Down To Seventh, The Gunners Need A Performance
Apr 15th, 2017 by 'holic
Four in a row. It was a game I loved when I was a pup. Now it means the number of away league defeats we have suffered in our current run I am less enamoured with it. We need a gloom lifting performance in Middlesbrough on Monday evening, especially after yet more results went against us on Saturday. Everton’s win over Burnley dropped us a place to seventh.
Worse still was the marshdwellers win over Bournemouth in a match which Jack Wilshere was also substituted after injuring his dodgy ankle once more. That means they need mathematically they need just eight points from six matches to postpone St Totteringham’s Day for just twelve months. Brace yourselves for something none of you younger than 22 (plus a few years) will have experienced before.
Enough of that. Far more important is how we fare at the Riverside in a fixture cruelly moved to a Monday night, our second in a row. The travelling faithful will still be there, and will roar the team on as long as they are seeing effort, and a performance, and determination to win an oh so vital three points. Arsenal players would be well advised to go over to them before the game and applaud them for their efforts in getting to the north-east on a Monday night in the current circumstances.
Quite who will start is up in the air as I type. Petr Cech and Laurent Koscielny are eighty percent likely to be fit to start, “but sometimes the twenty per cent can play a villain’s part in the final preparation” according to Arsene Wenger. Let’s hope that if only one makes it that man is the skipper, Koscielny.
David Ospina and Lucas are still ruled out with back and thigh injuries apparently. That neither has been seen since the 1-3 defeat by West Brom is starting to worry this amateur scribe. There must also be some doubt about a start for Theo Walcott after the boss was critical of him for saying Palace wanted the game last Monday more than us. Am I alone in thinking we could start Danny Welbeck on the right and bring Olivier Giroud back into the centre?
I’m guessing not many would support Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain starting in place of Mesut Ozil just to freshen things up in the midfield. Middlesbrough will certainly look to keep things tight and physical, safe in the knowledge that Anthony Taylor is in charge. In what could be a dogged and dour contest this might actually be a challenge to Walcott and Ozil to come on in the last half an hour if necessary and open up a tiring rearguard.
The Teessider’s are currently six points off safety, they haven’t won a league match in 2017, and they are the lowest scorers with only 22 goals from 31 matches. They have sacked their manager and coach Steve Agnew has the unenviable task of saving them. He won’t be helped by not having Gunners loanee Calum Chambers available to him for this fixture against his parent club.
The ‘holic pound
Boro could prove to be the worst trip for us at this worrying time. Desperate for survival they may produce the form that has deserted them this year and surprise another side devoid of form and confidence. As those who listened to this week’s A Bergkamp Wonderland Podcast will know I have tipped 1-0 to the visitors and the bookies are quite keen on that too. I took 7/1 and hope that I, as well as my team, enjoy a change of fortune. Please be aware if you click on the podcast link that the show itself is most definitely not safe for work, or young ears.
So, to those who are making the trek on Monday please accept my admiration, respect, and hope that the team gives you reason to cheer them off at the end this week. I did the every game home and away thing in the 70s and 80s. and it was a lot cheaper then. I’m not sure I could either afford it or cope with the physical demands of doing it these days. You lot are awesome!
98 Responses to “Down To Seventh, The Gunners Need A Performance”
Holic, you are right to highlight the loyalty of the away fans although as I saw on Monday with my own eyes a lot of the away fans are extremely militant and another bad performance will not improve their mood.
I suspect this will be an awful match and a draw is the mist likely result. I dislike Boro intensely for personal reasons and would love to see them go down. A colourless and uninteresting side they have never been my cup of tea.
I must admit part of me would like us to avoid the Europa League and looking at our remaining fixtures the only one I can see us winning is the Sunderland game. Sunday football all next season would be very frustrating and I can’t see much point in qualifying for a competition like the Europa League. It may be difficult to sign players of quality if we don’t though. It’s something that’s not concerned us for twenty years.
Seriously, if we lose on Monday it should be the final end of this sorry saga. There’s not a worse team in the league than Middlesbrough (even Sunderland are more competent than them) and defeat to them just cannot happen.
