Will It Be Summer In The City
May 7th, 2016 by 'holic
So, a season defining week for the good folk of Leicester comes to a conclusion, and we have an opportunity to seal third place at least in the Premier League. We have just the small matter of winning in the Etihad between us and avoiding the Champions League play-off in August. A draw would keep that third place finish in our own hands. By the time we kick-off in Manchester we will know if a second place finish is still a possibility as the neighbours entertain Southampton at lunchtime.
We will journey north just one short of a full squad. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s horrible season came to an abrupt end when he picked up another knock in training this week which will sideline him for eight weeks. Hopefully that will prevent him being hawked around to other clubs during the summer. It will be interesting to see just who is regarded fit enough to start against the side who lost their Champions League semi-final in midweek.
It would be a surprise to see a change to the back five who kept a clean sheet in an otherwise disappointing performance against Norwich last week. Arsene Wenger does have a welcome selection problem in midfield though. Francis Coquelin and Mohamed Elneny have forged a useful partnership in front of the defence, but we have missed Santi Cazorla’s influence for much of the season, and the little man is back.
Hopefully the not so secret now fallout that Alexis’ early departure last weekend revealed is a storm in a teacup and he will again start on one flank. Mesut Ozil is due a performance and it would be wonderful for him to finish a fine season with two match-winning displays. The manager may be thinking of rotating Alex Iwobi and will surely consider Danny Welbeck for a start ahead of the confidence-drained Olivier Giroud up front.
City will be without Zabaleta, Kolorov, Company, and Silva. The latter pair especially will indeed be missed. However Aguero’s hamstrings have proved stronger this season than last and keeping him quiet should form a significant part of the Gunners preparation. The blue half of Manchester will know that only two wins will guarantee they make it back into the Champions League next season. Neighbours United and ‘have a new stadium for nothing’ West Ham are ready to pounce if they fail in Manuel Pellegrini’s final two matches in charge.
The ‘holic pound
As ever we will have to wait to see which Arsenal turns up. Last season this fixture saw a turnaround in our fortunes against our major rivals, and we have carried that on this season. We are unbeaten against the other clubs in the top four, somewhat surprisingly. Last season goals from Santi Cazorla and Olivier Giroud gave us a 0-2 win, but this time around I like the look of the tens available on a 1-2 scoreline in favour of the visitors.
I envy the travelling Gooners. The current forecast is for sunshine and a scorching 24 degrees in Manchester at kick-off. Hopefully we will produce a sunny performance for you to cheer. As ever I wish you, and all ‘holics, a good one.
Cheers.
138 Responses to “Will It Be Summer In The City”
First in the bar…
Good stuff, ‘H
Personally I’d drop Ozil for Cazorla but that’s not going to happen
McCann’s the Man !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
proper legend !
gonna teach the cattle The Internationale
*happy as fuck*
sometimes life rejuvenates itself
Welbeck up to tomorrow, please. Play a disciplined game, sit low and hit them on the break.
Need to win the next two to have any chance of overtaking Spurs. No better time to play what should be a tired and demoralized City than now. Play just like we did the last time against them. Welbeck to start and Santi to come on later. COYG.
Chavs lose to Fat Sam… Terry sent off..!
Hahhahaah!
Crucial match tomorrow.. we must win that!
😀
No gimmes in the league and can’t take anything for granted against Villa on the last day. Winning against City is crucial as Manure is sniffing a chance to make the top four.
cow just calved
wee fucker up n runnin
no time at all
.
.
how mighty are we ?
As you say Holic’ which Arsenal will turn up?’ You could have written that all season frankly. I think we can get a draw tomorrow. Cazorla was great here last year but we had BFG at CB not Gabriel. I hope Cazorla returns with Elneny and if course Oxil ahead of him. For those who don’t read the Times they have calculated the most effective players by looking at every touch they have had in the PL this season and Ozil is third. Nacho is also in the top 10. Had Santi not been injured I suspect he would have been right up there too
Great intro. Now since we need at least a draw, how about Coq, Elneny and Santi in midfield?
