Gunners Need To Respond Against Resurgent Sunderland
Dec 4th, 2015 by 'holic
A Saturday 3pm kick-off. Fourth from the top Arsenal are at home to fourth from the bottom Sunderland. Could it get any better? Frankly, yes.
Arsenal go into the match looking to better last month’s tally of two points from three Premier League fixtures, but with a well-documented injury situation. They will be up against a Sunderland side who have found form and confidence under the old dog that is Sam Allardyce, escaping the relegation zone with consecutive victories over Stoke City and Crystal Palace.
The Gunners will have at least two changes to make. Aaron Ramsey is likely to take on the Santi Cazorla role in tandem with Mathieu Flamini. On the left flank Arsene Wenger faces a choice between Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain or Kieran Gibbs to stand in for Alexis.
Those who listened to this weeks A Bergkamp Wonderland podcast will know how grateful we can be that Mesut Ozil remains fit. He will be key to our performances in the coming weeks. He is in the form of his life and looks hungrier than ever to score goals as well as provide assists.
There is some good news ahead of the match for Arsenal supporters. Theo Walcott may be fit enough to feature on Saturday but will surely be on the bench at best after missing five weeks with a calf muscle problem.
Talking about our recent troubles and the title race, Arsene emphasised the need for us to respond positively.
“You look across the league and every game is difficult for everybody. It is down to consistency. We have gone through a spell that has been a bit difficult for us but I believe we are in there and it’s down to how well we respond.”
As for the visitors Sunderland striker Jermain Defoe is ruled out with a hamstring injury, former Gunner Sebastian Larsson is also sidelined with a knee injury, and Jack Rodwell is unlikely to be considered. Defender Billy Jones returns after being banned.
The ‘holic pound
On the ABW podcast I opted for a modest 2-0 home win on the basis that we are missing Alexis and may have to be patient against what is sure to be a solid rearguard action by the visitors. This also the favourite with the bookies, reflected in the best offer of 6/1 against.
So that’s it for now. I look forward to seeing a number of you before and after the match. This will be my last home match of the year so I may have a celebratory Christmas Guinness or two. Have a good one, ‘holics.
92 Responses to “Gunners Need To Respond Against Resurgent Sunderland”
Get in.
And let it be the preview of a bundle of Arsenal goals tomorrow.
You have summed our situation up well Guvna. Here’s hoping Rambo and the Ox seize their opportunities from the word go. Carpe Diem, fellas.
3rd???
Boom!!!
er…
To be honest, I’m relieved to hear Dafoe and Seb Larsson are not fit as they often rise to the occasion.
Whipping Fat Sam’s teams is such a joy. Come on Arsenal!
A 2-0 home win requires a Holic pound prediction of 1-0 🙂 Hope to see you tomorrow.
Modest 2-0 win will suit me just fine as I search for Santa in Lapland. Time for Ox to step up and show what he’s made of
Extended holiday season upon us already? The Guinness is on me then. 🙂
Come on you Arsenal bench warmers. 🙂
We’ll score from a corner. If we do the one we practised.
give sam some credit
not many
head the size of a turnip
(on the large side)
could tie a knot in their tie bigger
than their dollop of a chewey chewey scone
he has fums an all an everyfing an all
.
a delicate flower
that’s what he is
yup
.
delicate
fuckin stout is lovely
big cliche just now
fire roarin
a pint and a wee half o homemade too
very tasty
nice wee burny bite off it
all i need is a ginger haired donkey
clatterin on me door
selling carpet for me driveway
which i don’t have
an i’ll have the full set
glad i’m not in donegal
would blow the bastardin head off ye there
not even i could make the ton from here
.
?
not even gonna try
i unapologetically watch i’m a celebrity
so
must muster meself
with a dinner
nowt as glamorous as fillet steak
mind
mind you
never fuckin mastered cooking a steak
can rattle out a good few hearty dinners
always fuckin balls up a steak
don’t buy the bastards anymore
best intentions turn into somethin
ye could half sole an heel yer boots with
time for cholesterol colon impacting joy from the chip shop
cheerio
see ye in the heart ward
life’s for living , baff
living i tells ya
Adventurous as ever, decided against the fillet to try my first katsu curry. Never had a Japanese curry before. Smelt delicious, yet the flavours were very subtle. We live and learn.
