Craig Eastmond Backing Arsene Wenger Before Plotting Huge Upset
Feb 19th, 2017 by 'holic
At last there is some real football to distract us from the general air of gloom surrounding the club at the moment. An incedible Saturday in the FA Cup saw a non-league team advance away against a Premier League club and a League One club defeat the champions. While Sunday’s fixtures went as existed the draw gave us more reason to cheer. Only non-leaguers Sutton United and Lincoln City stand between us and an FA Cup semi-final at Wembley.
Just who will start at Sutton became marginally clearer on Sunday as Danny Welbeck played for seventy minutes in the under-23 fixture at Leicester. The England striker confirmed on his Twitter account that the “plastic pitch at Sutton isn’t the best idea at the moment“. Clearly he has ongoing issues with that knee. Jeff Reine-Adelaide and Ainsley Maitland-Niles were not involved at Leicester so probably will be at Gander Green Lane.
So, using the eleven that started at Southampton in the last round as a basis from which to work it is possible that Per Mertesacker and Nacho Monreal might come in for Shkodran Mustafi and Kieran Gibbs in front of David Ospina, and alongside Hector Bellerin, and Rob Holding.
Mohamed Elneny could come in for one of the young double-barrelled midfielders and alongside Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in a midfield three. If Lucas has not regained fitness we could be stretched up front. Olivier Giroud should get a start alongside Theo Walcott and Alex Iwobi?
Sutton will obviously be up for the game, in particular the former Gunners Craig Eastmond, Roarie Deacon, Jeffrey Monakana and Jack Jebb. Eastmond was once considered to be ahead of Francis Coquelin for a future midfield berth with the Gunners, and made ten appearances in two seasons including a Champions League appearance in Donetsk. Talking to Jim White in the Telegraph Craig was warm in his praise of the boss who let him go, whilst upbeat about his new team’s chances of causing what would surely be the biggest FA Cup upset of all time.
“To be fair, we never think we haven’t got a chance, that’s one of our strengths. Sure, if Leeds had played their full-strength side we might have thought different. But once we saw their teamsheet, we knew we could do it.”
“I’ve not seen Arsène Wenger in the flesh since I left the club. I see him on TV all the time obviously. Be great to catch up. I know he’s taken a lot of stick recently, but for me there’s no question, he’s a great manager. And a great man.”
Much has been said about the nature of the artificial surface but in all honesty Arsenal effectively play on firm, enhanced surfaces every week. The bounce may be marginally different and the first burn will persuade most to try to stay on their feet more than usual, but if we are playing a possession game based on short sharp passes then we should be able to make our technical superiority pay.
The ‘holic pound
If you listened to the Bergkamp Wonderland podcast this week you will know I am not expecting an avalanche of goals. The standard of the National League isn’t so very far removed from that of Leagues One and Two so I expect the hosts to get bodies behind the ball and make it difficult for us. The lively Deacon and the experienced Tubbs will hope to convert any rare opportunities that come their way on the break.
I plumped for 0-3 to the Arsenal but don’t be surprised if at least a couple of those don’t come until the non-leaguers tire in the latter stages. Unfortunately for me the bookies think that is the likeliest outcome too. Paddy Power offer a market best of 13/2 against that and I have grabbed a piece of that while it lasts. Expect it to drop to 11/2 or even 5/1.
To the lucky 750 plus any of ours who have tickets from Sutton I wish you a fabulous evening of old style football watching. To the rest who hopefully won’t need to be behind the sofa let’s just hope we get an exciting, but eventually not too pulse-racing passage into a quarter-final against another National League opponent.
We all know the rest of the football world will be rooting for the underdog, as indeed we were when Sutton beat Leeds to reach the last sixteen. Should the unexpected happen I hope the vast majority of us will react with some class and grace.
Have a good one, ‘holics.
77 Responses to “Craig Eastmond Backing Arsene Wenger Before Plotting Huge Upset”
?
I hope we lose.
Then, to rub it in, I hope we lose to Lincoln in the next round.
Wagnob aaahhhhhhttttttttt
?
if i could love steve more
?
A lovely little bird tells me that Giroud may have been allowed to go home, so if Lucas isn’t fit we have a choice between Alexis and, wait for it…
Yaya Sanogoal!
Let’s be totally honest. Who will start at Sutton is a total mystery. Who knows????
Just go there, get the job done, smile at the locals and then get back safe and well. No dramas and no injuries please.
Nice stuff in a tough week old chap. I even noticed a visit from the reverend in there somewhere.
Up the Gunners.
top 4?
Sa Nogoal??????
Wouldn’t we be better off playing with 10???
CBA. Love you too big man.
We’ve sorted it. Reine-Adelaide on the wing and Theo up front.
Phew!
That’s a relief.
Is Debuchy fit?
Cheers H!
And some other fine ‘holics to boot.
That was a close miss, bad omen but optimistic.
Thanks Guv’nor for the articles every week. You must truly be a ‘mixologist’ of the highest order. Perfectly combining heart & mind and lacing it with the ‘balls’ to make sure we’re served that excellent stuff. Thank you.
