Unlucky Mo Back To Boost Misfiring Gunners?
Feb 7th, 2017 by 'holic
Watching Mohamed Elneny in action for Egypt in Sunday’s African Cup of Nations Final was a roller-coaster experience. His elation at putting his side in front in the first-half was the bright spot of the weekend for many Gooners. I couldn’t help but wonder what condition he would be in mentally after Cameroon first equalised, then snatched a dramatic winner at the death.
Arsenal will get a good chance to assess him tomorrow according to James Olley in the Standard, who then ponders whether Francis Coquelin or Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain might accompany him in the Arsenal midfield against Hull City. It is likely to be a partnership that will survive just one match as Granit Xhaka will be back for the Champions League match in Munich.
The popular choice right now could well be Oxlade-Chamberlain. If you were listening to the Gooner Ramble podcast this week you will have heard us pretty much in full agreement that the Ox was the only Arsenal player to emerge with any credit from the car crash at the bus stop in Fulham. It would be a ‘new’ partnership, hence unproven, but if the two could ensure one always sat when the other went in search of adventure further forward it is one that could provide potentially better distribution than the likely alternative.
Coquelin came in for some criticism after Saturday, primarily for not bringing down Eden Hazard before the second goal. The Frenchman has done a reasonable job for us since his unexpected recall but the difference between him and Kante at Chelsea showed how far he needs to develop to retain his place. It is likely that Wenger will pick him for his ability to break up play and greater defensive awareness. Against Hull might he be tempted to be a little bit more adventurous?
There is a third option in young Ainsley Maitland-Niles who the manager appears to value more as a defensive midfielder than a right-back these days, although there may be a vacancy for him there too should Hector Bellerin not fully recover from the effects of concussion before Saturday lunchtime’s fixture. He gave a good account of himself in the FA Cup tie at Southampton and may get another chance before Xhaka’s return drop him back down the pecking order.
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64 Responses to “Unlucky Mo Back To Boost Misfiring Gunners?”
Small wincarnis and babycham please.
Listening to the Arsecast Extra earlier and it was painful listening to the two of them tying themselves in knots trying not to let their tongues express what their brains are clearly thinking.
The brain is going WEGNER AHT! TIME TO GO WEGNER! and the tongue is like Michael Caine in The Ipcress File, driving the nail into his hand in order to keep control 🙂
I was thinking, any time now they’ll drop the nail.. and they didn’t.
Bravo.
Is anybody actually looking forward to Saturday?
My young grandson is very excited as he is playing against the Arsenal Academy tomorrow. Somewhere in the celestial void a Gooner who first went to Highbury in 1924 will be proudly nudging his neighbours and looking down on a great grandson who has thus far chosen to follow the dark side in North London. However a bit of psychology when I suggested that a good performance tomorrow might see him training with Alexis may have turned his head. Really I will be fascinated to talk to the Arsenal coaching staff and see who the stars of 2028 will be likely to be. It may be the first time in my life I haven’t wanted an Arsenal team to win
Cynic, start at just over 50 minutes in that Gooner Ramble podcast. 😉
Great stuff Ttg. Fancy writing an account of the day and I’ll run with it?
Best of luck with your grandson TTG.
If he plays for the Spuds,so be it.
As long as he is playing and enjoying it,that should be all that matters.
No hope of any joy on that front for me i’m afraid.
Number 1 Gr/son is only interested in Basketball,Number 2 is too busy flying drones and dreaming of being an Astronaut,and number 3 is not sure yet whether he wants to be a boy or a girl,as he spends most of his spare time dressing up in his sister’s clothes. !!
Then again he is only 8,so there is hope for him yet.
Good stuff, H, as always. I don’t think you will get your reluctant wish though, I think he will stay on.
If we win Cup or Champions League, then no. If we finish top three, I think he’ll stay. Fourth and that qualifier. He’ll be 50/50 I think. Any lower he will go. A first ‘failure’ will hurt him too much.
Pure guesswork, obviously. I wish the decision would be taken out of his hands by a forward thinking CEO…
What?
Oh…
Please don’t compare the ANC cf to the epl.
Imho,the latter is superior to the former in quality.We have to look at the tacticalside.Wenger’s based philosophy on attack is the main cause of the gunners losses currently.
