A Thrilling Afternoon Ends All Square
Sep 14th, 2014 by 'holic
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 adventurous which made for an enthralling contest.
Arsenal too had the bit between their teeth, and driven on by Jack Wilshere and Aaron Ramsey in particular looked as threatening as we have seen this season. City’s defenders were denied time and space as Danny Welbeck and Alexis Sanchez impressively closed them down. Welbeck came close to a dream debut opener but his lob hit the post instead of bouncing in. He can certainly be pleased with his first 87 minutes in an Arsenal shirt.
The only downside to a fascinating contest unfolding before us was the failure of Mark Clattenburg to take action as City repeatedly resorted to fouling in an attempt to disrupt Arsenal’s rhythm. Let me say at this juncture I believe him to be far and away the best referee in the Premiership, but his determination to keep eleven versus eleven on the pitch meant he had to overlook multiple offences, particularly by Zabaleta and Milner, the type of which earned others yellow cards on the day. City will argue they might have had a second-half penalty when Jack Wilshere’s arm and ball were in contact. Deliberate? You couldn’t tell from where I was, seventy yards away.
That City took the lead on a break was no surprise to long-time Arsenal followers. Navas made a lightning break down the right and found Aguero at the near post. Arsenal unhinged all too easily, and an indication that City had brought their ‘A’ game. So too had the Gunners and wave after wave of red was unleashed in intricate and determined offence, interspersed with light blue counters that kept the watchers gripped.
The surprise was that it took over an hour for that pressure to pay off. Alexis combined with Ramsey and Wilshere and the latter chipped Hart superbly to level matters. Ten minutes on and we witnessed the first of what we hope will be many magical moments from Alexis. The magnificent Kompany’s clearance was headed back into the box by Wilshere and Alexis explosively volleyed into the top corner. It was a moment that saw wild celebrations both on and off the pitch.
Sadly from that moment on the Arsenal started to run out of steam, as if the sheer effort of turning things around had drained many legs. Mathieu Flamini started to labour, but worse was to come when his namesake, Debuchy, appeared to catch his studs or blades in the lush turf and went down screaming in pain. After he was stretchered off Demichelis was alllowed a free header from a corner, a cruel blow perhaps but City will argue it could have been worse for Arsenal having struck both posts and had a goal ruled out, correctly, for offside as they poured on the pressure in the closing moments.
Arsenal will feel they had restored some pride, given the nature of some of the hidings they took from direct rivals last season. Beforehand I spoke of the need to get Ozil back into the centre. His best work yesterday came when cutting in from the flank, and he was less than enthusiastic about the defensive side of the game. However Arsene persisted with Wishere in the role and was rewarded. If the intention was to give the England international confidence then it has worked spectacularly, if this match is anything to go by.
Back at a packed tavern the talk was of Clattenburg’s performance, and whether Wilshere or Kompany was man of the match. Good as the latter was I will settle for Jack.
Enjoy your Sunday, ‘holics.
123 Responses to “A Thrilling Afternoon Ends All Square”
Cheers ‘holic!
mornin’
Mornin’
We’d have won if we scored more than them.Still, life’s like that sometimes.
Cheers ‘Holic.
hell of a lot of match reports
next door
previous round of swally
nice way to spend a sunday morn mind
cheers all
cheers ‘hol fer yers just now too
crackin’ sundays all round i hope
cheerio
Morning, all.
Cheers, H.
Dr. F @234 from the last set of drinks, I agree with almost everything you wrote there, including me been sensitive to the criticisms some of our fans dish out to our players, but I’m all for criticising our players when they play badly but I just can’t stand some of the words, phrases, sentences OUR fans use in criticising OUR players. I can understand pundits spouting bollocks about our players because them pundits aren’t one of us and it’s us against them, I can stand our fans saying X player(s) looks out of form, X player(s) doesn’t score enough goal, X player(X) needs to step up his game and excetra of that nature but OUR fans trotting out lines like Ozil stank the place out, Monreal is awful, Szczesny is not good enough, Flamini/Arteta is useless as a DM grinds my gears no end.
I know players might not read blogs and all that but does a good father/sibling tell his friends, “my son/brother is awful at maths, he might be retarted”, “my mother/wife is such a terrible cook” even in the absence of the family member in question?
If City are an excellent side surely it would take another excellent, at least on the day, side to hold them to a draw no matter the venue? Of course we dominated proceedings and should have won the game but they’re are an excellent side so they will always be looking for ways not to lose a game and more often than not they will succeed.
Splendid match.
Gutted we couldnt hold on,but thats football.
Great football at times from the good guys against an excellent (but cunty) City.
Fabregas currently racking up the assists in sinister blue.
Cant help thinking……..
But no,musn’t lose faith……
Draws a bit tiresome,but I’d take one in Dortmund.
Another rollercoaster ride of a season no doubt.
Nice report and you were right about the cynical fouling which conveniently didn’t find its way into MOTD. It’s not a narrative they want to pursue clearly. I have much more time for Pellegrini than most managers but he got the balance wrong in his remarks yesterday. The tiny quibbles he had were offset by potential yellows and reds Citeh picked up.
Cheers CBA for your good wishes. And the same go you!
Vinny, of course you were not making excuses for City you were only stating reasons why they would have won the game on another day, just like I was stating reasons why we could won on another day, no? 😉
Have a cracking day too, cba.
Top 10.
Morning all, enjoyed yesterday immensely. Some fantastic supporters we have. It isn’t all doom and gloom out there.
Still unbeaten. Unlike Liverpool.
Morning all,
Excellent write up, Holic, and bang on about Clattenberg whose foibles I omitted from my own ramblings.
And, ttg, re the ref and MoTD too. Plus ça change, or whatever ……
Dr Faustus @234 prev drinks – well said.
