Cojones Were Called For, I Believe?
Mar 10th, 2018 by 'holic
Sunday lunchtime, not one for a full roast this weekend, but for the visit of Watford. The Hornets are fast becoming a bogey team but will Arsene Wenger rest key players ahead of the second-leg of the Europa League tie against Milan? With Burnley now just two points behind us we can ill afford to get the selection wrong.
Petr Cech is set to return in goal behind two makeshift full-backs. With Hector Bellerin and Nacho Monreal ruled out and Sead Kolasinac doubtful it looks like Calum Chambers and Ainsley Maitland-Niles will flank two from Laurent Koscielny, Shkodran Mustafi, or Rob Holding.
Who will be considered for a rest from the midfield? Should it be Aaron Ramsey and Mesut Ozil then expect appearances for Mohamed Elneny and Alex Iwobi. The obvious switch will be made up front where Pierre-Emerick Aubamayang is sure to start. There are some snaps of a laughing Aubamayang emerging from the training ground this week so lets hope he has a confidence-boosting game.
The visitors have won on their last two visits to the Grove and have recovered a semblance of form having lost it after beating us in the reverse fixture in October. Now it is us who need to rally in the Premier League after some bad defeats in 2018. The manager unusually put his players in the front line with his pre-match comments.
“Criticism is part of the fact that we don’t win the games. Then there is just one way to respond, which is what we did against Milan. It’s to be together, to show our pride and character and the desire to play for the club.”
There was a world of difference in the apparent desire to play in Milan compared to, say Brighton as just one of many examples this season. Having said that surely his pre-match speech has been done for him by Troy Deeney’s post-match comments in October. Just pin them up in every booth in the home dressing room. Lads, you know what you have to do.
The ‘holic pound
Although a little concerned at the extent to which we might rest our match-winners I’ll be guided by the fact that they will surely be available to call from the bench if required. That 2-1 scoreline runs through this fixture of late and I fancy us to stop Watford achieving four in three seasons. The bookies agree with that. It is the favourite scoreline at between 7 and 8/1.
If you are there I hope to bump into you somewhere. Mike from the Gooners in USA podcast is over so I might just let him buy me a Guinness and Jameson or two. Let’s hope the post-match drinks are a celebration of another winning performance from the Arsenal.
Have a good one, ‘holics.
156 Responses to “Cojones Were Called For, I Believe?”
“The Fall of Troy Deeney”
Ultra-cojones mega-dub mix
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-BlbEMzV5k
Any Sunday lunchtime kick off is about as much use to me as tits on a fish.
3 points please. For those going, enjoy. With any luck, hopefully I will get to catch the second half.
Nice preview H.
Thanks for the preview Guvnor.
Given the lack of full backs I
wonder if we’ll consider 3 at the
back today. Something like….
Cech
Calum, Mus, Kos
Nelson, Xhaka, Ramsey, Kola
Mkhi, Auba, Danny
Rest Jack and Mesut and give
Nelson an opportunity.
Either way we will be fairly
makeshift on the rear flanks.
And could just as easily see Rob,
Elneny, Iwobi, AMN or even
the lesser spotted Mert getting
a game today.
3-0 will be fine and an accidental
knee in the nuts for Deeney
wouldn’t go amiss either.
Fine preview Guvna. 2-1 to the good guys will do me nicely.
I expect:
Cech
Calum, Mustafi, Kos, AMN
Melnenny Xhaka
LJW
Mkhitaryan, BamBam, Iwobi
COYG
Let’s have a ball!
I’m going to a Mothers Day lunch with Mrs TTG tomorrow with some cooking done by the grandsons so will catch it on the telly. I think the Guvna has read it about right and we could win a competitive match to hopefully revenge the defeat we should never have suffered in October.
Watford annoy me, they are a soulless club with lots of unremarkable players but have found one or two excellent ones in Doucoure and Richarlison.
We were awful in this game last season and in the Cup-tie the year before. Let’s hope we avoid an unwanted hat-trick .
I’m driving to this on account of the lack of trains and having to do a bit of Mother’s Day
mother’s day, eh?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDGw1MTEe9k
Amused.
https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/onesport/cps/800/cpsprodpb/15960/production/_100361488_noblegettyjpg.jpg
Cheers Holic !
