Cunning Gunners Edge Out Sly Foxes In A Drama
Aug 11th, 2017 by 'holic
Mesut Ozil’s recovery saw the only change to the line-up suggested in the preview as he replaced Alex Iwobi in the advanced midfield role. That team started in impressive fashion and Alexandre Lacazette’s Premier League debut was only two minutes old when he he grabbed his first competitive goal for the Arsenal with a perfect header from Mohamed Elneny’s first-time cross. In the build-up the premeditated felling of Welbeck by Morgan surprisingly avoided censure.
Arsenal 1-0 Leicester City
Sadly the Gunners were pegged back less than three minutes later by a header from an offside-looking Okazaki when Petr Cech was lured beyond his far post to a ball he couldn’t reach. Cech wasn’t helped by Kolasinac deserting his post. Former Hull defender Maguire provided the assist with a header back across an unguarded goal.
Arsenal 1-1 Leicester City
The crazy end to end feel continued and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain flashed a long range effort which narrowly avoided the target with Schmeichel scrambling to reach it. On the quarter of an hour mark the Leicester goalkeeper was called upon again and this time was equal to Oxlade-Chamberlain’s effort.
When Maguire sent Lacazette crashing to earth to end a promising break Mike Dean thought a warning was sufficient punishment along with the free-kick. His reputation went before him and the home crowd were not slow to make him aware of their displeasure.
Midway through the half a wonderful rapid exchange of passes wth Mesut Ozil prominent twice ended with Danny Welbeck hitting Maguire from close range. It was an excellent opportunity to regain the lead. Minutes later the same player made a mazy run into the box but could not find the angle to finish and his cut-back was scrambled clear. Next to try his luck was Sead Kolasinac but his fierce volley was parried out for a corner by Schmeichel.
Arsenal’s apparent dominance was brought to an abrupt end just before the half-hour. Kolasinac mis-placed a pass and Leicester’s rapid counter-attack saw Vardy beat the other two central defenders to Albrighton’s cross. Okazaki almost scored with another header as the Gunners struggled to regroup at the back.
Arsenal 1-2 Leicester City
Clearly shaken, the Arsenal were under pressure for a spell but with Leicester’s defenders escaping even cautions for a spell of breaking up the game we needed to dig in. That didn’t explain the number of poorly directed passes by the hosts. When Ndidi clearly handled the ball in the box Mr Dean adjudged it to be ball to hand. At the other end I would have been unhappy at the award of a penalty, so fair enough.
The half ended as spectacularly as it had started. Ozil and Lacazette fashioned an opening for Kolasinac to square the ball to an unmarked Welbeck who finished despite almost stumbling over the ball. Could the equaliser have been better-timed?
Arsenal 2-2 Leicester City
First to try his luck after the break was Ozil, but the German pulled his effort wide of the post and Leicester avoided another psychological blow. Critically Cech was first to react when Vardy was put clean through as the visitors sought a further goal on the counter attack.
When Kolasinac again gave the ball away in the centre of the goal Cech was forced to touch over a fierce drive from Mahrez. It mattered not for from the resulting corner the unmarked Vardy headed his second goal of the contest. Arsenal’s appalling defending was exposed again.
Arsenal 2-3 Leicester City
The craziness continued when Oxlade-Chamberlain drove into the palms of Schmeichel and The goalkeeper also saved the follow-up from an offside Lacazette. The goalkeeper saved his team again when Welbeck slid Bellerin in at the far post for a one on one. Our intimate attacking play was as good as our defending was poor.
Midway through the half Arsene Wenger rang the changes, sending on Aaron Ramsey for the industrious Elneny and Olivier Giroud for Rob Holding. Almost immediately Ramsey just failed to net the equaliser as we reorganised into a 4-3-3. The Ox switched to right-back, Bellerin went to left-back, Ramsey joined Ozil and Xhaka in midfield while Giroud bisected Welbeck on the right and Lacazette to the left.
It was the latter who controlled a falling ball exquisitely and teed up Ozil for a side foot effort that was blocked in the box. Leicester sent on Amartey for the tiring Okazaki. Ozil found himself unmarked at the far post but again sliced his effort wide of the mark. Cue Theo Walcott’s introduction for Welbeck. It was the last throw of the dice by Wenger.
With ten minutes remaining Xhaka tried his customary strike from distance and saw it deflected for a fruitless corner. Iheanacho was somewhat surprisingly sent for the more defensively minded James. Immediately the Gunners were level again as Ramsey controlled Xhaka’s chipped past and placed a sweet strike just inside the far post.
Arsenal 3-3 Leicester City
Arsenal seem to find dramatic late winners at home to Leicester in recent years and Giroud’s towering header under pressure from Maguire put the Gunners in the driving seat again. Lacazette is a wonderful striker, but he is behind Olivier in the France national team for a reason.
Arsenal 4-3 Leicester City
Would there be another twist? Gray for Albrighton was another attacking substitution by the visitors. Schmeichel’s last of the ninety minutes walkabout went unpunished and the board was lifted to indicate five added minutes. In the first of them Walcott strayed offside when Lacazette offered him a chance to be an hero. It was nail-biting stuff. Leicester poured forward but Giroud’s wonderful header proved decisive.
It was another shaky performance on the opening day by the Gunners, but a true test of character to dig a result out and head tha Premier League on day one. Just the thirty seven matches to the title then. (Tongue protrudes from inside the cheek!)
Credit too for a much criticised manager for the tactical switches that proved decisive.
191 Responses to “Cunning Gunners Edge Out Sly Foxes In A Drama”
Top of the league.
Now to buy some decent defensive players, VVD and Carvalho please Wenger.
Got enough Drinks, ‘holic?
Hats off for that marvelous report at a speed Bellerin will envy. Cannot thank you enough, Holic.