“We have gone through a spell that has been a bit difficult for us” – Arsene.
‘a bit’, AW? It’s been a *ucking disaster, easy points dropped, injuries picked up. Get real, puhleeze.
If we can get through this one without losing points or players it will be an overdue miracle, but thankfully Seb Larsson won’t be around so that’s a blessing.
I’m predicting another*ucking draw, while hoping enough players surprise me by standing up on the day and not breaking down.
Oskar
Isn’t katsu Japanese for cat, ‘holic?
Oskar
Good stuff, Holic.
Look forward to seeing you and others tomorrow. What will happen once that whistle blows at 3.00pm, gawd knows.
We can doubtless look forward to trying to break down a rotationally fouling, Fat Sam 4-5-1. How has the minimally talented, big clumpy-booted Lee Clattermole managed to steal a living in the Premier League for so long ?
Any win, in the circumstances, plus the pleasure of watching the masterful Mesut will do me tomorrow. And no more injuries, of course, would be nice, however unlikely.
Surely you’ve had Kat in the curry before, H?
Nice preview H.
I’m not sure if I remember the last Saturday 3pm kick off I went to. Should be interesting.
Another game that on paper should be a straight forward victory. But then nothing appears to be straight forward these days.
I will look forward to seeing a few friendly faces but from behind the railings. Little lady in tow this week. 2 years to wait before she will be marching into the Tollie to buy her old man a pint. I can’t wait.
5-0 to the mighty Gunners. Then a trip West for an evening of Weller.
nowt worse
a too hot
or a too blaaaa
curry
expectation massive
thunderous crash then
but
it’s always
“it’ll be ate” to rhyme with get
could do wi a curry now
i am fuckin sick of herselfs cold assholery
YOUNGUNS !
RUN FROM THE ALTAR !
RUN !!!!!
I will only be in the Tolly post match. All who are not lucky enough to have Weller tickets 😉 can come and say hello then!
Pins early doors to meet a top man.
hid a fuckin bottle o wine
from her
just now
cos there’s only so fuckin much
TRIPE
one man can try and
merry fuckin christmas
it fuckin started when i said
no fuckin way to a christmas tree here
one’s enough in donegal
YOU HAVEN’T BEEN HOME IN WEEKS
i got
.
.
.
head officially done in
sorry holic
could beat through walls
don’t wanna
more cos
i only put them up
6months ago
and
plasterboard is fuckin heavy
and a balls to unload off the wagon
and
fuckin fuckin fuckin ?
.
happy holidays
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=nUKku3MhCPs
i am fuckin sick of herselfs cold assholery
Is that some kind of Irish hotpot?
In sympathy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bif2q_Zo3-4
cba and cynic
two reasons I’m still here
thank you both.
arselicker
If you’re looking for things to put in the curry ……..
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=C0n88tZQc4Q
?
?
Is someone missing a cat called Sue?
Up the Gunners!
See you post-match, Holic!
Cheers for the preview H.
With the last men standing on duty today, the performance could set out our stall between now and January. Can the FlamRam axis hold strong against the evil forces of Fat Sam? I think it won’t be pretty to watch as I expect he will set up the Mackems to play a defensive / aggressive format ( despite his protestations of change) and hope to catch us on the break. A hard fought tight 1-0 to the good guys and no further injuries will be a result when looking back over the past few games.
Have a great time to all those going.
fuckin shite day
pishin down like fuck here
day fer the bar
happy trails
them that’s goin today
bar , beer and The Arsenal
COME ON YOU RIP ROARING !
3o’clock of a saturday
mad , eh ?
the way it should be
UP THE ARSENAL
Any sort of win today for the Gunners will do. Here’s hoping that the likes of Ramsey, Campbell, the Ox and Theo can step into the goalscoring breach vacated by Alexis….I fancy a nerve-jangling 2-1 to us, personally.
