Gunners To Win Away Again?
Sep 14th, 2018 by 'holic
I’ve been back an hour from almost a week north of the border in which I have seen zero news about football, The Arsenal or otherwise. A hasty glance at Arsenal.com informs me that the international break hasn’t cost us any more injuries. How did England get on against Switzerland? Seriously, I haven’t a clue what happened this week.
Unai Emery has a big week ahead with our Europa League bow against FC Vorskla (no, I haven’t either, before you ask!) following Saturday afternoon’s trip to Newcastle. Only Unai Emery will know which of his players, if any, have come back from their countries below optimum level. This week certainly provides an opportunity to see all of his squad put to good use.
At St James Park the manager may well consider starting the eleven who eventually overcame Cardiff last time out. That would mean a reprieve for Peter Cech in goal but surely Bernd Leno will get the nod on Thursday, if not on Saturday.
Hector Bellerin, Shkodran Mustafi, Sokratis Papastathopoulos, and Nacho Monreal seem likely to be retained, but Thursday may provide Stephan Lichsteiner the chance to stake a claim for the right-back slot.
Ahead of them there has been something of a clamour for Lucas Torreira to get a starting place, but he had a long trip to South America to recover from so Granit Xhaka and Matteo Guendouzi look set to continue.
Last week’s attacking combo of Mesut Ozil, Aaron Ramsey, and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, behind Alexandre Lacazette showed in spells that they could well unlock defences this season. Alex Iwobi is fit to return and if Ozil fails to make his first visit to Newcastle Henrikh Mkhitaryan will be keen for a recall.
The hosts had reported possible doubts about two key midfielders, Shelvey and Ritchie, but the BBC say they were back in training today. They will surely be needed if the Geordies are to reverse their poor form in a difficult start to this season. They gained their solitary point at Cardiff with a goal-less draw. They have thrice lost by a 1-2 scoreline against Manchester City, Chelsea, and the Middlesex Nomads.
The ‘holic pound
I’m backing our forward line to prise open a solid Newcastle defence and go one better than the other winners against them. 1-3 to The Arsenal is a tasty 14/1 if you compare what’s available.
There, necessarily short but sweet. It’s time to enjoy the gifts of single malt from my Scots family now.
Have a great one, ‘holics.
35 Responses to “Gunners To Win Away Again?”
Bang.
Let’s hope the boys are as clinical tomorrow.
Nice preview H.
I like your 3-1. I can’t see us keeping a clean sheet.
Bang. Third goal flies in!
I won’t get to see any of the game. I’ll probably be unable even to keep up with the live scores.
But, screw it, I’m on the vino and some monumental tapas- so I’m going for a 4-0 spanking…
On the Arse! ?
Fine preview Guvna. You missed absolutely nothing footballistically. 3-1 to the good guys will do very nicely but we will have to work hard as I don’t expect the barcodes to be as inept as they’ve been.
I’m glad you finally managed to tear yourself away from the delights of Worcester and undertake some missionary work across the border. I hope that’s a bottle of one of your favourites or a delightful new discovery.
Slàinte. ?
Cool preview Guv’nor.
May the holic pound come to pass. However, I don’t mind a 0 – 2 scoreline. Can we just stop conceding to smaller teams? I miss clean sheets.
Nice to have you back Guvna. England won 1-0 ( Rashford) and Xhaka was apparently very good which shows how bad the England midfield is. Unless we drop Xhaka we will struggle to win at St. James but I’m taking Aubameyang and Laca to fire us to a 2-1 triumph . No way will we keep a clean sheet
We have had six clean sheets in our last nine league games against Newcastle.
Evening H
Glad you got back safely from the land of Robert the Bruce,who is unique among Kings,in that his Body is buried in Dunfermline Abbey,his heart is interred in Melrose Abbey,and his internal organs were embalmed and interred at St Serf’s chapel in Dumbarton,thus defying the concept that you can’t be in 3 places at once. !!
As for Saturday,as long as we win,any scoreline will do me.
Newcastle’s average possession per game so far this season,seems to be around the 30% mark,so adventurous they won’t be.
They will be happy with a point,and if they get all 3,they will be doing cartwheels.