He has neglected the defence which can easly be tornapart
by a fast breakway.
Until he gets to grips with the flaws Arsenal will be unable to challenge.
The tigers aint a walk/runover as evidenced by their MU and Pool results.
Believe me they will let the gunners over pass and have
90% possession and hit on the break.
Another loss/draw and the contract on offer shd be cancelled with immediate effect.
Managers are accountable and even Wenger cannot escape this fact unless the board are content with 4th.
The really stupid thing is, if they were to force him out (effectively sacking him without saying they’re sacking him) I don’t think too many people would complain. You’d get the Ultras of Wengerdom, of course, who’d have a grumble and not accept it but the vast majority would be fine with it. They have nothing to lose PR wise.
You’d also get a lot of ‘I told you sos’ if we slip out of the top 4, Cynic. Which I have already accepted as more than likely by the way. Logic tells me there must be an interim limbo period while the new manager sorts the problems. But the groundwork is in place, thanks hugely to AW, and building on it should be a joy for the right future manager/s.
Not sure Cynic. I don’t think there has been a big enough swing from last years failed demo inside the ground when the nays were comfortably outnumbered by the ayes with a massive majority.
I just think this is the time to act with Tottenham (and to a lesser extent Chelsea) set to rebuild. Plus we will need probably at least two people to replace Wenger so his replacement is a football coach first and last. Director of Football applications to Ivan the Terrible, N7 please.
It depends who we get in to replace him.
If we go nuts and hire someone who’s still learning his trade, like Eddie Howe, we’d be in trouble for a while I think, although IF these players are as good as their wages suggest, they should cope.
I would prefer someone who is not going to hang around for ten years to steady the ship, such as an Ancelotti type, and then he can hand over after a couple or three years.
??
Colleagues in my favourite bar.
Can I share something with you?
I am bored shitless by the whole Wenger in/out debate.
I have supported The Arsenal under the following managers
Billy Wright
Bertie Mee
Terry Neill
Don Howe
Steve Burtenshaw
George Graham
Stewart Houston
Pat Rice
Arsene Wenger
and I will support them under any and all future managers.
Now I think we have a game on Saturday?
c100
Why did you stop supporting under Bruce Rioch? Was it something he said?
UTA.
Bollocks. I knew I’d miss one. 🙂
Nottingham Forest away in the EFL Cup. That remains the best Arsenal game I have seen this season. Xhaka and Elneny seem to be made for each other. Ramsey and Xhaka was my preferred midfield base at the start of the season and they seemed to be gelling just before the red mist descended on our volatile Swiss Albanian and Rambo lost all semblance of confidence.
If Mo Elneny isn’t fit to play, then Coq and Ox should be given the go ahead against Hull. Going forward though, I hope to see Elneny and Xhaka as our established midfield duo.
There’s still quite a lot of football to be played between now and the end of March so why don’t we sheathe our swords and get behind the team. Beat Bayern in Munich and perceptions and perspectives would be altered.
C100, you are the man – “I will support them under any and all future managers. Beautiful.
UTA
May, that is.
Holic
I will be delighted to pen something
Thanks for the good wishes.
I will pass them on
Head Coach, Director of Football, and almost as important, room for as many of the Invincibles as possible in existing and newly created roles. If the board has the balls to bite the bullet.
Thanks TTG 🙂
If Arsenal want to get rid of the fm,they shd not go for someone who looks promising. We shd go for winners in the Euro leagues and there are quite a number of them.
These guys will jump at the chance to manage Arsenal a ,club in decline the last 10 years ie failing to win the epl.
You never know. Of course there is no guarantee whoever comes will be a roaring success ie instant hit winning 10 to 15 games in a row.
On the other hand ,maintaining the status quo is that you know I know what will happen in the latter stages of the season.
The board must be brave and take a gamble unless they are satisfied with being in the top 4.
This could be the season when Arsenal will finish outside top 4.
Personally, I’d like to see Ox get a run of games
in the centre at some stage before the end of
the season. Although his output in terms of
goals / assists is better this season it’s still not
at a level where he’s a better bet than Alexis, Theo,
Danny or Lucas to get us a goal from a wide
attacking role. Plus I’d be pushed to say he
offers much more defensively either.
