Can Gunners Silence The Blue Boys?
Sep 15th, 2015 by 'holic
“Our last visit was a very tough game. We needed to be patient against a very strong side.”
Arsene Wenger in his pre-match press conference. It certainly doesn’t seem like nine years since last we met the Dinamo Zagreb of Corluka, Modric, and Eduardo, with a back four of Emmanuel Eboue, Johan Djourou, Kolo Toure, and Justin Hoyte. With the benefit of hindsight our 0-3 win at the Maksimir Stadium in the first leg of the third qualifying round was quite remarkable.
One wonders if a squad team will turn out just sixty-four hours before we visit the bus stop in Fulham on Saturday lunchtime. The boss revealed that Hector Bellerin and Aaron Ramsey have not travelled, and that everyone else who is fit has. It isn’t immediately clear if that includes Per Mertesacker, back in training but involved in a car crash on Monday.
“I know I have a squad of experienced players. Every decision I make is difficult, so it’s easier to rotate than it was before.”
It is most certainly clear that Jack Wilshere has not gone anywhere after the decision to pin his broken leg was revealed. Not surprisingly that has generated traffic aplenty on social media sites. Jack’s ankle travails have been well documented but this leg break so close to his porcelain ankle was destined to be complicated, it seems. Recover fully please Jack. No rushing back and aggravating the problem.
Back to tomorrow, and Arsene’s options. Mathieu Debuchy will presumably slot in at right-back, and ahead of him we have the options of Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. The latter is likelier perhaps. Either way a recall for Olivier Giroud would appear likely in a tricky away game for the hold-up option he offers. Arsene was quick to point out the size of the task facing us.
“We have to play at our best to beat them. They have not lost a game for eleven months.”
If you are reading this hoping to see an in-depth analysis of the opponents you have come to the wrong place! I have little knowledge of them these days. I could have pinched some stuff from the Scouting Report on Arsenal.com and passed it off as my own. I’m sure some do! Why don’t you click on the link and get it from the horse’s mouth, so to speak. With available strikers so thin on the ground it will be interesting to see if Angelo Henriquez could be the next Eduardo da Silva.
The ‘holic pound
As you may have worked out the ‘holic pound is punted on more or less a complete guess. The bookies have made 0-1 and 0-2 to the Arsenal joint favourites at around 6/1. I don’t believe in lightning striking twice in the same place, and certainly not in just over four days, so I am on the good old ‘one-nil to the Arsenal’ that became an ear worm in Europe in 1994.
The hardy souls who are going know the full well they will face a bit of a struggle to make themselves heard. Those who were at the home leg of that 2006 match will remember the passionate and very vociferous ‘Blue Boys’ and the magnificent support they gave their team that night. We will be playing very well if we can quieten them down.
Good luck, Gooners. Have a safe and happy trip.
97 Responses to “Can Gunners Silence The Blue Boys?”
thirst, and quenchingly so. now to read the preview. thanks again, holic!
The worst mistake would be to repeat the complacency shown against West Ham, it’s reassuring to hear the gaffer mention their invincible streak!
You mentioned Eduardo twice and it’s him I was thinking about when I saw Luke Shaw’s injury. The lad was off a flying start to the season, I hope he’ll recover fully.
Cheers, Holic.
The Zagreb support at The Emirates was indeed almost unique – super loud, constant and with hundreds, or quite possibly into the thousands, of pairs of perfectly synchronised bare arms clapping over their heads.
Can it really be nine years ago ? Well, yes, ‘cos you said it is, but that is quite unbelievable.
No idea what will happen to us tomorrow night with our injuries mounting ominously again and a stupidly scheduled game at the bus stop on Saturday lunch time. Why on earth couldn’t that be played on Sunday ?
Man City being held by Juventus.
Man Utd 1-2 down at PSV. ?
City 1-2 down.
Scruz, hope you’re all safe – fires around again I believe.
One word Trev.
Television.
🙁
Thanks for the preview H. Unless Croatian football is utter rubbish they represent a problem. BBC are reporting a small earthquake in Zagreb tonight which won’t help our state of mind. I think we may be held to a draw in what must be a tricky game.
I think the Premier Zleague is nowhere near the highest quality league in the world just the most intensively competitive as tonight may underline. Let’s hope we can fly the flag tomorrow.
Not with you I’m afraid, H,
unless you’re referring to the carve up on BT Bleedin’ Sport tomorrow night ? I’m going to be out and about searching for somewhere that has it on. Quite determined not to subscribe.
