Early Christmas Present For The Gunners?
Dec 1st, 2017 by 'holic
Long Johns, check, layers, check, gloves, check, scarf, check. Trapper’s hat, ah, where have I put that? It looks like it will be a day for wrapping up warm for the visit of Manchester United on Saturday evening.
Hopefully the quality of the match itself will keep our minds off the chill in the air. Us against United usually raises the temperature one way or another, although the days of Winterburn and McClair, Wrighty and Schmeichel, and Vieiera and Keane, are long since gone.
United come into the match four points clear of us in second place following a benign set of fixtures in August and September. Against fellow top six rivals in October they beat Tottenham 1-0, drew 0-0 with Liverpool, and lost 1-0 at Chelsea. It’s fair to say they do like to keep these matches tight.
Discounting Santi Cazorla, so sadly under the knife again this week, we have one new injury that will deprive us of the services of Alexandre Lacazette. United old boy Danny Welbeck could deputise to give us a degree of mobility, or the manager could turn to Olivier Giroud after the Frenchman’s brace as a second-half substitute against Huddersfield on Wednesday.
United, for once, have more ruled out or doubtful than us. Fellaini, Carrick, Jones and Bailly are all out while Matic is a doubt. However they still have ability and experience in spades. Arsene Wenger summed up the challenge facing us,
“I just want to focus and to prepare well my team, and give my team a good chance to win the game. Manchester United is doing well at the moment, we are doing well at the moment, so it looks to be a promising game.”
Although Mourinho has suggested that his team will “attack with eleven players” those attacks are likely to be less adventurous and focussed around the pace of Martial, Lukaku, Young and Rashford. How our back three and midfield deal with those breaks will be the key to the outcome.
The ‘holic pound
We have an opportunity to beat United at home for a third consecutive season. Both teams are in good form but home advantage could decide it if the crowd act as the twelfth man as we undoubtedly did in the North London derby.
I’m torn between a ‘one-nil to the Arsenal’ or the prospect of a more open 2-1. Therefore I am having 50p on each at 8/1 and 9/1 respectively.
The Art Of Football Teeshirt Winner
Congratulations to Jonathan Haussman who correctly identified Michael Thomas and therefore wins an @Art_of_Football teeshirt of his choice. I think you’ll be very pleased with the presentation when it arrives, Jonathan.
So It’s Goodnight From Me
If you are going tomorrow I may bump into one or two of you before the match. Wrap up well, get behind the boys, and let’s get a big December off to a flying start against a top four rival.
Have a good one, ‘holics.
227 Responses to “Early Christmas Present For The Gunners?”
ho ho ho
Cheers H! And Cba top lad yerself
Get in
…yeah holic pound and pound Messers Moaninho
Top stuff Guv’nor, CBA, Esso.
If I were to pick the squad vs Manure I’d start OG & LJW & later bring on Ramsey & Welbeck. Everything remains the same as with the last game.
awww esso
yer only saying that
cos it’s TRUE
?
.
UP THE CHRISTMAS ARSENAL !
Commitments north of the wall mean that I won’t be able to join you wildlings for this one. 2-1 has a very nice pre-Christmas peal of bells about it. Danny well beck double would do very nicely. Enjoy, Holic.
Double delight ‘holic pound pointing the way to victory every time. 🙂
cba, with the missus already decorating the tree for next christmas i hope she has time to freshen up the one for this christmas. 😉
fuckin £shop batteries glut
in my back kitchen
earth/moon/parked car
stasis
she’s destabilized
Your last paragraph sums it up well ‘h. Cheers! ?
Big match tomorrow. A must win in my book, as it’s at home against another one of that vile cunt’s teams. ?
UTAAD&AN!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMaUBeaiHnQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZeAM1vwEcFg
there has to be
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOnde5c7OG8
.
.
.
.
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwNwU2U0yVc
Cba.. You’re owning the house
I see a 2-0 win for the Londoners.
Sorry, Holic I’m crashing your bet party
fuck man ure
(see previous drinks)
.
in other news
i don’t think the Raymond Chanderesque discourse
interrogation of crickets
twixt trev and osaka M
got the respect it deserved
.
