The Arsenal Have To Make Progress – Starting Friday
Aug 9th, 2017 by 'holic
The preparation is over, and the real work starts now for Arsenal who need to hit the ground running on Friday. Disappointingly, given the number of fitness and conditioning staff we now employ, we go into the new season with serious level of fitness issues. According to physioroom.com we head the treatment table with eight players out or doubtful for Friday evening’s kick-off.
The addition of Alexis Sanchez to that list today caused raised eyebrows. Arsene Wenger revealed that he picked up an abdominal strain in training on Sunday morning and will be out for “two weeks or one more week”, which is a new way of saying the dreaded three weeks. Hopefully he will be back before Christmas if he is still a Gunner then.
Long term absentees Gabriel, Jack Wilshere, Francis Coquelin, and Santi Cazorla are also joined by doubtfuls Per Mertesacker, Aaron Ramsey, and Mesut Ozil. We are also without the suspended Laurent Koscielny, and probably the late returning Skhodran Mustafi.
It’s not all doom and gloom because we will still be able to pick ten of the starters who won the FA Community Shield on Sunday, or indeed all eleven who played when Mertesacker was elbowed out of the contest by Chelsea’s Cahill. So Petr Cech to start behind a trio of Rob Holding, Nacho Monreal, and the beast, Sead Kolasinac?
Hector Bellerin and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain should be the wing backs alongside a solid midfield pairing of Mohamed Elneny and the Wembley man of the match, Granit Xhaka. Alex Iwobi will probably be trusted to supply the ammunition for Danny Welbeck and Alexandre Lacazette to fire on target.
The persistence with the back three formation, even without the potential first choice trio of Mustafi, Mertesacker, and Koscielny, is encouraging. It brought about a season-saving improvement at the back end of last season, and if circumstances dictate we do still have the personnel to convert to a more conventional four if required as matches progress.
What of our opponents? Leicester have endured the same frustrations as many other top-flight clubs. Uncertainty over who will still be with the club on 1st September, and what new players can be acquired by then.
Their main concern, for the second summer running, is the situation with Mahrez. The player has been linked with potential suitors including most often, probably, the Arsenal. He would appear to be very much a back-up option to our main target, an Aldi Thomas Lemar if you will.
They have made half a dozen signings, most notably that of Kelechi Iheanacho from Manchester City for a reported fee of £25m. It will be interesting to see if he and Albert Steptoe lookalike Jamie Vardy can gel together as a pair. They have also signed the Sevilla captain, Vicente Iborra, a midfielder who won three consecutive Europa League titles after joining the Spaniards in 2013. He won’t be at the Arsenal on Friday however. Like Robert Hoof he is ruled out by injury.
The ‘holic pound
As the monks from Castle Ned pointed out in the last drinks we have won just one of our last seven opening Premier league fixtures. The law of diminishing returns is not applicable to opening day fixtures however, so I would prefer to tip us on the law of averages.
I’m also persuaded by the level of intensity and sense of purpose we displayed against Chelsea at Wembley. A repeat of that desire should see us past a Leicester side who struggled to come to terms with playing last season as reigning champions. The level of expectation for them has been readjusted, it seems.
I’m thinking of backing Lacazette to score and us coming out on top 3-1 in an enjoyable romp. Do some shopping around to get 12/1 against that scoreline. If you are brave enough to go for the scorecast with Lacazette anytime and 3-1 expect to see odds around 30/1.
And finally
It’s that time of the season when a sense of anticipation, the entirely human optimistic outlook (well, for most of us!), and the sudden presence of silent but angry butterflies deep in the gut all return with a conflicting vengeance.
On a personal level I am disappointed that in a season where we will see so many Sunday/Monday and Thursday fixtures that television has dictated a Friday evening start for us. I know that will be popular with so many Gunners who live nearer to the stadium than I, and I accept that were it the NLD I probably would have made the effort to get there. It is however another kick in the teeth for those who travel from some distance to get our Arsenal fix. Personal moan ends.
Those who are going, have a wonderful evening. We are in a situation where a good result and performance will set a more enjoyable atmosphere around the stadium, and hopefully set the precedent for the season to come. You don’t need to bring up the flip side of that coin in the drinks. We all know what that might look like. Let’s be positive and avoid it.
