QPR Preview And Opportunities To Impress
May 2nd, 2013 by 'holic
Queens Park Rangers, away. Last season it was a fixture that came close to derailing our push for Champions League football this season. A repeat is unthinkable.
By the time we take to the pitch at Loftus Road it is likely that we will have slipped a place with the neighbours entertaining Southampton in the afternoon. We cannot influence their result, but we can focus on gaining the win that would lift us back into third place before Chelsea visit Old Trafford on Sunday.
The team news, such as it is on a Thursday night (sorry, I am not around tomorrow night after Arsene’s presser), is good. The only definite absentees are Olivier Giroud (suspended) plus the injured Lukasz Fabianski and Abou Diaby.
As the rest of the squad will have had a free midweek to freshen up I suspect the decisions Arsene has to make centre around who plays at right back, and who will lead the line. Many would support a recall for Carl Jenkinson, but it is probable that Bacary Sagna will be retained for his experience and his ability in the air, particularly as Giroud remains unavailable.
There could well be a change up front however. Lukas Podolski would be the starter of choice if fully fit, but there remains a doubt. If we could perform with the intensity evident in the first-half last Sunday then Theo Walcott and Gervinho could both be given a start. This would give us the option of rotating them and causing some confusion for Armand Traore on Rangers left flank, not to mention the likelihood of a less than mobile partnership in the centre of the home team’s back four.
Often we are criticised for concentrating only on our performance and not preparing to combat the strengths of the opposition. How difficult will that be this weekend given the lack of any sort of fight from Rangers as they have lost their Premier League status? Amusing though it is that ‘Arry has struck again there is the awful possibility that an expensively assembled squad free from the enormous pressure of a relegation dogfight will finally relax and show what they are capable of.
However we look to have developed an ability to get results by hook or by crook of late and so the ‘holic pound will seek a return on an away win. An early goal for us could open the floodgates, but I am anticipating something a little more strenuous on the heart. Favourite with the bookies is a 0-2 to Arsenal but I am taking Rangers to make it a nervy one with a goal of their own. Shop around for 17/2 against Arsenal winning 1-2.
Not Such A Quiet Week
With no midweek action there has been increased focus on what the club is attempting to achieve off the pitch. I have to say that news of a new Junior Gunners Lite membership and cheaper tickets for 12-16 year olds is a positive step for me. Such an enclosure was a feature of Highbury that many of us experienced. You served your apprenticeship in there looking up at the North Bank and dreaming of the day you made that step up. I’m looking forward to hearing some high-pitched encouragement for the team next season, and I’m sure that will spread to the rest of the Family enclosure as well. Well played on that one Arsenal.
I’m told there is further news to come about ticket availability and distribution for next season. It will be interesting to see the exact nature of that. Nobody wants to see empty seats in the ground most weeks despite the fact that all of the matches sell-out. From personal experience I know there are many conflicting pressures on the box office.
Some season ticket holders either cannot or will not attend every game and should be given more straightforward ways of making those seats available to fellow members. Clearly ticket exchange is not working for all. Silver members, long-standing Gooners often feel that they are being squeezed paying a premium for membership and tickets invariably available only in the expensive upper tiers. Red members demand a bigger slice of the pie as well. Throw into the mix obvious gaps in Club Level this season and there is clearly some scope for the club to make some popular decisions. We’ll see what transpires soon enough.
So…
That’s it for another preview. Those fortunate enough to have tickets for Loftus Road, have a great evening. I know you will create all of the atmosphere there. For many of the rest it is a bank holiday weekend (sorry if it isn’t for you). Result permitting let’s eat, drink, and be merry.
Finally a special mention for Dizzy. Glasses will be raised to you all weekend mate.
Cheers ‘holics.
285 Responses to “QPR Preview And Opportunities To Impress”
It actually really irritates me that some teams that go out of the CL group stage are parachuted into the Europa League (I know we got to the UEFA Cup final in 2000 because of it but even so, we shouldn’t have done really). I can understand it for teams being knocked out in qualifying for the group stages, but once they’ve begun that’s the competition you’re in, you shouldn’t get a second chance. Chelsea might now wind up with a trophy this season, simply because they were too crap to get through in the group stages. Meanwhile we get to the last 16 so we don’t get any extra shot at a trophy after going out. Did Abramovich make some Faustian pact in March 2012 to get all this ill-deserved European success?
*repeats bitter rant from last post*
As for QPR, I’m looking it at this way. If we win, great, one down, two to go. If we don’t beat a team as terrible as QPR, we don’t even deserve a Europa League spot. I know they might play more freely since relegation was confirmed, but they’re a side we’re well capable of beating. That doesn’t mean it will be a cakewalk, but we’ve been getting good results since mid-March (much better form than we had through April last year) and we just have to continue that.
Preview already?
And 3-1 Benfica
I was just reading your post on the previous drinks, Charlie 🙂
Champs League requires breaking a few rules here and there …
I’ll be there but no bank holiday weekend.
Had a bank holiday last weekend, and a 2 day week next so can’t complain really!
