Thoughts On A Strange Day
Nov 30th, 2016 by 'holic
First things first. On the other side of the Atlantic an air crash has rightly grabbed the headlines today. That event means much to me in a number of ways both personally and professionally. If I am being totally honest I had not heard of Chapecoense until this happened. Now I know people like me, and millions of others, are grieving tonight with those on another continent, and I understand totally. Thoughts of football people, indeed all people with good in their hearts the world over, are with you in the coming days and weeks.
After that I don’t know where to go with a preview of the Arsenal’s EFL Cup quarter-final against Southampton. There are those for whom this is a competition in which we are two wins from another Wembley final, and that we should play the strongest available team. I lean, less fervently than in years past it is true, to the view that we have three more important priorities and if we have a ‘squad’ strong enough to compete in those, then the ‘squad’ should give us a chance in this one.
At the outset I have a strong feeling that much may hang on how seriously Southampton are taking this competition. New boss Claude Puel made nine changes to the side that drew with Manchester City in the last round, a 1-0 victory over Sunderland, including naming six academy graduates. Yet after this weekend’s Premier League win over former manager Koeman’s scousers he said,
“It’s an opportunity to try to win something. The last game against Everton was a fantastic game, with good intensity and a good physical level.”
He will know that Arsene Wenger will with go with a much-changed eleven and decide what sort of side to select. The Gunners boss has shown faith in third choice goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez in the competition so far, and his selection of David Ospina for Champions League matches suggests that he has decided how best to employ his options in that department.
In front of him a recall for Carl Jenkinson is likely, with Gabriel and Rob Holding probably being trusted to deputise for the skipper and Skhodran Mustafi. Kieran Gibbs could get the nod on the left. As for their two protectors at the base of midfield, now there is problem for Arsene to ponder. Francis Coquelin is fresh, and Mohamed Elneny or Granit Xhaka have not been used excessively so far, so I would think the former with either of the latter.
Aaron Ramsey looks a shoe-in for Mesut Ozil’s role. It’s the closest position to where he excels for Wales. Alex Iwobi to the left of him would make sense, but the right flank is an interesting one. A switch for the Ox is a possibility, but this may be another opportunity for the versatile youngster, Ashley Maitland-Niles. Fit again Lucas Perez is a likely starter with Chuba Akpom eagerly awaiting a call from the bench, if fit again?
There will be further young talent on the bench probably in the shape the excellent prospects Krystian Bielik and Jeff Reine-Adelaide, but could we see some real experience there ‘just in case’ a squad team needs easing over the line in a tight affair? Possibly Mustafi, Xhaka or Elneny, and Walcott?
The ‘holic pound
I am on a rich vein of form, a run of one! How on earth this will go depends on what you have just skimmed over. I would be surprised if Puel, so close to a first trophy, hands us the advantage by going with a weakened selection. I am tempted to a bare pound on an unlikely goalscorer for us. It’s only a bit of fun, after all. Rob Holding to score at anytime. I’m on that at 14/1. Shop around.
Have a good one ‘holics.
72 Responses to “Thoughts On A Strange Day”
First….
Get in.
Now to read the post.
RIP All who died.
Drinks this week will be a toast in their memory.
Nice preview H. Especially after gallons of merlot.
The tragic events from the other side of the pond are truly horrific. One can only have the deepest of sympathy to all and everyone affected.
Onto the game itself. Who knows what Arsenal side will turn up? Who knows what 11 will take the field? All I do know is that it’s the ref’s fault. 😉
What I do think is that you take Southampton lightly at your peril. They will also see this as a great way of winning a trophy. All in all it could be an entertaining night. That’s assuming we can muster more than 3 shots on target all night.
For those going, enjoy. I would also suggest you wrap up warm. It was minus 4 at midnight.
