So Once More We Are Going To Hull And Back
Feb 20th, 2016 by 'holic
As most had expected we made nine changes for the visit of Hull with just Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker surviving from the eleven that started against Leicester. Hull made one more, having one eye on promotion. Theo Walcott lined up as the central striker with Danny Welbeck on the left flank.
Both sides started brightly and Hull’s sixteen year old left-back, Tymon, had the first meaningful effort but failed to trouble David Ospina. That would become a recurring theme of the match. The Gunners went close when Mathieu Flamini was denied by a desperate block. From the resulting corner we were denied a stonewall penalty when Alex Bruce deflected Mohamed Elneny’s goalbound shot with his arm. It would not be the last.
Arsenal’s front three were interchanging with regularity and proving difficult to mark. Walcott crossed from the right to tee up a Welbeck header that was saved comfortably by Jakupovic, the first of what would become many by the Swiss ‘keeper. Welbeck returned the compliment but Walcott’s tame effort ensured that parity remained.
Set free in the inside right channel Welbeck brought a diving save out of Jakupovic as the Gunners moved through the gears. Hull were now reduced to defending in numbers, and why not? Their best chance of progressing would be to take a cautious approach against what was still a strong Gunners eleven.
Alex Iwobi, influential in midfield along with new boy Mohamed Elneny, curled one narrowly past the far post with the outside of his foot. Then came a moment of irony as Flamini was adjudged to have handled when a clearance was blasted into him from point-blank range. Mike Dean was being, well, Mike Dean. At least today he infuriated both sets of supporters with his mistakes and inconsistency.
Calum Chambers was next to turn provider for Walcott who turned and drew another excellent save from Jakupovic. On the half hour Maguire was correctly booked for diving as Hull made a rare foray into Arsenal territory. Maloney followed him into the book for a bad challenge on Walcott as Arsenal threatened a rapid break. Hull’s best opportunities were expected to come from set pieces and from a free-kick Laurent Koscielny headed the ball out for a corner as Ospina struggled to get to it.
Back came the hosts. Set up by Campbell, Welbeck was again denied by a block and in the follow up found himself the meat in a Hull sandwich, which brought howls of protest from the away section, and understandably so. I have to say he appeared to be as keen to go to ground as Maguire before him, but he avoided censure. A minute later Koscielny found himself the recipient of a yellow after a coming together with Diamante as they contested a ball heading towards the Arsenal goal.
The second-half started brightly when Iwobi and Kieran Gibbs combined to set up Walcott and the England man drew another excellent save from Hull’s goalkeeper. His day was going from better to better. Almost single-handedly he had kept the stalemate to this point.
Chambers burst through and was clearly brought down, but we were denied a second clear penalty. The alert Elneny offered a chance to Iwobi who watched on as Bruce deflected his effort wide. Arsenal came closest when Campbell’s magnificent free-kick was superbly tipped onto the post by the remarkable Jakupovic, who modestly conceded after the match that he was a little bit lucky there.
Chambers was next to see yellow after surrendering possession of the ball in the Hull half. Just after the hour Iwobi teed up Welbeck for a curling deflected strike that Jakupovic managed to tip around the far post at full stretch. It would be Welbeck’s last attempt on a welcome return to the starting line-up as Arsenal made a double substitution in the 67th minute. Alexis and Olivier Giroud came on for Welbeck and Campbell.
Koscielny avoided a second yellow card despite lunging into a mistimed challenge on Meyler near the touchline. Mike Dean chose to lecture the Frenchman. It seemed lenient in the extreme.
Not long on the pitch, Giroud cleverly created space but his drive was saved comfortably enough by a man enjoying the day of his life. At the other end another rare Hull break ended with Meyler driving the ball into the side-netting. It was the cue for Iwobi to make way for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, a decision that surprised given that he and Elneny looked most likely to engineer the breakthrough.
When Flamini set up Alexis the Chilean sliced his effort high, wide, and not so handsome. He is a fabulous player, for sure, but one currently trying too hard perhaps to recapture his best form?
With five minutes remaining we survived thanks to what appeared a poorly judged offside flag when Aluko broke. The same player clearly was a minute later when forcing Ospina into his only save of the match. Again Arsenal drove forward but Oxlade-Chamberlain blazed one wide from a Giroud knock-down. The mood was turning to one of frustration on and off the pitch.
In the first of four added minutes Alexis free-kick from the edge of the box drew a rather spectacular doubt-fisted punch from Jakupovic. ‘One for the cameras’ they used to call that. Fortune favoured the visitors in the last few seconds as a frenetic goalmouth scramble ended with Oxlade-Chamberlain heading straight at the man of the match.