I’m with TTG
Top 4 or 7th.
As we are about as likely to make the top 4 as i am of having my application to manage the Arse accepted,i would rather start next season with a clean slate,new manager or not,and have no Thurs/Sunday mickey mouse tournament to put up with.
What that scenario will do in the summer vis a vis attracting any decent talent to the Club remains to be seen.
What i think we all recognize, is that there must be some serious change at the Club both upstairs and downstairs,but that change is pointless,if the new off field hires are just going to be Yes men.
With or without Wenger,no one should be afraid to voice their opinion if they think something is not right,and the man in charge should be humble enough to listen.
The old saying ” You are only as good as the people around you ” applies in spades at the Arse,as those around Wenger certainly aren’t putting in at the moment.
Are they afraid to put their head above the parapet. ??
It certainly looks that way to me.
As for Boro,the longer they go without a league win,the nearer it becomes.
But if after the Palace/Brom away shambles,the same players the perpetrated those abject performances are allowed to take the field,then it will be a disgrace in my view,and the rest of the squad players will be entitled to shake their heads in disbelief.
Squad Harmony. ??
Pull the other one.
Correct about the gunners needin g a performance.Boro have a mean defence and if the gunners pass all day,they could be ripe for the fast hit and score.
Lose and the fm will probably call ita day.There are no easy games in the epl.
The thing is the gunners attack is slow when they launch a quick counter.
Wenger,please stop your pretty pass game and go direct.Fans don’t look for the fanciful goal . They want goals and goals and nothing else.
Goals would be good, Mg, and dropping our second highest scorer for the season obviously the solution.
Great Podcast!
Club will always live so will Arsene!
We need results hopefully they will come too!
Very fair preview GH, we were a shambles
at WBA and Palace and I certainly
agree with AW that it was unacceptable.
However, to me that doesn’t mean
dropping Theo, maybe sit Danny and
give Giroud a start. But the real problems
have been at the back(and between the ears),
hopefully Kos will return and help that a
bit. Time to bring Mert back?
Mustafi and Gab have been unconvincing
of late and it’s not like Boro have a
fearsome attack. Mert might at least
bring a bit of calm, and perhaps steady
Hector. I’d just prefer that to throwing
Holding in given the situation.
Who to play at CM is tricky as well. It’s
kind of damning that 30 games into the
season we’ve got little clue as to a
settled pairing. The hustle and bustle
from the CMs should set the mood for
the team, the willingness to fight and
to push us forward. Haven’t seen that
at away games lately nor much defensive
nous. It’s a disaster waiting to happen
mostly and needs to be sorted out in
the summer. For me it’s time to sit Xhaka,
I do think he’s a quality player but he’s
not adapting quickly enough. Le Coq
play with one of Elneny or Ox.
I don’t like Boro and would be happy if
we could help them on their way down.
But I’d be happiest if we just turned up
and showed some fucking stomach for it.
Apologies for the long waffle but we have
so many problems!
This is the first time we have lost four away games in a row in a season under Wenger and the last time that happened was in 1929. I don’t know if five away losses in a row would be a new record for us but I hope we avoid it.
Dropping Theo does not make sense as he has the knack of scoring goals. Beating Boro will not be easy but it is time the players got it together.
We lost eight away in a row in 1912-13 (and nine league games). The fifth in that sequence was at Middlesborough
Woolwich Arsenal won only three games that season and were relegated. If you think things are bad now…
the players cant get themselves up for matches and get deeper into their shell if we concede early.
they have thrown their manager under the bus and it looks like the manager will put the club under the bus by being too pig headed and signing a new deal.
I look forward to the day when a young and hungry manager drives us forward.
NBN@10
Yes, when i used to complain to my
Dad about how crap we were in the mid
70s / mid 80s, he always said you
should have seen us in the 50s when
only Jack Kelsey kept us up.
I read somewhere though that we lost
four away in a row under Houston
in the mid 90s. Fortunately I’ve
managed to forget those games 🙂
There’s a bit of Mesut Ozil’s autobiography online that I think he has written to try to prove … something… but all it does for me is underline why we should sell him.