Fine report, maestro.
Once we click properly going forward this team is going to compete for the prizes we want. Not quite there yet though imho.
Nice to see LJW has found his MoJo. If he could just give Mesut a hint where his might be found it would be very helpful.
Danny Welbeck provides a different option up front and will be a very useful addition. A real shame that his chip curled onto the post rather than into the net.
However we really do have to keep our remaining defenders fit and re-inforce that part of the team in January.
sláinte thunder T and cent
🙂
enjoy this place
even when at its most crackers
s’never the unreconstructed tripe of elsewhere
oftentimes disagree
oftentimes agree
oftentimes yawn
but always a bitta interestin life about here
whether overly serious and erudite
or just fans
or just overly serious erudite fans
nice place fer a jar 🙂
anyhoo
not even on the gargle
and i’m already reflectin’ all Phil o’ mc cod Sophical
.
UP THE ARSENAL
that’s better
😉
Cheers ‘holic! Got back just in time to see the blue shit equalise. Could have been worse especially if that fucking mong Nasri’s goal had stood. Sounds like a good day out was had, I need to get one planned!
possibly cos saw a big hairy arsed bee
caught in a web
wee while ago
against me window
wrapped up like a kebab
by wee spider
1/4 its size
it spent half an hour
cuttin its web up
to haul it back home
i’m guessin to sauté it in a little butter
and a little pan
balls
take it all back
clearly still blootered from last night
🙂
*never learns*
howdy esso
4″ be 2″
johnny in the joy 😉
Our midfield and attacking options confuse me. It’s like having a 1010 piece jigsaw puzzle but only needing 1000 to make the picture. Sometimes the right pieces go together and you end up with something beautiful, sometimes the wrong pieces get chosen and you have a picture of the Venus de Milo with three tits.
Enjoy your Sunday.
Fair summary Guv.
Jack and Kompany joint MOTMs in my book.
Satisfactory result in the end as not losing in these “big matches” should be the minimum requirement this season. Of course winning at home should be the target but taking at least 2 points from Citeh and the Chavs (our direct rivals) and 4 from the others has to be the target.
Some positive performances yester-afternoon (Alexis, Jack, Danny) and some concerning ones (Mesut, the BFG, Flamini). The fatigue certainly showed its impact in the final 10 mins but I was very disappointed, yet again, with the set-piece organisation. I thought that the BFG was meant to be the on-field general of those situations?!
Onwards and upward to the Westfalenstadion on Tuesday. Another “must not lose”!
COYBG!
Up the Arse!
On the money, ‘Holic. I have always thought Kompany was the one City player I would take in a heart beat. And Fernandinho showed why you need a break-up-the-play DM against top teams.
As it was a home game, and in the belief that you need to win your home games against everyone and beat the bottom half of the table away and draw with the top half if you are going to win the title, I score this one as two points lost. We gave away two soft goals but got away with two off the post. It is one hell of a scary statistic that in the four most recent league games, the opposition has scored with their first shot on target.
Net conclusion from yesterday’s game is that we are as good as any team in the Premiership, but not necessarily better, which, if we can keep enough players fit, should make for a nail-biting sharp end of the season.
Cynic @19. – 😆
DanC @20. – all fair points.
A year ago I was always reassured to see General Flamini roaring into action and mobilising his defence(s). Now, I feel a bit perturbed that his over zealousness will cost us a red card, or he will just not quite be where he’s needed at the moment he’s most needed there.
How did that happen ?
We do need a Fernando, or a Fernandinho, or a Fernandodando, or a Fernan………. this is getting silly, just get one please Arsene ……
And yes, Ned, having been 0-1 down to the Oily Dopers and achieved the rare feat against them of coming back to 2-1 up, it most definitely felt like two points dropped.
And a small ‘by the way’ –
Someone said yesterday that Debuchy’s sprained ankle (if that’s indeed what it is) is at least better than something being broken or torn.
The bad news is that a ‘sprained’ ankle means a torn or ruptured ligament. So it will all depend on the degree of tear.
A grade 1 tear could be ok in two or the-dreaded-three weeks, whereas a rupture could be as many months.
Fingers crossed then – but carefully, eh ?
howdy cynic 🙂
cracker
so
10 pieces make a tit
oy
howdy trev
hows you?
here for the cut and thrust ?
1 says potato
2 says potato
you say tomato
3 says tomato
add alternate accents
should ye think it merits it
hungry now me 🙂
Great write up as always, cheers ‘holic.
Wow, that was some game yesterday, two very good sides both giving it their all, both can lay claim that they were unlucky to only take a share of the spoils. I thought we absolutly bossed the opening stages and was very impressed with how we pressed in midfield and the final third when they had the ball, young Mr Welbeck very unfortunate not to open his account as I thought he did everything right with his post hitting effort, Lady Luck was in that sickly light shade of blue yesterday.
To say that Citeh took the lead against the run of play is a massive understatement and although it was a well executed counter, it wasn’t without an element of luck, Flamini, who by the way had won everything before this incident, made a tackle that rebounded off a Citeh players leg and somehow managed not to go out for a throw, but fall invitingly for Jesus to run onto and knock out a cross (all puns intended), the Flamster should however of done better with tracking Aguero, one chance against, one goal down, damn that light blue dress wearing biatch. City got a little bit more into the game after that, Woj kept us in it (more on him anon) with a great save from Silva.
I thought the second half started in the same vain as the first, with us on top, we fought for every inch in the final two thirds of the pitch, but seemed to stand off them a little too much when they entered our danger area. However, we really had the bit between our teeth and our two spectacular goals were no less then we deserved for our efforts and fighting mentality, but again that horrible wench deemed it necessary to shower us with misfortune……..