Those who will be joining me watching on a rectangular screen, and hopefully not from behind the sofa, pour yourself a little of what you fancy and experience the feelings that only your football team can provide.
As ever, ‘holics, have a great one.
137 Responses to “The Arsenal Have To Make Progress – Starting Friday”
Get in!
Off to read the Guvna’s pearls.
Fine preview Guvna though the ‘beast’ is a bit hard on our new Bosnian. He’s no beast, he’s a cultured phenomenon, Bosnian batting-ram or Panzer Tank would be kinder.
Meanwhile in another place tonight, Neil McCann’s Dark Blues disposed of their local rivals. Expect one of your regulars to appear with a grin as broad as the Tay and put all the Milky Bars on him.
Indeed bath. I am awaiting what I will confess is my first view of the tartan of the clan El Bakhtaoui. ?
Good one as ever H.
Although as per my usual format,i will wait until transfer window closes before contemplating our competitiveness to challenge for the title.
I have heard that there is a distinct possibility that the transfer window will close before the EPL starts, from next season and beyond.
Let’s hope it’s true.
As for Friday,our last 2 home games against Leicester have only been won by us at the death.
Let’s hope for a less stressful outing against them this time.
On a sadder note,one of my favorite singers Glenn Campbell passed away yesterday after a long battle with Alzheimers.
Sitting at the shoulder of the Big O now.
Nice one Holic !
Football is indeed back – it’s what Saturday afternoons were made for !
Do what ! It can’t be …..
Barcelona have had a £90.4 million bid for Coutinho rejected.
It’s called coutinho coat according to your cloth – and Barcelona have a lot of cloth.
The Guv’nor in fine form; a new season about to start. Hope can only spring eternal, while whatever spring will bring seems an eternity away. So here’s to three points to set us down that 38-game path between the two in good spirit.
Meanwhile, a historical footnote:
We played our first home game against Leicester at Essex County Cricket Club’s Lyttleton ground in Leyton. The date was March 9, 1895. Leicester was then Leicester Fosse; we, of course, were still Woolwich Arsenal.
The League Division 2 fixture ended in a 3-3 draw.
The reason that we were playing there and not south of the river in Plumstead was that the FA had closed the Manor Ground for six weeks and banned Woolwich Arsenal from playing within six miles of ‘the Plumstead enclosure’ for the duration. This was punishment for the home crowd assaulting the referee, knocking him unconscious, after a feisty game against Burton Wanderers in January.
The referee, John Brant Brodie, a former England international who had also played in the first Football League match, had disallowed a goal in the first half that would have put us 2-0 up, adding insult to injury by awarding us a free kick instead of letting the advantage of a goal scored to stand. He subsequently awarded the visitors a soft penalty at the death, by which they levelled the score to 1-1.
“Supporters of the home team, unable to take their disappointment with good grace, subjected the referee, first to insult and abuse, and finally to violence, according to a contemporary newspaper report.
Police had to clear what had become a brawl after the crowd broke through the rope around the pitch (no fencing then). The Burton team needed a police escort to get to Plumstead station for their train home.
Despite its length, the ban affected only two home games. The other had been the league match against Burton Swifts in February, which was switched to New Brompton’s ground in Gillingham in Kent.
Had the FA intended us to feel a financial pinch, it failed. We played five friendlies as well as three league games during the ban, drawing gates for the friendlies that were nearly a third larger than the Manor Ground average.
Back to the Leicester game: The Wyvern, a Leicester periodical devoted to the Fossils — yes, that was Leicester Fosse’s nickname — printed this description of the Leyton match:
A very unpleasant incident, some ten minutes before time, occurred, resulting in Gordon having to be assisted off the field. Boyle, the Arsenal centre half, deliberately kicking the Fosse centre on the calf of the leg, a dastardly piece of brutality which deserved severer punishment than Mr Adams meted out.
Incidentally, the ‘dastardly’ Jimmy Boyle, a Glaswegian engineer who had played inside and centre forward for Celtic, played in the half-back line for Arsenal, mostly at centre-half, as against the Fossils that day. He also played three or possibly four games in goal.