Also, those of you going today, make the most of your Saturday 3pm berth! I’ve a feeling there’ll be lots of Sunday fixtures from February onwards due to probable Europa League participation….
howdy Up
hope things are grand your direction
.
and lars is in attendance
a matchday travelogadrinkalogue ?
here’s hoping
slainte big man
jeez
gloomy oul day
my brethren of a different persuasion
out marchin’ their wee bowler hats off
police helicopters in the sky
always hum the laurel and hardy tune
in me head iffin i’m unfortunate enough
to cross paths with one of their wee walkabouts
takes the edge off
a hip flask also provides succour
and liquor
half o them
should be home praying for a happy death
instead o traipsin’ hither an yon
in the fuckin rain
spring chickens thin on the ground
clearly bigotry stops for nowt
desmond included
?
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=aQqC6_6Wf0M
and oskar
before ye incinerate i’m a bigot too
i’ll stop ye right there
i’m not
it’s them feckers that are
?
” try the veal ”
*ba-boom tishhh*
FEO IS BACK (on the bench)
Hey everyone, I really hope we win this one to turn which was rather underwhelming month around.
Streams here http://www.livefootballol.com/streaming/english-premier-league/05-12-2015-arsenal-sunderland.html
http://livetv.sx/en/eventinfo/353528_arsenal_sunderland/
Campbell in for Sanchez is like swapping your Ferrari for a Honda C90.
Bring it on.
Cheers H, enjoy the day out.
Saturday 3 o clock kick off means I’m here on the laptop looking for a crappy stream, not my favourite way to watch, since vaG took over at Old Toilet and Koeman at St Marys those teams take precedent when it comes to viewing hee in the Lowlands. Bah Humbug.
I’ll be gimpsing through the fingers of the hands over my eyes hoping that we can get the thre points and finish a match with none of the legs failing off any of our players.
COYG
Cheers for the links Eandy, I’ll try one of those.
Radioactive cats.
Keystone cops defending early.
Biz as usual it. seems.
Get in Joel!
Great ball by ozil.
Yes!!!!
Good finish JC!!
Campbeeeeeeeeeeeelllllll!
GETIN!
I was there when Joel Campbell scored. I’d like to thank my mum, my dad, my trainer……
My very own John Jenson moment.
🙂
this is unbelievable ..another OG
Get Giroud off come on
How many this season already?
And thats about pat for he course.
Fooking unbelievable.
Typical typical typical typical
Not a very good first hal by all means
Can’t stop scoring now…can he?!
Come On!
we are becoming terribly efficient in shooting ourselves in own foot, thats like.. 6th own goal this season already?
Campbell needs more than a pacifier now to win this…
A finish like that by Giroud at that end next half would be welcome.
73% Possesion and we have nothing to show for it, we never learn do we?
First shot of Giroud and he puts it into our own net. I just don’t like his sulking attitude of late. Always complaining of something. Just get on with the fucking game.
SAG. With you there.
Pull him off. Put on theo.
For a big man, he sure doesn’t know how to use his strength and size at all. Lazy as hell. He could have cleared that ball with his right foot. Oh well 45mins to win this game. Nothing will do than 3pts.
It often suits the simplified rhetoric of online debate these days to tar players as either a genius or useless piece of space. Very little room for nuance alas…
JC is not a top, world-class player, but anyone who saw him at the World Cup last year and in patches for us, would know he’s a solid enough, top-level professional who’s got more than a little something about him. No surprise with a run of games that he’s bagging a few. For sure, when Alexis and Theo are back and fit, I think he drops down the pecking order again, but a good player to have in our squad, and hardly a John Jensen moment (always a good idea with a joke to get the spelling right!!)
That was lucky Jesus Christ
61
last line
nobody likes a smart urse !!
St. Petr?
OG has done nothing other than OG.
Waiting until 70 to replace him … Absurd.
well ..he did make up for it 😛
Get in there I suppose I have to eat my humble pie now but hey I don’t mind!
OG.
Thank you sir!!
I think he heard me bitching.
I imagine Garry Monk will be sacked before the weekend’s out judging by the current score at the Liberty. Another manager who was touted by the media as the next great thing at the beginning of the season, but who looks like joining the Moyes, Coyle & Laudrup club soon enough! Makes Wenger’s longevity seem even more remarkable….
Get off the tightrope ffs
Ramsey well done
Arsene is relieved and so are we ?