.
.
CLOWNS !!!!!
.
.
“aaaahhhhhh chrrup”
Fine preview Guvna. I hope one of your bets comes home but I would really like to see another 5-0 to the Arsenal. I know it’s unlikely but it’s important to have a dream.
Hope to catch you for a post-match celebratory dram to warm our cockles.
COYG
.
genius
both
Ooooooo bath
how bold*
.
.
*show off shite
ye spent yer whole life
saving people’s lives
what with yer knowledge an all
.
WASTER !
.
.
.
.
.
.
( still handsome )
.
*preens*
17 nG ?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DH7IK7dp46g
my relations aren’t fe there
no
i got the full plastic paddy wee gees
.
as you advised me many spoons ago
count yer .. er … cutlery
.
yer all weird anyway
eh
.
i am lonely in my assertion
that the scottish people
who took the land from my forefathers
weren’t all bad
.
it was all worth it for this tune
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDa-6P5ze7I
?
moooooooooooooooooooooo
dunno why we all got upset
.
.
.
.
good luck with the dee you pee ?????
come on you irons
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olwQXGG35oE
good luck with sassamach
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0wNl66tT3Q
.
.
don’t be down in the mouth
all you conservative voters
cos
karma is right on yer tail
take it
and
turn it into a moneyspinner
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Znn5a-88tY
.
.
when people mean well
.
oy !
point and getting don’t meet
.
.
i will
that cow ruined our lives
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEyEO_LVESk
.
rabbiting again
sorry
belfast https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxQQkKgo5sc
derry https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdp60Df4z6g
london https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kf44LWY7cdQ
Nice stuff H.
Wrap up warm is good advice. It’s been bloody freezing in the capital.
It would be great to put one over old Maureen but we all know they will be much tougher than recent opponents. Let’s hope that The Arsenal team with the winning ways is the one that shows up?
For all of you going, enjoy. I will try and get to at least one game before Christmas.
Sorry to break in CBA.
Good work as ever Holic and your prediction is very credible. I think it may be 2-1 to us because they are not the greatest at the back although Smalling always looks decent to me and De Gea often produces wonderful saves.
I think he may start with Welbeck and introduce Koscielny from the bench. I think Ozil is the key to the game. If we see the man who tore Spurs apart we will tear United apart too. And Xhaka needs to pass only to men in red.
.
well thank you
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9f4CyQto-0E
wham
BAAAAMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!
you are the one looks stupid now
thunder T
.
yeah
the big o Five !
booommmmm !
.
.
brown trout
that was me usual
never sea fished
know people do
but
like loadsa people think
oooh
a lovely idea
to live in the countryside
fuck off as well
ye’ll live within wifi shot of pavements
[plastic shites]
i recall being more exotic
here
years ago
when i only got online
when someone came with an internet phone
.
yeah
ye don’t like what ye fuckin wish for
do ye
PANSIES
brrrpppp
i have been told to say
?
spelling arbitrary
.
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwcZw23Cp-o
people don’t not remember what you did or didn’t do
.
simples
.
FUCK MAN URE
(not ian)
born just in the 60s but
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sgNOCLuGjE
prefer telecasters
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1gYJDQXPOk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMlhWvIh7U4
wilko wilko wilko
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFWy8iK6h0I
oooh 69
hooray
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpZLqWkUblc
how that sanctimonious flop haired twat could sleep after that introduction – i dunno
cos
to point out his well established floppy haired know all nonsense
would be to buy into it
like the fake cockles and mussels of danny baker
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0HHfYhKGLs
but
hey ho
apples and pears
professional twats
.
.
only band i saw
(in that there godforsaken london)
where
i was sober-er
or
if you will
less pished than the singer
.
.
i can stereotype
you can’t ya english bastards
.
bath !
bath !
BATH !!!
are ye with me ?
.
.