Without a single challenger in his vicinity Dubuchy managed to mangle himself, it looked bad immeadiatly and now, at the time of typing, it has been confirmed that he will be out for two months, I’m not sure what kind of Indian sacred burial ground someone at the club has desecrated, but it’s really hard to fathom why this keeps happening to us. I’ll be the first to admit that their equaliser came because of poor defending, but I’m surprised that nobody has mentioned that the Ducuchy injury may of played a part, the team were visably shaken by the injury, (shades of Eduardo), I’m not laying the blame firmly there, but it was definetly a factor, after that I felt that there may only be one winner…….. and it wasn’t going to be us.
That we managed to hang on for a draw is a testiment to this teams charachter, we need to regroup, get our shit together and ready ourselves for Dortmond on Tuesday, I saw a lot of positives in that game, things that will bode well for the future.
As for the (percieved or otherwise) negatives.
Ozil: Not his best game, not by a long shot, however, I feel he’s been grossly misused, you don’t buy a Formula One race car to pick up your groceries. He is wasted on the wing, I understand that AW wants to give Aaron and Jack a chance through the middle, but this is definetly to the detriment of our record signing, I’m sure Kos’ wouldn’t be considered as one of our stars if he was asked to play as RB.
Woj: I can’t believe the stick he got in the previous drinks, by all means question his distribution which is relativly poor, but he kept us in it yesterday with a number of saves, the one from Silva (mentioned above) and the one before the Lesbo was offside were top draw. I can’t see how either goal was down to him, yes, he may of took it off Flamini’s head (the 2nd) but he was attempting to keep it out, what else was he going to do?
The Defence/lack of DM: this gripe I agree with, we look shaky at the back and we let teams through us way too easily. A lot probably has to do with the wing backs been given licence to charge upfield, it leaves us susceptable to counters and it’s hurting us. we need to work on controlling set pieces against us too.
All in all, an interesting battle yesterday, I’ll end this post on a positive note. Best player on the field, by some margin, yesterday was Alexis Sanchez, he was everywhere, what a motor and a great attitude, that’s some player we got there.
Cheers all.
please no maths explaining
do 10 pieces also make no tit
several drinks
clearly make 1
‘pologies
dinner time
Cheers cba. Good man yerself.
And what H2H said about Sir Chez. Not claiming he’s the finished article, but laying the blame for either of yesterday’s goals conceded at his door, is simply wrong.
And I love Cent. Wears his heart on his sleeve, and it’s a brave heart.
Excellent report on a fantastically entertaining game. Two brilliant goals to bring us back from an undeserved deficit, and then, had Aaron Ramsey sunk Wilshere’s delicious lobbed ball to make it 3-1there would have been no way back for $iteh. As it was, their equaliser was a heart-breaker. I think Flamini’s presence immediately behind him probably inhibited Woj, but that free header should never have been allowed in the first place.
Whatever, it was a game we could have won but at the same time we might have lost it at the end. That would have been a travesty. Overall, an excellent team performance by Arsenal. I was delighted to see our tenacity in mid-field, inspired by Sanchez, Wilshere and Wellbeck. $iteh are a strong, very physical side and it was great to see us more than hold our own.
Much to look forward from this most excellent squad in the days and weeks to come. What a great addition Danny Wellbeck is going to be.
Trev @ 23: arseblog quotes Le Parisien that Debuchy is our till November:
http://www.leparisien.fr/sports/football/football-debuchy-sort-sur-une-civiere-13-09-2014-4132465.php .
It was I who had hoped that it would be a minor sprain keeping him away for a few weeks at max. Form the minds of us the medically uninitiated the equation of sprain=tear does escape from time to time. 🙂
Two months! That means we will see Bellerin more often that what we would have liked. And if there is one more injury in defense maybe Coquelin/Flamini moving to one of the flanks.
Nothing boring about us, never.
@30: I meant Debuchy is ‘..out till November…’.
Falcao .. on the bench! Oh to have that luxury!
FFP is utterly useless! Hope they finish outside of 4th place! That should do them in…!
Bring on Dortmund.. can’t wait for our game!
My take on yesterday is quite simple:
That was a fucking magnificent game of football.
Any analysis apart from that is, to me, totally superfluous 🙂
Glass of water, please. Quite hungover today.
Indeed Esso, love Cent’s stuff.
@DocFaust
Excellent(?!) news! Better than expected and we have a chance to play some of our eager reserves! Time for a couple of them to step up.
Monreal is getting more composed every match, a couple of games in succession does well for the confidence and experience. Gibbs may even have trouble getting back in, although I prefer his pace.
😀
Good stuff above, H2H and CBA.
Love you too, Esso.
If you analysis the headed goals, a confident GK will come out to collect some of them. I am not suggesting he should save ALL these , but is it too demanding of a GK for a top side to just save one of these 4? One save will mean 2 more points. The great David Seaman once said a top GK will earn 15 points for a team. Woj is a decent GK, but we want to win anything, he is not ready to be our number one.
Thanks for the kind words, H2H.
Trev, now spraining your finger while crossing it to give yourself good luck against sprains…that would be ironic.
And speaking of bizarre injuries, err, what happens if Per or Kos gets injured?
H2H @ 25: Szczesny had a good game, except for his distribution which seemed like it had regressed. But absence of two of his regular targets — Giroud who receives and holds the ball and Sagna who used to flick it to the right sided forward — may have something to do with that. We will need someone to step up here. As we will need someone to step up for Giroud’s third defender role while defending set-pieces. The second goal we had conceded was a typical example where Giroud typically attacks the clearing header. Welbeck is tall enough and is a good header of the ball so he can take that responsibility, and being fast enough can still join in the break if we can create a counter-attack.