Ramsey!!!!
You were due. Nice!
Cech man of the match without a doubt, but Ramsey looked good in the middle and it was great to see AOC and Theo back in the side. No new injuries and many points dropped by the other leaders. Great day all around and I expect the gathering of the ‘holics might be even better. 🙂
Strange game
Siunderland may very well feel they deserved to take something from that match and they certainly had the chances to hurt us, but they didn’t take them so tough shit Fat Sam.
I thought we looked very disjointed in the first half, a little better after the break, there was a period around the time of the scond goal that we looked like a different team, we were pulling them apart at will, but that soon dissapated. Cech is worth every penny and Kos had his moments. Ozil is on another level, he just does some amazing stuff and he makes it look so easy too, incredable talent.
A very welcome three points as we head into the festive period, thank fuck November is done, it will not be missed.
Now to get ready for the Greeks.
Bt8, agree with you on our Cech mate as MotM. Would anyone be able to venture how many points he has been worth to date? I know it’s difficult to say whether an effort like today’s is really two points saved or three points, but the guess is that it’s getting close to ten already.
Cech man of the match without a doubt
Best drummer in the team by miles anyway.
Come on Bournmouth.
What a relegation battle… at stamford bridge…HAHAHAHHAHAHA!
What a wonderful week its turning out to be!
😀
This weekend can’t get any better. I love it. One of the best weekend to be an Arsenal fan in a long time. Everyone dropping Pts and Chelshit losing again…….
Today was a game we just had to win. Be it ugly, lucky whatever we just had to win it. Sounded like we delivered on both counts to some degree but we won and everyone else except Leicester dropped points. A good afternoon ; all rounded off by the Chavs result as a cherry on top.
But…as usual playing averagely and winning is seen as a sign of weakness in Arsenal but the “stuff of champions” in every other team that do it by the sports media…
The only way it gets better is if liverpool lose to NUFC.
I just managed pull my foot out of my mouth as just after criticizing OG, he goes and heads in the game winning goal. Bastard!
But Awesome.
Cheers holics.
And there we are 2nd in the Prem! This is looking a very poor league this season, and it’s there for the taking if we could only kick into gear. By rights we should be three points ahead after the third game in our ‘easy’ patch. I can’t help thinking Lady Luck had a lot to do with it today.
First half was a dirge after a brief flurry early on, getting progressively more bogged in MF not helped by a stream of misdirected passes. What happened to our passing game? It has been a hallmark of AW teams for most of his tenure but now seems a lost art.
Another beautiful assist from Ozilla, excellently converted by JC with possibly the only thing he did right in the first half. Better from him after that confidence boost but the change of pace once Theo came on was obvious to me.
I’m not going to pan OG the way some here have done. The service he has received in the past two games has been less than stellar and he has been visibly frustrated in consequence. Unlucky with the og, but the one he balanced the ledger with took some scoring.
Another worrying game by the defence (Bellerin in particular) but there was enough in attack today to convince me we have more than a show on Tuesday. If Theo starts we can run them off their feet in the first 30, and if we can convert our chances any result is possible.
Oskar
Spot on Cynic, Cech motm. As a cymbal of all that’s good about Arsnare FC he deserves a drum roll and an extra pat on his hi-hat for brushing away a couple of rimshots into the corners.
Oskar
By the way, anyone clamoring for the return of Fab 4 need only watch his display at the bus stop earlier for a look at Exhibit A as to why not.
The Pins pre match and The Tollie post match with some real old skool reprobates – hope the guvna hung that “please wake me up at Swindon” sign around his neck or it could be a long journey back from Bristol or beyond. Might be a late match report. 🙂
Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United subject their fans to dire scoreless and apparently emotionless performances whilst Leicester City and Stoke City run riot with the beautiful football. Ringin’ the changes. 🙂
Can someone tell me what the pacifier signifies (JC sucked one after he scored)? I have also seen Oz suck his thump after scoring. What is up with that?
Thanks.
I’m guessing they are celebrating newborns in their families, Tap. Personally I think they look completely stupid, but each to his own!
Oskar
@88Tapera
I’d like to think it signifies the situation at chelski at the moment..
pacifier for the moaning one!
😀 😀 😀
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