Yahooooo, praise be, we’s top … by miles … alreadeeeeeeee! Wot can possibly go wrong from ‘ere???
High speed, Holic. Ozil outstanding. Hopefully we won’t see that back three again. Brilliant winner.
Thirst
Pippy! 🙂
I wish they’d shut up about the handball and the video referee. Simply this – the handball was not intentional.
A video referee in the future may wish to rewrite the laws of the game and rule that handball is handball, regardless of intent, but until that day, Carragher …
https://i.ytimg.com/vi/AfBe9xKXVmk/maxresdefault.jpg
Good to see you all, and yes, I have a bottle Dubs, which will just about do me for tonight! ?
I got well sick of them moaning about the Ozil ‘handball’ in a different phase of play to that which produced a goal. Same as their ball to hand in the box for me.
And yes, BtM, he was superb tonight. Thank goodness the attack made up for the defence tonight.
A sign of great age.
Chatting to a young lady last night, said I fancied a drink, she suggested I have a Baileys. Thanks a bunch.
Arsenal content – reading Tony Adams’ book Sober, available for sick squid from The Works. Very very good.
How in God’s name did Dean &Co. overlook Ozil’s deliberate handball?
Fucking risible.
Mertesacker back for Stoke, right??
@12 perhaps because it wasn’t deliberate?
Yes, Mert got fit Stoke.
That was some game….Phew!!
I would not read too much into that defensive performance because we would not be playing with Monreal at the centre of the back three game in game out. We need to get Mustafi and the BFG fit for the next match because Stoke will be lumping it long all game.
We had a similar make shift back four in the opening game of last season and unfortunately came out worse in a 4-3 scoreline against Liverpool. So it’s wonderful to have turned it around so wonderfully this season. Superb substitutions by Wenger in bringing on Ramsey and Giroud – both of whom scored fantastic goals. I won’t be surprised if the Ozil handball gets discussed ad nauseum but there was a lot of football after that bit of play and plenty of opportunities for Leicester to prevent our third goal. But all that matters is the three points and we have them tonight.
Alex oxlade chamberlain really did well, I love the way team play despite some lapses at back
And for a team that regularly gets accused of wanting to overpass & walk the ball into the net, our two French strikers scored two top quality headed goals tonight.
I love football.
I watched this with the sound off to placate Mrs TTG. I’m not sure what Sky had to say and don’t really care. I’m ecstatic we won, hugely impressed by that Lacazette goal and delighted for Giroud.
Holic has done a brilliant job in capturing the key incidents. I think we need to reflect on it afterwards to try to make sense of it.
We were superbly creative but defended awfully. How can Bould allow us to defend corners with no one on the posts? We also aren’t strong enough in breaking play up in midfield. The blend there needs addressing. Ozil wasn’t match fit but was very effective . Credit to Wenger for great game- changing substitutions. Ramsey looked like the player we had three years ago in this cameo.
We got out of jail but really do need a dominant CM and possibly Van Dijk if we can get him
Yes Pip, BFG indeed.
Mr Clinton, like all men who share your name you seem to be a stranger to the truth.
?
Crazy game but a (just) deserved victory.
Three points and a working stream for the whole game ?
Must make Mrs NDR work late more often !
Give him his cards, H 😉
‘Holic, Giroud “under pressure” from Maguire? More like Giroud “being mugged” by Maguire, who was trying to steal his kit. And if it had just crashed against the bar, does anyone think Mike Dean, leading issuer of spot kicks among league officials, would have done anything? Looked like he was trying to tie the record for issuing the least number of cautions in a match.
Seriously though, we need to sort out a system that works and pick the right players for it.
We began this game with two left backs and one centre back, a right back who wasn’t deemed suitable for the wing back last season after we switched to a three, the right wing back who made a decent job of it at left midfield and a bloke we tried to sell three weeks ago in the centre of out midfield.
We ended the game in a four with a midfield player at right-back, two left-backs at centre-back and a right-back at left-back, having taken off our only centre back and the aforementioned central midfielder we don’t really want.
Shambles doesn’t even begin to describe that mess. Was it tactical genius or getting away with it?
Hmmm.
Nice stuff H. Most seem to agree with the way the game went.
I thought that at times we lost led quite good going forward d. Some good attacking football. Lacazette I thought looked very promising. He worked hard as well as taking his goal superbly. A lot of right place, right time stuff looks good for the future. Lots of other positives too. Rambo’s touch and finish were exquisite. Ollie G showed exactly why he should be at the club, and where he should remain for seasons to come.
Defensively I thought at times we were a total shambles. Lack of cohesion and any signs of leadership. They were not helped by a midfield that offered little in the way of protection or organisation. Why don’t we put players on the posts at corners??? I know we were missing several but that was frightful at times.
3 points is 3 points and we sit top of the league. I also still have a load of Pedigree left to it’s all good. Not quite at Dr Z’s level but I’m up for the challenge.
Have a good weekend boys and girls.
Good summation H
I defy any team to play without 3 of their top central defenders and still pull out a result from adversity the way we did tonight.
Of course we were disorganized,that happens when you have to play players out of position.
But we got the 3 pts by never throwing the towel in and keeping going till the final whistle.
So kudos to the those that got us home against a very feisty Leicester team.
That win will instill immense belief in the squad and hopefully we can bring in a couple of extra quality additions before the window closes to boost our challenge for trophies.
Just got home from a thrilling game at the Emirates. No thoughts or analysis but just a comment; if you can’t enjoy a game like that when your team comes from behind with six minutes to go to win in the last two minutes then you can’t love football. From Laca’s exquisite first to Ollie’s thumping headed winner the highs and lows were a great Friday night out and felt like a season in microcosm. The Ems was packed (although many got in a little late and missed the first two goals) and the North Bank raucous (Mr Dean had his parentage questioned by many which I thought was harsh). It was great to see all the ST holders around me and to share close bodily contact with all four times.