Porco @ 39: If Per gets injured, Chambers move in centrally with Bellerin/Flamini/Coquelin as potential RB options, in that order. If Per stays fit and Kos gets injured? Then too Chambers move in centrally, and same RB options. If both Per and Kos get injured? Then I guess it would be Chambers and Monreal in CB, with same RB and Gibbo/Flamini/Coquelin in LB. If Chambers or Monreal too get injured? It would be Hayden/Semi Ajayi joining in.
And so on and so on … 🙂
BB @ 35: Bellerin I think would surprise most non-Arsenal followers with his attacking quality, and speed. But defensively he will need to be better protected, as he of course doesn’t have Debuchy’s discipline or defensive tenacity yet.
I won’t mind seeing Hayden at the center in the League Cup. I actually think we should play our reserve defense line-up — Bellerin included — in the League cup and upfront mix it up.
Cent @ 5: Nothing to disagree there. I too neither like nor approve abusive languages used to criticize our players. I just didn’t see anyone in this bar using those but rather constructive criticisms.
Heh @ Porco’s 1st paragraph.
My worst fears re our defence is Koscielny picking up an injury. Fingers crossed(without spraining them)
it won’t happen.
Cheers, Dr. F, at the expense of dragging things out I would point out that I can’t remember anyone here using abusive language but some of the things I read here yesterday were far from constructive criticism
Dr. F just about nailed our defensive options which with only two established CBs and five senior dedicated defenders left is ridiculous.
In four league games we have lost Gibbs for three weeks, Giroud for four months , Koscielny and Ozil recovered quickly but would have mussed a midweek game and now Debuchy. Plus we lost Arteta for three weeks after Besiktas. So we lose one player to significant injury every game and after six games have half a team out.
That’s bad luck definitely but is it also bad conditioning or is modern turf a problem? The lack of give in modern pitches and training pitches causes a lot of injury. Might be a crackpot theory but I wonder what Trev and our other medically knowledgeable correspondents think
Howdy cba,
Seems I might have been right @23
so I’ll say potat-ohh.
Can’t Mr Forsythe teach any of our players how to get short term injuries. 🙁
Thanks for giving me all the permissions Dr F, saves me having to bother thinking about it!
Hey ho, what happens will happen and there will be people to plug the gaps, it’s not like Wenger has to play me at right back or something mental like that.
TTG @ 46: Crackpot theories are often the ones that turn out to be closest to the truth. 🙂 I think there is something to the combination of conditioning + light boots + turf . A likelier explanation than attributing pure randomness (or Mourinho’s pet obeah man with the voodoo dolls) to what by now has become a discernible pattern.
Porco Rosso @ 48: “How I learned to stop worrying and love the reserves stepping up” … etc. etc. 🙂
abc.
I’ve seen only seen two of the headed goals Woj has conceeded this term, neither of which I would lay the blame at his door. I personally think he’s one of the best keepers in the league, not quite the finished article as Esso points out, but, I feel, he has proven himself good enough to be our number one. Tightening up on set pieces and getting the zonal marking thing right would seem to me a better option in cutting down on the headed goals against rather then dropping a good keeper.
====
As for the injuries, surely the footwear must take a large portion of the blame, the modern football boot gives about as much protection as a flipflop.
Footwear – an old chestnut of mine, H2H.
If anyone’s interested and Holic wants it, I could do a little ‘piece’ during the next Interlull……..
which is only 21 days away !!!!!! Yay !!!!!!!! 🙁 🙁 🙁
I’m interested. 🙂
Gibbs and Arteta no longer listed as injured in Physioroom dot com.
Walcott back 27/09/2014.
Debuchy, Giroud, Gnabry no return dates.
So we only really have 2 significant injuries – and Gnabry who has clearly blasphemed against all the footballing Gods in the universe and will be out forever.
At least.
Trev @51…..you and Wolfie fallen out over Jimmy Choo’s ?? 😉
Flamini can play full back, if required. Monreal can play centre back if required.
Don’t have nightmares.
With a day’s perspective on yesterday’s breathless game, and having re-watched the highlights twice more, I’m quietly excited about how interesting a player Welbeck could be for us moving forward. I know Jack and Alexis were rightly the more obvious pick of our front 6, but I thought (considering he was up against probably the best and strongest CB in the Premier League) Welbeck gave Kompany a real battle all afternoon – he looked lively, linked up well, and obviously has the pace and mobility that Giroud lacks.
Sure, he missed his gilt-edged chance and he tired a bit in the last half hour, but against lesser opposition and in away games where we’ll be counter-attacking a lot more, I’ve a sneaky feeling he’ll be a cracking foil for Theo, Alexis, Jack, Aaron, Santi to play off…
Also, my leftfield shout for a run at RB is the Coq! Bellerin might be good against weaker opposition, but I fear a little for him defensively and for height/strength, and I still Chambers looks a little green and slightly leaden – perhaps better suited to CB cover for Kos and Per. Coquelin won’t get in our densely-packed midfield, but is strong, physical, solid, a good athlete and relatively tidy on the ball. Thoughts?
Count me in, Trev. For the piece not the Interlull.
Well, Gregoire, Coquelin started in the youth team as a right back and looked pretty good.
His last go in the first team at right back lasted about 10 minutes before he went off with a hammy.
Pays yer money, I suppose ……..
I’d be very interested in reading more about the issues relating to modern boots Trev. I guess NBN would know whether we get more injuries away than at home? Certainly the big ones- Diaby, Eduardo, Ramsey, Sagna’s first broken leg and Giroud all happened away
I have a fear that Ramsey is carrying an injury. Not sure if I am a crackpot but he doesn’t seem to have the same mobility as last year. Remember the ball from Jack go him yesterday at 2-1. I think he would have converted that last year .