Merry month of May…. 😉
Sorry not last weekend, just yesterday!
Now to read the preview. 😉
Walcott v. Armand Traore? The prospect sounds tasty but let’s not count our chickens until they are hatched, or until Traore turns into one.
Nice preview ‘H. 2-1 to the Arsenal sounds on the money, even if it is the kiss of death 😉
Think both Sagna and Poldi will play. If that proves to be the case, I can’t make my mind up whether I agree or disagree. Pros and cons.
Good news on the ticketing front. 800 seats for the 12-16 age bracket I believe. It’s certainly a start.
Preview?
On a school night? What is this sorcery?
Dr Z – Last drinks – It would be close but I think the Invincibles would win more than they would lose.
A lot would depend on who gets PV4. 😉
A listers in tonight I see 😉
Got a works bash tomorrow night, z. Team-building in the guise of a birthday piss up 🙂
bt8, let’s not forget last season’s corresponding fixture…
Good luck with that, ‘holic! 😀
tabs, they get a half each with Paddy – Invincibles sneak it in injury time 😉
Please Benfica, do the treble.
In the space of a week, we have alcohol being used to explain away both a late and a premature post……jeez, this place is going downhill…. 😉
Haha, sounds about right Dr Z re the Invincibles. 🙂
Fancy Benfica to beat the Chavs.
Heh!
And out Saturday night too, so QPR report will be Sunday too 😉
I was feeling quite confident about Saturday until I realised the game was on ESPN – which means, for me the Elizabethan.
At least I won’t be accompanied by the Jonah that is BtM….. 😉
haha zico 17
Biggest laugh of the night? Listening to Spartak Chelski fans singing “champions of Europe,we know what we are” during the semi final of the Euro equivalent of the Milk Cup.
Oh dear.
Evening all.
I fear QPR will play as if their careers depended on it. A ‘shop window’ performance from all their overpaid ‘stars’ desperate not to play in the championship next season. A squeaky 2-2.
Evening all,
The match reports on here are fast becoming history posts. 😉
Oi, I saw that Trev 😉
All out attack on saturday, no ‘patience’ – no slow possession. All-out Birtzkrieg Gung-ho Up*At’em attack. Win this game in the first half because we suck hanging on at the death.
Early goal and they roll over. If we play with nerves and a hand break it will be a nail biter. I’m not sure QPR will be “shop windowing”, I think a lot have egos too big to even care about that.
Tonking!!! Arsenal till I die!
Underestimate QPR at your peril. The gunners may have an easier run in compared to the London teams but nothing could be further from the truth.
Arsenal have a habit of tripping when the going gets tough.Matches against sides fighting sides fighting relegation are never easy. Though QPR are relegated ,rest assured Harry will want to go down with a bang.
I have a QPR season ticket holder’;s ticket. He wants us to win so we finish above Chelsea.. Having been to Loftus Road last year I am practicing pulling in my knees. They have 40 rows in the stand where only 35 are really appropriate.
I have been concerned about this game all week but have just consumed six pints of Guinness in Dublin and am now sure we will win 3-0. We should be good enough to win but it is a small,shitty pitch,they are free of any pressures and ‘Arry ,Gooner that he is probably hates Wenger and wants to win.
I still remain hopeful despite the Guinness effect that we will win and of course Chavski should lose at OT. Hopefully LWCs will disappoint their fans at home to Southampton.
2-0 to the Arsenal sounds a decent call.
Ps-spare a thought for Tunbridge Wells in the FA Vase on Saturday. My grandson is paying his second visit to Club Wembley (he is five!) and hopes to see silverware.
Very concerned about Sunday.
Cautiously optimistic, but very concerned.
BMBD
PS – I’ve missed you guys. Several bottle of Sting’s finest chianti for you all.
Game is Saturday, Lonestar. Hope things are going well with the new little one.
TTG,
Are we going to win 3-0 or 2-0? You gave two predictions in one post. 😉
Red,
I don’t think it matters a wink if I underestimate QPR. Unless of course, AW wants to go with my experience on the pitch. 😉 The team however, I hope has finally learned their lesson that any ( Bradford, Blackburn, Norwich) can take a game off us if we are not up to it. Have we learned our lesson or will we play with ” the hand break on”? That is always a question with Arsenal and won’t be answered until Saturday.
I am still hoping for a tonking. We need to boost our goal deferential as much as we can.
Oh and Lonestar, I hope you got a good chuckle out of Farcelona’s result.
Cent, I would love Cesc back, he is my second favorite Arsenal player behind Henry.
Cheers all.
I’d have Cesc back but only if he’s willing to burn his Barca shirt and stone Pique and the Caveman in front of the Emirates crowd.
Then he’ll be welcomed back by me and mine 😉
We don’t need 6 world class players, weazle, and haven’t got £160 million anyway. What is your point? Or, better still … What is the point of you?
Oskar
Cheers Oskar. Hope all is well in the so very south.
Pop goes the pussyweasel would be a much happier individual if he supported Chelski. They may spend that type of cash. Ah, but he only is looking for attention anyway. Tootle loo.
