Young Turks, Don’t Run Free, Sorry Rod
Aug 26th, 2014 by 'holic
A difficult week could be made much more bearable on Wednesday night should Arsenal beat Besiktas to reach the group stages of the Champions League for the seventeenth consecutive season. The online Arsenal world is alive with talk of injuries and potential transfers. They have to be put on the back burner for the first “must-win” game of the new season.
We go into the match without the injured Kieran Gibbs, Mikel Arteta, Theo Walcott, and Olivier Giroud plus the suspended Aaron Ramsey. The latter duo will certainly be missed but this is an opportunity for others to step up to the plate and impress. I may be wrong, but the starting eleven almost picks itself in these circumstances.
Wojciech Szczesny should start behind the strongest back four available which would mean Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny starting in the centre of the defence for the first time this season. That is undoubtedly harsh on Calum Chambers, but there is no shame in being behind that first-choice pairing. Can Calum play left-back? The situation probably means that the more experienced, if inconsistent, Nacho Monreal keeps the job.
In midfield there is an opportunity for Mathieu Flamini to get another yellow card under his belt alongside Jack Wilshere, who must surely surrender the playmaking role to Mesut Ozil in order to restore some balance to the side. The attacking trio provide the one area perhaps where the boss will be wrestling with his options. I suspect it will be Alexis on the right, Santi Cazorla on the left, and Yaya Sanogo leading the line. There is however the option of starting Alexis in the centre, not an outrageous success at Goodison Park, and play Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain or Tomas Rosicky on the right.
Besiktas come into the game fresh, having not played at the weekend. They showed last week that we can take nothing for granted. They created chances and in Demba Ba have a player who knows how to find the net in English conditions. Turkish teams traditionally haven’t traveled well but there is a change sweeping through that league, and to be fair Besiktas are unbeaten in their last three away Champions League fixtures. Slaven Bilic brings a fresh approach, and whilst they may well rely on a cautious counter-atttacking game they appear to have more ambition than many in recent years. As Bilic himself said,
“We have a dream, a hope. It’s more of a plan though, and we are going to do everything we can to fulfil it. We have prepared our game, our plan. I have big belief in my assistants and they are going to do the job.”
The ‘holic pound goes in search of value, and will be a smaller than usual bet. I have to be honest, this is pure guesswork and not as informed as would normally be the case. Bookies are nervous of 1-0 and 2-0 at 13/2, but I’m tempted by the eights on 2-1. Actually, I’m tempted by a back-up punt on 3-1 at thirteens. Whatever.
For those lucky enough to be going, have an enjoyable evening. As for the rest, I hope you have a decent stream. Luckily I have Sky Sports 5 so, whoop whoop. Take care, all, and please, keep it civil in the drinks. Thank you.
376 Responses to “Young Turks, Don’t Run Free, Sorry Rod”
First?
Second? Nice review ‘holic. A bit nervous about tomorrow but we should get the work done.
Nice review Holic. Let’s simply get the job done and celebrate an incredible 17 successive years in the Champions League 🙂
Get in
i have a dream…that we win.
that’s all it takes.
Fine preview maestro. Squeaky bum time as an old foe once said. Let’s just do it.
GO WIN, ARSENAL
Evening all. Thank you bath, and scruz. and homer, and ecg, and uply. Thank you snowy in the previous drinks, big time
Thanks for the preview Guv. I’m not sure the team selection is quite as clearcut as you do. Diaby trained and might replace some of Ramsey’s dynamism. I would find places for Ox and Rosicky and I think he will start with Sanchez upfront from comments in the presser today.
I think a 2-0 win for us looks likely but this game is so important I’d take a Szczesny clearance deflected into their net off the corner flag. As you say tomorrow is about concentrating on the result and none of the distractions like the length of Giroud’s absence or the latest ridiculous transfer rumours.
COYG
A chance for flamini to get another yellow 🙂 nice preview holic I’ll take a George graham backs to the wall 1 nil with about 8 beers and some of that feelgood industrial strength if there is anything left!
howdy ‘hol
cheers for the write up – nice one
howdy all
what have you lot done for me lately 😉
game on normal telly here
should i feel the need to watch it
in the house in me drawers surrounded by cans and nerves
Have to say my main concern if we end up in the europa league is the cup credit situation
Nice one, Holic.
That Bilic has me a bit jittery I have to admit.
I’m there with daughter tomorrow so no Tollie time but other fine compensations.
Enjoy Esso !
Sorry but I can’t resist having my two-penn’orth in the ‘being the best you can be’ debate. It’s a rather obvious, but essentially meaningless, axiom of the type beloved of so-called ‘motivational experts’. Or, as the bard once had, “Full of sound and fury, signifying nothing”.
Assuming you try your best in any given circumstance, the best that can result is never a given, it’s a product of your innate abilities, your attitude and the amount of effort you put into it, balanced against the opposing forces ranged against you at the time. In football, for example, those forces include the innate abilities, attitude and amount of effort the opposition puts into being their best, the weather, the ref, the crowd, how fit you’re feeling on the day, the injury you might pick up in the first, or any other, minute of the game, the row you had with your wife just before you left for the game, the look on your kids faces every time you lose, the thought of being rubbished on BBC motd, that contract you want renewed at double the salary, your determination to disprove laughable but very personal insults blogged on Goonerholic by drunken armchair pundits (not the owner of the site of course) and a hundred other tics which can affect your concentration.
You can only ever be the best you can be under circumstances prevailing at the time, and those circumstances will never be the same, let alone necessarily favourable.
Like writing the best post you can post the result doesn’t always meet the hope. Some will always find your best effort less than you hope it will be. That’s my expectation anyway.
Öskar
ttg, i’d pay real money to see a shank such as that win us a cl game. 🙂
glad to be here, guv. i think i’m with ttg to see diaby, and see him rather than jack, if he can keep his defensive nous intact.
i wonder that we’re not going to put our fastest team out there. excepting bellerin that’d be sanchez, ox, and campbell up front, flams, rozza, and ozil in the midst. defense picks itself, though having bellerin on the bench if it’s squeaky towards the end would mean we could run at a tiring bird. if our passing is up to the requisite, i can’t see them getting as much purchase off the ems immaculate turf, so we should boss the possession, and the breaks…
at least, i hope. it’s going to be a birthday lunch our for me tomorrow (one of my best friends turned 50, too), so i’ll be ignoring all sources and watching the dvr after work.
trev, you and esso, enjoy going with the young’uns. i’d give a pound of dear flesh to be able to take my son to such a game. i know you both realize how lucky you are…
There may be a tense atmosphere at this match as we really can’t afford to lose this game and we already have so many people out, but I feel that we still have enough know-how to get past this team.
Another thing to note holic is that Bilic will be serving a touchline ban as well, so he won’t be on the sidelines. I’m not sure exactly how much of a disadvantage for them that is, but it should make a miniscule difference in terms of how fast they can adjust to our tactics during the game.
It’s hard to make a solid prediction but I think a 2-0 could be on the cards. I’ll wear my lucky Arsenal shirt before the match starts this time!
Our first must win game of the year indeed.
Go for broke – best team possible.
For my money that means stick young gun Calum chambers in the DM role now that per and kos are back togeather.
We also need goals at the other end, so surely our other young gun Joel Campbell deserves his place in arsenal history to do just that.
Sanchez on the right, Campbell/ ox the other and sanogo down the centre.
If it ain’t good enough, then so be it.
Arsenal at home – injuries and all 2 nil as suggested above by COR.
Should we get a couple I feel besiktas could well go to pieces as a hot headed emotional bunch of sooks usually do…
It could well be a rout for the good guys….
Good luck AW, but don’t think you will need it as tonight the team will rally behind you and deliver..
I’m reserving the much deserved ridiculing of Manure until after Besiktas, but must congratulate Benik Afobe for his heroic effort against them.
And spare a thought for Di Maria who must have watched on with mixed feelings. Apparently he was forced out of Real by the club’s board. Now this. No wait, on second thoughts his feelings are unlikely to be mixed so much as vexed.
Oh dear. How sad. Never mind! 🙂
Öskar
Hmmmm. Should we get a couple Besiktas will go to pieces, aussie? And if they get a couple, or even one, we’ll be going to a bits and pieces attack for goals that may be beyond them. Our top three goal-scorers from last season all missing, and a score draw will see us out remember.
Best to stuff the defence and hope to score on the break, imo. Three centre backs, two fullbacks and 4.1 ahead of them. With backs under threat of castration if all of them stray upfield as one a la Everton’s second goal.
Öskar
This time last week, I was sitting by the Bosphorous having breakfast and now I’m having to contemplate watching the match tonight in the equivalent of the Away End of a bar as a lone Arsenal fan surrounded by hordes of Besiktas supporters 🙁
It seems as though the match is not on any mainstream channel; only a dodgy Turkish channel dodgier than DodgyTurk – Digiturk to those who can’t spell!
Never mind! Imagine how I’ll feel when I see them all slinking out of the bar before the final whistle having been suitably humiliated! Now what’s ‘cheerio, cheerio’ in Turkish?
As much as I might loath to like what Oskar says, I go with him on the hitting them on the break talk. Conserves energy and makes the opponent a little skittish to attack too much. Because believe me, the turks are well up for this one. They’re a Bilic side of course… Nice preview and I hope we’ve got good news by the end of the day.
P.S: Any other Nigerian drinks at this bar? *squints* can’t seem to find any.
Cheers H! And Trev, TTG and others.
Up already, bit nervous but quietly confident.
Come on you Arsenal!
3 – 1 to the good guys… never in doubt.
Well no need to panic. We have our replacement for OG.its……….Nicola Zigic. A rumour has emanated from a Serbian paper that he is to have a medical today. He competes for the spot with Cavani , Falcao , Welbeck and Remy according to today’s rumours. Surely Arsene hasn’t got that much of a sense of humour? Or do we need a flagpole at the Grove?
Fuck me I am excited about today. This is some real cup football, tie finely balanced and it is win or go home. We will absolutely batter these Turks and then I’m straight off down the local Mangal for some serious meat.
3-0 getting my money today. For all the worry about transfers and striker injuries etc etc, just look at the talent we can put out: Ozil, Cazorla, Sanchez, Prince Poldi, my beloved Panther, it goes on and on.
No doubt we will take care of our business today and BIG Ivan will get Arsene what he wants before the deadline. Luis Gustavo/Carvalho my two wet knicker fancies. Anything beyond that a bonus.
UTfuckinA
bad news regarding Giroud. Out till the new Year.
Lets see how Wenger responds.
Diaby must play if he’s fit!! Or am i drunk again?!
Flamini doesn’t start please!!