@53, Trev – I’m thirsting to see Diaby start. Some magnificent stuff in the U-21 warm up vs Villa last Thursday.
Yep, Chambers, Coquelin, Flamini and Bellerin are all good RB options. Bellerin was MOTM vs Benfica in the Ems Cup – but his defensive qualities were not severely tested then. He’s quality though.
Chambers and Gibbs likely to start in Dortmund. Wouldn’t be surprised to see Santi and Arteta for Jack and Flamini too.
BtM – if Diaby had not had the misfortune to meet one Dan Smith, I think, from the sadly few glimpses we have seen, that he could have been one of the top three players in the league.
And I don’t know who the other two are, either. 😉
Cheers Holic. I enjoyed that assessment tremendously.
Trev on boots… yes please!
There are so many wonderful contributors here. For the last two set of drinks special mention must go to Cent. I agree with all the words you have written. And I agree with the attitude behind them even more (if possible). We all love Arsenal and have our own viewpoints (both excellent things) but I find my own feelings very much in the same camp as yours and love reading your eloquent expressions of said feelings. Thanks.
P.S. I made it through the airport in time to watch the game. Very glad I didn’t miss such a cracking game of football!
@BTM 60.
Diaby was great in U21s and Chuba looked as good as ever. Time will tell.
@Trev61- the old classic combo- a good point and an amusing send-off. Archetypal stuff. And I agree about Diaby’s frustrated potential. Such a shame.
Great contributions by all Holics I would blame Wojtek for the goal because they should talk to each other during set pieces if not then shouting can be introduced.
So where the hell is Diaby?
Diaby? Where the fcuk is Diaby 😉
@ ATG
If shouting were needed surely, in the scenario you suggest, it would have been Flamini’s job to call to Schezza that he had it covered. How could the keeper shout behind him to someone he can’t see?
Don’t think he had his best game and there is clearly room for improvement but I can’t blame him for not shouting at Flamini. Seems so harsh as to be unreasonable in my eyes.
@65 Who’s Diaby? wink
Just in, haven’t read back at all.
Indications that Sahin, Reus, Kuba, Kirch, Gundogan and Hummels will all be unavailable this week vs. Arsenal.
Hard not to see this as a real opportunity.
Time for some shut eye looking forward to Tuesday night now.
Night all….
GSD @ 67 Who amd where for that matter 😉
Whoever Dortmund put out on Tuesday they will provide a very stern test in that cauldron of noise. Glad not to be facing Lewandoski too. Apparently they have a striker called Immobile who has very good movement. Something lost in translation?? 😉
Is that La Donna Immobile, Ttg? In which case we’d better watch out for a surprise ending … just when you think it’s over they come back from the dead! (operatic allusion, check Verdi’s Rigoletto).
Apparently Bayern are contemplating a January offer for Özil. No comment.
Öskar
TTG@ 70: Immobile got last year’s Golden Boot in Serie A, and is quite a handful. They also have Kagawa back, after a couple of years of bad experience at ManU he seems to be back in form based on the reports. They are always a difficult team but I think we might just have a bit more offensive quality this time around. We won once and drew once in last two visits if my memory serves me right.
Finally saw the U-21 highlights against Villa. Chuba just bullied the opposition. Could have had a hat trick and the Villa kids couldn’t leave with his pace, strength and continuous movements. The second goal from Zelalem’s defense-splitter was quite something with the way he held off the defender and goalkeeper to finish. Should get a run in the League Cup and if we are not suffering from any serious injury crisis in the second half of the season can do with a loan even at a PL club in the lower half of the table. If he evolves at this rate and stays injury free in a couple of seasons time could become a first team squad regular.
Good to see you have all eventualities covered at #41, Dr F. But the prospect is chilling if some of those scenarios actually happen. If only we’d offered Özil and TV5 in exchange for Hummels and Reus as I suggested pre-season. Still not too late for Özil + cash in January though. With Bayern still chasing Reus and now contemplating a bid for Özil, Dortmund could well be open to their wantaways going anywhere but Munich. And if we don’t get them Manure may well.
Öskar
@50, H2H
4 headed goal indeed. Hageland, Coleman, Illoa, Demichelis Demichelis.
If he can save any one of the later three, we are 2 points more if a gk can do that once in ten games, we will be eight points more, that will crown us as champion last season. I cannot emphasis more on a real good gk for us (like the great seaman, mad German, van Der sar for my, cech for Chelsea) I just cannot remember when is the last time we regard wojo save us from defeat or maintain our win. They are too few and far in between. Maybe he is just like our two old boys in fabi and manone, are just decent keeper fit to play for second tier team like Sunderland and Swansea. If ospina play like his world cup games, he should be greeter than wojo.
Ozil is a fantastic player, one of the best of his generation, and quite unique. He is going through a rough patch, but not as bad as some are saying, and he had a good enough first season. He will get better — as quality always does — and will shine for us this season. Bayern can contemplate all they want. 🙂
Oskar @ 73 — You are a very wise kind of person, highly experienced too, and not without insights in different things, and amusing as well.
Do you really think that we will accept that you are this monomaniac who cannot but just dream of Ozil not playing for us, or that you are making fun of our own reflexive defensiveness whenever you criticize him? 🙂
I know a self-deprecating irony when I see one. 🙂
Begs the question what you’re a doctor of, Dr F. 😀
I’d love to see Özil succeed, but I seriously don’t see him ever bringing his international form to the weekly grind, whatever position he plays in. He’s just not an Arsenal type, imo, and I’d swap him for Reus any day.
Öskar
Your blaming Sir Ches for the headed goals, abc? He wouldn’t have to if our defence did their job and marked the opposition properly. We’ve been zonal marking for years now and IT JUST ISN’T WORKING ARSENE.