While a part of me thinks a loss tomorrow would seal Wenger’s departure, I honestly want that FA glory this season. My heart’s been so messed up after high hopes prior to this season’s commencement. So many Arsenal true supporters want that consolation.
Talking about the team I want? If everyone who swept Soton away are available, give them the job. They know how to hold this thing well. I can’t let my heart into another recession in a very short while.
who’s buyin’ ?
.
now ye d think that was easy twaddle
but
buyin’
FUCK
turned into Putin’s
and
second fuckin go
was fuckin Burton’s
.
conspiracy theorists join up them fuckin dots
predictive or insistence text
Nice piece Holic.
Let’s not prat about. One team is clearly superior to the other and should win easily. But Arsenal may have a chance ?
I wouldn’t be surprised if Debuchy started , along with BFG. If Giroud is out we will start Alexis and this might be a Theo sort of game. We had a great feel about our play at Southampton so it’s a pity we aren’t likely to repeat the team .
Frankly this is an amazing opportunity to get to the semi where anything can happen as the pundits say. Let’s hope we get a strong grip on the game score a couple early and then play as we did at Southampton. If it’s 0-0 at 70 minutes it might become impossible to watch because mental strength isn’t our biggest attribute.
My prediction is 2-0 to the Arsenal
scared of typing now
if i could love thunder T more ?
aaaaahhhhhhhh
You mellow tonight, cba? 😉
wi my back an these feet ‘hol
irrationality and irasciscibiliblity
what ye want ?
i’m a few small single figures behind you agewise
but
yer not too old de over my knee , Methuselah
if i could love ‘hol more
there ye go
fuckin needy fucker
I have a back and feet as well, you know.
I’m pulling seniority with these fucked lungs. 🙂
can i have me creepers back ?
stockin feet here
flurrgle
fav tune
an occasion
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGOEUo_sLxY
i am sorry for always playing it here
.
.
.
.
I AM A GOONER
now
herself is sortin dinner
so don’t wait on me
.
(needy lurkers ]
Would now be a good time to say that I might watch Newcastle vs Villa instead? 🙂
Dinner? At this time of night?
Bit fucking Spanish of you, if you don’t mind me saying so.
I’d definitely play Mesut and Alexis … while we still have them.
In fact with the Cup now easily our best (only?) chance of a trophy this season we should field a team that will cruise through, not take chances with bench players. Respect to Sutton, a club I nearly played for, please.
Which reminds me, Trev, is there a reliable treatment for achilles tendon strains these days? Perhaps I could revive the career I was forced to abandon in 1962… 🙁
Ozil has been given time off, I think. As in official time off and not the time off he gives himself during matches 😉
flurrgle, cba? Did you mean Feargal? Sharkey? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZUKVuIdPoU
Or
http://statici.behindthevoiceactors.com/behindthevoiceactors/_img/chars/fleegle-the-banana-splits-23.2.jpg
Why do i i have a bad feeling for tonight. Seem that the disappointment has caught on too much to the system. We should win this comfortably but stranger things have happened when things arent going well.
Please play lucas if fit. No Mesut. Holding and Per please than gabriel who should not be seen anywhere near the team for a long time. Monreal and Debuchy maybe as full backs and Niles/ox in the midfield combo. Jeff playing the number 10 role. I am pretty certain alexis will insist on a cameo and let him get it.
lastly, Pep has come out and defended the boss, it may be hollow but it sure feels sad to see others coming and defending him than our own. I am fine with people wanting him out but abuse and calling him what not just shows an absolute lack of respect to the great man. STOP IT.
Dr Trev,
I have been having some very bad dreams where I want the Arse to lose every game this season and next so that we get relegated so that we can then expect our manager, our board and the tea staff to lose their jobs so that we can immediately bounce back into the Prem under the astute guidance of Fat Sam who will have quit the imitation barcodes to save his cv of never having been relegated from the Prem.
In your role as resident physician can you please prescribe me something strong to make these bad thoughts go away?
Vinay – you clearly don’t like Gabriel. Has he offended somebody in your family at some stage as your dislike seems totally out of whack with his recent performances which, by and large, have been no worse than many others? Personally I like his aggression and commitment. I also like Holding but his over confidence has already cost us goals and I fear he may be a Stones light. Against the hustle and bustle of non-leaguers I would prefer Gabriel.
Anyway, it’s all academic – 3-0 to the Arse.
UTA.
Nice preview as always, thanks.
Not sure I’d smile too much at
the locals, I lived in Sutton for a
while back in the early 90’s and
some of the local pubs could be
a bit iffy in the less salubrious
end of the town 🙂
Hopefully, a similar team to the
Soton game and a similar score.
We should expect them to go in
hard early on, be prepared to
scrap it out, and then show the
difference in level.
Get the job done, take a break
and then come back and show
some pride through till May.
Not much to ask for is it?