+3 points on last season already.
Say we are top of the league, we are top of the league!
Bring on the Orcs!
Just back from the Grove. The crowd really played their part tonight. Never lost faith in the lads. The noise when Giroud scored was incredible by any standards.
Tonight I finally witnessed 14 players who are all worthy of the shirt. Through both effort and ability. No Alex Songs in this team.
Early season optimism!
Now that was entertainment with a rollercoaster atmosphete worth paying for! ?
Lacazette = Sharp as a tack! Strong too. He’ll get a bag full of goals and assists.
Onto Mordor & the Orcs!
UTAAD&AN!
AFCOF!
43 bottles of beer on… the… wall
You got in before me with all the fullbacks we played in the game, Cynic. End result, obviously we need another quality CB – as I thought had been established through the pre-season.
Have to say I got that sinking feeling when I saw the starting line-up. Had we started with what we ended with things would have been so much easier. I mean, how many more chances are Danny and Ox going to get while OG, Rambo and Theo rusticate on the bench? Yes, Danny scored! despite nearly falling over making the tap-in. Ox? By my count three attempts on goal, none on target. Filled in well in the backline late however.
No problem with Mesut for a change. Worked hard and always looked a danger, though clearly knackered by half time.
Cech was poor, out of position for two goals and lucky not to have Vardy chip him when he came miles out of his goal.
AW’s selections no less worrying than last season for mine. Per should have started, maybe Mustafi, cos you can’t play three at the back without proper CBs.
Good stuff H.
Oh dear, my heart can’t take another 37 of these!
COYG
Too right, bath! 😀
Anyone agree that Kol-assassin-ac might be the guy we’re looking for to play alongside Xhaka in midfield? Now there’s a no-compromise double act for any opposition to think about.
Great report GH, and a good fit
to what I saw through an
admittedly alcoholic haze.
Sitting disconsolately on my
balcony smoking a nervous
cigarette at 5 something in the
morning and then my son ran up
shouting Ramsey’s equalised –
that is going to be a season
highlight whatever happens next.
Stumbling downstairs to see
OG nod in the winner is going
to be another.
All hail to the chief as we won
and AW brought on the men to
do it. But…..Jesus the defending.
Not sure what Calum did wrong
but he has at least proved he can
be a PL centre-back at Boro last
season – yes, they went down but
it wasn’t due to a poor defence.
Nacho is a top man and played
manfully again but he just can’t
play in the middle of a 3 man
defence in the PL. I don’t get why
AW and Bouldy think he can.
Anyway, we won, so a step up on
last season. Scored 4 and can’t
defend any worse that – reasons
to be cheerful 🙂
A step up Osaka, but the Foxes aren’t exactly a team to be feared … 12th last season after threatening the relegation zone for a period. Just as well we didn’t get one of the Top 6 contenders.
I just don’t understand why we can’t be better prepared for the start of a season. Yes, we are more likely than Leicester to have players involved in international tourneys between seasons, but our depth should balance that. But it’s the same old same old season after season, topping the injury list from Day 1 and players returning in dribs and drabs while U21s cover for them in pre-season matches. It all looks Amateur Hour to me.
One could ask why we pay them so much if they’re unfit to play after returning from their holidays.
Chris. Kos is suspended after his red last season. Per out because he has 12 stitches in his forehead from a game he played in 5 days before this one. I wouldn’t class that as being unprepared and I’m sure both would have played had they been available?
Excellent report, Guv’nor.
There was an entire season in the first five minutes.
The defence looked what it was, makeshift. Lacazette and Kolasinac both look useful additions who will settle well into the Premiership. The switch to 4-3-3 with the second half subs came off well and the whole team fought to the end.
With one down and 37 to go, we have got off on the right foot, but there is still a mighty long way to go. I dread to think what the mood would have been like had we dropped points.
Chris: Ozil always looks knackered from the kick-off. That is just the way he is. But he had a decent game.
Incidentally, that was only the second time we’ve beaten Leicester at home by that scoreline. Last time was in 1965 when we put four past Gordon Banks. There are probably some denizens of this establishment who were there to see it.
And the rest, Steve? Let’s see how the other top Prem contenders fare tomorrow.
IMO, if you’re paid squillions to play football the least you can do is be fit enough to play when required. It’s not like they’re working in coal mines or at soul-destroying factory labouring, I’m pretty sure most of them enjoy their job. How much holiday away from the game do they need?
I bet Clive’s Ramblers showed up at the start of the season ready to die for the team, elbows hardened, studs sharpened, and woebetide anyone who suggested they bugger off back to Clacton or Morcambe Bay or wherever for another month’s rainbathing.
For a while, Ned, it looked like we were going to lose at home to the Foxes for the first time since 1994. In fact AW has never lost to Leicester. They looked a lot readier for the match than we did. Fortunately we improved the longer the game went.
Chris. I’m one of the first to moan about squad strength and injuries. I’ve constantly said that I don’t think we are strong enough. But you can’t moan about the players we have out injured and then not give players adequate rest periods? It doesn’t matter how much they earn. The body needs to recharge. Trev? Am I right?
We have Jack and Santi out long term. No real shocks there. Alexis, Per, Gabriel are hopefully all short term.
Our biggest problem as I see it is trying to offload decidedly average players that we pay vastly over inflated salaries to. Until that happens then I’m not sure we will be able to bring in the quality that we need.
I’d happily agree with everything you say, Steve, if it wasn’t the same thing every season.
As far as finalising transfers I think it still comes down to Sanchez. Until his future is resolved further deals are on hold. It’s been the case since the window opened and still it has been allowed to drag on.