You’ve made it sound more exciting than it probably deserves or will be, Holic. Nice job. A bit surprised we’re not on the banker (2-1 home win @ 3:1 and Steve T buying the post match snifter @ 100:1)
i predict the silliest name-wise starting 11 ever
Evening BTM and CBA
BTM actually turning up would be a pleasant surprise in the first place. Lasting the full 90 minutes and not getting ejected would be worth a post match celebration in it’s own right.
A well blended effort, ‘holic, with just the right balance of acidity. The proof of course will be in the performance, but I am hopeful of a vintage marc. I just hope your selection has sufficient aging to be mature enough for the occasion.
Cheers, Holic. Arsene said in his presser that Jenkinson will definitely start as he rested him completely after giving him 2 consecutive games. Your team is as close as accurate as I think it will be.
I don’t think Akpom has a chance of playing tomorrow as he is out injured.
Aaron Ramsey looks a shoe-in for Mesut Ozil’s role
And hopefully only ever in this competition.
Thanks Cent. I knew he had a back problem but saw nothing on .com about him. Thought I had read somewhere he was recovering. Have amended accordingly.
BtM, bath, zico and fellow skirt wearers, happy St Andrew’s Day to ye.
Thank you H, for squeezing a fine preview into an evening of excellent beverages and for your felicitations. I had quite forgotten the cause of the latter and will have a wee measure of Dalmore 10yo later to toast the occasion, hoping to have a larger measure thereafter to toast an Arsenal victory irrespective of the referee.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zXt56MB-3vc
One for you H after your late night efforts.
Fancying a very narrow 2-1 much akin to the League game back in September.
Will take that all day long…
And what of the Sainsbury’s girl?
Lovely preview and every Gooner will echo your condolences to our football brethren from Brazil. What a sad moment. With the other sad news cascading out about abused youth players I desperately hope we can get some good news tonight in the EFL. I am going and I have retained my normal seat. Bloody Fraser Forster is in goal. He always has a worldie when he comes to us. I gave my idea on the team in the last drinks. The subs were slightly wrong as Bennacer will replace Zelalem on the bench but we look short of options up front.
I still say 3-1 to the Good guys though!
2-1 to the arsenal. Saints do play good and they always give us a good game and i expect the same. Lucas if he starts is the one i am keen to step up. We need him and he needs to show all that he can play at this level week in week out.
Coq and Xhaka for me in the pivot. I want xhaka to have an extended run at that position and make it his own. He did have his best game for us over the weekend.
RIP to the ones who passed away in the crash and i dont mean just the footballers. The haunting image though will be of that dressing room before and after.
Team
Martinez, Jenkinson, Holding, Gabriel, Gibbs; Coquelin, Elneny; Reine-Adelaide, Ramsey, Iwobi; Perez.
10/11, not bad, but could do better.
Is it on a tv channel
usa or canada
beIN Sports in Spanish ?
any help appreciated
UPDATE
Decent Saints team, so a small back-up pound is on 3-2 at 28/1.
It’s on in Yerp and Merka, cba.
I’m on the hunt myself.
It’s on Bein somewhere in English, cba.
Come on.
yeah ‘hol
there’s a fuckin dozen odds of em
keep jiggling around
not got owt on the wee fire stick yet
got it in arabic
Oh dear not a good start! Come on Arsenal!
nooo
We need someone big up front
We huff and puff but no end product!
Every pass from Lucas is short miss timed and now Elneny gets booked!
Come on Arsenal we need to improve this!
Just came on and shocked to find we are trailing by a goal. Southampton is a very experienced side with good pacey players and are sitting back and will also probably score again next. Terrible passing and no end product from us. A long evening ahead.
Elneny does not have speed, and they have Long, Bertrand and Boufal who are very fast and we always struggle against teams which have pace up front.Come on Gunners.
We look weak and we are down two nil we look like laughing stock!
The only way we’re scoring tonight, is if the opposition scores it for us.
WTF is Ramsey?
0-2 and getting worse. Their players, sorry to say, appear to be much better than our team on the field. Hope we don’t lose by a big margin.
… or if Rob Holding does it for us.