Lovely stuff Ned.
The Monks are already in fine form prior to the big kickoff.
Ned, you and the monks are stars! ??
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTbTHlTmDX8
bringing out that hidden bottle of willett 8 year old rye for bed and the monks, truly on song at the start of the year.
funny to say, but a friday evening kickoff means lunch over burgers and belgian ales at the local, and an early return to the homestead. while i understand the tradition, the timing of friday games lends much more conviviality to my experience against a 430 or 7 am kickoff!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J06yQb4lbPk
for Jeanne Moreau
not Raquel Welch
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qa1wdUkeuvE
for ArSeNaL
not LUtoN
A fine preview GH and as always I
hope the Holic pounds romps in.
According to the presser, AW may
risk 1, maximum 2 of the doubtful
starters.
The defence is the concern and
not sure about starting Ox on the
left against Mahrez. Might be
better to start Kola in front of
Nacho. Also, the pace of Vardy and
Iheanacho is a worry and Kos is a
miss. Not sure why Calum is so
out of favour but personally I’d
play him tomorrow and keep Per
back for the Stoke game.
My guess is Ozil or Ramsey will be
the one risked. Anyway, my team
would be Calum, Rob, Nacho in
front of Cech. Ox, Xhaka, Elneny,
Kola in midfield, Ozil at 10 and
OG / Laca up front. Don’t think
AW will pick that team though.
If the crowd are going for a pitch
invasion and roughing up the ref
ala 1895 it certainly couldn’t
happen to a more deserving fellow
than Mike Dean 🙂
Only £90.4m bid for Coutinho, Trev? I thought £100m was the new minimum bid for quality these days.
And if the Chavs really have bid £35m for the Ox, how come AW hasn’t bitten their arm off? I’m losing the will to live with all this Farcical Financial Poppycock.
Cech
Holding Mertesacker Monreal
Ramsey Xhaka Kolasinac Welbeck
Walcott Giroud Lacazette
sorry, that should be “ned and the monks” in 12 above. damn fat fingers.
chris, £35 million is a lot of dough. i heard less for ox, still a lot but not in “bite their hand off” territory :). i’d hate to sell him to a rival, too; newcastle is one thing, chelski another brand of hand sanitizer entirely.
I’d love to see Ox sold to a rival Prem club, scruz. I reckon he is grossly over-rated. He has great energy and enthusiasm, but fails to deliver an end product 99 percent of the time.
That’s just my opinion of course, and I acknowledge that he has many fans here. The £35m came from here … http://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/636223/Chelsea-Alex-Oxlade-Chamberlain-Arsenal-Premier-League-Arsene-Wenger … Being The Star it may not be accurate of course!
in that way i agree, chris, but if aw is really thinking he’s “on the up” i have some trust in his assessment.
and i’ll see your star and raise you a sun (same disclaimer applies 🙂 ): https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/4203509/chelsea-alex-oxlade-chamberlain-antonio-conte-transfer-window/amp/
Cheers H!
I’ll have a personal moan and all. Friday night football is fucking dogshit.
Thanks for the kind words, ‘Holic, Clive and SCG. Crowd trouble, clogging and diving. Nothing new under the sun in football.
A very good morning to all drinkers present, past and future as well as to the Gunnerverse. It is my pleasure to have my first appearance cum pre match conference after a long summer break.
I’ve always peeked to keep the sanity levels, I’d be playing from behind the strikers in the absence of Özil, and would be a contender for MOTM.
Talking about the rest of the squad, I’m not bothered but I’d go for a nervy 2-1 to the good boys.
Can Friday come quicker?
Kudos to the bartender.
Welcome to the season with two wrappings of shiny things besides of course the FA Community Shield TROPHY.
My guess is that AW would be reluctant to sell the Ox this season as he has no other cover for Bellerin at right wingback, save, possibly for the Corporal and for my money the Ox is the better of those two.
I am in two minds about what would happen to his career if he moved (same as with Theo). He might bloom with regular football and a fresh start but I am not sure he is a nailed-on starter with any of the top clubs who could pay him the money he wants. Which leaves him much where he is now.