In the preamble he admits he has been trotting back and not tackling (sound familiar?) in a game for Real Madrid but in his opinion he had played well so he can’t understand why he got this at half time –
‘I want you to play as well as you can,’ Mourinho yells. ‘I want you to go into tackles like a man. Do you know what it looks like when you tackle? No? Let me show you.’
Mourinho stands on tiptoes, thrusts his arms down by his sides, purses his lips and minces around the dressing room. ‘That’s how you tackle. Ooh, I mustn’t get hurt. And absolutely mustn’t get dirty,’ he shouts while repeating his Ozil tackle parody.
And yeah, Jose Mourinho is a cunt etc etc but he can see right through Ozil. I wonder if Wenger can? Evidence suggests not. Steve Bould can, if you believe Alan “Bould or Ozil can sue me if they like” Davies story about the dressing room post Bayern away…
No doubt Mesut will play well against the worst team in the league tomorrow though.
Nice one, Holic !
It’s just never going to happen for Jack, is it. Such ability but it seems his style, one which took him past players with such ease, has done for him. The challenges that style invites have caused too much long term damage.
Anyone travelling up to Middlesborough on this particular Monday night deserves a bloody medal, never mind a round of applause. If given, let’s hope the players make it look genuine – that they actually care more about it than their recent performances.
It’s also to be hoped that if Cech and Koscielny are fit to start, they don’t play in fits and starts.
Our defensive indiscipline is so bad, even Koscielny has looked all over the place at times.
I’m not sure I would drop Martinez at the moment either. Don’t think the goals we have conceded have been down to him and he has made a few very smart saves.
After recent performances I’m a bit past caring who starts. It would just be nice to see those given the shirt put 100% into earning this week’s £100 – 150,000.
A dour 1-0 win will have to do, if we can no longer look forward to the likes of Kanuuuuuuuu backheeling in corner kicks in mid-air at the Riverside.
“1” we should be able to manage.
Not so sure about the “0” though ?
Sad times.
4 away losses in a row. This is the worst run since I started
following the gunners.
Its about time the gunners start winning. Wenger is the problem.
His tactical style is one way. So the opposition gives him plenty of room to overplay and hit on the counter.
Another loss will,frankly be intolerable and I wont be surprised he quits or is axed after the game.
There is no such thing as infinite patience in modern soccer.
Successful managers have been sacked.
Wenger aint immune to the axe.
Did you ever seriously think he would leave of his own volition?
Wenger won’t resign and Kroenke will not sack him so long as he is making money for the club. The revenue will be lower by around $20-30 million next year as we may not qualify for next year’s champion’s league. Interesting to see if this will move Kroenke to get rid of Wenger.
United up 2-0 at Old Toilet. Chelsea lead in the league could be down to four points. Gunners need win at Shite Fart Lane to help avoid the unthinkable.
Manure winning 2-0 against Chelsea. Worry is Chelsea unravelling spectacularly allowing the cunts down the road to win the league.
BJ
An away win against spuds , given our away form, would be fantastic and nothing would give me greater satisfaction than thwart those fuckers.
Win at white hart fucking lane?? I don’t see that happening. I will take a draw, although I doubt it. They are in this shit now and they will be up for it. Hopefully we don’t get embarrassed down there. What a season to be an Arsenal fan. God have mercy
What is interesting, ksn, is the story about Henry being blocked from getting a job at Arsenal by Wenger, which is so obviously a story coming from the club that it shows the relationships behind the scenes are fucked.
Kroenke Snr wants Wenger, Kroenke Jnr wants Henry, Wenger wants what’s best for him.
So you have a director briefing the press against his own manager. It’s a completely broken club and the only thing that will fix it is Wenger’s departure, which you would hope he will have a moment of clarity about and find the courage from somewhere to do what’s needed.
Spurs are going to win the league, aren’t they.
How the tables have turned, us now hoping to put a dent in their title aspirations,must say it’s not a nice feeling – That said putting them c&@& in their place would bring a bit of sunshine to an otherwise awful season,
Today’s results were exactly what we didn’t order and in terms of Champions League it is now irrelevant what we do. What does matter is that we get into some sort of shape before the semi and that we get some self- respect back .