B A T H
*baff deep fries*
pfffttttt
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=km5SvbIvJYI
77
wouldn’t it
ok
i have changed my mind
i will talk about what everybody else is talking about
i will validate myself for a Tupperware™ mouthy twat
bought RAMONES
never pontificate d
40 yrs ago now
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAHlyNgXW98
(3rd album , sex pistols ya reverse punk inventers)
TWAAAATTTTTSSSSS
NOWWWWWWWWWWWWW
.
supported The Arsenal
dealt with twats
82
ok
discuss football
when the british army kicked down our door
my brothers posters were The Arsenal
football enough for you
ya 4 4 2 /3 5 3/fuck you
merry christmas ?
if ye don’t ask
ye don’t get
but
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7Bq_MvkUtU
a lesser persen
would correct
the Miss Spelling 2017
or
maybe not
.
just realised the time . I have been on a different one .
but
don’t 999
.
i. am that HANDSOME !
.
.
that smell yer smelling
is merely
GOOD LOOKS
oh
yes
the ton approacheth
i dunno
bit shy
.
Thanks for the preview Guvna.
Based on previous, my guess is
AW will go with Danny. Other
than that I expect no changes.
Manure are short defensively
with injuries and I hope we will
go at them. It’s a bit harsh on
OG after 2 goals and risky too
as Danny/Mesut are not great
goal scorers but we need to
press. Kos has generally
handled Lukaku well and so i’ll
go with 3-0 today.
well in cba, a trojan effort ?
aaaahhhhhh chirrrruppppp
.
NOBODY LAUGHED !
NOBODY !!!!
.
.i despair
b rest things been here in years
NOPE
*chirrups*
Just saw a play set half in Swindon and half in London. Really! And it is good on its merits.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Curious_Incident_of_the_Dog_in_the_Night-Time_(play)
bt8, i laughed when i read your link; my English mother-in-law just returned to Devon Monday after a visit, and left me that book to read. it is sitting on the coffee table on which i am resting my feet 🙂 glad to hear you enjoyed the play!
aww ?
good night
oh, I laughed, just it was an hour
too late.
Didn’t know there was a play – don’t
suppose it’ll get to Osaka. But it
was an interesting and funny novel.
I liked it more than the people in
Texas did (according to wikipedia)
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Curious_Incident_of_the_Dog_in_the_Night-Time
Swindon?
May I recommend Jasper Fforde’s wonderfully funny books centred on Swindon where, in a parallel universe, there is no United Kingdom, Wales is the independent Socialist Republic of Wales, The Crimean War is still being waged in 1985, Russia still has a Czar, the Whig Party still exists in the House of Commons, books are more popular than football, reconstituted dodos roam the parks, mammoths ruin your flower beds and amongst it all literary detective Thursday Next (a cult hero in literary circles) has to save the world.
Just start at the first novel ‘The Eyre Affair’ or you won’t have a clue what’s going on.
Website of the fictional city Swindon in Jasper Fforde’s parallel universe … http://www.jasperfforde.com/swindon/swindonalbum.html
Be sure to visit the Seven Wonders of Swindon in the above. 😀
I didn’t mean Koscielny would be introduced from the bench I meant Giroud. Never post after too many glasses of vino!
??????????????????????https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCnL7_8qCRI
??????????????????????
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCnL7_8qCRI
fuckin technology
wilfully shiting over christmas joy
SHITING !!!
according to herself
who started this whole fuckin carry on
i will be snoring by half 5
.
it’s a possibility
UP THE ARSENAL
bit preachy that song
wonderful though
.
.
here comes Santi Claus…..
.
FUCK MAN URE
repeat
pardon
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCnL7_8qCRI
eh ?
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVMCUtsmWmQ
.
.
one for the mighty ‘holic
loves a bitta bing
loves ‘im e duz
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9kfdEyV3RQ
or the other fella
.
.
baths favourite joke
what’s the difference between bing crosby and walt disney ?
.
bing sings an walt disnae
as a committed lapsed catholic non christian
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIO3KvvgCqA
what a tuuuuune
.
yeah committed
HA HA !
.
smartarses
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEvGKUXW0iI
cba, do you ever sleep?
can you send round that energy drink you made?
tool edge ends at 126. Lovely.
merry christmas bath
??????????
