Seagulls And A New Signing?
Jan 24th, 2015 by 'holic
As Saturday afternoons go that was a rather good one. Chelsea, Manchester City, Southampton, and the shadow-dwellers all knocked out at home. Enjoyable as those results were they will mean nothing if we don’t grab our opportunity at Brighton to advance into the last sixteen of the FA Cup.
Some degree of rotation from the team that won at the Etihad last weekend is expected. Perhaps the most interesting selection will be the goalkeeper. Will Wojciech Szczesny be selected as the ‘cup-tie’ ‘keeper? With Hector Bellerin needing a fitness test the back four too may have been decided relatively late. He was pictured at training today so perm any four from him, Calum Chambers, Per Mertesacker, Laurent Koscielny, Nacho Monreal, and Kieran Gibbs. It is rumoured that we are nursing Kos through matches, so this will be clearer if he starts on the bench.
In midfield Francis Coquelin surely doesn’t need a rest, but Le Boss may decide that Mathieu Flamini needs a game. Mesut Ozil is due a start but will that allow a rest for the in-form Santi Cazorla, or will the German return to the left flank? On the right side could Theo Walcott return, allowing Alexis Sanchez a breather?
The hosts seemed League One bound under Sami Hyypia in the first half of the season, but since his departure and Chris Hughton’s arrival the Seagulls have started making progress up the Championship table. The former Tottenham defender knows what his team must do to cause an upset.
“It is our responsibility to try and do the best we can and nullify periods of their play when they can really hurt us.”
The word ‘nullify’ is open to interpretation. When we went to Gus Poyet’s Brighton two years ago the game was open and flowed. We edged a five goal thriller, but they are likely to want less flow to the match this time around. We shall see. Arsene acknowledged his opposite number in his pre-match presser.
“Chris Hughton will give them his experience and his competence, of course. He knows how to prepare a team for a challenge like this. For us the challenge is to turn up with the same spirit and show that we can be consistent with our attitude game by game.”
As Saturday’s results show we will need to carry forward the discipline and effort that brought us the points at City.
The ‘holic pound
In a moment of rashness last night I wrote in the drinks I would tip the scoreline most predicted by you. Blame Oskar and GSD therefore for a 0-4 away win. I wouldn’t go overboard on that in all honesty. Paddy Power offer that outcome at 20/1 so I will have just the pound on it, with a back-up pound on 1-3 at 11/1.
Welcome Gabriel Paulista?
As I type Villarreal have seemingly confirmed (but not yet on their website) that a deal has been agreed ‘in principle’ for Brazilian central defender Gabriel Paulista, with Joel Campbell heading in the opposite direction on loan. It is likely that the ‘in principle’ qualification refers to the need to secure a work permit for the player. Let’s hope that does not prove to be an issue. We need quality additions to the defence and he would appear to fit the bill.
Have a good one ‘holics.
152 Responses to “Seagulls And A New Signing?”
Paulista is ours.
DRINK!
Cheers, ‘holic – a bright end to a good day!
“A rather good one”? Well, that’s the understatement of the year all done and dusted on January 24 then 🙂
It’s on Villareal’s website. Medical/contract set for Monday, still nothing official re: his work permit. Though I doubt the deal would have progressed this far unless we had good reason to believe we could resolve that issue.
Evening Cynic,
That calls for a drop of malt.
Indeed ‘holic.
Ovaltines all round.
Evening all. What a day. Can we bottle it?
Now just win tomorrow and we can gloat all week long. Yes, I’m petty
Assuming the result goes in our favour tomorrow, I have several friends whose allegencies rest with some of those that have fallen today who will get an onslaught of both barrels. Don’t want to count too many chickens just yet.
Nice preview H. I will wait for the confirmation on dot com before getting excited about Paulista. Fingers crossed though.
Good preview, and good news Guv’nor.
Too many nerves around these parts for my liking. Just because everyone around is losing their heads there’s no reason to be any more fearful than usual that we’ll lose ours.
This team has been through too much over the past few years to slip on banana skins and I expect them to get the job done tomorrow. Prettyness and conviction can wait a while; I’ll be happy for any win; as GL has been saying recently, win the next match.
And, Happy Birthday ttg,
COYG
Most interesting result today was Citeh. Watched the second half where the defense was completely abject; Boyata looked worse than Titus Bramble on a bad day, with Kompany not far behind. Even more telling was the complete absence of ideas on offense, and this is with Silva and every other firstline forward player involved, apart from Yaya. (Could they actually be missing Na$ri?)
