Spineless But Significant City v Arsenal Clash
Dec 17th, 2016 by 'holic
“We know we are on a long-term target and that we have to go through some disappointments. We have done extremely well, but what is important in football is that you respond and that we focus to do better in the future. We are a strong team away from home and that’s what we want to show straight away again at Manchester City.”
Arsene Wenger talking to Arsenal.com before what has become a very significant trip to Manchester this weekend. This preview is being written after Chelsea grabbed another 1-0 win, this time at Crystal Palace, to pull nine points clear at the top the Premier League. If there is a winner at the Emptihad tomorrow then that club would become the best placed to take advantage of any slip-ups by the bus stop in Fulham.
Arsene will be as aware as anybody that this is also a great opportunity for us to hurt a weakened City line-up. The spine of the side, Kompany (knee), Gundogan (knee), Fernandhino and Aguero (both suspended) are all out. Expect the versatile De Bruyne to drop deeper, while Sane or Navas fill in further forward. They are still a dangerous opponent, but the depth of their squad will be fully tested here.
Pep Guardiola will doubtless be telling his players that we face a similar issue being without Shkodran Mustafi, Aaron Ramsey, and Santi Cazorla, and that would be fair comment. We haven’t lost a game when Mustafi has played this season and we have the lost the three he has missed so far. The opposing managers have been full of praise for the other this week, with Pep saying,
“I understand it’s not easy to win the Premier League, but I have a lot of respect for his (Arsene’s) career. I admire the way he tries to play and especially the quality of the players they like and they buy. If we are lazy and not strong enough, they have the quality.”
The Arsenal may have a psychological advantage in as much as City have already come a cropper to London clubs Chelsea and Tottenham this season. Most peoples title favourites at the start of the season, they too need to get back on the winning trail. We are on a decent run against the blue half of Manchester and last season’s two goal triumph up there should give us heart ahead of kick-off.
The Gunners back five picks itself, but again a decision about which pairing is the best in front of them. Granit Xhaka and Francis Coquelin may get the chance to show that the result at Goodison was a blip. Mesut Ozil and Alexis will surely have another chance to build on their partnership.
It is in the wide positions where Arsene has to earn his corn. Theo Walcott, after a bright start to the season, has looked a little tired recently. That’s understandable. The new father is still putting in a full shift defensively but that attacking edge was missing on Tuesday night, not for the first time of late. Lucas, scorer of that opportunist hat-trick in Basel, is a potential replacement if Arsene opts to rest the England international.
Similarly, on the left, one could barely get a cigarette paper between Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Alex Iwobi. Whoever gets the nod will need to deliver in order to avoid a place on the bench on Boxing Day.
The ‘holic pound
You know I think bookies are rarely wrong and I am a bit surprised that they have City as very warm if not hot favourites to win. That means the odds on an Arsenal win are higher than I expected. As a Christmas gift for Bergkamp the Man I am tipping 1-2 to the visitors at a very tasty 12/1. I’m hoping the fact that we have our main striker available is the difference between the sides.
Art Of Football Offer
If you missed out on the Art off Football teeshirt competition, and their Black Friday promotion you still have this weekend to grab a deal from them.
Last minute Christmas shopping? 15% off this weekend using the code: PanicBuy. Order by Monday for Xmas delivery. See their website here for the Arsenal goodies on offer.
That’s it for now, so to the travelling faithful on Sunday I will offer my usual wishes for an enjoyable and successful trip. Let’s hope that between 4 and 6pm on Sunday you will get to enjoy doing the Poznan yet again.
For all of you who are reading this, have a great one, ‘holics.
88 Responses to “Spineless But Significant City v Arsenal Clash”
Whiskey with lemon, cloves, cinnamon sticks and hot water.
DRINK!!!
Cheers H! And Dubs!
1-2 just about right. Sane, Lucas, Giroud in that order.
Dubs and Esso, two of the finest. I seem to be out of lemon, Dubs. 😉
That would be a sweet comeback, bt8 🙂
The bookies have got about everything wrong this year . They had Ore at 7-1 to win Strictly tonight ?
We have a very decent chance tomorrow. We drew there last season, won there the season before and beat them in preseason. Gabriel was playing in defence then until he got injured. I’d play Perez on one wing and I think Iwobi is hitting top form now and looks a goal threat. I think I ‘d go with him.
So it’s 2-1 to the Gunners and our challenge rekindled prior to Christmas. Beating them 2-1 just before Christmas last year made it a very nice Christmas then .
You are the Optimist’s Optimist H.
But i cannot see anything other than a flogging at City on Sunday.
