…aaaaand plays a ball towards the far post…
Boom – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVzrI3az6T4
Well in, Toby! Like the link too – I was at that game, it was my second ever at the Emirates. I was sat in the Clock End and it was one of those goals where even before it’s in the back of the net you had time to think “bloody hell, this is going to be a brilliant goal!”.
Cheers! Happy memories, eh?
Flamini might not be our future, but hell, we do have some history with him, and I thought it might be a nice thing to try to remember that, and not just beat him down over not being “world class”.
Heh Lars 🙂
Got it Lars
Just sharing the praise and credit around with cynic
Echo Lars and N7.
You’d think the sky was falling already! and this after 2 league games. Both which we did not lose.
Eandy,
Yes, definitely see Chambers playing more often and hopefully in front of our defenders!
And on another note,
Do we need players? Most definitely! Are we going to panic buy?, do not think so. We’re probably back to the waiting period for quality players to become available.
Prediction is that we just get one more whether DM or CB and that’s it for this window.(No more strikers!!) But won’t be surprise if we do not add anymore either.
My 2 cents.
Bring On Besiktas!!
😀
Right, off to have a bath. Like to have one every week, whether I need it or not!
I think we will definitely have at least one more addition and if Poldi leaves I think it may even be 3 more.
Arsene said after the early purchases that nothing would happen until the end of the window and also suggested that another big signing would depend on our Champions League group stage qualification though a further signing would not.
Certain – a centre back to cover Per and Kos; Chambers cannot cover RB, CB and DMF simultaneously.
Probable – a big strong mobile midfielder with a defensive focus – your guess is as good as mine, Rabiot? Carvalho? Bender? converting Khedira?
Possible (especially if Poldi is history) – Reuss or an alter ego for HFB?
Good calls by N7, Lars, BtM, Dr Feelgood and others on the positive elements in yesterday’s performance and result.
Onwards.
Toby@102 – with all due respect,
How many players do we just continue to keep in the arsenal squad because of either previous club history or they are arsenal supporters or they were in our academy….
Nice sentiments and memories, but surely the number one thing still needs to be the quality on the park, the end result…
Flam was near invisible yesterday.
Everton are far from the best attack in the business, where was flam during all the counter attacks.
Our wingbacks are up in attack, where was he.
He is a true arsenal warrior, but he was missing yesterday..
Too slow, too small, too one dimensional, just like jack and just like mikkel.
Many on here were absolutely gutted to see carl jenkinson move on due to his ties with the club, many on here are too prepared to just wait and wait and wait for jack, wait and wait and wait for abou, wait and wait for the germans to come back..for the sake of sentiment..
Surely a ruthlessness and a competitive spirit is equally as important.
Everton are no bayern
Palace are no atletico
Besiktas are no barca
Surely we are thinking way beyond just clawing our way back to 2-2 draw with everton in te last 7 mins
Surely we are thinking beyond just scraping in a 0-0 draw in turkey ni matter how hard the first class trip is on that awful A380.
Greetings
On reflection was it such a disappointing effort as some outlets would have us believe?
Away from home, against virtually the same team who had outplayed us late last season, what did we really expect? Yes, we have fresh players but we played our most important game of our early season in Turkey , against a very difficult side , on a pudding of a pitch, in front of a fanatical crowd on Tuesday.
Coupled with our midweek exertions ,we fielded a defence who had never played together, with the BFG playing on the left of the CBs without his cover and along side a very promising but inexperience partner.
The Ref did us no favours and a team with a very different look to it needs more time to fully reap the benefits of our recent investments.
However, who was still going at 94mins, who had the more chances and who have a vital task in front of them on Wednesday night?
I am still optimistic that we will come good, starting on Wednesday night, see you all there.
COYRs
Lars and N7, right on the money at 84 and 85.
Dr F, agreed. Sanogo is clearly a gamble fitness wise, that’s my only fear for him.
Steve, as I said above my only fear is what will happen to us if Giroud picks up a knock at a time when Yaya is also out.
Anyone heard any news about the HFB? Be rather cruel if just as his season really starts he’s ruled out for a few weeks. Besiktas and Leicester to go before the Interlull
A decent comeback from the boys.
1 point gained which was l
Lost last season. Just 6 more to go and a cup final on Tuesday. Glad to hear more about that team spirit coming directly from the players mouths.
Over to The Mancs and Liverfool!!
UTA
Aussie @ 108
With all due respect, I did not talk about that at all. That had nothing to do with his current worth. What I said was that pretty much all players end up not giving as much to the team as they once gave, and I would never ever want to end up so cold hearted I could not look back on the things our players contributed with, with some warmth.
To link a wonderful goal from Flamini wasn’t to say he should be kept, just that we have several good reasons to remember him when he goes.
And no, seriously, the number one thing for me is absolutely sentiment and memories. Football, and our history in football, is nothing but memories. If I can’t enjoy an old goal for just what it is – Arsenal scoring a good goal at some point in time, then I really have nothing keeping me as a supporter.
I have no problem respecting Flamini for what he has done for us, and also see he can’t be our DM for the next five years. I have no clue as to why those things can’t be done at the same time.
If you can’t enjoy a good goal by an Arsenal player just because he isn’t as useful as he used to be, but rather have to go on telling me, and everyone else, how he just doesn’t cut it, and then throw other players into the mix, telling me they haven’t contributed enough, then that must be born out of some frustration in you.
I don’t share that frustration and I don’t appreciate you using one good memory of Flamini I have as a spring board to tell me he has got to go.
So, if you have a problem with the squad. Fair enough. But don’t drag me into it. All our players get worse, over time, and all our heroes in our long history has had an end period when they just didn’t cut it anymore. If I showed a goal by Viera, would you say “yeah, but he can’t do that anymore”?
I mean, seriously, I had ONE single point – Flamini might not be the future (apparently you agree!) but I can’t see that as a reason not to remember that over the years he has contributed as well. And apparently, you couldn’t let me remember that, no, just just had to say “nah, he is crap.” Your pool of acceptable Arsenal goals to reminisce about must be very small.
Dammit, I linked a good goal, to remember some positives, I have no time at all for people trying to bring others down. Take it easy, for Pete’s sake, just because I linked a Flamini goal I enjoy, doesn’t mean Wenger will see it and keep Flamini just to annoy you.
Can’t stand that attitude. With all respect.
@ 107
Nope, not me.
I have a Foundation to run. 😎
I was as frustrated as everyone else with the goals we conceded yesterday, but a point at Goodison is never a bad result and felt more like a win given the context.
There are some serious bed-wetters in our midst, whingeing at everything and anything.
Plus ca change……
@107 bathgooner
Do hope we get Manolas (not really seen him, hope he’s quick as Kos) and Rabiot!
Would be over the moon if we can nab these two!
The amount of injuries we seem to be picking up is already worrying!
Sanogo, Kos, Arteta, and now Giroud?!?
If we pick up anymore after Besiktas.. you’ll be seeing me calling for 2 more strikers!!
😀
Good for you toby.
Its Just a blog and a point of view on flamini
Also just one point.
Dont bother with your false respect mate
Not necessary
I even agree with you Aussie! That is my problem. I agree that Flamini probably can’t do as good a job as we need him to do. I just think it is such bad taste to go on that kind of rant when I say “He probably isn’t the future, but it could be good for us to remember the things he has done well, and not just bash him in the head with what he doesn’t do good enough” and you just can’t leave it but you have to do it. What compels you to not just raise your hands for a good goal, say “fair enough” and miss out on one chance to say what you think about him.
I really find that a disrespectful way to talk about our players. Especially a player like Flamini that, whatever you think about him, never can be called a player just thinking he can walk into the first eleven, or that he is too good for bad opposition.
I respect your position, but it had nothing to do with what I was saying. Had you not begun your post with “Toby, with all due respect”, as if I was saying something else, you can talk down Flamini, and other players, as much as you want. That is up to you. But yes, I think that an Arsenal supporter should be able to enjoy a good moment in time without adding “with all due respect, he is crap now.” as if 1. I held a different view and that 2. Flamini being older and not good enough somehow made all his past contributions moot.
And Aussie. I can respect you but have a problem with what you are saying. Again, not mutually exclusive.
‘holic — thanks for the reports and reviews this summer — they’ve all been spot on.
And everyone, all the regulars and others, thanks for all your thoughts on transfers, reports and everything else Arsenal. I’ve been reading most days of my holiday (I’m a little concerned that I might have some sort of an addiction) — is there a 12-step programme for this affliction?!
Managed to find a bar showing the game just before half-time yesterday, only to see the second Everton goal. Went off to find the missus and daughter with my son soon after that for dinner. I was thoroughly miserable and down-hearted.
By the time I found another TV, we were 2-1 and then… what a great header, what a result!
For me, we have progressed immeasurably since last time we were at Goodison. That was a cracking result even if it looked dire for some time (as I hear).
We beat the Turks on Wednesday, buy one or two additions (plus a replacement for Poldi) and you have to say that the transfer window and results have been, at least thus far, as good as we could have hoped for.
Not quite there yet, performances aren’t as good as they’ll get, but all things considered, we look to have progressed. I’m as excited about this season as I’ve been for some time.
I’m a bit confused here; should we as Arsenal fans support/love players because they play for Arsenal or because they’re “world class”? Aren’t we meant to support everybody who pulls on our famous Red and White, or does that notion now come with a clause that says players must be “world class” to get our love and support?
Cent,
Yes.
😀
Cent@121: Is that a rhetorical question? 🙂
We support Arsenal players because they are Arsenal players, and we love them when the make difference on the pitch, by ability, effort, attitude etc.
That said, we do sometimes turn against our players almost undecidedly when we find a right combination of those are missing. Arshavin, Bendy, Park, Santos, etc. etc. didn’t escape any vitriol even while they were in Arsenal shirt.
I guess it all depends on whether we feel the player in question is representing our personal interpretation of what Arsenal means to us adequately enough. 🙂
sun splittin the sky
gripin an snipin in the bar
plane trails aplenty
dinner looming large
mmmm
must be sunday
oooohhh
if anybody khan – chaka – can
and
i’m a firm believer in
losing the bap
spittin the dummy
effin blindin and
chuckin every toy out me pram
during and after a game
that did my nut
people can be
the level headed big picture seeing sensibleos
all they want
not me
i thought we were uninspiring dung
so heres to the doom
who’s with me?
🙁
🙂
@123… I meant ‘…almost un-dividedly…’
Cheers for the report ‘H.
Mark me down as one in the ‘we got away with it’ camp.
Thought we looked decent in the first twenty minutes, without really threatening, other than on the rare occasions when we got the ball out left to Ozil, who for my money was wasted out wide. ( Note to Oskar – number of defence splitting passes played by Ozil in first half – 2. Your contention that you ‘don’t see him threatening to make a defence-splitting pass’ had me guffawing and says rather more about your eyesight than Ozil’s passing old chum 😉 ).
Conceded a silly goal, down to young Chambers not holding the line and playing everybody onside, (are people really blaming Sczcz? Another guffaw), and thereafter threatened to fall apart for the rest of the half, with Wilshere and Ramsey equally culpable in gifting possession, and Mertesacker looking increasingly uncomfortable on the left hand side.
The second goal, a mix of dreadful defending and dire officiating, had been coming. I was less convinced by the foul on the bfg than others, (I thought he went to ground too easy and understood why the Ref didn’t blow), but there can be no excuses for either Chambers’ reckless challenge (he’ll learn), or for the linesman’s abject failure to see the offside, especially so given that there were no players obscuring his line of vision to the offending scorer.
2-0 down then and a mountain to climb. Thought Giroud made an obvious difference when he came on (though I was surprised it was the industrious Sanchez that made way), and though we huffed and puffed and enjoyed the lions share of possession thereafter, I couldn’t really see where a goal was coming from, though always had a feeling (perhaps more a hope), that if we got one, we’d get two.
And so it turned out. Lukaku’s removal from the fray meant Everton gave up any notion of attack (just as well, as even their half-hearted and occasional forays upfield were often enough to provoke consternation at our defensive organisation), and allowed us to finally camp in their half.
Kudos to Ramsey for continuing to arrive at the right place at the right time after what had been a bit of a stinker of an afternoon for him, and to Giroud for keeping at it after other chances had gone begging. Had the game gone on for another five minutes we might well have nicked it.
Point against the Mickey lites? I’ll take it and am grateful for it. A point up there is always hard won, especially so at the beginning of a season and on top of a tough trip to Turkey. Get Mesut back in the middle where he’s most effective (still the pick out on the left – couldn’t agree more with N7 on that), and I would prefer to see Chambers rather than the Bfg on the left if Kos remains unavailable, (he has more pace than the German if playing on the wrong side gets him into trouble and the Bfg will be better able to guide him through from his more familiar position on the right).
On a separate note, I am genuinely amazed that so many cast-iron conclusions are being drawn from 3 games when the Season hasn’t even begun to settle down yet. Heh ho, Bring on the Turks.
I’m off to find some bikini-clad machine-gun wielding lovelies. Thank the stars for cba’s wise interjections.
Ps – Oskar @44 – Our first shot on target was in the 68th minute, when Upside down Head saved from OG, when really OG should have scored. I was counting. Were you?
Pps Aussie @62 – Number of consecutive months Ramsey spent out of game due to leg break – 8. Number of consecutive months Wilshere spent out of game due to an ankle injury – 15. To use your phrase ‘Nothing more, nothing less’. Did you think Ramsey would ‘never improve’ at the back end of 12-13? Go on, be honest.
Pps – The thought of Lars on the tea had me chuckling almost as much as Steve’s description of himself as ‘glass half full’. Come on fellas, get real 😉
Toby — I would go as far as to say memories are possibly the only things that we remember. 🙂
Always worth a reminiscence. And there is a reason memory tends to be selective in favor of the positives, if we were to remember every single negative feelings or sentiments we had suffered through we would not be able to survive.
I often get my Arsenal fix by old memorable performances and goals from past seasons.
Very nice, TaBS. ST – ‘glass half full’??. You’re having a laugh, you’re having a laugh, me old mate, TaBs, you’re having a laugh!
With a scrapple from the apple I leave y’all on this glorious sunday morning.
My man Sonny Stitt blowing up Bird’s evergreen fracas. This is as good as it gets.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eyh4Bq0Xp4w
Cheers BtM 😉
Tabs, BTM. You are both of course 100% right. I have been in the Tollie on a number of occasions with an empty glass waiting for either of you to buy your round????? Those arms don’t seem to get any longer gents do they????
🙂
At this rate I’m going to have to order a cup of tea next time I’m at the Tollington…
Dr F
That was pretty much what I was trying to say. Or rather, that they are just as important to football as winning the next game. If not more. Next game is just another memory in waiting, and those memories are most often than not, at least for me, not just a scoreline, but rather moments in time worth remembering in their own right. For me football will never just be the scoreline. And I really feel I’d become a bitter person if I couldn’t, at times, remember the good without tainting it with a detailed account of the bad.
If that was the way I looked at football, all our players would always just be stand ins for “the next big thing”, the next “superstar.” Our club is built by all the players that have contributed and however important the shirt is, if we can’t see the players as more than statistics and the shirts as something to always to be filled by someone “better”, and throw the old away, football for me would be a callous pastime. Yes, I can see the need of moving players on, that has always happened, and I am not sentimental about that, but if we can’t do that with respect, don our caps to the player going out as well as being stoked about the new arrival, god, football would be sad.
BTM. Wasn’t your return to the UK delayed somewhat after an unfortunate arrest at customs on suspicion of bringing small arms into the country?????
Just saying.
🙂
Bought you one last week Steve, but due to your poor holiday planning (schoolboy error!), we had to drink it ourselves 😉
sat out the front
don’t normally
house is a bit touristy lookin
white washed walls chocolate boxy
indeed touristy lookin people
stop to take a picture
some ask
some just steal my houses soul willy nilly
nice couple earlier
big campervan
came over for a chat
perhaps donna summer love to love you
was an unfortunate shuffle on the computer blarin from inside
as they told me of their McLaughlin heritage
at least they’ll go back to Canadia
saying they met a genuine donegal farmer
who made them ham and cheese toasties
who isn’t from donegal and farms fuck all
🙂
Hope yer all havin a crackin Sunday
😉
ohhhh the doooommm 😉
Reflecting on yesterday especially having seen some ridiculous overreaction from some people I have spoken to or who have given their views in radio or the web I think we do have to remember it was our second properly competitive game.
I have struggled for years with the notion that having played in the World’s premier competition just over three weeks before they restarted training that top athletes can require several weeks to get fully fit. I’m told this is because their fitness unwinds during the season( odd because I got fitter the more games I played) . But I’m far from an expert and accept that conditioning coaches know how to prepare players much better than I do.
That said I think the criticism of Sanchez is ridiculously premature and deeply unfair. I don’t think he has played badly and will inevitably take time to adapt to a different country, language, team, style of football and coach. Frankly I think we need to decide if we will slavishly play 4-5-1 because if we do it is likely that Giroud will mostly have to play as the 1. He is an admirable player and changed the game yesterday although he missed several chances but he occupied the two Everton centre backs brilliantly and finished superbly for the equaliser. I have expressed reservations about whether we can win the league with him as our sole striker buy
Yesterday showed how he brings to life other players around him. He missed several chances but the fact was that he had the chances. In the first half we largely created nothing .
Sanchez will fit in excellently in a wide attacking role in time and when Theo returns we will have pace to burn and genuine attacking threat.Theo will of course be injured in about six weeks time as will Ox and we genuinely need to factor in likely absences from players like Gibbs and Walcott because they are very predictable.
Chambers has massive potential but if you compare him to Koscielny he is ( understandably) making errors of judgement – he made two big mistakes yesterday- and we need to decide his primary role. I think he could be the holding midfielder because he is mobile, uses the ball well and tackles well. We mustn’t expect him to cover three positions. He is only 19 and it will mess him up.
The central midfield is a concern. Ramsey has had two poor games but got two vital goals and zi have no worries about him but LJW has regressed in terms of his impact and Wenger ( who is a great judge of these things) has to decide if he backs him as he did Ramsey or drops him .
Two plaudits should go to Debuchy who is settling in solidly and Ozil. I thought his use of the ball was excellent yesterday but you can’t play him on the wing and get maximum benefit from his skills and he is good enough to tweak the system for to accommodate his special gifts. I think using Chambers to hold will free Aaron to attack more readily .
Giroud seems confident he will recover for Wednesday. I pray he is correct as we will need him
Hi everyone.
Holic, Happy to see your historical perspective, wasn’t lost on most of my mates, here. 😉 Thought the assist from Santi and that cross from Monreal, (for OG) were outstanding.
Some good people post on this blog.
That is all.
Agree on Chambers, TTG and Lars previously. I would like to see him in DM position as I too think it suits him the most. Chambers-Ramsey might be the pairing for the future, with the younger one more defensively oriented.
That would mean that Wilshere is dropped and Ozil gets his natural number 10 role, with speedy Walcott/Ox and Alexis on the flanks, which makes our squad far more balanced than it is at the moment.
I tend to agree with Aussie, when it comes to sentiments. And I think Wenger has been guilty of this to a fault. Let’s be real, Diaby is a player that we can all wish the best and cut ties with. That’s room for a new body. Flamini and Arteta to me should be squad players. We do need a strong and fast DM, but we will most likely not get one. People keeping saying we have added 4 players, but we have actually replaced 3 and just added 1 ( Sanchez). And we need to add at least 2 more players.