😀
Not normally an Amy Lawrence fan, but this article Arseblog recommends is very good:
http://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2014/aug/26/arsene-wenger-gamble-olivier-giroud-fitness-arsenal-payout
Will leave plenty on here howling as she has the temerity to list our striking options against those of our rivals. It is pretty brutal stuff.
As she said though, if we can’t find a lone forward to replace Giroud, best hope AW is flexible enough to alter his tactics in the meantime. Get 2 up front and have Ozil, AOC, Cazorla play as more conventional wide-men perhaps? Memories of a system with attacking full-backs when all 4 were out injured and Johan Djourou et al were asked to get forward and defend new positions and the struggles that caused aren’t encouraging though.
Is everyone done talking about “be the best you can be” and analysing it to within an inch of its life? We’ve got a crunch fixture to deal with and I’m getting through clean boxers at a rate of knots.
I think the inevitable is, er, inevitable tonight. We’re almost certainly going to see Sanogo start in the Giroud role and just have to hope he can cause enough trouble to occupy the defence while Alexis or the Ox steal in and bury a couple of goals.
Or maybe he’ll score? Stranger things have happened at sea.
Countdown to tonight starts now.
Why not an Amy Lawrence fan EP? A card- carrying Gooner with a real in to the club and Wenger. She suffers when we suffer
Sanogo on current form doesn’t inspire, but with Alexis not fully fit and Campbell yet to be thrown in the deep end, he may be the only option left.
So yes, a little worrying but if we can keep it tight at the back and control the midfield, one would think we would prevail.. eventually!
😀
If Giroud is out till next year, then am hoping a good striker on loan will be available and other than that one more CB or DM! Feel we need this as a barest minimum to effectively challenge on all fronts.
On another note, with Van Balls working tirelessly to excuse himself from all cup competitions, it does look like he may be able to mount a challenge for the top 4.
Rabiot seems insistent on leaving Psg.. have not been watching him at all, is he any good? can he hit the ground running like chambers?
😀
Absolutely TTG. What is there not to like? A real Gooner and, in my opinion, an extremely accomplished writer.
I had the pleasure of travelling up to the Arsenal with her from South West London many moons back. She had actually recognised me at the train station as someone who used to sit in the same row in the North Bank. It was when Arsene Wenger had been announced, to much incredulity, as our new manager. There was no ‘Arsene Who?’ from Amy; I recall distinctly how gushing she was about him and how wonderful he was going to be for Arsenal as she’d recently had the pleasure of interviewing him while he was still coaching in Japan. She was working for 4-4-2 magazine at the time. I wish I’d stayed in contact with her as she suggested at the time!
Excellent article by Amy Lawrence. Underlines that AW has had to gamble that first team players would remain fit or that yoof would be able to deputise adequately for injured or suspended first teamers for a decade. It will take at least 3 years to compensate for a decade of underinvestment in the squad.
Oskar@19- a few goals to besiktas is not an option.
Out of CL unthinkable also
I’m confident, we’ve beaten better teams than Besiktas to qualify for the CL when we’ve been in far worse shape/in the midst of far worse results. And frankly if we can’t beat Besiktas at home we deserve to be slumming it in the Europa League.
I’m a new poster on the bar and I’m hoping for any sort of win tonight..
El magnifico..I’m Nigerian
Worried from Kings Lynn, can’t see where the goals are coming from. Thought the Ox could start up front and we might even see young Chambers in the MF. Where is Diaby when you really need him?
Arsene is in real difficulties, the prospect of Thursday night football is unthinkable.
Calling in at the Tollie pre game with Gooner Kevin, may catch some of you there under the brollie.
It’s going to be edge of the seat stuff, not for those of a nervous disposition.
COYRs
El magnifico… Squint no further, am Nigerian too.
EPM, that article is scary because it’s so true. Wenger still looks like he’s trying to make do with the resources he has (a statement that I expect to change in a week’s time) and he should have had a Giroud back-up arranged even before the big guy bust his ankle.
Sad thing though is that he was most likely banking on using Sanogo as backup, which I would put money on failing as a plan. If we had minimal resources before, we have less than enough to be competitive on 2-3 fronts now.
UNLESS! Unless….
…we go for a total system change. In the next week.
Ayo – welcome to the bar! Pull up a pew and grab yourself a drink.
oskar@18.. I’ve already begun the manure goading.. on twitter alone though.. couldn’t wait
Great article. I sure hope we get through tonight. Can’t even imagine the feelings around the club,if we don’t make it into the group stage. And please, Wenger just try and get that striker in, We must not, and cannot rely on Sanogo to lead the line in the absence of Giroud.
I am britting shicks here. This is a game we should win any day of the week but as always there are no guarantees. On a nervousness scale from 1 to 10 I am at about 15 right now – and kick off is eight hours away…
Three things with the Amy Lawrence article:
1) Saying other teams have more cover and including Chelsea in those teams is not on. If Costa is injured, they have Torres and Drogba who are way, way past it and neither can lead the line for them for any extended period.
2) Our title challenge last season did not fail solely because of relying too heavily on Giroud. To not even mention Theo, Ox, Özil, Poldi and Ramsey all having extended absences is not on either.
3) Getting Alexis in is, I am still firmly convinced, the first step in reducing our reliance on Giroud and giving us more than one way of playing.
Congrats to steve T for not lowering himself to respond to @497 in previous drinks.
Holic regularly and consistently asks all to respect others views.
Not too much to ask I would have thought.
Shame for the site as Steve T was one who ensured this site and did not end up with a “one way traffic only” of views.
He was also always respectful of others views regardless of the differences of opinions.
BB @32,
“Rabiot seems insistent on leaving Psg.. have not been watching him at all, is he any good? can he hit the ground running like chambers”
I don’t know if he is any good.
I’m sure he can hit the ground running.
Whether he is a good enough impersonator to do it running like Chambers, I have no idea. 😉
Delia,
Relax …… Breathe ……. Relax …….. Breathe …….. Etc etc
Many were also worried when OG was out for game against the Spuds in the FA Cup.
Our super mobile attack gave one of the best attacking displays of the season. (Let’s not mention Theo, eh?)
I could see TR7 starting tonight to carry the game to them. TR, Ox and Sanchez with Campbell or, more probably, Sanogo.
Personally, I would like to see Gunner Ak-ak-akpom given a go, but concede it is highly unlikely.
Enjoy. Esso and I will be. 😉
Enjoy the game Trev and Trevette, Esso and Esso Jr. I hope you are all skipping along Avenell Road after the game. (Even Trev)
Aussie, last drinks was really heated. I had my little differences with Trev, but like I told him, we may have different views about what could, should, might have been done in the past but at the end of the day we all want the same thing for the club. And that was where the whole ” being the best you can be issue came up”. Am not going to keep beating down a dead horse, but I feel we could have done better with our transfers in the best. That was then and, now we go out there and beat the crap out of Beskitas, I sure do pray and hope we do. COYG!!!!!!!!
I am not nervous, i am very confident that we will win and win comfortably say 3-0. Even with every united wishing our loss tonight to take the heat away from them, i still fancy us to win and then laugh even more at them.
The win may not mask the need. We need 3 players and now. Striker/DM and CB, even though names can be as fancy as falcao to as foolish as Zigic, i just am praying we do get those 3 we desperately need.
In terms of the game tonight, i want Sanchez as the striker. I think he will be fine as a striker for he has all the instincts needed to be one.
Poldi may feature afterall but the starting 11 should have the usual suspects-
Woj
Debuchy(awesome new tattoo)- Per-Kos-Monreal
Chambers-Jack
Ox- Ozil-Santi
Sanchez.
I dont want Flamini playing, frankly i dont want him in our team, he is a liability and is caught out of position way to often for my liking.
Before anyone jumps in, it is just my humble opinion and i dont mind being wrong anytime he proves me .
Come on Arsenal, we need to win, we have to win and we shall win.
BB@31. On that theory I hope we draw Yannited in the early rounds of the FA Cup. 🙂
Cheers SAG.
It is not always easy
Trev is certainly one who can give and respond to differing views with respect, although he doesn’t take too kindly to the Aussie cricketers serving it up to the English side
Slightly perplexed at everyone thrusting Chambers forward as their DM of choice for tonight’s game. The guy has only played 25 senior games – all at right-back or centre-back – and believe me, playing defence and midfield is a huge tactical difference, especially in the tactical cauldron of Champions League football. It strikes me that at moments of pressure/crisis, many fans indulge in the lazy parlour-game of simply nominating the ‘other’ (be it a random transfer target plucked from the tabloids, or bizarre internal options, as the anointed solution to all our problems). Where’s the scrutiny to this analysis? Do we have any evidence to suggest Chambers is any better on the ball and tactically nuanced than Arteta or Flamini? Likewise, I have even read one or two of you suggesting the Ox plays “up top”?! – you quite simply know nothing about football if that’s a genuine opinion.
In short, this is not the game to be blooding Chambers at DM, but relying on an experienced head like Flamini to provide the platform for the front 5 (I would guess Wilshere, Ozil, Cazorla, the Ox and Sanchez) to go and get the win….Oh – and Sanchez to break his duck tonight!
G’day Vinay,
good call on Sanchez although he is equally as powerful and dangerous on the right.
If he takes the central role would be great to see ox and Campbell take the wings for speed and trickery.
Agree on chambers..truly Hope AW gibes him a midfield gig.
@Aussie
As the author of @497 in the previous drinks, I feel I should politely observe that:
(a) the comment was not aimed at Steve. He was not mentioned therein and I later responded to him that my comments were not directed at him;
(b) Steve did, in fact, nonetheless respond to the comment before his unfortunate departure; and
(c) nowhere in @497 was there a failure to respect the views of others.
I look forward to your continued commitment to supporting the peaceful cohabitation within the bar of a multitude of views over the course of the season.
I’m sure that, like me, you find it tiresome when an individual ceaselessly beats the same depressing drum.
COYG.
Gregorie-
You are quite right about his short time with arsenal.
In his minimal game time, Chambers has shown glimpses of good speed, good ball skills, solid defense with good reading of the game to pick the right time to push up and when to be back and he is as big as a house and tough to boot.
Maybe tonight is not the night to have the handbrake on, but rip the handbrake out of the vehicle for ever more.
Young hearts be free tonight.
With regard to this evening’s game, I have to say that I’m feeling strangely positive. I fancy us to win, and I think that in doing so we will dispel a lot of the nervousness which currently engulfs the support.
Here’s hoping for an early goal to settle everything down.
I’ll be interested to see how we adapt without Giroud – while he doesn’t score hatfuls of goals, he links play really well and generally acts as the focal point of our attack.
My main hope this evening is that we see Ozil back in the centre, where he belongs.