Given that this a side comprised of mercenaries, it wouldn’t surprise that we’ll be watching a “Look out below!” slump of epic proportions, and they could drop out of CL qualification by season’s end.
Paulist drink. In a Brazilian sort of way. 🙂
Happy birthday Ttg. 🙂 And I hope you bought some shorts while in Bermuda.
Training pics up on the website including one of SZCZ but none of Ospina. Make of it what you will.
A song for Fabianski and Vorm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBslXprykHA
Nothing wrong with 0-4, ‘holic. our lot will be going into the game with big smiles on their faces. In fact 0-4 could be conservative!
Congrats to young Ttg for his birthday.
Those calling for Alexis to play should be ashamed for not insisting on resting him. I would select everyone who was on the bench against $iteh, plus Per, Nacho, Rambo and OG =
Sir Ches
Cal Per Nacho Gibbo
Flam Rambo
Theo Özilla TR7
OG
Öskar
…assuming their all fit of course. I haven’t checked.
Öskar
‘their’ = they’re!!!!! 😳
Saw a little of the City game today. They looked pretty piss-poor. Passed up a string of great chances to score in the first half, and looked wide open and helter skelter at the back. They didn’t lose because of the “magic of the cup,” or even because Middlesbrough were particularly good on the day. They lost because they played wasteful and sloppy football.
The point is, if we take care of business tomorrow – stay switched on at the back, take our chances when they come, play with real desire and togetherness – we’ll be just fine. No need to lose any sleep tonight due to banana skins or cup magic. Up the Arse!
Night all.
Happy birthday, ttg.
Good preview, ‘Holic. Have to go for a 2-0 win for us.
What a set of results eh chaps! Tomorrow’s game has gone from a fun prospect to a bona fide nail-biter. Before I was thinking, Be nice to get to the 5th round and have a little cup run but no way we can defend our our trophy. Now I’m saying, Gadzooks! Victory is imperative!
How does Liverpool in the final sound? Get our own back for that final they nicked off us and Carragher or perhaps Hyppia (anyone set me straight on that?) got away with a blatant handball blocking Henry’s shot.
‘No way we can defend our trophy’, Porco? Why not? For as long as I’ve been a gooner Arsenal has always been a better cup team than league champion side.
Now it’s ours for the taking again.
Öskar
The chavs conceding 4 at home. Still can’t stop laughing!
Öskar
Cheers H, top stuff.
I’ve put my money where my mouth is too. 4-0 here we come!
From what I saw the oilers were bad. By even with my rose-tinteds on I saw two clear penalties not given to them. Refs bad across the board today as is increasingly the case.
I had thought recently about composing a post about what a good cup side I thought this lot look like for the second half of this season. After he has touched on the point I will agree with Oskar again. I always felt we could retain the FA Cup. No-one will want to draw us should we navigate the next round of either/both cups we are still in. And if we can win one or both and have a better (in my eyes more representative) second half of the season then I think that ‘evolution of the team’ AW mentioned recently could be going in just the right direction. Certainly, if we won the domestic cup twice in a row the whole club would be looking to challenge seriously for the league next year. Winning is a habit.
I’ll certainly keep my fingers crossed. Not that I uncross them much these days…
Have a good one TTG!
Probably the sweetest thing about Chelsea losing was that all of Bradford’s goals were quality and Mourinho couldn’t blame the referee.
I thought he was very gracious in defeat to be fair.
First time for everything.
Tomorrow I will be working and unless I am ultra-cunning and quite lucky miss the match.
In absence of the actual game I shall be rituallistically repeating my mantra for the day, nicked wholesale from Porco- “Gadzooks. Victory is imperative. ”
Anyone know what that is in Latin?
What?
Who are you? And what have you done with Cynic?
‘Unci Dei. Victoria est imperative’
…would be close enough GSD. The origin of Gadzooks being ‘God’s hooks’, the nails used in the crucifixion.
Öskar
Cheers Oskar.
Great answer. And in record time!
You’re welcome, GSD. We seem to be agreeably in sync lately. 🙂
Öskar
Indeed. Except in that you got up relatively recently whereas I’m way past my bed-time!
Time for sleepy bye-byes. Night all.
But before I hit the hay Oskar, I will be even more thrilled to be dancing to the same tune tomorrow should our 4-0 come in!
And on that note I am REALLY going to bed.
