Will We Mackem Suffer?
May 15th, 2017 by 'holic
Can we do it on a balmy Tuesday night in North London? More in hope than in expectation we have to put already-relegated Sunderland to the sword to take the slim possibility of fourth place to Sunday. Arsene Wenger summed up our predicament when asked in the pre-match press conference about us being outsiders for the Champions League places.
“We are mathematically, and it doesn’t only depend on us. The only influence we can have is to win our games.”
We may have to do it without Laurent Koscielny and Alexis, both of whom will require further checks before a decision is made on their availability. Should the skipper not make it then we could see Nacho Montreal on the left hand side of the back three, with Keiran Gibbs recalled at left wing-back. Replacing Alexis could be either Danny Welbeck or Theo Walcott.
Regardless of who plays we should be looking to maintain the improved form of late. We need to carry this momentum through to the FA Cup Final on Saturday week. Watching the way we reacted to Stoke’s strong arm tactics in the second-half on Saturday there can be little doubt the squad is back in a good place mentally. Some of the supporters are probably more downbeat about the situation
Usually we wonder which Arsenal will turn up, but Sunderland’s performances since their relegation was confirmed have been Jekkyl and Hyde to say the least. They had a giant say in who joined them in the Championship next season when winning 2-0 at Hull City before tamely surrendering at home to Swansea City by the same score at the weekend. We should be ruthless, given the disadvantage in goal difference we have compared to Liverpool and Manchester City.
David Moyes would appear to be have been given the chance to bring them back at the first attempt. It looks likely that he will lose the services of his only goalscorer who has shown occasional glimpses of his old form this season. Jermaine Defoe has a get-out clause in his contract that may see him rock up at, perhaps, Bournemouth next season. I’m sure the former Spurs and West Ham man would love to knock one in against us.
The ‘holic pound
We whacked the Mackems 4-1 at the Stadium of Light back in October and should rack up another good win, surely? Remember when we used to beat teams 7-0 in the early half of the Wenger reign. If ever we are going to do it again it will be here, so I have taken the 55/1 offered by Paddy Power. At those odds you can get a handsome return on a very small punt.
Ray Parlour In Indonesia
If you missed this when it was released on Friday the video of Ray Parlour’s visit to Indonesia can be seen below. Ray visited one of the most disadvantaged slum communities in North Jakarta, Indonesia, to meet children involved in the Arsenal Foundation’s new football programme. As part of his visit, Ray played football with the children and joined training sessions run by Arsenal Soccer School coach Drew Tyler.
The Arsenal Foundation and global charity partner Save the Children use football as a way to empower children in parts of the world where those opportunities are few and far between.We have every reason to be proud at the efforts of the club in their charitable endeavours.
Have a good one, ‘holics.
56 Responses to “Will We Mackem Suffer?”
Goal!
..and another!
😀
Three Arsenal players make the CIES Football Observatory list of the top ten players across the five leading European leagues this season by position: Alexis and Ozil, as you would expect, but the third is Xhaka. No Kos, surprisingly.
http://www.football-observatory.com/IMG/sites/b5wp/2016/188/en/
Interesting Ned.
Thanks for the usual appetiser Holic. I shall be going tomorrow and think we will win 5-0. Apart from winning we have to win well. I think he will bring back Ramsey and I think he might start Alexis from the bench and use a fired-up Theo to replace him.
I’m told by a well- placed friend that Bellerin will leave for Barca but the way he has been playing that isn’t a disaster . Most Gunners who go to Barca fail anyway.
Don’t know if we will mackem suffer but we should backem to the hilt. Arsenal not Sunderland, I mean. 😉
Having only just seen Wenger’s response to the question today about fans not turning up for games, he’s either taking the piss or he’s going mental.
Roughly this
Reporter “There are lots of empty seats at recent games”
Wenger “I don’t know how you say that because we are sold out every game”
Reporter “But there are lots of empty seats, you must have seen them”
Wenger “Yeeeeeees but that doesn’t mean we’re not sold out”
Please go. You loon.