Great preview Holic
Mrs TTG that occasional contributor and I are in Norfolk and the darling lady was ready to come back early on Saturday if it meant I could get to footie. However I can’t come back from holiday a day early after starting a day late because of the Emirates Cup so I will need to use my iPad to follow events.
Like Clive I will wait until the end of the transfer window. Reforestation commenting on this season as Wenger needs to do much before the window closes. I hear BFG will play and wonder if Sead will play at left wing back. Otherwise thatvteam looks spot- on.
I fancy a narrow 2-1 win with Lacazette getting a late winner
COYG
Reforestation actually means before – apologies!
TTG @ 25
Not sure if you have made a mistake in your post,or whether your better half is not yet appraised of Friday night football.
I do feel if as you point out that Per is fit to play,that we now know why the Boss fielded the starting line up he did on Sunday.
I have to confess that though I believe Per adds value for the calm he spreads through our defence, his lack of pace against the likes of Vardy attacking the centre of our defence, does make me a tad nervous.
I would pick:
Cech
Holding Mustafi Monreal
Bellerin Elnenny Xhaka Kolasinac
Iwobi Lacazette Welbeck
Iwobi and Welbeck would be the worst possible choices. No goals.
This is just an opinion however, no need for anybody to start lecturing me yet agin on what it means to be a perfect fan.
Had me right back there in 1895 NBN, brilliant, amazing detail. Thanks for sharing. Ox ? If he was the real deal he would have shown better for Ingerland wouldn’t he ? On Welbz, I’m sickened we’re even entertaining parting with OG instead of him. Ludicrous. The Fast Sonogoals, that’s if he’s not on the treatment table, poor lad.
3-0 to the Arsenal and lacazette to score for sure. Well its a new season, optimism is at its highest at this stage and Arsenal did play good football on sunday for sure.
Is it real or not but this Alexis saga is getting boring. It should be made simple to him and all, he is not going to leave this season whatever happens.
Leicester will be tough but then which team is not in the league? It is about time we set the first game dropping points habit away and what better than thumping the foxes.
I do not see any other team than the one that played against chelsea and if the same intensity and pace is replicated, we should have the scoreline i said at the start. Come on Arsenal, this needs to be our season.
It’s the hope that makes it worse!
Cheers ‘holic.
COYG from down east on the coast of Maine. Refossilize the no good midlanders.
Our family is doing its part to ensure a successful start to the season,
I asked #2 son, who lives about a mile from the Emirates, if he’s going to opening night. His retort was a resounding “no”, as he went to four home games last season — all losses!
RIP Glen Campbell. Besides his career as a headliner, his largely uncredited session work was extraordinary, from Sinatra’s “Strangers In The Night” to much of the Beach Boys “Pet Sounds” album; was even a Beach Boy as a touring member.
And if you get a chance, watch the documentary “I’ll Be Me”. Even though his mental faculties were rapidly failing, his musicianship with the guitar remained intact; the workings of the brain are puzzling.
the team i’d like to see start tomorrow:
cech
holding nacho koalasnatch
hekate granit mo’nenny ox
iwobi laca theo
with giroud, ozil, and aaron coming on as 60-70 minute subs for theo, iwobi, and mo’nenny respectively.
but what i actually want to see is ten men in red shirts with white sleeves and one in some god-awful color in front of the net, all playing their hearts out for the badge and the club. whatever mix of 11 from our squad that will give me that, i’m happy.
This appears to be our declared Premier League squad:
Ospina
Cech
Kolasinac
Debuchy
Gibbs
Mertesacker
Gabriel
Koscielny
Holding
Monreal
Mustafi
Chambers
Bellerin
Jenkinson
Ramsey
Wilshere
Oil
Oxlade-Chamberlain
Iwobi
Cazorla
Xhaka
Coquelin
Elneny
Maitland-Niles
Willock
Sanchez
Perez
Giroud
Walcott
Welbeck
Lacazette
Nelson
No Bramall, Reine-Adelaide, Campbell, Akpom, or Macey
Maitland-Niles gets the long vacant No 30 shirt, last worn by Yossi Benayoun. Nelson gets 61 and Willock 69.
