Gunners Seeking The Perfect Ten at Wembley
Feb 9th, 2018 by 'holic
It’s that weekend again. The away leg of the brace of North London derby matches we enjoy (or endure) every season. At least this year we do not have to visit the dive that is White Hart Lane. Hopefully unluckily for them we are off to Wembley, a stadium where we have made nine successful consecutive visits in the last four years, winning three FA Cups and three FA Community Shield in the process.
The match has an added edge with the proximity of the clubs in fifth and sixth place in the Premier League and separated by just four points. Our away form would normally be a major concern but the performance last weekend with the two new boys hinted at a new start for a refreshed squad. Add to that the fact that the team needs no motivation to put in a proper shift against that lot. It bodes well.
The team news is encouraging with Petr Cech the only new doubt after Everton, but even he was reported to have taken full part in today’s (Friday) training session. It would be a surprise to see any changes to the starting eleven who ripped Everton apart last week. That’s not to say lots of us wouldn’t have changed a few faces but the possible second option the manager may consider is a back three at the expense of Alex Iwobi.
It will be interesting to see if Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang finds the gaps in behind a home defence that usually likes to play a high line and compress play into the opposition half. His understanding with Henrikh Mkhitaryan could provide the platform for a crucial win and hopefully an end of season winning run. Mesut Ozil too will be keen too release him and add to his assist count. Auba already has a great record against the shadow-dwellers with four goals in four matches against them for Dortmund.
The opponents will be under deep scrutiny after the week of seemingly endless discussion about their manager’s encouragement of simulation. One would have thought that the appointed referee, Anthony Taylor, will look very closely at any attempted pikes with extra twists and turns. It’s fair to say that their degree of difficulty will certainly have been raised this weekend in particular.
We have to accept they have become a much more dangerous team under Pochettinyclub so defensively we will need to be alert and careful with any challenges in and around the box. Keeping Kane quiet will be crucial (assuming he and Lamela are out of the decompression chamber after last weekend) but we managed that when beating them 2-0 at the Grove in November. That performance should encourage us. Stretch them and get Aubameyang and Aaron Ramsey running into the gaps and it could be a memorable match.
The ‘holic pound
If you have listened to this week’s ABW podcast (you will see it below) you will know I am on 2-1 to the Arsenal. Shop around to get 14/1 against this. The emotions as ever will fluctuate before, and probably during, the match. Right now though I am feeling really positive about our chances. Hopefully it will provide the springboard for us to record two famous victories at Wembley this month.
Have a great weekend, ‘holics.
18 Responses to “Gunners Seeking The Perfect Ten at Wembley”
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Mouth- watering preview Holic fir a game that could be anything. There are all sorts of angles which make it very hard to predict. We could lose 3-0 or turn them over like we did in November. We got our tactics and motivation spot on then and we managed to press them for 90 minutes . Auba could really give them problems on a big pitch like Wembley. I’ve been saying all week it will be a draw but Holic’s positivity persuades me the Holic pound will come in.
Excellent preview and I match your confidence but wish to raise you to a two goal margin of victory. I think the Mkhi/Auba momentum & feelgood factors, coupled with the shedding of the Chilean albatross sitting waving his wings in despair in the corner of the dressing room, will stimulate us to another comfortable win.
To Mr Xhaka, if you’re reading this, I expect that Arsene will pick you tomorrow. Please do pick up runners and run with them. Please do stay on your feet. Please don’t see red mist and get sent off.
Enjoy!
Evening both. Millwall and Cardiff, not surprisingly, are not producing a classic. An awful lot of huffing and puffing.
Fine preview Guvna. Mouth-watering stuff. Hoping our renaissance continues. Let’s keep that Wembley winning run going! Sadly I won’t be able to see it live but I’ll be there in spirit. COYG THMBD
The Mikhi Auba Momentum (with support, Feelgood Factors)
Takes me back to the Summer of Love..
I am in the same boat bath. It is being recorded for post lunch enjoyment.
Millwall got a peach of an equaliser. I think you would call it a bruising encounter.
Only a 10.0 dive by their biggest Orca could prevent the ‘holic pound from coming in this time. Or so he said. 😉
Thanks for the preview Guvnor.
Hope you’re right on the score
and Taylor being fully prepped
for a stern no, followed by a
yellow for our wobbly friends of
the turf.
3-1 if it’s the exciting, excellent
eleven that executed Everton
but who knows if it’s the shitey,
second-rate shower that submitted
to Swansea.
Anyway, stand up and fight you
mighty gunners !
Where has cba got to? Here’s a song for you, big guy, if you’re there… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFpFxB4Wqcg
Back four today please Arsene. Add Ramsey and Jack, Miki, Mesut and Auba. 2-1 to the Arse.
The game is live here in Oz at a very civilised 10.00pm (Qld.).
UTA.
Oops – Add Elneny if you’re conservative or Laca if you’re a radical.
UTA.
No cba drinks on a Friday? It just doesn’t seem right.
Blackout?!
Can’t argue with the result.
Spuds clearly better more cohesive team all over the Park.
Could have been 3 or 4 in the 2nd half.
Ramsey injury in training during the week didn’t help.
Reshuffled line up didn’t give any indication that they would improve on our away day blues.
Our neighbors have picked up 7pts out of 9 from 3 consecutive games against top 4 opponents.
Can’t argue with that.
Apologies all, the server took the impending defeat badly. There’s only so much depression a server can take…
The server went down some hours before kick off, Holic – i tried about 9.00am and it was more down than Eric Lamela on a duck’s back in an Irish county.
Decent first half today defensively without threatening too much ourselves. Their goal almost brought about another of our famous collapses – the defence went completely to pieces and we were lucky not to concede another three or four.
Strange that having recruited a striker with electric pace up front, that we never tried to get the ball quickly and early into the space behind the Tottenham defence. Even stranger that when Lacazette came on, we moved Aubameyang to the left wing, from where he had an excellent view of Lacazette missing all the chances that fell in the centre.
I get that playing a back four means we can play an extra man farther forward, but if you are going to only have two centre backs these days you have to have a rock solid defensive midfielder in front of them.
We don’t.
the server knew guvnor ?
can’t argue with a word that
Trev wrote
I agree Trev. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>