With both Alexis and Ozil called out as Dogshit,and Wally/Ox and Iwobi completely brainless,that’s half the first team down the sewer.
We might be able to sneak home drawers against West Brom and Palace,but have got no hope at Bournemouth after the New Year.
The only ray of light is that we might,just might be able to nick a streaky win against Preston in the Cup.
So Arsene has to spend at least 100 million in the Jan transfer window,to try and recruit some top notch replacements that will satisfy the moaners
whingers and whiners.
Apropros of nothing else,
The Arse are the only team not to have gone in losing at half time in any EPL game this season.
Also our Chelsea goalkeeping cast off,has conceded goals in his past 7 games,but has never gone 8 without keeping a clean sheet.
Evening one and all.
Nice preview H. I must say that I think that tomorrow is really difficult to call. They are missing a host of quality and have the added disadvantage of playing Coco the Clown in goal. But we all know they will Have quality. It’s just whether they want to play.
I would like to see Xhaka play next to Elneny in the heart of the midfield. Despite my earlier thoughts it might also be time to see Lucas have a start out wide.
I have fond memories of certain games against Citeh. My favourite will always be the home game against a very negative Citeh that had nil nil written all over it. That was until Arteta unleashed one with about 10 minutes to go. There then followed a night of fine entertainment in The Tollie. I eventually got home to discover that my two had also celebrated the win, but had done so by turning their backs on the tv and doing the Poznan in the lounge!!!!! It’s the little things.
Some festive Timmy Taylor Landlord on the bar for those in.
Clive, there’s a bit of Ned in there somewhere with those stats?
Alexis has been getting stroppier and stroppier with refs in recent games, and perhaps it’s time to relieve him of the pressure of leading the line. Let him relax a bit and do his proper thing on the wing, while giving OG an opportunity to press his claims against a defence which could prove vulnerable to big front men and aerial assaults.
If we continue with Plan A then a draw is the best I expect to see. Although I always live in hope! With the Mesut/Alexis Club hogging the ball of late it’s hardly surprising others are looking a bit quiet. Theo in particular deserves one more shot (especially if OG does get a run, I’m still waiting to see that combo again), but perhaps with a warning that his time is running out. Not that Iwobi, Ox or Lucas excite me as alternatives.
Oh, go on … 1-2 to the good guys if the ball decides to bounce our way for a change. 🙂
I would take 1-2 (to us natch) right now
howdy ‘holic
howdy ‘holics
the blue monied meanies ?
grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
.
gonna be a strange one
cos
i’ve already tore into me carry out for the game
stand down ‘hol ?
ye won’t need yer red pen
or your
“I think we both know what ye just done said”
shaking head of disappointment
but
can i offer apologies and festive joy
to them that festivates
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUKku3MhCPs
top bar
top barflys
long may you etc..
good people
GOD BLESS HERE
GOD BLESS THE ARSENAL
(bets hedged godwise )
made up nonsense in the sky ?
YOU DECIDE !
and
the mighty steve T
yes indeedy i will make it over again
dunno when but i will
London is the fuckin bomb
(v.subtle joke for Clive there )
?
like most of ye
an Arsenal game
same day as a fuckin great gig
ione of the fuckin brilliant things in life
just fuckin dynamite
(nother one for Clive? )
.
jeez
i’m raising the roof here
can’t wait to walk around Holloway /Archway
spent manys a happy year there
speaking of which
anyone know how h2h is doing ?
and
WHAT ARE YOU LOOKIN AT FUCKFACE !
ya buncha fuckin moisturizers !
anyhow
anyhoo
there’s a James Brown documentary
wi my name all fuckin over it
.
THE FUCK
YEEEEAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH
balls
turns out its a drama ?
like James Brown s life
needs dramatizin
.
off to youtube for some slideyfooted wonder
mind you
the greatest greatness of diddley
shuffles on a side of joy so good
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeZHB3ozglQ
even up the scores
GO ON YOU GENIUS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xzr_GBa8qk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeaBNAXfHfQ
goodnight
i’m tired out
Looking forward to my away day at Citi, perhaps Perez should be given a chance but half expect an unchanged side from Tuesday.
1-2 would be terrific Holic but a draw is more likely. Will report back on my bus trip with the Norfolk Branch of the ASC tomorrow.
COYRs
I fancy a change up for this one. Perez on the left and Ox on the right with a brief to roast either Clichy or Kolarov.
2-0, no problem.
UTA.
CBA. First one is on the bar for you sir.
Have a good trip Delia. Sounds like your journey might be easier to Manchester than it is to London at times? Enjoy.
What was the JB drama called, cba.Sounds like something I would definitely watch.