Anyway, thats my lot for now. Gotta go.
And we did WIN, whooo hoooo! So that’s good, ay. 😀
Spot on Sweeper @ 27.
I recall Ramblers games when our two full-backs couldn’t get out of the beds of the ladies they’d met the night before; our two wing halves were still blotto; leaving our Sweeper (who diligently kept his tackle in check on pre-match nights and limited his liquids intake to 10 pints) to stand alone in a defense reorganized to contain Old Sid, the barman at the local Slug and Lettuce and three lads from the dole office round the corner who were happy to play for the price of a cuppa. Sweeper stood imperious throughout but disorganization ruled supreme even in a team of that quality with a stronger mental strength than most.
And so it was for Arsenal last night. 🙂 We won’t see that rearguard play in that formation ever again. Those getting bent out of shape about defensive inadequacies, please chill. With BFG, Kos, Musta, Gabriel and Chambers available, we’re not exactly threadbare at the back. Would I like to see Van Dijk added to that list, as he should have been when he left Celtic? You bet! BFG and Kos are nearing the end. Gabriel and Chambers seem not to be the current flavour. Push the boat out, Arsene, buy Virgil and twist Monaco hard for Lemar.
Great start to the season. Some outstanding attacking play from a really strong looking forward force. Some great width from Ox, Hector and Wellbeck to tempt ST back into the fold.
Being only almost off the grid yesterday I was able to follow online updates on the game, checking every 15 minutes as I walked down the trail. This differed from last August’s opener against Liverpool when I could only resd about it a couple of days later after returning to civilization. Mrs bt8 was suspicious of my behavior as I walked a couple of minutes behind trying to make it look like I was using the mobile phone as a camera so the risk was quite high.
Thanks to AR8 and OG12 my foolishness bore a sweet result I shared with only the birds. 🙂
An excellent attack wins games. A competent defence wins Championships. QED!
Just watched game back. Re the Ozil handball it probably was, but noticeable that it wasn’t mentioned in live commentary, nor did any Leicester player (notably Simpson who made the final tackle for the corner) appeal.
Didn’t stop Carra (who missed it in live action) slating the referee after he had seen the slo-mo playback.
Wasn’t as exciting second time around but time to enjoy the winner rather than just going nuts!
Scouse twopoint dropper please, barman.
13 goals…..and only 2 games played?!
Is that some sort of a record ? NBN may have to check that out..
Looks like it’s shaping up to be a great season.. not too sure about it helping out the cardiovascular system though.
😀
Anyone’s thoughts on Aaron Ramsey’s headed chance , the defender had no chance of playing the ball and just hit Aaron in the ribs taking the wind out of him possible penalty ?
Cahill redcard chaser.
Ahhhhhhhhh, very satisfying.
The season keeps getting better… 😀
Goooo BURNLEEEEEYYY!
0:3 f…… Yeah, Buuuurnleyyyyy
Thanks for the report, Holic,
Definitely what I saw with the exception of the Leicester handball. Only my opinion but I think we should have had a penalty. I can’t think how both hands above head height when you’re running forwards can possibly be deemed a “natural position” …..
TTG @20,
Sound off was a great choice. My ears were affronted – not to mention any grain of intelligence I may have acquired along the way – by the constant grinding, phlegm fuelled, bitter scouse bollocks of Jamie Ccccharracchhger. Could Sky possibly gave found anyone worse to fill each and every spare second when Martin Tyler is not talking ?
Steve T @43,
Yes, you are right – both about the unavoidability of the BFG’s injury and the fact that Koscielny was suspended, not injured, and that the body does need some rest and recovery time to avoid the otherwise inevitable fatigue related injuries.
Sanchez, whatever you think about his wish to leave/ stay, puts a huge amount of physical effort into every game – and he plays almost every game.
He has now played FOUR consecutive seasons and summer tournaments. His back injury may turn out to be one of convenience, but what is the point of risking either his fitness, or his transfer value, against the mighty Leicester. We should be able to cope against Morgan, McGuire and Fuchs without ONE of our attacking players.
I note the case for Theo is already – and again – being pleaded by Chris.
Well, he did come on as a sub yesterday – after which I saw him guide one ball into touch and put one shot over the top when through on goal and unaware that he was offside anyway.
I honestly cannot remember anything else he did, but stand to be corrected if that is my memory playing tricks.
And before the defence is offered that he only got on as a sub – so did Ramsey and Giroud.
Breaking News ******* Chelsea 0 – 3 Burnley (not yet HT) *******
Guess The Chavs will go back to a back four now!
HAHAHHAHAHAH!
Time to recall Costa…!
😀 😀 😀
More Breaking News *********
400,000 per week. ********
No, not Sanchez’s wage demands, but the number of times Sky are planning to re-show Mesut’s handball.
Good on them – makes me laugh every time ??
The Chavpions are loudly booed off at halftime ???
Fabregas off….nice 🙂
cesc fucking fabregas
ha ha!
Chelsea 2- 3 Burnley.
Going to be a tough season for every team.
Very satisfying week/end?
so far, ksn, so far. 3 more games to fall right for us and put opposing teams under pressure. hahahaha fabregasbag…
Good to know there’s a referee with the orchestras to send two of them off ??
OG is just one goal away from a century
je suis je reste
SV@52, it occurred right below where I sit. There was no attempt by the Lesta player to play the ball. The defender launched himself at Ramsey and took him out. Definite pen for me.
I have to declare that I may be biased.
Good to know there’s a referee with the orchestras
Mahavishnu (gosh, how 1973) and Joe Loss?
Firstly Ned. I was there in 1965. I remember George Armstrong running them ragged. Funny that I can remember a game so long ago clearly but have forgotten most games last season!