The final whistle completed the draw that neither side wanted. Both clubs now have to shoehorn the replay into already crowded schedules. Hull were obviously delighted that they had kept a clean sheet, but Arsenal will be frustrated that a combination of excellent goalkeeping and wayward finishing denied them on the day despite having 68% of possession and 11 of 24 shots on target.
Pretty much the same side will surely be trusted to put that right on Humberside, and to be honest they should be good enough. That doesn’t take away from the sense of disappointment at the end of the day. Arsene Wenger reflected on that afterwards.
“The replay is not especially good news but Hull defended very well. We were not incisive or accurate enough in our passing in the final third. As long as they did not concede, they maintained with how they played.”
Next up, Barcelona.
Don’t forget to enter the competition to win a tee or print from Art of Football’s ‘The Artists’ collection here. Have a good Sunday all.
109 Responses to “So Once More We Are Going To Hull And Back”
Hull and Back.. heh..
..GET IN!
😀
Bring on Barca!
What sort of day will that be?
http://i.imgur.com/LI69Xa5.gifv or http://i.imgur.com/NYqAG6Y.gif
Up The Arse!!
😀
A very fair and balanced report and obviously some incidents seen on the TV are much clearer than they appear in real time at the match.
I certainly thought Chambers( who played very well) was fouled in the second half and I also agree Koscielny could have seen red. Dean lectured him but probably conscious of the outcry if he had sent him off, took a lenient view.
Today was really about the poverty of our finishing. We will meet many teams parking the bus in the last few weeks of the season and we need to deal with it miles better than we did today.
I was encouraged by Elneny who is miles better than Flamini who is never a holding player and whose positional indiscipline would be a problem against more ambitious opponents. Elneny has good touch, a strong engine and a very good passing range. His one issue might be adjusting to the physicality of English football. But I like what I see. Iwobi is a find and Chambers, kept out of the first team picture for a long time was very decent today. Welbeck is a talent but needs minutes but gives us so much more than Theo.
I won’t do any more negatives. We are still in an excellent position once we get Barca over and done with
The trophy that is fourth!
Off to read the Guvna.
A very fair and reasonable report, which reflected the match I listened to on the radio.
I must also compliment the denizens of this bar for their, so far, measured expressions of disappointment at today’s result. As one who doesn’t do social media I can only speculate on the reaction elsewhere.
The replay is clearly an extra match that we could do without. On the other hand, it should provide extra time for our returnees to find some form – who knows, in a couple of weeks, it might be an opportunity for Jack and/or Santi?
COYG
Please note that the similarity between the openings of TTG’s drink @3 and mine @5 above was due simply to a couple of old farts deciding independently to express themselves in a like manner. There was absolutely no cooperation. Oh dear me no.
Sitting here in front of the BBC’s coverage of the Bournemouth v Everton game, I’ve just been subjected to a most amusing trailer of some immensely amusing program featuring james Corden. God help us all.
Very much the match I saw but without the driving rain, biting cold and insidious dampness.
Credit to the players who kept gong despite the conditions.
Can someone please return Alexis’ boots? Thank you.
Cheers Guv’.
Had my say in the previous bar, so no more comment on the match from me. The replay will be a more open game, I believe, the home crowd will expect to see their team at least give it a bit of a go that time and that should suit us better. Until then we have bigger fish to fry.
Next.
I’d rather go to work than go to Hull.
Cheers H!
Not much to add really. I’m getting worried by our increasingly desperate finishing. Going to cost us, if it has n’t already.
Cheers all. I have to believe the same team will win up there. I’m more worried about ticket distribution for the quarter-final. It’s going to be tight. It will probably have to be put back.
Didn’t realise Gibbs was on the pitch until the 35th minute.
Big props to Iwobi, chambers and elniny who all lloked up for it.
And one more word: Boscielny.
Theo a little frustrating like he is trying too hard but he looked lively.
And i think the Ox experiment is about over. Except for one goal he really has been poor all season.
Big Shout out for their keeper. Impressive.
Arsenal never make it easy, do they?
And on an unrelated topic, is it me or does roberto martinez take himself WAY too seriously?
Spent the last 20 minutes worrying we would be without Kos at Old Trafford more than anything – Wasn’t an awful display and soon someone’s going to get a tonking- Hopefully Sanchez will regain some form for the run in as since his injury he’s looked well out of sorts on the other side what a player we could have in iwobi !
Up the arse 🙂
He HAS his boots, Bath – only problem is that each is on the wrong foot (you can tell by the angle of the sheep shanks on the laces). Fine report Holic – pleased to see that the passage of the years is speeding you up 🙂 Just be careful to ensure that you don’t speed up so much that your mainspring goes ‘ping’. (Happened to my pocket watch, the one that my grandad had in France in WW1 and it wasn’t pretty).