Also can’t believe Newcastle fucked up against Villa, hope they still will have to fight for against Spurs…
Unpredictable results this time of the season, and today was no exception. Especially West Ham 1 Swansea 3 considering West Ham are/were in with their best chance of Champions League football in history, I believe. And it being their last day at Upton Park. What gave with that score. I am starting to believe something is in the air so predict a duplicate score: Man City 1 Arsenal 3.
Not to mislead anyone, I see upon reviewing today’s result was West Ham 1 Swansea 4. Which has implications for my prediction too of course. 😉
Kompany will now miss the Euros because of his injury, not just tomorrow. High potency ‘holic hex?
Good preview, Guvna.
I rather miss the Arsenal from the 3-0 victory over Manure and the 2-0 victory over Bayern . I haven’t seen them since then. I do hope that they turn up. Then we’ll be fine.
Good stuff, Holic.
Second place would make a poor season feel better but it hasn’t been good enough.
We made a dog’s dinner of the summer transfer window, a pig’s ear of the Champions League group stage and a chimps tea party of the rest of the season.
Still hopeful we might see St Totteringham’s if the Spuds handle the last two games as well as they did last Monday.
Concentration at the back, determination in midfield and pace up front for me – but I won’t be picking them.
Whoever else plays, please spare us a further glimpse of Walcott after his jumping over the ball and running away in Sunderland.
2-1 Gunners. ??
I’ve just sat and watched Leicester demolish Everton. I watched all of the prelims and then the subsequent celebrations. For the first time ever I actually enjoyed watching another team lift the trophy. There is so much about Leicester that we should take note off. On paper we should be head and shoulders above Leicester. Two victories over them this season suggest that we can play. The fact that we are so far adrift tells you a lot about our shortfalls.
So, as we always ask and holics alludes to above, which Arsenal will turn up? I hope that citeh are both bruised and battered from their midweek excursions. I’ve no idea what side we will put out. I will be surprised if Jack doesn’t get a run out at some stage though.
Let’s hope for 3 points and for Southampton to give the spuds a kicking.
Finally, many congratulations to Leicester. I hope they party well on into the night. Also, many congratulation to Bristol Rovers. Back to back promotions. Up the Gas.
Steve, I can only agree. Lesta are entertaining to watch and played with a thrilling exuberance that I remember from many years ago. It would be wonderful if we could recapture that.
Despite their cynical stuff at the Ems, Lesta deserve their trophy. They have played without fear or a handbrake all season. Furthermore the classy Italian culture from Andrea Bocelli, albeit pearls before swine, sure beats the whines of Chas and Dave as the prelude to the award of the title.
Gas and Oxford back up with Swindon next season, Steve. League One will be ‘lively’ 😉
Well said, bath 🙂 You are a gentleman.
Leicester have played as a team. No moaning, no bitching, just tremendous hard work and unity. They have players that want to play, rather than want to play for their bank balance. Wes Morgan has been a tremendous leader and the rest have all followed. Ranieri has been good value and deserves the accolades. A humble and dignified man in an industry overrun and plagued with greed.
One interesting fact from the Sky coverage was this. The Mancs have spent more in the last 2 seasons than Leicester have in their entire existence.
Lots of old Gas mates well and truly on it tonight.
3-0 to the Gunners.
Evening H
Off topic,
Sad to hear yesterday that Frank Worthington has joined the ranks of players from the old days,now suffering from Alzheimer’s.
Always liked flamboyant Frank,gave great service to Leicester,and was always a handful for our defence when we played them.
Scored plenty of goals too.
He joins among others,3 players from the World Cup winning side of 66,
Martin Peters,Nobby Stiles and Ray Wilson,all of whom are suffering from the same disease.
As to tomorrow,will Alexis still be sulking ?, must say i am not a fan of his attitude,not the first time he has marched off down the tunnel like a spoiled child.
His petulance is beginning to irritate me.
Cannot be good for team harmony.
Looks like it might be infectious if Wally’s dummy spit after the Norwich game is anything to go by.