Wenger can’t believe his own eyes we look clueless!
Embarrassing!
This was painful too watch no plan, we are rushing everything and we are two nil down already without showing a glimpse of hope!
Greetings from a very cold Grove where by my reckoning we have not managed a shot in the first half, Southampton are playing in their armchairs and apart from Xhaka we haven’t got enough quality in the 18 to get back in it. This really is a night where you wonder why you bothered to turn up. After all not many of the team have. To compound it I’m surrounded by idiots who would force me to move elsewhere if they were here every week. Not sure whether they are bigger whinges than some of you in this bar. Did I mention it is freezing?
TTG
Exactly the same from here put that flask into action it’s certainly freezing out there!
I’m definitely whinging my self can’t be any better to those surrounding you?
Easy, ATG.
We have Lucas (played only 2-3 games for us overall) up front, flanked by an out-of-form Iwobi and the Jeff – a super talent who is still learning his trade. The latter two are supported by Jenkinson and Gibbs – our second choice wing backs. We have neither Cazorla nor Özil as playmakers today.
What did you expect?
no bizarre than more
my arabic isn’t what it once was
?
sound down
herself – christmas fm on
blaring like billy o
the mighty blogs on the links
so
in many ways my dear parishioners
feckin blogs de blame
although
still a reasonable salve
hearing wogan jr spread the festive homeless joy
as we shite on our own doorstep
.
she listen s every year
only a month to go
.
cheers fella
TERS
A better application 🙂
heh @ CBA 😀
Dog
Shit
I think we should be making subs!
Not whinging, TTG, only stating facts. We look second best and are second best. Even in the first ten minutes of the second half they have drawn a save from our goalie and come close to scoring on two other occasions.
I am happy we rested our first team though I am gutted that our second eleven is so poor.
It would be ok if we were playing our second XI rather than bits of the second third and fourth.
Harrison Reed sounds like a 1970s men’s clothing outlet.
Jeff Raine Adelaide sounds like an Australian weather presenter.
Subs didn’t change anything we still look abysmal!
Of the first eleven, only Martinez and Adelaide are not in the second team, Cynic. We can delude ourselves that our third team is playing but the fact is that there is a huge gulf in quality between our first and second teams.
Southampton too have made a number of changes but they look just as good as their first eleven, probably because the second teamers get more playing time with the starting eleven.
Virgil van Dijk … fill it in yourselves…
Jesus what are they doing!
They may be on the bench but Bielik, Bola, Macey, Maitland-Niles and Mavididi?
Admittedly I pay no attention to our U23 side (or whatever the fuck it is thesedays) but that sounds like a pretty third rate bench to me. I’ve heard of three of them, but…
Oh well less competitions to be worried about I suppose
But the way we lost this one was rather embarrassing!
Get Ramsey off for god sake!
liverpool 2 leeds 0
utd 3 west ham 1
urgh
We were shit and we deserved to lose nothing add!
nothing to add!
Actually, Maitland Niles played a decent game and looks a good prospect but there are a few who we haven’t heard of.
All in all a poor display and we deserved to lose today to a better side. Lucky we did not lose by five goals to nil
The torture is over, 0-2.
Hopeless performance!
ksn
This is probably the same squad that won against Reading minus Ramsey i think. We looked good to start with but we rushed it and lost the ball in key areas. Gibbs had a shocker in the first I know Gabriel is not firs choice but still even Holding played better than him.
Ramsey? Was he even playing in the first half and Perez being thrown into the mix straight after injury is not a great move.
Bad team selection should have mixed it better!
Lacked the guile and experience needed on nights like these.
Don’t want to pile on Ramsey, who is a talent, but he is no Ozil. You see when he isn’t there what Ozil brings to the team.
thunder T
i love thunder T
god bless you m’lud
.
safe home big man
.
WHAT A FUCKIN FIASCO !
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Or is it that Lucas is no Bale, and that is what Ramsey needs ahead of him?