COYG
Good call Gregoire. Utter nonsense to suggest Chambers plays DMF tonight. Flamini may not be the best there is but he has the experience and tactical nous for a game of this magnitude and along with Le Coq is the only player who can seriously be considered for that position. Le Coq has at least some experience of it. To throw a rookie who has exceeded expectations as an emergency stand-in CB (at least he has some experience in that position at junior level) into DMF in the CL carries such a risk.
I think tonight is a very big challenge in view of the injuries we have sustained, far bigger than it should be. I have serious concerns about where our goals are to come from but have every faith that one or more of our boys will deliver.
It would not surprise me if Sanogo starts up front and we continue our usual shape for at least 60 minutes unless the shit hits the fan. In which case Poldi and Joel will come on to lend hands to the pump.
Cautious and very nervy 2-1 to the Arsenal.
N7- I am probably the wrong person to complain about others banging any drum as I have received a “soft yellow” myself from the ref for occasionally drum banging.
Perhaps the analogy of choice included could have been better ?
And yes I look forward to enjoying the “peaceful cohabitation” of views in here and hope the season is very long with our march towards the illusive CL finals… And a few other finals as well.
Canons outwards
Ttg – don’t think Amy offers much in her analysis, I find it generally dull. She was a good sport when I tasked her about that “Franco Baldini signing of the summer” article she wrote 12 months ago 🙂
P Rosso – it is a worry here to. Either we role with Sonogo or our style will have to adapt to a new focal point, which could take time. Just have to take it a game at a time I guess, the next 2 look winnable and at home to Shitty is something we usually enjoy. 9 points and all of a sudden this will seem a long time ago.
#FreeCavani
Reckon we piss it tonight, they had their chance and blew it. At home on a decent pitch with Rosicky, AOC, Ozil, Santi, Jack… No way they keep up. Sticking with 3-0.
Would anyone be turning their nose up at Higuain for 30mil now? Morata for 20? Balotelli 16 even? All good waiting for the market to unfold, but we can’t be left cock in hand at the end of it.
Lars – you honestly take Sonogo over either Drogba or Torres for the next 4/5 months?
@ Aussie
I’m not going to get into Steve’s final comments as he’s not here to discuss them in person, other than to say that the analogy was perfectly innocuous, in no way made light of the relevant issue and was entirely in context and acceptable on a blog discussing football, a sport in respect of which similar analogies are sometimes deployed.
Regardless, I fail to see why you felt the need to raise the issue again nearly 24 hours later and in the absence of one of the parties involved.
The barman has appealed for a bit of calm. Ask yourself honestly if your @45 is in the spirit of that.
That’s my last comment on this, so I’ll leave the final word to you.
Lars calls it again @ 44! Respect mate.
Your point about varying the attacking style with Alexis is particularly well observed, and having someone of his ilk must mean that we should expect some new offensive patterns in our play…hopefully starting tonight!
@N7 – hope we win 2 nil and either Campbell, Sanchez or Calum Chambers scores the winning goal.
El Puno – I’d probably take me over Torres, let alone Sanogo.
Gregoire!
I said my view on the future of Chambers in an earlier post but I’d just want to recap – he has played less games as a center half than as a midfielder. Southampton, just a year ago, called him “a tall, talented, creative midfielder.” Sure, his starts at the top level (i.e. for Southamptons A-team and us) have all been as some kind of a defender, but throughout his career (and it’s not as if all the time you spent kicking a ball around before the first team call up doesn’t count) he has played in midfield quite a bit. Mostly on the flank though.
Point being, it is not as if a footballers career starts when they get into the adult team for the first time. Rather, it is the other way around. That was where he could be fitted into that particular Southampton team at that point in time. You want to use your good players. Look where Southampton played Bale?
It might well be that it was Southampton that shoehorned him into that position, and us shoehorning him into the centre half position.
With that said, giving Flamini a start, with all his years of experience might not be a bad idea. I am not saying Calum is the answer to that position just yet. I’m just saying it is not as far fetched as some make it sound. Might well slot in brilliantly.
If he gets a midfield start tonight? Guess we will see. I trust the manager to make the right call between the two possible players. After all, he is the one that probably has seen Calum train there for a bit the last few days.
Gregoire,
Agree about Chambers. Great start but you have to go with Flamini’s experience on a night like tonight.
Just hope he can stay on the pitch.
Calum will start in place of Flamini, that’s the end of it or my name’s not Arsene Weng… wait what? it isn’t? Well carry on then. 🙂
One thing i know for certain is that we will give it our all and fight to the last minute even if we have to play Kos up front!
By the way, how sure is everyone that Diaby is still out?! No news from him yet.. He always looks good when he comes on, issue is whether he stays on..!
Will we buy another striker if Giroud is out for months? Don’t think so, best we can hope for is a loan. Alexis’ best position is a forward in my opinion, just needs to get up to speed. If you seriously look at it, with Theo coming back, it’s not that we’re bare bones. DM/CB acquisition also looks scarce at the moment, no quality out there it seems (or they don’t fancy sitting on our bench) so that’s that!
Let’s kick into gear and start showing our potential!
Up The Arse!
😀
Hi to all you holics (around the globe!) 🙂
Now Holic, The bookies are nervous? Well, Sir, they have not EARNED the right to be nervous!
We fans (from all clubs) have earned the RIGHT to be nervous! And I don’t believe, not for a NY second, that you ALL are not NERVOUS 😉
Delia and Lars, good for you having the courage (and foresight) to proclaim you are NERVOUS! 🙂
Nervously Yours.
Abb 😉
Rumour :
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2177531-arsenal-transfer-news-nikola-zigics-agent-claims-offer-before-reported-medical
Jones quoted the player’s agent, who told Serbian newspapers: “Wenger called me on Tuesday and stressed his desire to sign Zigic. He was offered a contract until the end of the year, with a view to it being extended to 2015—we’ll see what happens.”
The 6ft 8in striker is a free agent having left Birmingham when his lucrative contract finished in July.
———
Arsene does like ’em tall and tough up front. His goal scoring record isn’t great however, still cover is cover. What do you all think? BS rumour or likely deal?
😀
Immediate reaction: Frightening lack of ambition and tactical flexibility BB.
Second thought: but bloody typical.
Third thought: we were briefly linked with him the summer Brum went down, after CvC defected I think; a very Kallstrom-esque move imho.
Zigic the birmingham guy, oh lord i rather have Sanogo play thank you.
I mean its down right disrespectful if we even are linked to him, forget buying him. Agent may have mis understood that it was Wenger, it must be a radio show prank .
Chambers as DM because i want the lad to play in must win games to know his true mettle, more so i dont want flamini playing, hahaha.
3-0 to the Gunners and then let the transfer circus roll on to the final act. Carvalho/Nastasic and Falcao.
@ bathgooner
Thanks for your opine! Don’t hold back now 🙂
Here’s another interesting piece on Calum :
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/20140827/chambers-i-prefer-it-as-a-centre-back
“I can play in holding midfield as well so I might end up having a go at that too!”
—————-
Well well ..very interesting. May be having a go sooner rather than later!
😀
Not tonight, Josephine. 😀
@ bathgooner
Kallstrom didn’t do too bad when he was here if i recall and he did win a medal too didn’t he?!
😀
He did score his pen. He mad a tackle. He ran around a bit. Not sure he did much more.
The Zigic story is utter nonsense – silly to even give it the light of day here…
Barring any further medium/long-term injury in the next few days, the only buy we will make is a centre-half – simples. Wenger will roll with Sanogo, Campbell, Podolski, Walcott and Sanchez as his centre-forward options (remember he only plays with one CF after all), and I think he’ll go with Arteta and Flamini for DM until January at least.
The Zigic rumours smell like grade A horse manure to me.
…in other words he effectively blended in.
😀
@ 80 Gregoire
..am not even sure about the centre half!
😀
@ 83 BB
I am very lenient with Wenger, and can see some idea financially and squad/player-management wise in not adding an extra Forward and/or DM (although in my book, a good club should never be shy of improving their squad if the opportunity arises), but it wld be a huge mistake to go past September 1 with only Koscielny, Mertesacker and a very green Chambers as our specialist centre-halves. Our luck ran out with Giroud this season, and we simply cannot expect Per and Kos to stay fit, unsuspended and dare I say it – in good form – for the next 4 months. To me, that’s the glaring gap in the squad – and Wenger gives no indication that an internal solution (i.e. Hayden or Miquel) is yet ready to fill that berth. Will be interesting to see this subplot evolve over the next week – perhaps our continual linking to big-name strikers will act as a good smokescreen to get than CH in….
Some speculative thoughts on transfers:
I think people are setting themselves up for a fall if they think Wenger is going to buy another top striker.
I say “another” because I genuinely think thats why Alexis was bought.
Earlier in the year I thought the player we would have targeted would have been Cavani. And there might have been a chance of signing him this summer especially if PSG had bought Di Maria. So PSG will have to sign a top class left winger before they leave Cavani go. Its really not a question of spending the money, its more a question of relying on other factors to fall into place. For players at this level, its a given that you can afford the price etc. So yes I think we would be interested in Cavani but I don’t see that move coming to fruition at the moment unless PSG find someone else in the coming days.
If Real move for Falcao, then it might free up a possible move for Benzema. But he has never been keen on leaving Real and has just signed a new deal. They may well force him out, but what is more probable considering that they’ve sold Morata, is that they’ll retain Benzema as a 2nd out and out CF alongside Falcao.
I don’t think Falcao was ever an option for us. There’s a reason Falcao is in Monaco in the first place. And its not to win CL trophies. And I don’t think we’d compete with Real not least because the Spanish tax system is more friendly.
A left sided Midfielder might be more the case especially if Poldi leaves and I still wouldnt be surprised to see that if the right offer comes in and we manage to buy a forward.
Of those type the prominent ones left (outside of Di Maria) are Reus and Bale. Bale might one day come back to England but it won’t be this summer now that Di Maria has left. And I can’t see Reus being sold when Dortmund have already lost Lewandowski this summer. They’ll keep him another year and try to renegotiate his buy out clause.
So, in response to Faustus post from the last thread, I expect to see a centre Half and a DCM. And thats it. The lad Alderweild seems like a possible addition at CH and for DCM, it looks like either Rabiot or Carvalho. I think Gustavo blotted his copybook last year.
Wenger can’t win either way. I feel he wants to sign WC talents, but they’re just very difficult to get and not necessarily dependent on spending money.
Like everyone else, I am still hopeful. This time last year we bought Ozil after spending the entire summer looking for a striker. No-one expected that…!
Joe, 85, Falcoa was offered to Arsenal for a £5M loan. AW turned it down. He will not buy a Striker. AW thinks we have enough cover.