Team togetherness apart,
knowing what is at stake,if we cannot avoid defeat at an injury ravaged and mentally drained City tomorrow,then we deserve everything we get.
We have a full squad and a full week to prepare,so no excuses.
Go out and do the business and avoid a dreaded 4th place playoff,and all the repercussions from it.
As to the attitude of Alexis I really couldn’t say. But I would take the attitude of Santi, or of the Leicester team, any day of the week.
Sad to hear yesterday that Frank Worthington has joined the ranks of players from the old days,now suffering from Alzheimer’s.
He’s denied it, although if he’s got it he wouldn’t remember anyway
(I’m allowed to make jokes about this as a relative has it, before anyone jumps down my neck)
As for Sanchez, his attitude is admirable in some ways as he always wants to play, but it does us no favours if he’s playing shit and should be dropped, and will throw a strop and want to leave over not playing, if it happens. So if he’s going to be like that, we’d be better off cashing him in.
Cheers Holic nice preview.
Many ponderables for this game.The recurring “Which Arsenal” will turn up alongside the similarly unpredictable City – they have matched us for below par performances this season. How will their exit from the champions league and missing some players affect them? Their defence
is beatable but we are firing too many blanks.
Would like to see Welbeck up front as I think they are vulnerable to speed. Should be a cracking match and if we put our chances away a magic win is on the cards.
Congratulations must also go to Leicester, most consistent team and worthy champions.
Agreed with the Sweeper @21 about Alexis’ attitude. I’m starting to get irritated by his petulance as well. No individual is more important than the team.
I haven’t been impressed with his play or attitude for most of this season.The determination that he exhibited last year, has not been very apparent this year, as he hasn’t been tracking back as much. I like Alexis and think he is a great player, however, his attitude of late cannot be beneficial to the morale of a team already suffering with morale, confidence and mental strength issues. I hope his head hasn’t been turned, and that he finishes the season strongly with the hardworking and determined attitude that endeared him to us all. COYG!
“Cannot be good for team harmony”
What team harmony?
Yeah, let’s all get on Alexis’s back and demand he shapes up. I mean if everyone played like he does we could really be down the table fighting for 4th from bottom instead of 4th from top. Frankly I find it hard to disagree with his irritation at his team-mates lack of passion and think AW is playing a dangerous game by giving him cause (justified or not) to feel further aggrieved. If there’s one player in the club I would want to keep sweet after a lacklustre season it’s Sanchez, not fuel any latent desire he might have to move on to a club with more ambition. Subbing him off against Norwich when most of the team could arguably have been more appropriately removed was not clever, imo.
And please not Danny again at CF. He should be played on the wing (if at all) where at least his speed can be be used to advantage. An ideal opportunity to offer Alexis a bone by playing him up front in the Aguero position. I think he’d enjoy the challenge.
On reflection maybe not an ‘ideal’ opportunity for Alexis, but a thought anyway. He couldn’t be worse than Danny or Ollie, and let’s not mention Theo.
…although the latter’s loss of form does seem to have coincided with the demand he does more in defence, and now it seems the same can be said of Alexis. This obsession with making strikers carry a defensive load just makes them less effective strikers. It certainly doesn’t improve the team’s defensive capabilities, more likely just confusing the defenders, imo.
Chris. I won’t mention Theo if you won’t.
Sorry Chris, but I disagree with consistent public display of petulance from grown professional players. If the rumors are true that Alexis left the stadium before the team got back to the dressing room, I can’t support that behaviour; regardless of your name and talent. No individual player is more important than the team, and Leicester proved that with their success this season.
Alexis wasn’t having the greatest of games and the manager was trying to ensure that we at least kept the lead. In these tight games, he tends to leave Giroud on the field to help defend set pieces, due to him being one of the better headers of the ball. Arsene has made questionable decisions at times, but taking off Alexis against Norwich in the last few minutes of the game, wasn’t one of those in my opinion.
Everybody seems to be in revolting mood as it relates to Arsenal FC at the moment. However, Alexis has to take some of the responsibility for the failures of the team as well. It’s a “team” sport. COYG!