.
ye fer the match ?
Thanks for the preview, Holic !
cba,
I appreciate that you appreciate the odd attempts at humour.
I did indeed reply to OMatt’s “chirrup” with a ” ? “.
Sadly, very few come in here just for a laugh these days – or maybe the humour is just not worthy of reply.
As long as you enjoy it, mate – i’ll keep making the effort whenever time permits.
Taling of time permits, I asked an Irish fella the other day what a single yellow line at the edge of the road meant.
He said it meant no parking at all.
So I asked him double yellow lines meant.
He said they meant no parking at all, at all.
See you later ?
Missing my season ticket for games like today.
It means another trip out to catch it on BT this evening, cos I’m certainly not paying for the biased crap they serve up.
132 – “merry christmas bath”
I wish you a merry christmas bath too.
You jolly well have one whether you need it or not ….. ?
trev
my other smart friend
merry christmas squire
???????????
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUKku3MhCPs
Heh ! 🙂
All I can say to you is –
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c17xydS2vgU
🙂
grilling small critters
would’ve been seared in my mind anyway
then
osaka M chirruped
.
both of ye
as good as language can be thrown
TOP OF THE RANGE !
.
sláinte fellas
Aaaaahhh
I love her
?????
139
no better than yourself, cba
GET A ROOM , the pair o ye
????????????
.
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9dbbiHA8tg
but
don’t despair kids
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56u6g0POvo0
it is
no it’s not
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEyEO_LVESk
.
.
gettin edgy now
last time i saw The Arse was 89
the year
not the documentary or the game
.
that’s a long time ago
.
.
if i win the lottery
i will buy the tollie
and bar the lotta ye
cept all o ye
cept steve T
strict no old school mod policy
lets face it
they don’t spend
they preen and check out each other’s ben shermans
the neat and freshly smelling twonks
(‘holic , we still good for 40p per drink)
i wouldn’t normally ask
it’s herself
add brackets up above
and go sssshhhhhhhh
see 154
big boss man
is probbly selling whelks out the back of a Ford Granada daaan olloway
way
“leave it dave , e ain’t wurfit”
.
.
as a sometime bouncer
at The Shillelagh and Vomit
.
let there be no panic
for it is to your rescue
i would make haste
etc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YACLQOt9NgI
Lacazette!!
Come OOOOOn!
How can he be fit?
.
ooooooh
get her
How can anyone not have understood that Arsene was bluffing in the presser with regards to Lacazzete?
🙂
This will be a mouthwatering 4-2 to the Arse (sorry Holic!).
Spurs draw. Atkinson fails to give PK to Hornets at the death for a dead-on Dier handball in the box.
Terrible defence and calamity.
What the fuck?
Fucking useless
Oh I’ve fucked it up, I’ll go off with an “injury”
Fucking collapse end off
Very odd sub, this. Very.
Well, enjoy the rest of the game lads. Arsenal don’t do miracle comebacks.
My stream lags by a minute or two. Just say Xhaka’s chance.
Doesn’t look like it’s our fucking day.
Quite liking the fight in the team.. despite the scoreline….!
Yeah BB, we were punished by our own mistakes…no room for error in game like this…
Expect Mourinho to roll out the double deckers with this score line. But if the team keeps fighting like it has done, even with a loss, this won’t be an abject disaster.
Two stupid defensive mistakes by our two in form defenders. Should definitely have got one back if not both the goals with the amount of chances we have created…but the ball just wouldn’t go in the net.
Need to keep up the same level and an early second half goal could open the door for a couple more. We will be vulnerable to the counter attack but that’s the only way back and we do look very likely to score.
Top effort after going behind and need to keep this up through the second half…
Get the fuck in!
…and there I was wondering what would be more important in this situation: the aerial presence of Giroud or the nimbleness of Lacazzete 😉
This is insane stuff.
It could be any score by the end.
I’ve had an in-play of 5-3 at 150/1 lol
Shocking defending yet again from Koscienlny and what the fuck is Xhaka doing there?