The idea players who haven’t gelled all season will suddenly learn the trick of it is nonsense. We have a +57 goal difference over QPR and should make it closer to +65 IF we play to our ability. (0-4 would make it +65)
That said we also have the ability to cock up monumentally, shooting high, wide and ugly all day. I can’t see them scoring more than one, while our tally could be anything between zero and 10. I shall, as usual, be recording the match as it is played in the middle of the night here, and will toy with the idea of checking the score first so I can watch the replay without risk of heart failure. More likely I will watch until we are well ahead, or I cannot take the tension any more if it’s close.
Hopefully AW will play Poldi on the wing where he belongs (until fully fit anyway) with Theo up front, Ox on the right and TR7 and Jack in the middle.
Oskar
I thought he WAS a Chelski supporter, NorCal. He’s dumb enough, aye.
Oskar
Liverpoo has spent the 3rd most in the league over the past decade. Where has that spending gotten them? Spuds, 5th most and their trophy cabinet?
We are never going to compete with the sheer spending power of Chelski, man shitty, or even manure and that’s a fact. 160 million would put us in a load of debt that we would have to finance. Further commercial deals would have to increase significantly just to service the debt meaning it would be a one shot spend. It ain’t gonna happen.
Can we and should we spend a little more than we have in the past 5 years? Absolutely, and with the revenue from the commercial deals looking to escalate I think we will. But not anywhere near an outlay of 160 million.
Enjoy your meal troll. I am sure I will be talking to myself in the morning.
I have just finished writing my speech on how to play poker. This is in a public speaking class which included a tribute speech about Herbert Chapman, an informative speech about The Arsenal, and a persuasive speech on how the FA are cunts.
I like this class 🙂
You don’t need to persuade me Snir 😉
There are currently 16 teams behind Arsenal in the EPL and another 72 in the other four divisions of English football, weazle, most of whom can only dream of being as successful as Arsenal. I suggest you direct your wisdom to them. I mean, it may never have occurred to them that all they need to do is spend £160 million!
Yep, they definitely need you more than we do. 😉
Oskar
Top post Holic!
This is interesting I have to say:
http://www.marca.com/2013/05/03/en/football/barcelona/1367567191.html
ATG, I really don’t get that shit though:
he scored a hat-trick (or was it 4 goals?) in their Liga game just before the Bayern home-game while Messi was injured, and he was kept on the bench for that 4-0 defeat….
So all right, he wasn’t at the races in the 3-0 return but damage was already done, and the rest weren’t much cop either.
I was thinking the same, Ollie. To blame him for the Bayern mauling is stupid in the extreme.
But then again more than a few blamed much of last season on Squillaci who played a grand total of nine (9) minutes in the Premier League.
Ollie
Just goes to show how pathetic their fan base is! I have also read on other blogs and forums and it seems they don’t really think he fits in the team.
The irony of Barca DNA to no longer required. Funny thing is he never really had enough play time so how can you even come to a conclusion that he is no longer needed. I still don’t think they will let him go though.
People say he’s the new Barca scapegoat 🙂
NorCal
I am still in Dublin and soberer.
The Guinness said 3-0 but my saner self said 2-0 so I will go with that unless I get pissed up with Guinness again which might well happen.
It’s no more reliable than the ‘ ‘Holic pound ( probably less) but I was right about a score in 1964 and have dined out on it ever since.
Snir @ 39
Did you include anything about poker?
Time to switch lightsaber colours.
I seem to have reached 15,000 tweets :s
Facts
Word from Spain now, and Jose Mourinho gave a press conference on Friday morning, at which he was asked about his achievements at Real Madrid.
In response to this, he produced a piece of paper that contained a list of said achievements.
So, in response to a question, he read out a list of ‘facts’?
Suddenly, the key points of Chelsea’s managerial recruitment policy become clear.
Did that piece of paper say ” I’m a cunt” anywhere on it?
Ollie – you around for Wigan?
Assume that since its a Tuesday and you will have nuked Eurostar by then, the answer is no?
Norcal,
that is less of an achievement and more of a fact.
Besides, it’s on his CV…..
zico, I will be around. That’s the train I booked over the phone yesterday (see further above 😉 ).
In fact, between Bayern Away and the end of the season I will have missed only West Brom away.
That’s the good thing about the dates of a couple of London away games and having days off left to take before the end of May!
@ 55 (or whatever it becomes)
Nice one – I have business in London that day! 😉
Lars @44,
Terrible 9 minutes though. 😉
Trev: well, he did more or less cost us one point in those nine minutes with that horrible headed clearance straight to Zamora who scored the winner with the last kick of the game…
I remember you mentioning that possibility a few weeks ago zico, nicely done! 😉
From Previous;
Thanks for the kind ones, and cheers Oxon, bar or no bar, I’d never refuse a free drink. 🙂
Charlie, I agree, that third place in the CL group gets rewarded with a place in the Yourhopeless League is a complete farce, if you’re out you should be out, good bye, God bless, better luck next time.