Vinny,
Really?
If it was 5m plus paying his wages, then Falcao’s real cost would still be astronomical for AFC. He’s supposed to be earning 250-300k per week NET of tax in Monaco so do the figures yourself.
I feel the only way a loan could be facilitated would be if we could afford it and if we also got first option to buy at a set price next summer.
Joe, 87, yes Falcao was offered this week.
@ 84 Gregoire
Methinks Arsene will only buy if he can find that ‘quality’ available, otherwise we may be left with what we have.
But like most I am hopeful that we do bring in a DM or CB, depending on where Arsene wants Chambers to play.
As for the striker, no more buys but Kallstrom-like loans may occur, again pending on how long Giroud is expected to be out for, how quickly Theo will be back and finally how long it takes for Alexis to adopt a more forward role.
😀
Re: Falcao, I’ve not seen a legitimate news source report this story yet, but Metro say he’s been made available for £20m, all in, for a single season loan.
http://metro.co.uk/2014/08/27/radamel-falcao-keen-on-making-arsenal-transfer-to-solve-their-striker-crisis-4847001/
Assuming Falcao earns £250k a week that leaves a £7m loan fee for Monaco.
For a single season loan. Much as I’d love to see Falcao play for Arsenal, that kind of dough for a single season from a player who only just came back from serious injury would be an enormous risk.
If it was a choice between the mooted loan and spending £20m on a defensive midfielder, who we’d actually own, I’d be entirely in favour of the latter.
Personally, I don’t believe we will sign a striker – whether we like the players or not, we do have cover in that position. However, if we are looking for a sensible, proportionate response to losing Giroud for several months then the most obvious answer would seem to me to be to pick up the phone to QPR and enquire about taking Remy on a season long loan.
Serves multiple purposes: we get a loan solution to a short term problem, we can keep looking for a superstar next summer (assuming that’s what we’re still doing), Remy gets a chance to impress at a CL club, QPR get another year where they don’t have to worry about someone exercising Remy’s release clause.
If it doesn’t work out, he goes back at the end of the season. If it does, we negotiate a permanent deal.
The only blockers I can see is whatever caused the Liverpool deal to break down, and the fact that if Arsene actually rated the player he would presumably have taken him by now.
I would be stunned if we were able to pull off a massive transfer on a week’s notice, and equally stunned if Wenger were to suddenly panic buy because of an injury.
Either way, for me the defensive midfield position is more important. Sanchez has presumably been bought to play centre forward (I don’t imagine Theo will be dropped once he returns), and will do a job once we adapt to him. Weakness in def mid is what cost us in massive games last season, and is a key area for us to address.
El Puno@62: that was not really my point. The point is that Chelsea doesn’t have backup anywhere near as good as the main guy and they can not be held up as a good example of how a team with depth. But since you ask, Drogba is past it and it would not surprise me the slightest bit if Sanogo finish the season having scored more goals than him. And the same goes for Torres, who scored a whopping five league goals last season. And as others have pointed out, it’s Alexis you should put against those two.
PR@64: Cheers!
As for the Chambers in midfield discusson, starting him tonight would be a huge gamble. I think he has a future there but tonight is not the night to play him there for the first time in his Arsenal career.
And that is why he is going to play there Lars, just saying:D
Did somebody say MEGALOMANIAC??
http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/28957905
I agree that in my opinion we will not sign a striker and never planned to, unless something special became available. While Giroud is out we will get goals from Podolski, Walcott, The Ox, Sanchez, Sanogo and Campbell as well as from midfield. While that group is not at the same level as Man City’s strikers, we have not, and nor should we or anybody else have been permitted to spend £1bn on squad assembly and funding losses arising from the payment of excessive wages.
It is remarkable that Giroud has gone from being shit and not good enough for Arsenal to it being the end of our chances of winning anything this season in his absence. In fact his first two seasons with us in the Premier League compares well with TH. In his first season TH played in 31 PL games, scoring 17 goals and no assists against OG who played in 34 games, scoring 11 goals with 5 assists. In his second season TH played in 35 PL games, scoring 17 and no assists, whereas OG played in 36 PL games, scoring 16 with 9 assists. While I do not expect him to go on to emulate the performances of TH, he is clearly good enough to be a regular starter for us.
I have seen comment in some places today about Higuain and how we lost him through indecisiveness. For indecisiveness I would substitute a careful analysis of what he would add to the squad in exchange for a very large fee. While I could see the rationale in going for Suarez, I could see none in going for Higuain other than as a replacement for Giroud. His numbers are not significantly better than Giroud so it made no sense to me to spend a large sum of money on him.
While I have defended OG’s performance, I will on the other hand admit that he frustrates me in that he could have scored many more goals for us but for his poor movement and positioning in the penalty area. If he works on this aspect with the coaching staff then he will increase his goals per season. An example is Ramsey’s goal against Everton last weekend; where was Giroud, I have not checked but suspect he may have been on the edge of the penalty area rather moving to where the ball was likely to be delivered as Ramsey did. So, while he is good enough there is a lot more he could deliver.
@95 Joeos, spot on, both on Giroud and Higuain.
bt8b, the best quote from that article: “Klose added: ‘He was asking me to make runs I just couldn’t see – I gave it all I could, but sometimes it just wasn’t enough.'”
pleasepleasepleaseplease stay a while, louis.
Prince KING Lord Chubaaaaaaaa Akpom getting loaned out to a Dutch team who will be playing in Europe apparently:
http://wonderofwenger.blogspot.dk/2014/08/exclusive-arsenals-akpom-set-for-dutch.html?spref=tw
Where do I back these clog mugs to win the league now?
Set’s it up nicely for today’s win…..
BAM!
Bang!
Sanogo’d it.
a ya ya ya oooohhh
nope
not watchin chez me
cows have dry shited
tis the bar for me
hour should take minutes
WE ARE THE ARSENAL !!!!!!!!!!
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGOEUo_sLxY
AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Well in Toby!
Good that we have so many strikers lined up!
😀
Szczesny – Debuchy – Mertesacker – Koscielny – Monreal – Flamini – Wilshere – Ozil – Cazorla – Oxlade-Chamberlain – Alexis
cheerio
and
big fuckin happy lumps of joy
thrown at trev and esso
.
*does dad dance*
.
top men
Steady as she goes, Joe.
Our most solid back four, with our most bedded in keeper, and our most experienced DM. Starts for our best forward three, and Özil. Wilshere instead of Rosicky, for continuity I guess. It is not such a bad thing to put on players that have already played together for a few times this season.
Seems reasonable enough.
In fairness – I think thats the strongest team that he could have picked. Its set up for pace and fast passing.
Aggressive.
Eandy … you know what I need.
At the risk of sounding hubristic, I was spot on for the line-up as per @53. A very vibrant, dynamic, fluid front 5. I’ve a hunch it will be a good night for Ozil, and I see Alexis getting off the mark…
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger: “Alexis Sanchez is sharp in his movement, he is quick. I believe he can give them trouble. Yaya Sanogo is ready as well. It was a tight decision but Sanchez is used to playing under pressure.
“Laurent Koscielny has important experience, Calum Chambers has done well but maybe he needs a breather. I have told the players to keep calm and trust in the way we play.”
there you go Homer 😛 http://www.wiziwig.tv/broadcast.php?matchid=273232&part=sports
I’be honest, I am not satisfied with the selection, was hoping for Ox in Wilshere’s place and Rosicky or Campbell on the flanks on Ox’s place in this formation.
But, it is Arsene decision after all, he is well payed for his job and I choose yo believe him once again.
Come on you gooners!
Eandy – many thanks.
come on you Gooners!
Pangloss, from the last drinks, belatedly: 1. You ever tried renting a monastery? 2. Both times Arsenal has won three league titles within a sun spot cycle, the cycle’s number has been a prime number.
Bring ’em On!!!!!!
COme On!
Hello to you all,
I haven’t backdrunk yet but just wanted to say COME ON YOU GUNNERS!
Well up for this. We are by far the greatest team the world has ever seen…
COYG
Re: #2 in NBN’s 116: I thought that was common knowledge. 😉
Thanks Ned. I forgot, 8ball, sorry.
UP
THE
ARSENAL
COYG
Come on Arsenal!
Slow, ponderous attack.
Again. Arrghhh…..
Close Jack very close!
Oooh jack how does he miss that
Now santi misses with no goalie
Comonnn
how the fuck was that not a foul on Ox?
Is Alexis even on the pitch?
Has touched the ball yet?
I’d like to say that this part of Oxfordshire is a haven of zen-like calm.
I’d like to say that, but sadly the very opposite is true.
Ooooooooom oooooooooom oooooooooooooom
COYG
What a quality cross from debuchy
Incredible
About time. Besiktas are pack of whinny divers.
But if we cannot spank this lot, then we have BIG problems.
Most of Besiktas’ players look like an older version of Flamini… worrying!
😀
Agree homer agree
If debuchy got a yellow earlier
That should be a red for besiktas
Ref is losing control.
Not a 50-50 ball. Fucking Besiktas came in for injury.
Bloody Besiktas… he meant to take out Debuchy!
Grrr!
Get in there!
enough of this sitting back.
A draw and we are out.
Goals, fellas. Need goals.
That’s what a good pitch will do to ya!
Take you out!
Hahahah!
Last negative comment for the day, but our attack looks fairly impotent.
Bunch of hairy divers!!!!
Homer,
that’s because they are well drilled and sitting back!
They will tire and we will score!
We simply need to shoot more homer
Even craig burley has just said he needs to pull the trigger more
Alexis must be wondering why as soon as he comes close to a Besiktas-player, the ref gives a free kick against him.
on the bright side, besiktas moves the ball pretty well … er, hmm.
They’re trying to win penalties now…
Wow jack lucky not give away a pen me thinks
Ooooooh alexis nearly
Better from jack
Good to see jack and ox pressing up higher with alexis
Alexisssssssssss
Get in
ALEXIIIIS!
Comonnnnnnnn
Have Not Back Drunk (HNBD)
I would swap Ozil and Wilshere.
Also think this might be a good game for Campbell.
Think we will win this.
COYG
Ozilllll to alexissssss finally
OH YES I DO!
All of my words above are tasting really good right now.
Have a good, Spanish flavor to them – nom nom nom ….
ALEXIS!
How cool was that?!
You steal wilshere’s ball and score!
😀
Come on Arsenal. 1-0 to build on.
…and relax.
Slightly.
COYG
Keep the faith!!!
Get in there ALEX! Come on Arsenal! Now they will have come out will see what happens then!
Now that is a big fucking goal
COYR…..