Oh, I think you mean scheduling.
Surely we could have swopped with one of the Sunday games ?
cheers, trev. the valley fire to the north, the butte fire to the east…both have played hell on earth. i’ve been clearing our property for the past couple months, and have most of the growth well away from the house. seeing the valley fire destroy middletown…yeesh, that’s what can happen in our little valley. prayers for all affected…and a drink on the bar for you (and a soft one for erin, hoping all’s well!).
Mancs both lost.
Football is quite good fun sometimes ?????
Cheers, scruz.
Stay safe mate.
Driving back from the airport tonight I made the stupid mistake of listening to TalkSh*te. They were fielding calls on Wilshere from Arsenal fans. Apparently the problem has been solved- bring back Gary Lewin.
That expert on football Darren Gough was claiming two wins for the Manchester teams tonight . United are now superb and have a great tactician in charge and Citeh were playing a side who had nobody able to score. Mandzukic and Morata must have slipped the prat’s mind. While we need to keep our four places on Europe it was good fun to see them lose tonight.
And the Gary Lewin theory might be right!
Trev, television pays us £50m a season and puts us on when they want, not when it is best for English football. We have no power of veto having signed up for the King’s shilling. Another reason why Friday night football may chase me away next season. The first time we play on a Friday of a Champions League week they can fuck off. 🙁
it’s still a ‘holiday
is it not ?
bind yer bustles and hitch up yer hoo Haas
tuck them behind yer ear
wi yer wee bookies pencil and mutton joints
.
feckin SHOWER !
.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BxFqv1QDI3Q
You might remember me saying a while back, TTG, that Jack’s lack of progress was looking ominous.
How does it take 6 weeks to decide that a hairline fracture is not healing?
Have they not taken an interim x-ray ? We seem to leave these things so long before taking these decisions.
Gary Lewin ? Not saying it was his fault but we had just as many injuries then, didn’t we ?
Nice preview H. Like many, I have no real idea what to expect tomorrow. I have no idea what to expect from either side. I just hope we can come up with a performance that results in 3 points.
We have spoken on here several times about the money element of the game. My view is that it will only get worse as the money increases. We, along with everyone else sold our soul years ago. This is just the fallout of it all. As each season rolls on the percentage of our revenue derived from match day revenue will continue to decrease. No one cares about the fans anymore. The fact that Arsenal have put up all of their prices inside the ground just tells you how much we are thought of.
I’ve not seen anything if the games this evening but I have heard enough about the Luke Shaw injury to have nothing but sympathy for the lad. I hope he makes a full and speedy recovery.
Finally, happy 9th old mate. Quite an achievement. Well done sir.
ye snuck in there ‘hol
i’ve a mind to report ye
exactly what is the aggrievance procedure
here in stalag ‘hol ?
😉
.
young yella twonk got short shrift 😉
.
i’m all for free speech
“I have never made but one prayer to God
a very short one
‘O Lord make my enemies ridiculous’
And God granted it”
(Voltaire)
.
vaudeville jugglin synth-donkey act?
played all t’workin men’s clubs did voltaire
band’s name ?
nope
sorry
big shorty’ll have it in the booking
book
70s odd
very
drank shorts as i recall
so
what does he know
.
*bleep bleep squelch*
.
Ramones time
R.I.P. Johnny
sorry Uply
drunk again
i try
i do
i know i do
.
cheerio
and
happy arse end of yer Arse birthday big man
🙂
.
UP THE ARSENAL!
ps
10th birthday party ?
*starts saving*
would NOT miss that
🙂
Well done H on 9 yrs of blogging.
You’ve been through a lot in those 9 years,both personal and professional,and you are as the rotund gay little pixie was won’t to sing,
‘ still standing better than i ever did “. Hopefully anyway.!!
Long may it continue my friend.
As Zico alluded to earlier,we have lost some stalwarts along the way,who made the bar so much fun in times gone by,even some of the trolls who tried constantly and many times hilariously to stir the Bar into open warfare.
But life is a moveable feast in the 21st Century,particularly on the technological front,and the attention span of many,has been shortened to a few characters on a smartphone.
So it is what it is,and each to their own.
it’s been a long time since we got anywhere near some of the great posting sessions of the old days,when it wasn’t uncommon to sail past 500 with steam coming out of our ears. !!
But as long as you keep blogging,i and many others,will keep on responding.