Nice one ‘holic.
A win tomorrow is paramount for us to achieve our goal, a draw will be useless, a loss not even worth contemplating. I don’t think we should focus on how they will be feeling, but on our own strengths. Believe it or not (and it is pretty hard to believe seeing the stick the team is getting from some quarters) we are the form team in the league. Our record over the last eight games or so is phenomenal.
If we play our game, we will be victorious.
COME ON YOU REDDDDSSSS.
COYG
Find an early goal and get the home crowd on the players’ backs.
That’s all from me.
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/arsenal-train-ahead-of-qpr-match
Dench? Is Poldi trying to impersonate Frimpong?
I hope Fabianski is wrong in this logic but I wouldn’t put it past the ex-Sp**s to try harder to keep Arsenal down than to keep QPR up.
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/-spurs-connection-will-make-it-tough-
H2H You are of course right, at least the Arsenal players shouldn’t be wondering how the QPR players are feeling … 🙂
Re: Ollie @50. Is that a milestone of frequent Eurostar miles? 🙂
Afternoon ladies and gents. Preparing for a big one. It could get messy.
Have a great weekend all.
Have fun, ‘holic!
Watch for St Etienne vs Bordeaux updates on Twitter. If you can 😉
Perhaps I should keep off Twitter as I am celebrating a mad Jock’s birthday, Ollie, and I intend to nail him in the malt stakes 😉
Haha, good luck with that!
Diaby out you say???????????
Have a good evening.
heh Steve T
It’s really really quiet here tonight.
0-0 final score vs St Etienne and Bordeaux (if you ever are able to read that on coming back home, ‘holic 😉 ).
16th draw of the season, boring….
It’s not getting any less quiet
Oxon, Ollie, I think the bar has been moved to Twitter, temporarily.
Ssshh ……………
Silent night………………
Everyone’s too tense to say anything. 😉
No, sir!
Well damnit.
I dont twitter! At leSt ive dropped that old bedwetting habit so thats a plus. Still, was so young back then and what with handling all the liquids … In college.
Norcal – a good buddy of mine is LA, i forget exactly where – but the fire has driven him and his family out to a friends house in pasadena.
A lot of smoke. And hes no wilting flower.
Hope all is good with you and yours.
Oh, where are all the macho men! Course we’re gonna beat ‘arry and his boys!!! Shameful the way his lads behaved after losing to Reading. Do you really think they are magically going to grow ‘a pair’ now?! Oskar @ 36, 1st paragraph, YES! 🙂 Snir, I bet they enjoyed your speech, you have a very nice voice, rich and kinda appealing 😉 Special shout out to Lonestar, miss you bud. Cor, you too. 😉 The rest of you know how I feel about you, duck n cover 🙂 State side holics, game is on Fox Soccer 🙂 UTA!
And here i’ve just discovered St Peter’s golden ale.
Am a guiness man by nature. But this stuff is amazing.
People elsewhere are probably enjoying the nice Spring weather. Here today we had snow, ice pellets and rain. This was after three or four days of Springlike weather following an entirely wintry April. 🙁
8ball, Can’t imagine living w/o my daily dose of sunshine. Hang in there, fella!
Why does the old fart that runs this website always delete comments he disagrees with?
After Tottenham wins their match expect the Gunners to choke a wee bit and fold up like a cheap suitcase. Put your money on QPR 2-1 with Paddy Power. Redknapp, the old master, will re-school that tall thin French dude.
@ 87 He doesn’t delete comments w/o good reason. And I don’t care for agism, either. Read this quote, might make you think twice about age. ‘Some of the freckles I once loved are now closer to liver spots. But it’s still the eyes we look at, isn’t it? That’s where we found the other person, and find them still!’ ~ Julian Barnes 😉
Abb,
It’s hard to be unpleasant to you because you’re so nice. Maybe too nice for a Gooner.
Ageism? I’m not slamming him because he’s old but for his thin skin and quick finger on the delete key. It just a combination of words of fact. He’s old. And he’s a fart. He’s not a fart because he’s old. Nor is he old because he’s a fart. Just a statement of facts. Kinda like Rafa facts. Hence, old fart.
Fergie is called Old Red Nose for the same reason. Just break down each word. Fergie is old — check. Fergie has a big red nose — check. Hence, Old Red Nose. Nothing to do with ageism. Just factism.
In Fergie’s case he’s a massive c*nt also. ‘holic is just an old fart and cannot approach ORN on the Richter scale of twattery.
Here’s hoping for three points, and a nice, comfortable controlled win by a large margin to close the goal difference gap with Chelski.
We can do it!!! Come on Arsenal!
Memo Stewart Robson Knows (#87 etc): Why not start your own blog and show us how it should be done… 😉
Oskar
Spot on Ned. We’ve missed the opportunity to improve the GD on several occasions this season. It’s currently good enough to push the Spuds out, but could be a problem against Chelski. Hopefully theirs will be dented against Man U today and we still have Newcastle on the last day as well as QPR.
Oskar
Esso knows!