This is the preliminary list which may be amended up until the end of the transfer season. Three players will have to be cut as there are 28 who are 21 or older and a PL squad can have only 25 plus as many under-21s as it likes (Iwobi, Willock, Nelson and Maitland-Niles are all U-21s) There are also 18 non-‘home-grown’ players on the list with a maximum of 17 allowed. Debuchy or Perez seem most likely to be axed.
Or both Debuchy and Perez if Lemar or any of his ilk are to be brought in.
Bath @28
I think Per will have to play if fit,simply because Mustafi has had no pre season football at all.
Big ask to throw him in with no game time under his belt.
Bayonne Jean @34
I have recorded the ” I’ll Be Me ” Documentary,which i am looking forward to watching.
Sang some great songs,had his ups an downs like most in the music industry,but leaves behind a great body of work.
Jimmy Webb idolised him and wrote many songs hoping Glenn would record them.
The rest of course is history.
Clive,
I meant I couldn’t come back on Friday morning having started the holiday a day late although the good lady is very amenable. And I’ve given my ticket to a friend!
Holic
Are you having a Fantasy League this year?
Benayoun was bang for buck.
More of the same please, whether from AMN or elsewhere.
Nice history oost, Ned.
Good to see there’s plenty of monky business going on in the castle.
Trev@43: 🙂
Thanks NBN for the squad news.
Looks like The Jeff is really on
the outs. Akpom too.
I hope we are allowed to name
a 3rd goalkeeper if Cech / Osp
are injured. Seems odd to only
name two when we’ve had to
use the 3rd choice keeper before.
Still a bit to do before the end
of August.
Think Perez has actually handed in
his transfer request so I suppose
we will bluff it out for more money
until the end of August.
The last i heard on Joel was a
rumour about going to the old
footballers home in Galatasary.
There must be millions of
players in Turkey by now.
Agree with the earlier posts – but
Per and Mustafi are both risks
against Leicester.
My guess is AW will take the
Mert risk.
Either way I hope it’s a tragedy
for Shakespeare and not a farce
for us.
10 hours to go until my 3.45am
kick-off and I’m getting edgy.
Just
win
Arsenal !!!
Wake
Up
And
Smell
Ze
Coffee
!!!!!!!
It is not
Ground
Hog
Day ?????????????
Note in 61 that we shall deploy a 3-7-4 formation with spiders in the midfield
The extra spider to be sneaked in later ?
COYG !!
Hello BT8,
Good morning I guess.
Is that gorilla like in defence,
web-weaving in midfield,
and venomously stinging in
attack?
The other option Matt is gorillas and nothing but gorillad. 🙂
??? ????? ??
The extra gorilla can’t do us wrong. ?
Good for man-handling Jamie Vardy. 😉
Yep, Vardy could only be
improved by a gorilla mauling.
Just made the risky move to head
out for Friday night drinking
and hope to stay awake
until 3.45am. 🙂
Liverpool midfielder Philippe Coutinho has submitted a transfer request, hours after the Premier League club released a statement saying he is not for sale.
——————
Lots of transfer requests going around…
If it is Friday Liverpool must look foolish.
Cuntinho playing hardball then.
Hard to tell in the current climate
of move and countermove all aimed
at deluding the loyal support.
To me he’s not that cop, but if
Barca want to pay then fine for
use.
Meanwhile, real truth about Gibbs coming out, 16 mill was fine, he wouldn’t take the pay cut. Arsene, you got the wages all, all wrong with these guys (esp the chaps in your elite Britcore)…ironic given your reputation for mean-ness ! Bit of a mess this transfer market, all round ! It aint just us… Meanwhile, Friday footy, Thursday footy, Monday footy, it’s just wrong. I mean, will we ever feature on the 445 pm Teleprinter ever again ? “Arse-nuull niillll, Sheffield Wednesdaaaaaaay……niiiillllll”. COYG.
Ahhhhhhhhh, bless u bruvvvah ‘H, & bruvvah Steve T, & too many other soupah bruvvah & sistah ‘holics to mention ‘ere. And of course, bless The Mighty Arse an’ all. For ’tis the start of a new season (of a Fridee mind?!? …. Ere’s hopin’ it’s a good Fridee) for to in which to be jolly (for the mo) … la, la – la, la – laaaaaaaaa, la, Laaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaacaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaazetttttttttttttttte! Etc.