Full family turn out today including first match for Mss Stella Mae aged 14 months (a new family record!). Goonersaurus got up a little too close and personal for her liking but that downer was mitigated by a Malteser provided by big cousin Henry (which absent the 2-0 or 4-0 which she expected courtesy of the Goonerholic preview was the highlight of her day).
Good stuff from the other two oldies @ 3 and 5 above. I’m “flaminid out” TTG. Elneny shows promise and Chambers inspires. Iwobi and Danny put in very good shifts too I thought.
Classic BtM. 🙂 Well done Stella Mae. We’ll see more of the family methinks.
Cheers H.
I’m in agreement with the learned members of the bar. Many satisfying performances today apart from actually putting the ball in the opposition’s net. Hull defended deeply in numbers in their own area and we were simply not sharp enough to find a way through.
Welbeck, Chambers, Elneny & Iwobi were all worthy of mention but Alexis is way off the mark at the moment – he needs to find his mojo pdq. The old adage of form is temporary, class is permanent most apt in this case.
I hope a similar team goes up to Hull for the reply. They will be expected to attack a bit more by their supporters and this should suit our counter attacking game.
Now who is it coming up next 😉
Agree to a point about Iwobi but I thought he looked very leggy quite early in the second half, although it might just be that he hates running back to defend 🙂
Thought we actually got worse after the three subs but at least didn’t lose.
It probably says a lot that during post match pub time, none of us really wanted to talk about the game.
Thanks for the report Guv, I imagine it’s not much fun to deliver after a game like that. The next one will prove something no doubt. I’m hoping it will prove we have more in the tank than we all think right now.
Yes you’d never find TTG and I agreeing like that.
Yes you’d never see Pangloss and I agreeing like that
Good stuff BtM and well done Stella Mae. I expect to see the wee Goonerette starring on your social media sites.
After last Sunday’s theatrics and joy, it was definitely after the Lord Mayor’s show today. As mentioned above, the incessant rain was miserable and there wasn’t a lot going on on the field to warm us up. I am getting sick of seeing every opposition keeper have a career day against us, but I think the young second choice lad today has given Bernard Cribbins a problem and good luck to him. In addition the guy with the loud voice two rows behind me who enjoys cunting off Theo had a field day.
When you are lucky enough to go regularly you do have to take the ups and downs; the great days, the good days and days like today.
Never mind, we’re still in the Cup, it’s Barca on Tuesday (I loved Arseblog describing their attack as the most scintillating attack Europe has seen since the Arcadians survived being sacked by the Goths in 395AD – I’m a sucker for a classical allusion) and I’ve got tickets for Old Trafford next Sunday.
Up The Arsenal!
Evening H
Very frustrating day all round.
As for the replay,as you say,probably have to be on the w/end of 12th,which is the date for the 1/4 finals ,and we will have to be a round behind everyone else.
Could play midweek after the Spuds game,but doubt the winner could arrange everything for the next round tie 3/4 days later .
But given the scenario below,it may have to be done by hook or by crook.
The next available midweek date for us would be 5/6th April after the Watford weekend PL game.
But not sure what the rules are with UEFA,as that is a CL round,and i believe rules are that no other games are allowed that week,although i could be wrong.
All of the above is irrelevant,if we allow this very average Hull squad,to knock us out in the replay.
You are correct about that rule, Clive.
Although it didn’t seem to stop Barcalona playing in midweek fixture last week.
Rules eh?
It was not much of a Cup Tie. All 22 players failed to provide any excitement for either set of fans, the whole affair turned out to be a damp squid.
In the first half there was some very pretty football from Iwobi/Danny and Feo but with no end product and all three faded in the second half. There were times when Hull had all 11 players behind the ball and with no Ozil on the park there was no one else who possessed the guile capable of breaking them down.
The Hull keeper joined an ever increasing list of visiting keepers who were MOTM, let’s hope he has had his day in the sun and we manage to find the back of the net in the replay where we can only hope there might be a proper Cup Tie on view.
You can tell I didn’t have much fun sitting in the rain.
Evening Double H
Hope things are well with you over in Dyke land.
I mean that in the nicest possible way of course. !!
Given your response @ 26,that would then seem to be the solution.
Although of course the date for the semi finals are always early April,so it could be Plan D will have to be factored in.
Inconclusive, in a word.
A strange day….must admit that even watching on the telly there was a noticeable lack of drive coming from either side. In the end I was just grateful that the clearest chance of the match from open play, which was the late Hull chance directly in front of the goal was shot directly at Ospina.
Speaking of Ospina, man, he makes you nervous. That free kick which Kos cleared over the bar from about three yards out was one he should have claimed or punched out. Appears as if he’s the type of keeper who needs steady work to be effective, and so it would serve the club well to have him move on, given Cech won’t be displaced any time soon.