In answer to a question posed above, I believe that the man responsible for this blog does not delete posts he disagrees with, in fact he’s quite well known for encouraging discussion here, which does require a certain diversity of opinion, and divergence from his own. He is, however, in the habot of deleting comments that he belives are offensive and add nothing to the general feeling of harmony. You can often get away with one or the other, but very rarely with both. I think you may just scrape over tha bar with your recent “contributions” so, in all likelihodd it will be obvious which comment this is a response to.
Did anyone else hear the whitewash job on Ol’ Twitchy on the Today Program twenty-odd minutes ago? Catch it on iPlayer if you’re bothered – sorry I don’t know my way around the BBC site well enough to find a link. It was interesting to listen to as biased a view about Mr Redknapp as can usually be found here, although at 180 degrees to it.
Let’s stick it to QPR tomorrow.
COYG
Understand this, personality disorder…
I hit the delete key on you because you do nothing but abuse my friends and show disrespect to Arsenal people. The only rule I have on here is that people engage with respect. You seem incapable of doing that.
Were it not for the fact that you share a network with a good friend you would not be appearing at all. Your trolling and general provocation is not welcome.
You have the response you were trying to evoke. You will not get another. You will however continue to have your offerings deleted. In that respect you are the fourth individual I will not entertain on here.
You can hold opinions contrary to mine, as many of my friends here do, if you debate them with in a rational and respectful way.
End of.
5-0 to the Arsenal! That’s me prediction right there, now COYR&Ws let’s make it happen. 😉
I thought this was a website for discussing Arsenal, not making personal attacks on its creator…
So many stupid people using smartphones, technology is not all rosy.
Cry baby, cry, but don’t cry me river…cry me a lagoon.
Great to see the boss making all the right noises about staying on if the board and fans are happy,hopefully they back him with the shackles.im backing a 3 1 win to the goodgguys.
Very, very rational, he certainly bears no grudges against Arsene 😉
Ouch, that cull was fast!
Ha well in cent,sign of a good strike force,two hatchers waiting on the cull just to score 🙂
Cheers Garsguns, but now it will look like I self-assisted. *now waiting for my undeserved yellow card.*
http://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/396857/Incoming-Bayern-Munich-boss-Pep-Guardiola-gives-go-ahead-for-Laurent-Koscielny-deal
Oooh come on!
If this is true our board & manager needs to stand up and tell Pep that he can just f@#k off once and for all!
Sorry for making a first one like this but I’ve had it with “news” 🙂
“this” news
it should say 😉
datsyuk @ 106
Welcome!One reassurance is that anything the Express or Star say is ALWAYS wrong. If they predict sun take an umbrella. Only one thing to do with papers like that but the print comes off on your hand.
COYG!!!
Kos has 4 years left on his contract, Pep can go fuck himself.
Argh, now Hull are winning. Would much prefer Watford up than them.
Spuds v Southampton kickoff delayed to 3.30
So Hull up (bah), and Watford v Leicester/Palace v Brighton in the playoffs. Wouldn’t mind any of them up really, glad Bolton missed out.
Hull? God not those clogging cunts….
Come on Arsenal! We need the points
Off to the juicer early. Gonna need the alcohol lining today.
Good luck everybody.
COME ON YOU GUNNERS!
Szczesny, Sagna, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal, Arteta, Ramsey, Rosicky, Cazorla, Walcott, Podolski.
Just one change at left-back.
Afternoon all,
Hope you’re able to enjoy you’re weekend away Holic despite the trolls and, I imagine, the nerves.
There have been games lately, against lower opposition, where I’ve felt quite comfortable about the outcome. For some reason anxiety is biting today.
It’s probably old YappYapp and Bloody Zamora getting one over us, and the fact that games are fast running out to correct mistakes.
Come on Reds – handbrake off and rack up a hatful.
Please …………
good morning holics! I don’t know if anyone else is watching southampton’s game right now, but they are good value for money through 78 minutes.
Hi scruz yep Soton looking tidy
Bale bails out with 2 1/2 turns
diving fucking monkey. player of the year my banana.
morning acg.
funny, I pulled an ollie.
twat scores
shoulda waited another 10 minutes to say anything 🙁
cmon so ton make them eat those words
This is a must win. Simple as that.
yeah, always n7.
come on arsenal!!!
We have to win nothing else will do. COYR
COME ON YOU GUNNERS!!!!!!!!!
FEEEEEEEEEEEEEEOOOOOOOOOOOO
Feounder 30 secssdddddd
Get the fuck in
Just what we needed. Well done agent Traore.
Eight nil please
Twenty goals for the so-called worst player we’ve ever had 😉
What a start!! 21 seconds.
Way to start…lets get 3 or 4 before half
that is a way to start!!
the janus effect strikes theo again.
we need more soon cost Zamora is always a threat
Theo! 20-goal milestone – first time in his career! #arsenaldna
Will somebody finally shoot ffs? 🙁
Come on Arsenaaaaaaaaaal.
Right, they’ve started playing training ground football.