As for the game in Zagreb,i liken the strength of their league at the same level as our Championship league.
So if we play up to our standard,and earn the right to play,by winning the midfield battle,then i expect nothing less than a win.
That in turn will flow into a hopefully positive performance at the Bridge on Saturday,which for me at any rate,is still the only game in Town.
What a delight to see you here Clive. Yes, we have lost some to Twitter and WhatsApp and the like, and no complaints here. I have seen much better organs than this suffering similarly in terms of numbers of comments/drinks. It is what it is, and there is even more competition now.
C’est la vie. 🙂
Steve T: Totally agree about money making things worse in football for the most part but being the glass-half full kind of person the upcoming TV deal will see all the teams pocket between 100M-150M each, meaning the smaller ones will become significantly more competitive thus adding more uncertainty in every game.
Still it’s pretty crazy that Leicester, Swansea, Southampton and the likes will have a bigger budget than all but 10 or so teams in Europe.
And I’m with the sweeper, I can’t wait for Saturday, hoping for the specialist in failure to hammer the last nail in the special one’s coffin.
Twitter is anathema to cogent thoughts. It suits the plastics well, we can thank it for the decanting 😉
Hello, one and all.
Happy blog-birthday ‘holic and ‘holics. Here’s to many more years of continued drinking in this excellent bar.
Fine preview Guvna.
Never before seen you as a rotund gay little pixie though. 🙂
But it fits. 🙂
Pace Clive @23 😀
And, sad for Shaw, but let’s all laaarf at Manchestah. 😀
Unbeaten for 11 months looks a worry, but I note that both Zdravko and Zoran Mamic, Dinamo Zagreb’s CEO and Manager respectively, are currently on bail charged with bribery amongst other sins. Could that have something to do with the run? 🙂
With Rambo not travelling and the more defensive-minded Debuchy in for Belle, perhaps this is when we will see Theo on the wing alongside OG instead of competing with him for CF. Considering Ox played 157 minutes for England recently and contributed very little, while Theo played 23 minutes and scored twice, this is surely the way to go.
Öskar
Happy “birthday” ‘Holic!
You know I love a good party!
A professional win at Zagreb and then murder the chavs. I’m having that!
Enjoy Gooners.
I would like to see Theo and Ollie G on the pitch at the same time for both games. Time to unleash more speed and width from the right flank!
Bath at 27
i think you need to re read the first part of my post. !!
It’s the singer, not Holic.
Many happy returns, Guv.
Elton John a ‘gay rotund little pixie’. Love it Clive. And not at all how (never having met him) I picture our barman here. No, I see him more like this chap… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFmNhqBfV7o
Öskar
or this of course … https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTZYSzxZcvA
Öskar
Good luck to the travelling Gooners – it’s a long trek from cannondale.
Cheers H! Buon compleanno! Never fear this place remains the last bastion of intelligent and reasoned discourse about the arse, anywhere on the web, even if the traffic is somewhat quieter these days.
As everyone knows I loathe scruffy moaning lying porto cunt with a passion, however I thought his reaction to the pathetic line of questioning at yesterday’s presser, was spot on. Same as when Le Boss steamed into one of the cunts some time ago.
‘Cunts’ in question are today’s crop of football journos. What a gormless bunch of ignorant agenda-driven sheep they really are. I remember the days when it was an absolute pleasure to read the views of Hugh Mcilvaney, David Lacey, Frank McGhee, or even Glen Moore before he went ga-ga. Nowadays the broadsheets are full of pretentious twats like Winter and distinctly second division players like Barclay are held in unjustified regard. As for the redtops or the web? Forget it!
Why I hope this place can keep going through a few more birthdays.
Trev @16
The caller was saying that Lewin saved Eduardo’s foot as it was reported at the time he had to ensure blood circulation to his foot after the break. But I would think that excellent work though that was its standard Physio practice? I guess the same issues applied to poor young Shaw last night.
My worry is the one I keep repeating that we have a lot of British players who for one reason or another are not fit for purpose and as the season goes on we lose them for months at a time. Ramsey is out tonight. What is that about? He is very prone to long lay- offs. After Galatasaray last year where he suffered a tiny tweak he was out for ages. Theo, Ox and Gibbs are all similarly inclined. I just wait each season for them to disappear and then the squad looks so much weaker. It looks like Welbeck is another Brit with the same tendencies. Do we overplay young British players in their early teens?