Got a stream with about 20 minutes left in that half but the screen is tiny so I could tell it was Alexis and Wilshere going for that ball but couldn’t tell it was Ozil who passed it. Is that what it feels like to be Thunder Tiny Gooner? 🙂
Turks did well that half, but basically came to hang on and nick one. Not on our level. Goo spirit though, so we better get at least another one. Can’t relax at 1-0.
He’s not even fit yet and the understanding is not there yet ..can only get better .. ALEXIS SANCHEZ!
How’s about getting Debuchy off the pitch.
On a yellow and all the play is coming at him down the right.
Commentary on a half-time commercial on Sky:
Quite frankly, I don’t care who is an official partner of the UEFA Europa League.
Ozil assist
I must say, great spot for the initial pass from Wilshere. Quite a hidden one-two.
Debuchy while is a likely candidate for another card, is one of our better players i think, his runs down the wing and crosses are brilliant!
Debuchy once again started the move with a quality cross
Considering he got absolutely clattered earlier
He is a top player and has made the RB role his and his alone
Time to score another one and put this one to bed!
Think the turks are unaccustomed to playing out of their jungle they call a field!
Seem to recall a player or two of theirs just go down on their own!
Jack is playing a lot closer to sanchez tonight and seems a lot more effective in our attacks
No changes
Good call
Great attack from arsenal
Corner to the arse
Ooooh santi to ox
We look likely to score only a matter of time
Oh noooo
Alexis misses a sitter
Aussie not really a sitter when there’s legs in the way 😀
We look well on top
Attack looking better
Ozil wins a good free on the edge
COme ON!!!!!!!!!
Debuchy close
Ohh close!!!!!
Jacks best game yet
AFC needing a goal.
What was flamini thinking there !
my feed is in French and a little sketchy. I don’t speak it atall.
But I just heard the words Wilshere and sumptuous — together.
Feels like we’ll see Chambers before this game is over if it is still 1-0 with ten minutes left.
Ox is tiring, bring on Rosicky!
Alexis wins a good free high up
DOn’t you just love ALEXIS!
That run, dodging two tackles, losing the ball, and winning it back again, getting a free kick… Alexis is a tough bastard isn’t he?
this referee is having a ‘mare.
Alexis never stops working
Ozil FFS
fFS ox misses a fucking sitter
HOW HOW HOW?
Once again
Arsenel see red
FUCK!
MUST scrore tha.
For fucks sake.
Ah well.. Good contribution from Debuchy!
Now a nervy time!
Chambers on
Ozil offf
Debuchy wronged just as Aaron was. Champions League referees are different.
Fuck sake chambers booked for being on the pitch
Chaos
The refs really like to find new ways to book us. RvP vs Barcelona comes to mind…
Softest Yellow EVER.
Fucking referee.
FIFA … wants Arsenal not to qualify.
Why always us !!!
Ox’s miss was an absolute howler
Only the goalie to beat
Yellow card???????
WTF!!!!!!!!!!
Spot on toby
Equally as ridiculous
OX needed to put that chance in the net.
FUCK. FUCK. FUCK.
Ox’s ball Control has let him down tonight
The ref should give himself a yellow card !
Isn’t it funny how the defenders are falling at Alexis feet all the time.
Cazorla.. CHampion!!!!!
Even craig burley suggesting ” the ref still has a strange decision left in his locker”
Now sczez gets booked for being polish it seems
Ref wants everyone’s numbers… no doubt going to call for dinner!
😀
Ref hasnt had time to put the yellow back in his pocket
Big 4 mins coming
LITERALLY the first time I’ve ever seen a keeper booked for time wasting. UEFA you a*holes.
Great effort from the whole team
Top victory
Important victory
Alexisssssss
YES!!!
Yes yes yes yes yes! Fucking great
Mental strength, yes?
Never in doubt!
Alexis has earned his transfer fee already! And not just his goal!
He runs everywhere! EVRYWHERE!!!!!!
Never
In
Doubt
17 and counting.
COYG
Love a team with a set of conkers on them.
Special season ahead for us.
Oxlade had quite a good game. Wilshere as well. But had any of them scored Alexis goal, I’d still give him MotM just for his all out effort. What. A. Fighter.
Ps. not in any way meant to slight Wilshere or Oxlade. Ds.
Oh, and may I be the first to say this?
11 yellow cards in one game.
0 yellow cards for Flamini.
Only problem now is that half the team is exhausted!
Cazorla also ran his heart out! Alexis should be rested over the weekend!
REst Rest Rest!!!! Lest you pick up a stress injury!!
😀
Toby,
The ref did not do his homework!
Oh the irony!!
😀
Actually, except of Alexis, I would have Flamster in my MOTM nomination, very very good game from him.
Alexis MOTM. Wilshere, Cazorla, Kos just great. Monreal decent game too.
Ref was trully awful, some stupid decision like this red (never a foul) could have cost us CL and maybe would have ruined the whole season.
Besictas is a combative side as expected. Nothing more.
Fully deserved win.
Alexis has played most all the games, although he was taken off for a half methinks.
Time for him to have a break over the weekend!
Is Rosicky fit i wonder? When can we see him?
Also Alexis shown that he is a viable option as a center forward, once the team gels and gets on the same wavelenght with his teammates, he is going to score a hatful. He is strong, can hold the ball, dribbles well and also has quite a jump for a small-ish guy.
phew.. that was not funny at all.. big performances from jack, Alexis and Cazorla in the dying minutes…
As for the referee. he was horrible, booking everyone. even sczecny. and to think we have Anthony Taylor on Sunday
Éandy, I think so as well. I remember seeing his first outing as a centre forward in the Emirates Cup and saying to myself “Wow, he can actually battle up there, even for the high balls.”
Then he had the start against Everton, which didn’t work out as well. But I believe that he absolutely has the qualities to play there, not just if we play a bit differently, but also being able to actually fight for the goal kicks and long balls. Of course he ain’t no Crouch, but as you say, he is strong and has quite a jump. Given time, I have no problem seeing him on top for us. Great to have two proven players (YES, I absolutely count Giroud as a proven player) to be able to play there.
No bottle with this team, hey?
Wow. Good win Arsenal!!!!!
That Alexis Sanchez can play a bit of football, can’t he?
Eandy,
It has always been my contention that Alexis was going to be eventually our striker, only I did not expect it that soon! 😀
He’s not even fully fit yet, hope he gets some rest, temptation will be to use him till he breaks because he brings so much to the team! The others have to step up and chase the ball down the sooner the better!
Anyone has the stats on who’s running the most on the field?
😀
Can people please stop moaning about how shite Monreal is… I thought he was ace. As was Wilshere — MOTM for me, closely followed by Alexis.
Very uncomfortable viewing mind…
Tough game nothing else no more nails is an understatement!
We did it! Come you Gooners!
Sitting in a sportsbar in my resort.
Briliant performance by Sanchez and Jack (the comentator called him Yak Wheelchair) had his best game in memory.
The ref was a total disgrace though.
CL here we come again. Love it.
Tequila time and back to the beach.
Cheers holic and co.
that was a scary thing…17th consecutive..love it..
Aye Kenyangooner,
17 is Alexis Number too!
The whole team played brilliantly, loved our defence and OX nearly snuck in that goal!
😀
“Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud had surgery on his ankle today and is expected to be out of action until the end of the year, manager Arsene Wenger confirms.”
So, anyway. How do you like those MK guys?
COYG
Jack was brilliant tonight. Its great to see him back in some form.
And my word, Debuchy is just a superb signing. He was up and down the wing all night long.
We thoroughly deserved it but as usual made hard work of it.
Lucky on a couple of the peno decisions.
But not lucky in making it 17 years in a row. We have a remarkable manager.
Just took me several minutes to breath out… Pheeeeeew!
I was sitting on the couch and listening to it on the player and feel completely exhausted now. Absolutely no fuel left so I’ll go for a refil now:)
Good night!
Btw, YEEEAAAAAAH! WE DID IT!
Phew Phew Phew stayed of the forums and twitter as I was quite confident pre yesterday but they were making me nervous 🙂 Good to see Jack back to near his best – He seems to have got that burst back which makes a massive difference to his game, Shows what a run of games does.
Now to go all Football Manager on the transfer windows Arse 😉
Up The Arse !!
BB @ 235: Given TR7’s advanced age (ha ha) and the fact that since his return from injury he has shown a tendency of picking up knocks early in the season I think it might be a case of ensuring that he is slowly brought into the fray. At least that is the explanation I can come up with. If we are chasing the game he might have seen some action.
In somewhat breakneck and very tight games like this unless we have to chase Arsene has a history of playing his first eleven through. I guess it is a matter of reducing the chance of crucial mistakes made by someone who is not used to the tempo of the match.
Alexis, Santi, Jack, Ox all highly deserved praise. Santi was exceptional in providing support to Monreal and keeping possession especially in tight spaces. Debuchy may have seen a red but I thought he had a good game too, as did Monreal. Ox should have really scored from that delightful cross.
I thought Flamini had a mixed game. Did the sweeping up and covering part very well, but was easily overrun a few times and failed to recover, and the forward passes were not crisp enough.
Very good game by Jack even though fizzled out later. Much better decision making, some very clever passing, a few delightful turns and the confidence is slowly coming back.
Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud had surgery on his ankle today and is expected to be out of action until the end of the year, manager Arsene Wenger confirms.
——-
Time for Campbell to step up too, play him on the wings first and Alexis/Sanogo up front!
dont really have enough underwear for games like this.
Enjoying the twin pleasures of massive relief and clean undies.
Arsenal , bloody Arsenal, indeed
howdy all
we won
i think i shitted out a lung at the end
oy
two thick numpties on rte
brains?
nope
jumpers fer …….
.
how many years 😉
.
THE ARSENAL
By the way, never NOT in CL group stages in any of his full 17 seasons with Arsenal.
No matter what the circumstances are, no matter what the challenges are. no matter whatever changes happening in the footballing world.
That is, well, genius. No other way to look at it.
Twitter exploding about HIGUAIN. Italian journo ramping it pretty hard now Napoli are out.
Not really a night for a single negative, but I didn’t see Flamini bossing it like some.
Debuchy red means we only have 2 central defenders of the first group game… Monreal or Flamini if Kosc or BFG are injured… Stoke aren’t in this are they?
Ba showed what we missed for 6mil. I know we had deadwood issues before, but a handy squad player like that would be useful.
Bilic : If you want to beat Arsenal then you got to score goal.
He’s a real smart man that one. 😀
He’s actually given a brilliant post match interview. Good coach!
Napoli is out of the CL group stage. That Bilbao would have been a tricky tricky fixture — not that this was easy given the little preparation — and glad to have avoided it.