Come on lads! Press on and get another before the break!
nicely done ramsey and poldi, nearly.
If anyone needs a good stream I’m watching the best one I’ve ever found at
http://popstreams.eu/stream2.html
Aaaaaa unlucky Feo
Ooooo Feo
where is the follow?
ooooh almost!
This feels a lot like the Utd game. Albeit against a much worse team.
We need to make this pressure count.
qpr coming into the game. wake up lads!
Yikes
Great break, but why no shot?
tedium, need some direct play.
Back into first gear. When will we learn?
How have they had more shots than us?
what…are …they…doing?:O
an early goal for us used to mean take it up a notch. not now.
çoz we never try from range. 😉
n7 they count those wild bullets as shots, I guess.
what kind of foul is that? O.o
We’re walking out there.
Buck up!
hearing the away fans well at times.
a bit of a yawner, no urgency from our lads atall.
Walking pace for most of the half, complacency creeps in, I really want us to score at least one more.
DEFINITELY need to pick it up in the second half, far too much ambling around for my liking.
Our balls into the box are just so aimless – if they ever get there.
Far too hesitant around the box – but, we’re ahead – just.
Get Chamberlain on – at least he will have a shot!
Aimless is being kind Trev
I accept that Feo scores goals but otherwise he leaves a lot to be desired. His positioning after a pass to Bak is generally awful in never running out and ahead for a return. He spends too much time in the same area as Pod limiting the latter in movement. Overall he could have 30. goals if he played better
Not all bad though. …the Guinness is flowing nicely in the Elizabethan 🙂
I know that only the results matter at this time in the season and we’re going into the break leading, but, ffs, it’s not good for the heart this.
Some of our movement and ball retention is great, but it’s the same ol’ trying to pass the ball into the net. It would be nice to see us take a shot every now and again, especially as Rob “Hand of Clod” Green is their keeper de jour, he’s terrible.
COME ON YOU REDZZZZZZZZ
I’d be tempted to take Rambo off, drop Tommy deeper, pull Santi inside and stick AOC left wing.
Pace down both flanks and tell Cazorla to shoot from range. We should be getting at Ben Haim, he’s pony.
yes please, n7.
FFS WAKE UP!!!
well done, chezz.
really don’t like our body language.
Shoulda done better Feo.
central striker, eh?
Someone please shoot ffs
SHOOOOT and follow up – nah, let’s just pass ourselves into oblivion.
COME OOONNN !!!
Shooot Tommy shooot!
Jeeez, I’m fuckin’ bricking it here.
COYR’s
come on! arsenal
It’s deja vu all over again. 🙁
I meant Arsenal not QPR
It might be a pointless game and a virtual exercise for QPR, but there’s no need for our lot to treat this game like one. FFS.
Rambo well off the pace today – after some excellent performances.
Warning signs are there, PICK IT UP ARSENAL!!!!
Feo yet again lurking virtually next to Poldi…you are supposed to be on a wing mate…
Time to bring on the subs
oh god.
Subs please!
cheeky kozzer!!
leave it to center back to finally make their keeper work..
Somebody shooooottttt
Wouldn’t it be nice to have some leaders???? Some players that could really drive the team on when it is so lacklustre ?????
Sort it out boys, this game should be dead and buried.
How can a game of this importance be so lacklustre Steve.
Awful.
That’s it Santi.
that’s it, santi.
Finally a bit of zip in the play.
h2h!
You can just fucking feel where this is headed
Trev – exactly mate
heh scruz.
We just don’t have the physicality to hold onto the ball in games like this, if we don’t keep it moving quickly.
AAaaaaaaaaaaa
Nice try Theo.
Good effort Theo!
well in, theo, nice holdup and shot!
Oo Feo..finally
Sub time’s come and gone….
Wassup?
Send on Ox please
a second goal is needed. wenger starting to flap his arms and contest minor decisions, not a good sign.
This is a chance………….
wasted. 🙁
Where are the subs?
again nice, theo.
My opinion is no real leaders. You might have heard me mention that before. Drives me nuts. Need to liven it up. If there is any mention of a handbrake I will go spare.
Two shots now.
Anyone fancy following one in ?
How many ex LWC’s do these cunts have?
Absolutely pathetic dive by Zamorra
Great fun by TR
Handbrake. 😉
Arsene…subs?
Top save Woj!!
fuuuuuuck. well in chezza.
After 84 mins its the Ox
Come on Ox!!
oxon for poldi. theo in the middle, what?
Steve, are you watching Ramsey? Zico, pint on me for all Gooners in the Liz. All one thousand of them. Sorry, strike the thousand, leave the one.
LJW for Santi…
I swear I will not moan after if they just SEE THIS OUT
3 mins.
TV for TR7
come on boys!!
I only have radio commentary unfortunately BTM.
Game done!!!!
3 points!!!!!!
YEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSS
Thank fuck for that.
Oh the pain 🙁
diddit. whew!!
Harder than it should have been but I’ll take it
Massive result, don’t give a fuck about the performance.
Next game huge – Wigan will be fighting for their lives.
big effing WHEW!