I promise.
Happy B’day TTG.. and many happy returns!
😀
@Oskar
I’ll admit I want Alexis to play for selfish reasons.. that boy is just too good and when he’s bad he’s still levels above average.
Besides.. if we rest him, he’ll just end up in the Gym like he usually does. If he’s going to work himself to exhaustion, would rather it be on the field!
😀
God preview Holic and agree we need to maintain our discipline regardless of who plays.
Szcez deserves to only be our no 2 keeper.
Simple as that.
Flamini is simply not good enough to play for us going forward, even as a second string player.Our squad will simply be much weaker should he play any part.
I hope we put in a strong disciplined shift as a team.
New central defender is good news.
City lose easily
Chelsea capitulate
Nearly Too funny to believe
Happy Birthday, TTG.
BMBD
Cheers H! I’m lumping it on 4-0 away.
Bright and sunny here in BN11 so far. Getting the 11.24 from Worthing to hopefully link up with The Arseblog Massive in Brighton, fucked up train services for them permitting.
And cheers for that advert on treating the old rockford files. Mine have been giving me gyp for years!
OtD, to qualify my earlier point about defending the cup, not that I thought we had no chance, just thought it would be a tall order. Our result against the filthy oilers, and your valid point, suggest otherwise!
I’m saving my mirth until after 18.00hrs tonight. This is not a game for too many changes particularly at the back. We know Ozil and Theo are getting a start probably in place of Alexis and the Ox, so Arsene please don’t be tempted to bring in the Flamster in place of Le Coq and only replace the lovely Hector if unfit.
I have a feeling a draw is in the air and have already diaried the replay.
Have fun all you lucky ticket holders.
COYRs
The old spam filter missed one I see. A pain in the arse, if you will forgive the pun…
Surely after all this team has been through that Arsene has learnt his lesson and le coq will continue to be first picked until we have adequate cover for him to have a rest.
Flamini has never been anywhere near adequate for that key role.
Cmon Arsene – keep the train rolling forward. No backwards steps tonight.
Puns always welcome here, H. Pile ’em on.
COYG
http://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/421865/Brighton-Inigo-Calderon-Arsenal-Santi-Cazorla-FA-Cup
“Santi’s a really gifted player and it is no surprise in Spain they are talking about him maybe going to Barcelona, because he has such a high technical level”
———————
What? already?.. hands off Barca/Madrid!
😀
Barca got Suarez.. and he was benched.
Pool got Balotelli… benched and maybe out too!
We got Alexis.. 😀
I think things are looking up….!
🙂
Genuinely excited by today’s game.
Did we just make a bid for Kevin Grosskreutz??
If so, Arsene must be real serious about winning things in the near future.
😀
Nice one, Holic.
Bah, BT Sport for the game today, but not even they will be able to spoil it. 3-1 win for me but I’ll be happy to be wrong if we romp in 4-0.
Rockfords, Esso ? Farmers, surely !
I had a nice bunch of grapes here – which I somehow no linger fancy at all. 😉
Aussie,
Have to disagree with you about Flamini.
His best days are some way behind him for sure and, it’s true, he is not top class. However, with a run of games behind him, his last couple of performances were pretty good. He wasn’t exactly getting a lot of help covering the entire back line – and he did like to get a bit further forward than necessary – whereas, great as Coquelin was at City, he had a lot of midfielders helping all around him.
Don’t get me wrong, I think Coquelin was a revelation in the Middle Eastlands but you’re being a bit over the top in your criticism of the Flamster.
Just my opinion, of course, and you are equally welcome to yours.
*he’s French,
*he’s free
*he’ll break your f* cking knee
*Flamini-i-i
*Flamini *
😉
Having Kevin Grosskreutz in the side will be a big cross to bear ……
Nice one Guv.
Many Happy Returns, TTG sir.
Have a great day out, Esso mate.
Just win this one Arsenal!!!!
What H2H said at 48!
“Rockford files?” That was a TV show: http://www.tv.com/m/shows/the-rockford-files/
So the Catalan blokes are sniffing around again? Sounds like the juju is working.
Win the next match.
BMBD
ok streamhunters, how can we catch the game later?
I got it on TV.
But try here;
http://firstrowne.eu/sport/football.html
Trev @47. My two minute German lesson finally bore fruit. 🙂
Ttg, sorry, how remiss – Many Happy Returns !
Yep, have a good one Esso !