It rather depends, Impec, whether you want to see Sanchez at the Ems next season, or you’re happy to see him take his petulant attitude to Bayern or Man $iteh. I can live with a bit of attitude, at least it shows he cares which is more than you can tell from some of the rest.
The obvious player to sub against Norwich was Özil who contributes less to defence than Alexis and and is far less likely to score a late winner than Alexis should Norwich have sneaked an equaliser.
Chris: By the way, I like Alexis and think he’s an awesome player. I am yet to come across an Arsenal fan who doesn’t love Alexis. He has set very high standards, thus, pointing out that his efforts seemed to have somewhat dropped and that there has been some petulance recently, doesn’t mean that anybody is “getting on his back and demanding he shapes up”. It also doesn’t mean that the other players on the team are doing great and don’t deserve criticism.
Appreciating an extremely talented player and pointing out when that player does something wrong, are not mutually exclusive.
Chris: I would love to see Alexis at the Ems for many years to come. However, I can do without the petulance or the “bit of attitude”. He can show me he cares by scoring the chances he gets, and supporting his full back wholeheartedly like he did last season. That’s how you really prove to the fans, the manager and your underperforming teammates that you care; not by stomping off down the tunnel and leaving the stadium before your team meet at the end of the game (if the reports are true).
As it relates to the substitution, fair enough, Arsene could have taken off Ozil, but he made the decision to take off Alexis. In my opinion, Ozil was having a better game than Alexis against Norwich. In the previous game against Sunderland, Ozil was substituted and Alexis played the full 90 minutes. Thus, it’s obviously not a personal vendetta, rather, decisions the boss makes in the best interest of the team “in his opinion”.
Anyway, I hope Alexis returns to his best without the petulance and takes out his frustration on City cunts later. Looking forward to the 3 points. COYG!
Don’t get me wrong, Impec, I don’t approve of petulance and would prefer to have none of it in any of our players. But I see frustration as inevitable when things don’t go quite right and cannot blame players – especially the better players, and particularly Latin-Americans who are prone to flamboyance – who display more of it than I would myself.
I’m more concerned by those who don’t seem to care much what happens on the pitch while living cushy lives players of earlier generations couldn’t even dream about. Fact is most of these youngsters are too immature to know how fortunate they are and can’t see beyond their next Aston Martin or call-girl.
Chris, fair play to you Sir. I agree with you.
Chris@35: There is an 18-year-old prospect at the bus stop, Dominic Solanke, who is demanding £50,000 a week in his new contract.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2016/04/25/chelseas-dominic-solanke-demands-50000-per-week/
You have to play for the team not for yourself, and if Sanchez (or anyone else) can’t do that, cheerio.
That’s why I get so exasperated with Ramsey when he’s playing Hollywood football. He’s not doing it to win the game, he’s doing it too look like a good player.
Good stuff, Chris, Impec1.
Cynic@38 – spot on.
happy birthday
Terry Neill
ya big lump
.
sláinte fella
(should you be a lurker’holic)
Leicester were terrific yesterday. It reminded me of when we beat Coventry 6-1 after we won the title in 1991. They really turned it on and shrugged off the loss of two key players. Ranieri is a wonderful bloke and has been the epitome of dignity and class this season. The funniest conversation I’ve had for a long time was with a Chelsea fan at the gym who thought he would be a good replacement for Mourinho! What a turn of events eh?
Despite the problems with our team this season their success has been a highlight for anyone who loves the game and can see the virtue in what they have done .
Come on Southampton ffs. Stick another two or three in the onion bag and you can have the OX back with my pleasure 🙂
Get the fucking fuck in.
Steven Davies.
How interesting *ahem*
Well said Cynic. We may not be the biggest bottlers in North London!
?
Hilarity ensues.
Now I REALLY need Sunderland to get battered so Newcastle have things to play for.
How bloody odd it would be to finish second after what has been, by fairly common consent, a piss awful season
Ho Hum. Do I hear the mellow tones of St. Totteringham floating in the air??