So Giroud is injured? Well oh well. Boss it’s up to you now. And because some fans are saying what needs to be said doesn’t make them all doom and gloom. Just my two cents, at the end of the day we all want the same thing for our beloved Arsenal.
Giroud has told a French TV station in an interview that he expects to b fit for Wednesday. Players are not always the best judge of their injuries and the severity but it is his ankle.
Ah Moyes… who knew you were the good manager! Excellent result!
Man U now will be forced to pay over the odds for Di Maria!
😀
One for The Cynic;
https://twitter.com/esso260589/with_replies
Cos he’s a good lad and I miss him in the other place, not that I go there much now.
Utter fuck up, try this one if you come in!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y15iusA4ylc
Late joining the party but sometimes needs must.
Good stuff above from Lars, BtM, Toby, bath amongst others.
Tabs, just about spot on with your appraisal.
Esso, enjoy Wednesday – I’ve got my daughter with me too.
The Everton result will really be put in perspective by what the other top teams manage to do there. It’s never an easy place to go – an old fashioned ground that has a rare atmosphere to it when that crowd gets going.
Yesterday’s officials certainly seemed to feel it’s influence, but there should be some accountability for the sort of double blunders that allowed Everton’s second goal.
The mind goes back to The Emirates and Mr Lee Mason who allowed Louis Saha to score against us for Everton – even after a special “Jumbotron” replay – from a starting position at least 5 yards offside.
Maybe there is some special kind of betting circle in place at The FA for Arsenal v Everton games.
A point away at Everton is never a bad result though – the problem at the moment, I believe, is that expectations are so high after some very good early transfer window business, but the anticipated tearing apart of all opposition has not happened.
Mr van Gaal is also discovering though, that those pesky other teams are just not cooperating.
If you look at our defence yesterday though, Debuchy has never played with Mertesacker, who has never played with Chambers, or next to Monreal, or on the left hand side come to that.
So although the performance was ragged and frustrating, the end result – however we got it – was ok.
Patience will be required for a while yet, although patients we already have enough of. 😉
good man yerself esso
blastin it on me wee speaker
timorrow me cattle will look at sheep jealously
.
roll away the perm
roll away ay
Eandy
From last post….
Way too many vodkas last night including a Chelski cousin!
Waking up this morning was a brilliant reminder we diddnt loose this game and I agree with you!
Two points lost but a point gained not many sides will do the same!
And, Holic, a fine review from your good self, sir ! How remiss ! 😉
Whether you are half empty or half full about the match yesterday, I think we can all agree that Manure in 13th place and 1 point above relegation makes for a good Sunday!
BTW Holic great write as usual!
Oh, and “Don our caps” should, of course, be “Duff our caps.”
You really shouldn’t stray too far into fancy phrases-territory if you are a Swede…
turnip?
Trev: good stuff, especially about the unfamiliarity of the back four.
I was sat in the Clock End for that Saha goal and even from there we could see he was miles offside. Must be in the top ten of most incomprehensible refereeing decisions I’ve ever seen.
Trev,
Sadly for the FA Arsenal didn’t co-operate that night and we still beat them! Arshavin and Vermaelen as I recall. Both now departed
ttg: Arshavin and Kos, not Vermaelen.
Two things I noticed. Podolski is set to go on loan to Juventus. Why? If we don’t want him and loan him for a year he will run down his contract and we will get nothing for him. If Juve can’t afford him have they got defenders who we might like in a swap deal? We’ve done deals like this quite often eg Bendtner and it doesn’t make sense to me. I suspect the problem is that prospective buyers can’t fund a fee and match the wages we pay.
Secondly our Under 18s thrashed Chelsea 5-1 yesterday. The new coach at that level De Kat is a Dutchman appointed by Jonkers the successor to Liam Brady and I understand there are several very exciting talents at that level especially Willock. This is a big step forward after some less than stellar performances in recent years at that level
Lars- thanks for the correction you are right. Another important Koscielny goal
Okay, okay tabs, I agree OG’s scuffed attempt at 68.20 could have been on target, although having looked at it again since your comment it still looks like it’s heading wide to me. Apart from the two goals, were there any other shots on target? If not they would be the three total. But I understand your desire to nitpick the point, which is surely more to do with my negativity towards Özil? Apropos whom, I guess it depends on your definition of a defence-splitting pass. Do you have the times of those too, so I can revisit? 😉
Otherwise we seem to agree on practically everything, including the second goal and Per’s part in it. And I’d still like to know how we came to have both CDs AND both fullbacks all in the opposition half at the same time leaving only Flam to defend against three Toffees, with Özil, perhaps surprisingly, the only other Arsenal player nearly making it back in time (Debuchy also made it back level, but too wide to make a difference).
Anyway, as I said I’m pleased with the point which is all I was really expecting, and delighted with the late effort that secured it. It’s way too early in the season to be worrying about individual errors, which will no doubt get sorted in time. Or to worry too much about the form of particular individuals. Although I remain disappointed that early season games always become a kind of lottery as the rusty engine coughs into gear.
Öskar
Aussie, Sir Ches didn’t come halfway out (#83). He took a step towards the incoming ball, judged it out of reach and positioned himself for the several options Coleman had when it was obvious he would get to it first. Had he second-guessed Coleman would head it into the top of the goal I have no doubt he would have saved it. But he had also to consider Coleman might head it down, which is what players are taught is the best way to beat a keeper (or at least to ensure the header is on target). Or he might, unselfishly, have headed it across the goal to a striker.
If you can make the correct guess every time in the split second available to a keeper your favourite club needs you. 🙂
Öskar
O-Dog – Saw the same thing on the first goal. I also think Ches initially was concerned that Lukaku was going to get to the ball first.
The start almost seemed a repeat of last season with Lukaku terrorizing Nacho down left side. Throw Per into the mix on the left side and Lukaku was relishing the opportunity to attack.
Hope our spacing is a little more balanced on Wednesday.
I expect most things to sort themselves out in time, ecg. Just frustrated with how long it takes to get going at the beginning of every season. Still, we’re not alone in this regard and at least we haven’t completely cocked up far. Wednesday’s will be the most critical game so far, but I’m expecting a much more coordinated showing and a relatively easy win.
Öskar
Oskar, it does seem that our reasons for below par performances are growing at about the same rate as the performances themselves.
its early in the season
the pitch was bumpy
x was great in 2011 so be patient
x is still recovering from a previous injury so be patient
x is just returned so be patient
palace will trouble many
a draw is a point gained
we shouldn’t judge our team by results
agree that wednesday is looming as a line in the sand moment
it would be great to see some signs of improvement
Wednesday defines our season. I think that the result will determine who we do or don’t bring in during this window. I don’t even want to think about the result going the wrong way. I think that would cause total meltdown.
Steve T,
The CL qualifiers may indeed prove crucial to how we will approach the rest of the season. However, i do not think the ‘transfers’ largely depends on the result, that would smack like panic buying and I certainly hope we don’t do that.
Would rather believe that we have some targets in mind, and for some reason or another the club/player has yet to make up their minds.
All of our signings this season seem to have been well thought out and in the works for some time from Alexis to Ospina.
Which baffles me why we have not got vermy’s replacement yet unless it’s chambers?!?
Anyway those are my thoughts, of course I could be wrong and it could completely depend on the outcome of Besiktas!(but i hope not!)
😀
Nothing unusual about the start to this season, aussie, we always seem to be off key early on and take a while to get into rhythm. And every year I wonder why the transfers aren’t completed earlier (I’d like to see the window closed before the season starts) and why the team isn’t brought together earlier so they’re fully fit for the first match. Everyone takes time to adjust after holidays, but these guys are exceptional athletes and the exceptional salaries they’re paid in consequence should oblige them to be ready for the off.
Just my opinion of course. Others seem happy to grant them as much grace as they want to start at their own pace.
Öskar
If we don’t win on Wednesday, BB, our signings so far will clearly have been the wrong ones, or at least not enough of the right ones. Not qualifying for the CL is NOT an option.
Öskar
Steve T, if we can’t beat Beskitas with the team we have, then we surely don’t deserve to be in the competition. As from now on maybe our target should be top three, instead of top four. It’s not like we are doing what needs to be done to win the league anyways.
We beat Udinese (a side far better than this Besiktas one) a few years ago when the side was in far worse shape than it is now, I’m confident we can get the result we need on Wednesday. As the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy would say, Don’t Panic!
Not going to argue with you there Oskar with regards to qualifying.
One would think that we have enough players back and that they have got sufficiently warmed with the last few games up to beat any team that Besiktas brings forth and we’re playing at home to top it off. Don’t foresee any hiccup there.
My points are with regards to transfers and how they do not (should not?!) depend on one CL qualifying match! Would like to think we have been working for way longer on our targets. Of course this excludes opportunistic buys like Ozil for example, if anyone of that quality becomes available then by all means buy on the 11th hour.
Charlie,
Didn’t the HHGTTG also ask us to bring a Towel?!
😀
I’m not worried about Wednesday, BB, we should win comfortably. With transfers there’s a theory that the best players who might be signed want the certainty of CL football before they will sign, and I can see that logic.
But there are exceptions to every rule, and you only have to look at Di Maria signing for Manure regardless they have no CL football, and to judge by their start to the season probably won’t have it next year either. But then they are paying him a lunatic salary, while asking him to play less games, so I can see the appeal in that too!
Öskar
Oskar,
Have always thought the lure of cash in hand almost always outweigh the chance to play CL football. As you have mentioned indeed about Di Maria, whats this 75m now? Are Man U going to use all that Adidas sponsorship on one go?!? yes please and finish outside top 4! 😀
However, our club seems able to attract talent, see Alexis, even though we are not confirmed in the CL yet. And that’s a credit to us, the way we play, the team and the manager.
Would be wary of players who join just because of CL competition, as they would most certainly leave if we don’t qualify the next year.
@ATG
understandable then, vodka and Chelski supporter added to frustration I can imagine 😀
Anyways with more reports of Poldis departure I really really hope we have replacement lined up, I am going to miss his Thor hammer of a left foot…looks like no.9 shirt is cursed 🙁
166/ 167/168/169- spot on lads and thoroughly agree with you all in each respective drink. Nice to hear some solid sanity.
BB – especially agree the lack of replacement for verm is not only baffling but seems like a massive risk that pays for itself with a solid win over besiktas in the first leg instead of a very risky and tricky draw that we now face.
One dodgy set piece, one dodgy ref call, one uncertain defensive error, one uncertain hesitiation or backwards/ forwards indecision from chezza could see some squeaky bums in here.
Given the injury to Kos and Per’s slow start back from holiday camp and the fact that chambers and per would not have hardly said hello to each other , let alone trained together, they now face a CL qualifier together, it truly makes no sense.
They truly are baffling decisions from a manager with so much experience and normally very protective of youth purchases.
I am not as concerned about another forward, as samchez truly is world class, but cannot for the life of me understand why we don’t have either a very experienced world class CB and DM.
Surely spending 20 mil on each of those two key roles in the spine of the team takes a lot of pressure off the entire squad.
Given some of the details provided earlier proving our nett spend is something like just about nil over the last few years…
Esso@139- Well said.
I’m happy with our point at Goodison. Given their quality and the ref’s performance I think we could have played much better and still only ended up with a draw. And I won’t be surprised if they take more home points off our other rivals.
Agree with Oskar that the start to season is always tough. It will be easier to assess where we’re at in a few weeks. We just need to keep getting results until we find some rhythm and fluency. So far we haven’t done ourselves any damage with results. Obviously Wednesday is our first chance to do ourselves a serious amount of damage if we don’t get the win. I trust the club to do everything to get us the result we need (and think we will.)
After that is Leicester. With all due respect to a Premier League fixture it is not as tough as it could have been. Then we have a break for internationals (sigh) and by the time that’s all done then the opportunity will be there to get our heads down and begin establishing some momentum. Imagine what a good result at City could be the springboard for…
We can all agree that regardless of who else might come in the current players have not played together at anything like their best level yet. As they get a run of games they should get closer to that level and make it easier to see just how good they are.
Amendment to my last- we play City at home after Interlull- not away.
Superb opening paragraph. You can’t play well every week, but we fought through a really tough game to get a very, very creditable result. That we can play shit for a half away to a very good side and still feel like we should have won says a lot about our quality.
It is early season. We are disrupted more than most by the world cup. We played a very intense game away in Turkey whilst Everton rested up for us. We were missing our first choice central defender and midfielder and our number 10 had to be shunted to the wing as it was his first preseason game basically.
Lastly, credit to Giroud. I’m pretty hard on him and when he blazed that volley over right after half-time I had a few choice 4 letter words to describe him. However, having said he isn’t the man when you really need a goal, he proved me wrong. Keep it Giroud, you earned this weeks page 3 tart 🙂
Forward
We remain on course for 7 perm points and CL qualification before the interlull. Perfectly respectable return. Performances will pick up as we get fitter and the new players gel with the old ones. Get 2/3 more in before the window shuts and we look set for a great season.
FWIW, I thought the offside for their second was marginal. Wrong call but it was close. I’d blame the BFG more. Couldn’t clean out Lukaku as he was booked but committed anyway and got turned by a strong striker. Never a foul for me, but a poor decision by our defender who should have retreated to stem the counter attack.
EPM@180
I agree. Not sure we will get two or three though. Pretty sure we’ll get CB.
If we get more than that I won’t be falling off my chair in shock- but I will be pleasantly surprised.
182 – I’m hoping a defender and a midfielder for sure, a striker would be the icing.
El Puno, that offside was nowhere near close. He’s at least half a yard offside, maybe even a whole yard and the pass is from only a few yards out so there are no excuses for the lino on that one.
I agree Lars.
And for me that is a clear foul on Mertesacker. Lukaku knocks his leg which causes him to lose the ball and fall over. Foul.
EPM- I agree on the order we should be buying those players in. I’ll have to wait and see how far down the list we get…
Only just reading the tattle-rags, bit amazed to see the Guardian open with “Arsenal’s insipid display” will convince the chasing pack we can be eased out of fourth.
Erm… We just played away at last season’s biggest challenger. In an “insipid display the possession favoured us 54-46%. Shots on goal 3-2. Shots off goal 9-4. (All via flash scores.) For people who don’t like statistics, goals went 2-2.
We concede from a set piece and had a brainfart for the second, but other than Miralles’ chance they weren’t opening us up. 2 shots on target made 2 goals, you could say they were a it lucky. (Especially with one being offside.)
Really don’t see any cause for negativity in what we did on Saturday. Sure our attacking was gash first 45, turned that around didn’t we,
184 – sure, he got it wrong, but that happens. Half a yard at full speed can happen. My point is, we had an opportunity to stop it ever getting to that moment and we didn’t.
El Puno, we DID stop the attack – twice! But on both occasions the referees let Everton get away with breaking the rules. Not much we can do about that, really 🙂
El puno @186 – we had our first shot on goal at the 83 rd min mark.
They did actually cut us open on numerous occasions, in fact too many to count.
Lukaku was having a field day down the right v nacho and per.
Naismith didn’t even know we had any defense until the second half.
As Similarly the papers might exaggerate a touch for the biggest headline, some on here exaggerate in equal amounts about how positively positive we were.
Reading these drinks, you almost get the impression that some people wont be happy unless we’re pummelling teams 2-0 or 3-0 every game! Where is everyone’s sense of perspective – agree pretty much with Goonerholic, El Puno et al on that. Did people think Everton were just going to roll over and die for us? This is the side that came 5th last season (yes – that’s above Spurs, Man Utd and plenty of other pretenders), came a hair’s breadth from a Champions Lge spot, comfortably beat Arsenal, Man Utd and Chelsea at Goodison last season, and were fresh as a daisy for this game – where as we’d trundled over to the far corner of Europe to play a very tricky, attritional game against a decent Turkish side, and have had to deal with more late-returning World Cup players to integrate back into proceedings.
Of course, the performance was patchy and imperfect, but there are two teams on the pitch designed to counterbalance each other! I positively refute the scaremongering hyperbole Aussie uses on @ 189 “They did actually cut us open on numerous occasions, in fact too many to count.
Lukaku was having a field day down the right v nacho and per.
Naismith didn’t even know we had any defense until the second half.” If we didn’t have a defence for a half – how come we only conceded 2 goals (one of which was offside). And did Lukaku have a ‘field day’, or just the odd moment where he was able to get round Monreal and Chambers etc? Doesn’t Sanchez then have a ‘field day’ when he beats the first man when he receives the ball?!
I’d actually say if we get past Besiktas and beat Leicester (both eminently likely), that 7 points and Champions Lge qualification is a very professional start to the season pre-the international break. I am sure Wenger will fill the Vermaelen hole in the squad before then, I doubt whether he’ll get another midfielder, and Campbell is Podolski’s ready-made squad replacement (like it or not). Things look quite simple and quietly upbeat to me….
And some on here can’t wait to revert to type (didn’t even take a loss), to criticise anything and everything.
Would love to know who all these people who are ‘positively positive’ about Saturday. General consensus, it seemed to me, was ‘patchy performance, decent point’. Exactly how that translates to ‘positvely positive’ I really have no idea.
Oskar – Apologies, I was just having a little fun, point being that if you’re gonna ask whether people were counting, at least get it right 😉 Giroud’s shot in 68th minute clearly on target.
And yes, the sniping at Ozil did grate, especially when he had been one of our better performers on the day. You won’t be surprised to learn that I don’t have the timings, but MO’s passes were one exquisite first time ball to JW that found him in acres of space in the penalty area where he should have pulled the trigger but delayed, and one (maybe 2, I don’t remember) ball(s) inside the full back to Monreal.
Cheers for the kind ones Trev. Wished they showed contoversial incidents on the screen more often. That Everton goal you talk about turned the Ems into a cauldron that night. No way Everton were going home with anything after that.
Well said Gregoire.
I told at the start of the season that we need to give this group atleast a month and then we shall see them in true colours. So far we have done well enough. A point at Goodison, a UCL qualification and a routine albeit tough win at Leicster should see in good stead going into september.
Flamini though is not the answer for the DM role, sorry he just aint. I am tired to see him being caught out of position way to many times and it gives me shivers to see him try to pass out of defense or dribble past someone, i mean come on he just aint that.
Sanchez as a striker is going to happen sooner or later. For me he is so talented and has the natural gifts, that he should be played a striker.
I agree when people say Aaron had a poor game. The boy has so much energy that at times he wants to do it all.
Jack is being Aaron of the old. Tries too hard, wants to do it all,gets frustrated far to easily. He needs to keep it simple for its not about talent, its about his patience.
Wednesday should be a routine affair. Expect to see us win 3-0 and progress.
Finally transfer news, carvalho manolas and oh god Reus. Well 2 out of 3 and we can all dare to dream.
Spot on Gregoire. In every match there is a team doing their best to stop us delivering the 5-0 win that some people seem to expect Arsenal to deliver every week.
At Goodison we lost two goals against the run of play, the second of which was offside and followed a clear foul on Per. We then had a shaky 5 minutes after the second – no real surprise given both the injustice and the history from last season. Then the team got their shit together and dug out the draw. Five more minutes and we would have taken all three points.