We are a funny set of supporters. I think today’s results have underlined how many freakish results occur at the start of the season. Even Citeh have struggled to put away Brighton who are really going to struggle this season on this evidence. Having said that I think the frustration comes from the fact that we ( Wenger) never seem to learn. I watched the Benfica game at the Ems Cup. We had two midfield players in the back three and our marking was a shambles. We played risky balls out of defence all day and my son-in- law asked quite geniunely if we ever practiced defence. I didn’t worry as it was a pre- season friendly but I saw exactly the same attitudes and failings last night. We had only one recognised CB and two full- backs. Partly we were unlucky with injuries and BFG was unlucky last week. But we weren’t ready for the kick- off. Where was Chambers ? Did we think we could wing this game with Kos and Mustafi and Gabriel out? Apart from that our zonal marking system is appalling and exacerbated by putting nobody on the posts. Every corner needs to see someone on each post and someone up the field so we can break and hold two players back to cover. I see no sign of any serious work being done defensively . We got out of jail last night but we won’t against better teams.
This was so disappointing because going forward we were sensational. Surely Wenger can’t expect us to outscore the opposition when we concede so many but if we do get Sanchez to turn out with Lacazette and free Kolasinac to play wide on the left with Ozil and Xhaka behind we have fantastic attacking potential. That is as good as any team in the Premier League.
We must become much more organised and disciplined in defence and part of this may be to get someone much more formidable than Coquelin to play in front of the defence especially with the wing backs we have. This may mean Ramsey competing with Ozil for one place but we must address this really big problem. It’s been there whatever formation we use for ages.
It’s maybe perverse to mention the Invincibles by comparison as they were exceptional but they had superb attacking potential and great defenders and in Gilberto and Vieira the sort of players who made us so difficult to play against in midfield . We desperately need some of that quality.
I agree we won’t be seeing that back 3 formation again but even if the BFG had been available I wonder whether he would have played, Vardy’s pace would have left him horribly exposed. Let’s hope he is fit for Stoke as I’m sure Holding works better with the German by his side.
The entertainment was as good as it gets for the neutrals but the roller coaster nature of the game had all Gooners biting their nails. It was a close run thing but we won and 3 precious points are in the bag.
Rambo looks like the player of 2 seasons ago, the Bosnian will become a huge favourite, Giroud did what he does best as a super sub scoring a very good late winner, Lacazette is a very classy striker with great ball control in tight situations and there is no reason why he should not have a very successful first season.
On the other hand we have no midfield enforcer, neither Granit, Mo or Le Coq are up to that role and we seem not to be in the market for that type of player, there is time Arsene!
There was plenty to argue over on the train home, Gooner David was missed by us all.
COYRs
This Arsenal squad, yet again, is more than good enough to win the league, and anything else that’s put in front of it too. Just coach them properly week-in week-out for fecks sake Wenger, so that they can “earn the right to play” against anyone. No more bull? excuses! You were already told that when you got handed your new two year extension after having fobbed everyone off so that key player contracts ran down to where they are now!
AFCOF!
Germany midfielder Mesut Ozil, 28, does not want to stay at Arsenal and is pushing for a move to Barcelona.
lol good luck with that.
Not sure what you expect of Theo when he comes on so late, Trev. I recognise he has zero chance of starting so long as we play 3 at the back, but he’d certainly be more use at the beginning of a game than only playing the last few minutes when the opposition are bus-parking in order to take home a point. Far more use than the useless Danny anyway.
In any other club, when your leading scorer is unavailable you look to your second best striker to take up the mantle. But not the Arse. With Alexis sidelined AW leaves his second and third best strikers (last season) on the bench and hopes Danny and Ox will play completely out of character and actually get a shot on target for once in their miserable striking lives. Which Danny actually did, just. HOORAY. Then he takes up a position (where OG would have been) in a defensive corner and fails to spot Vardy coming his way to head in. Which rather takes the gloss off his goal imo. Anyway most of the play was down the other wing after Theo arrived, so hardly surprising he didn’t get into it.
I just wish he’d move elsewhere so I can give up this crusade! 😀
I doubt Barca are serious, Cynic. Just touting Mesut as an option in order to minimise what they will have to pay for Coutinho. Why anyone would believe them I have no idea…
With you on Feo Chris! He’s a world-beater that’s been very badly coached and managed for over a decade!
perhaps Barca’s plan is to trick us
into thinking they want Ozil and
then swoop for world beater Theo.
Jonjo Shelvey has got fewer brain cells than a rocking horse. Just handed Spurs a comfortable opening win without even having to exert themselves.
Agreed about Jonjo, countryman. But what does Rafa think?
Thing is, I quite like him as a player. But that’s the daftest red card I’ve seen since Beckham’s little flick out at Simeone.
The Ozil story came from Don Balon ( the Spanish Football Beano) which exists to blow smoke up the arse of Barca. I’d treat it with the contempt it deserves.
Yoonited were quite impressive but West Ham gave the sort of performance that had us despairing of our own team last year- and they’ve bought four major players ( for them) in the close season. They must be a very frustrating club to support. Not sure that I rate Bilic.
Thought United looked ominous. Best performance of round 1 certainly. Matic a huge buy.
Evening all. First weekend craziness complete. I’m very happy where we are given that back three and who we played against. Now a week to get Per and Skhodran ready to face the Stoke front row.
I’m recording an ABW podcast tomorrow evening so will post some nonsense on Tuesday.
??
I hope we go to a back four, that’s all I can say. We ended the game with one, frequently switched to a four when starting with a three last year and it’s not exactly a system we play in a convincing manner.
Man marking instead of zonal, back four. That would make me happy.
ISH
4 – 4 – 2
for – eh – ver
The Invincibles played 4.4.2 okay. But they’d probably lose to 3.4.3 sides these days, right?