My grandson is training with the Brighton pre- Academy team and he’d play football 24 hours a day but he is growing fast and I am concerned about not overplaying him. The coaching set- up there is excellent but something must happen for So many home- grown players to be particularly afflicted.
I just hope my fears are unfounded but I look at a team shorn of Bellerin, Ramsey, Rosicky, Wilshere and Welbeck five games into the season and a feeling of déjà vu hits me
Happy ‘birthday’ ‘Holic 🙂
Fantastic place this, and while I may not always have time to post, it’s always a pleasure to catch up with the latest blog and the drinks.
I’m sure everyone here will wish Luke Shaw as full a recovery from his horrific leg break as Aaron Ramsey has now completed – whoever he plays for.
Yes the Times has a horrific picture of the break on its back page which will have not aided the digestion of many breakfasts ! Wish the lad well it was a terrible blow given the progress he was making
Good morning,
The simple answer is yes, we can smack the Chavski’s where it hurts.
Somebody said in the last drinks that we could ‘twist the knife’. Yes, that too.
We have to remember that this game will be like no other. They will be in front of their home supporters after losing there already this season to the South London Mobb! (Ole, ole, ole, oi, oi, oi)
Saying that, they are without their no.1 and their no.2 is with us (Well he was really their no.1 but they tried it). Think we need to maybe start with Theo, hit them with Pace, stretch the old legs on Terry and get behind the back four.
We need to have a go at Begovic, their so-called ‘id*al replac*m*nt for C*ch’ (Really?)
Keep it tight at the back when they counter and hit them for six at the front.
So the question which remains for me is: Will we slice the blues?
My answer is that, as of now, we have more chance of doing so than not!
This game is ours to piss away! Simple and plain!
(Our key men will be: Cech & Theo) – If those two are on point, the rest will follow!
UTA!
🙂
Clive @31, I know. Hence the ‘Pace Clive :D’ @27.
Just rattling Holic’s cage. 🙂
After seeing own our suffer horror injuries that have seriously affected their careers I hope the same is not true for Luke Shaw. He really seemed to have stepped up in the England and Manure games I had seen this season. I’ll join everyone else in wishing him the best possible recovery.
When asked about Zagreb the boss said he was well up to speed, pointing out that he has a Croatian assistant. How long til you get one of those H?
Don’t listen to GSD, ‘H – Croatian assistants are sooopo 2014. Mark my words Ulstermen are the coming thing. This is just another example of Wenger being oit of touch.
COYG
I trust no smiley is required.
Theo and Sanchez as wide men, Giroud upfront, Santi and Coq as central midfield and Ozil plays no 10. Gibbs and Debuchy to start, Kos and Gabriel cb’s and Cech as ever checks in goal. Should work enough for an odd goal in 3 win for the Gunners.
United lost, city lost and all those zillions spent cannot guarantee anything. The sight of fellaini replacing martial just indicates how shit is lvg’s philosophy. City were not that bad, just slow but Pogba was terrific. He and Buffon are just top class and Morata continues to infuriate yet dazzle.
Sat matters and i am worried for the game. It is just set for that crap team to make a statement by winning the game and announcing we are back. I rather have a better headline which reads Arsenal reduce chelshit to shambles and prompts mou to be sacked.
“Holic.
Congratulations on your 9th anniversary sir.
Time certainly has flown by, we’ve had up and downs, good times and bad since I first found this oasis of sanity in the internet wasteland of madness. We’ve seen charachters come and go, I myself have been less active lately in the drinks due to a rellocation and different lifestyle/work time, nevertheless I never miss a post. One constant has remained and that is the quality of your posts, which keep us all coming back.
Over the years I have also been lucky enough to have met and shared a drink with your goodself and also a select group of ‘holics who I am honoured to call my friends.
Thank you for all your efforts to inform, educate and entertain us in your own very special way.
Cheers mate.
Of course we can silence the bad blue babies.
Search and destroy…
Looks like I’ll be missing the game as Virgin’s telly service has gone to shit and they’re convinced it’s my box, even though it is displaying all the signs of a street cabinet fault.
I’m not going to be streaming it, so it looks like Arseblog’s live blog for me.
Or I’ll just watch cartoons on DVD.
Battle of the Planets wins.
Arsenal has rotated significantly- including Ospina, but the three ‘ Untouchables’ – Cazorla, Ozil and Sanchez start. It’s difficult to leave too many out. Ramsey is back in London ( and that will be an injury) and Arteta starts but the squad is five or so short and we don’t have the luxury of all our top midfielders so we have to go with our most robust players and hope they come through.