Öskar
O-Dog, if we had somehow traded Ozil and Rozza (plus a bunch of cash) for Reus and Hummels, we would be tied for second. On the injury table! 🙂
My biggest issue with Ozil is that we are playing him out of position. A player who many consider to be one of the best 10s in the business. And we are playing him out of position to accommodate Santi and Jack. I thought we were supposed to be building a team around Ozil, like we did for Cesc. If that is not the plan, I think we missed the ball by not signing Cesc.
I’m with Dr F in that I think Ozil will get out of his rough patch and start playing better. Same with Rambo. Although not playing bad, he will get back into last year’s groove in the near future.
@78 Oskar
No I am blaming Wojo for these goals. Mid table team GK will tell you they are unstoppable. Just because if Wojo is as good as you claim, is it too demanding for him to come out to prevent ONLY ONE of them? Remember he is playing for arsenal (not sunderland or swansea). We are top teams.
***No I am NOT blaming Wojo for these goals
It was Vermaelen not TR7 I suggested for the exchange, ecg, and there wouldn’t have been much cash in the deal if any. Yes, Reus would be on the injured list, but Özil might as well be for all the use he’s been so far this season, and a large part of last. I keep being told to be patient and he’ll come good this year, but I’ve seen zero evidence in his first 5 games and counting … despite his extended holiday.
I agree he’s not playing in his best position, but he’s shown nothing to merit replacing those currently playing there. His attitude is all wrong, unlike our other new recruits – Santi, Nacho, Deb, Alexis, Calum for example – all of whom are playing their hearts out for the team most of the time.
Öskar
Go for it Trev
No idea which you mean, Hong Kong, is Sir Ches to blame or not, in your opinion? I stand by my original opinion that our zonal marking is to blame (plus Per’s inability to jump), and that system is down to AW and SB.
Öskar
I’m ready, ‘holic! 😉
Öskar
Brooklyn-bound.
Any New York Holics want to buy Dr Feelgood a beer tomorrow in the BP or are you all working? 😎
“Anelka joins Mumbai City.”
Weary bluuuuuues from waitin’
Lord, I’ve been waitin’ too long………..
Great game between 2 of the best teams in the league. I like city under pellegrini, they play to win all though i have no doubts they came for a draw saturday. An advertisement for the league wherein 2 teams showed what is real football.
What do i say about Jack. I love him, he is our very own and it gives me so much pride to see him play so well. If only he sustains it, then we have a player and half. He was so good that he made frank lampard foff by half time.
Sanchez was magnificent. For all the hype over costa scoring 7 in 4, Alexis has had 3 in 3 as well. He is a beast, someone who wont give up ever and boy does that makes me feel good or what.
Worries continue to be Flamini to a large extent and Per who has had his customary slow start to the season. Flamini is getting way to predictable, good initially and then the same mistakes. He is caught out of position way to many times and it is infuriating to say the least.
6 points out of 12, that draw against Leicster is starting to pinch for 8 out 12 would have been a satisfactory considering we had played everton away and city home.
BVB will be tough because they will hit us with pace. Chambers and Monreal will have their hands full and in a cauldron of more than 70000 people.
Finally a word on Mesut Magician Ozil. He creates space for others in the team to thrive. He takes out defenders and if Sanchez had freedom in the middle of the park, it was because Mesut was dragging defenders away. Yes he is not been at the optimum level he can be at but then the man is invaluable and his value on the pitch is priceless.
Debuchy being reported as out until the new year. Fingers crossed the rest of the defence stay healthy until then, because otherwise we can’t pick and choose when Belerin and Hayden get their games. Two exciting prospects, but going away the russian mall, for example, with either of them playing will do the nerves no good at all.
Exciting game in prospect tomorrow. Given their injury situation, I really hope we can capitalise and take three points. We can leave the rest scrambling for second place if we do and hopefully have top spot safe before the nasty looking last game away. (We know how this story ends though, right, or is this team different?)
Interested to see how Arsene juggles the squad over the action packed next few weeks before we break again. Would be wonderful if by the time we break we can have rounded in to form, rested as we go, and be in a good position domestically and in our group. Obvious innit. Some real tough games up ahead though and if we don’t juggle this right we could be 10 points of the league leaders, in a proper scrap in Europe and out the kids cup.
Given the fight this team has shown thus far though, I really think we get ourselves in a good position. Wobbling at the back at the moment, but the base of a solid, aggressive team is there. Whenever we add that to the Arsene Ball we do well.
Team tomorrow: Schez, Chambers, Kosc, BFG, Gibbs — Arteta, Wilshere, Rosicky — Sanchez, Santi, Welly.
Poonward
@84 oskar,
Two ways. If he is as good as you claim, then he should save some of these goals. Since he did not, then he is to blame.
Since you did not blame him, you must think he is just a ordinary gk for a mid table team (like fabi for Swansea and manone for Sunderland)., then he is not good enough for arsenal.
You think he is good or not? I am confused.
No Mesut tomorrow?. Well it would take a bold man to drop him though it will be perceived to be a move well received. The man needs to be played in the middle and if we dont, then he wont be effective, simple as that.
Mesut on the wings will be out run and cannot track back against the likes of Kagawa or immobile who are fleet footed. If in case he gets caught out, the media and the baiter’s and a lot fans as well will have a field day going at Mesut but then it is not his fault. His game is about finding spaces and creating chances, not tracking back and making tackles.
I will take a draw tomorrow eyes closed with a healthy squad coming back.
abc@90.
Personally I do like Woj. I think he is good and will improve more and more. I am happy he has Ospina to compete with and if Ospina looks the better bet in training I will have no problem with him taking Woj’s spot. Based on my knowledge of his character and attitude I would expect Woj to respond well to this.