When we finally do lose a game, which we inevitably will, hopefully not this week, the meltdown and recrimination is going to be spectacular.
188 – have to agree to see that one differently. The moment Per got turned we were 2 against 3 on the counter. We shouldn’t be in that position. To me that was the significant error. As a general rule I think people are way to quick to highlight/blame refereeing mistakes, especially so when their team had opportunities to deal with it themselves. Just my take, of course.
189 – End rest was that they couldn’t beat us at their own place when we played poorly, on a short week with a long away trip, and the little decisions all went their way. Yes we played poorly, but put it all together and I’m encouraged. Has anyone anywhere in Europe turned heads yet? Leverkusen maybe? It’s early season, results matter more than the performance for me and Everton away a real tough match, Martinez teams always give us a good game.
#FreeCarvalhoManolasAndReus
(If Poldi is off we have to buy a striker right? Take 10mil for someone about to turn 30, let AOC and The Panther step up out wide and buy another genuine striker who can play as the focal point in attack. Right? It just makes sense!)
#FreeCavani
Gregorie@190-
Did you actually watch the full game and not just the last 7 mins or the highlights reel.
Lukaku and Mirailis were in forwward heaven…and Naismith not much less..
You ask – ” how come they only scored two against us in the first half ”
How many more start would you like to concedede.
Is that our new measurement of success.
How small the lead is in the first half.
They didn’t score more because they are not a top level club.
Others who have more firepower up front will however take advantage of such defensive weaknesses, should they continue.
No I don’t expect to pump Everton, but is it so bad to expect to actually win, rather than a lucky draw from 2 down…
Why is it so hard to believe we can’t beat Everton 2 nil.
They don’t have a Sanchez or an ozil level player do they.
How many internationals do Everton have..
What’s their average spend to ours.
Why do we only seem in the past few years to compare ourselves with lower level squads or average teams and since when did we as fans start to have such low level expectations of the team week in week out..
Why do we not compare ourselves with the best anymore..,
@ Aussie, i loved the last line, is that what mindsets have turned to be??, is it that the feeling deep down is we no longer are among the elite so lets be happy with what we achieve?. I hope not because honestly that is a killer.
Conversely, the fact is the league is tough. It no longer is the big boys versus the smaller ones. Each team is capable of beating the other and the so called fear factor is long gone. Case as example being the game between sunderland and united yesterday. How often would we all feel the inevitable when it was 1-1 and say 10 min to goal, expecting united to score and win. It does not happen nowadays.
I agree to most things you say and to be honest we think alike on a lot of things not least the woj scenario, but then lets not get into that again for we have made our feelings about him fairly clear.
Cheers Vinay.
I fear we are in a minority mate.
Let’s hope the expectations of arsenal fans don’t get much lower.
Undeserved ping
Aussie @ 197 – yes it is bad to just “expect” Arsenal to comfortably beat Everton away, particularly in the last game’s particular context (early season, away form home, just returned from Turkey, we had more key players injured or affected by the proximity to their return to the World Cup. It’s pure arrogance to overlook that for what Arsenal and Wenger are doing on a daily basis to prepare for games, that Roberto Martinez and one of the most improving and enterprising sides in Britain (if not, Europe – Everton) aren’t equally. Of course, I “hope” Arsenal can win, and on many days I guarantee we will beat the likes of Everton and better teams this season – but I realise that whenever there’s a game of football, there are two teams, each with their own ‘narrative’ and professional diligence, and my Arsenal ‘centrism’ doesn’t myopically lead me just to expect our flair players (Sanchez, the Ox, Ozil) to succeed in a vacuum of actual reality. Also, of course, Lukaku and Mirallas may have had moments in the game where they were looking dangerous (perhaps augmented by playing at Goodison Pk, where the atmosphere magnifies that sense of dashing dominance, but also betraying your own ‘panic’ and anger at Arsenal not universally dominating). If you’re going to write about football Aussie, understand everything is relative and don’t speak in hyperbole….
….Anyway, nice report Maestro.
Apparently, not since Spring 2011 have we come back from being 2-0 down in the league (just away or home & away?).
A brilliant display of real mental strength even if the football is still a fair way from our usual very high standards. When the final whistle went, I was far more encouraged by the end result and the fightback than the disappointment of going 2-0 down, esp. as their second should never have stood.
Bring on The Turks. Prob. see some of you post match if you’re having a post match slurp.
UTA!
The Invincibles drew at Goodison Park, against a far more ordinary Everton side than the one they have today. Decent point then, decent point now. It’s what’s called ‘realism’, a word that naysayers are fond of using, but less fond of applying.
‘Low expectations’? – Give me fucking strength. Am I on Le Grove?
Can we swap Podolski for Luis Gustavo please BIG Ivan?
Long may such drivel remain in the minority.
There is much to be disheartened about so far this season.
We conceded a goal to Crystal Palace and only managed to score two.
We failed to beat a good Turkish side away in a hostile cauldron of noise on a cabbage patch. (Yes, I’m aware that in football both teams play on the same pitch, or cabbage patch, but the more skillful team suffers more when playing on an imperfect pitch.)
We went two down to a very good team away from home, in the North-West of England and, again, only managed to score two.
We have managed to sign only one world-class talent over the summer, and indeed haven’t signed anyone at all for more than three weeks.
Our “World Champion Germans” (completely gratuitous quotation marks), despite being given extended leave to recover from their Brazilian exertions failed to carry all before them in their first match back.
Worst of all, some drinkers at this bar, who have the temerity to dismiss the signs of the imminent demise of this team’s prospects as “early season wobbles”, “refereeing mistakes” or “the effects of sunspots”[1], insist on standing up to defend their own opinions.
Bring it on, say I. I’ll admit to being concerned at our start to the season, concerned about early injuries and concerned about the failure to strengthen some key areas in the squad (on the other hand, we’ve traded up on French right backs and reserve goalkeepers, and landed one hell of a prospect in the defensive half of the team; all this without mentioning a world-class attacking talent too). I will also admit that I’d be happier if we had continued our record of winning every Champions League qualifier we’d played in. I do, however, believe that the likeliest results for us are a win on Wednesday, and another on Sunday, and that will go a long way toward helping me to relax.
As for debate at the bar, I think those who accentuate the positive and eliminate the negative have been too quiet, for too long and I welcome their finding their voices.[2]
[1] I made this one up; no-one, to my knowledge has actually asserted any correlation between sunspot activity and Arsenal’s performance.
[2] I also value the contributions of Mr and Mrs in between.
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/20140824/-giroud-is-getting-better-every-year-
“We have Sanogo who will be an important asset, we have Giroud, we have Lukas Podolski, we have Joel Campbell who can play centre forward. We have Alexis and Walcott coming back. Let’s not forget that.
“All of our opponents look for strikers as well and nobody finds a world-class striker available who is better than the strikers you have.”
————-
Pending on what you believe, looks like Poldi may be staying after all. Be that as it may, we probably won’t be in for any strikers and rightly so.
Vermy’s replacement and I’ll be satisfied this window.
Am optimistic of our prospects this season, bring on Besiktas!
Let them see a proper field instead of that jungle they call a pitch!
😀
Pangloss: 🙂
BB: the key to that quote is the part about buying better than you have. I don’t think AW will stop looking, but he will only buy someone who will improve what we have, not buy just because someone is available.
Ah, Ned, good to see you. I have two questions:
o Why do the monks live in a castle?
o Do you have any figures on AFC and sunspots?
NBN,
One never stops looking, but getting another striker when we already have what we have?! I’d say chances are little to nil.
A DM and CB however, we may have a slightly better opportunity to improve on our quality there. Still not sure what role Chambers is best suited to for us, although personally would like to see him in the midfield. Still he’s comfortable enough where he is now, was he Vermy’s replacement i wonder…?!
😀
‘Low expectations.’ What a hoot!
Alls me’s hoping for is the bare necessities : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbf4weFbuS8
😀
Oh dear. It’s two days on and some are still going on as if we were tonked six nil by Yeovil or summat.
I went on Saturday and what I saw was really very simple. A bright start but an otherwise shit first half, and a blistering last 10 minutes. Would I have liked all 3 points? Yes of course. Am I happy with 1? Yep I’ll take it.
Onwards to Wednesday (which frankly I have been looking forward to since the final whistle on Saturday) and then to seeing who we’ll get in what’s left of the TW.
Football is really very easy to enjoy without giving yourself some kind of coronary event every time we don’t utterly destroy the opposition.
Perhaps a swift round of Valium martinis is in order barman? 😉
(Oh and a top write up ‘holic – cheers 🙂 )
I have finally managed to view the brief highlights that appear on dot com. They don’t really highlight the foul on big Per so I can’t really comment. I do wonder what he was doing there thought and why Chambers went flying in on the halfway line? Lack of sharpness for one and youthful enthusiasm the other? Who knows. The goal was offside but like some have said, I have seen a lot worse decisions than that one. We have benefited from a few over the years as well. Still, as I have said previously, a point at Goodison is a decent point. They are a good side and will cause others several problems this season.
Re Wednesday and transfers. I’m sorry but I don’t remember who it was now but someone suggested that we may well have targets lined up and that they would only agree to come once qualification had been assured. That seems a distinct possibility to me. I do believe that Wednesday dictates the way the rest of our season goes. It is that important. I also feel that as others again have said, if we can’t beat a Besiktas side at home then we probably don’t deserve to be in the completion anyway.
I invariably compare us – very favourably- with the best. Didn’t I just see us beat the ‘best’ team in England at Wembley 3-0 in the last few weeks and win the first trophy of the season only three weeks ago? Or maybe that was happening in some parallel universe and it wasn’t really me and Bath sitting there enjoying it?
And wasn’t it just a couple of months before that, from the very same vantage point that (having seen our team eliminate Spuds, Liverpool and Everton at The Emirates along the way) I witnessed a great FA Cup Final win?
Disclaimer : ‘best’ in this context refers to the ability to win more points than any other team in the land competing on the Barclay’s Premier League and therefore win the title and be crowned Champions. It doesn’t refer to any upsidedownland made-up-on-the-spot definition 🙂
Expectations?????? That’s an interesting one. So what are people’s expectation for The Arsenal and for this season????
Some good stuff up there, Gregoire. Snowy, I think your expectations are too low 🙂
Good point tabs @ #203.
I was loathed to mention ‘The Invincibles’ as the season has only just started and I didn’t want to hex things.
However, when Giroud nutted in that equalizer, at the very place we were handed our arses just a few months earlier, that was the first thing that crossed my mind. A bit rose-tinted maybe but let’s see who else goes 2-0 at the right end of Stanley park and still manages to come back with some points.
UTA!
Expectations, Steve T?
Why are we discussing expectations? You can set them high, and end up being disappointed, or you can set them low, admit what the are and get accused of pessimism.
I have targets for Arsenal and hopes.
Heh TS, wasn’t my intention to compare our present side to the Invincibles … though we haven’t lost yet 😉
Just responding to the garbled logic above that ‘we should have won cos we have more internationals and a bigger budget than Everton innit’. If only football worked like that eh, no cup upsets, no enjoying Sunderland give the Mancs a testy afternoon y’day, no Premiership successes in 98, 02 and 04. Luckily most of us here know that Football doesn’t, and never will, work like that. It’s why we all keep coming back for more isn’t it. Otherwise, we might as well just hand over the Premiership trophy to one of the Chavs or Shitty and be done with it. Still, perhaps there are low expectations down under? 😉
It was a theme raised in the drinks above Pangloss. Some seemed to think the expectations of Arsenal fans had got lower. Others mocked. I just wondered what people’s expectations for out great club and for this season actually were?????
I expect the team to fight for every game. I expect the players to do their best for however long they get on the pitch. I expect a few famous wins. I expect a few losses that will hurt. I expect the season to be long, hard, have some twists and turns. I expect to feel quite a lot of emotions and get a few memories in the process.
I expect that we, City, Chelsea, Liverpool, Everton, Tottenham and even United will all play a few good games, with some real top talent in world football on display. I expect us to beat a few of them, and I expect a few of them to beat us. This I expect because football is a low scoring sport, and not about percentages, always winning with 84-70 because your team is better at a certain thing. In football draws are a real thing, a result that actually happens. That means that unexpected losses, and wins, will as well. I expect that to be the case this season as well, something I do not in a huge way correlate with which players we happen to own at this moment in time.
I expect to be angry at the team, quite a few times. I expect to be happy as well.
What I won’t expect is us winning a league, with so many decent teams, and the maragins so small. I would expect to feel a decently yummy feeling going into the next season if I feel we’ve made strides this season and up amongst the top three. I expect this will anger a few posters here, but this is not about me being happy with not winning, it is understanding that just because I am an Arsenal fan, the world does not center around me, and that my choosen team won’t win one heck of a league just because I am the main protagonist in my own story. I would however, expect, to feel quite alarmed, and scared for the future, if we were to drop out of the top four. Not because I can’t see that it might well happen in that tight top of the league, but because that is human to be saddened by failure.
These are my expectations for the season, and I feel quite confident they will all come true.
What I hope, again, is us getting the quadruple. ‘Course it is!
We’ll see how that pans out.
Fair point, Steve T. Looking again at some of the uses, and users, above, “expectations” seems to be the latest word of choice amongst the optimism-challenged (reality suffused?).
TABS, as so often, has it right above. The life of a football fan runs on hope, or should, rather than on expectation.
COYG
Pangloss: don’t forget it also runs on beer! 🙂
Both Pangloss and Tabs, made my point with much less text. Well done! I hope, I do not expect.
Heh! at Lars. How could we ever forget that? This is a bar after all.
But as fully committed fans are we entitled to expect things from the club and from those privileged to be the current custodians??
😳
Toby. Great post but do you expect us to CHALLENGE for the league title or just accept top four??
Politely noting that our individual assessments of the early season form — the results have been very decent — are likely to reflect our personalities, and beyond a certain exchange of opinions there arrives but the inevitable repetition of ideas, how about some predictions?
a. Who will we sign? Not just positions but names?
b. Our season end predictions.
Predictions based on intuitive feelings, of course, but hence I guess more fun …
I will go first:
a. Luis Gustavo (DM but can also play CB if needed), Marco Reus (Poldi leaving)
b. League Cup QF; FA Cup Winner; PL Winner; CL QF
There. 🙂
Steve T
Interesting point. I think it cuts several boundaries, as follows:
Until ‘The Thought Police’ are a reality,you’re fully entitled to think what you want and, therefore, you can expect whatever you want too. Note: That might set some up for disappointment if the expectation is a league title every season as a minimum.
I believe we should expect one thing from The Club – that on the whole it is managed correctly both on and off the field.
I believe the current custodians do a decent job of that although a board full of septuagenarians could probably do with a few younger bodies and minds to help keep the club competitive in the current environment.
The Manager is harder to fault but again, he needs to keep up with the fast changing environment that surrounds a modern super-club. he’s certainly not perfect (no-one is) but he still keeps the team competitive almost regardless of the circumstances.
Winning another major prize is, I think, the only metric that matters when it comes to judging him until his current contract expires.
As fans we all have hopes and expectations. Not that long ago our hopes and expectations would have been very similar. Now I would suggest that they are not. The other point worth mentioning is this. Are the hopes and expectations of the fans the same as the hopes and expectations of the board??? The big problem I have at the moment is that I don’t think they are. Football is now all about business and big money. Our board see Arsenal Football Club as a business and nothing else. Part of that business is of course related to the product produced on the pitch and the subsequent results. Us fans clearly want a financially stable and well run club. But our main interest is the “product” that is put on the pitch. I don’t think that is the same for Silent Stan, Big Ivan and the rest of the gang. I feel that gap gets marginally wider every year. That may have a lot to do with people’s hopes and expectations.
There are of course many other factors. You obviously can not discount the financially doped oil boys. But their financial input should not affect our aims and objectives, even if it does make them tougher to achieve.
Just saying.
What. The. Fuck.
http://news.arseblog.com/2014/08/giroud-could-miss-weeks-with-ankle-knock/
Hope not.
I expect that the goal for this football club is to win the league. I do not for one moment expect the players and the manager to aim for anything less. I expect that there is quite a discussion to be had about the word “challenge.” For me, seven point off the top with 38 games played, and being on top for longer than any other team IS challenging for the league.
That we ended up fourth is just proof that several other teams did as well, not anything to talk down our own effort over.
So yes, I expect we will challenge for the league this season as well. But that says nothing about if we’ll do a good job of it or not. I can only hope!
PS: Steve T
Per the Arseblog post above and if true then maybe we should expect that the club uses its resources to bring in another CF before the window shuts.
Of course, you could argue that Poldi (if he stays), or Alexis or Campbell could hold the fort whilst Giroud recovers but that’s leaving things a bit to chance, IMO.
Anyway, we’ll have answers to all these points within the next 6 days.
@ 233 DocFaust
Well, if that’s true then we may see some reshuffling and formation changes sooner rather than later. Maybe the dreaded 4-4-2?! (Play Campbell and Alexis up front!! )
Or even as some have been clamoring for, buy another striker! (I should hope not!) Although am at a loss to where we can find another tall and strong player in the vein of Giroud and Sanogo.
As opportune a time as any to test our resilience and fighting spirit.
Bring on Besiktas.
Up The Arse!
😀
BB @ 236: Enough of discussing these countless possibilities. 🙂
Prediction time…see @ 230. Like to take a shot? 🙂
Great posts there Toby, Pangloss, Snowy, Tabs, TS, St and BtM. Top stuff. Malts on the bar.
Aussie @ 188, 100% behind what you said. This has nothing to do with travelling to Turkey, because this same team beat us last season and took points off us at home. So please no excuses, we are a big team right? so not having the right squad depth is whose fault? Like Aussie said,we need to start acting like an elite team and stop making excuses. If we didnt drop all the way from first to fourth, maybe we wont be playing qualifying rounds now.
@197 Aussie, sorry.
Wonga Aht!
Years of mediocrity!
And wotz wiv all these injuries?
Forsyth Aht!
Must be inept!
Where’s the lynch mob?
Expectations Steve?
I ‘expect’ us to challenge for the Premiership now that our budget is healthier, am hopeful that that challenge might go beyond March/April, but am ‘realistic’ enough to know that even our recently acquired deeper pockets are still not as deep as those of either a slimy Russian gangster’s or those of a ruler of a quasi-religious deeply misogynistic homophobic freakshow of an oil-filled Kingdom, and that it is likely, though by no means certain, that one of these Centres of cuntery will prevail come May.
I ‘expect’ us to prevail on Wednesday, though I am ‘realistic’ enough to know that it is not a given against a half-decent side in circumstances where an away goal would set the cat amongst the pigeons, and where we will be missing Arteta, Ramsey Giroud Theo and maybe Kos from probably our first choice eleven.
I ‘expect’ us to finish above Liverpool just as I thought last year, but am ‘realistic’ enough to know that just as I was wrong last season, I might be wrong again.
I ‘expect’ us to celebrate St Totteringhams day because under AW we always do. No realism required.
I ‘expect’ us to have a decent cup run, and am hopeful that it might end with silverware (again), but am ‘realistic’ enough to know that anything can happen in the Cup, and that such one off games can always throw up an upset, and that a decent run might be thrown off course by a tough draw, injuries, fixture pile up, or simply one bad performance.