I was chastened by my seven year old grandson telling me I had to keep supporting Arsenal because they are the best. It would have been even more poignant if he hadn’t been wearing a Thomas Miller Bayern shirt as he said it !
I will focus more on the FA cup right now. I definitely don’t want to be playing Europa League and keep playing catch up in the league next season. If we end up in 7th and MU wins Europa, do we still end up in the Europa league?
SAG; that’s a good question re If United does Europa does 7th place “win” you Europe. Sevilla won Europa this past season, did that move La Liga 7th into Europa?
This whole saga of “Whithergoest the Gunners?” reminds me sadly of the fag end to the Billy Wright era, only more protracted this time round.
SAG
As Man U won the League Cup too I guess it probably does- unless Southampton get that place.
Pierre
Your comparison with the end of Billy Wright is spot- on. If we’d had social media then….!
Frankly I’m starting to be disappointed that West Brom’s form has dropped off as drastically as it has. It’s so awfully sad that for the first time in my life I’m actually contemplating the advantages of Arsenal losing. When I watch the game tomorrow night I will be kicking every ball and hoping we can win but most of us believe that as change is necessary , perhaps the best way to see it happen is for the results to become so awful that the Board have to act.
Someone told me today that Arsenal is being used as collateral in the deal that Kroenke is doing to build the Rams a new stadium. That is a sentence I never expected to write. The Arsenal used as a pawn in an American sporting property deal. Apparently one of the key elements for using Arsenal was the stability of our record ( and profits) under Wenger. Therefore the financiers want him to stay. If this is true I hope it is exposed as it is a truly desperate situation for Arsenal fans. Can anyone ( perhaps our American posters?) throw any light on this? I remember laughing at United when we chanted at them for losing their soul to an American corporation. Look at us now…
Unfortunately, our season’s defining moments will come from putting a dent in Spurs title chase and maybe, win the FA cup. I doubt we will win the FA Cup, though, as no one believes in this team anymore, especially the players themselves.
Cynic, The thing that will stop Spurs is that Chelsea have a relatively easy run in and I see them beating Southampton, Everton, Middlesborough, WBA, Watford and Sunderland. Spuds have a tougher end to the season having to play Leicester, Palace, Us, West Ham, Man Utd and Hull. They have tricky games against us and Man Utd. Still hoping for the best.
Arseblog has posted a really good interview of Arsene with L’Equipe, Key QAs below
How is the coming minute a source of anxiety?
AW: I’m always afraid of being late. Of not being ready. Of not being able to accomplish what I’ve planned. My relationship with time is distressing in every way. Going back in time, looking back is just as scary. First of all it’s scary because there’s not as much to come as what has already been lived… The only way to fight time is to not look back too much. If you do, it can make you feel anxious and guilty.
Spending a good day at the Emirates doesn’t have very much to do with a good day at Highbury does it?
AW: The expectation has risen. The philosophical definition of happiness is a match between what you want and what you have. And what you want changes as soon as you’ve got it. Always more. Always better. Hence the difficulty to satisfy. An Arsenal fan, when you finish fourth, will say, “Hey, we’ve been in the top four for twenty years. We want to win the league!”. They don’t care that Manchester City or Chelsea have spent 300 or 400 million euros. They just want to beat them. But if you finish fifteenth two years running, they will be happy if you finish fourth after that.
Winning:
AW: For me, the beauty of sport is that everyone wants to win, but there will only be one winner. If you put 20 billionaires at the end of the twenty English clubs, there will only be one champion and nineteen disappointments. My grandfather used to say “I don’t understand, at the 100 metres, one runs in 10.1 seconds and the other one in 10.2 seconds, both are very fast. What’s the point?”
Today, we glorify the one that ran in 10.1 seconds, and say the one that ran 10.2 seconds. But both of them are very fast. That’s dangerous for sports. We have reached an era in which we glorify the winner, without looking at the means or the method. And ten years later we realise the guy was a cheat. And during that time, the one that came second suffered. He didn’t get recognition. And with all that’s been said about them…they can be very unhappy.