The house the wife and the family jewels are all on 1-2, Holic. I’m holding my breath.
Time to give Perez a run on the right (although Theo usually does well against the hapless Clichy).
About to leave for Manchester. Like Delia will report back tomorrow on our trip to the Oil Barons stadium.
I might need to track down this book – https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Books/Moon-Has-Left-Stadium-Confessions/1849541299
On Pardew –
I knocked on the door of his office again. He looked a bit surprised to see me, but invited me in. We sat down, me on a chair and him on the edge of his desk. It meant I had to look up at him, which was a bit odd. He had a mug of tea in his hand, but I wasn’t offered one. I felt a bit like a kid who’d been called to the headmaster’s office, except I hadn’t done anything wrong. Then he asked me what he could do for me. I reminded him that he’d asked me to come and see him in his office before every game. ‘That’s right,’ he said nodding thoughtfully, his lips pursed. He reminded me a bit of a Thunderbirds puppet, maybe Scott or Virgil, but definitely not Brains. ‘I want you to get the crowd rocking today. I want them 100 per cent behind the team. What I want you to do is to play ‘I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles’ just as the team are running out!’ So that was his brilliant plan.
He wanted me to play ‘Bubbles’ as the team ran out. What an incredible idea. If only we’d thought of it ourselves! Thank goodness a former glazier had arrived at the Academy of Football to give us the benefit of his knowledge of East London and its traditions. I sat in my seat looking up at him, wondering how to break to him the news that we’d been running out to this particular tune for as long as I could remember. His hair was virtually white, apart from a little bit of greying black at the front. He has an intense way of looking at you that suggests that you will agree with him. He was completely still, a bit like the Thunderbirds pictures on the wall at Tracy Island. When the brothers contacted base, the eyes on their picture would flash on and off. Actually thinking about it, there was an Alan in Thunderbirds and he had white hair. He was the astronaut, or was it space cadet? The real Alan’s eyes showed no signs of flashing, so I had to think quickly. I didn’t want to make our new manager feel uncomfortable, so I replied that it was a great idea. I would ensure that we played ‘Bubbles’ every week as the team ran out. He nodded his approval, slid off the desk and opened the door. It appeared that this meeting was over, either he was leaving the room or I was. It turned out it was me. I never did get a cup of tea from Alan, so I popped into the press lounge for a brew. I wrote on my clipboard ‘Bubbles’ in big letters, just in case I forgot.
Fine preview Guvna.
I’ll have that 2-1 to the good guys. 12-1 would be nice too. ?
Seems like every game is a ‘must win’ these days.
I’ll be watching on my I-phone at a family gathering in the frozen north.
COYG
I don’t buy into this ‘great time to play them’ argument. Big clubs like City are neither easier nor harder to play in a game like this regardless of missing a couple of key players and the bookies show this in their odds; city will raise their game for the occasion.
The usual principles apply: defend well, make no silly mistakes and take your chances.
Arsenal: Cech; Bellerin, Gabriel, Koscielny, Monreal; Coquelin, Xhaka; Walcott, Ozil, Iwobi; Sanchez.
Subs: Ospina, Gibbs, Holding, Elneny, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Lucas, Giroud.
Come on.
COME ON!
Theo, get in!!!!
Is it contract negotiation time again for Walcott?
GET IN Theo!
First part of my bet is in, if the scoreline is correct as well I’ll be pissing gold coins.
Sterling almost scored. This could turn into a thriller which I hope we win.
Which will be painful, if lucrative.
Iwobi looks exhausted already, but funnily enough only when he hasn’t got the ball and is supposed to be tracking back. He’s just jogging like a man with cramping calves.
Offside goal does us in. We can’t keep a clean sheet
Looks offside..but it was tight…
COME ON!!!
Come on Arsenal! Have we gone soft already?
BB slight offside I don’t think lino can see these with human eyes.
Ozil non existent yet again
We look jaded
We are not running we are walking
We are ball watching
Come on!
This is looking very ominous.
We are clearly second best to City at keeping the ball.
Great save by Cech and it is not looking good.
COYG.
Sadly you are right Cynic. It feels like we are waiting for the inevitable. I so hope I’m wrong.
Ox on for Iwobi. Get us a goal Ox.
We are being squashed like a soft pumpkin we can string any passes together
We are just standing there wtf come on lads put a bit of a fight!
Our passing is atrocious.
Well it was coming
Sterling scores, going from bad to worse.
Sadly I wasn’t wrong. We’ve been awful in the second half
What a rubbish goal to give up.
Just sit there, Wenger… great idea.