I ‘expect’ us to sign another defensive midfielder before the window closes but am ‘realistic’ enough to know that unless AW gets the one he wants, he won’t spend money just for the sake of it.
I ‘expect’ to have to read comments that ‘we’ve always had money over the last 10 years’ despite all evidence to the contrary contained in both the accounts and every public statement from both AW and IG in the last 2 years, but am ‘realistic’ enough to know that this is a fallacy that people will continue to pursue, despite it being thoroughly discredited 😉
I ‘expect’ people to mix up ‘we’ve always had money’ with ‘we didn’t spend ALL our money’ (2 entirely different notions), but am ‘realistic’ enough to know that things on that front aren’t gonna change anytime soon.
I ‘expect’ Manchester United to continue to give me belly laughs this year and to show that finishing top 4 year in year out (even with serious wedge, let alone the tiny budget AW operated under) is not the walk in the park that many consider it to be, but am ‘realistic’ enough to know that people will continue to carp on about how badly run we are and that every defeat/draw will provoke borderline hysteria.
I ‘expect’ that some of the expectations above will be written off as too low by some, but am ‘realistic’ enough to not really give a shit 🙂
How’s that? 😉
Ps – Some things deserve to be mocked.
Docfaust,
Sure, glad to oblige! Let’s see now for :-
a. Who will we sign? Not just positions but names?
– A proper experienced centre half (would like to say Manolas) as i think that’s the position that most warrants attention. Chambers while brilliant would probably do better a little higher up.
(Have to apologise as have not done enough research on who else is available so i can only give the one name that comes to mind, am not as well read on scouting for that position, still that’s the position to be filled would be my guess)
No one else. As i do not think Poldi will be leaving now that Giroud may be out for some time, he may be called to play on the left while Campbell/Alexis will probably have to play up front.
b. Our season end predictions.
Do I have to? I really do not want to jinx us!! As a compromise I’ll just predict we get to the finals of the FA cup and win the League cup.
PL and CL – no guesses for fear of hexing it!!! But Better than last season most definitely!!!!
P.s — Let me be the first to say that i would be glad to be wrong if we can sign 2 more on the defensive side before the windows up. These injuries are worrying indeed!
P.p.s — Luis Gustavo and Reus … Not a chance! You’re having a laugh there, that would really make my year if that’d come true! I’ll even wear me Arshavin shirt and endure the ridicules!! 🙂 😀
Tabs @ 242: Nice post that. And I won’t quite put it beyond Van Gaal to give ‘serious wedgies’ to ManU players. Serious wages they get anyway. 🙂
I can say for a fact that we wont be challenging for the league without a DM, and if we sell Poldi, without getting a striker in, we might as well just start fighting for our usual 4th position.
BB@ 243: Thanks. Not given to wild predictions , are we? 🙂
Tabs @ 242 You are my morning coffee 😉
SAG : All depends on your definition for challenge. We had challenged mightily last season and fell short by 7 points. We will again.
Anyway, care to predict ?
“I ‘expect’ to have to read comments that ‘we’ve always had money over the last 10 years’ despite all evidence to the contrary contained in both the accounts and every public statement from both AW and IG in the last 2 years, but am ‘realistic’ enough to know that this is a fallacy that people will continue to pursue, despite it being thoroughly discredited”
Perfectly put.
Great to have you back Tabs.
HEADLINES : Balotelli seals Liverpools fate. Napoli nicks Di Maria from Man Utd. (Di Maria changes mind after conversation with Luca Toni) See following story:-
http://www.espnfc.com/story/875555/luca-toni-bayern-boss-louis-van-gaal-showed-us-his-balls
These would be the headlines i want to see!
😀
Aw, c’mon tabs, raise your expectations ffs! :0)
I expect every player to want to win each game as much as I do. I expect them to fight like mad in every single game, right to the end. Just like they did on Saturday. Other than that???
I expect us to do a domestic treble and have a real go at the champions league this year.
I expect us to the quadruple next season.
I expect us not to be humiliated by 4/5/6 goals when we play the biggest cunts about.
@DocFaust,
Below is a post from Poldi:-
http://instagram.com/p/sIARrOOJya/?modal=true
poldi_official
1 hour ago
Things work out best for those who make the best of the way things work out. Opportunities don’t happen, you create them! #StayFocus #NoExcuses #FightForYourGoals #BeStrong #Champs #Victory #Glory #Poldi #aha
———
Very cryptic?! He may be gone after all! Shall i order the Reus shirts now! How do you know these things? WHO are you?! 😀
Tabs. Very learned but we will agree to disagree about the money situation. I am more than happy to believe that with all the figures released that we have had ample funds to spend if we had chosen to do so.
You can buy me that pint at the Citeh game.
🙂
If Giroud is out for Wednesday and as Ramsey’s running is unavailable then switching to 4-4-2 might be a bad idea at all.
2-2 draw at Everton after being behind-when did that ever happen?
Try the first Double season when Charlie George broke his leg scoring the first equaliser. It was the first game of the season.
How’s that for an omen?
Er, might not be a bad idea.
Although I expect you go to AWOL when it is your round again??
🙂
NBN,
Let’s try this now that we’ve got our germans back :
http://i.imgur.com/OviU102.gif
😀
I was happy with a point in the end but expected3.
I am a bad person. 😛
What is expectations? I expect us to compete and fight till the bitter end. No surrender, no succumbing to pressure, no if only if. All i want is for the fact that this team gave their best with the best players they could have had. Thats that. Winning or losing can never be pre determined, thats what this great sport is all about.
Arsenal is on the cusp of greatness. This has been a toil and a grind and a lot of sweat and tears to come to a level where we are at. Now is the time to reap the benefits. We need to go to a battle with our best possible army, yes the opposition may have more artillery but we are The Arsenal and we need our armoury full.
@ 260 hey! Not unless the rest of are, too 🙂
I was delighted to salvage a point all things considered but frustrated that we might have got all three with a bit more match sharpness, luck and several £50m signings. :0)
and zico, I know that you are a bad person. :s
253 – I’d love Reus, but if we sell Poldi I reckon we replace with a true striker. AOC, Panther, Theo, Sanchez look pretty talented and deep, Sonogo/Groud much less so. That’s my guess.
‘Expectations’ sounds like a grand novel, doesn’t it 😉
For me, I expect most of our opponents to be difficult.
Including the lower leagues, when it comes that time.
There will be more ‘bad calls’ against us. Evened out by those that go our way. 😉
Injuries will continue to plague us 🙁
Top 2 finish in PL (fingers crossed).
Champions League Final (that’s my baby) xx
You have no idea, abb!
re zico, that is, abb.
you have lots of ideas 🙂
Took years of dedication and practice, Baff. 😀
Poon team for wednesday: Schez — Debuchy, Chambers, Kosc, Monreal — Flamini, Wilshere — AOC, Rosicky, The Panther — Sanchez (with KING Akpom getting 20/25 minutes with us 3-0 up, in an ideal world.)
It did. RESPECT maestro!
Bath and Zico 🙂
@266 EL P
Do take @230 DocFaust prediction challenge.
Who do you think we’ll get if any?
😀
Transfermarkt dot whatsit has our fabled #NetSpend for the summer listed as £50mil. Poldi goes for ten, we could easily have cash for Cavani, Manolas, and Gustavo. We’d be title favourites with that. Or, of course, we can wait until the 2nd of September to realise Giroud has done his ligaments in and half arse about with Sonogo and a half fit Theo up front until January 😉
You know it makes sense.
273 – Here 🙂
a. Who will we sign? Not just positions but names?
Manolas, Luis Gustavo, Reus/Draxler. Yes, I think that. Why wouldn’t we?
b. Our season end predictions.
Do the double.
So I basically agree with Dr F, which is no bad thing. If you end up wearing your shaven shirt even better 🙂
Think the only reason Gustavo didn’t come last summer was that he was worried about his world cup place. Monolas is our if we want. That’s maybe ten mil net if Poldi goes. All sorts of dosh left over for an attacking splurge 🙂
Holics, what didn’t you expect (so far) ?
For me
1) Poldi
2) The ugliness directed at AW (not here, but on twitter)
Manolas off to Roma for guaranteed first team football allegedly.
Fair calls, abb.
Oh dear,
A long and testing back-drink. Good work by the list of folk detailed by Bath.
Those who know me will know which side of the fence I come down on so no need to repeat what has already been said so many times.
SanAntonioGooner @239,
Have you followed anything at all that has been happening in English football, and the Premier League in particular, over the last ten years or so ?
In a way I hope you haven’t, as that could be the only excuse for possibly the most stupid post I have read in this bar for a very long time.
Thanks bath ☺
Our injuries (so early on) have shaken me up, to be honest 🙁
What are your thoughts on Poldi Bath?
Surely we must be bringing in a replacement goal threat if we loose him? I’m not his biggest fan I have to say. While he’s clearly very talented, anytime I’ve seen him play in the flesh, he always appears to go absent in games and its not something you necessarily pick up on when you watch a game on the Telly.
This is what I imagine happens at halftime
1) Players after exiting the pitch, use the bathroom
2) Arsene then assesses their fitness (any knocks, etc)
3) Players refuel on sport drinks, while listening to Arsene’s Team talk
4) Players then renter the tunnel (praying they will do well and not be booed)
@275 El P
3 players? Optimistic aren’t we? But then pool did sign 9, but we know that they had a shite team, not that they’re any better now!
Will be glad to wear Arshavin! May his 4 goals against pool and Barca winner forever be immortalized! 😀
Be prepared for disappointment though, can imagine the uproar if no one comes!
🙂
Don’t worry Bath. Big Ivan has it all covered.
I will be disappointed if Poldi leaves. He has been a bit of a maverick but I have always liked him as a player. If we allow him to go on loan I would really love to know the full reasons why. If he is not in the squad on Wednesday night and Ollie G is out injured then it really could’ve squeaky bum time.
Thanks for more kind ‘uns Bath and Trev.
Trev@280, thank you also for the recommendation; I skipped most of that post the first time around. It has serious competition, but it’s certainly worth a nomination.
COYG
Joe @282 – I have to confess to being disappointed with him overall. Despite his goals, his positivity and his spasmodic exertions, we don’t seem to play in a way that suits him and he doesn’t seem to be capable of playing in a way that suits the way the team plays. On balance if he is sold this summer it’s probably the best for both parties but I would prefer us to add someone with goals ‘in his locker’ to replace him in the squad. I share your feelings about seeing him in the flesh.
abb@283 – Probably but you could add 5)some players think, “What was it the boss said again?”
Steve T @285 – I sincerely hope so. Wednesday is utterly critical. Fail to win that and ALL the positive steps forward since the cup final have come to naught.
I’m glad someone gets it Bath.
More than happy to buy you a pint at City Steve, though I am enough of a ‘realist’ to know that one won’t be bought back 😉 I would temper your expectations though, any more of this laughable ‘ample funds’ nonsense and I’ll have to reconsider 😉
Abb – Hi, and hope I didn’t ruin your morning cuppa. 😉
Joe, Pangloss – Ta for the kind words.
DrFaustus
– Signings – Greek bloke and one of Pogba or Reus. Poldi and maybe ANother out.
– Prem -3rd.
– FA Cup – Winners.
League Cup – Last 16.
Champs League – Will hold out on that ’til we’re in it!
Oh bath @ 287! Giggles 🙂 I forgot the rub downs, too 😉
Tabs, that was such a stirring read! Got me energized! Better than a kick in the arse. Just what the doctor ordered.
Who doesn’t ‘get’ that Champions League qualification is vital? Would love to know.
Glad to hear it abb 🙂
Expectations?
I find it befuddling that we don’t really expect much from our politicians, our world leaders, our bankers, our corporate behemoths except that somehow they don’t just fuck it all up out of greed and stupidity and leave our precious little lives irreparably damaged yet we ‘expect’ some kind of guarantee of performance from our football team so that we can feel a bit of vicarious thrill of winning!!
I expect nothing from Arsenal football club. I hope that we win all the matches we play and all the competitions we participate in, but don’t expect anything. I hope that we continue to behave and conduct our business in a manner that selfishly speaking appeals to my sense of fairness and ethics but I don’t expect anything on that respect either.
Just because I support Arsenal — quite madly for that matter, rather in contrast to my more balanced approach to most things in life — doesn’t mean that I have the rights to expect Arsenal to always win games.
I hope they do, and I find it hard to take when they don’t, and find it harder when the performance is poor, but I cannot ‘expect’ that they will always play to my satisfaction.
I hope we win everything, but I expect nothing from the club.
Maybe that is just me.
BB, Puno, Tabs: Thanks for participating in out little game. Others, please jump in if you get a chance.
Would be fun (a) to see how close or off we were on Sep 2 and (b) how optimist or pessimist or pragmatic we were by the time 2015 Spring rolls in.
Great stuff, Dr Faustus.
a) Alderweild & Gustavo; hope for Reuss too but highly unikely
b) Third in PL; QF in League Cup; SF in FA Cup; Like tabs, I can’t call the CL until we are in it.
I have low expectations, then when we over-achieve (see low expectations) I am pleasantly surprised and infinitely encouraged.
Note: This does not only apply to The Arsenal!
🙂
Curves a ball from the corner of the pen box towards the pen spot…..
Giroud!
Trev @ 280, since you are the know all king of the premier league can you explain what has been going on for the past ten years. And please make sure your post dont sound stupid.
Well in Éandy!
May his ankle be well and available!
😀
Alderwereild Baff? Blimey, leftfield shout? Have we been linked and is he any good?
Yep a couple of links in the past 48h. Manolas seems to have gone cold in the past week, may even have signed for Roma today (allegedly).
I’ll try to find the links.
And please read my post again, all i said was when it comes to Everton, we really cannot use travelling to Turkey as an excuse, because they beat us and drew with us last season. How is that stupid? If i dont agree with you,does that make my post stupid? Calm down dude.
Belgian international. Don’t know how good.
https://i0.wp.com/media.giphy.com/media/TTgdzuVtfQyUTU3qr1S/giphy.gif
Last 24h there has been more noise about him being linked with the Saints:
http://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/396192/Arsenal-Transfer-News-Big-Benatia-boost-Alderweireld-latest-bid-for-28m-midfielder
The Telegraph thinks we may be in for a Striker given Giroud’s supposedly longer term injury, maybe Welbeck or Falcao.
That should be interesting to those who want forwards!
😀
Eandy, good to see you on a Monday! Your contribution made me smile 🙂
and feeling good, should be what it’s all about. About our team and ourselves. Hugs are on the bar (near the beer tap) for those in need. 😉
And no pushing to get one, either. One hug per holic!
Me first!
Cheers for info Baff. Pretty tricky in my book trying to persuade an International to come and be 3rd, maybe even 4th, choice centre back, but I guess all will be revealed in the coming days.
Ah, some feistiness with a week of the infernal transfer window to go. Love it. Great to see BtM, Bath, TaBS, Snowy, Steve T, Trev, well all of you really contributing.
Let’s try and keep it civil, says the one who referred to the ‘moaning cunts’ on Twitter on Saturday 🙂
Ah I see now. Thanks Carra!
Arsenal only got a draw because Everton’s players were tired. Nasty Arsenal!
Oilers vs Pool should be interesting..
May their ligaments be stretched and ankles clipped,
and their form dip like the infamous gerrard slip!
😀
I’m not a snitch. Now picture Pinocchio 😉
I think on principle we should never buy anybody that has an incomprehensible name. Alder…… whatever is one such. It’s very hard to develop a chant for him but he will bring in lots of revenue on shirt printing. Allegedly that is why we never signed Ba:)
I’d forget another striker. Le Boss made it very clear on Saturday that he doesn’t think we need one.That was his way of letting Giroud know he is his first choice and it’s an admirable approach to back your players although we might have reservations about his finishing. Only if Giroud is out for months would be alter that. I think Campbell will start through the middle upfront on Wednesday.
Carra doesn’t speak, he makes a sort of expressive whistle methinks cause i can’t fathom him but the dogs seem to bark …. everytime!
TTG,
I’d be bold and do a 4-4-2 on Wednesday. Alexis and Campbell.
😀
always nice to see you too abb 🙂
ah Eandy, thanks for that 😉 No one says ‘hehe’ better than you!
BB
That makes sense but I think Alexis might need to drop off or they will swamp the midfield
At LaGuardia Airport but haven’t spotted Lampard, or any other NYCFC players for that matter.
Hey 8ball, hope you enjoyed your visit to Brooklyn (home of baseball and bagels) 🙂
SanAntonioGooner,
I see you have chosen to omit the following section of your post from your “all I said was ……” plea, so I’ll repeat it for you –
“Like Aussie said,we need to start acting like an elite team and stop making excuses. If we didnt drop all the way from first to fourth, maybe we wont be playing qualifying rounds now.”
The last 12 years have seen the club hamstrung in terms of finance as initially £55,000,000 went on enquiries and paving the way for the new stadium to be built.
Yes, the very same Emirates Stadium that cost a further £390,000,000 to build. As you are apparently unaware, the purpose of that stadium was to allow the club to become and remain one of the world’s elite teams. The vision and commitment to undertake that project was itsself the act of an elite club.
So, I believe that takes care of the ” thinking like an elite team ….” bit of your post. If in your opinion it doesn’t, try adding the signing of players like Mesut Özil and Alexis Sanchez from Real Madrid and Barcelona.
Then, of course, you almost surpassed yourself with the “if we didn’t drop all the way from first to fourth…..” bit.
Again, as you are apparently unaware, I can only suggest you get on the internet and read up on what has been going on at Chelsea and Manchester City over the last decade or so.
Briefly, two of the world’s richest men have been trying to out-splurge each orher in showering cash on their plaything clubs in attempts to buy the Premier League title.
Current spending stands at around £1,000,000,000 each, something even the third richest club in the country – that’s Manchester United in case you haven’t noticed them either – have not been able to keep pace with.
So, fourth place – let’s ignore our third place finishes to help your case – has indeed been just like a trophy for all of those years.
If you don’t believe me, get onto some Liverpool, Everton and Tottenham blogs, and ask their fans what they think.
Of course, if you knew all of this already, then that perfectly answers your question as to why @239 was such a stupud post.
(Btw, nothing to do with the Everton result).
Some blogs are of significantly lower quality than this one.
This is a very recent post from something called Arsenal Analysis
News just out of Athens media are reporting that Arsenal have failed to land Kostas Manolas.
Instead it is Roma that he has signed for today. It appears that they have paid 15m euros which is about 3m more than what stingy Arsenal and Wenger were prepared to dish out.
I now doubt if we are going to buy any more players.
Firstly I doubt he had ever heard of Manolas last week, secondly he is of the opinion that we have to pay whatever other teams want us to and he ends in a sulk. I can’t wait for the window to close. Some of the commentary on it is pathetic.
Holic @312 – 😆
And abb – “hehe, how are yooou doin’ ?” – does that beat Eandy ? 😉
Trev(or) 🙂 I imagine accents. So all is good, my lad xx
TTG,
If Kos is fit, then play him and Per and move chambers up a bit. That should hold ’em till we score a few and then we can pull Alexis back if need be.