CoMon U Rwip Rwoarwing Reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeedzzzzzzzzzz!!!
( Ou’ Men)!
It’s a sign … !
The good rev Al will lead us into a glorious season. I’ve got a feeling… ?
“do. you. see. the. light?”
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=P1KZKZs-2YM
Is there a fantasy league this season?
Rich
1206870-289500
Cheers boss
Fuck me, the promised land is
fantasy league football.
Bewildered and drunk in Japan.
OsakaMatt@45: Matt Macey would be the likely No 3 keeper. But he will need a squad berth as he is over 21.
The Jeff and the Joel have been given first-team squad numbers at last, 22 and 27 respectively.
Good news. In the pub.
With Sky Sports.
Bad News – Been here since early doors. And Innis & Gunn have been winking at me frequently.
On my birthday too (according to old tattered manuscript anyway….)
Roxette is away – what could go wrong……..
Pray for me Reverend AL ?
Just realised that the Jeff has got the coveted No. 22 shirt vacated by Sanogo.
okazaki means red card in japanese
come ooooooooon
Something strange about starting a new season on a Friday night in early August. However, some distinguished guests in the bar I must say. The rev is back to bless the start of the campaign. We may need more than Devine inspiration if Elneny is at centre back. I’m guessing that Dr Z may also need some sort of saving if he flying alone and been on the sauce all afternoon.
Catching this one on the TV. For those going, enjoy. Me? I’m off to the beer fridge.
Big love to you all.
Really excited about the new season kicking off in less than an hour. I do hope we win the first game, something we haven’t done over the last few years.
The teams:
Arsenal: Cech; Holding, Monreal, Kolasinca; Bellerin, Elneny, Xhaka, Oxlade-Chamberlain; Ozil, Welbeck, Lacazette
Subs: Ospina, Giroud, Ramsey, Walcott, Iwobi, Mustafi, Coquelin
Leicester City: Schmeichel; Simpson, Morgan, Maguire, Fuchs, Mahrez, Ndidi, James, Albrighton, Okazaki, Vardy
Subs: Hamer, Chilwell, Amartey, King, Gray, Slimani, Iheanacho
COYG.
The Mrs is unexpectedly working late and I cannot get out as planned ! Anyone got a decent stream ???
Cheers to the guv’nor and every one in the bar…
The new season is just about to begin and I am as optimistic as I am at the beginning of every season. The injury Gods aren’t too kind to us again and the Koscielny suspension doesn’t help either. But still we should have enough to get the better of Leicester. The only bit of pre-season Arsenal I saw was the community shield and the signs were promising. The two new additions Lacazette and Kolasinac looked ready to contribute straightaway. The continuation of the back three was also re-assuring. Everything adding to the optimism.
Interestingly the studio pundits chosen for today’s game on the network beamed here in India are Shearer and Phill Neville – really terrible choices. Neville started off saying that Arsenal still don’t have anyone with a strong physical presence on the field. How on earth can someone miss the mighty Kolasinac?!!
Ian Wright who was pitch side was surprisingly quite negative about our prospects.
I don’t get the Welbeck selection at all but meh
mamahd is usually ok for streams but you can’t run adblock on there, so I don’t use it any moire
Moire? ffs
This typo thing is becoming a behaviour pattern
*ahem*
Think I have found an Aussie one that is OK – has a certain Graham Le Saux as an “expert” however – will let you know how that pans out !
Ozil was the one risked then.
Ok, you gunners rip and fucking
roar this this fine Japanese morning.
Just checked my J/E dictionary and
Okazaki means wanker!! Funny how
dictionaries differ.
Not the team i would have picked
but fuck it let’s kill ’em.
Mike Dean preening as usual. I would be happy if we were not discussing him at the end of the game.
Leicester look strong though familiar and have the pace up front to trouble us. Lacazette should get one.
Tell a lie it’s a US stream…
first goal!!!!!
Lacazette, what a start.
1-1. Defence shit as usual.