Just getting around to comment on the last line of your post, ‘holic.
Not to denigrate the traveling Gooners in any way, but it is you who are awesome. 😉
Come on the Monday night football. Which teams are playing this week?
-contd
Many former Gunners stayed in England after their careers, people like Robert Pirès, Patrick Vieira or Thierry Henry. Will you be a Londoner forever?
AW: I haven’t decided yet. One thing is for sure; my link to Arsenal will remain until the end of my days. I’ve had opportunities that I’ve always refused. I don’t see myself as a manager anywhere else.
Are you sure?
AW: Almost (laughs). If tomorrow morning Arsenal says goodbye and thank you, I can’t swear that I won’t keep working, keep living my passion. But probably not in England.
AND A REALLY interesting answer:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Do you think about the end of your career as a manager? A new small death. You’ve just turned 66.
AW: I completely ignore that question. I’m kind of like the 34 year old guy who’s still playing. He has a bad game and everybody says “Time to hang them up mate!”. I don’t even ask myself the question of what I will do after because it will be a big shock. Much harder than switching from player to coach. Because this time, it will be about switching from hyperactivity to emptiness. That’s why I refuse to consider that question. I’m like a guy who’s not far from his goal, who keeps going and ignores the wall.
Now if I tell you Erik you have 24 hours to live. Will you imagine the blade that will slit your throat – during all of your remaining 24 hours – or will you try to live them to the fullest? It’s the question of the ending of life really.
-contd
Today at Real Madrid, you can be crowned champion and be sacked anyway…
AW: They’ve entered the modern path. They need new faces. The addiction to headlines. For me, consistency in the results depends on the cohesion within the club. Throwing everything out, all the time only makes sense if you have hyper unlimited revenue. Then you can win. If not you’re done.
You speak of consistency and patience. When you were manager at Monaco, you were rather volcanic.
AW: I’ve matured. I went to Japan. I learned to control myself. I have a hypersensitivity that I’ve learned to master. I really started coaching a 33, I’m 66 now. I had to adapt to survive.
Your stint in Japan where you coached Nagoya Grampus Eight (1994 – 1996) changed you profoundly.
AW: The chairman, Shoichiro Toyoda, told me he wanted to make Nagoya the greatest club in Japan and in the world within 100 years. That negates the pressure of immediacy in a fabulous way. What becomes a loss if you project your destiny on a century? I also found that idea extremely generous. Only being a conveyor belt in history, as a part of a movement that is much larger than you are. Being part of something that is beyond you. Unfortunately, we live too often with the idea that the world is going to stop after us. That is not humanity. There is a form of scientism in that. Being the carrier of an always-improving destiny for humanity. We can question that today…
TTG,
I’m not the slightest bit surprised to hear your “Arsenal cash being used as collateral” rumour.
I’ve thought it myself for a long time. What other reason would there be for a football club that has been trying to hang on for years with an injury prone squad, not to strengthen that squad when it has in excess of £220,000,000 in the bank.
I’ve been assured that Kroenke cannot take the cash out of Arsenal to spend on his American projects but I don’t know how true that is. The only other major shareholder does not have a seat on the board, so what sway can he possibly have over such desicions.
The inertia around the entire club at the moment is deeply worrying and depressing, as is the animosity it has created between supporters.
My observations on Kroenke, as above, have been dismissed as “uninformed bollocks” and my opinion that the team lacked desire in the recent defeat to West Brom as “lazy bullshit”.
Well, the recent performance against Crystal Palace hardly forced me to change my mind about the latter.
As for Kroenke, I am told we are lucky to have him because he is not a Russian thief or an Arab dictator.
I guess there is at least some truth to be wrung out of that.
Holic’s Franc,
Thanks for that – very interesting.
Hadn’t made it over to Arseblog yet today.
The last Arsenal transaction on the NEX Exchange on March 27 saw a single share in the club trade for an unprecedented £17,750 — putting the club’s market capitalisation at £1.073bn.