Arsene may actually do a 4-4-2 as it’s what is least expected of him and they certainly won’t be anticipating it!
Besides we actually have grass on our field, our movement should be tremendously improved.
😀
For what it’s worth, I have heard a vague whisper of Luis Gustavo surfacing – which I was praying for during the World Cup.
Any truth in it ? Who knows.
I could see it happening, which would then allow Calum Chambers to learn the trade of CB and DM alongside some of the best in the world in both positions.
That should then leave some money to bolster the striking department.
Do I expect it ? No.
Do I hope for it ? Yes.
When do I hope for it ? Now.
hehe contest? Heehee would be much better. 🙂
Abb, Trev (or) what ? 😉
Ttg,
I hope Alexis doesn’t drop off as we are going to need him wide awake. 😉
Waves to 8ball ~~
Now Trev! Trevor is a perfectly acceptable name! Be proud 😉
Wish Mario was playing. want to keep my ‘buzz’ going.
TTG,
Do hope we get a CB or DM and hope Poldi stays! Looks like we may need him soon.
Abb,
I’m sure you do, but you won’t be able to type properly. 😉
OMG Trev. Finally got ‘that’ , sighs. chuggles.
‘chuggles’
Trev is right!
Oh, guess what just arrived in my mailbox. My Arsenal shirt. Long sleeved red and white. With Barclays and CL emblems. xx My very first. I already have the scarf and hoodie, from years ago.
I’m crying with happiness xx
Nice one, abb – wear the shirt with pride!
I will Lars xx
Dr F – I’d cut and past from that dictionary that we all have on our computers, but I’d look like a dickhead. So, suffice to say I took it in the hope and expectation sense, rather than any sort of entitlement.
My expectation is that we will win the league this year. I won’t feel in any way aggrieved if we don’t, so long as we give it our bed shot. (It will rankle if we offer spineless collapses with huge sums in the bank again, given that we are so close again this season.)
Henderson – Gerrard – Allen.
That must be tough to watch. Give em something to moan about at least.
(We certainly can’t blame money bags owners for us finishing fourth last year when that dross were ahead of us.)
Congratulations, abb! I received my little package of joy last week!
Them oilers have too much cash to spend!
How many world class strikers can you pay to have on the bench?!
FFP can’t come quick enough!
Trev, what has that got to do with us being first all season and end up in fourth, not second or third. So the stadium stopped us from adding a striker, in january,when we all knew that might have made a difference. Am not saying win the premier league. But if our spending will always be based on qualifying for the CL, we could have done with a third place last season. But we overplayed everybody and they all got injured at the wrong time.
Heh ecg! Hope it fits. Really is a special moment. Wear it in good health, mate.
something tells me that mario’s going to make this liverpool team just *sing*.
the question is, do mugsmashers *like* lady gaga songs?
seriously though, their defense is terrible. they’d better hope mario’s going to score five each game, because they’re going to need that many.
and abb, no pics, didn’t happen 🙂
wear it in good health. and great expectations.
So, we should start comparing ourselves to Everton now. We are never going to be city or Chelsea, and I will never want that for Arsenal. But that doesn’t mean we cant compete in our own way. If you believe that we couldn’t have done any better these past few years, then please i would love to have some of what you are sipping on.
Bless you scruz!
Ligaments are indeed being stretched .. pool injuries all over!
SAG,
Your use of the plural ” qualifying rounds” made it look as though you were talking about more than one year.
Then you asked me to explain what had happened over ten years ………
So, unfortunately, I did …
Good stuff, Abb.
Dr. F, good stuff on your hopes and expectations from following the Arsenal. I’m too tired to type much so I will just say mine would be a mixture of yours and Tabs’.
New “job” has me working from 7am to 7pm, mondays to saturday, so I will be doing more backdrinking and less posting. Worst part of it all is that I’m guaranteed to miss almost, if not all, our Live saturday games for the duration of said job, six months at the least. Hopefully it will be worth it in the end.
Another pool player just keels over.. what is this??!
😀
Oh, cross posting.
Let’s give this up, SAG. Sip away if you like – it’s good stuff.
bb, karma?
the balo effect?
Cent, that’s a big loss for us, too. But keep your eye, on the prize young man. xx
scruz,
Balo was seen sinking further in his hoodie.. no doubt pondering ‘why always me?’.. and time to fire my agent! 😀
Pool do look good going forward but without Suarez, well they just have no bite! 😀
Pool the new spuds after buying 9 players and spending over 100m methinks!
😀
El Puno @ 342: Yes, I did realize that we can get lost in the nuances and subtleties of ‘expectations’ , and we didn’t even start on the etymology. 🙂
I guess we all internalize what we mean by ‘expect’ in different ways, to me it carries a connotation of something I deserve rather than something I am privileged to. For instance, I do not ‘expect’ my son to become say a great scientist/musician/writer/footballer/artist etc. etc. but I sure ‘hope’ he becomes one.
I thought the way the word ‘expectation’ was being used by some (not you) that it conveyed almost a sense of ‘demand’. I just expressed my bewilderment — and I mean that without a trace of irony, though I won’t be surprised if you won’t believe me — that we can have such forceful demands on something that is so far removed from the mechanics of our personal lives.
For instance, I am a great fan of say Rushdie (Spurs supporter though he is :-)) or Pamuk or Vargas Llosa etc. and I sure hope that their next work would make me as enchanted as the previous ones. But do I ‘expect’ that those would be the case?
Same for Arsenal. I look forward to the joy of the style and the thrill of the winning. But don’t take it for granted that either must happen.
Trev, so you think that i don’t understand all what has been happening all these years. At the end of the day, I just feel we could have done better. Wednesday we qualify for CL, and hopefully we get two players in. I just want us to be the best we can, balance the books, but that shouldn’t stop us from balancing the products on the pitch too.
Could have been better. Could have been a hell of a lot worse. Could have … should have … yada, yada, yada.
First English team to build a new stadium without getting relegated.
Just saying …
Let’s see how the Spuds get on, if they ever get round to laying the first brick.
Good luck in the new job Cent.
Cent, all the best with the new job!
£59.7m for Di Maria…..before wages & bonuses which will bring the fee to well over 100m I’d imagine.
The world has gone mad.
Manu have got hosed at that price.
abb – kit fits great! Fortunately I ordered the replica kit for normal people instead of the official authentic kit since I don’t quite have the physique of Giroud! 🙂
Cent – hope the new job goes well (other than missing the Saturday fixtures)
Doctor F – new CB in Toby Alder*** and that’s it. Predicting one of the Cups, 2nd in league, and semifinals of CL (because I know we are going to win on Wednesday, and that’s not hope, prediction, or expectation, just fact!)
BB@259: The old up and under. 🙂
El Puno@274: Those transfermarkt numbers look dodgy; they don’t add up properly (I have long suspected there is something amiss with their euro converter), and Vermaelen’s fee looks very wrong, for one. The monks have our net spend so far this window pegged at £41.8 million, not that any of that much changes your point about who we could or could not afford.
Good luck Cent hope all goes well in the job
Didn’t enjoy the match much because Sky started creaming themselves far too energetically for my liking.They do like financially doped clubs don’t they?
The mug smashers ought to have spent more on the defence although they started well. Jovetic looks a handful now he is fit and made Dzeko look ponderous in comparison. Citeh have squad depth and the confidence that good teams have. Funny they didn’t have squad depth a few weeks ago at Wembley!
early indications are just as most people expected. Citeh and Chelsea will be the teams to beat. The LWCs will be releasing a video of the first two games of the season. Their game with the Mugsmashers will be interesting at the weekend as will Everton v Chelsea. We have a very good chance of getting closer to the top if we can add a couple of quality players in the next week. I think we will prove ourselves an ambitious club but I do hope Giroud is not badly injured. Wenger will not buy another striker unless his injury is catastrophic.
At the moment Luis Gustavo and/or Carvalho would be very nice additions. I don’t think we will get both . A big CB like Fazio of Seville might also be worth investing in.
Dreadful news. Well that scuppers Poldi’s move and should activate a striker signing.
Fractured ankle 🙁 Takes it to a new level.
Think you must be right, bath.
ecg, good to hear 😉
Who is reporting the ankle fracture?
All bets are off then!
Keep Poldi and get a striker..even if on loan. And adapt to 4-4-2 doubly quick!
Sigh.. and just when we were getting back on track 🙁
Two bad news.
Giroud our for three months according to usually reliable L’Equipe.
The second one is that we are after Torino’s striker Cerci, Di Marzio reports. And he is spot on, most of the time. To be fair, he is always spot on.
Of all the worlds strikers we came up with Cerci….what happened to Matri, Quallarella or Vucinic, the trio fantastico, were they not available or something? Amauri or Iaquinta even?
When exactly did Calcio become the place to look for strikers?
I really, really hope this is not true.
Lonestar, it looks to be his foot (doesn’t say which one)
thank god giroud’s not world class. we should be able to replace him pretty easily.
/sarcasm.
abb, it’s the one he got shot at the end of the game…tried to block a defensive clearance in the corner with his left foot…
Damn injuries, year after year, it just dont stops. Can’t believe we are that unlucky.
Fabregas was similarly injured when he scored that goal, shame I don’t remember who were we playing against, was it Sunderland? He was of for a lengthy period as long as I can remember it.
Ok scruz, thanks. His right foot ok then (his good foot ?)
Lurky, we all feel shell shocked. 🙁
Looks like 4-4-2 against Besiktas then more likely than not.
Argh! Can’t believe our luck! Maybe it’s a blessing in disguise as the transfer window is still open, but will anyone of any quality be available?!?
🙁
abb @ 381: Giroud is as left-footed as they come. So, no, his good foot is not okay. 🙁
Deep breath. No panic. Wait for seven more days and see how it all lines up.
Hopefully it is not as long as three months, and Giroud recovers well from injuries.
Unbelievable news on Giroud! How unlucky can we be? Doctor F, I may need to revise my predictions @368.
I guess looking at the positive, it is better that it happened this week instead of last week. Otherwise we might have beaten Poo to Crazy Mario.
Lurky, I think we were linked to Cerci earlier, so probably just some lazy journo rehashing old, made up news.
I’m betting on Remy.
BB@ 382: An injury is never a blessing in disguise. Especially to a player so central to our plans.
Just reading the Giroud news above – is it confirmed ?
From what I saw on TV on Saturday it looked as though OG’s ankle was damaged when the ball was whacked against it.
If anyone is interested and doesn’t know already –
If that was indeed the injury, and it is a fracture, I would presume it to be a Pott’s fracture. That is one where the fibula fractures at it’s weakest point, around 5cm above the ankle joint. It is the bony equivalent of a lateral ligament rupture and could be caused by a sudden blow to the outside of the foot/ankle.
A Pott’s syndrome includes the complication of wrenching the end of the fibula slightly away from the tibia at the bottom of the ankle joint.
@DocFaust
Blessing in disguise as it happened in the window, assuming he was always going to get injured, it could have happened just after the window closed is what i meant!
Still we may end up buying no one, we do have potentially 3 more strikers albeit with another still injured!!
🙁
No injury is blessing in disguise. No matter of the Giroud poor form at the start of this season, he is integral part of our attacking system. Our players know his style and it suits them when he is playing.
Don’t know what to expect on Wednesday, but I fear the worst.
No Ramsey, no Arteta, no Giroud, no Walcott, no Gibbs, Kos doubtful. Ozil and Per still not fully prepared. Alexis not integrated yet, Cazorla in poorest form in his career, Rosicky not given a minute in the last couple of matches, won’t comment on Wilshere, new RB, Nacho as LB….
We will need some magic from Arsene.
Abb,
Time for you to make your trip to London and apply your special talents to the HFB. 😉
Trev,
And how long is the average recovery period for the said injury assuming it indeed is so?!
Lurky,
This does seem to be a particularly poor way of getting our players out of the first Interlull. 😉
BB @ 387: Take your mind back to Jan’14 and Theo’s injury. Key player. Pivotal player. We lost him well before the window closed.
Arsene is not someone who would buy a replacement for a short term. A loan deal is likelier but to be honest is there anyone available for short-term loan who would be say better than Poldi in that role and will get adjusted to the team quickly enough to add real value?
I don’t think it would force Arsene’s hand anyway. He would rather relish the challenge of getting things done with a combination of Poldi-Campbell-Sanogo-Alexis. We will buy someone only if we had wanted to buy him for a while.
But would most likely stop Poldi’s loan, if it were indeed in progress.
BB,
Depends on how simple / complicated the fracture is but around 6 weeks for the bone to heal would be a guide.
Then requires building up to withstand the stress of playing.
This is all guess work, but if it is a fracture of the fibula, that is not a weight bearing bone, but it does become stressed with twisting and turning movements.
If it is a simple fracture, 9-12 weeks would be a fair bet.
Trev, thank goodness you’re here!
Being as I’ve confused ankle with foot, not sure how much good I’d be for him 😉
Trev, you left your panic button at my place and I see you are not very fond of me to return it to you. You seems like you are better without it, even joking and stuff.
Can I press it?
lurky, i thought of cesc when giroud did that. cesc was blocking someone’s pass near midfield, right? and the ball rebounded so far for a goal, or damn near, right?
He scored, Scruz, you are right it was a blocked shot and from quite long distance. Just can’t remember the opposition, to nervous to google it ATM.
scruz – wasn’t he blocking the keepers punt from the box?
Damn, this is not good news.
that might be it, ecg, but i remember it was outside the box. maybe a keeper’s punt of a sweeping keeper? gotta find it, now 🙂
Any injury to any member of the squad at this time is a blow. I pray that the injury reports are false and that he comes back in no time at all. He is absolutely vital to our game.
Bony is my preferred choice. PL experience, decent speed, quality shot, wins headers, won’t cost more then 20m. Needs to improve his build up play, but he can and will score goals in the PL, that’s for sure, and I would like him to score for Arsenal.
Better then Cerci.
Thanks tabs, you are one of drinkers here I really don’t want to fall out with. In fact I’m looking forward to falling in with you sometime under the Tollie brolly. When I can summon up the courage to fly cattle class round the world again, or pick the right numbers on Lotto.
I thought I was quite kind to Herr Özil in this thread, complimenting him for nearly getting back for the second goal when none of the defence was within cooee. But I had to use him when someone criticised Jack, didn’t I… Oh well. I did note the pass to Jack in the first half, but I was willing him to do it at the time, so it was no surprise to me when he did. I thought it was the obvious pass. Defence-splitting? Perhaps, but not in a really decisive way, Jack was well covered.
But I’ll try not to condemn Özilla too harshly. After all I am on record as expecting a much improved performance from him this season, and I certainly do not want him to fail just to prove a point!
Öskar
@Trev
Many thanks for the information! I guess we’ll have to wait for the official announcement. Either ways it’s real sad news 🙁
@DocFaust
I think the exact moment that theo went out was the time I thought we had lost the capability to challenge, early as it was. And I take your point on Arsene and impulse purchases.
This time may be a little different as both his similarly built strikers are out for, if it is to be believed, some time and if he wants to persist with a lone striker he may indeed dip into the transfer or loan market!(loan would be ideal)
If this had happened sometime later, would wager that he would indeed stick with what we have as everyone would be up to speed, so to speak. As it stands, it has happened early and there is an opportunity to do something about it. Will he? That’s anyone’s guess.
Of course it is all conjecture but that’s my thoughts at this point.
Lurky,
You can press the panic button if you like but who will it help ?
Better to get plenty of codeine and morphine for OG’s pain – and take it yourself.
I had two very relaxed weeks on that stuff in March. 😉
you were right, lurky. he blocked the anton ferdinand’s punt forward (from about the 1/3 mark of the field), and it went in and scored. it was september, 2010, and he pulled his hamstring in that game; i remember it as he was limping after scoring that weird goal.
Scruz,
From memory he was chasing the full back down in the corner and blocked his clearance with the lower part of his leg.
Hence my assumption that it is an ankle injury.
Scruz, i was talking about OG !
Solid Gooner, It should not be, that the more papers I read, the ankle versus foot injury has not been cleared up! But something on his lower extremity needs fixing! 🙁
scruz – after digging through the cobwebs, did Cesc injure his foot during celebration of scoring a penalty kick?
Doctor F – wasn’t Nacho somewhat of a “panic buy” as a replacement for Gibbs? I was just about to to comment on Sanogo also being injured but checked the physioroom site and he has fallen off the list. Anybody have any word if he will be available for Wednesday?
Terrible news if it’s as bad as been mooted very unlucky.connor wickham from Sunderland to me looks decent enough option if it comes to it.like for like no settling in period.fingers x for girou nite holics.
trev, that’s what i remember about og. silly, at the end of the game, i guess, but that’s his style. it could have led to a winner…
ecg, i think the penalty you’re thinking of was his “broken leg” penalty against barca in the cl.
ecg @ 410: Actually Nacho was targeted for a while — ‘his progress being monitored’ — and once it became painfully obvious that the physical or tactical sides of Santos’s game would ever get up to the level we got Nacho for Santos.
If OG is really out for Wed — hoping that it is all rumor — then given the relative fitness of the team members I would play Ox as a CF with Santi and Alexis on the flanks and Ox and Alexis switching roles. With TR7 as box-to-box pressing and hurrying and releasing quick passes to either flanks or forward to Ozil.
The key will be direct runs at the defender with ball at feet that all three of Santi-Ox-Alexis are well capable of. Ox especially while driving in earns a lot of free-kicks and penalties given his physicality (defenders had to use force to take him off the ball) and that could also come in handy.
@413 — I meant “…never get up to the level …”
Doctor F – my point being Nacho was targeted for a summer transfer and when Gibbs was injured, he was brought in at the last second in the January window.
I think the scary thing is all of the other top teams have at least two players who have scored plenty goals playing as loan striker in the Premier League (e.g. City have Aguero, Dzeko, Negredo, and Jovetic!). We have one, who may be out for 3 months.
physioroom.com has og up there, with mikel, theo, gibbs, ospina, and gnabry. we’re second in the table, eh?
no return dates for og, mikel, gibbs, or serge. end of the month for ospina, and 3d week of september for theo.
they seem to be pretty quick to put up injured players…dzeko and johnson are both up from their owies today.
Abb@409 – Really sad. Whatever the problem may be, we need him back in tip top shape.
Dr F@413 – Ox for the box to box role while Ozil and Alexis flank Sanogo. Wilshere and Flamini behind them. Campbell and Rosicky on the bench. That would be MY front six anyway.
scruz and Solid, no mention of Sanogo? (thigh)
Abb – Yaya should be fine for Wednesday (unsubstantiated)
no mention of sanogo, abb. so add another 🙁 or maybe he’s not hurt anymore, and is available for wednesday.
well timed, solid 🙂
Thanks, fellas. So he’s a definite maybe 😉
And we have Joel too. And Poldi xx
SG@417: Unless TR7 is still coming up to full fitness after the off-season, I will start him. His combination of technical quality, pressing , and directness is unmatched in our squad. These are the types of games where he can be absolutely crucial.
I think it is too important a match for Sanogo to start. Having some experience of playing a CL qualifier would help. Yes, he played last season against Fener but not much was expected out of him at that stage and we were anyway almost through.
This is going to be a different game altogether. Lots of nerves early on.