On Alexis: do you think that AW’s comment in the post match press conference of “…when we could give the ball in the final third, we decided [to go for] an individual solution.” was directed at Sanchez?Seems as if he’s stuck in a rut in one passage of play — get the ball on the left, and looking down all the way, drive at his marker, cut inside, hesitate, keep going inside and then either belt the ball into defenses that know he’s always going to do that, or hoist the ball to the right fullback who’s pressed up, or boot it into the stands. Needs to get some variety, or maybe AW could switch him out to other parts of the pitch and have him work to receive the ball rather than carrying it all the time. When he does his carrying, everyone else seems to stop and not know what to do.
One last comment: what exactly is it that Kieran Gibbs delivers when he’s out there? While he didn’t particularly put a foot wrong, he really didn’t put a foot very right either. As was mentioned earlier in the drinks, it was a while before anyone noticed he was on the pitch.
27, brain and fingers not on the same wave length (squib).
COYRs
27, brain and fingers not on the same wave length (squib).
COYRs
We seem to have lost the knack of scoring an early goal. I’ve no doubt if we’d snagged a goal in the opening 20/30 minutes it would have gone on to be a comfortable afternoon. In the end, we had Hull defending unbelievably deep with 10 men behind the ball, and combine that with an uninspiring attacking performance, and it’s no surprise it finished 0-0. These are the days where Ozil makes the difference. His quality of pass and speed of thought (he makes decisions a second or two before anyone else on the pitch) make all the difference….
Ironically, as Barcelona will be much more attacking and committing lots of their midfield players forward, we’ll probably get more room and space to attack and counter-attack against them. I definitely fancy us to score on Tuesday, though I suspect Barca will too, so it just depends whether we can take any sort of lead to the Camp Nou. I don’t expect us to win the tie, but I’m not convinced the result is a clear-cut as other people do…
First time since 1915 that we’ve failed to score against Hull … that’s 101 years ffs! Just about sums up our current problems. Another 24 shots (same as against Leicester) suggests no shortage of chances created even without Özil, but the inability to convert a decent percentage continues to plague us as it has for years now.
Decent first full game from Elneny and I can see him teamed with Rambo in midfield eventually. He looks a more complete player than Coq … the same covering defence with added go-forward.
Worried about Alexis who hasn’t been himself since returning. He’s not thinking of moving on I hope…
Oskar
(Another) One of those days – we’ve seen too many this season already. Not good, not poor – just not really.
I don’t worry about Ospina like some – he would have punched that cross away if Kos hadn’t got in the way.
Chambers should have had a penalty. Poor decision by Dean although he did us a favour with his leniency to Kos who continues his run of rash decision making.
Gibbs just going through the motions – he’ll be sold at season’s end.
Ox’s confidence is totally gone – I have no idea what the answer is.
I like Iwobi but currently he rarely plays a first time ball and often slows us down – needs to let it go quicker.
Elneny & Welbeck were good – the rest just meh.
I doubt that the Barca keeper will be motm next week – do they even play with a proper keeper or is he a “rush-goalie”?
Finally, Homer@14 – you are right. Martinez is the biggest windbag in the PL, using 50 words when 10 will do – zzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
UTA.
Strange. I thought the stats showed our dominance. 68% possession, 24 shots, 2 stonewall penalties denied that probably would have given a result that would have uplifted everyone. They had a good day and good luck to them. Am I wrong?
I have not seen a team sit back this deep as this Hull team and it was not surprisingly a scoreless draw. Without Ozil or Cazorla we are like any other mid table PL team, no creativity or penetration but I am still disappointed we did not beat this piss poor Hull team.
Gibbs slows down play and after dithering on the ball generally passes back. One can see why Monreal is the number one choice for that position – Monreal’s passing is crisper, defending is surer and his crossing into the box much better.
Ox should have started today, probably in place of Flamini as we did not need two holding mids against this ultra defensive Hull side.
Alexis has been poor since his return and Iwobi, though good, does not appear to be very incisive, something is missing from his game though I am not sure what it is.
We could have done without another game in our over crowded fixture list. However, we get to watch (on TV) an extra match at no extra cost.
It is for a reason that our win record is so much poorer when Dean officiates. He denied us two clear penalties.
‘Holic @36: We saw the same game. Add in Buffon-esque saves against Joel’s free-kick and Welbz’s curler…one of those games. However goes to amply demonstrate how pivotal it is that either Alexis finds his shooting form or one of Theo or Rambo — both are capable of consistent run of scoring — recapture their best in front of the goal. Ox/Joel/Welbz for their individual strengths and weaknesses never had a run of consistently scoring to be able to become a trusted alternative source of goals.