I’m not overly bothered about another debate as to Woj’s merits. Most of us have already made our thoughts clear. I am happy to agree to disagree with anyone who does not rate him. We will have to wait and see how he performs.
But I did not really understand your point in your last post. Or what ‘two ways’ was a response to in Oskar’s 84.
Monreal out of tomorrow’s game.
It was not that long ago, maybe week or two, when people in this bar was pleased with the defensive options we had. When I expressed my concerns that we lack personnel in center back position, I was told by many that we have enough cover and that DM is the real problem of this team.
Today, only two weeks after, and two FULLBACKS injuries after…
We have to call Belerin and Hayden from the u-21. Not that they are bad players, they are fantastic, both of them, but can they as young and unexperienced play in front of 70000 people away in Dortmund? We will soon find out.
And while I agree that we lack a genuine, tall and pacey DM, I am sure we are pretty covered there. Arteta and Flamini might be old legged but there is plenty of experience between them. Look at the job Xabi Alonso does in Bayern this year for example, I am sure that Arteta can have a similar impact if stays injury free. And for all the criticism towards Flamini, check his stats. He is the best passer in the PL and needs to cover the midfield on his own, because both Wilshere and Ramsey this sesason are to eager toush forward and are not disciplined especially when we are attacking.
We have Coquelin able to fill that role too, like he has done previously.
Lurky @ 93 — I don’t think anyone was particularly pleased with our thin defensive squad. However many of us have thought that barring serious injury crisis we would have enough to stay competitive until the next window as it seemed to us it was not a matter of intent but finding the right willing candidate that was the obstacle.
I would include Coquelin as a potential candidate for the full backs as well, he has both ability and experience in that role, and I suspect we will see him there soon enough. Not the most ideal solution, but can work.
abc.
I didn’t dispute the fact that we have conceeded 4 headed goals, I stated that I had only seen two of them.
One thing, are you abc and Hong Kong Gunner?
Very similar arguements.
If you can’t remember the last time that Woj saved us points then you have the memory of a goldfish. It was in our last game, he might not of been able to deliver all three points, but he made sure we had a share of the spoils.
The keepers that you like are all retired, save Cech who is playing second fiddle at the Chavs.
I think Woj is good enough for us, you obviously don’t, let’s leave it at that.
Rumor is that we might sign 34 years old RB Anthony Réveillère, available as a free agent.
Chambers has a “little” problem, according to Arsene. Apparently he should be fine.
If he is fine, I think that he could play at RB. But I have my doubts. I personally think that we will see Bellerin’s first start this season and I doubt that Chambers will start, mainly because I think that he is not fine. My thoughts only, based on nothing specialy, except reading Arsene for years. I might be wrong.
Kos is already playing with minor injury and discomfort, as was noticeable vs City in his movement, especially towards the end of the match. We are risking losing him trough serious and long injury by playing him week in week out.
In the drinks before, someone pointed out, that we failed to buy a defender because there was lack of quality centerbacks in the market. I dont agree with that as many good quality centrebacks were transfered this summer, but anyway, apparently that was the main reason Barca and United were battling for Vermaelen.
Which reminds me, why exactly we sold him at the first place? Because we had an agreement with him to sell him? So what?! And even if we didn’t have a choice then to sell him, we had four or five months to find his replacement. We did not. And now we might be and will probably be- punished.
Chip over the top for Welbeck to run onto.
Knocks it over the keeper but stumbles as it bobbles across the area…
Amazing! Looks like I’m going to the Lily White Cunts game out of the blue. Fucking mega!
I’m really up for this Dortmund game. They are a proper club. Great ethos. Great manager. Fantastic stadium. Top support.
Every year when we play them I always feel it is two great clubs and top teams going at each other and the matches are always tough. Arsenal have not been playing enough for any of us lately. The season is still yet to warm up and feels oddly stilted by transfer shenanigans and the interbull.
I agree with LJW that we can set down a marker here. I am more confident of a result than I have been the last couple of times we’ve gone to their place. I’m not saying I expect a win- but with our attacking options I wouldn’t be surprised if we scored a couple. If we do that then we give ourselves a decent chance…
And well in Esso!
Lurky, I am and was with you through out the last few days of the TW when I was complaining about us not having enough cover on the CB front. But people were comparing us to Chelsea and the likes. My response was, with our injury record we shouldn’t even be comparing ourselves with any other team. Here we are just two weeks in and guess what we might not even have a third CB if we keep playing Chambers at right back. I know it’s getting old, but we messed up big time in regards to CB position. And to think that we sold Vermealean without no game plan to replace him was just stupid. Of course this is my humble opinion, just saying.
Well in Esso….. twice.
Apparently Nacho Monreal, who is injured tomorrow, is our fourth choice CB. Calum Chambers is our third choice CB ( but is doubtful with tonsillitis) but has the experience of playing there all of four times in senior football . Bellerin who has never started a senior game may well start a Champions League game away in one of the most intimidating venues in Europe.
I really think Arsene and Ivan should have worked a little bit harder on defensive options despite Arsene’s protestations that there was noone available of sufficient quality. We could find we have no centre backs to deputise if Per or Laurent get injured tomorrow.
That’s a far more pressing issue than anything else facing us and it should have been dealt with two weeks ago.
Amazing that we sold Miquel on TDD!
Defensive crisis? Who could possibly have predicted that when the transfer window was sliding shut?
Words fail..
This talk of setting down a marker is all well and good but maybe the correct metaphor is keeping our heads above water, what with our current defensive issues.
AW: “Monreal didn’t travel and we have a little problem with Chambers but he should be alright. Monreal has a back problem, he should be available on Friday. We’ll assess Chambers tomorrow morning. At the moment he’s 50/50 with tonsillitis.”