Re: ecg @410. We had one of the most comprehensive scouting jobs on Nacho what with Santi having played many games in the Malaga team with him, and no doubt having made a positive recommendation on him to the boss. Not sure you would qualify that as a panic buy, nor has Nacho’s play been a disappointment in my eyes.
bt8b – totally agree on the purchase of Nacho. I put the phrase “panic buy” in quotes because I think it is a stupid phrase and I don’t believe Arsenal makes any moves that are not well thought out. My point being that Arsene has previously reacted in the transfer window to situations where a key player is injured, and it wouldn’t surprise me if he decided to bring in an experienced striker if Giroud is really out for an estimated 3 months. Which we all know could be 6 months for an Arsenal player.
My guess would be that, between AW’s knowledge of players and his scouting network, no one that comes in, even at the last minute, as an unknown quantity, and especially anyone who has a few years experience on him. I would also expect that when we need to bring in someone to cover an unexpected injury, AW can look at the lists of players being made available by other clubs and touted by agents and rank them off the top of his head in order of desirability for every position. There might be expediency buys, but I doubt very much they are panic buys.
but Ned, it makes for *such* a juicier narrative to call them panic buys.
“carefully scouted expediency purchases” doesn’t roll off the tongue as smoothly as “panic buys” 🙂
AW has been playing a French game of Russian Roulette with OG’s health for over a year now. Amazing he hasn’t lost in all this time until now. 🙁
DRF@361 – thank you for taking the time to first understand and describe accurately the potential difference for interpreting the meaning of the word “expectations” in your post @361 as quoted below for a reminder.
“I guess we all internalize what we mean by ‘expect’ in different ways, to me it carries a connotation of something I deserve rather than something I am privileged to. For instance, I do not ‘expect’ my son to become say a great scientist/musician/writer/footballer/artist etc. etc. but I sure ‘hope’ he becomes one.
I thought the way the word ‘expectation’ was being used by some (not you) that it conveyed almost a sense of ‘demand’. I just expressed my bewilderment — and I mean that without a trace of irony, though I won’t be surprised if you won’t believe me — that we can have such forceful demands on something that is so far removed from the mechanics of our personal lives” end of quote.
DRF, your description above does well describe the starting point for the gap in communication I believe may exist on here sometimes when we all watch the same matches and players with very different reactions and interpretations..
I believe I may have raised the initial question to gregorie as to why (IMHO) it seemed that arsenal fans have “lowered our expectations” in the past few years, in reference to our recent hard fought 2-2 draw v everton and our goalless draw v besiktas.
I/those of us who agreed with my question about the perceived lowering of fans expectations or beliefs, are not demanding an intangible or unrealistic demand of the club, similar to a child throwing out a dummy and having a tantrum.
It is merely a hope or a belief or an expectation to use another word that we believe can win more often than not and as well described by SAG and Steve T, win lose or draw, just “be our best”.
what our best is, is probably a topical discussion as well I am sure, but regardless of what we each think our best is, it certainly should not end up with personal name calling for any on here as we are all on here cause we are arsenal fans.
For 20+ years as an arsenal supporter, born out of my dads love of the arsenal style of football, I have always rated us or compared us with the best in the world and I probably always will.
that is my (and his) arsenal weakness I guess.
This could also explain why my it seems my opinion to certain results can differ to some on here, such as was the case after we scrapped out a draw with everton. I simply believed or expected we could win, maybe 2 nil and certainly not just be lucky to scrap out a 2-2 draw and also 2 down at half time.
when I read on here that we did so well to claw our way back from 2 down and it was a point gained, it simply makes me wonder if the general arsenal fan now has lowered or is lowering his expectations (or belief) to use a better word for the team and the club.
we used to always think we could beat most, including at CL level.
and I don’t remember when we stopped believing that we couldn’t beat Everton away or Besiktas away.
Is that so wrong as a football fan….. I think not.
To put my own beliefs about Arsenal into perspective once and for all.
I would simply love to see our team win the champions league in my time, which is why I constantly compare what we do and how we go about our business in that comparison.
This may also explain why I often use the word world class to describe a player and also why I don’t believe that jack/flam and mikkel fit that bill. they are however good squad players (IMHO)
It is not to be disrespectful to any of those arsenal players, I truly believe that AW could now find better and especially now that his finance restrictions have been lifted somewhat.
I also believe that buying world class does not have to mean unruly or unbudgeted spending. Sanchez, debuchy and Calum Chambers are great examples of this and I also think ozil11 was a steal compared to Gareth bale and co at that level.
Some may think that winning the CL is an unrealistic belief or unachievable expectation based on the unrivalled dollar spend of others, but again I quote either Vinnay or SAG, who said above, why cant we try to beat them on our terms with our beliefs and our dollars. that is Arsenal fun isn’t it…
I certainly believe AW has the experience and skillset to achieve this and I truly think he wants too as well based on his philosophy of money cant/ or shouldn’t be able to buy a soccer trophy.
For those who seem to believe that any of us who seem to have high expectations for the club week in week out, it certainly doesn’t mean we are anti arsenal/anti arsene/anti the club, it only means we expect or believe the club can achieve great things.
hopefully this goes some way to explain as openly as I can why when I see us battle away against Hull in the FA cup, or palace or Everton or besiktas for that matter, regardless of the situation, I am usually looking at those games with a reference or comparison point for our tilt at a CL title one day.
maybe some others on here are as well, but their belief maybe for an FA cup, a community shield or the EPL title.
all arsenal titles are great in my opinion.
Potentially some on here may think this type of belief or expectation is setting up for constant disappointment each season, but it is how I like to view arsenal as a fan, be that right or wrong.
Someone above who disagreed with me originally, suggested they like to lower their expectations, so they are always surprised and pleased by a certain result.
this is ok as well as we are all different.
either way, our beliefs in the team and for the team we support, should not and does not make any of us any less of an arsenal fan.
we all just have different beliefs or expectations for the team we love.
🙂
Hear hear, Ned.
Just as well AW has had faith in OG, 8ball. Without him our 4th place in 2013-14 would likely have been missed. I’m not too worried about OG’s injury, I noted last season the number of times he rolled around on the floor clutching a knee, shin or ankle in apparent agony, only to recover and play out the remainder of the game. I expect him back at the weekend for sure, if not Wednesday. And I bet he’s on the bench for Wednesday, a game we cannot afford to lose. Or even score draw.
Öskar
No hoping in my expectations, aussie. What I ‘expect’ to happen is my opinion based on available facts as interpreted by me. If, for example, I ‘expect’ $hitty, Poo and the chavs to win it certainly isn’t with any hope that they will. Just what I see as the most likely results in their games … the relative probability of what those results will be.
Öskar
I expect and believe Arsenal can beat them all Oskar every time we set foot on the park, even if midweek after travelling to turkey.
that is the game.
(the injury circus does dampen my spirit a tad I will admit)
Even without OG, simply leaves room for young Campbell to surprise many.
Feck. I have mockered OG. Having played down the seriousness of his injury in #431, the first thing I read in the gossip columns after is the likelihood of him being out for 3 months!
Abject apologies one and all. 🙁
Öskar
Have we got eleven players still fit for Wednesday?
Öskar
@ Oskar. I believe the Germans are well rested and raring to go!
Palace- lose Gibbs for several weeks
Besiktas- lose Arteta for several weeks
Everton- lose Giroud for several weeks
By our eleventh game we may not have a team left!
I read Dr.F’s views and NBN’s on Wenger’s lpurchasing predisposition. He seems to me to be essentially conservative and you can’t buy just on impulse but the importance of Giroud to the style of play is the key issue here. We prayed every time he had treatment last year because we didn’t have the options to replace him. This year we have potentially more options but they would change the way we have to play except Sanogo- and Sanogo is one if the most injury prone players in the league. I doubt on his past record if he will last three games without a knock.
Joel Campbell can play the lone striker role and has CL experience but I think Wenger may go with Sanogo as he has huge faith in him. Sadly I haven’t but he is a much better judge than me and sees him play every day. I think a long injury lay- off for our key striker might make Wenger look at a loan deal if a good presents. I think NBN is spot on. He would have an encyclopaedic knowledge of who is available.
Goals are going to be a problem tomorrow night without our two best strikers. I would play Joel upfront with Sanchez and Ox wide and Ozil in behind. That is lots of movement for Ozil to exploit. Midfield will need to be Wilshere and I would play the estimable Rosicky who will run his legs off for the cause and is ultra positive as he always is.
I think Kos and Per will play and Chambers may come on for Rosicky if we get an advantage we can sit on.
2-0 to the good guys in a vital match is my hopeful prediction
Giroud down for 3 months? That’s a blow. Time to finally add a second striker? I hope so. Failure to replace Walcott last year really hurt us, be a real shame if we can’t learn from that lesson.
I dont know how we managed it but it appears we are weaker than last season.
Really frustrating to see others have such deep squads. we know we are just playing for a top 4. No way we can honestly say we are going for at least 3 competitions.
Very well put Aussie. I’m not going to say I agree with it all but it’s well explained. To those who are still struggling it’s clear that at some stage we have all had different expectation levels. Changes in circumstances will see those levels rise or fall. Which ever part of the fence you sit on there is one thing that is clear. That is that we all want the same outcome.
Thanks Aussie, well said that’s all I was trying to say. Wish I could have said it just like you did. We are the Arsenal, I sure do hope with this unfortunate injury to Giroud,that the boss gets a striker in. Don’t know if that would happen, but I can only hope.
I don’t know why everyone is worried about Ollie G. I sincerely hope that he makes Wednesday but if the worst is confirmed we have been told countless times that we have ample cover. That is surely why we considered letting Poldi go out on loan in the first place????? We have bucket loads of attacking options available. All prolific, all with fantastic goal scoring records, especially in the Premier League?????????
So all is well. We have the wonderful Sanchez who is still finding his feet. There is big Joel Campbell who managed an earth shattering 13 goals over the last 3 years during 85 loan appearances. Then there is the dead shot cruiserweight that is YaYa Sanago. The player championed by many for instant greatness. The man who is 23 in January and who has amassed the grand total of 11 senior goals, 10 of which have come in the French second division. The man who not that long ago was considering giving up football to work for the French Post Office.
Now, before everyone jumps on my back and starts to slaughter me let me just say this. I am not anti Campbell or Sanago. I’m not anti anyone that pulls on an Arsenal shirt. I hope both play on Wednesday and I hope both open their accounts in an easy victory. But the fact is that we should not be in this position. Now I know some of the sunnysiders, Ivan for God squad will still have their blinkers at full mast and will totally disagree. That is of course their right to do so. But we were crying out for a top striker last season. This season is no different. And to date we have still done nothing about it.
That noise you hear???? That’s the stable door being slammed shut. If you look very closely in the distance you will catch a glimpse of the horse bolting off in the distance.
I hope both Sanago and Campbell have long and productive Arsenal careers. But to even contemplate starting a season with them as the only credible back up for the striker role I think is a very poor decision indeed and one that I hope is rectified at the earliest opportunity. Then, both may have the chance they need to develop.
Wednesday. Just get through bloody Wednesday with a win and then get it sorted.
Trev. Very interesting reading above. Even more so as my 10 year old son is just coming to the end of his rehab for what appears to be a similar injury. He unfortunately had ligament damage as well.
One question. If it is a fracture is this just bad luck or is this an injury that a player who may have been over played would be susceptible to ??? What I mean is that if he had played too much football would there be a weakness in the area that makes a player more vulnerable or is it just very bad luck??
Should have got Balotelli, we’ve had months to get that deal done. He might be mental, he might not stick around long, he might be disruptive but he might also have scored enough goals to win the league.
Now we’re going to be panic buying but I can’t think of many forwards with Giroud’s ability to bring people into the game that would be available, even if we waved the chequebook around like loons.
Peter Crouch? lol
I go along with your team selection as most likely for Wednesday, Ttg. Personally I would like to see Poldi up front, but I suspect that’s not going to happen as AW will want to keep him out of CL games while there’s a chance he will be sold. Being eligible for CL is a big selling point.
Since AW has shown himself reluctant to play Poldi even when he’s fighting fit I believe selling him is the best option, providing only that we secure someone better. Someone that AW thinks is better anyway.
Öskar
Today’s arseblog is bang on the money.
Balotelli?! I’d have liked a good striker by now. I would not have liked Balotelli.
Balotelli, Cynic? Haven’t we got enough problems??
Öskar
Campbell – I have qualities to thrive
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/20140826/campbell-i-have-qualities-to-thrive
—————
Yes, we’re going to need them qualities come Wednesday!
4-4-2! With all our Germans in and Ox on the other wing. Chambers to fill in for Arteta! That’ll confuse the heck out of the turks!
🙂
I did like That Bayern’s former guy, I think Atlhletico signed him though.
Can’t understand all the panic about Giroud.
It strikes me that the people whinging about his absence now are the same ones who were moaning about his presence in the first place.
The important thing is to remain calm.
The fact is we have alternatives to Giroud. We bought a world class player in Alexis with the intention of possibly playing him at CF. Sanchez is as big a talent as a Cavani, a Di MAria or a Falcao. Ok the notion of him playing up front might have to be fast tracked, but its still a very viable option. We also have Campbell who impressed everyone at the WC and can play as a No 9. And young Sanogo, who may still have to find his scoring boots, has made a serious impact in some of the big games he’s played in so far and is more than capable of providing us with the same physical presence as Giroud. I expect that this will be the line in the presser later today. Any sign of panic means adding millions to any player we bid for before the window shuts.
Wenger has been trying to buy a world class striker for the past year now. I for one would much rather see a top class player come into the club at the highest level rather than some journeyman pro. Thing is, players like these are very hard to get.
I know we can’t get or afford Cavani or Falcao. But there has to be a couple of guys out there that can do a better job right now for us. We just cannot afford to go into the season with just Sanogo, can we? God have mercy on us.
@ Joe
Fully agree, with Giroud out we do have ample (and sufficient?!) backups, however they are not fit or settled yet and it seems our main rivals are off to a flying start already.
That’s why am advocating (rather hoping) for a loan striker instead! I recall last time we were trying for BA on loan but the dour one pulled the plug cause we got Ozil or summat like that.
Call that a compromise!
Now i await getting slagged from both sides of the fence.
😀
Morning all,
Steve T,
From what I remember, OG’s leg was off the ground when the ball hit it. As such the foot was essentially hanging when the ball struck it. The sudden extreme inversion ( bending inwards) of the foot, with that kind of force, could be enough to cause the damage to the fibula.
It didn’t look like it was anything at all to do with overuse.
Thanks Trev. I did not know if it was something that could happen as a result of a weakness in that area. Just my own curiosity getting the better of me.
Hello All,
We seem to have got ourselves into a lot of confusion over the use of the words ‘expectation’, ‘hope’ etc.
A lot of people have expressed expectations that I cannot share. After a lot of debate it would appear those people actually hold these views as hopes more than expectations. These we can all definitely share.
Always enjoy the effort made in here to express our views as well as possible. Sometimes it takes us a while to feel we have got our point across but there is a wonderful respect in simply bothering to re-post and clarify and debate- when an idiot is an idiot then who cares?
But when someone you respect does not follow your argument you try harder to bridge the gap. I’ve enjoyed all sides to quite an abstract debate about the nature of football support. Typically thoughtful stuff.
And now I’ve got to work…
Just my two shillings worth, but if the idea of playing the net 3 months with Yaya Sonogo doesn’t terrify you I think you are a raving nutter.
We are playing City, Chavski, S**rs and Manure in that period. In the 4 corresponding fixtures last season we managed 2 goals. Whatever reservations you may have about Giroud as a big game striker – and I have some – impossible not to think he’s a better option than Sonogo.
Of course, we could play Sanchez up there, but we become tiny as a team. Maureen will do his usual clog the middle make us cross it routine. Anyone with any sense will. That’s fine if we can take some 1-0’s out of these games, but then we’re asking Arteta to hold things down on the counter-attack, which he couldn’t come close to doing last season.
Maybe we will dig in and fight through these games on our way to the title. I believe, but I would be far happier if our attacking options were boosted by another top class player. I look forward to being proved wrong, but Sonogo terrifies me, especially when so many other players are looking so rusty still.
#FreeCavani
Get on the dog and tell Eto’o that his dream has come true and he can have a season at the Arsenal filling in until HFB is fully fit and mentoring the development of Alexis, Sanogo and Campbell.
Some wonderful drinks posted overnight and this morning. A few emerging from a fog of misinterpretation to make plain their opinions and a few throwing off the cloak of obfuscation to reveal their true colours. I love it.
Roll on, say the second early-season interlull when all will have settled down in the Premier League and we can take a proper view on how things are shaping up.
COYG
Hope the 2+2 = Poldi staying stories are true. Get him playing up front please Arsene.
Bath,
My thoughts exactly. He has played at Barca and is well versed in the kind of passing game we like to play.
Has a fair idea where the onion bag is too. 😉
End of today’s Arseblog:
“it’s impossible not to think that the next six days will be absolutely crucial if we really do want to build a squad that can win the league and challenge in all competitions. Make the right moves and we’re in business. If we don’t, it’s difficult to see us achieving much more than the usual.”
Trev, Bath, couldn’t agree more. Having senior players to mentor the juniors?????? It’s not rocket science is it? It also used to be something we did so well.
El Puno. You cut that nonsense out this second or you will be forever known as a doomer.
🙂
From today’s Arseblog.
“With all due respect to Yaya Sanogo and Joel Campbell, I’m not
convinced they’ve yet got what it takes to score the goals we need
(and Campbell, to my mind, is not really a natural replacement, having
played most of his career in the wide areas). As for Podolski, he
would give us depth but again the times we’ve played him as a
centre-forward haven’t exactly suggested that’s his best position.”
But what does he know?????
🙂
Could do with some sunnysiders here in the French Alps at the moment. It’s bloody hacking it down.
Il plus le chat et le chien. Beaucoup.
Steve T – I glaube dass du will “pleut” schreiben.
At times like this, there is only one answer.
Recreational drugs. Industrial strength.
Get ‘m whilst stocks last. 😎
Three weeks ago, I was over the moon. Now, don’t know how am feeling. Hope we can beat Beskitas tomorrow, that should light up the mood a little bit.COYG
Well.. in the absence of Giroud’s replacement, assuming that he is out for 3 months of course, maybe we should try 4-4-2. True a little tinkering here and there to see who plays well with whom and we can give it a go.
Lest everyone forgets, Theo is coming back as well.
Still think the defence and midfield is just lacking a player or two.
Guess we’ll see if there’s any more transfers after Besiktas. That will gauge the resiliency and competency of the current team.
The sky isn’t falling yet is it?!?!
😀
SCG@427, ecg@428: 🙂
http://instagram.com/p/sKEKjcOJzy/
Poldi trained with the team today. At least that means the rumours about him being in Germany as was claimed yesterday (or maybe Sunday, can’t remember) to finalise a deal are wrong.
Suddenly a routine game on wed albeit a must win has now become a game on which hinges a season. Errrrr maybe dramatic but i think the point is made that tomorrow night will be crunch to a lot and sundry concerning The Arsenal.
I know we will win, we all know we will win, yet the pal-able tension will be there till we do so.
I expect Ozil to have a great game, the man will be played in the center for the experiment of having jack there did not work. So the genius is back and he will even set up even sanogo to score and then all is well.