We keep running into keepers at the top of their game. By rights at least one of our attempts should have netted today, but yet another #1 I’ve never heard of decided to play like Lev Yashin today. Add two stonewall penalty claims denied and we should have had a comfortable win, as all the other stats suggested … not to mention a nice little earner for the ‘holic £!
Oskar
We did not have a bad day.. we just did not win the match. Never going to be pretty when one side decides to park the bus from the get go.
REF was consistently bad throughout as well to both sides.
Their goalie.. decided to channel (as Oskar put it)… Yashin and might I add Banks too. 11 Saves.. some spectacular others not so but saves nonetheless.
Well that’s that.. looking forward to Barca with our full compliment.
Some interesting snippets :-
Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini says his side’s FA Cup clash at Chelsea on Sunday will not be worth the cost of admission as both sides plan to use young squads.
“I think it’s not a real game, of course. I wouldn’t pay for a ticket,” Pellegrini said. “We told them one week ago that we are going to play with a young team. If the people want to continue going to the stadium or Chelsea fans will enjoy that game, I don’t know.
———————
Don’t announce your next season’s coach with the current coach still in charge.
😀
We saw the same game, Holic.
My one gripe would be that we didn’t finish the match particularly well: if anything, the subs removed our balance and there was very little cohesion to be found in that final 20 minutes – very much a group of individuals, rather than a collective.
More than anything, it was just one of those days when the ball wouldn’t go in. They can happen. Hopefully they’ll start to happen a bit less often once Alexis is up to speed.
I thought the main pluses were Welbeck, who looked grand, Elneny, who got some important minutes under his belt, and Iwobi, who is clearly a classy player, although I agree with those who saw him tire as the game progressed.
COYG
Re your 36, H, for all the statistical dominance and a couple of efforts on goal apart, I don’t think I’ve felt so disengaged and downright bored watching Arsenal than I was yesterday.
The lack of intensity is to blame, this team just feels like it doesn’t have what it takes to get things done most of the time. They really bore me a lot of the time I watch them thesedays
Is it just me?
Holic @36. I must say that I think you are wrong. The first was definitely a penalty. The second was certainly not stonewall. The fact that virtually no one on the pitch appeals tells you that. Possible penalties are debated in almost every match played. Opinions differ. Of course things could have been different but again, you could say that with every game played.
Their keeper made too top class saves. The rest looked straight forward to me. We were wasteful up front and can be thankful that Jasper Carrot’s love child decided a quick chat was all that was required. We were wasteful in front of goal and definitely need to be a lot more clinical in the remaining fixtures.
Whilst a replay is the last thing we would want there were positives from the game. Danny looked sharp. Iwobi continues his development. Chambers looked assured at right back. The latter needs to play games. I really think we are holding back his development by having him on the bench all of the time. If he is not going to play regularly for us at the moment then I really think a loan period would do him the world of good.
‘Holic@36: You are not wrong.
Perhaps we should give up all this shooting that just gives visiting goalkeepers the opportunity to have the game of their life and go back to walking the ball into the net.
Incidentally, Japkupovic and Ospina’s career stats are remarkably similar: 251 goals conceded in 213 games with 76 clean sheets for the Swiss-Bosnian and 238 goals conceded in 269 games with 81 clean sheets for the Colombian. In terms of minutes played, the former concedes a goal every 76 minutes on average vs every 78 minutes.
Otd@34: if you are scrabbling around the history books, the precedents for a 0-0 home FA Cup draw against Hull are not encouraging. It last happened in 1908 when the clubs met for the first time. After a goalless draw at the Manor Ground, Woolwich Arsenal lost the replay 4-1.
Incidentally, It was Billy Garrett’s last game for us. He would go on to be a successful manager in Italy in the 1920s and 1930s, particularly with Genoa, wining the Italian championship with them twice.
On the optimistic side, after the only other FA Cup replay with Hull, the 1930 semi-final, we went on to win the Cup (for the first time).
SteveT@43: I saw the penalty appeals the other way round; the handball was iffy, but the trip on Chambers was clear. The two Arsenal players to Chambers’s right certainly appealed.
http://arsenalist.com/f/2015-16/arsenal-vs-hull/woah-chambers-tackled-inside-the-box-contact-everywhere.html
Either way Ned they are not stonewall.
In recent months if things don’t go quite to plan there seems to be a bit of a common theme or trying to find someone or something to blame each time. We don’t win a game that really we should and it’s because of injuries, or officials or whatever. Nothing to do with the fact that we were not great in front of goal.
The fact that we have a difference of opinion on the penalty shouts tells you it’s not even close to being an exact science. Score one of our many attempts and the rest is immaterial.