I thought we would rotate the full- backs and as Giroud didn’t start on Saturday I thought he would tonight.
COYG⚽️
Can barely remember the last time we started without our Coq held high …
Check out this brilliant goal by Chris Willock in the UEFA Youth League.
The lads won 2-0. I’d settle for that tonight for the seniors
http://talkingbaws.com/2015/09/video-arsenal-youngster-chris-willock-scores-outstanding-solo-goal-vs-dinamo-zagreb-u-19s/?
Congrat to the barman!
Still the best bar around.
The chavs have implemented a banter ban at training… that’s a joke! But seriously.
Back to real news…. COME ONNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!
😀
First shot..first goal ..oh dear.
O.G by the Ox..!
COME ON!
Too easy to give goals away like that!
Come on!
What an idiot!
what in the hells fuck?
Idiot Giroud!
Come on ref…wtf
Guess I should have worn an Arsenal tie today after all…my goodness!
BMBD
SAG
Ref had the right to book him there no questions asked! Stupid lad!
What a mess.
And yeah..chasing a game in 10 men is exactly what we need before the game with Chelski on Saturday. .ffs
Stupid Giroud end off
Please Rest Giroud this weekend…..!
ATG- what about the first yellow card?
He got for his reaction
Unable to watch this. Are we shit?
Playing like shit in the CL group stage.
The same old story, every year.
Makes you wonder, are we analyzing the teams we are playing before the first game, or are we waiting to lose the first one and then prepare ourselves adequately.
The first one was completely stupid SAG, those are cards which are easily avoided by keeping a cool head and focusing on your job. I love OG to bits but he is bit of a drama queen sometimes.
He fucked up, big time, same like he did against QPR at home last season (when I understood he got angry). As soft as the second yellow was, this is the standard of UCL, refs are much more prone to card players and give fouls which are let go in PL and the refree will defend the booking easily.. Everyone knows that, so why the heck would you blatantly foul a player when you are on a yellow already.
Really pissed, I still believe this group of players is capable of achieving something great, but it is hard to back that feeling when you witness shambles like this on much more regular basis than it should have been.
I am always quite positive about us, but boy this pisses me off.
The way Giroud was playing he might not be missed.
But seriously a draw from here will be a remarkable result. They are no mugs#41 unbeaten
Theo on, play on the break with two strong fours in front of the keeper.
Will he make that change?
Sczesny out… Suarez injured him….
Obviously not. Let’s sit on our hands until the 70th minute. Follow the usual playbook. And then swap your left backs over as a tactical masterstroke.
Truly awful!
Why are we surprised that we’re playing shit? We are shit.
Amateurs
Shame on you Arsenal.
Damage limitation now
Get Ozil and Alexis out, do at least one proper thing tonight
Feel sorry for the away fans total let down!
Theo can’t get a start, keeps scoring.
Get the fucking message Wenger.
Well taken Theo
This ref’s a proper cunt
Yea Giroud messed up, but I think the ref couldn’t have used some judgment there and not give a second yellow card.
Ref was twat but that does not excuse us from being shit tonight.
Back to basics me thinks!
We could have lost this by a larger margin so lets look at the positives if there are any that is…
Now am so worried about our game against Chelsea after all these chasing around. Fuck fuck fuck I can already see us losing that game.
God please keep Coquelin healthy because we definitely do not have a back up that’s for sure.
This was rather embarrassing to be honest even though the Ref was a twat.
Giroud needs to be dropped so he learns how to control his temper!
Total and utter embarrassing shambles. Why on earth fuck about with selection? Complacency or stupidity?
For all of those out there that felt there was not one outfield player available in the transfer window available that would have strengthened this squad I would politely suggest that you have a rethink. Because if there isn’t then we really are proper fucked.
Sometimes I totally despair with this wonderful club of ours.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Hope we don’t ever need to start Arteta, Gibbs and Debuchy again this season, especially the Spaniard. We are Coquelin injury away from ruined season.
I guess there were no players who are improvement on Arteta in all the world.
And we need a backup LB in January, I never though I woukd say this but sell Gibbs he is useless.
Had a bad feeling as soon as I saw the line up.
Once again we were the masters of our own downfall. I hope Arsene rips Giroud a new one, he let us down immeasurably tonight. Not that anyone covered themselves in glory, the defending for their goals was pathetic. Arsene rang the changes way too late (again).
Sad, sad, sad.