Well, all is not well even if we qualify for lets be honest expectations or no expectations, this team is short in personnel. Without a striker,DM we are way to exposed and not addressing the issue is foolhardy.
Yes strikers and DM’s on the last week of a transfer window will be over priced and tough to get. If it is desperate, we need to go the extra mile and that is the case now.
Cerci is not a striker, he again is those wingers who like cutting in and joining the attack, he is not an out and out striker.
Failed medical not withstanding, can we get Remy, he should be able to stand on his feet for atleast 6 months right.
Carvalho/Gustavo, anyone please, it is mandatory.
Wenger just rather unequivocally said Podolski is going nowhere.
More injury updates from Wenger:
“Arteta is a short-term injury but is out for tomorrow.
“Kieran Gibbs will be back after the internationals (this weekend).”
On Giroud: “He will not play tomorrow (v Besiktas), will see a specialist. It can be (a long injury) but we will see tomorrow.”
So nothing is conclusive yet! Anyway chin up and let’s see how it goes!
Bring on Besiktas! 4-4-2 ’em!!!
😀
DB10, spot on there. This has turned into a quite bizarre transfer window, where good early buys sent a wave of optimism rippling through the supporter base, and suddenly 3 games later we look threadbare and hanging onto the wispy fibres of a wafer thin squad.
Add to that the fact that we’ve now (according to F365) signed the fewest players in the league this window – can that really be true?! It’s not all about the numbers but we know we were thin on the ground.
I guess we’re as we were then – I can’t say what I expect until the window closes but it doesn’t look like we’ll improve on last season’s league position.
Back to just enjoying my football match by match then.
😀
BB: Giroud plays a particular role in the team as the pivot of the attack, which AW calls “the plank” because he is the forward the other attackers bounce their passes off. The raw Sanogo is the closest to fitting that role (you need size and strength as much as speed; see Sanchez vs Everton). If AW wants to stick with the attacking system (4-2-3-1), he now either has to play Sanogo or bring in a player in the same mold to cover for Giroud’s absence. Or he falls back to 4-4-2, which puts the team at risk of being outnumbered three to two in central midfield and thus easily pulled out of shape. Apart from two flying wingers (and one of ours is injured), the other thing you need with 4-4-2 is a tackling box-to-box midfielder in the Vieira mold (which is what AW had when 4-4-2 was his default formation). The closest we have to that is suspended for the Besiktas game. Or you play more narrowly with a diamond formation, which tends to make games more attritional, probably not where we want to be against Besiktas. On the basis of the above, Sanogo seems the likely starter on Wednesday with Ozil, Rosicky and Sanchez behind; the Ox and Flamini behind them and a back four of Debuchy, Per, Koz (if fit) and Nacho in front of Sir Woj. Santi, Poldi, Jack, Campbell, Chambers (if not starting) and Martinez on the the bench.
Eto’o at Everton. I guess the cover for HFB will be internal re-organisation rather than signing a useful albeit largely uninspiring addition such as Bony or Remy or pushing the boat out for a Falcao loan (cost £20m) and a real tilt at the title.
472 pic 🙂
.
“Fellas, you remember all those bones
I just pointed at?
They’re the ones you aren’t to break.
Okeydokey? ”
.
poldi/ lexi – “Okeydoubledokey! “
@NBN
Excellent analysis, thank you very much for taking the time to illustrate our formation in clear and concise detail!
But how about throwing Diaby( methinks he’s fit if am not mistaken) into that 4-4-2 and putting Chambers in place of Flamini, somehow Sanogo at this moment of time just does not inspire confidence against a turkish site out to muscle us.
Still it may play out as you see it, who am I to question Arsene’s
tactics as he’s clearly set on Sanogo to see it out this season.
And who knew Chambers would be thrown into the deep end with next to no acclimatization!
I feel that there’s no more transfers for us, at least in the striker position. A loan would be ideal, do you think Besiktas will loan us BA?
😀
Anyway am not as downbeat as I was when I thought it was confirmed that Giroud would be out for 3 months! Still hoping for the best.
Once again, many thanks for that clear overview!
Really sad news about Manuel Almunia having to retire. He was due to move to Cagliari but failed the medical when they discovered he has a heart problem. It’s the same one that Marc-Vivien Foe had so although his retirement is sad, it could have been far worse for him.
Good luck, Manuel.
Love Podolski, me !
Amazing stats for his minutes on the pitch – and all in odds and sods.
We have to reorganise anyway – find a way to get the best out of him.
Poldi up front with Alexis – ready made 24 carat gold. Oh yes !
Besiktas – Be-sick-tas !
Still hoping, too, that Giroud’s quotes have been lost in translation and he has in fact broken his ‘uncle’ and not his ‘ankle’. 😉
Do some people actually know what ‘expectation’ actually means, or do they think it means ‘hope’ or even ‘belief’? Do people buy dictionaries any more?
Do some people realise that spending the best part of £450m on a stadium, built at the same time as two of the richest men in the World took over direct rivals, will obviously impact on the expectations (though not the hopes), of anyone with a) more than 3 brain cells and/or b) a smidgeon of common sense and/or c) even a passing knowledge of the financial circumstances at the Club?
Are those whose expectations weren’t, it seems, at all affected by these seismic events wilfully blind, innocently uncomprehending, or just a bit dim?
Who are all these people who ‘champion Sanogo for instant greatness’? Are they the same people who don’t ‘get’ how vital Champions League Qualification is?
For how long will the utterly meaningless and ultimately unachievable “be the best that we can be” line be accepted as short hand code for ‘I love a good moan me”?
When some people write ‘why can’t we try and beat them on our terms and with our dollars’ do they realise that that was exactly what Arsenal were trying to do last Saturday, the Saturday before that, the ten years before that and the 118 years before that or has that escaped them?
Will those who were previously moaning about Giroud not being good enough and now moaning about him being out, cause such a rupture to the space/time continuum that the head of Robbie Savage (Chief of Vacuity) will explode?
Why does a draw at Everton provoke people to write that some fans ‘stopped believing’ we could win at Everton, Besiktas? Do some people realise that there is a difference between the hopes/beliefs/expectations themselves, and an acceptance when those hopes/beliefs/expectations are not met? Did my expectation of a 2-0 win at Everton change when I accepted a 2-2 draw or should I have spat the dummy and vented my rage at the final whistle to ‘preserve’ my expectation?
Who wouldn’t “love us to win the Champions League”? Anyone? Anyone? Does the mere stating of my desire give me an excuse to start talking bollocks?
Do 9 question marks at the end of a sentence mean something different to just the 6 or even 4? Is it still acceptable to just use the one?
Am I one of those who are ‘struggling’? Is it as easy to run a football club, where all expectations are constantly met, as some make out? Should I buy a football Club if it’s so easy? Would it be the ‘best that it can be”?
Questions, questions, questions. 😉
Hear, hear Cynic.
Tabs,
When I was more actively involved in tennis and ski coaching, a number of tutors on communications courses overused, in my opinion, the word ‘expectation’.
Performers would constantly complain that their results weren’t up to expectations. It seems the same sort of thing is happening here.
My solution was to ban the word ‘expectation’ and replace it with ‘intention’. In the context at the time it improved the desire and mood of players markedly.
The problem we have in our context as supporters, is that we are reliant on the intentions of others – board, manager, players. We have to assume they are doing their best – and I do.
In any event, the word ‘expectation’ seems to be something that a lot of people can’t understand or deal with.
Maybe they should use it with greater care.
Hi holics,
Joe @ 451. Amen. Looks like we’re holding onto Poldi (yeah!) too.
Our passing game in the final third must be spot on Wednesday for those players you mentioned, to take full advantage.
City’s play in front of goal yesterday, was a master class of how it should be done. Nasri in particular. Without Ramsey, it’s not going to be easy for us, but Ozil and TR can make it happen. YES THEY CAN!
So much there to agree with, tabs. So much.
And noting to disagree with. At all.
A drink on the bar for you, and a couple more behind it.
COYG
@Takeabowson, or should i say take a bow master. Excellent writeup and thought provoking. Maybe all of us including me allow the fan in us allow the emotions to over flow and hence the reactions.
I for one was happy with our fight back. At the half time, as i was sitting in the sports bar hearing enough groans and abuses, i just wished that we turn this around. I was like why cant we do it once, viola it happened though i must confess i wanted us to win the game.
Arsenal is a part of life, a big part i must say for me. Hence maybe even the minutest of things affect in more ways than one.
On to wed, it wont be easy but then an early goal should settle the nerves and to be honest this could be a game to kick start the season.
So to add in to the wish list of a striker/dm and a cb, a 6-0 win will be nice. Come on you Gunners.
Masterful tabs. Sums it ALL up.
Clearly not if you were running it tabs. I’m guessing you would just sit back and accept it all. And before you chuck even more toys out of the pram think back to the conversation we had along with others on the 6th July 2013 whilst sat in a pub off of Brick Lane. Try to remember what you were told about the future plans of this club and then what really happened.
“For how long will the utterly meaningless and ultimately unachievable “be the best that we can be” line be accepted as short hand code for ‘I love a good moan me”?”
Thought you were better than that. It’s not about moaning. It’s about wanting the best for the club. If you think we have been and still are achieving that then good luck to you. I respect your opinion. I think we fall well short. Personally I’m bored with hearing the same old excuses.
As I said, you believe what you want to believe. If you think being the best you can be is unachievable then you have probably answered your own question.
Drink on the bar for you my old friend. Enjoy.
Pangloss, after TaBs monumental discourse above, surely he could expect more than 3 drinks….this is a virtual bar non?
Personally I expect the team to give its best on the day and hope they come out of it with the success that warrants. Whatever the outcome I repeat that hope ad infinitum. 🙂
tabs 🙂
god help the poor bugger
who short changes you in the pub
Just to add my props to all the superb drinks above, nowhere else gets near it. Far to many to nod individually. If all else fails, a visit to the Feelgood Foundation recommended…. If only it was available on the NHS 😉
Sorry mates, but I can’t think past Wednesday! Got me a one track mind. Qualify!!!
Howdy cba, how’s the dung meter reading today?
howdy up
reading low
Being “the best you can be” is surely, by definition, a virtually impossible achievement.
It’s the same as attempting to be “perfect” – it’s a nice aspirational, “aim for the stars” type target, but it’s not worth getting too het up when we fall a little short – the bar is high.
Is there a single regular poster in this place who would seriously claim to be “the best he or she can be”? I very much doubt it. Does that make us all inept, defective, or careless? Not in all cases. 🙂
It’s been said before, but when I read someone who constantly coats off the club and then proclaims it’s only because they want the best for it, it brings to mind the man who only beats his wife because he loves her so intensely. Oh, for a love like that.
Does this mean we all have to pretend that everything is hunky dory? Of course not – that would be daft, and it clearly isn’t.
But let’s stop and take stock and look at the big picture: we won a trophy at long last. We made the big signings so many doubted we would ever make. We are quite clearly moving forward. Let’s have a bit of balance, and keep some perspective.
It may take us a little time to reach our overall destination, but maybe the club and the manager have earned a bit of breathing space now while they work it all out.
My personal prediction is that we’ll win the title next season. I think it’ll take three summer transfer windows of spending to fill in all the squad gaps and piece it altogether: you can’t turn these things around on a dime, and we’ve years of under-investment to counteract.
If that proves the case, then I’m fine with it. I’ve waited ten years, I can wait one or two more. So long as the club and the team is moving in the right direction I’m happy: the detail I will simply entrust to the manager, and I will ride out the bumps in the road as they come.
Moaning doesn’t make you any more of a fan, or some sort of knowledgeable elder statesman of the supporting community. Enjoying the football and broadly backing the team doesn’t make you a brainless simpleton who will simply take whatever he’s given.
COYG
Cba – good new, seems like its safe to visit the local beer purveyor then tomorrow evening. Must take advantage of such occurrences 😉
Lays an Oezil through ball to the edge of the area….
Backheels it towards….
Me!!!!
Go on son, a flying header…..
Bon Merde. 😎
Tabs & N7: Excellent posts.
If we manage the win tomorrow — which we really should — and add at least one more the DM/CB department (preferably two) then we will start the season considerably in better position than last.
If Poldi is staying I would play him in Giroud’s role (assuming we are not signing any striker). Yes he doesn’t quite have the physicality or the work rate, and we would lose Giroud’s defensive contributions in set-pieces (which were key to our good record last season) but on the other hand Poldi won’t have to do the defensive tracking down in the wings, his link-up play is decent, can score headed goals so a good enough target man. But most importantly will score with that left foot of his goals in and around the penalty box.
A slight modification would be needed with our #10 — Ozil/Santi — pushed up and closer to Poldi and used as the fulcrum for the passing rotation (in contrast to Giroud being that player) whereas Poldi stays deeper in the opposition box. We rely less on the runners to score but use them to open up space for Poldi to shoot who will have a better conversion rate.
Aaron/Jack/TR7 — whoever is playing the box-to-box — must show a great tenacity and intelligence to press high and press intelligently and release the ball quickly so that Ozil-Poldi don’t have to drop back frequently but can stay up.
dr F 🙂
.
Uply ,yeah
been doin’ me vocal exercises
in roarin’ readiness
big pram fulla toys and a rosey red dummy
to chuck at tabs
in the rare event all turns to shit
cos if i’m gonna get told off
it’s to the top i go
😉
tabs and n7, thank you. here’s a couple gallons of your favorite tipple, to be enjoyed at your leisure.
heh, cba, I think that low level is fairly self-correcting 😉
Being “the best you can be” is surely, by definition, a virtually impossible achievement.
It’s the same as attempting to be “perfect”
N7. It’s the opposite in my view. It’s accepting that you will never be perfect. It’s making the best of what you have. Nothing more, nothing less.
“It’s been said before, but when I read someone who constantly coats off the club and then proclaims it’s only because they want the best for it, it brings to mind the man who only beats his wife because he loves her so intensely. Oh, for a love like that.”
Before I go any further, is that directed at me?
Steve,
You’re probably right re my fictional football Club. I’m far too horizontal to ever get it working and I see successive relegations for it. Still, better than going bust in a fortnight, which judging from some of the ‘wishlists’ I’ve seen on here, together with the wilful misinterpretation of the Club’s finances that you still indulge in, would be a racing certainty if I were to sell my Club to you or others here. No doubt that the last line heard in the Liquidation courts would be ‘ but we were only trying to be the best that we can be Sir’.
Not sure why you’re getting your knickers in a twist now about my distaste for the ‘be the best that we can be’ line. I have never hidden what I think of it, either on here or in person with you over a beer. You are at liberty to continue to use it, as do many others, but I am at liberty to continue to mock it. I am at liberty to give my opinions and you are at liberty to mock them in the same way. That’s the way it used to work around here. Has this place changed so much?
Somewhat surprised by the sensitivity given that in the last couple of days, we’ve heard from you that (so far, unspecified) people are ‘struggling’ don’t ‘get it’, have the ‘full blinkers’ on and are ‘sunnysiders Ivan for God squad’. Does it only work one way then? Are people not allowed to answer with an opposing viewpoint without being patronised with ‘I thought you were better than that’? Dishing it out but not taking it? Blimey!
As for the conversation off Brick Lane over a year ago, I’m at a loss to know what relevance that has to anything. I told you, and others, some gossip, told you where that gossip came from, and to take it with a large dose of salt. The info turned out to be 100% wrong which I have acknowledged with a grin numerous times. That you clearly forgot to take the requisite amount of salt is your affair, and nobody elses.
You might be tired of ‘excuses’. Frankly I’m tired of reading the same old facile criticisms.
Still anyway, apologies, offence has obviously been taken, I clearly haven’t been the ‘best that I can be’, so one on the bar for you in return old son.
cba @492 – Normally too pissed to notice 😉
Cheers for the kind ones and drinks Pangloss, Baff, Up and Vinay, though you realise that puts you in the ‘we don’t get it’ crowd!
Trev @ 485 – Interesting stuff and couldn’t agree more.
@ Steve
Bit about the wife-beater not remotely directed at you. For what it’s worth, I think you moan and celebrate in at least equal measure, which I suppose is all I’m really asking for.
Re: best you can be – whether you regard this phrase as equivalent to perfection, you must surely recognise that it’s a very, very high bar, and that failing to meet it is therefore not just possible, but actually quite likely?
I love the central premise that we should aim to be the best we can be. I fucking hate it when people use the fact that we are not “the best we can be” as a stick to beat the club with. Because that simply isn’t fair.
Imagine turning up for a work appraisal and being told: “Steve, you’ve had a great year, but let me ask you this: have you been the best that you could be?” I don’t know about you, but I’d react very badly to that question, not least because my name isn’t Steve.
“Best that you can be” is a very sensible high bar aspiration. It is not, however, a sensible practical barometer by which to measure real-world performance.
NBN,
If all else fails we should employ this tactic in our free kicks :
http://i.imgur.com/EYsdhsX.gif
😀
Tabs – proud to be in the “don’t get it” crowd. Ashamed that during my looooong period of frustration with the “be the best you can be” garbage I never found the courage and words to explode it as thoroughly as you have done today.
I am not worthy.
COYG
I’m going tomorrow. So’s my lad. We’re gonna get up town early, have a pizza (well he is, I shall probably stick with Pironi), then some more ale (again he’ll be on lemonade) in The Pins or The Eaglet or some other kid friendly pub. Then we’re gonna go in the ground and have a fuckin’ excellent time – singing, shouting abuse at the opposition, more singing, etc. And then, win, lose or draw, we’ll go home and normal life will resume.
I really don’t give a fuck about the rest of it.
Heh @ Esso
I think that’s probably the smart approach. Hope your boy enjoys the game.
Tabs. My comments such as Ivan for God and blinkers at full mast were attempts at humour. They were in response to some of your less complimentary comments, made I took as also in part jest and in part as an opinion. Your dislike of “the best you can be ” is not new as you have told me numerous times. You are also quite right in that you are more than entitled to your opinion and viewpoint. The world would be a very dull place if we all thought the same. No knicker knotting at all I can assure you. Our views on the clubs finance are a great example. We clearly have vastly different views. Good luck to you. As I have said on numerous occasions, we shall agree to differ.
N7. For the last time. Being the best you can be for me is achievable. It is something that I have lived my life by. It is something I say to my kids every day. Is it achievable every day? Of course not. Is that failure? Of course not. But every day you should strive to be the best you can be. To n
Giroud out until January apparently. Get Poldi in there for me. Tomorrow looking more and more nervy from here, they gave us a game last time and will know a score draw does the job.
People have opinions on football. Not everyone agrees. No need to get angry, rude, or take it as a personal insult. Some people seem to be locked in to almost theological battles over the right way to perceive The Arsenal. Just enjoy it, that’s my take. And remember that people can do that in a variety of ways, it is personal and subjective.
Stay classy, just like The Arsenal.
…..to not strive to be the best you can be? That to me is unacceptable. I don’t ask you, or anyone to agree but I hope that clarifies the point?
Your reference to the wife beater as part of a football analogy I’m sorry to say is way off the mark and offensive. For the last 25 years I have dealt with both victims and perpetrators of domestic abuse. Some of those victims have lost their lives. Some of the abusers are now serving life sentences. I’m sure from all of your previous posts that you meant no offence but I would respectfully request that you choose your phrases with a little more care.