Can’t disagree with your final sentence, Steve T.
Agree with Ned about the Chambers penalty, and had the impression the referee may have given the penalty if Chambers had been of smaller stature and gone down more fluidly. Also agree with Steve T though that we can’t be relying on the referee to score our goals for us.
On the money Holic.
Excellent posting above from everyone, so nothing new to add. However…
I thought Welbz was very encouraging. Theo has moments but is often completely out of the game. Iwobi good but young. Flamini does not play as a holding player- he certainly didn’t in this one but he is less effective going forwards than others would be. I’d play Ox and Elneny next time and see what Ox does. He’s low on form but at least as good as Flamini so I’d give him the minutes. Elneny good. Alexis still off the pace.
We are just not finishing at the moment. I hope that once the floodgates open we can score freely until the end of the season. But at the moment our failure to take chances is a problem. We need to sort it out.
Otherwise we will be doing no destroying whatsoever…
BMBD.
Just rewatched the first part of our game at Bournemouth and was struck by two curiosities.
1. At the start the announcer said only two of the players in the Arsenal team, Ozil and AOC, had ever played at the Bournemouth ground, and within 25 minutes those two players scored our two goals.
2. The Ozil goal was very similar to the Walcott goal against Leicester City. High ball for Giroud sent in by Ramsey in both cases as I recall, headed down in front of Ozil who volleys it on one bounce after a perfectly cushioned headed assist by the HFB.
Ned @46.
I posted something recently on my views about the handball laws. Personally I can see no way that a shot that is heading on target and is blocked by a defender’s arm cannot be a penalty, regardless of intent, proximity to the ball when struck or any other factor. I mean, if that does not deny a goalscoring opportunity then I don’t understand what that phrase means. As such the first one is a stonewall penalty in my view.
I also thought the second was a penalty but was only sure after 2 replays so I understand why it was not given as it was a difficult call. And this ref struggles with the easy ones.
I thought Kos went for a block, not a tackle. I didn’t think it was dangerous or that he got much, if any, of the man. Maybe just me and my red-tinteds though!
21 and 22, in the same minute no less, are some top work indeed.
I doff my snout (and squeak the squeaker in it!) to the synchronised (dis)agreement of two of our experienced Holics! Well played gents.
GSD@50, Couldn’t agree more with your comments about Welbz, Feo and Iwobi. However I disagree that Ox should replace Flamini for the replay. A holding player, the Flamster certainly is not. James from Gunnerblog summed him up brilliantly as our box and box player. He turned up in two great positions in the oppo box yesterday but couldn’t control the ball. However what he does not do, especially in our own half, is get caught in possession. There were several attempts to do so yesterday which failed because he found a teammate promptly. Ox in that possession is, I am afraid, a suicide note. In the replay I would play Ox wide right with Danny central and Feo wide left.
I agree 100% with your observations @52.
Fair enough Baff. There is no arguing that Ox is not liable to lose possession in daft areas. He really seems to have stalled and whilst I’d love to see him fulfil his potential, which I think is vast, I have as much idea as Noosa what is to be done. The amount of times that he fails to execute a simple piece of play (overhit\wide passes being a speciality) is far too high for a pro. Yet alone one who is so technically proficient.
He seems like the type who is at his best when he stops thinking about it all and just plays- all the same, if I had one word of in-game advice for him it would be CONCENTRATE!
Baff. If we did pair Elneny and Ox then Elneny would have to adjust his game. He was bought as an option at DM and box-to-box. We have not seen him at DM- perhaps Ox’s high-risk style would give him the chance to show his defensive discipline? It might be worth a punt against a team who aren’t the best we’ll face so we know if he can do it against bigger fish. Just thinking out loud here…
Spuds down 1-0.. heh!
😀
Spurs knocked out. 😀
And maybe again on Thursday. 😀
Spuds out of the FA cup, they did not look so hot today. All the running is catching up and for once they looked knackered. Long may this form continue.
Palace beat 3 PL league teams.. and they are strong on the break…
Well done!
😀
City kids.. do Chelski one now!
Chelski going for broke in the FA cup..playing their first team.
Oh noes.. jinxed it!
🙁
Chavs lead 3-1 which is not surprising given Citeh’s poor defending. They neither fall back nor track runners and if there is one top manager in PL who lays less emphasis on defence than AW, it must be Pellegrini.
Finding it tiresome that the matter of keepers’ always having blinders against Arsenal is getting raised again. Reminds me of the tale of the drunkard who, after becoming inebriated when mixing whiskey with water, and then the same when mixing whiskey with soda, and then with whiskey and ginger ale, marvels at how mixers seem to make you drunk all the time. Occam’s Razor would suggest that you look first at the constant rather than the variable as the real cause.