Thanks to H2H for being the other half of my memory for the day. 😉
Aha bt8 !
I knew someone would take the trouble. 😉
Happy birthday Ttg 🙂
I’ll raise my glass to you later on and hopefully one more to our win about two hours later 😉
Arsenal/
Woj, Chambers, Kos, Monreal, Gibbs, Flamini, Feo, Aaron, Ozil, TR7, OG
01 Szczesny
21 Chambers
06 Koscielny
18 Monreal
03 Gibbs
20 Flamini
14 Walcott
16 Ramsey
07 Rosicky
11 Özil
12 Giroud
Substitutes
04 Mertesacker
17 Sánchez
19 Cazorla
26 Martinez
34 Coquelin
38 Akpom
39 Bellerin
Plenty of options on the bench too!
😀
Cheers H2H I’ll give that a go.
Blocked 🙁
Works here.
http://barcelonastream.com/live/arsenal-live-stream/channel-1/
http://www.ronaldo7.net/video/sports-live/sports-live-stream.html
Not sure if they are reliable, but worth a try.
FEOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
THEOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Get in Theo
well that was a nice start 🙂
way to go theo!
thanks for the links, h2h.
Gone to David Lloyd and the BT Sport is not working !!!
Engineers haven’t turned up to reconfigure. Typical effing BT – shite from top to bottom. ;(
Likewise bereft in a French hotel. Can anyone recommend a stream that wl work on an I phone or I pad?
i had to come into work (needed to anyway, but up at 6:30 am to get here!) to watch, this one is really clamped down on streams. the only thing i could see to get was fox soccer 2 go, bath, for the ipad. not.
we’ve settled in well.
H2H streams keep asking for email and credit card information.
Fucking streams drive me mad – never ever work. 🙁
what browser you using, trev? i am on chrome/mac, and am using hola’s proxy plug-in pretending to be 2-0 arsenal!!! YESSS!
OOOOOOZIIIIL
Get in! Ozil
Oziiiiiiillllllllllll!
Safari on iPad, scruz.
pretending to be from the netherlands.
brilliant from rozza to ozil, and ozil’s shot. mmmm.
Cheers H2H, up and running.
How about the returning boys eh?!
you’ll have to use an app then. i dunno, sorry.
What a pass by Mozart…
Ozil and Rosicky together must be orgasmic level of technical ability for Arsene…
hmm. brighton with a nice break, nearly a chance after a koz flub.
Handball there.
Penalty denied.
Mesut Ozil weaves out to the right, beats a man easily and then tees up Aaron Ramsey 25 yards out. Have a dig? Why not. He drills it in at real pace and it slams into the face of Brighton defender Lewis Dunk. Stinger.
A Slam Dunk!? 😉
lol, h2h. i’ve been marvelling at the name of dunk the whole game. talk about a good, sturdy anglo-saxon 4-letter word…
Many thanks for all the kind birthday wishes. I arrived home safely but sleepy and Mrs TTG who can sleep on an ironing board has danced attendance on me all day.
Don’t want to jinx this but the attitude in the first half was absolutely spot on. Rosicky gives us so much and Theo and Chambers look sharp. We need exactly the same in the second half
..and out of nothing..!
🙁
I think Kos is nursing an injury.. doesn’t seem to be moving well.
Just as well we’re getting Paulista!
sigh. that should never have happened.
Ooops.
Gifted them that.
COME ON ARSENAAAL
Bathgoonet. Is that a French maid version of Bathgooner? 😉
Twitchy arse time.
Time to get serious. Ugh!!
Booom ROssssiky
backup holic pound. ooooh, rozza…
Rosicky you beauty!!!
MOTM by a large margine
Super super Thomas Rosicky
Tomaaaaaaass Rosicccccccccccccccccccccckyyyy!
boom!
Blimey.
I don’t even have the game on the TV or on a stream and that one looked absolutely gorgeous. 😀
It was magic 8Ball. 🙂
alexis and chuba chuba chuba…
Alexis and Chuba coming on..!
Arsene not taking any chances!
🙂
same score as last year. damn.
Poor defending yet again.
Bugger!
Two shots on target.
two goals for them.
..and again out of nothing 🙁
WTF was that on Alexis?!??!
Yellows should be handed out!
This sucks!!!!
the magic of the cup, kenyan…
now aaron is limping. fffffuuuuuuccck.
Strange to send on Alexis in this kind of situation; he’s great, obviously, but his nature is to try to take everybody on, which can lead to giveaways and a stretched defense.