Having missed only 3 games since the Emirates opened before this season, tomorrow will be only my third attendance of the current campaign, courtesy of one of our own from this very bar.
Very much looking forward to catching up with him again and to reversing the results of the previous two pretty miserable encounters with Watford.
Last season’s meeting was on a very wet night and my daughter and I were even treated to a train ride home – when a half length one eventually turned up – with rain water pouring through the roof of the train, to round of a horrible night.
No such problem tomorrow as there is no service at all apart from the replacement busses, which transform a 30 minute trip into around 2 1/2 hours. So, like Jackster, it will mean a drive for me to the start of the underground.
Whoever plays, the spirit of the San Siro would be very welcome. Come on Arsenal, you still owe us one or two ……
Not very confident about this one. I fear a rather painful confirmation that we lack cojones awaits us as Deeny and gang kick us around under the supervision of Atkinson. Even otherwise Watford have pace and power and we come undone against such teams. Winning this will be important for the atmosphere at the next match against Milan and hope we beat Watford, by any margin. COYG.
We have a spotty home record against Watford in the League: P10 W5 D1 L4. Plus we lost two of four FA Cup ties, with the two wins being when we were still Woolwich Arsenal.
Ned,
That record is far too good for
the likes of Watford. Past time
we stuck it to them. Also, get
that stupid 200 albatross off
Cech’s neck.
So blithely ignoring ksn’s
legitimate points I’m sticking
with 3-0 to The Arsenal.
🙂
Hope triumphs over experience
again !
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MyJHh451Y4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SM2f0YWhP9o
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGOEUo_sLxY
.
who is that masked man?
OM@12: I hope it does.
With two exceptions (1999 and 2006), every time we have beaten Watford, we have scored at least three goals.
Too much negativity here following a decent performance in Milan.
4-0, no worries. Deeney sees red.
UTA.
Arsenal: Cech, Maitland-Niles, Mustafi, Holding, Kolasinac, Xhaka, Elneny, Iwobi, Ozil, Mkhitaryan, Aubameyang
Subs: Ospina, Chambers, Willock, Nelson, Nketiah, Wilshere, Welbeck
Cech
Ash M-N, Mus, Rob, Kola
elneny, xhaka,
ozil, mkhi, iwobi,
aubamayeng
I hope Elneny and Xhaka screen
well. Danny and Eddie the attacking
options off the bench as well as
Nelson and Jack.
Calum, Joe Willock and Osp the
other subs
Oh my god noooo, what the fuck is Wenger playing at. You can’t play both Xhaka and Iowbi in the same team, they are so rubbish, slow the game down, try stupid passes and give the ball away time and time again. Replace these two lumps of shite with Wilshere and Ramsey
……..tommy……..
johnny……dee dee
………JOEY……….
Hope they be looking for the c*nt Deeney…
Come ON!
Arsenal please win.
Couldn’t have said it better
So you have a use for tits on fish, Steve. Who knew?
Come on Arsenal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Spirit of the San Siro let us do the holy steamroller over the hell-bound hornets.
Should have taken the lead there!
Come on THE ARSENAL!
Loads of empty seats
Shkodran fucking Mustafi
Mustafi, get in!!!!
Get in!
GET IN!
MUstafi made it look like a training session..
How’s that Deeney? Enough of a fight yet?!
😀
Lovely cross from Ozil and Mustafi scores a free header!
Loving this!
Xhaka tracking back?? World has gone mad
Fucking Dcoure leaves his foot in on Mustafi. We are again starting to look weak at the back again. They could have scored twice. COYG.
What’s Deeney complaining about now? 😀
Richarlison is a diver and we must be careful of any contact in the penalty box. He a will go down everytime.
Should have been at least 2 nil up
Elneny sloppy pass come on lads!
Xhaka is a little thick giving away free kick in a dangerous area.
Got lucky there!
I hope those wasted chances wont come to haunt us!
Shit, Ozil misses a sitter.