If you really want to appreciate what insightful intelligence Niall Quinn brings to the table as a pundit on Sky, he has just suggested that we go out and get someone like Nicholas Bendtner on loan as a replacement to Giroud.
And no, I’m not kidding.
Tattle men steaming in to Cerci from Torino as well…
Now.
Some combined stats.
The number of Besiktas shots that were on target is the same as the amount of yellow cards Flamini picked up. This in a game in which the referee handed out 11 yellows and Arsenal had four shots on target.
That amount is 0.
Joe,
I think they told him to sit down or something after that.
😀
El Puno @ 256: But we would surely get a defensive reinforcement before the group stage arrives, no?
Agree with you about Flamini, tactically good but the pace and ferocity of the game found him a little short.
He is just scrabbling around for player he thinks can do the holding up/focal point of the attack job and epically failed
There’s only one man who can do that job effectively that we could get for peanuts in the short term.
Peter Crouch.
And I’m not joking.
Well not much anyway.
😉
Joe @ 259: That must have been an attempt at humor. 🙂 Surely.
Southampton at home in the League Cup.
Surely we’ve got to find cover for Flamini/Arteta.
Doubt they both can last the season!
Maybe it’s chambers?!
Come on Arsene get us a DM/CB!
😀
Joe
watch rte
its beyond beyond
its out ticked redknapp jnr
sweet mother of god
AW:
On whether he will try to sign a striker: “We will look around but we want quality. We have quality, we have Walcott coming back soon, Podolski, Campbell, Sanogo. To find players better than we have would be very difficult.
“Anytime you have a problem you can’t always buy. I bought Sanchez to be a striker, Walcott can be a very good striker, Sanogo is a very good striker, Campbell if you ask him what he is he says a striker. All players of quality.”
——-
Now about that defence Arsene…. 😀
263 – you’d think wouldn’t you? Was kinda my point.
Flamini and arteta both average these days. Neither will ever boss a game. Remains the glaring need to strengthen. I can’t believe we couldn’t prize Luis Gustavo from the German mid table if we really tried. He was immense at the World Cup and before that for bayern whenever i saw him. Immense not a word often used about our holding guys anymore. Spend whatever we can muster on someone arsene likes there for me and pad the rest with loans or short term deals I nothing takes his fancy.
By the way, best of wishes to Giroud: prompt rétablissement big man, we will need you!
PFC Ludogorets Razgrad 1 – 0 Steaua Bucuresti
Penalty shootout!
Ludogorets goalkeeper scores (but he’s not really a keeper! as their keeper got sent off!)
… and he saves one too!
Drama!
Sanchez and AOC shown enough that I doubt we get an attacker now. Truly hope we add some steel at the back though.
With Dr. F here. Spare a thought for Giroud who really, next to Ramsey, saved our bacon last season. Quite a forward.
El Puno @ 270: Yes, agree with your assessments.
I know Gustavo gets some flak for the Germany drubbing, but was not really his fault (exactly what David Luiz and a few others were doing they will only know) and I think he is a very good fit for this team. As tactically disciplined and matured as Arteta, a better tackler, a passing range not far off (even though not Mikel’s incisiveness at the opposition half but we have other players for that), but is deceptively fast across the turf and has a good surge going forward. Maybe Bendy can quickly regal him with stories of splendrous luxury in London. 🙂
If we don’t get a DM but a defender I think we can take it for granted that young Chambers will appear in that role sooner than later.
And the centre half who goes in goal saves 2! Ludogorets Razgrad is in!
Wow!
Toby @ 274: Yes, a very effective and under-appreciated player. Quite unique actually are the combination of his qualities. When he started some of us had compared him to have the Drogba (another late bloomer) like potential to really excel in PL as a big all-round center forward. He has not quite hit those heights but I think he has been crucial for us last year. Not an injury prone player and hopefully will manage an earlier than expected recovery and will come back stronger.
They have an eagle on the field(Really), ……. hope we don’t play them!
😀
I have to give it to Jack, he was great tonight. I have been having a go at him, so once more good job Jack, keep it simple.
Jack was just great. Fair play to him and hope he can use this as a springboard.
Dr. Faustus, with all due respect, and I find you one of the best posters in this bar, Luis Gustavo is exactly where he belongs- in Wolfsburg. Honestly, don’t know what you see in him, he is just to old-fashioned DM.
He looked good in his first Bayern season and couple of games for Brazil, everything else he was average and I watched many of his games this past couple of years.
Average player in average club, decent option as a backup but not good enough for this Arsenal side.
Carvalho on other hand, has so much more potential. Yaya Toure and Vieira in one. Going to be huge player that boy, hope we get him.
So, two wins at home, two draws away. This season is shaping up quite nicely (not counting injuries and red cards!) if you think about the away opposition was Besiktas and Everton. Two fucking hard away games.
Mesut Ozil: As I said before: winning – no matter how!
http://ichef.bbci.co.uk/live-experience/cps/624/media/images/77204000/jpg/_77204540_ozil.jpg
😀
Roll on the group stage – hopefully we won’t wind up in a group with Dortmund, Bilbao and Roma!
Lurky @ 281: I think you watch much more Bundesliga — which for some Cable malarkey has recently become unavailable in much of US unless you go for satellite — than I do, especially recently, so I will take your word for his recent ordinary performance for Wolfsburg. I did like him whenI saw him in Bayern, and I thought he had good games in the WC, and whenever I see him with Brazil.
Of course not in the Vieira/Ya Ya class, but I think an upgrade over aging Arteta/Flamini. I do not watch any Portuguese League at all so only caught Carvalho in you tube etc. Looks very very promising but was wondering whether he can fit in tactically right now or would need a year under Arteta’s tutelage.
Arsene Wenger :
“He (goalscorer Alexis Sanchez) had a good game. Not only on a technical side, but on a fighting side.
“He was mobile, dangerous and he showed a great a fighting spirit that will serve him well in the Premier League.
“We produced the performance we wanted on a tactical, technical and mental side.
“But we couldn’t finish off the game of and it was nervous at the end when we were down to ten men.”
————
Next time a name gets mentioned, we’ll ask is he ‘tactical’ –> and “technical” — and “mental”? 😀
According to the Beeb (which I guess is according to ranking) regarding the CL draw:
ARSENAL: Best: Arsenal, Basle, Sporting, Maribor. Worst: Arsenal, PSG, Ajax, Roma
Charlie @ 284: Or PSG or Juve or Monaco . 🙂
Must say I’m quite fond of the worst draw Liverpool can get:
Real Madrid, PSG, Liverpool, Roma.
i think theres only one dr F
but theres also a doctor F
both crackers
both brilliant
but only one voting soon
make yer mark well z
and indeed bTm
dunno how i’d vote 🙂
seriously i don’t
ye all talk funny
😉
.
goaat jerkin
am gann haim
😉
Toby @ 287: Another bad combination cloud be Juve (always a tough team), Gala and Monaco (if Falcao stays).
Toby,
So we’ll look forward to PSG, Ajax and Roma then?!
😀
I’ve got a better feeling about Juve than PSG I must say. They pot 2? At this moment I would mostly just love Arsenal drawing Malmö FF. As a Swede I would love to attend that game as an away supporter.
cba @ 290:
“goaat jerkin” you say
do you like jerk goat?
interestingly
the Yardies make good jerk chicken
jerk pork
and curry goat
but not jerk goat.
wonder why?
BB @ 292
I’d say we’d get a draw and a win against PSG, two wins against Ajax and one loss and one win against Roma for 13 points. I’d be fun!
Dr. Faustus, not sure that Carvalho will fit straight in our system and Luis Gustavo may be an better option at the moment, as he is far more experienced and much better tactically.
However, Carvalho is way more talented and knowing that Arsene is a coach that likes to develop a player I think that young Portuguese might be a better option on the long run. Really don’t understand why there aren’t many other teams chasing him, but there weren’t many in for young Yaya Toure or Vieira too.
Toby @ 293: Well, only one more day and we will know. In any case we have made out of the group last 12 years I think, so the others should be more afraid of us.
Ajax is nowhere near Bilbao’s quality, IMO. I think the Basques are the club we should avoid in that pot.
Goes for glory….
With an assist…
Make that self-assist and yellow card 🙂
I’ll give Lurky another yellow (which makes it two) and therefor a red.
And yes, Dr. F. We’ll be the team to beat, no doubt, even if we end up with PSG or Juve, and I’m not too worried. Knock out competitions are always hard, this being football and all, and even the group stages are easy to fuck up. But we’ve got enough quality and experience to have the percentages on our side.
Backs to the wall 1 nil GG I’ll have that and new jocks please.backdrink on sat I’m toast 🙂
Lurky @ 296: Has quite a surge forward, doesn’t he? Also got the best player award in last year’s Portuguese league I believe. So surely a bigger team will chase him soon.
As we had discussed before in the pre-season, I think there is a plan for this position and that might involve innovations we may not like at the beginning. 🙂
It would be disingenuous of me to say “Never in any doubt,” but my lucky shirt was surely the deciding factor in this match!
20 mil and the chance to exit at the CL at the quarters to Bayern Munich come to us!!! 😉
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/20140827/wenger-on-the-win-alexis-and-giroud
doctor F
i really enjoy yer posts
“yardies”
🙂
Clutching at stuff , eh?
.
i’m guessing yer young fella is gonna be an interesting person
not unlike his interesting da
Evening, all.
Was shitting bricks some hours ago, absolutely buzzing now.
I expect us to sign just one more defensive minded player, could be a central defender or a defensive midfielder.
Oh and Alexis is awesome!
Cent. That sums up my entire evening, and also thinking about this transfer window. And oh, well, everything I think about Alexis.
Could well have been me writing that.
Cent, as far as I’m concerned, Alexis has earned his fee. Even if he doesn’t score another goal this season I’ll be happy 😀
on whether Alexis can play up front for 3-4 months…
For three or four months? He can play there his whole life. I bought him to play as a striker, not to play only on the flanks.
😀
oh and doctor F
goat meat is very greedy with cookin time
ye could bounce it off walls until
ye cook it til
ye’ve raised a family in Bonanza
🙂
cba :
i have a few good jamaican friends
they call them yardies
or rather the trinis call them yardies
so do the bajans 🙂
i like goat meat. most popular red meat
in the part of india i grew up in .
young goat cooks well enough. 🙂
BB@306:
[on Song returning and Ozil’s performance…]
Mesut Ozil’s performance doesn’t concern me and Alex Song will not be coming back.
[on whether Falcao is in his price range…]
No.
Good old Arsene. 🙂
Get Rabiot! He’s top draw or going to be anyway!
😀
cba @ 290
It’s only an Ex.