Why not take off Ozil?
jean, ozil came off for coquelin.
Indeed scruz…love it but not good for the heart
🙂 kenyan…
No replay please!!
Scruz, meant to say why not take off Ozil earlier. Did a fat finger on the send.
job done. whuf.
Rosicky MOTM!
😀
More stressfull end then was necassary, but that’s the Arsenal way I suppose.
Job done.
Never in doubt, I think…..
cheers, jean. love those fat fingered sends 🙂
enjoy the rest of the day, all. i’ve got a warm glow inside from the progression, and the rozza goal. so nicely volleyed. agreed, bb…
Mostly not in doubt. But no disgrace, and into the hat for the next round.
Good enough. Kind of noticeable that it wasn’t the same back four with the same shielding DM as we’ve had the last few games, but on the attacking side we looked intelligent enough. We’ve got such good players that even when we don’t click fully, like today, we still get lovely passages of play.
Rosicky still my favourite Arsenal player. As I always say, he might not be the best player we’ve had, but he just is so fucking Arsenal.
Great to see Ozil and Theo on the score-sheet. Both looked rusty in patches, as expected, and Theo faded out a bit after starting so sharp. Ozil moved around and passed well, but failed to control the tempo as much as you would expect.
TR7 is my MoTM, a fantastic captain’s performance.
Arsene did take a bit of risk with the defensive set-up. Kos on the right is not in his most familiar, and I thought Chambers showed his lack of pace in tracking back, through the assist for the first goal was great. Most importantly, Flamini today highlighted why with Coquelin we have looked so much more solid.
Akpom looked lively coming on, liked that he has the confidence to take on defenders and run at them.
Away cup-ties are always much tougher than it looks on paper. So a nice win while giving important rest to Santi, Per (who has been playing non-stop), Ox.
Toby @ 128: My favorite player in the Emirates era. His intelligence, directness and ability to influence the collective tempo are unmatched. The pass for Ozil’s goal was Ozil-esque. 🙂
Positives :-
– Theo and Ozil both scored and got a good run, will do wonders for their match fitness and confidence.
– We won and hence no replays.
– All our players come off relatively injury free.
Bonus :-
Most anyone of any repute is out! And the others have replays!
We’re on the up!
😀
P.s – Any concrete news on Paulista yet? He’ll be good cover for Kos.
Kos doesn’t look 100%. I wonder if it wouldn’t have been better to go with a back four of Bellerin Chambers Monreal and Gibbs today and let him sit out the game with Per.
NBN@132: Agreed that he looks a little tentative, very unlike him. I guess the problem with having Bellerin-Chambers on the right side is lack of experience that may be costly under pressure. And two CBs in Chambers-Monreal both have started playing there recently.
We are likely to nurse Kos through the rest of the campaigns.
BB
Ramsey signaled that he couldn’t continue towards the end, had to stay on due to all our subs being used.
Kos looked to be struggling towards the end too.
Numbers for Monday’s draw;
1. Crystal Palace
2. Cambridge United or Manchester United
3. Blackburn Rovers
4. Bradford City
5. Derby County
6. Preston North End or Sheffield United
7. West Bromwich Albion
8. Aston Villa
9. Reading
10. Liverpool or Bolton
11. Leicester City
12. ARSENAL
13. Rochdale or Stoke City
14. Sunderland or Fulham
15. West Ham
16. Middlesbrough
Avoid Cambridge and we should be OK.
😉
@H2H
Missed that, thought Ramsey was ok after the initial challenge which saw him limping. If that be the case then it’s a setback, although we do have a few players who could fill his position.
Kos is a different matter, since their first goal I thought he looked a bit out of sorts, think he was already nursing a few niggling injuries.
But I don’t think he’s any worse off after today although he’s still not at his best.. hence my anxiousness over Paulista.. from what I’ve read he’s a similar type of player to Kos and should be a like for like replacement.
BB, the Work Permit for Gabriel is sorted. Will become official tomorrow. Not a big fan of him personaly, but I am sure Arsene knows his job. Defender was needed since the summer, defender is what we got and I am pleased.
As for the game, so pleased we won with the second choice fullbacks and second (or even third) choice GK, who had impressive zero saves today, but conceded two goals. From two shots. Risky selection in defense, but we came out of the game unscratched, which is most important.
I am especially happy for the young Rosicky who is undoubtedly one for the future.