Does that mean it is 50/50 whether he has tonsillitis, or just that he is alright with having tonsillitis?
They wouldn’t be flesh-colored gets if only they brought in some Africanized cyclists. 😉
http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/sep/15/colombian-women-cycling-flesh-coloured-kit-unacceptable-uci
TTG: even if we had signed third and fourth choice CBs in the transfer window, given our luck with defenders, one would have contracted ink poisoning from the pen used to sign his contract while the other one would have been devoured by a freak plague of locusts on his first day of training…
NBN
You’re right but with that in mind maybe we need eight central defenders!
Just in, oh mein Gott, the sick bay is overflowing and it’s only Dortmund tomorrow with 3 fit first team defenders. Looks like another CL night behind the sofa!
Loved Bellerin at the Ems Cup but would have hoped he had had the run out in the Capitol Cup before being thrown in at the deep end.
This situation could have been avoided. Arsene looks foolish, total lack of foresight on his part.
The bench tomorrow will have the Coq and Flamini as our replacement defenders if Chambers fails to make it. Neither have played there in quite a while, not a happy prospect.
Looks like we will need divine intervention to get out of this mess.
COYRs
Not sure that luck has something to do with our injuries. Not anymore. The same old story, year after year, after year. It is no luck, it is not a coincidence.
I am sure that I don’t know the reason behind those injuries, I can only hope and believe that there are people at the club who actually do know.
A lot of doom-mongering before a ball’s even been kicked! OK – so our first choice RB has picked up a serious-ish injury, but our factored-in back-ups (Chambers, Bellerin, Coquelin) are available – and we’re not the only side to suffer injuries to first-teamers early in the season (Sturridge at Liverpool, Barkley at Everton, spring immediately to mind).
In a way, it could induce some necessary pragmatism in our tactics. Debuchy has been tremendous so far, but he and Gibbs/Monreal have been bombing forward, so perhaps Wenger will advise more caution from Debuchy’s RB replacement – not only tactically in terms of not running ahead of the play but holding position on the right side, but also physically – not charging around and throwing oneself into tackles, but playing pragmatically. Especially with Alexis/Theo ahead of him, our RB probably might need to err on the side of caution, and let Jack/Ramsey loop round on the support.
Finally, Per and Kos haven’t got injured yet. Hypothesising on catastrophic injury scenarios smacks of pointless doomsday thinking to me. When top players get injured, it hurts any side (it would be like Chelsea fans bitching about potential injuries to Terry, Cahill and Ivanovic). Let’s leave the negativity till the poor results and performances come in – until then, have faith!
We are light in defence. Clearly. We could all see this before the TW closed. But I’m not going to spend the next four months going round in circles over it. Many excellent posts in drinks past have covered this already and I, personally, have nothing further of any value to add.
I am still confident for tomorrow…
108@8ball- I appreciate what you are saying but LJW’s latest .com interview was what I referenced. If he had spoken about ‘keeping our heads above water’ can you imagine the response? I think their would be a few people who would complain about that as the height of Arsenal’s ambition…
I can see nothing wrong with one of ours (in reference to the champion’s league group) pointing out that a good result in the toughest fixture we will face (as well as being our first fixture) will remind the other teams in our group of our European standing. 17 years and counting is not to be sniffed at.
115@Gregoire- Good post
Re: GSD. Got your point at 116. Considering the lakes they swim in though, Chelsea (home of the dna non-grata) and Tottenham must be trying to keep their heads above sh*t. Cannon oriented firmly toward the Dortmunders at present. 🙂
8Ball
Well said. Agree wholeheartedly.
But there is no chance of either of those teams keeping their heads above sh*t…
Great stuff Esso. One man’s misfortune 😉 >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
ARSENAL Y Sanogo Hamstring Injury no return date
C Chambers Tonsillitis 16th Sep 14 Late Fit Test
N Monreal Back Injury 20th Sep 14
M Debuchy Ankle/Foot Injury no return date
O Giroud Ankle/Foot Injury no return date
S Gnabry Knee Injury no return date
T Walcott ACL Knee Injury 27th Sep 14
The above is taken from Physioroom dot com –
In one week we have jumped from 7th in the injury league table back to our rightful position of 1st. Good to know there is one league we have no trouble in winning.
If Rob the Chef is in the house, could you please make sure these players start eating their crusts and drinking their milk.
Ta.
Looking forward to the Dortmund game already, injuries are a little bit of a problem has to be said. Either way they are down to bear bones and we are defensively too. I just hope we will play the way we did against City.
Something tells me we will be victorious!
after watching the match and taking in clattenburg’s ineptitude, it’s clear that to win the league you must employ a large cheaty sort of guy to foul everyone all over the middle of the park. chelsea had ramires who is a repurposed combat robot sent from the future…or something, and he has little talent other than to run around a lot and then foul people. matic for me is a bit more than that, but it’s easy to see why he’s in the line up. fernandihno (and fernando) just doing the fouly stuff all over. in the first, i remember him just smashing into ramsey for absolutely nothing and had no chance at the ball; it was clearly a ‘putting you on notice’ sort of barge because it wasn’t even a tackle. i would say that clattenburg isn’t that bad of a ref in comparison to some of the other premier league offerings, but that’s just relative. if the referees refuse to call fouls, we must get a defensive midfielder who will do what patty used to. and i should add that what city was systematically doing to us was quite a bit more than the shirt pulling and the tactical fouling to prevent a breakaway. it was kicking in the back of the legs and just being all sorts of cheaters. and when the card for this sort of nonsense finally does arrive, flamini commits a single foul and goes into the book. not sure i said what i set out to say, but the league refs are so inconsistent, as arseblog said, yellow for sanchez taking his shirt off and nothing for kicking the ball away because it would have been a second.