But 5-3 is on… 😉
Moaninho got the better of Wenger’s tactics yet again, and some great ‘keeping by De Gea/bad finishing from us
A Xhaka shocker; ball watching instead of marking the runner.
I don’t think Moaninho get the better if Wenger’s tactic today, I think our defense got the the better of Wenger this time…
Their fwds were closing our fullbacks and that pressure led to 2 cheap goals,and that in the first minutes of the game, was over by half time
Pogba is off, surely the bus is coming
It was two mistakes that lead to two goals, they are nit even closing in that close, but that was just two mistakes too much
FUCK THE BUS NONSENSE AMBY
BLAAAAAAAAAAAAA
WE’RE SHITING IN OUR OWN NEST HERE
.
stops shouting
For sure the penalty on Welbz would be given against us
PENALTY…not given… 🙁
It’s a nonsense that makes sense though…
F..k me it’s gonna be a looong week until the next game
First half errors made the difference in the end, we were way too casual and never in the game.
Yet again Moaninho outclassed Wenger seen it all too many times, broken record keeps playing the same tune.
De Gea man of the match by a country mile….And two nailed on penalties not given – how surprising is that!!
Can’t complain about the performance tonight bar those two stupid mistakes by the defenders in the first half. Let the team down tonight after three great performances. Need to put this loss behind and go on a winning run again. As for the gap between the red Mancs and us, it will be back to four points again next week when City stuff them on their own patch.
shiting that rhymes with shiting
fucking shite
.
an i dont pay bt an annual subscription for this !
not a bitta bloody wonder
cunts
on an off the pitch
.
.
Mr. C.B. Arsed
Fuckedoffingham
bleep
.
bleep
BANG
I have to disagree with you ATG on the statememt that we were too casual and never in the game. When we lost 4-0 to Liverpool, we were never in the game but tonight, we were trying hard but not defend hard. Three stupid errors, completely avoidable. In the end, a bitter pill we need to swallow and i hate swallowing those bitter pills over and over again.
COYG
Cba is more prolific than our strikers ?
ATG it was two mistakes by out defenders that was to blame and not a tactical thing that cost us tonight. Also it was the sort of night where the ball wouldn’t go in the net for us whereas their first goal went in through the legs of Monreal and Cech.
So if you saw this as a tactical victory by Maureen over Wenger then you are way off the mark. In fact it was a very good tactical decision by Wenger to bring on Iwobi and switch to a back four and it should have paid rich dividends if not for the heroics of De Gea. Also to be denied two clear penalties in the end was cruel on us but given the kind of day it was I guess De Gea would have saved them as well!!
Can’t complain about the performance or the tactics from the manager tonight…
We played well after the first fifteen minutes and with a bit of awareness to find the right player to score and better shooting (which they showed – they were spot on and took all their chances very well) we could have won this game. The better but more casual team lost.
We can take heart from our display after falling behind 2-0. We should learn from this debacle and move on.
Xhaka is a shit defender and doesn’t do the basics right. He is slow and ponderous and plays well when he is given a lot of space and time by the opposition. He didn’t have that luxury today.
The commentators and the TV anchors are very happy and the cunts can’t stop grinning. Talk of unbiased reporting. The media is so biased as are the refs.
Definitely can complain about the defending and tactics. Whatever Wenger did in training in the run up to this match it definitely did not take into consideration the very obvious counterattacking Mourinho was going to do. We were cut apart again and again when they had the ball with as many runners coming at us as we had people back and arguably Koscielny should have been sent off. Our lack of appreciation for their ability on the counter from the start was naïve and yes we were very casual with the ball in the back which resulted in the mistakes. We were also frustratingly weak in the physical one on one battles with Koscielny also being big culprit. Lastly, after they had Pogba sent off we didn’t really drive at them with any conviction or raise the intensity. We had chances yes but we passed it around a bit too much in front of their defense, crossed a lot for Giroud and no one was making runs in the channels or behind their full backs and we didn’t test De Gea properly
@Desi
Don’t you think they were instructed to pressure our defenders early on? Same as we did against Totts? Afterward it’s no rocket science to hit the opponent on the counter, which they did, and could have easily scored more.