Pangloss. One of my other silly little phrases is never be afraid to ask the question. It saddens me that you never once had the courage to ask the question and I hope you can be braver in the future.
For all those going tomorrow, enjoy. ESSO, Trev and others taking their offspring I hope you have a wonderful evening. Having been fortunate enough on many occasions to take my own kids I know how special the days can be. My pub of choice has always been The Eaglet when the kids are in tow.
And with all that said I will take my leave from this fine establishment and depart. There will be no more moans, groans, silly little phrases or attempts at humour. Everything in life reaches a natural conclusion. I would like to thank each and everyone of you for your wit, humour and knowledge. I have very much enjoyed sharing the debates with each and every one of you. Last of all my heartfelt thanks to you Holic for creating and managing such a wonderful forum for us all. I wish you all health, happiness and continued Goonerism. Despite your viewpoint remember this. Deep down we all want the same.
To those who frequent the Tollie no doubt we will share a real drink at a future match day. To those who get up at all sorts of hours to follow this great club, I will always remain in awe.
Enjoy boys and girls. Up The Gunners.
Tabs and N7: Good stuff
BB@ 509: Enjoyed the video. However, with Arsenal’s luck, having 6 of our players around the ball for the freekick, the ball would probably rebound from the wall and allow the other team to counter-attack and score on us. Lol!
COYG!
This place is incredibly fraught at the moment, so……
Take a step back and consider – Man Utd are going to pay anything between 60 and 75 million spondoolicks for a man who is in need of a good feed.
Can you imagine what one Shawcross lunge would do to those wee spindly legs?
I fear for the lad.
Unless someone can take him to McDonalds, sharpish. 😛
Superb scenes:
http://www.101greatgoals.com/blog/social/arsenals-gunnersaurus-opens-a-twitter-account-starts-with-als-picks-spurs-chelsea-mascots/?
517 – this is after they spent 40mil+ on a pair of left sided players already!
Steve T, I do hope you will reconsider. Pint of your choice on the bar.
Ya know why everyone’s grumpy?
It’s probably related to Arsene or Giroud or Ivan or The Arsenal..
Maybe it’s the darn Germans ..could be the Turks too, sure they had something to do with it somehow….useless oilers… and definitely Di Maria and his bad life choices… if only Abou is fit, just for ninety minutes tomorrow..
Sentiments are expressed better by the quote below..
I believe that life is a game, that life is a cruel joke, and that life is what happens when you’re alive and that you might as well lie back and enjoy it.” ― N. Gaiman, American Gods
*So long as we beat Besiktas on the morrow, otherwise you know where you can shove it N.G…
Up The Arse!
😀
Their transfer strategy appears to be, a little bit, headless-chicken.
Good – they can feed it to Di Maria.
Or as Dwight Yorke called him yesterday Dia Maria (he was probably thinking of his favourite poncy drink!).
steve T
all the best big man
my contributions here are essentially pointless
yours most definitely aren’t
cheers fella
Steve T: I hope that wasn’t a goodbye post. The establishment will not be the same without your presence. I think you contribute massively to the great debates in this place.
We all want the best for the club. Let’s unite and cheer on the team to glory folks.
Steve T, come back.
Sure you owe me a pint! 😎
Steve,
While I completely agree with Tabs and N7 in todays debate – I’d hate for that to be the end of your contributions on here, which have always been interesting and insightful.
The blog is only as good as the sum of its parts, and your an essential ingredient in making this place tick Steve.
I think you’ve taken things a little too personally, when in fact, none of the comments were honestly intended in that light.
Contentious subjects will as ever bring about contentious discussion. I know all too well, having come out second best in the recent discussions about Cesc. Thats the way the wheel turns in this place. You make your case and see if it stands up to scrutiny because at the end of it all, we all have the same ambitions for the club.
Reconsider mate. Would hate to loose you.
Good breakdown on the club site:
http://player.arsenal.com/player/5364-the-breakdown-everton-a?
Decent point, with good spirit getting a point after two very poorly conceded goals. Furry muff. On to the Turks now 🙂
What Joe and others said Steve.
@516 Impec1
Oh.. they score a goal from our luckless free kick eh?
Well allow me to post our response : http://i.imgur.com/OviU102.gif
(Posted this earlier @259 too! 😀 )
Bring on Besiktas!
Steve T, We all need you here. Sometimes you write what am thinking more than I could. COYG!!!!
There is a new shrine in my temple that I’ve dedicated to Mr David Moyes who has made this summer for me. What a wonderful fall from grace – £60m for a toothpick and chances are its only going to get better and better. November 22nd they come to the Ems, and I’ll be holding a candle for Moyesy on the North Bank.
Everyone is grumpy because we’ve had a terrible run of misfortune with injuries, optimism has been stirred by the early transfer dealings but angst has slowly grown over the last two weeks and has turned to tension because…
TOMORROW IT COULD ALL GO TO SHIT!
*tears at hair and flesh in a self destructive frenzy*
*takes deep breath*
…but it won’t
will it?
If anyone hasn’t seen the Ox at today’s presser on the Arsenal site (you only need to register to watch it), do watch it. He is as nimble mentally as he is with his pins. Dodged all the traps in a most elegant fashion.
Fantastic performance from the young man. Makes you proud to have him at the Arsenal. Future captain material, without question.
He has no doubts.
GO WIN ARSENAL
@531 Joe
They’re focusing so much on their attack, that they neglect their weakest aspect ..defence! They could still spend their adidas money before the transfers close though so won’t write them off yet.
Am eagerly awaiting the time when Van Gaal shows his true colours and graces their team with his family jewels! 🙂
Moyes is probably raising his glass every time the final whistle is heard, horrific way to let the manager go!
😀
Steve T….you are 100% genuine article and your presence here will be missed. Here’s hoping you will re-consider after giving it some thought.
Cheers.
Steve T. What Uply said. You should always do what you think is right — another maxim to live by — but as I hope you will take from the comments above, there are plenty herein who think this bar wouldn’t be the best it can be without you.
Ox and Arsene Presser : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FtdrztnVzk
😀
We’ll miss you Steve T.
It’d be a shame if you stayed away.
Enjoy your Holiday’s Steve.
Gents, just in from a long day at work to see the carnage. All I have ever asked of the drinkers is that we debate with respect. Everybody has reasons why they infrequently slip from that ideal, and nobody knows that better than I. Frequently a one-off will be overlooked, by many I hasten to add. I have only ever ip banned four individuals from this place who persisted with their abusive posts and bad manners.
Appreciate it is a fraught time, the last week of the transfer window, and we have had the nerve to suffer two draws in a row, but lets not turn friend on friend, Gooner on Gooner. There are other sites where that is far more welcome, and expected.
Thank you.
Twatter saying L’Equipe saying we will bid again fir Cavani 🙂
#PrayForCavani
#FreeCarvalho
BB @529: Haha! Lovely response indeed.
Bath: I watched the presser and had similar thoughts. Ox was very intelligent and displayed exceptional eloquence. Interestingly, even Arsene was impressed as he exclaimed that the Ox “could be a manager” based on his responses.
The Ox seems a very humble, intelligent, articulate and affable chap. Future captain material indeed. The club’s future in in good hands, despite what many might want us to think. COYG!
Esso-have a top day mate and I know your lad will, Sharing the Arsenal experience with your boy is a great privilege. I’m sure we’ll have a successful night as well.
BB@509: Pretty nifty free-kick regardless of the trickery.
Our track record with trick free-kicks isn’t too good. Remember this penalty cock-up:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzPMvAIrtQs.
This is what was meant to have happened:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3nXsxMibO4
After doing some thinking about the Di Maria to ManU deal I have to say I do fear it may be a very good signing for them, perhaps not primarily for what he brings to the team on the pitch but because signing him may be the signing that persuades other big names to sign for them.
Having said that, you do have to wonder how much more money there really is to spend. I know they have their new commercial deals and all that jazz but they’ve spent somewhere in the region of 180-190 million quid since January and that is on transfer fees alone. They can’t spend all that sponsorship money on transfers, they have to pay wages as well and with Mata, Rooney, RvP and Di Maria on the books those four alone must account for rather many millions per year. I mean, just Rooney’s reported 300 k per week amount to 15.6 million a year.
Bundle 🙂 !!!
H2H break out the medicine my old friend, it’s time to dispense on Mass 😉
@544 NBN
Ah.. those days! 🙂
Well if there’s any good news, at least Poldi is staying! He doesn’t get many games but almost always gets us the crucial goal! If it was up to me would let his contract run down.
For someone not first choice, that’s the quality we hope to have on the bench, ready to come on!
Well said, Guv’nor. Just a bit of blood on the carpet that we can mop up if we are of a mind.
Bath: The Ox was indeed most accomplished at the presser. It is a pleasure to hear well formed sentences coming out of a player’s mouth that have clearly passed through his brain first. Apart from one “at the end of the day” he also managed not need the pro’ go-to set of “Well, Brian” clichés.
Are we to assume from his presence that he will start against Bestikas?
steveT, what ned said at 536, and others. i don’t always agree with the take you take, but i am glad you take it. certainly it’s welcome here, very much so.
Wow!
Everton has just signed Eto’o on a one-year deal! There’s another team in serious contention for a top 4 now!
Some incredibly insightful stuff here which is a big challenge to me. I have sympathy with some excellent comments by Tabs and Steve T and N7 who are all 100% committed supporters but with slightly different ways of expressing that commitment.
When I was in corporate life years ago it was much more interesting and valuable to appraise high performers and challenge them to do better than to run through the year with people who couldn’t care less. It would be a great privilege and challenge to appraise Arsene Wenger. (and you can appraise people who are more talented than you!) In doing so one would learn a huge amount about things we aren’t privy to and don’t appreciate. But even so any honest discussion should surface concerns about some aspects of anybody’s performance. That challenge doesn’t make you negative or critical it makes you concerned and inquisitive and its how even great performers improve.
I’ve mentioned before my disquiet about logging onto the Untold Arsenal website. If you’ve never done it and want to know what tunnel vision is like have a look. I find it really scary . Its like wandering into the middle of a religious ritual and finding that they are worshipping the same thing as you do but in a very alien way. They never question Wenger. This notion of infallibility isn’t healthy and its not right. I don’t think a man of his intellect and quality would be comfortable with it himself.
The shades of difference on this site are significant but reflect a keenness to see the club prosper. My old Dad, now watching from the celestial stands often said to me “That Wenger is a genius but he doesn’t half do some odd things” But he always respected him even if he didn’t agree.
The general tenor of things in this bar is that we are privileged to support a very special football club that has a value and tradition which marks it out from other clubs. If N7 is right and we do win the League next year how incredibly proud we would be that we did it in a way that we could respect without having bought the trophy with ill-gotten gains from a corrupt Russian empire or seen a club effectively purchase it outright with oil revenues from a Gulf state with no history or heritage in the game.
That wouldn’t be the view of most football fans. Win at all costs, in any way and who cares if we show no class in doing so is the credo of the average TalkShite listener. I think we as a club believe that Arsenal really does stand for more than that .Sure we want us to compete like hell but never to forget who we are and what we represent.
I don’t think any of the posters in that debate have views incompatible with that even though they differ. I’m sympathetic to where Steve T comes from but Tabs speaks so much sense in what he says. I will always love Arsenal to bits but I will expect those that run the club to plan coherently and to care as passionately as we do. And if they don’t calling them out is our prerogative as fans whether we are season ticket holders or live halfway across the world.
So, my shirts (Özil home, Alexis away and lady Santi cup for my better half) arrived and I must say Puma did very very good job with them. The colors look much more vivid then on TV screen. Will really enjoy donning them over the course of season.
To victory tomorrow! Cheers! https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/37736480/cheers.jpg
..and yes thats me sipping some very fine moravian muscadet:P
TTG,
Agree. Win at All costs soon becomes.. win but at What cost!
Although I have a thing or two to pick about our owners and the other major shareholder… !
😀
Well said everybody about the team we all love.
Steve T – Sometimes I’ve agreed and sometime I’ve disagreed, but I’ve always found your posts excellent and frequently found myself taking a second look at my own thoughts and opinions after reading. Please don’t stay away for too long. A drink of your choice at the bar on my tab.
Fine post, ttg.
TTG,
What a great post – Tis what makes this place special, The chance to debate without turning it into a slanging match,and long may it continue.
You can piss off too Zico 😉
Eandy,
Are those pics the potential signings we have splattered on the wall behind ?!
Cheers & Bring on Besiktas!
Unrelated random pic of Patrick the Wombat (yes he is that big!) : http://i.imgur.com/FYJAUT0.jpg
Can we use him to scare them turks?!
🙂 😀
Steve T,
How very dare you. Get back in here, sharpish ! 😉
Actually just lot of random pictures BB, tickets from concerts, festivals, postcards, photos etc 😀
Steve T. Please say it ain’t so that you won”t be in the drinks any more. You are a thinking man and on many occasions have opened my mind to new and interesting ideas so you will be sorely missed. 🙁
Ace post TTG.
I often don’t get a chance to post during the faster-moving discussions, and by the time I get a spare minute in front of the computer the debate’s all moved on. However on this occasion I’m not so bothered about repeating what others have said already…so Steve T, to reiterate what others have said above, don’t stay away from the drinks too long (or you’ll risk dying of thirst mate 😉 )
Good stuff, ttg.
I always find it interesting when people sign-off with a flourish of good-byes, well-wishes, and various platitudes (I imagine never to visit the bar again)…only to turn-up a few days or weeks hence.
Everyone just needs to take a chill-pill…
@ Chippy
Not till I’ve polished off my valedictory speech! 😉
To change the mood, have often wondered if one could come back, what would one like to come back as?!
Methinks I’ll be a guinea pig.
But not just any guinea pig.. This One : http://i.imgur.com/2ZyovwE.jpg
No more transfer worries and who’s fit and not.. no more CL qualifiers… no more mancs and chavs and spuds…ah the life.
Ok.. now bring on Besiktas!
😀
Team for tomorrow:
Schez — Debuchy Kosc BFG Monreal — Chambers Rosicky — AOC Ozil Sanchez — Poldi
Sign Cavani and Luis Gustavo and win at Leicester then put our feet up and pass the crappy international break with the start of the NFL season. Sorted innit.
It’s Afobeeeeee….and it’s 3 fuckin’ nil!!!
ssy, that’s brilliant. beautiful goal, too.
louis shaving his van balls to show to the squad…
SSY,
Is that their 1st team playing or reserves?
Tattle tales: Madrid want Falcao and will let us give them the money to buy him in exchange for Benzema.
(Madrid started a midfield 3 of Modric – Kroos – Hames at the weekend. I’m normally dead set against rich white fascists, but they are winning me around with this fuck-Barca ball at the moment.)
#LiberateBenzema
AFOBEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!
Get a holding midfielder who can play in defence in an emergency as 4th choice centre-back and throw every penny we have left at Cavani. Please, please, please make it happen Arsene.
Zico,
I can either spell that or understand it’s meaning touché 🙂
Those days under Moyes must seem like heaven compared to the start of this season.
New Striker you say – That Afobe looks decent 😉
Neither even 🙂
LOL @ Lonestar @ 565
The full United side: De Gea; M.Keane, Evans, Vermijl; Janko, Powell, Anderson, Kagawa, James; Hernandez, Welbeck.
Yeah, where did they find Afobe ……… ?
No, they didn’t ! 😉
Akpom will be polishing his shooting boots …..
@570 Scruz
Judging by the way they are playing, they’ve probably already seen Van ‘Balls’!
Shell Shocked!
😀
Somewhere a little voice in Di Maria is saying … qué ?!
Van Gaal turns to sign autographs rather than look to shake hands with his oppo. Pffttt.
Van Gaal will have to put this lot under close scrotumy, sorry, scrutiny. 😉
Who said we lack strikers?
You, I think, Lurky !
Panic button working ok ? 😉
I wonder if Adidas worked it into their sponsorship deal that will have Man U eventually paying them!
😀
Di Maria signs and Man U lose 4-0, sounds like a good Omen!
😀
That made my day. 4-0 hahaha.
In a hurry! Back drinking. Made it only as far as 8ball.
Now, I’m late, trying to get ready for work.
Only something REAL important, would make me late for WORK!
Steve T, yes my man with width and good humor, I’m talking to you! 😉
You best come back from your holiday, bearing me presents, mainly yourself!!!!
Goon night you lovely people.
C’mon The Arsenal! ♥
Thanks for all the kind words re the new job, Gents. It’s taking almost all of my time but everything else about it seems good.
Re Steve T, I’ve got to confess I have had times in the very recent past when I’ve considered leaving here myself purely because of the consistency of some posts and posters I considered too negative for my sanity but I could never bring myself to do it because of a thousand and one positive things I’ve come across on here and most importantly the totally awesome people I’ve met through this medium. Hopefully Steve will see that the pros outweighs the cons by far and come back soon.
When asked if he regretted making so many changes to the team, Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal said: ………….
Fans have to believe in our philosophy, we are building a team which we cannot make in one month or even one year……………….
—–
So he needs a year while Moyes gets what?
Classless club with clueless manager!
😀
*Thanks the ladies too.* Pardon my tired mind.
Cent….belated wishes for everything to go well in your new job.
Cent,
Work is bad for you.
Delegate. 😎
“Work is bad for you” might well be Van Gaals mantra.
Take a bow son, takeabowson. Well said.
Current odds on Van Gaal being out in a shorter time span than Moyes?
Milton Keynes Dons 4 Manchester United 0
Is there a God after all?
Cent, best of everything in your new gig.
schwinging it with a crossfield pass to…
Trev, the button works quite well, hopefully I won’t have to test it tomorrow evening.
Steve T, I know you bleed Arsenal. That is enough for me. Getting back here or not, is your choice, but it would be such a loss if this place known for its great debates, turns into one way highway.
Thanks once again, all.
Dr Feelgood, heh. Isn’t getting others to work even more work? I mean you have to tell them what you need them to do, hope they understand it like you do, hope they share your drive to get the thing done and then be prepared to do it yourself as well as clean up their mess if they fail? Nah that’s too much work. 😉
Well in for the sextuple century, Lurky. Haven’t had one of those for a while.
Loanee Afobe on the scoresheet against Man U. That was quite some result for MK Dons, but how come Man U is playing a League Cup game this early in the season?
Well in, Lurky!
Blogs just posted news that Giroud out until the new year (via Mirror saw not sure the real source).
Thanks NBN and Cent, routine goal, slowly getting back to my best.
Anyway, this Falcao on loan rumor is the joke of the day….. Right?
I believe it is because they didn’t qualify for any European competitions NBN (we and the others join in the next round).
At least now they can concentrate on finding excuses in the Premier League….
😉
Joining in late but … Afobe!!!!
Hopefully no more injuries for Benik. Whether it is with us or someone else so great to see an Arsenal youngster having a career…
I think one of the weaker PL sides should get Chuba on loan, he can embarrass many of the clunky static defenders. And if Chuba is not going out on loan we should start him in the League Cup.
El Puno @ 568: Like your team. Maybe start with Santi instead of Ox to have more of a control of the ball and bring Ox later as the Turks start to tire to cause havoc.
Wot! No Chevrons?
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>