Yea 3-0 I’d say, straight to the SF via another superpower and cue all the FA Cup excitement as usual, which I don’t get really, probably because I’m not a “true” fan. Worth noting they scrapped the European Cup Winners Cup in 1999, a European trophy which a different manager won by the way, whilst another won the Fairs Cup of course. The old FA Cup was almost as coveted as the old Division One title. Attendances are way down and most managers are playing their 2nd XIs. It has nostalgia (I loved the all day black and white coverage in the 70s too) but that’s about it although I’m aware from mates in London that the final can be a brilliant day out. Speaking of coverage, nice it’s terrestrial. The BBC used to have a fine tradition for making good comedy, I hope they don’t rediscover their touch tonight.
Perez’s agent reckons he’s off in the summer “at all costs”
@NoosaGooner, no he hasn’t said anything towards my family and he wouldn’t as well, it is just that all that aggression and the so-called fight is comical, lacks conviction and has led us to be hampered than help. Even a throw which he and Ramsey worked so well that it resulted in the Watford goal, just showed how he is more like a rabbit in headlights. Holding looks more assured than him though I agree his over confidence needs to be stemmed down.
To the game though, still dreading it but hoping for once we just thump them and get this negativity out. Theo has been at 99 for more weeks than i can remember, so this just might be it. Play lucas if fit for we may lose one more player for lack of game time.
I think we should categorise games by the number of sofas we need to watch them behind. Tonight’s is at least a two sofa effort and if they take the lead I may be throwing in a put-u-up I have in the loft.
I would like to pay credit to Sutton though. Sometimes non- league clubs can mouth off ridiculously- old uns may remember the Yeovil Chairman when we played them in our first double season claiming that Bob Wilson was a liability. None of that from Sutton who have behaved with a dignity expected from a side where half the players are Arsenal fans!
I hope your loft is boarded TTG. Wouldn’t want you putting your foot through the ceiling in a fit of pique whilst fetching that put-u-up.
Countryman
I boarded it up after I put my foot through it when moving in! If I can create a mess I will!
Arsenal fans bricking it all over the country/ world . Do they mean Theo upfront through the middle ? I’d put Lucas there and Theo out wide. It’s a similar team to Southampton but the midfield is different with Xhaka and Elneny.
2-0 to the Arsenal it is on a One sofa night
Interesting team. It can’t possibly be worse than last week and anyone who plays well should stay in.
5-1 Arsenal
The lineup:
Ospina; Gabriel, Mustafi, Holding, Monreal; Elneny, Xhaka; Lucas, Reine-Adelaide, Iwobi; Walcott.
Subs: Martinez, Debuchy, Mertesacker, Gibbs, Maitland-Niles, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Sanchez.
I do wish we’d go back to wearing suits for matches. Trackies are so …
Travelling to matches, not playing in them lol
I will be interested to see if any of our five goalscorers today attempt a knee-slide celebration. Kudos – and knee burn – to anybody that tries.
UTA.
Where is Giroud?
Every Sutton supporter looks so excited. Nice atmosphere. Should win comfortably but we know that with Arsenal it is never easy. COYG.
I won’t mention that the captain is wearing short sleeves and all the others have gone against tradition and gone for long.
I mean, it won’t be a big deal this time… will it.
Oh dear, Eastmond. That’s embarrassing.
Cynic. You are completely correct. Once a tradition goes it goes for ever.
Jeff looks a bit out of his depth doesn’t he?
£35m for a player without a brain
It would seem that even despite his recent break, that Granit Xhaka is still as thick as a whale omelette.
What a stupid booking.
Lucas scores.
Good job Theo was “not good enough to do that skill”
Up the Arsenal. Fuck you Piers Morgan.
This pitch looks far too slippery to me. Many players falling over like Jeff just now
Lucas looks almost apologetic on that one. Wouldn’t have gone past the backup keeper at that angle; he’s wider than the goal.
Jeff and Iwobi not showing the bottle or attitude we need in my view
Ospina is another thick one.
Ospina. Christ on a bike.
I’m actually sure, as I was last time, that Walcott has a long sleeved shirt on with an insane roll up method being employed.
His right sleeve is down to his elbow and much longer than it was at kick off, so he’s either wearing the longest short sleeves ever, or its a long sleeve rolled up inside itself, as it was last time.
:-p
The interval….my management just woke me up.
Can I borrow your put-u-up TTG? Our players look half petrified of failure, especially Jeff.
Theo is looking one of our most committed players. It looks like playing on a frozen pitch. I can’t lend you my put-u-up Countryman as its barricading me in. Boy can this just be over with us winning.
Ox replaces Elneny who has a calf problem . No more injuries I hope.
Theo gets his hundredth for Arsenal. Bravo
Excellent finish. Have discarded one of the sofas.
Congratulations Theo on a fine milestone. We must stop them having a sight of goal as Deacon just showed . On tonight’s performance Deacon has shown more than the Jeff.
And keep them from crossing high into the box
Lucky escape as the bar comes in the way.
Niles and Sanchez on for Adelaide and Iwobi. Can’t keep Sanchez from playing every match.
Niles looks decent on the ball, in distribution and in his defensive work.
Wenger In
Comfortable win but Sutton were not embarrassed.
Enjoyed that. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Ok, job done and disaster avoided.
Sutton did well and good luck to
them, great effort to get this far.