That means Kroenke is sitting on a paper fortune of £700million from his 67 per cent stake.
Kroenke can also put his Arsenal shareholding up as a guarantee if he leverages money for the new stadium being built in Los Angeles for his relocated American football franchise LA Rams.
…My grandfather used to say “I don’t understand, at the 100 metres, one runs in 10.1 seconds and the other one in 10.2 seconds, both are very fast. What’s the point?”
Isn’t the point of any competition anywhere from academics to sport to art and beyond to find out who the best is? This is a very worrying mindset.
WHERE IS YOUR SPUDS CLOCK, ‘HOLIC? You haven’t thrown in the towel already I hope!!
But we all know that the best don’t necessarily finish first all the time, Flippers. Take Arsenal for example…
For me the most interesting AW quote in Holic’s Franc piece above was … “I’m like a guy who’s not far from his goal, who keeps going and ignores the wall.
The wall being those who believe he’s no long anywhere near achieving his goal and has been slipping inexorably further away from it for a decade now. AW being the only person who cannot see that.
But the best don’t finish first none of the time either…
How I wish I could go back and enjoy 2005/2006, when we were were fresh off the Invincibles and challenging in 2005 with that delicious FA cup victory over a frustrated United and making it to the CL final in 2006 before both manager and board were talking big about the new grand stadium securing our place at the big boys table and so on and so forth. What bollocks that all turned out to be. And when we started the first of the groundhog day seasons and some fans started getting antsy I remember some being attacked so furiously. Unfortunately for us all they were right about the future.
Did you spot this one, Cynic? http://metro.co.uk/2017/04/14/mesut-ozil-set-for-embarrassing-contract-u-turn-6574292/ The thought of him staying and us paying him that much turns my stomach. But I wouldn’t be at all surprised if we’re not the only ones to see through him, ay.
One thing AW certainly has done is position us to become one of the elite, Flippers, and he will go down in Arsenal history as both a visionary and one of the great achievers for doing so.
The problem is he sees achieving elite status as a marathon, when it’s more like a relay race involving manager and players handing on the baton when their section is done. Trying to do it all himself has left us flagging while other clubs reinvent themselves and draw away.
Ttg@30: I would be surprised if Arsenal assets were used as collateral for the loans to fund Kroenke’s Ram’s new stadium in Los Angeles, if only because they would be easier assets available for an American bank to liquidate in the event of a default. JPMorgan’s private bank is lending $1 billion for the stadium’s construction and it has been reported that the collateral is the stadium naming rights and private seat licenses (the right to buy a season ticket for a set seat in the stadium), which together are expected to realize $1.4 billion expected. We will only know for certain if someone can get a sight of the covenants for the loan.
Nice preview H. I can’t say I’m looking forward to the game this evening. A trip to Boro is hardly the most attractive at the best of times.
I’m with OaskaMatt @7 re playing Big Per if he is fit. Kos and Per worked. I’m yet to be convinced with Mustafi. Per is also probably the only genuine leader we have and we are massively short of leadership and direction. I would also like to see both Theo and Ollie G start.
Some very interesting comments above. The Arsene interview shows how for me he really doesn’t get it anymore. No one that I can remember has ever asked us to spend way beyond our budget. No one has ever expected us to compete financially with the likes of the Chavs or Citeh. But as Trev highlights, with a small fortune available we should not have to look at an astronomical bank balance whilst languishing in 7th place. Is Stan using cash or collateral to finance his projects Stateside? Who knows? I can’t say I would be surprised in the slightest if that were the case.
To those going tonight, good luck to you. All I would say is get behind your side like the away support of old. Please remember the game is on the box so if those on the pitch are an embarrassment, please don’t follow suit. Let’s show our class off the pitch even if we do not have a lot of it on the pitch.
Here’s to the sound of leather on willow and an end to this horror show.
I used to wake on match days especially if I was going with a sense of excitement and anticipation. Nowadays it is a genuine sense of dread. I shall be out of the UK for the semi- final and the Derby and I find myself relieved not disappointed. How has it come to this? Largely because this team have the capacity to disappoint and fail you.