Not sure they’d win with four fullbacks across the field though! 🙂
Forget the nonsense, ‘holic, just stick to your pearls. That’s what we’ve come to expect you to cast before these … er, oh…
Chris@85: If you have a Vieira and a Gilberto in front of it, it probably doesn’t matter if your back line is a three or a four.
Touché, Ned … https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/81/3b/25/813b25c511678da147166bf477ec01d3–james-thurber-the-new-yorker.jpg
The Invincibles played 4.4.2 okay. But they’d probably lose to 3.4.3 sides these days, right?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SPg2afRXvE
😀
Late comer here.
Thanks for the post game nourishment.
Nice points above, I also think Wenger did well with his subs & tactics considering the players available.
My weekend climaxed when the Chavs went 0-3 to Burnley, my mates who’re Chavs would be mugged this morning. Just waiting for them to arrive. It never gets better.
We always seem to be in turmoil and incomplete as the summer window closes each year and are again this year. We have two excellent recruits but the catalyst for change was a very mild catalyst as overall little has changed.
We never seem to do enough and we need to sell or loan several but very few want to leave on their current Arsenal wages! We really do need ideally a CDM and a big , quality CB but I sense the usual ‘ we will be working very hard until the window closes but we are not close to signing anybody ‘ comment being trotted out. If we are to lose Sanchez to PSG we need to do a player exchange deal – Moura, Matuidi, Rabiot and Motta all have appeal to us
Great goals (apart from Danny’s scuffed tap-in that is). Great excitement but pas de change otherwise. Terrifying stuff again and here’s hoping the returnees stabilize the back 3,4, 5 or whatever the hell it is. Has anybody else noticed Kolasinic wanders around a bit too much, a la Ramsey ? We need stability and control, we need a system…and we need these things fast, regardless of who goes out on the pitch. Meanwhile aren’t Wenger and Rafa great buddies ? Therefore, surely a JW-Gibbs-Perez job lot for £ 40 mill (£39 mill if they also take Deboosh back !) is a no brainer for both sides and, in fact, possibly our only way to tie things up quickly enough to have some visibility and room for manoeuvre on the buy side ? Note I didn’t even use the words Alexis, Sanchez or Ox there at all but we need t’others out first because if the other 2 mess us around late on we are rightly snookered. Finally on OG, I’m still mesmerised that he had to decide to stay himself and Wenger was quite prepared to let him walk, WTF ? Funny way of showing a bloke you love him ! COYG.
Sc @94.
You make an interesting point re Wenger. He has been very helpful to players who have served us well looking to get away- Henry, Fabregas, Vieira and Van Bronckhorst to name but four. He realises how players at the peak of their career need to play and often seems to put their interests above those of the club. I’m sure his line to Sanchez and Ozil is based on signing on for a further four years with a break clause if we don’t qualify for the CL or after a year when their original contracts run out. Giroud is a very, very useful second tier player who is probably paid optimum wages by Arsenal and would struggle to replicate this anywhere else where he might start.
He will play a lot this year whether we get injuries or not. He may not start that often although Wenger will rotate him because he likes him away from home where he holds the ball up so well.I suspect he and Lacazette might start in some games where we expect to have a lot of the play
An interesting mish-mash of stuff in this Beeblink
Including the table showing Arsenal to have bee worst in the league this weekend in conversion of “expected goals” (scroll down past the Conte and Huddersfield items). If we had finished at the same rate as some teams we would have scored about a dozen or more.
http://m.bbc.com/sport/football/40912926
But I probably misinterpreted the meaning of expected goals. Maybe someone should clarify?
In real English it’s called, “Missed a fucking sitter”
SCG@94: The monk’s back of a fag packet calculation is that, if you calculate the capital value of Gibbs, Wilshere and Perez’s salaries over the remainder of their contracts, if we gave all three away now that would be the transfer fee equivalent of some £11 million. We’d have to swallow a £12.8 million loss on the part of Perez’s transfer fee that we haven’t yet depreciated in the accounts. So we’d be down £2 million in rough numbers. The fair market value (if that means anything these days) of the three is £39 million, so your £40 million job lot is pretty finely priced.
bt8b@96: a point we have been making at Castle Ned for about the last decade.
Hmmmm. Interesting TTG. I would just add if I may that I personally don’t think Wenger would have a different attitude to OG if he was, say, the same age as Welbeck, 26/27. I think yes he loves the guy, his attitude and his physical and mental strength but he has a major problem with his style and lack of searing pace and what that means for team style. But I think OG probably dumbfounds him each time with his contributions when benched or dropped. I see your scenarios on Sanchez and Ozil (latter will sign of course) but never forget the value to the player of going on a Bosman, it can be massive money and the agents know this. I say this because I have a problem visualising these “dream” arrangements of new contracts, higher wages with break clauses, etc. They may work rather better for the club than the player if the massive deal + zero transfer fee option is ruled out. Not that I’m saying Sanchez plays on for 12 months on basically similar money to 6 or 7 other first teamers. The poker continues…. COYG.
I see Ned. Was Perez fee all up front or did I see somewhere we might yet save some of the full original fee ?
hello ?
bit of a favour
i wonder if one o ye could explain what
track back
and
comments rss
means written at drinks’ end
been given a nice wee machine for a while
and wonder if they are apples i should be munchin
cheers if ye can help
Alexis:
“It’ll probably be kinda nice to play alongside Neymar, Dani Alves, Cavani, Di Maria, Draxler, Rabiot, Veratti, Thiago Silva, Pastore, Mbappe,…Oh, and to live in Paris for a few years on 500k per week, after tax! I’ll just hang around here at Arsenal till next summer and tie it all up this coming January on a free! ? Cheers Arsene for dragging your feet on so many key contracts (including your own) and for all of that other “perennial underachievement” stuff too! I couldn’t have done it all after Barca without you Le Prof! ?
you’re no fuckin help are ye ?