We’re going for it with that team selection. Welbeck AND Giroud start
No Ozil today. We get to see his impact or lack of on this team today. I think we will miss him although some fans seems to have this believe that he doesn’t do that much.
the mighty cynic
the mighty thunder T
the mighty Arsenal
?
Just don’t lose. COYG
When the saints come marchin in…
Hahhaah.. Spuds!
It’s the perfect weather for him to stroll about in too, SAG. 😉
That second Saints goal trickled in like snot running down the top lip of a freezing toddler.
Latin Americans prone to flamboyance? Maybe but talk to 25 Chilean kids and I’m not sure they would all agree with you, Chris.
Interesting that S***s are being rapturously received on their lap of honour . If we win our next two games and finish level or above them we will consider the season a failure. That’s what I mean by having our expectations raised.
Cynic@54-almost Shakespearian !
Hope the day ends the way it has started. All to do and City are going for a win with a very offensive line up in Aguero, Iheanacho and De Bruyne. Don’t play a high line and concentrate on not conceding and as the match progresses we will get chances to score. We will definitely miss Ozil’s creativity but hope his absence does not significantly impact our game negatively. Need at least a point today to finish third or above.
no ozil, it’s iwobi time!
What does prone to flamboyance actually mean, and can you attribute it to someone because of their Latin-ness?
I can’t agree that storming off alone is something to be approved of, a sign that he has attitude. For me it’s unprofessional and a bit immature, especially coming from a senior player. But hey, I can live with it from time to time – if he stays next season and scores 20 prem goals.
didn’t see that coming. /eyeroll.
We could not have started with less intent. That goal looked inevitable
Fuck, what a world class finisher is Aguero.
almost a Gael gift.
oooggggggggg
Giroud levels!!!!
Congratulations Agent Clichy!
I had a bet on Giroud to be first scorer at 8/1
Fuck my life 🙁
Clichy trying his best..!
Girouddddd..!
Can someone explain why Arsenal has the pleasure of drawing Anthony Taylor so often?
Awful defending 1-0.
Awful defending 1-1.
More awful defending. Repeat.
Sums up both teams… leaky defence!
…COME ONNNNNN!
We need Coquelin sitting in…not Ramsey
Defending too deep..and when we get the ball, too slow to move it out..
Get it together now…!
COme On!
Theo on if Danny goes off please. Not going to happen though, he’d rather play the skeleton in the treatment room than Theo.
And no, I don’t mean Rosicky.
Welbeck looks out with that injury..
🙁
I wouldn’t put Wilshere on but here he comes.
Wilshere looks…. fat!
😀
Welbeck injured and is being replaced by Wilshere. Just what we need. Don’t know if he will last the course.
Got to admit, we look disjointed without Ozil.
I’m afraid our English core can’t put more than a few games before they crumple. Sad for Welbeck but we have to get a squad together who are tougher than this one
We keep slipping over
How we have managed to get in at half time at 1 all I will never know.
Is it me or do we look really disjointed? A real lack of fluidity.
We are spending almost as much time on our arse as we are on our feet??
Need to get some organization and new studs at halftime.
Even given my natural pessimism this doesn’t have the feel of a game that will end well for us. I would gladly take a point now . We don’t look able to close them down in midfield like we did last year here. I’d push Ramsey into Iwobi’s slot and bring in Le Ciq. If it’s 1-1 with twenty left its Santi time for Ramsey!
Cech goes down in instalments again
De Bruyne, shit.
The occasional tackle might be useful chaps.
Ramsey arsing about on the ball yet again.
An incredibly soft goal. How can we let a player run from his own half and get a shot off?
We are not penetrative in attack or assured in defence. Now having to attack makes us vulnerable to counters. We have looked second best all day. With Ozil, even on our bad days we looked like we knew what we were doing, today without him we are being outplayed all over the park. Not seen such a poor Arsenal all season.
The ref chests it down for City. He had ten minutes to get out of the way and has failed, the useless twat. He’s been in our way three times in this game.
Talk about the twelfth man…
Now, Theo… none of that falling over shit please.
Some pace up front, finally, Walcott for Iwobi who looked invisible today. Like for like replacement.