He is a good player I think but too far down the
order out wide. Before we think about letting him
go though I hope we will try him in the centre
and see if he can better realize his potential
there.
Craig Burley is an expert on mediocrity. If ever a word summed up a player and his career it’s that one.
Keeping fingers crossed for Bellerin….
That was not a foul..it was assault!
It feels like the end of something, but I can’t figure out yet what it is.
There’s a Rolf Harris joke in there somewhere….
Meanwhile, the BBC is spending my licence fee on Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer, Martin O’Neil and Fucking Robbie Savage.
Lovely.
you pay yer tv licence cynic !
.
dead to me !
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WqiGUnhUIk
deep joy
Holic
You have mail!
[slipped past ‘hol’s bouncers]™
bad timing
sorry m’lud
you i love
sorry fella
zap and no one will notice ‘hol
fer fucks fuckin sake
so
this £5.99 monthly debit is for precisely what ?
fuck all ?
no arseholery redaction ?
so i am now being rude to m’lud ?
well
fuckin cheers fuckface
.
and ye can give us back them cufflinks , an all
*flounces off*
So – who the actual fuck does Craig Burley think he is to pass comment on us as fans?
I’ve been ignoring the Arsenal civil war because there’s rather more serious stuff going on but this got right up my nose.
People still listen to Craig Burley? Or any of the ESPN critics? Good grief. http://media.sdreader.com/img/photos/2013/01/23/lucy_t500x554.jpg?26deca809bdbb11a3cc4f4ea97547a0471f4e7cb
A name I hadn’t heard seriously mentioned to this point. And if this is true he could get my vote! http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/massimiliano-allegri-would-never-coach-6446486
Relief is at hand, we’ve signed Lateef Omidiji Jr, a 13yo!! http://www.allnigeriasoccer.com/read_news.php?nid=21991
hello chris and hello
now YOU !
you
you I pick fights
with ………
….ya fucker
.
sometimes you win
sometimes you
inconveniently and ostentatiously
eat crunchies
lose
or
Bounties
but
i always love ye
?
and
nice things
Hawaii
?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KY5u496Y6kA
Nice piece of Jeff Beck guitar work, cba. Singer not too shabby either.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHmUfCOOe4o 🙂
You don’t have the proper credentials to address a senior member of this commune, seaweed.
Relief is at hand
MATRON!
Time for Arsenal fans to check back in?
Switch on?
Swallow the anger and the apathy and support the team?
Collect and direct that anger exactly where it needs to go?
Arsene Wenger calls for unity.
Spot on.
Chris @42 can he play at right back? 😉
Tough call to make with Hector
on Saturday. Must be tempting
to play him. Elneny too.
My guess for AW’s team would be
Cech
Gab, Mustafi, Kos, Nacho
Ox, Elneny, Ozil
Theo, OG, Alexis
I hope we get an early goal, win
well and give the fans something
to cheer about, but it has the
hallmarks of a tough, nervy game
that we try to nick 1-0.
Mo will indeed be a welcome addition to the squad for Saturday, Guvna.
I personally wouldn’t want to put Hector’s long term welfare at risk and would trust Gabriel to put in a decent defensive shift. However he will need the somewhat more self-sufficient and creative Ox in front of him to offer a bit of threat from the right rather than the fella who wandered aimlessly around there for an hour on Saturday.
So a starting 11 of Cech; Gabrieal, Mustafi, Koscielny, Monreal, Coquelin, Mustafi, Ozil, Oxlade-Chamberlin, Iwobi, Alexis with Giroud, Walcott and hopefully Perez as re-inforcements should the Hull barrier prove awkward after 60 minutes.
Meanwhile this provides a nice bit of perspective:
http://untold-arsenal.com/archives/59788
@bathgooner
Very good article! Many thanks.
Hope Bellerin will be 100% recovered from that assault before he plays for us again.. Head and neck injuries can be very serious.
Bath
Great team but asking Mustafi to play twice is a bit unfair!
If we are going to play with two of the same player I vote for Alexis. 😉
A guest special from Ttg, thank you sir. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>