This one is for Jose M.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETU0SVFNMnI
bt8 – thanks for the link.
Some interesting stuff about
Pennant too.
I wonder who decides what
an expected goal is. Anyway,
we did miss a few so seems
about right.
No point in reading too much
into early season games I
suppose. Hopeful signs that
the attack is going the right
way though and we’ve got
plenty of options up front.
With Per and Mustafi back
for Stoke optimism is on the
rise in Osaka.
unhelpful fuckers all !
cba,
I pressed the comments RSS
thing and it went to a page that
said I had no podcasts.
The trackback URI took me back
to the top of comments.
Dunno if that helps.
It didn’t help me I must admit.
Except now i know i haven’t
got any podcasts.
Scrutiny of the game now is incredibly intense. I noticed our U23s had half time ratings of each performance – yes in a U23 game. Interesting that we played two non CBs in a back three, one of whom is Bramall who is a left- sided greyhound. Odd decision with Pleguezelo initially on the bench.
Second and maybe very significant is that after conceding two goals with awful defending, Reiss Nelson has scored two apparently sublime goals in two minutes. There is a theme developing at our club. Not only can we not defend we are not even using defenders to try to do it! Is this a cunning plan or part of the chaos that I think clouds our planning?
Wilshere played for 73 minutes and was excellent apparently
none the wisers to the left of me
now
none the polite wisers to the east of me
oy vey
gonna revert to me oul means
indiscriminate unfair non football related insults
.
wait for no man
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-LD2v3EDFw
this is why i only get lent nice things
.
couldn’t imagine walkin round
maxi mini tv phone
fuckin five hundred quid ornament
fuck off
anyhoo 103 if ye can help
if ye can’t
please lurk
.
there’s enough shittin smart arses un-lurked
.
*gloves off*
clearly
CLEARLY !
it’s true
.
the handsome white male is ignored in this forum !
disgraceful
There’s this wonderful invention cba… I’ll tell you all about it in a mo.
Meanwhile
If you link to a WordPress blog they’ll be notified automatically using pingbacks, no other action necessary. Think of trackbacks as the equivalent of acknowledgements and references at the end of an academic paper or chapter in a text book.
The Comments RSS feed thingy sends comments direct to a news reader wossname so you don;t have to come back to the blog. I think.
This invention?
Google :-p
herself did me nails an everything
but
smartycynicpants
the interests of la la la
any send a “ding” to a “me”
when der ubergooner posts a new one
or ned retro wallops it awaaaaay
if not
i dunno
OLD FASHIONED
Been worried about the meaning of this rss crap for years
blaaaaaaaaaaaa
blaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0NHwKU_3gI
That’s just marvellous ….
I’ve never bothered touching “Trackback URI” or “Comments RSS” before, never knew what they were for and managed absolutely fine without them.
Now I’m disturbed that having been offered explanations of both, I understand neither ?
Could I just ask any well intentioned drinkers not to try and explain further …?
Cheers !
howdy 8ball ?
how was chussetts
wall to wall paddys?
what trev said
have a tune trev from me
ya terrific lump
my altogether betterness
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9JzxBFP3Ck
SCG@102: It seems we paid £12.1 million for Perez, not the £17 million reported at the time, though the gap could have been accounted for by potential add-ons if realised in full. Assuming there are no penalties due for negating them, that none the less still only knocks £1 million-2 million off the likely valuation of the Gibbs, Perez, Wilshere job lot.
ned ??
please accept a tune from me
my favourite song from the great man
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKFNjiKAxS0
For those interested,i highly recommend Adrian Clarke’s warts and all Leicester match review,facts/stats etc, on the ‘ Breakdown ‘ on Arsenal Player.
Very illuminating.
cba,
That song is up there with his best.
Like the Big O,his body of work will live on long after we are gone..
Within an hour the headline of the bbc story about Southampton’s ownership situation changed from saying they were bringing in a Chinese partner to saying there had been a Chinese takeover but there has been no mention of a chop suey franchise so far. 😉
for the rootenest tootenest ramblenest hombre west o the …..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GePCrb8W13o
and
one for the main man
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcPiip-xkyw
I had a few of those moments cba,
running from the Edgware/Burnt Oak/Colindale mafia back in the day.
Very protective of their territory,and woe betide any interloper who crossed the line.
clive
like a dribbling cliche
i still wear 3button 60s suits
(my pis staking of mods is exactly that)
sorry steve ?
feel free to slap me when i tolliebrollie
(Italian-two vents)
we’ve all had those moments !!!!!!!!
Cheers cba,
Not a bad tune at all ??
i do however wear creepers
and
don’t spend time “fancying” up my hair
as them there MODS do
so
at a Ben Sherman shirt
an
Northern Soul convention
.
i’d be on the door
Have a tune yerself, cba
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gmpv9V88-sQ
now trev
now
i resemble that incineration !
etc an such to be sure
i sent you a classic
you !
yeah , you
but
i feel are being pisstakey and racist
yeah , you
read 143 and 144
ya bad person
and 145
see above
i dunno
maybe another ‘holiday needed
“I SAW THE GAME TOO , YA SHEEPSKIN COATERS”
and repeat
cheerio
see ye much later on
bye?
If we had finished at the same rate as some teams we would have scored about a dozen or more – bt8 #96
Confirms my oft repeated point about those all too often charged with the striking duties by AW.
With Alexis injured (supposedly) AW left our next two highest scorers (35 goals, all matches last season) on the bench, charging our fourth best, Mesut Ozil (12 goals) to do the scoring, supported by our 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th best (with a total last season of 15 goals between the lot of them). Plus the new boy. That we scored 4 bordered on a miracle … until you count the missed chances of course.