That L’ Equipe interview underlines the almost certainty that Wenger will stay on for two more years. He can’t contemplate retirement or managing anywhere else so the options are a bit limited! I still find it remarkable that he can decide his future. ‘ Well Arsene do you want to earn £8 million for the next two years or not? It’s entirely up to you’.
These men on the board are supposedly top businessmen . Unbelievable.
Ned @46,
Good to hear your views which are borne of knowledge rather than my own supposition and hunches.
The bank balance is a conundrum. There’s no point blowing it on any old rubbish and the fact is that because of Russian and Arab money across Europe and American debt at Man Utd, we are now down to eighth or ninth in the queue for the very best players.
What is annoying is that the money was not used to strengthen the squad in time to prevent our current situation. We then hear that we were interested in this or that current “star” two or three years ago when they were emerging and relatively cheap. The most recent case being Mbappe at Monaco.
Yes, those emerging stars would have been a gamble.
So was Yaya Sanogo ……..
There’s no point blowing it on any old rubbish
If the two names being bandied about in the press yesterday are any indication of intent, that’s exactly what we’re going to do.
Catalyst for change, my aunt Fanny’s nanny goat.
I know it’s wrong to want us to lose, so I will just say that I want us to win, but if we DO have to lose, let’s do it properly. I would take anything to get rid of Wenger.
Mind you, he reckoned we played well and made chances against Palace so nothing’s going to shift the old shitter.
#48
I was in Belgium for the away derby in 2013 – We were in a similarly bad place that season and swore to my wife that i wasn’t bothered and would not try to find a bar showing the game. Of course could not stop myself from doing just that – the Spuds won 2-1 and that bar in Bruges has still never heard Anglo Saxon swearing like it…
Chris, the clock is still there. If you are on the current version of Mac os click on the flash button where the clock should be to activate it.
Trev
“What is annoying is that the money was not used to strengthen the squad in time to prevent our current situation.”
Nail hit as firmly on the head as a nail ever could be hit. How many years have we been saying this now? For me it is the most basic of errors and one that was so easy to predict. Therefore, totally avoidable . That makes it all the more frustrating.
The rest of your post is also spot on.
Fine preview Guvna.
Not sure I can be arsed to drive to a local pub to watch this game. Terminal ennui is setting in. If the players can’t be arsed to string an effective penetrating move together despite the exhortations of a vocal travelling support and a handsome emolument for their trouble why would I make the effort to find out if they have been introduced to the importance of winning.
One of the most relevant criticisms of the past few years is our flawed recruitment system. We seem unable to nail down the signing of key players in positions that our blindest fans can identify as deficiencies. This has been going on for years. I am not talking about players for whom we gave to compete with the richest clubs but players who prove themselves at the likes of Southampton, Liverpool or Everton. We seem to be slipping down the rankings of clubs for which aspirant players choose to sign and we have to arrest that promptly.
And Stan the Pauper Evictor is receiving no more donations from me. He makes the Sherrif of Nottingham look like Nelson Mandela.
Changes please. And smartish.
Cheers Steve.
Think we’ve already agreed on that, bath.
Just think, if Arseblogger had followed up on suggestions he should do his own tv channel a few years back, we’d be getting him and James (and assorted others) instead of this Arsenal TV mob.
Bath – you think you’ve got problems, I can’t even be arsed to lean across to the coffee table to pick the remote up let alone drive anywhere to watch this team.
Walcott dropped for talking out of turn, as predicted days ago.
33Cech
5Gabriel
6Koscielny
16Holding
15Oxlade-Chamberlain
8Ramsey
29Xhaka
18Monreal
11Özil
7Sánchez
12Giroud
Substitutes
3Gibbs
14Walcott
17Iwobi
24Bellerín
26Martinez
34Coquelin
35Elneny
Just the predictable team selection we expect from an inflexible stick-in-the-mud dictator who can only play one way! ?
Here’s hoping the changes deliver!
Glad to see Holding in although he’s not a holding midfielder ?Will get my coat
You just know we’ll end up going four at the back with Gabriel at right back, Bath.
