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Archive for September, 2014

I have to be honest. In August I didn’t expect six weeks into the new season that I would be previewing our first Champions League group phase home fixture wondering if we could put out a first team squad starting eleven. That sounds dramatic. We can, but only just, and that should be significant. Galatasaray […]

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Twenty six hours after the event I have finally seen the entire match. The strain on the wifi in the place where I found myself on Saturday meant I saw only the first-half, and that on mute. A second viewing of that first period on Arsenal Player confirmed the impression I had at the time. […]

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It’s the eve of the match like no other. Our rivals these days may come from the west of London and the north-west of England, but there is something about facing the neighbours that still stirs the blood. I only have to hear the word “Tottenham’ and the memories come flooding back. 1971, 2004, Raddy, […]

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This won’t be a long piece, or a conventional report on the 1-2 defeat to Southampton in tonight’s COCup 3rd round tie at the Grove. In this, the least valued of the domestic cups, we like many others choose to use the squad available to us to give them first team experience in front of […]

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The COCup approaches, and provides a fascinating challenge to those who like to predict the team that Arsene will put out for this third round tie. If the last round is any guide then Ronald Koeman will bring a strong side to the Grove. Why wouldn’t he, for in all honesty this competition provides the […]

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Sorry about that! For half an hour or so we had an evenly contested match at Villa Park. The nerves prompted by the midweek performance in Dortmund were barely soothed by Villa’s first shot on target being saved by Wojciech Szczesny. The goalkeeper needed to be at his best, and was. His instinctive save from […]

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Villa away. Say it quickly, and it doesn’t worry at all does it? We have had our ups and downs there over the years, but by and large a place we have gone to with some confidence. Now say it slowly. Express it differently. We are away to the team second in the Premier League […]

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“It was pressing, and counter-pressing, and perfection… In the centre midfield it was perfect.” Jurgen Klopp reflected on his team’s utterly deserved 2-0 triumph and yet study of those words will tell the story of the night. Yes, Dortmund had pace, power, desire, and an incredible work ethic. Arsenal produced a little bit of the […]

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“Klopp’s team, who have never lost at home to an English club, are chasing an eighth straight European home win in succession… One High Street bookie offers a staggering 20/1 against a good old-fashioned one nil to the Arsenal. I cannot ignore that…” Written the night before we journeyed to Dortmund ten months ago. We […]

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The grey of early morn turned into a sunny lunchtime gathering to see if this new-look Arsenal could prove a match for the champions. I said beforehand that much would deprnd on how City, so often negative at the Grove, set-up. Pellegrini showed faith in his selection and had clearly encouraged them to be more […]

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