Nothing has changed with us we crumble under pressure always
Ozil is German for passenger.
Ozil is walking
We’re sitting too deep… only one outcome there.
COME ON!!!!!!
Le Coq subbed for OG out best player so far
And I think Coquelin is French for scapegoat.
he always takes him off no matter how well or badly he is doing.
I am afraid this is where we drop off in the title race this season,focus back on 4th cup trophy…meh!!
I can accept losing but being so thoroughly outplayed is unacceptable. Almost conceded the third.
Ox has a hamstring problem, Elneny on for him.
OX is off injured ?
Come on Walcott Jesus
Also rans!!!
Nth time we are behind after taking the lead this season.
Miss Cazorla, he makes us tick.
Every team in the league is better at gamesmanship.
Even at the end they play fucking tippy tap with their last chance free kick! Tossers!
We lost by being too passive. Real threat of not finishing in the top four.
I’d put all my money and effort into keeping Sanchez and let Ozil go. Keep the player that matters.
Oh well… at least the title “challenge” lasted until mid December this year.
That game should have been killed off before half time. If you are going to play on the counter you have to be clinical.
Also, we always seem to lose games when the opposition scores in the first five minutes of the second half. Seems to knock the stuffing out of us.
Unacceptable the we got outplayed we have no guts and we pull back as soon as we score. Every manager knows this and they use it against us!
And please don’t tell me that Cazorla would have helped here not one bit!
I posted this yesterday , think it would be more relevant today
Chelsea are playing like champions …. their defence is winning it for them , it’s the clean sheets along with Costa that I think is going to do it for them
There seems to be a stability about them when they are leading 1-0 as compared to the chances we give to the opponent’s when leading by the same score … it seems as though if we have to win , it has to be got with a large scoreline and scoring many goals which I think is not possible all the time and that I think is where our down fall would be this season
I can’t remember their keeper making a single save in the match though..
To cap the misery, spuds win 2-1. Terrible week.
We have this mentality and it doesn’t look like it’s going anywhere better soon.
Massive fight for fourth spot in my eyes!
It’s hard to take a defeat like that. Citeh looked there for the taking. Several of that team should have a long, hard look in the mirror after a performance like that and although I have been one of Ozil’s fans I thought he really was below- par today. Almost non- existent until the last ten minutes.
I suspect that is Ox’s mid- season break sorted. I bet that’s six weeks at least for him after playing for about ten minutes.
Mustafi and Cazorla enormously missed and neither due back soon. Gabriel and Xhaka weren’t good today
Glad it’s Christmas at lease I’ll have something else to concentrate on because that was very weak performance.
Swings and roundabouts. Not trying to mask a poor result but this was a run of two tricky away games so there was always the chance we were going to drop points (accept it’s not ideal to lose both games though!)
Looking at our next run of league games, we should really be looking at six straight wins before our next toughie against Chelsea in Feb. Let’s see where we are then before writing the season off already.
PS – In these upcoming contract negotiations for Alexis and Ozil, I’ve always felt there was a clear pecking order in which player we simply cannot afford to lose, and which we’d prefer not to lose. The fishgod is in the latter category (too many days like today in the big games). Also, strikers like Alexis are more of premium in today’s market.
I can’t understand why the hell did we give them so much respect?! It was a very good tactic playing on the counter and everytime we broke in the first half it looked as if we might create an opening. But as the first half wore on we just sat back and invited them on. It was almost as if the team forgot that they are very good at the passing game as well. Of course we miss Cazorla that goes without saying. But the problem with Xhaka – Coq midfield seems to be the ability to retain the ball when the game has become an attritional one. That is something Cazorla does magnificently. The team wanted to play similar to that famous win at city couple of years ago, but it was Cazorla who synchronised wonderfully with Coq in that game to frustrate the city forward line.
Disappointing back to back losses. It would be a test of the mettle of this Arsenal team as to how well it bounces back from this. 9 points seems a big gap at this point in time but just as we have discovered, when an Unbeaten run ends, it can bring about a cluster of bad results. One would hope that we are winning our games when they hit their rough patch. The worrying aspect is that there’s no room for error now.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
The next game against West Brom will be another tough one which we have to win if are to have any chance of finishing in the top four. Desperate times.
I can talk and find reasons why we lost that game, but I cannot find any reasonable reaso why Elneny was up there instead of Lucas to replaced the injured Ox. You replaced Winger (Iwobi) with another winger (OX) but then replaced the same winger with midfield player. I just don’t understand…
I wonder what the boy needs to do to convinces Wenger that he deserves to be on the pitch?
Not so good for his confidence to be honest…
Bring on WBA…
COYG