Even I can do that in my best joined-up.
Not so sure about Feelgood, mind. 😉
DocFaust,
Arsene, if not anything else, is always consistent! 😀
Looks like we’re now going to see more of Alexis as a forward, till Sanogo/Campbell get up to speed! And even then..
Alexis, I feel is going to be our top signing for some time yet. Not talking about just the goals, but the fight in him! , glad he turned down pool!
Now, seeing that Manolas is no longer an option, I would like to throw another name into that pool DrF… Rabiot! Young, up and coming and possibly able to play in more than one position 🙂
Striker position remains, no one!
😀
Just back from the match. Very tense and looking at a few ratings sites I saw a very different game. A very committed performance from us, very solid central defence and great working back from everybody. Sanchez and Debuchy stood out for me. The referee and his officials were atrocious. Ozil was disappointing but is not fully fit yet and LJW and Santi worked incredibly hard but weren’t at their fluent best.
Do I think we need another striker? Undoubtedly. Will he sign one,? almost certainly not. We faced a hugely important match with a very threadbare defensive midfield. Flamini is willing but limited and I just feel we need more quality to increase the squad depth.
Very encouraged by Alexis, he will take great heart from this game but he can’t play an English Premier League season as the lone man in a 4-5-1 or variant. Sanogo isn’t an adequate deputy. Ozil is wasted on the left and must play centrally.
Random thoughts – as for the penalties the first one was a handball but we got lucky with the second from LJW. But apart from a great advantage early on the referee got almost everything wrong so not much of a surprise he got that wrong.
Watched Wenger on the line tonight. Haven’t seen him that jumpy for a very long time.
Does that mean loads of transfer activity- unlikely in my view he hates to panic buy.
Is Rabiot CB or a midfielder? What position does he play anyone?
I am sure that I watched 5-6 PSG games in the last years CL, but really can’t remember that guy and DiMarzio says we bid 12m for him.
dr Z
oooohhhh weeee 🙂
.
doctor F
i’d love for you to sort out
the north of reland
.
Go on
Have a go
I think you’d make a good fist of it
.
He is back.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szYrXzEi0cg
“I have to die a little
between each murderous plot
and when I’m finished thinking
I have to die a lot
There’s torture, and there’s killing
and there’s all my bad reviews
The war, the children missing, lord
It’s almost like the blues
It’s almost like the blues
Though I let my heart get frozen
to keep away the rot
my father says I’m chosen
my mother says I’m not”
cba:
A motto of mine is
a wonderful piece of insight
from a medieval monk:
“The man who finds his homeland sweet is still a tender beginner; he to whom every soil is as his native one is already strong; but he is perfect to whom the entire world is a foreign land.”
I hope to travel to your part of the world one of these days…
Grow much rhubarb in Pretentia?
cba @ 323:
relax,
what is always with the name calling, no need,
no?
watch the cohen video, it was meant for you
If ye ever make it here
you
and indeed several here
will be more than welcome
in my home
and
i mean that most sincerely folks
🙂
no
i do
send holic yer details
.
stop laughing
.
being jonest here
.
(tabs you can get me out of this yeah)
Aww come on doctor F
as you obviously remember
i said i had every lenny album
love the man
doesn’t mean i think
he is the answer to the worlds ills
not alone in that i’m sure
but
if we moved Joey from drums to singing
and let Tommy batter away surely then we
could deconstruct Johnny and intellectuallise
Dee Dee
or
go
1 2 3 4
cba @ 326:
this world needs less of a
solution
more of silence,
of meditation
grand old leonard always sings a
good chant
om manipadme hum
good night!
What a night! It could have gone either way! Fortunately, it didn’t! Made loads of new friends 🙂
Lurky
Rabiot is a midfielder who can play a DM role but he is effectively a box to box player. I understand he is considered a bit of a spoilt brat in Paris and his Mum is his agent. She is rumoured to be meeting Wenger tomorrow. I would have thought Carvalho is what we need and possibly that Alderwhatsit bloke from Atletico.
I’d love us to loan Falcao but if not Bony would be my man
Agree with Matt earlier that nacho had a great game and rarely gets a lot of praise, but did deserve his share this match.
Debuchy was an equal MoTM with alexis IMHO
Debuchy is an absolute star and has all the skills and toughness and speed and is as good defensively as he is in attack.
Congrats also to AW. Top achievement of consistency at the highest levels and even more so given our injuries.
Last but certainly not least, jack did indeed have a great game and he seemed much more comfortable in a more forward role.
If we could improve our finishing, we could have easily had four tonight including two tap ins.
Agree with the plaudits Re Monreal. He was excellent and his ball to Ox in the second half was sublime.
Rosicky was on the bench so should return. The exhaustion factor with six group games to play explains why we need an experienced striker. Sanogo has an appalling injury record and cannot be relied upon. So has Theo. I’d like to see Joel Campbell on Sunday.
doctor F
i really enjoy yer posts
but
unlike lenny baby
yer pretentious
pseudo intellectual
and
obvious
.
but as dick emery said
“I like you”
😉
Absolutely exhausted. It must have been a great watch for the neutrals but it was as tense a cup tie as I can remember. The crowd was immence and got us over the line after Debuchy was sent off.
Too tired to think further, just happy we won.
COYRs
Been back from The Emirates an hour or so – brief thoughts.
Worried for Delia if she was nervous before the game – very tense night.
Phenominally hard working performance from Alexis.
Very good performance from Jack Wilshere.
Very good performance from both full backs, Monreal and Debuchy.
Much improved from Santi.
Sitting around me there seemed to be a lot of people who don’t get what Özil does, but he needs to be brought in off the left wing.
Another stupid referee allowed a game he clearly didn’t understand to get completely away from him.
Debuchy’s cards were ridiculous.
Szczesny was booked for wasting about 10 seconds – once !
Chambers, right below where I sit, was instructed to go on by the fourth offical while he was displaying the change on the electronic board –
No 11 off, No 21 on.
Chambers ran on – was booked for having gone on – and was told to go off again !
Chambers came off again and waited by the fourth official.
Without any visible sign that I could see, he then, after waiting, ran on again and, this time, was allowed to stay.
The referee was waving so many cards around, he almost issued Debuchy’s second and third in the wrong order.
He was either inept or a cheat, so I guess you have to go with inept.
There has to be a way of getting better officials than this in charge of massively important matches.
How can a player be booked for obeying the instructions of the fourth official.
Chambers is 19 years old and has been booked for running onto the pitch having been told to do so.
If the fourth official has issued an ‘illegal’ instruction, then surely he should be banned as well ?
A fraught night but ultimately a successful one. Daughter and I both suffering nervous exhaustion at the end of it. Can’t wait for the next
one !
Cheers, cba.
Aha ! Cross posted, Delia.
I predicted that ! 🙂
Who was that we were playing, Besitkas or Berserkers? Seven of their players get yellow carded for dirty fouls, against just one for Debauchery, and of course he gets offed with a second. I don’t count Sir Ches’s yellow for time-wasting or the one Chambers got for running on too soon as real yellows.
Relieved to see Jack back in form, he was easily my motm. See what the lad can do now, you doubters?
The penalty claim? I have yet to see any camera angle showing definite contact, but plenty of tweets from fans with a view saying there was none. When Jack went to ground for a slide I thought I saw the leg come back, ie he didn’t go through with it. That Motta then tripped up without help is clearly the ref’s opinion, and he was right there with the best view of all.
Well done to Özilla for a lovely (and defence-splitting, tabs) pass for the goal and also Jack’s nifty pre-assist. It’s about all Özil contributed in the game and no surprise he was subbed, but credit where credit is due. 🙂
Thank you team, now I can breathe again.
Öskar
have a tune from me
like steve T who i hope returns
one of the big hittters here i always thought
never wore a sheepskin coat
said what he meant
.
anyhoo
shes big up small
an bottom on top
but i love her
where is she ?
or listen to this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeaBNAXfHfQ
bloody fuckin marvellous
Re Rabiot. He’s still a kid and one for the future. Suggesting he can be our new DM is premature by at least a couple of seasons.
That’s assuming we get him. I’ve seen nothing definite.
Öskar
howdy oskar
suggest a happy tune ?
don’t think ‘holic would mind that
Just for you, cba (and anyone else of taste), I’ll pay your #338 and raise you … https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmR1YvfIGng
Öskar
oi !
oskar !!
said happy !!!!
got loads o sister mahalia
got loads o sisters
always a feckin nuisance growin up they were
.
take this rap on the knuckle and try harder !!!!!
😉
Loads of sisters, cba? Tough mate. Here’s a load of comrades … being happy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49iLCK4p0w4
Öskar
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTpUVAcvWfU
happy and etc
;]
I haven’t heard Fish Heads for years. You’re as mad as I am, cba. But I think we both knew that.
So, in similar vein … https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMqTat4dUoY
Have patience, ‘holic, no-one else seems to be around at the moment.
Öskar
Gotta go. Leave you, and anyone else dropping by, with something more serious, the best version of a Beatles song NOT by The Beatles … https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDWlGR8Ev7c
Something we all need from time to time.
Öskar
oh my feckin trousers oskar
thats a pile o shite
merciful hour
only lasted a minute or so
still gettin heartburn
mullets
5 string bass’s’s’s
guitars with funny headstocks
throw a metal t shirt
a pony tail
and
a whollyundeserved arrogance in
and yeve got computer programmers
who’ve
a knowledge of most university challenge questions
i felt good and shite that i knew ian dury as an answer
and they didn’t
without backdrinking, I have to say one thing about that game, which I just watched without knowing the outcome: hooooleeee crap!
Better not stray downunder with that opinion, cba, Farnham is a god to many. Note audience reaction. And if you’d listened longer you’d surely have given the boy marks for effort. He had to give up singing it at concerts later in his career because it ripped his throat out.
G’day to you my friend.
Well done the team again. And again.
Öskar
PS: That concert was 25 years ago by the way. 😉
Öskar
sorry ‘hol for the night time pollution
i’ll keep me gob shut fer a while
cheerio
😉
oskar
this is how to do hair and years ago
ps
41 years ago
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wun5Cg-xr-s
Sleep is very difficult after the intensity of a game like that. I watched the musings of the panel to ‘ calm down’ and the key highlights . I was most impressed with Bilic’s interview. One wonders about the influx of foreign coaches and then sees him speak against say a Neil Warnock ( welcome back Colin Wanker what an awful appointment) or a Harry Redknapp and you despair. In fact Ches didn’t have to make a save all evening but they worried the life out of us and had some very effective players like Hutchinson and the left back and Ozyakup who looked real quality and was clearly schooled at an establishment of soccer science:)
Our running stats will be extraordinary especially Cazorla , Wilshere and Debuchy. Sanchez did a phenomenal job but this idea that Ozil is a left sided midfield player is wantonly misguided. He is the world’s best no 10 and if he isn’t then arguably Sanchez is although he seems most suited to me to play wide right in a three behind the striker ( Theo’s position) . We have only Sanogo to play up in the lone position and he is not strong enough physically to possibly do this until HFB returns nor will he get enough goals. It is also not fair on the lad who will become the butt of the idiots who catcall Arsenal players and it will destroy him.
