A New Venue – We Go Again
Dec 2nd, 2016 by 'holic
“I knew that in the League Cup that could happen, but it was more disappointing to lose the game than the run we had.ย We want to keep the run in the Premier League going now.”
Arsene Wenger
November is now a memory, a collection of statistics.ย Three draws were bookended by victories we needed and so it wasn’t the disaster some had feared beforehand but the sting in the tail, exit from the EFL Cup at the quarter-final stage, has taken the sheen off it for some. It’s done, and we look forward to a new month, and a new venue.
We make our first trip to the publicly-gifted Meccano set in Stratford that now houses West Ham United. To say it has endured a rocky introduction is to underestimate the situation. Poor stewarding and security has spoiled the experience for many, both Hammers and visitors, while the team have struggled to perform in what appears to be a soul-less bowl after the more intimate surroundings they were used to (sound familiar?).
The hosts appeared to have turned their early season’s difficulties around when beating Sunderland in the league and Chelsea in the EFL Cup in October, but last month Stoke came and left with a point from a 1-1 draw. West Ham currently sit a point above the relegation zone and have one eye very firmly looking back over their shoulder. So worried are they that they have recalled Andy Carroll despite admitting he is not fit for ninety minutes. Can he terrorise us in the air again for half an hour or so?
It’s been a bad week for us, of course. Mathieu Debuchy and Olivier Giroud have both been added to the injury list whilst Santi Cazorla has been told he needs surgery to resolve his current problem. Arsene has decisions to make. Carl Jenkinson’s recall on Wednesdayย resulted in him drawing very mixed reviews. I’m sure he would love to play against the club where he was on loan last season but having recalled Debuchy last weekend it looks as though the boss is considering alternatives.
Francis Coquelin looks to be the preferred starter at the base of midfield but nobody has yet to claim the position alongside and ahead of him. Will Aaron Ramsey get the nod again after being preferred to Mohamed Elneny and Granit Xhaka last weekend? Ahead of them Mesut Ozil, Theo Walcott, and Alexis are givens. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain preferred to namesake Iwobi. Lucas is a natural replacement for Giroud on the bench.
The ‘holic pound
The Southampton punt was a case of after the Lord Mayor’s show, following as it did a tidy profit last Sunday. Which Arsenal will turn up on Saturday tea-time? It’s a while since we produced a really convincing performance and West Ham will certainly be motivated, although possibly fragile if we get off to a good start. With a little less conviction than last week I am looking at us scoring three again. 0-3 to the Arsenal I have taken at 15/1. It’s about time we produced a performance.
To those fortunate enough to be going please keep your wits about you. It’s a derby match and the sauce will have been flowing for a while beforehand. Those inexperienced stewards will be backed up by more police than usual, but the stadium was not constructed with a football crowd in mind. Take care of yourselves and each other, and…
Have a great one, ‘holics.
75 Responses to “A New Venue – We Go Again”
The approaches and surrounds of the free stadium seem to have been more dangerous than inside the stadium itself. Safety first!
Bendtner misses penalty, Lansbury misses penalty, Newcastle down to nine men but 1-0 up and then, heaven forfend, Bendtner actually scores a goal early in the second half.
Who needs the Premier League?
Elneny is out with illness I think, so Ramsey will probably start. ๐
Top 4
Like a trophy!
Cheers H!
Elneny trained today by all accounts.
Nice preview, Guvna.
I think both teams will be edgy about this derby and that the first goal will be very important. We have been creating so few chances of late that I hope we achieve an even higher conversion rate.
It seems that visiting fans risk life and limb even more at the Council Stadium than they did at the Upton Park. Take very good care, Gooners.
Cheers Esso.
Fingers crossed that he trained well and suffered no ill effects, we need him.
I just hope our midfield gets us going forward rather than sideways…
Lauren is on that Fantasy Football thing on Sky by the way. Just started on SS1
Hope we can Iron out our issues and Hammer in three. May the Holic Pound streak continue.
Not sure we are playing well enough to beat anyone 3-0 despite the optimism in your report. They are missing some regulars and if we start well it would heap the pressure on them but it won’t be easy.
I’ve been pessimistic since we lost Cazorla who has been proved to be vital to our cohesion. I think away from home I would take Xhaka and Coquelin in midfield . I suspect he might use Ramsey wide and unfortunately I’m not a believer in Ramsey any more. Any sort or win will suit me. I suspect he won’t go mad about winning in Basel because PSG will win against Ludo and over the next few weeks it’s about nursing resources and sorting out problems quickly e.g. Cazorla needing surgery.
Somehow a squad that looked full of options looks thinner now. I would play Maitland- Niles at right back but I think Wenger will play Gabriel. Otherwise the rest is guessable with Sanchez leading the line. I hope his rich vein of form continues. 1-0 to the Arsenal
We lost to them in the first match of last season and drew away at West Ham in the return fixture. Hope we continue our improvement by winning today.
Gabriel has a big heart.
Our injury list has creot up surreptitiously again. I understand Ramsey may now be injured and we have yet to have the enforced breaks that Thieo and Ox will assuredly suffer. It hangs like a blight over our club. Let us hope we get Hector , Danny and Olivier back soon , certainly for Christmas. I didn’t realise we had an option to recall Jack Wilshere and I would be tempted to do that if I were Wenger given Santi’s issue. I hope he lets Xhaka bed in and try to establish himself . He doesn’t do the Santi job but he has real quality.