On top, DeGea was awesome and saved them.
@GunnerKS, Mustafi took four touches before the ball was nicked off him – it wasn’t great pressing. We play one touch football and our defenders thrive on bringing the ball out from the back through the opposition. It was not relentless pressing at all – it was more us not playing our percentage game. The kind of pressing United were doing is usual for any good quality team that visits us because it is well known how we bring ball out from the back.
And based on current form, if there was a choice to keep Ozil or Sanchez – I would definitely pick Ozil. Alexis was quite sloppy today and has looked out of form for the last four or five games.
I also concur re Ozil vs Alexis 🙂
Defensively shit, I didn’t like any of the substitutions and after the third went in, we did nothing of much use.
Great game, rubbish result, very average in too many areas, Pogba is filth, Mourinho still a cunt.
210 + 1
cept great game
I was at the match and have returned after a detailed analysis with my neighbours at the match and my travelling companions- and several others on the tube/ train.
I’ve not back drunk but the first thing to say is that this was stupendous entertainment for the neutral but an intensely frustrating experience for Arsenal fans. They started much quicker than us and Mustafi recessed back to his worst incarnation after being brilliant recently. They induced panic every time we had tge ball because they closed us down brilliantly and we defended naively. How does a back3/5 concede the space Valencia has for the first goal ?-and Mustafi was very clumsy for the second goal.
After that we played well. Wenger was bold but I would have trusted Wilshere rather than Iwobi. Ozil was terrific, the most committed I have seen him and Lacazette created huge problems for them. We needed ideally to get one before half time but scored soon after the restart. The killer was the third though we nearly conceded before that. Every time they pressured us Koscielny in particular was all over the place.
We should have had at least one pen, possibly two and De Gea was extraordinary. I’m gutted we lost but we showed spirit and lots of attacking quality but Xhaka is not the right player to drive our midfield from deep.
I liked Wenger’s boldness but hate him as I do Moaninho knows how to set up a team away from home. We need to regroup and put a run together. Liverpool will play like United did today but until we play Chelsea the others are winnable
if anyone writes a better tune than this
lemme know
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVEhDrJzM8E
Pretty simple tactics really. Go for the jugular early, score a goal or two, and then park the bus. Certainly works when you’re playing a charity organisation like Arsenal who regularly begin games by giving away presents like it’s Christmas. Why do we never learn?
If I’d been a neutral I would have thought it the best game I’d seen in years. But…
Okay, now I’ve back-read and TTG has it as I saw it to a tee. Not being a masochist I won’t be reading further back. I’d rather forget it. I just wish our manager could send his players out better prepared fo games like this.
Chris
How is it the mangers fault if 2 experienced Intl defenders make fucking school boy errors.
Get a grip man.
It was a fantastic game of football and on another day we would have scored half a dozen.
The fight and spirit we showed was tremendous and if we keep that up we will be okay.
On another note,
Church is cancelled tomorrow as God is an Arsenal supporter and has thrown a hissy fit.
Have to agree with Chris@215. TTG@212 nailed it. But if you go 2-0 down in the first eleven minutes, and mostly of your own doing, then it is a huge hill to climb back. And they don’t deserve a keeper like de Gea. He saved them three points today, and not for the first time.
Thanks Chris- it was fantastic entertainment, dubiously refereed, although games like that are impossible to referee without contention.
I believe Koscielny should not have played against Huddersfield and we are going to need to give him regular rests especially over the Christmas period. We have lots of Centre backs and should pick his games for him .
I hope we can keep Ozil but after his admission that he wants to win the Champions League and if its true that clubs like Barca and United are in for him they have much better chances of doing that than we have. We are going to be very stretched to qualify again.
As for Sanchez he is a huge talent but has real flaws and we should have sold him in July. If we are to lose them both we can’t sacrifice£60 m and I don’t think Sanllehi has been lured from Barca to trade with peanuts. We needed to clear the decks in July, sign a couple of young talents we can mould and who can get the best out of Lacazette.