Again early goals please to silence the crowd,and make them come out and play.
Just read the interview with Joe Willock after the under 21 win over Coventry,and he said that the players had really struggled with the new way Freddie wanted them to play this season,which is mirroring the first team,how the players fought with each other trying to work it out,but now they have in his words ” Got it “,they think it’s brilliant.
Lets hope the first team. ” Get it “, sooner rather than later as well.
Not too many more opportunities on Saturday afternoons. Please win this one before we are faced with a barrage of Sunday fixtures following Thursday nighters.
Seriously, I haven’t a clue what happened this week.
A week on the falling down water will do that to a chap.
I miss clean sheets.
And that.
Welcome home. Civilisation is here. And bad jokes too.
Thanks for the preview Guvnor.
Team looks about right given
the international break. To be
honest I am a bit worried about
the game as although Newcastle
have had a bad start I’d only have
expected them to get 1 point out
of those 4 games. I think they’re
a little better than Cardiff and we
made hard work of them.
Still, no reason we can’t get 2 or
3 goals again and I hope that will
be enough.
I hope the boss tells them “don’t
let that useless wanker Shelvey
play well”
Morning Holics
I will be in transit to and from Stansted Airport this afternoon and next Sunday afternoon so will miss tuning into the games live. Am off to Croatia on my annual September trip but hope to catch the EL match with friends in Trogir.
Hoping for a better defensive show from our back 5 and please who is ever playing right sided MF make sure you cover for Hector when he is in the opposing half supporting our attackers. He has received a mass of criticism which is well over the top. Undoubtedly he is playing further forward under Emery’s instructions. I have to support my favourite player !
Holic you may be on a winner this afternoon, for me any win will do.
COYR
Come ON!
Xhaka must have incriminating photos of Emery ad well as Wenger.
Torreira on the bench again but Auba and Laca start.
Any win will do. COYG.
Cech, Bellerin, Sokratis, Mustafi, Monreal, Xhaka, Guendouzi, Aubameyang, Ramsey, Ozil, Lacazette.
Subs: Leno, Lichtsteiner, Holding, Elneny, Torreira, Mkhitaryan, Welbeck.
I share your sentiments Dexter. Guendouzi is a great talent but so raw and much more of a gamble than Torreira. There is clearly one if those things going on in that we are not playing the two big signings who have the potential to change the scope of what we do. We desperately hope Cech doesn’t cock up like Bambi on ice and Xhaka keeps a sensible head on him and puts in a shift( almost impossible )
Five games in and plus ca change
Still the Totts are shite!
I’m all for easing Lucas in. But I’d rather Elneny played while that happens!
Anyway…
Up the Arse!!
TTG. Indeed. And here’s hoping!
We looked second best for best part of the first half and worryingly didn’t create anything. Need to raise our game if we are to get the three points.
Halfway to a clean sheet?
Anyone with a more positive
take on the half?
Cos I ain’t to be honest.
Torreira on that half. Fingers crossed
it works COYGs!!!
Get in!!!! Xhaka, for once, produces a great free kick. 0-1.
Brilliant dummy by Torreira on the free
kick 🙂
Unai is a genius 🙂
Credit to Xhaka though – he takes
plenty of stick (including from me)
but it was a good strike
Newcastle are kicking lumps out of our players. The foul on Auba which led to the free kick was a bad one but the ref just grinned. Poetic justice we scored from the free kick.
Xhaka deserves some love for once.
Still a long way to go.
Ozil!!!! 0-2.
Clever finish for 2-0
Different team 2nd half.
Should have been 3-0 Auba
Be nice to wrap up a convincing
away win – I can’t remember the
last one – but mostly i’d like a
clean sheet from here
I’ve been at work all day. Just on the train home now and have just gone through Walthamstow. Several from the comedy spud fraternity have boarded the train. The moaning and whining at the fact we are 2 up and they lost is truly comical.
Just made my day.
Lee Probert keeps on grinning and hasn’t produced one yellow card for them, the fucker.
Great save by Cech but that no one tracked their forward’s run is of concern.
Right on cue, we have conceded. 1-2. The crowd have got their voice back.
Third straight win and we bossed the second half.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>