I’d be interested in Trev’s view on whether we might have handled Santi’s injury better.
City lose big against the chavs… 2 players sent off..
How many matches suspended do they get i wonder?
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Guardiola sends Clichy on for Sane, who is having a great game, and Chelsea have scored a goal from Clichy’s side within two minutes. Great management?
BB. Fernandinho ought to get a pretty stiff penalty for what he did to our former boy Fabregas.
That will be a 4-game ban for Aguero due to previous ban. Misses Arsenal but back for Liverpool on 31 Dec.
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The better team lost, City had a great chance to go two ahead, didn’t take it and Chelsea nicked it. In the battle of the Belgians, de Bruryne muffed his chance in front of an open goal from three yards while Hazard scored with aplomb; Cesc had a great assist. I was hoping for a draw.
Again a must win game for us. The ref is the same guy who was in charge in our last year’s 3-3 draw at West Ham, so fingers crossed.
@bt8
Incidentally Fabregas probably caused Fernandinho to get sent off.. he may miss out against us as well.
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Fucking diver Deli Alli.
Didn’t see the whole game but Citeh haven’t got a good defence and couldn’t handle Costa. Pep has yet to pull up any trees but Conte has done a magnificent job in taking the Chelsea team we thrashed and knocking it into shape . The De Bruyne miss was absolutely pivotal and quite amazing . Harry Redknapp’s missus would have definitely slotted it home ?
Is Harry Redknapp’s missus related to Geoff Boycott’s mum, TTG?
We should be told.
COYG
Arsenal: Cech, Monreal, Mustafi, Koscielny, Gabriel, Coquelin, Xhaka, Ozil, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Walcott, Sanchez
Subs: Ospina, Gibbs, Holding, Ramsey, Eleneny, Iwobi, Lucas
Looks like the best possible starting eleven.
Come on.
Will the walking dead we saw play Soton become the running alive?
COME ONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!
Don’t like games where we completely dominate and don’t score
Ozil, get in!!!!
Stupid Coq boots the ball into the crowd and gets booked.
Petty ref booked Coquelin for kicking it away but no yellow card for the Arbeloa foul on Coquelin
Hope Gabriel is not injured now. We are really thin on the right.
I felt that (19) the ref’s appointment was a bit odd and he has not done anything to alleviate my doubts.
Pangloss
Don’t think Harry and Geoff are related but they might have been separated at birth. If Harry’s wife was Boycott’s Mum , Harry could be Geoff’s father . Although they are peas in a pod I would think it unlikely. But wouldn’t that be fun? And if Danny Dyer can be descended from Edward iii who knows?
AOC wherefore art thou?
Between Him and Nacho on the left side we should have done much better with all that open space when they got behind the defence.
Good first half more of the same please lads!
Theo and Ox are both having a bad game. Another goal needed before they introduce Carrol and the aerial bombardment begins. As it is they almost scored twice. Time to wake up.
Ramsey?
Theo off for Ramsey.COYG?
Sanchez, yeah!!!!
Alexis.. just WOW!
GET IN!
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Alexis get in I love you ?
What a dynamo is Sanchez. Created and scored through sheer grit.
Come on lads. 1-0 is far from safe.
The Ox is playing at 10% of his potential btw. Time to introduce Ramsey.
And Alexis just scores a cracker!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
BF Goal
Holic pound is hovering in the wings….
Sanchez!!!!!!
Cough.
What would we do without Sanchez, too scary to contemplate.
Alexis…. the man’s a bloody Genius!
GET IN!
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Well shows what I know! I can’t see us scoring three against anyone I said!
Carrol scores, inevitable.
You know what Ox should ask for as a Xmas gift? A clue. Alexis just tried calmly to set him up, doesn’t know where to go. Alexis gestures where he should have been.
And Andy Carroll again. Game on, ffs.
Ox now!!!!
Commentator’s curse on my part. ?
Excellent goal, Ox. Caps a very good day for him, best outing for a while. Give him a few games now, Arsene.
Not to be outdone…OX!
Following Alexis’ lead!
GET IN!!!
The Holic pound goes down the pan to some of the most complacent defending I have ever seen at a free kick.
Great strike by AOC.
The Appys off early for some Christmas shopping.
I love me a bit of the real Oxlade Chamberlain!
Hatrick for Sanchez, thoroughly deserved.
Great assist too, Ox. Good lad.
Carroll just made Alexis angry.. GET INNNNNNNN!
Stepover and chip!
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Sold a great dummy to their goalie and finished coolly, Sanchez.
Great game and good for our goal difference.
What a great performance by Alexis! December is here and we will steamroller everybody
Best attack in the league boys (quantitatively speaking).
@TTG
Love your optimism.. here’s hoping it comes true!
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Alexis with 18 months left on his contract.. pay him what he wants!
Alexis could have had at least 3 more assists.. at this rate I do not think we can rest him, especially when some of the team look lethargic.
Going to look at the goals again…
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Thanks for the clarification@35, ttg.
So, knock in a hatfull and all’s well with the world, eh?
Sounds good to me.
COYG
West Ham were shite but we played well throughout the team and players like Ox, Xhaka and Gabriel were very good. Ozil and Sanchez are the icing on the cake. Having seen that shower on Wednesday it was good to see a very effective performance.
No Holic report yet?
Sign Sanchez and Ozil up Arsene.
Brilliant game what can you say Alex is on fire Time to get some sushi
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