We now really need a much stronger midfielder than Xhaka. He is not a PL central midfielder . Anyone can play Fantasy Football but I would give Wilshere some games over Christmas to see If he can nail down that job( I don’t think it’s his best role ) I don’t think Carvalho is good enough but we need a top talent there and maybe Draxler and Fekir for our two superstars . But we are in a bind if Wenger is not going to let Ozil and Sanchez go probably because he cant sign replacements in January. Wenger’s judgement is very flawed on this one and it should have never been allowed to get to this stage .
How is it the mangers fault if 2 experienced Intl defenders make fucking school boy errors.
It’s how you respond I suppose and I would never have used Iwobi to replace Mustafi, nor would I have put Welbeck on and his replacement of Kolasinac with Giroud was ridiculous.
Bellerin had just got clumped, they were preparing to take off Lacazette and for some reason he didn’t give Bellerin a couple of minutes to see how he was, he just made his last change and left him on. Turns out he was struggling… who’d have possibly guessed that might be the case after a heavy challenge into the back of the knee.
You can’t blame him for the errors on the field but you can criticise the subs and wonder if certain players weren’t fully fit especially if their fitness wasn’t great in midweek.
After watching him for a season and a half, what exactly does Granit Xhaka provide that makes Arsenal a better side? Just asking….
No one at Man Utd is angry with Pogba for the challenge on Bellerin as he is not that kind of a person. They are angry with Kos because he remonstrated with the ref and pressured him to give a red card to Pogba. Can’t make up this stuff.
There is very little mention in the media of the two penalties which were denied us. However, when a penalty claim against Arsenal is not given TV goes to town and keeps replaying the incident. Double standards.
Three points dropped against not so great opposition. We paid the price for shooting straight at their keeper. The one time Lacazette hit it away from De Gea it went in.
How is it the mangers fault if 2 experienced Intl defenders make fucking school boy errors
It’s hardly the first time our defence has been woeful at the start of a game, Clive, which has me believing the manager either can’t send his team out in the right frame of mind, or has forgotten how woeful our defence has been at the start of too many games. Either he, or a designated pre-match motivator, isn’t doing his job.
Nor is AW quite the force he was tactically. I believe he was done like a dinner today by Moaninho who decided, rightly, that dual strikers would be the best way to crack our back 3 early, before hanging on grimly (and luckily) to what they had. It’s just no surprise any more how ‘lucky’ Moaninho can be game after game against AW.
Even so we still could have won it, with better strikers (than Iwobi and Welbeck), or with better luck, or with someone other than de Gea to beat.
Chris
I don’t think it has anything to do with motivation or preparation,i just think the 2 players involved made errors of judgement.
That’s on them not the manager.
Whatever the reason,it cost us big time.
Players at this level shouldn’t need motivating.
As TTG and Chris said last night, that was a hell of a match. After our two early Christmas gifts to Manure we showed great determination and but for De Gea we would have won this game.
For me the game turned on Rocha’s ‘head injury’. We had equalised and built huge momentum and an equaliser was coming. Manure were on the rack and couldn’t keep the ball and the crowd were right behind the team’s forward drive. However when the game restarted that tempo had gone and we let them break out and committed yet another basic defensive sin – where was the cover at the far post where Lingard tapped in Pogba’s pass?
Best I’ve seen Ozil play. If he would only stay and look to pass to Lacazette next season we would have a new Dennis – Thierry combo. Sadly I think we’ll see him in the away shirt for this fixture next season. I thought Iwobi also had one of his better games for us and thought that was a good substitution given the circumstances. Ramsey was tireless. Alexis is still the Duracell bunny but for all the jerking around there’s far too little end product. Time to cash in.
We are entering transition again gents.
Apologies, the report will be this evening. Busy day ahead.
What? I have to wait that long to know what REALLY happened? Come on, HOLIC, raise your game.
Players at this level shouldn’t need motivating.
Problem is, for the past ten years or more this is precisely the kind of player we’ve had in our squad.
Nice to see Ozil busting a gut for a change but I wonder if that was a performance more for his next manager than the current one*
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*this is intended tongue in cheek, but with more than a suspicion of truth about it.
Eventually >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>