Welcome Laca. To panic city.
How not to defend a cross.
In 2 easy lessons.
We could actually end up playing games on every single day this season? So much for Saturday 3pm.
Ground hog day? 1-2.
Whoever is in charge of putting the ad boards up around the perimeter needs to get rid of that stupid Celebration Corner thing.
We are the sort of team Leicester love to play. Acres of space behind the defence for Vardy to run into. We would be a more effective team if we gave the ball to the opposition and defended which would give us opportunities for counter attack.
Dean is enjoying himself, sharing jokes with Morgan and generally being a prick. He will not give a card to them or a penalty to us.
We are having a shocker, mispassing, especially by Xhaka and Ox.
Is Ozil actually on the pitch?
2-2, finally Welbeck.
Ozil does not look to be fit, Cynic. Wenger pushed him in too soon. Iwobi would have been better.
I’m putting a fiver on 8-7 final score.
I’m with Ksn. It’s the ref’s fault. Always has been, always will be.
ok, we can’t be the that bad 2nd
half surely.
I see positives!! I have beeen drinking
for 8 hours. COYGs
Not really convinced by the new boy, Kolasinac. He brings a physicality which we have lacked but his passing and touch leave a bit to be desired.
Jim Beglin and Peter Drury trying their utmost best to get their Arsenal narrative going pretty early on in the season – ably assisted by Xhaka (and Holding to a certain extent).
Nacho at the centre of the back three was always going to be a problem area in terms of height. Leicester are trying to exploit that by crossing very early. Our right side is a problem because Ozil does not track back too well and Bellerin is way too far upfield. Cech didn’t cover himself in glory with the first goal and Kolasinac could have done much better marking Vardy for their second.
Lacazette looking good and Welbeck was playing well and needed the goal for his confidence. Critical second half and Arsenal need to really start this half quickly and not let up all the way.
COYG
An h-t bishop it is …
Stay safe bruvvah Zee …
From me faraway foreignish field on a shaky wifi connection am still liking the look of the boy Sean O’Klasanic; the thick set one looks well set to follow in the footie steps of our other fine rough-house fullbacks from over there …
CoMonURedzzzzzz
Thanks, Steve. Whatever your view about ref’s, Dean is a …. and an Arsenal hater.
Let’s pray that the team as a while and the defence in particular wake up to their defensive responsibilities. Having two lefties in that back line doesn’t make for the greatest balance.
Laca will score loads.
COYG
Let’s pray that the team as a whole and the defence in particular wake up to their defensive responsibilities. Having two lefties in that back line doesn’t make for the greatest balance.
Laca will score loads.
COYG
Great defending. Top class.
The only player we had who wanted to try to defend that was Monreal, and he was light years too late and several yards too short to do so.
We should have played Per today. Xhaka and Kolasinac cannot defend. Need Kos back too.
Too many back passes and we look the poorer of the two teams today.
Lacazette is very light weight and will take time to get used to the speed of our league.
I just don’t get this lineup at all.
Ah well.
Same old, same old, including old Wenger and his idea of defence.
Ramsey!!!!
It’s about time we put it wide instead of constantly trying to find space in packed areas
Right on, Cynic.
Giroud!!!!!
Oh Giroud u beauty
Not good for my heart…!
😀
GET IN!!!!!!!!
Got away with absolute mass murder tonight but never mind.
Points make … something.
Top of the league!
*ahem*
Never in doubt, haters zip it
Reversal of last year’s score. 4-3 to Arsenal. Well done boys, especially the subs.
Only 37 more heart breakers to go, ahaa.
Cue for Wenger to praise our mental strength.
Nice to see the long faces of Leicester players. They were laughing when they were ahead.
Arsenal My bloody Arsenal ! Not even going to try and sum up what we’ve just witnessed, Will say fair play to Giroud for getting on with it and not moaning like a bitch about not being an automatic starter – Fully deserved that goal and was a cracker,
Up the Arse, Would have been horrific to lose tonight especially in that way no coming back kind of bad !
Yahooooo, praise be, we’s top … by miles … alreadeeeeeeee! Wot can possibly go wrong from ‘ere???
Blimey. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
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.