And from recent evidence — only four goals in seven fixtures in 11 v. 11 situations — what is causing the ailment is the constant and not the variable.
Watford at home – if we get past Hull
Barcode Shearer is favouring us,.. ominous signs?!
😀
We’ll give them wot for, Countryman, once we’ve been to Hull and back (Did someone already use that old Hull chestnut 🙂 )
Hull, Watford, Wembley. Eminently possible or imminently disastrous?
Hull away would be our last game outside London in the Cup – anxiously waiting for the date to see if I can go. Love the FA Cup.
GSD@53 – Sadly, at least one of 21/22 is forged.
Rio Ferdinand twitter quote:
“Given LVG loads of time… the team have gone backwards since his arrival. The style of football has no resemblance to Man Utd at all.”
Amazingly, United are only 7 points away from a Champions League place despite their record of 11 wins, 8 draws and 7 losses, but Rio may have noticed they are also only 5 points above Watford and Stoke in the 9th and 10th spots.
Well I certainly didn’t forge mine GSD!
Well I certainly didn’t forge mine GSD!
Well I certainly didn’t forge mine GSD
@73-75 Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
I have been at a lunch for an old friend from Hull who watched the game yesterday with me. He found the Arsenal fans very subdued given our position in the League . I explained that this season, as I have said before, does not feel like a particularly successful one .We have scarcely played really well, are scoring a lot less goals and struggle to break teams down at home.
He thinks Arsenal fans are very spoilt but thinks the team overpasses and lacks directness and I could not disagree. Our best player from last season has not played so well this season and our best player this season was missing yesterday.
But I was very encouraged by Welbeck, Elneny , Chambers and Iwobi so it’s not all bad. But the big concern I have is Ospina. He is so far behind Cech it is almost incalculable . I remain very unimpressed by him and a healthy Cech is essential for us if we hope to push on in the League. I’d hate to rely on the Colombian.
Finally I’d like to offer a consolation to our neighbours from the Swamp…..sadly I can’t think what to say#momentum stalls
Didn’t Pangloss and TTG used to be separate entities?
We cetrainly did.
But we’ve always shared an unwelcome keyboard guest.
TTG @76
I don’t think our NL neighbours need any consoling.
Like us they treated the FA cup with the same respect we did,resting several first teamers,after the tough game in Italy on thurs night.
They have like us,some big games coming up,Fiorentina 2nd leg this thurs,then Swansea battling against relegation on Sunday,then 2 big ones,away to the Hammers midweek,and then at home to us.
They will never have a better chance to win the PL,and like us the level of intensity in the respective cup ties just wasn’t there.
Bigger fish to fry and all that.
Good summary Clive, that’s exactly what happened.
These are heady heights for them. They’ve virtually never been in this position before.Frankly faced with the Europa League or the FA Cup I would always choose the latter, especially if haven’t won it since 1991 , that’s 25 years and in that time we have won it seven times. The league takes precedence over everything but they have to hope their very intense style doesn’t exhaust them as it did at the end of last season. And if they get a number of injuries to especially the four or five key players they have, there is a big difference between them and their deputies. Just like Cech and Ospina there is a chasm between Lloris and Vorm for instance
Have to agree, TTG (#76), the only reason I can see for us being in contention for the title this year has been the relatively poor performances of the chavs, Manure and Poo, and to a lesser extent $iteh.
Whether we finally break our title drought still depends as much on how those teams end their seasons as how we end ours. The chavs in particular can be real spoilers, having found some form at last. Just a shame that both foxes and spuds are out of the FA Cup and have less on their plates in consequence.
Who plays in the replay rather depends on when it’s scheduled, but one consolation is that having to play one at all probably favours us more than them. Getting back to the Prem might not seem on a par with a CL title or third straight FA Cup, or another longed-for Prem title, but you can bet it is for them and the more likely (going on present form) to be achieved. They made ten changes for Saturday’s game and will probably do so again. We only need to play the same eleven again and learn from our mistakes, or get a bit luckier.
Oskar
TTG
I see Lloris is on the Premier injuries website, as out with a shoulder injury.
Maybe that is the first sign of the tide turning.
They have 6 listed on the site,which is about 4 more than they have had out all season.!!
They only really need one in the physio room, TTG, but Kane refuses to oblige.
Oskar
Hehe, indeed I did, BtM. 🙂
Cheers Clive. Everything is indeed hunky dory here in Dyke land.
Countryman.
Has someone moved Watford into London since I’ve been away?
It used to be in Hertfordshire.
OtD.
I think that Hull are just as much put out by the replay as we are due to their hectic schedual, I actually think that it suits us better because if we both field the same teams again the liklihood of an Arsenal victory increases.