I think we are playing really well
Surprise surprise, a bit of pace and we look far better. The whole team has come alive with a bit of running.
Great goal.
Sanchez. Good advantage by ref.
Walk off all you want …get in Alexis!
That was a great goal. We could step this up and really worry them
If we had played with this intensity all season we would have won it
Cazorla getting ready to come on?
Great game!
Are we trying for a draw? Le Coq in…
Coq has given away the ball three times. Come on.
Putting Coq on and settling for 2-2 has killed us. Great sub.
A draw would be a great result
Fernandinho should be sent off…..!
Not the best, but a point will do.
Overall good performance against a City team who were going for it
Now we have to hope Sunderland lose midweek, so Newcastle aren’t already down and give everything at Spurs.
A draw is ok but we should have gone for that at 2-2, we were playing well.
C’mon Barcodes….. you can do it!
🙂
We need Bob Martins team to show their pedigree midweek. If they beat Sunderland I will be barking on Sunday… But I think it will be ruff on Newcastle to go down, so let’s hope it is all to play for still.
Giroud isn’t half bad…when he wants to play….
Heaping helpings of Toon lasagne for the neighbors.
Pep without CL… that would be a nice welcome..
Although Hammers would probably beat ManU!
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
one one one cynic
nice one
ye were sittin on that
w w w waiting
like a coiled spring
weren’t ye
?
excellent
chevrons
i can moooooooooooooooooooooo here
to my hearts content
moooooooooooooooooooooo
ya bastas
moooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Only reason VanBalls is still there is because of the remote possibility that they get CL spot..
Welbeck is out of euros probably with the injury 🙁
Some of us still watching CBA????
honestly
it’s getting so one can’t release one’s inner cow !
speaking of which
must loosen herself’s leg irons
?
an annover fing
yeah y
you
Fffpppfttth
yea
dont make me
turnips
™
i of course am just joshing
although joshing is not a word
i or indeed anybody should use
.
what i was doing today
was
.
(wiggly time travel music and effects)
.
last week i finished a wash
26litres
put the lot in the chest freezer
upturned it over a bucket
and collected a fine yield
saved me ages doing strip runs
.
don’t try this at home though
ye can if ye want
i’m not the boss o you
though
if i was
i’d make sure ye bucked up yer ideas
and
made something of yerselves
ya workshy shower o shites
lounging around here
pretending yer management
honestly
it’s all i can do not to
tear all you slags a new one !!!!
YEAH !
you heard !!!!!
hyped up now
.
gonna watch a Sweeney
where the paddys sound like jocks
and the taffys sound musically delightful as always
and thE FAAACKKKINNN ENNGGLISSHHHH SAAANNNDDD LAAAAAAOUDDDD !!!!!!
or
maybe a Minder
dennis waterman
with a comb of good fortune
stretched an always thinning career
serenading us throughout
nope
Rising Damp
“What about a waltz then”
????????
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGyDJsDG9BM
2 ton or 2 2 2 ?
mmmmmmmmm
moooooooooooooooooooooo
long way away
http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=gepetto&oq=gepe&sourceid=silk&ie=UTF-8&gws_rd=cr&ei=9JIvV8S3Js2ugAaH0Z7ABw#q=gepetto+belly
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZQ4k9G0t1o
ballsy women singing
fuckin brilliant
love it
cept patti fuckin smith
turgid tunes hanging by a whisker
of her not inconsiderable moustache
which i’m sure she beats into submission
afore she plaits it and throws it round her neck
a burdon for to carry
https://www.youtube.com/#/watch?v=Ue5jyj_nosc
Poly Styrene
NOW WE’RE FUCKIN TALKIN !
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JugUQJv9YlY
unbelievably beautiful woman
with
(and she’ll tell you herself)
an arse to end all arses
and
she can write a tune too
(and she’ll tell you that herself too)
but
she’s equally proud of her arse
?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pllRW9wETzw
holy mary mother of god
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kPqhZMgRls
double holy mary
https://www.youtube.com/#/watch?v=ma5BOoSpB4E
outta lusty utterances
Moooooooooooooooooooooo