They have started kicking Ozil and Atkinson gives a shit about that.
ksn typical Atkinson
Phantom ghost offisede as well
Iwobi was onside…
Iwobi really pisses me off
Three of our own players against their winger and he still gets the cross in!
Good first half but we still need to improve and most of all in front of goal!
We went off the boil again in the last 15 minutes and could have neen punished. Ozil and Auba should have taken their chances.
Get out there and swat the damn hornets early
2nd half.
Come on Arsenal wake up!
That wasn’t Mustafi’s fault our midfield is terrible
This is not looking good!
Come on Arsenal!
Get innnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn
AAAAAAAAAAAAUUUUUUBBBBB 😀
Auba!!!!
Great work by Mkhitaryan who puts it on a plate for Aubameyang.
what the fuck was Iwobi doing there he was offside!
suckered ’em!!!!!
FFS
Stupid penalty given away by AMN.
Come on Czech saves a PEN fuck me!
Rare Cech penalty save and that too off cunt Deeny.???
Cech doesn’t save penalties…
Except against Deeney the C*nt!
😀 😀 😀
Holic pound denied by Czech
It’s all good today
🙂
it was a bloody silly penalty to
give away though
We should have had a pen Miki fouled badly and a red card!
Mariappa takes away Mkhi and no penalty. Fucking Atkinson.
As usual refs are doing a fine job out there
Good thing I am recording this, will loop the pen save some 30 times
I don’t understand how
that isn’t a penalty for us
Welbeck on for Iwobi. Great if Welbeck scores off his face.
Osaka
It’s called a joke if you ask they are blind!
Mustafi had a good game today well played!
Mustafi off for Chambers. He had a good game today.
Dortmund connection, great job
Get in Miki!!!!!!!!!
COJONES!! ?
Mkhitaryan scores. As NED said, we only win against Watford when we score three. Mkhitaryan off and really well played today. Quality player showed some cojones too.
@78
🙂
Mus did play better today as
has the team in patches, we’re
slowly getting better at finding
Auba.
See it out and it should set us up
well for Milan.
Clean sheet now, come on
Atkinson is a dick
Great win. We showed ⚽️???⚽️⚾️? today!
Good job, well done.
3-0 and a penalty save for
the 200th for Cech. All a man
could ask for
Congratulations to Cech for being the first player to reach 200 clean sheets and to Ozil for reaching 50 league assist in fewest games.
Nice to see Bob Wilson in the
crowd too
ksn,
Didn’t know that about Ozil
– he’s done well.
There you go, OM. Ask and you shall receive. 3-0 it was.
ksn@84: Ned knows.
Team put in a shift today, and surprise, surprise, it got a result. Talent was always there. Just not the motivation to make something of it in these sorts of games.
And congrats to Cech on his 200th clean sheet. Just so Arsenal to make him have to save a penalty to secure it.
Great day as Arsenal became only the second club after Manure (1066) to score 1000 goals in EPL.
@ 95- Everyone in this bar knows that NED knows.
Cherries 1-0 over LWCs at 7′ and they missed a sitter on a breakaway earlier.
Lays it down for ksn……
*steals it*
Didn’t see any of that after the first five minutes so have no idea how we played. I did record it but saw the score and there’s no point watching when you know how it ends. I did try but got bored very quickly and was hitting the fast forward so switched it off.
Decent win by the sound of it
Scarily empty stadium though, what’s the excuse this time? Mother’s Day?
https://twitter.com/HectorBellerin/status/972856557733056512
😀
Thanks ATG @ 99, but I did a Welbeck.
thanks Ned. It was a good present,
things are more cheery after a
win. 2 clean sheets on the trot
and nary a grumpy face or sour
puss to be seen
Fantastic win and very good performance. Everyone got stuck in and finally the 200th clean sheet for Cech and a first penalty save for us.
Mkhitaryan impressed hugely with his combativeness and tackling. Watford had spells when they were on top but the team didn’t get bogged down by it and kept going for it. Aubameyang is slowly getting into his groove and he could become a huge player for us with his qualities. Good performances from Mustafi and Holding at the back. Xhaka did make the odd mistake but he was covering back very well today and was never short on effort. Kolasinac played much better again and is recovering from his mid-season slump in form. Overall two consecutive clean sheets and two convincing wins is a huge and timely confidence boost. Now comes the tougher part of getting a bit of consistency going.