Wenger is a genius at putting people successfully in different roles to those we envisage, Henry, Petit and Lauren are great examples but I pray he decides to go with a proper mobile finisher, a strong midfield player with more legs than Arteta or Flamini and a degree of artistry and gets back up for our central defenders.
Thanks to Trev who had a better view of what happened to Chambers. I would think there are grounds for an appeal and the lad and Ches both had cryptic words with the Portugese idiot who refereed at the end.
This hasn’t made sleep any easier fir me but reading the rumblings of a stressed insomniac may help you.
Also glad Bodrum Goonerress made many more mates. There were plenty of Turkish fans there tonight although some seemed to step over the threshold of acceptable support from what I could see.But were they loud and so were the Gooners tonight!
Hi guys I know this is probably out of context but I need some help! I’ve cable tv here in the US but am trying to find the best live tv stream gadget that I can use to watch soccer/football, NBA games live. I’ll pay whatever the prize is.
Thanks all
Squeaky bum;
Game won.
17 up;
Onto cup.
One thing I can gather from tonight’s drinks. cba is a creature of musical taste, and that 338 was quite something.
Arsenal players who were absolutely outstanding tonight:
Alexis: Did all the running. Scored a massive first goal (worth around 25 million to the club I’m hearing). Looked much better at center forward tonight than he did against Everton. (I’m still not entirely convinced with him playing there, but it looks like we may be seeing him up top a lot more frequently in the coming months.)
Wilshere: Made a statement. His touch was back, his attitude was right and he had that little bit of pixie dust as well which is wonderful to see.
Monreal: He’s taken some stick at the tail end of last season and over the summer, but he has stepped up since Gibbs went out, and especially tonight. Should have had an assist too but for the Ox’s miss.
Cazorla: Also seemed to find his range and touch after it went AWOL for the last few games. Busy and effective and put in a huge shift defensively too, especially in the last 15 minutes.
Oxlade-Chamberlain: Always positive, showed his pace and power down the right flank on multiple occasion, as well as his constant tracking back. He just needs to get that confidence to finish off chances and he’ll be out of sight.
Debuchy: Unfairly sent off but had his best game yet since joining up. Plays with real heart, gets forward well, and I haven’t seen any of his fabled defensive fragility either. Beast.
Arsenal players who missed golden opportunities:
Wilshere, Cazorla, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Sanchez (a couple times). Any of those four should have scored, and that’s really the story of the game for me. We played with great spirit tonight, but it should have been much more comfortable than it was. Credit to the Turks who threw themselves around really well, but for all that on another night we win 3 or 4 to nothing. If Ramsey and/or Giroud had started, for that matter, we win 3 or 4 to nothing. The commentators I heard were on and on the two penalties Besiktas should have had (nonsense) and how it could have gone either way. Yes it could have, but there was no question which side was the best. Had we put away our chances, we’d have had it wrapped up at halftime.
Now for the last few days of the window, my worst favorite time of the year. I really thought it wouldn’t be as stressful this time around.
well Oskar, when I am wrong I am wrong.
when you are right, you are right.
Your staunch and unwavering defence of young jack was well founded tonight.
If that is what he is capable of whilst still getting back to fitness and if he can avoid further injuries, he will be very dangerous with ozil next to him, in what capacity I am not honestly quite sure.
Ozil is less of a player that is for sure out wide.
But Jack was indeed immense tonight in attack, he was more creative, he seemed quicker in his movement and I thought he did release the ball faster, which in turn made us more dangerous all round and he didn’t get clattered half as much.
AW did seem to send jack much more forward in support of Alexis, and he was in everything.
If Jack can start to convert his own chances, he will then be a truly valuable midfielder for the team. He could have had us one up very early on, with an opportunity that was a real chance.
But for me the MOTM was debuchy (close second Alexis, then Jack).
this guy seriously makes me ask, BAC who ?
and I loved Bac as an Arsenal warrior.
Debuchy’s quality of crosses is going to be very potent for the Sanogo and Giroud types when they are fully fit and back.
His defensive work rate and reading of danger are also fantastic.
Best of all, I have UTD supporters in the office today, absolutely gutted we are through…. 🙂
TTG – agree re Ozil ? but good problem to have I guess. At least AW doesn’t have midfield injuries to deal with (as much anyway)
Goonster – we saw the same game.
could easily have been 4 nil to the arse. easily
Yes Aussie, for all the Bac’s fighting qualities (and I do love the Bac), you can’t say Debuchy is second best in that category, can you? Beast.
Cheers mate. And it’s a little worrying too, isn’t it, all the wasted chances. I hope that doesn’t become a trend in our season. Had Ramsey played you have to think things would have been different. And maybe it had a lot to do with nerves, given how huge the occasion was.
What is the difference between UTD and a tea bag
A tea bag stays in the cup longer….
Im sure you have all heard em all, but I am still snickering at those UTD supporters here in the office today.
4 nil to MK Dons, still cant believe it..:)
GL – the good news I imagine for AW is he will be happy we made so many real chances (two of which I thought were just about tap ins ?)
cba @ 352:
“Pretentious, pseudo-intellectual and obvious”
But why, thank you so much!
High praises those,
I will have to try so very hard to live up to the expectations now. 🙂
On another note, I find that there is no ‘I’
No core immutable self, nothing that has
Innate characters.
Identity is contingent.
Not some pseudo-intellectual post-Heideggerian ontological
fantasy that.
But something taught to the world by a remarkable man
Nearly 2500 years ago.
May you find peace in your life
You wont’t find it in Arsenal, Ramones or Leonard Cohen
(Leonard Cohen himself didn’t find peace in Leonard Cohen).
You love stuff that are minimalist
Try Mulamdhyakakarika if you ever get a chance.
There is an excellent English translation by Stephen Batchelor
Called “Verses from the Center.”
Believe me, there is quite nothing like that you
Have ever read
If you haven’t already.
If anyone here in the bar is emoji or Ii device literate, I would appreciate some technical help please.
When I use the emoji or emoticons on my ipad/ iphone, they insert properly as I choose, but when I post on here, the emoticon does not appear and any text after the emoticon is also not displayed….
the emoji/emoticons work correctly when I text etc. , they just don’t seem to work when posting on here ?
any advice appreciated
Yes that’s true, though against Besiktas at home you would expect that.
Haha @362.
Now I try to ignore all the rumors and bullshit until the window’s closed. It’s just Arseblog News for me, nothing else for a few days.
I’ve seen both of Leicester’s games so far this season, against Everton and Chelsea. That’s a very tough first two games for a newly promoted side, but they looked completely unfazed. It won’t be a picnic.
TTG/GL : Good reports all.
Nacho is rather good on the ball, isn’t he? And Santi seems to have found a new resolve. That was some tenacious ball retention in attack and defense, and in the tightest of spaces.
Attacking wise Debuchy is an upgrade over Sagna especially in his later years. Some terrific runs and interchanges.
Ox has been threatening for a while to get into a real goalscoring form. His shooting is generally good. I think a run in the team — especially until Theo returns — and a few chances converted and he will be a real menace.
Won’t mind him seeing on the left as well, would get the chance to open up his body and start curling those efforts in. Theo had started doing that well before the injury, an excellent goal away at Man City last season.
cba! Sister Rosetta Thorpe! Biggest influence on Little Richard (he said so himself!)
On the match:
Brilliant contest; a real cup feel. Kudos to Besiktas for making the tie a contest; particularly impressed with that Hutchinson, who would look good as a DM in red and white, and to young Ozyakup, who showed the quality of his Arsenal training.
For me, Wilshire was getting back to his best, with those trademark pivots, turns and drives forward. Special notes to:
Koscielny – it’s OK, you can let Ba out of your pocket now
Monreal – solid all the way, and unfortunate not to get an assist from that cross to the Ox
Debuchy – defense and creativity is a great combination
But MoTM to Alexis: he literally gave everything, as he slumped on the ground at the end. Interesting to see what AW does for Leicester; will probably go with Sanogo and use Alexis only if needed at the end.
Bayonne Jean – funny stuff re Kos and his excellent marking of Ba.
Good doctor. Agree re: Debuchy. He’s played with both the Ox and Sanchez down the right this season, and seems to already have an excellent understanding with both of them. We’ve looked menacing down the righthand side in all of our four games to this point. The left is different because Cazorla/Ozil both tend to drift in, and they also track back less often so that the left back, either Gibbs or Monreal, is less free to get forward.
I certainly hope the Ox can find the scoring form. We need someone to step up with some goals and he has everything, and I mean everything, that it takes except that confidence to finish. He’s got pace in spades, great power, a rocket of a shot, the intelligence and the attitude. Just needs that intangible confidence for the final ball. Remember when Ramsey found it? It was like something just clicked into place.
GL @ 370: Ox was actually getting there last season. Remember the match against Palace? Or the goal in FA Cup against Pool. Stupid injuries…
He has been hitting the goalposts/crossbars lately too — actually if I recall correctly since he joined he has shown an uncanny penchant for that — but as you said a few chances converted will see his confidence soar.
If Jack and Ox can both find their natural peak sometimes quickish to share the burden with Rambo, and we let Ozil and Santi do the magic closer to Alexis, we may yet find rhythm and rotation that would keep us fighting and once Giroud returns more variations would be available.
I think TR7 and Alexis would also work well together, especially as they press high up and press very intelligently. Would like to see in some games TR7 as box-to-box with Ozil as #10 and Alexis up front. Those three can complement each other in a manner that would be handful for any defense.
doctor F
top man
one of ‘holic’s big hitters
.
as i say
top man
bayonne j
little richard?
who he?
hold on
ye mean
THE KING OF ROCK N ROLL
LITTLE RICHARD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oooh yesss
Glad to have you aboard the Wilshere express, aussie. Now, if you can defend our Aussie honour against cba’s unwarranted attack on my #346… 😉
As for Debuchy it must now be clear to all why Didier Deschamps prefers him to Sagna in the French national XI, and what an astute piece of business by AW to secure a younger, better player than our most recent defector.
Öskar
Keep a knockin’, cba, but you can’t come in. Come back tomorrow night and try it again… 😉
Öskar
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>