I agree with you about Watford H2H (outside the M25) but the game is in Holloway – we’re at home!
Incidently – how do we describe where the Emirates is? Is it Highbury, Islington, Holloway, Finsbury Park? Considering I use to live there (Blackstock Road) I’m a bit vague! It’s kind of on the border of all of those!
We are in the race because others have been poor?? Well i rather believe it has been a very competitive league and there are no bankers anymore.
Spurs out of FA cup suits them, they may even go out of the europa league too for they know this is their best chance ever to win the league. Pivotal games coming up for them when they play the hammers and then us. They win both and they can win the league.
We on the other hand need to get a result tuesday but in doing so will be drain ourselves for sunday. Let us be honest the sunday game matters more than the barca one. I rather beat the mancs than the catalans.
Are we too dependent on Ozil and Santi to create? Well who wouldnt be if they had those 2 in the line up. The others in the team need to step and be counted when it matters.
The Gunners should learn from history and understand that the 1st leg of Champions league determines how far they will go.
I’ve spoken to a lot of Spurs supporters today. To a man they are gutted they are out of the Cup. Very few of them really believe they can win the league (although I do), top three (no qualifier) and win the FA Cup would have been completely satisfying for them.
It’s the time in the season to take each game as it comes, utilise the whole squad and play the team best capable of winning that game.
Tomorrow’s game requires our top team to play at the top of their game. That team selects itself but for the right side of the MF/attack. I would start Feo and ask him to work his socks off going forward and covering back. The key thing will be taking our chances.
BMBMD
Thanks as ever H.
The player that keeps on impressing me the more I see of him is Iwobi. What a player he could become because he has the talent to do so.
Bath – given a choice tomorrow, I would actually play a front trio of Oxlade, Welbz & Alexis (even if I think he’ll probably start with Giroud). For me Welbz would be a better option to play a counter attacking game.
Well played C100 mate.
Me being daft and not reading your post properly.
It all depends where you are in/outside the stadium C100.
I was born and raised in Holloway, on the estate the otherside of the bridge on the Hornsey Rd, Ashburton Grove was always N7 which is Holloway, yet the other side of the stadium is situated in what would of been N5, not quite Highbury, but Drayton Park.
That’s the impression I got last time I visited.
H2H – exactly! I always park in Arthur Road off Hornsey Road which must have been your old manor.
That general area mate, indeed.
Harvest Estate (Hornsey Rd) to be exact.
H2H & Countryman. I go back even further than you 2 “youngsters”. My manor was N19 (Upper Holloway). Ashburton Grove is 100 % Holloway N7 and therefore as H2H correctly states the stadium is thus situated. If you exit eastwards though, you are in Drayton Park which is N5 and therefore Highbury.
H2H, hope your move has gone well. Are you still surrounded by beer or are you in a less tempting environment?
BMBMD.
Barcelona Must Be Methodically Destroyed?
Ozilesque thru ball for………….
Bath!
finishing better than TGSTEL
High bar. 🙂
Well in Baff – please bring your boots along tomorrow. TNGSTEL 🙂
Great assist Uply.
I still get flashbacks from the away section high up in the Gods in the Nou Camp about TGSTEL’s awful second half miss from a beautiful LJW curving ball in behind the Barca defence from the right side. A goal that would have put us through despite the criminal second yellow given to RvP by a venal referee. A goal that my 95 year old mother would have scored because her first touch would have been so much better.
Heh Bath, that awful memory – it had only a loose association to a “touch”.
My fondest memory v Barca is Arshavin’s goal. My worst is the number of red cards we seem to get ( vs Farca and other ECL teams), tomorrow’s ref appears no slouch in this respect. Perhaps Ned can put some facts on my misty recall.
http://www.fcbarcelona.com/football/first-team/detail/article/thierry-henry-talks-about-the-keys-to-fc-barcelona-v-arsenal
Uply@104: Cuneyt Cakir is the ref, I believe. The name alone is troubling. His career record is 61 straight reds in 337 games reffed, with 48 second yellows and 1,453 yellows (which is more than four yellows a game). Plus he has awarded 107 penalties.
He seems to have reffed 24 CL games but I can only track only one in which we were involved, the 2-0 home win over Bayern last October. No cards and no penalties. So perhaps that is a good omen.
Curiously, he awarded two penalties in the Barca-Roma CL game last November, both of which were saved, one by Wojciech Szczesny, late of this parish, though Adriano scored from the rebound.
Correction: Ollie G got a yellow late on in the Bayern game.
We’ve had no straight reds this CL campaign, though Ollie G got a second yellow against Dinamo Zagreb.
Our previous CL red was given to Szczesny against Galatasaray in October 2014.
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