It was for me Cynic
Fantastic day out at the Emirates which started really well at the Tolly where I met the landlord, Mike from the US, Lars from Sweden and Lucy from Banbury. A fine collection of Arsenal fanatics who had travelled many a mile to be there. This good mood continued into the stadium where we saw three good goals, and some dodgy defending, but the highlight of the day was the monstoring of Troy “cojones” Deeney. Boy did we give him some stick especially when Cech surprised everybody with a good save off his pen.
Right, bring on Milan on Thursday!
ksn@95: 🙂
OM@104: funny how things seem so much better when we win.
Batshuayi, who didn’t do anything significant at Chelsea, is making a name for himself with Dortmund. Against Frankfurt today he scored two good goals. He could become a problem for us if we ever happen to meet Dortmund in the Europa league this season. Of course, I am looking too far ahead as we are to still beat Milan and Dortmund have to come from behind to beat Red Bull.
The goalscoring milestone reached today — 1,000 goals; second club to get there after ManU — is for home goals in the Premiership, not all goals. We are passed 1,750 in total.
It was also AW’s 700th win with an Arsenal side, and, of course, John Motson’s final live BBC commentary.
A measure of Cech’s achievement of keeping 200 clean sheets is that Arsenal has managed only 390 since the Premiership started.
Interesting article in the Sunday Times today about Jadon Sancho of Borussia Dortmund, the lad who left Citeh and is now in the first- team at Dortmund. He explains, well articulated reasons for doing this and how it is paying off for him.
He grew up in Kennington and his best mate was Reiss Nelson. Although I wasn’t there I would have thought we might have given Reiss some game time at the expense of Danny Welbeck. Apparently, Nelson who,is yet to sign a new contract , was visibly frustrated at not getting on. One might expect him to do something similar to Sancho.
Food for thought in a week when Marcus McGuane revealed that Wenger never spoke to him in twelve years at the club.
So in today’s victory Ozil became the quickest player in the history of the premier league to reach 50 assists. Today’s effort means he has now been directly involved in 101 Arsenal goals since his arrival at the club. That’s either an assist or scoring himself.
All that when he’s been decidedly average??? Just think what he would have done if he had actually been any good???
More’s the point. Just think what figures he would have achieved if he was playing in a decent Arsenal side??????
Offer Jack a new contract that doesn’t involve a pay cut and sign him up now.
Good win. Well done.
Saw two guys today at the game that were at the Fan’s Forum this morning with Gazidis. Both made the same two comments
a) Gazidis’s body language and careful choice of words seemed to be clear that he is desparate to see Wenger gone. The belief was that Josh Kroenke is of similar views.
b) Regarding Jack’s contract, whilst Gazidis couldn’t comment specifically, he did say “don’t believe what you read in the papers” , presumably referring to the comments this week that discussions are taking a backwards step.
Interesting
I wouldn’t be too worried about the empty seats at the Ems.
Playing the game slap bang in the middle of Mothers day would have made a significant difference,particularly for a meaningless match that was only ever going to be about getting any kind of win to keep the confidence up,and to avoid injuries,which we did with the exception of Mustafi who looks like he has done a groin.
Nacho and Hector look like they will be okay for Thursday,when you can bet the ground will be packed for a game that does matter.
It wasn’t that empty. Lower tier was pretty much full apart from family enclosure (that is worrying, those seats are £13 each), upper tier had some gaps especially at Clock End. I reckon there were 50,000+ there.
Arseblog in his preview of today’s game,has a link to a no holds barred interview Per did with Der Spiegel about his career and life in general.
Fascinating insight into the life of the modern Footballer.
Just watched the game back on TV. My 115 was wrong. Loads of empty seats in the West Lower.
Congrats to Mesut for his 50 assists. Noting that he’s been in decline in recent years after one huge season, 2015-16, when he had 19 assists. And that Mkhitaryan has 9 assists in 16 starts this season (incl 11 for Manure) to Ozil’s 8 in 23.