You might have to find another club to follow Cynic.
I say ” Follow ” because ” Support ” is too strong a word in your case.
I have heard from a well placed source that Arsene has put pen to paper on a new 4 yr deal.
Apparently now he has serendipitously found a new back 3 sytem,that had been languishing in a dusty old cupboard in the boot room for the past 20 yrs,he has been born again.
He now has a long term plan to bring the glory days back to the Club.
hence the demand for a new 4yr deal.
The Board apparently only wanted to offer him 2,but having as they always do when a big decision has to be made,said Board consulted Tina the tea lady,who reads the tea leaves.
Having peered into the tea urn,and after much mumbling and chanting in foreign tongues,Tina announced with a great dramatic flourish that the “good times were just around the corner.”
When pressed by the Chairman,she couldn’t say which corner,or how far away it was from the Ems.
After a brief consultation,the Board members decided that tenuous though the prophecy was,in the absence of any other pointers,they unanimously decided to award Arsene the 4yr deal he wanted.
Later that same day,Tina delivered the Boss his afternoon Cuppa,and on receipt of a rather heavy looking brown paper bag,put an extra french pastry on his plate.
Just what I need, someone playing Superior Fan.
Continue celebrating mediocrity. Doing so proves you don’t care.
End of “discussion”
I so hope you’re wrong Clive.
Evening Clive. Everyone will know that is garbage? I mean, when did anything this board do involve any sort of a plan???? Totally preposterous my old friend. A plan? If only???
That said, Tina for the new director of football role? Who knows, the way some have played this year she might even get a run out???
?
Cynic,
I thought you only came here for the Comedy. ??
Chris,
So do i.
Hi Steve
How are you mate.
I’ve heard Tina can more than hold her own through the middle.!!
Great clip of Parlour and the Indonesian kids. 🙂
Cheers H! Love the Romford Pele. Top boy.
Heartwarming clip from Indonesia, Guv’nor. Proper youth policy.
My guess Clive is that the tormenting Tina would’ve been booked for more than the odd post match rub down by some of The Ramblers??
My last game tonight. Not there Saturday and not lucky enough in the ballot. I remember well the days when we would spank sides like this. Bizarrely, goal difference could yet be important so I hope we just go for it. Same rules apply though. Those being that it, as always, depend on which Arsenal team turns up.
There is some talk of a boycott of the game this evening. My guess is that this will be some limp excuse for those who just can’t admit that they really can’t be arsed to make the effort this evening. To be honest? If I didn’t have a ticket then I’m not sure I would be making the effort.
I’m going for a mighty 8-0 to The Gunners. It would be just so Arsenal to actually hit a bit of form with 2 games to go.
Love and hugs to you all.
I guess only the really really really super committed will be there on Saturday as well. I won’t be there on Sunday either…
Just contemplating whether to miss the final act of Der Rosenkavalier and meet up with Kev for a swift half before kick-off or staying to the end and missing the first 20mins of the game, Renee Fleming versus Hector difficult choice. I’m an avid opera fan and blame the PL for rearranging the game this evening. Looks like a mad dash from the Arts Picture House to Cambridge station.
Hoping for a big win and an encore of Saturday’s performance at Stoke. I imagine it will be too little too late for the CL place but stranger things have happened.
COYRs
3-1 to the good guys.
Which one is Ray Parlour?
UTA.
Turns out the German word Fahrvergnügen, or “driving pleasure” in English, actually sounds more like “distant fig newton” which may or may not have been the advertiser’s intent in an old Volkswagen commercial. Ancient news possibly, but still interesting.
Crouch tweets “slight suspicion” apparently in reference to his goal against Arsenal. Cheat.
newtons are rolls here bt8
the biscuits not the popstar
speaking of which
important meeting today
got crunch talks with a biscuit manufacturer
?
love an oul joke , me
Nice preview Guvna. As ever I hope your punt comes in, more than ever on those odds.