Will join all of the posters before who said that he is their favorite player of the Emirates era.
Great performance Maestro.
Mostly important there is no replay we struggled towards the end a little another heart stopper but hey it’s Arsenal way after all 😉
Little Mozart was sublime, Ozil still a bit rusty Theo included. I thought Chambers had a decent game so did Flamster.
Tomas Rosicky, superstar
What amazing skill
Tomas Rosicky, we love you
And we always will
(repeat)
Super,
Super Tom,
Super,
Super Tom,
Super,
Super Tom,
Super Tom Rosicky…
Ah.. thanks Lurky!
That news sure gives us much needed cover in defence. As to how he’ll perform, who knows, but judging on current form he’s not all that bad in their league and he’s played against the likes of Neymar (but lost the match methinks), so he’s got a little experience.
Am hoping for the best but at least it’s not a Kallstrommed (who wasn’t bad though) loan. We’re actually adding defenders and not teenagers too!
Things are indeed looking up!
😀
TR7. What a player.
I hope Arsene keeps TR7 around for a couple of more years and he retires with us, winning a PL and/or a CL along the way. Would be the finest testament to the Emirates era and its best player representative: ability, professionalism, loyalty and sticking together at tough time being rewarded.
How do you know the work permit is sorted?
Do you work at the Home Office?
He hasn’t even had a medical, so I cant imagine that the proper paperwork has been filed, let alone rubber stamped.
I’d say that we are confident that it will be issued, but to say it is “sorted” is simply not true.
@DocFaust
Echo that sentiment I shall! Only right that we keep Tomas, he shows time and time again that he is brilliant when he’s not injured! Maybe he’ll get a good run now. Would really want us to win a CL and league too….!
If we can keep everyone fit.. we just might shock a few people!
😀
ATG @ 138: I thought Flamini was rather poor, not defending against run through the middle and not offering much protection to the full backs. The pace he has lost — and given how fast the game has become even in lower leagues, fast with and without the ball — cannot be covered up by the positional anticipation he has always lacked a bit. He remains a good tackler and a decent passer, but Coquelin over the last few games had shown that how much more is nowadays needed to be able to bring stability and composure in that position.
Tomas Rosicky !! :
http://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i/?img=/photo/2015/0125/soc_g_rosicky01jr_B_1296x729.jpg&w=904&h=509&scale=crop&site=espnfc
😀
If I’m wrong then I apologise profusely.
BB — Arsene on TR7: “If you love football, you love Rosicky.”
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/20150125/wenger-on-the-win-momentum-and-rosicky
I agree that if we can keep everyone fit (including Gnabry and YaYa both of whom would have roles to play, with Poldi and Joel most likely leaving, I think Joel will find the Yellow Submarine, and la liga, to his liking) at the start of the next season we will have a good chance for the PL. In addition to Paulista, I would want one more signing in the summer, a more experienced deep-lying midfielder who can also play box-to-box to rotate with Coquelin and even Rambo.
@DocFaust
Yes that would be ideal.(Although we could probably convert Wilshere…!) Have real strength in depth.. then we could give it a good go! As it stands, would first like contract extensions to be offered and signed by our current players!
Coquelin… am looking at you!!!
😀
H2H,
Gabriel, medical schmedical !
In an interview on radio during the week, John Hartson said he FAILED FOUR medicals during his career.
Still managed to get a contract with The Arsenal though ! 😉
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Smashing Cup tie atmosphere in the second half. Have now relaxed and can’t wait for tomorrow’s draw, could be very interesting, fingers crossed for a home tie.
Tommy was Captain Fantastic, doing a Santi. What a pool of talent Arsene has at his disposal.We really can have a great 2nd half of the season and make a run in the Cup and the CL so long as we are spared another injury crisis.
However, Arsene did take quite a risk playing 2 left footed CBs and Le Coq’s pace, tackling and positional play was sorely missed when Brighton put us under pressure after the interval. Panic did break out once or twice at the back but we managed to regain our composure, something not always done this season.
Will we see our shiny new CB tomorrow? Arsene was very upbeat at the press conference, hope his optimism is not misplaced!
Belated birthday greetings ttg.
COYRs
H2H
Wenger was very confident when he was interviewed today that everything was sorted out. .
We have great need of better defensive cover. Koscielny and Nacho didn’t work well and aches must have the worst shot to goals ratio among top PL keepers. I don’t think he made a major save today although neither goal was his fault.