@Cynic, dropping Theo really tells us that Wenger don’t give a rat’s ass about the fans. Theo made a comment which we all saw was true and he is been dropped and people really think that he will be willing to work with either Henry or Viera talk less of a director of football. I hope we win today, hell win out if possible and end this season and hopefully the board has enough balls to not offer him a new contract. Nothing good will come out of a new contract. #WENGEROUT.
Off to a local for this encounter with my brother in law who also is a gooner!
A drink for everyone is on the bar!
Three points is a must!
Come on Arsenal!
How shit must you be to go in like that on Ozil, miss him and do your own hammy in?
AOC obviously goes to the same decision making lessons as Xhaka?
Ridiculous yellow card to get with less than 3 minutes gone.
At least Anthony Taylor has been consistent so far. The tackle on Ozil was dangerous.
Giroud is so petulant for such a big man, it is ridiculous.
Heart of a pea, ksn
We almost scored, desperate defending by Boro.
Ox has provided some good running with the ball, something Theo does not do but Theo can score. Hope we don’t have to wait for our first till he is introduced.
Sanchez, get in!!!!
Left the Boro goalie standing. Great free kick.
Terrible challenge by Gabriel.
*imagines Cynic dancing round the room celebrating our goal *. ?
As lovely a free kick as I ever expect to see by Alexis but I was sure they were going to score a few seconds later after Gabriel gave away that free kick. They didn’t. Good omen? COYG!!!!
Ox getting some decent balls in – having to start so deep though – nobody getting on the end of them anyway.
Why no yellow card for the tackle on Xhaka ?
Hope they don’t get in Adama Traore whose pace can be a headache for our defence.
One counter and we concede. Unless we shore up our defence we will always concede. Ever Boro are scoring.
Our ‘give the ball away for free’ stats certainly improve when Sanchez plays.
1-0 up away from home – fullback miles up the pitch – cross at leisure – centre back lost –
all so surprising…….
We play not 2, but 3 centre backs, and still can’t mark 1 centre forward??
Will we ever learn???
And I do mean ever???
We will never learn under this Manager, Steve T.
Another shambles.
People talk about Steve Bould doing some defensive coaching? Did that. I’d get him changed and get him playing again.
Traore in, watch us being run ragged.
Ozil!!!!
Ramsey to Ozil. Long forgotten combo.
Sanchez gives the ball away so often creating unnecessary pressure for us.
How many times has Sanchez given the ball away tonight? A new world record for the £300k per week maestro? Their goal down to him as much as Kos.
The ref is blowing everything for Boro.
Theo is not getting in today. You can’t go against this Manager and hope to play.
Don’t agree BTM. He lost the ball just short of the Boro box. We should be able to defend that.
Sanchez has been one of our best players tonight. He’s been the one with the spark. I dread to think what a decent team would do to that defence.
Sanchez man of the match? What a joke. Good free kick but apart from that, abject throughout.
Sanchez MOTM.
Extremely mediocre performance that and defensively not even that good. Boro should have taken the lead at 1-1 which just about says it all. Worst team in the league and we made them look dangerous.
Still, three fairly meaningless points in the bag.
Still we’ve beaten the worst team in the league so stand by for some dressing room selfies.
Finally, a win. Well played.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Will take the three points of course but this side consistently produces en masse loosening of supporters’ sphincters when defending free kicks around the box.
I described Ramsey and Xhaka earlier to a friend as the Chuckle Brothers but that is the best Ramsey has played for a long time. He worked very hard but we need to shield our defence better. We are so easy to get at. Boro are useless but we made hard work of it. Props to Holding, Ox ( as a wing back ) and Ramsey. Sanchez was erratic but made the difference twice. Giroud is deceptive in terms of his pace. He is slower than he looks
Win is a win so well done lads.
I thought we saw it out well enough
the last 10 mins but should have
got a third to kill it.
Wasn’t the team I’d have picked but
after the Palace game there had to
be some changes.
A winner for Ozil on a rainy midweek
night in Middlesbrough, who’d have
thought it. Pleased for him, pleased
for us.