TTG, I hope your contact is wrong about Hector. He has unfinished business here. However good luck to him if he goes.
Clive, many a true word…..I think your jest is closer to the truth than Cynic’s deepest and darkest desires.
Won’t be there tonight. Not as a protest but because my flight back from Madrid arrives only at ko time. Sorry not to catch up again these season Steve. Hopefully you’ll be around next season?
The torture Miss B had to put up with on the ticket site to secure cup final tx reminded me of the old days with the silver membership and have convinced me to give the STs at least one last hurrah. I wonder if that torture was strategic rather than ineptitude.
Talking final tx, Steve. We got a late offer of a ticket opportunity three years ago after missing out on the ballot. So all may not be lost.
with
–
(Man walks into a shop)
“I’d like to buy a wasp”
.
– Sorry sir , we don’t sell wasps
.
“But you’ve got one in the window”
–
being a favourite
? Never change, cba.
Cheers Holic,
Hi cba !
I said to the man in the pet shop “I’d like to buy a goldfish please”.
He said ” Certainly sir, do you want a aquarium?”
I said ” I don’t care when it was born…”
?
Hi Steve,
I’m there with Erin tonight – arriving without much time to spare.
Sorry to have missed you this season.
Hopefully we’ll see a proper goal fest tonight.
Ever the optimists, eh ?
?
.
“trev can’t be arsed” shall be our stage name
you hire the accents
i’ll hire the beer bellys
there’s gold in them there working men’s clubs, trev
GOLD !
In a recent survey, 6 out of 7 dwarfs said they weren’t Happy.
Just saying.
?
Enjoy tonight Trev. Always special with one of the kids in tow. I hope Erin enjoys herself and is now fighting fit. Very much a shame that our paths have failed to cross for some things me now.
Safe flight Bath. I’m 95% certain that my ticket will be elsewhere next season, but I will try and get to some games to enjoy a good old catch up.
Up the Gunners.
Thanks for the preview GH.
I can only admire a man who sticks
his hard earned pennies on a 7-0
win. Hope you win.
pull up a spinning bow tie , steve
you’re in the act !
Wenger out.
Kroenke out.
Gazidis out.
10% season ticket price reduction.
Steve, What do you do then?
bt8.
My weekends may well be taken up watching some egg chasing. I can get a season ticket for me and my 13 year old for half the price of my ticket at The Grove. I had enough of just making and extremely rich American, even richer. I would rather go and watch rugby with my son on a regular basis.
That said, I still hope to get to some games.
Wenger out.
Kroenke out.
Gazidis out.
Grateful we never signed Robert Koch
Only because Mr Law couldn’t finalise the deal.
Dick out.
Lots and lots of empty seats.
Yeah but we are sold out
We have been shit so far.
Ozil avoids any physical contact on a 50:50. Real scared guy that one.
COYG.
If we play like this against Chelsea, they will rub our nose on Wembley turf.
End of a goalless first half and if this continues Liverpool and City will end up in the top four places today itself as WBA is on holiday and trailing City 2-0. Only Sunderland has turned up.
Funny old atmosphere here I must say.
My 8-0 prediction may look a bit dodgy now?
Arsenal reverting to listless first half form.
But the ship seems to be listing.
Monreal’s WTF moment. Are we trying to lose?
So much time wasting by Sunderland but the ref gives a fuck.
Move the ball faster, guys.
Ozil doing his best to get sent off here.
Great footballer technically and a great passer but whiny and petulant. The best way to get back at them is to score a goal.
Ramsey off with an injury and Welbeck on.
Iwobi on for Gibbs. Get Theo in, he will score.
About fucking time
Alexis, get in!!!!! Finally.
Go get more.
When we touch someone in our penalty area the commentators say there was contact but when they touch us they say Alexis made contact.
Alexis, once again!!! Beauty.
Three points safely taken but we made it look very difficult. A win is a win. Well done boys.
Phew! >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>