Fingernails are history.
thank god for that.
Story of the last three months; nothing going forward, very solid at the back.
We are white knuckling this motherfucker.
For under one minute we were top notch then it was painful and laborious for the test. A very few chances against a relegated side What next
Ramsey. Leader. MoTM.
One nil to the Arsenal, One nil to the Arsenal,
One nil to the Ar-se-nal, One nil to the Arsenal (ad infinum)
Arteta MotM for me. Ramsey not as good as the last few outings.
That was torture – really like to know whay goes through Wengers mind sometimes – that team was crying out for a substitution at HT never mind 84 mins. But for the Pole in goals excellent push round the post we could bave easily droppes 2 precious points.
@ BtM – there is actually 2 of us here – one is not legal to drink so I’ll have her pint 😉
Need a favour off Utd now. If they take points off Chelsea than that LWCs/Chavs game becomes a proper cup final
typing on the not-so-smart zphone so apologies for the typos….
Not today BtM.
Rambo’s been excellent lately – but not today.
Theo and Arteta in Lotto shirts for the after game interviews.
Does that happen often? I’d never seen it before.
Why not take (evidently less than fit) Poldi off around the hour mark and get Ox in the game? Today’s substitutions (or lack thereof) were puzzling. A second goal would have killed this game off.
Other than the goal, Theo had some good attempts saved by Green. Wish both TR7 and Santi had taken some more shots from outside the box.
Per-Kos solid, so was Sagna after last week’s missteps. Monreal had a few nervy moments. Arteta solid too but failed to dictate as much he should have.
Ramsey had a mixed game. Too many wrong decisions in an otherwise typically tireless performance.
TR7 my MoTM.
I really worry about our attacking display. Our attacking build up is very predictable, we always starts from the right with sagna, today sagna is never a threat to any defender, never tries to pass any defender and his crosses rarely or should I say never pass first defender.
And why is so little movement in the box is also bothering me to the max. Important 3 points and two more to go, let’s pray the spuds drop points in the next game.
COYG
yee haa
and indeed a howdy do
.
spent the day – on the stout – at banba’s crown with the atlantic wind blowin me chops off
there is a more northerly point but it requires a boat and a merkan accent
fair gooner never won fair – etcs
hard as a goats knee me
anyhoo
smilesoroonie
(to be honest it’s more of a rictus -what with the buggerin freezin wind – i’ll need to get the business end of a shovel and beat the face off meself)
evening all
🙂
N7 @ 241: By the time Wigan comes to emirates they would have played a mid-week PL game, then a Cup Final in the weekend. So despite the typical Wigan threat in this time of the season we should really have enough advantage in terms of fresh legs (as the quality equation sometimes gets overridden by the sheer gusto of the teams fighting for survival at this time) to see that through at home.
Giroud has been missed in last two matches and having him back in the final match would be important, especially if Newcastle is still in the relegation battle.
#259
lost yer cat ?
The points are all that matters at this stage of the season but holy shit that was painful -Please just get in the Top Four and get this season finished,
Some wistful nostalgic what-ifs: if only we had shown this resilience and defensive nous towards the end of 07-08 or 10-11 seasons …
Defensive stability begets defensive stability. Even when only 1-0 up the midfield doesn’t get into panic mode whenever there is any attack on the goal and maintain the shape and discipline. The entire team stays in shape instead of the crazy hell for leather late game anti-heroics we had witnessed a few times over the last half a decade.
glad that we have the points in hand, but actually points aren’t all that matter. getting one or two more would help us level the goal difference number between us and chelsea.
Two more 1-0 wins would do nicely please. Plus favours from Man Utd and the Orcs over the next eight days. And Chelski/Spuds to cancel each other out on Wednesday with lots of red cards.
Suck it Harry you fucktard.
Never did like that Catweazle fella.
Stank of piss .
I’m not sure whether the Guv’nor preserves highly skilled trolls. I suspect not. I must, however, admit to a certain sneaking admiration for your improved technique of late.
He also tends to discourage excessively bad language, so I can’t say what I’d really like you to do. It rhymes with Buck Toff.
From my vantage point in the South Africa Road Stand which was incredibly cramped I thought we were extremely solid defensively with BFG and Kos outstanding. Sagna was ok defensively but a waste of space going forward and while all the midfielders worked hard and did well it is hard to be penetrative when the attack is led by Podolski. It is doing him and us no favours to play him when very clearly he is unfit but he also lacks a central striker’s movement. Theo did very decently today as did Ches.
We should sign a proper holding player and much as I like Rambo I think he is probably likely to make way for a fit Jack and I suspect Jovetic will play in the hole behind OG although there is a rumour that Vila has signed a pre contract agreement with us which is being spread in Spain by AS Marca.
Interesting to sit amongst fans who have been relegated and who go 1-0 down after 20 seconds. Neither my favourite London oppo or anything like the ones I dislike most but you had to feel sorry for a club that has been so mismanaged on and off the field.
Theo fucking walcot!!!!!