Looking at the upcoming fixtures, I see we have the “Carabao Cup” in mid-September. What the hell is a “Carabao Cup”?
a chocolate substitute, perhaps given as a muscle relaxant allowing tense people to overcome constipation?
Carabao Cup is the new name for the League Cup, the one we lost to Birmingham a few years ago and currently held by Manure. Carabao Energy Drinks are the new sponsor – so bt8 is probably quite correct about its diarrhetic qualities.
cba, I didn’t see many paddies in Boston but was mostly hanging out with south Asians which could have had something to do with it.
Okay here’s one for Aleister Crowley devotees … https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=weQ4oNk7Pqc … for which the Hot Rods were, according to rumour, hexed off the scene by Crowley worshipper Jimmy Page. Pity, cos they could have been anything without the albatross of Page’s spells hanging over them, ay.
Link for the story behind the Eddie and the Hot Rods and Jimmy Page/Crowley track above … https://greatwen.com/2013/03/27/jimmy-page-aleister-crowley-and-the-curse-of-eddie-and-the-hot-rods/
The Carabao Cup might just be the
worse name yet for the league cup.
Wilshere, Coq and Gibbs all
played last in the U23s –
fitness runs-outs prior to sale?
Not sure why there are stories about
Le Coq being for sale – to me we
need him just now.
Cracking goal from Reiss-Nelson.
The Rams defence obligingly
provided time and space for him
to curl one round the keeper’s
flailing paw.
Agreed about Coquelin, Matt. We won’t get a huge amount of money for him, most likely, but there will be times when we want to call on him, especially if we do not sign a defensive midfielder who is better than him.
bt8 and Chris: So I should stock up on Carabao Energy Drinks to help me through the season?
To help you through the toilet more like ECG.
ecg, Only if you are so inclined, but corporate sponsorships aside it is also interesting to know that the Carabao is the national animal of the Philippines, and has intimidating horns on its head. Photo op:
https://casaveneracion.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/carabao-4.jpg
Hallelujah, it is about time they made this change so the transfer window will shut before the start of the season.
http://tinyurl.com/yc87ekoq
Carabao is also a type of mango, known for its sweetness.
cba@132: humbly accepted.
something different for you, in return
https://youtu.be/eC6OKIYXBxQ
Telegraph says the Premier League is considering half-closing the transfer window before the season starts next season. Under the proposal, domestic transfers would stop a week before the first league game. International transfers would continue.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2017/08/14/transfer-revolution-window-shut-premier-league-season-starts/
ah now ned 165
now yer talkin
GLORIOUS !
@bt8 159
right, I’m happy to get someone
better too. But, it’s gone all quiet
out there.
Still more than 2 weeks of Alexis
stories to go. An offer of 60m
from Shitty plus the 35m for Ox from
the Chavs. We could buy one of
Neymar’s legs with the proceeds.
Cheers NBN @131, nice to be able to page the oracle. @OM above, we’ve also today offered Sanchez for Benzema…appaaaarently. Zzzzz.
You want something different Ned? Try this extract from my dear friend David Fanshawe’s African Sanctus, a unique blend of the Latin Mass and traditional African tribal music and calls (most now only preserved in Fanshawe’s archives). This is the Kyrie beginning with a traditional muezzin’s call to prayer… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmalQveYEVg
scg@169
hahaha, must be a slow day.
They can’t have any Sanchezes
for Benzema but we could do
a Gibbs and a Perez as we have
swapsies for them.
Roll on Stoke.
probably rousing long since dormant memories
that gregorian chant ned
clearly i can lapse the fuck outta my catholicism
but the latin mass is still lurkin like a bollocks
might try some on bar walk home
though might scare the fuck outta them that might hear it
played arvo part one winters night
on return stagger pitch black
mate up the road saw my torch beam in the distance
heard the music and working out it was me
thought an intervention of some such overdue ?
usually it’s king tubby
picky judgemental hoors these donegal wans ?
why this was not met with midnight mirth
i’ll never not know
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNmtkxw4b58
It certainly is a hard world for little things, cba.
hard works not easy, bath
an easy works hard to find
ye can lead a horse de water
but ye can’t force rhubarb
a stitch in time
s’worth two in the bush
VOTE EARLY
VOTE OFTEN
Go ugly, go early
1980s
Ballroom of Romance
Are you going up the field, Bridie ?
????
Chris@170: Excellent. That was well worth the listen.
cba: Wake up and smell the incense.
We are playing a dangerous game of brinkmanship. I still don’t believe Kroenke will let £95 million walk out of the door for free next summer in Ox and Sanchez, but if we sell them , we need to replace them before the end of the window and time is running short .
As for Le Coq, if Matuc is a poor man’s Makelele he is a bankrupt’s ! A very limited player but with the Ropey League looming he could have a role to play there. Meanwhile the fount of all knowledge, Robbie Savage says we can’t win the league with Xhaka because ‘he is not creative’. He must have missed the third goal on Friday then.
We live in sad times where prats like Savage can make a living as pundits.
Gnabry wins a penalty against Liverpool but the pen is saved
If Hogfenheim can win this does that mean Liverpool move into the Ropey league?
Hoffenheim, I should say.
The appearance of Gregorian Chants in the drinks can only mean one thing: The END is NEAR
😉
As Liverpool take the lead does this present the specter of Arsenal facing a Gnabry-led Hoffenheim in the Europa League?
Evening all. A post, and a podcast, you lucky people! >>>>>>>>>>>>
(Who am I kidding?) ?
TTG. Maybe Robbie Savage should check out how many teams that selected Xhaka last week are higher than him in the FFL table. ??