Sagna … A waste of space? Thats daft. And angry. And ao far of the mark ill not stomp on you ttg as you so richly deserve. Peace.
Sagna has been a popular scapegoat of late. Anyone woth the food sense god gave the common house cat sees past the easy, lazy nonsense. Ill take him any day of the wek and three to es on saturday
Hes a fooking beast on defense. And last i checked – thats his job.
Third. We are in third. Hells yes.
Consider this: ManIOU to beat Chavs tomorrow. Sp*ds to draw against Chavs on Wednesday would see us a point ahead of the West London and Middlesex teams with everyone having two games to play.
If you like your predictions really silly, add to the above Manciti to lose their last three matches and the Arse to win their last three, and we’re second.
Stranger things have happened (not often, and not much stranger I admit).
Keep the Faith.
COYG
Oxon, would be great……………
But we only have two to play. 🙂
Homer@291
Were you at the game?
I said he was competent defensively but poor going forward. He literally wasted acres of space that a good overlapping full back would run into.I would defy anyone to disagree with that. Wide of the mark?…???He limits our play so much because he adds nothing to us in a wide position going forward.He doesn’t cross well and appears to lack the confidence or pace to hit the byline . He is rarely beaten by any forwards on the right hand side and he played wonderfully well when called upon at centre back at Sunderland where his defensive ability was very useful.
I think jenkinson was better early in the season eg at Man City and is very unlucky not to be playing now. I also hear young Bellerin is excellent going forward and if Sagna flirts with PSG as he is reported to be doing today I think Wenger will probably let him go.
FMOB – Spuds on MoTD – the original one man team.
If Bale leaves they’ll go down.
Ttg,
Don’t want to be too harsh on Sagna as he has been so consistent for us over such a long period.
But despite the sympathy over the double leg break, and the fact that his fitness issues have only relatively recently caught up with him, your observations on him today cannot really be argued with.
Unfortunately they do apply to his last few games.
If I were Jenkinson I would, at this present time, be feeling a little hard done by.
I could’ve gone home after 21 seconds…but I didn’t.
I got a bit drunk instead.
I reckon that’s a good day out 🙂
TTG and Trev, both spot on.
Heh @ Top man Snowy. 🙂
H2H knows!
‘night chums.
Heh snowy,
Top support again today, for a pretty uninspiring display.
Must say Kos is looking really good.
Trev
Spot on exactly my feelings re Bacary. I think he was the best right back in the Premier League in his first few seasons with us but sadly he is looking like a spent force now. It gives me no pleasure to say that.When I dig out Arsenal players it is with extreme reluctance. I had a very good view of events today and in the second half I was level with the Arsenal penalty area so could appreciate the excellence of much of our defensive work.
It’s a funny place to play. The pitch is rock hard and very cramped and it never seems like a Premier League ground to me so credit to the lads
Three points is three points – thank you, but..
Apart from the goal (which Green almost saved), Theo was pants. No help to Sagna (again), numerous offsides and plenty of running into a void.
Agree with Homer – Sagna was solid defensively. And what if he doesn’t get to the byline? Even if he did there’s nobody in the middle to convert under the way we currently play. There were no crosses at all attempted from the left flank but that seems to escape criticism altogether. I guess you sometimes see what you want to see.
The back line were my MOTM and determined the three points came our way.
UTA.
Sheer joy after 21secs, exquisite torture for the remaining 5,586. Nothing Torquemada came up with can match watching Arsenal these days. 🙁
Oskar
Would it be asking too much to have RvP do us a favour tomorrow?
Probably…
Oskar
A late one >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Defense looked rock solid, including Sagna, who had a much better game today than his nightmare last outing. He is still a Premier League quality full back. He puts in a shift every game and doesn’t shirk, but I can’t disagree with those above who say he is just not the same player he was for us before his two broken legs. If he does go to PSG at the end of this season, we’ll all remember the good Bacary that he was, and not the bit-part player I fear he might become next season.
Missed an opportunity to narrow the goal difference gap with Chelsea today but we never looked much like scoring after the first 15 seconds. Giroud showed how valuable he is to the team by his absence today. There were a couple of knock-downs by Green that he would have gone for and Poldi looks far more effective when Giroud is there to get on the end of his crosses.
I have to disagree with many here about Theo. An early goal and a couple of decent strikes … you can’t ask a lot more of a CF … even if he has the greatest difficulty controlling the ball or deciding what to do with it the rest of the time. I’d still prefer he plays up front with Poldi and OX on the wings and Santi/TR7/Jack in the hole.
And PLEASE can we have substitutes when we need them!! What was the point of bringing on an attacking player in the 85th minute? If you want to score and make it safe you bring on an attacker around the hour mark. If you want to hang on in the last five minutes you bring on a defender. I’ve never understood AW’s substitutions all season.
Oskar
Agreed Trev. Kos is looking imperial indeed. He seemed to have buried that little erratic streak he exhibited at times during his Arsenal career. He seems so calm, confident and composed now. This was very evident against ManU as he had Judascunt in his back pocket for the most part.