But while I refuse to worship at the temple of the Fishgod I do recognise a general improvement in his attitude this season, and hope to see a lot more of it. He has a ridiculous amount of skill, when in the right mood.
Great to see Miki and O’Banger in sync, a stroke of (AW?) genius securing the pair.
Just our luck to get an excellent game out of Musti, only for injury to strike. Let’s hope it’s not too serious.
Why oh why does AW persist with Iwoeful? Practically anyone on the bench would have been more value today. And why unWelbeck replacing him when Eddie, Rheiss or Jo were all available and in need of encouragement?
Congrats to Cech for 200 white sheets, even if most were for the Chavs.
An excellent afternoon’s work all round. Plus Jack, Rambo and Kos all nicely rested.
Chris
I think the genius in signing the Dortmund pair came from Mislintat. To be fair I’d need more evidence consistently in bigger games than this but there clearly is a good connection between them.
Ozil has been excellent in the last two games. He has very odd body language. If you catch his expression after Auba’s goal he has a face like thunder but he played with freedom today. What we need to see is a development of this side through all phases of the game. It looked to me watching the game back that Elneny adds much more cohesion in defence than Xhaka. I think he should play against Milan in a two in front of the back four. Mkhi, Ozil and Ramsey can then feed Super Dan the goal machine .
“face like thunder”
i like that
………and i like elneny
I’m sure you’re right about Mislintat, TTG.
I like Elneny. I can’t recall who it was against but he filled in very nicely when injuries saw him picked as one of the CBs a while back. He’s more defence-minded than Xhaka, and less likely to give away silly free kicks.
Cojones were called for and Deeney’s cojones were delivered. On a skewer in fact.
bt8, do they make skewers that small?
Hate Deeney if you like, I think it’s a bit exaggerated at times. In fact I noted a degree of respect between him and several of ours, offering each other hand-ups for example. And he was sharing a right laugh about something with AMN at one point.
Deeney is still a c…
Troy Deeney was a boyhood Arsenal fan
I think the game where Elneny made a real difference defensively was when he moved into a centre back role in the second half of the Chelsea Carabao semi-final. He is just the sort of versatile squad player teams need .
Once again Wenger thinks people are staying away because of “that week against City”. He doesn’t get it does he.
No he doesn’t, Cynic. It was lunchtime on Mothering Sunday. One of the traditional English family social gatherings for all classes.
I was there though.
@108
Isn’t it just.
Although “nary a grumpy face or sour
puss to be seen” might have been a
bit optimistic on my part 🙂
Funny sort of game, I was relieved when the second goal went in as at that point in the game Watford were building up a head of steam. We played some nice ball and the two new boys are showing a bit of understanding with Ozil. It can only get better.
Pleased there are some other Mo fans in the Bar. He always gives good value and is a safe partner with Granit . Iwobi was again a weak link. I’m starting to feel we should play anyone but Iwobi . His lack of pace and poor decision making don’t fill me with any confidence.
There were thousands of ST holders who didn’t make the game yesterday but I am sure there will be a packed stadium on Thursday night. AC Milan still has the pulling power of yesteryear, let’s not mess things up. Hopefully Mustafi will be OK and rested Rambo and Kos will be raring to go. Let’s hope there is an amazing atmosphere as yesterday the crowd only got going after Cech’s penalty save. It seemed that mocking Deeney was more fun than cheering on the Reds !
COYRs
As an Elneny backer of longstanding I can only second what Delia and others have said in a positive way about him in the last couple of months. The other question I have is why does Xhaka get preference over our dreadlocked Egyptian??
Ned
I know we have had some bad seasons,particularly in the 60’s,but have we ever been 33pts adrift of the leader with still 8 games to play.
Beggars belief.
Bt8
Elneny is not competing with Granit for a place in the team.
Granit is left footed,Elneny right.
So effectively he is competing with Rambo on the right side of midfield for balance.
Jack is also left footed,so it is a bit of a conundrum trying to fit them in.
Not only are we 33 pts adrift of $iteh, Clive, but if we’d WON every game we’ve LOST this season we’d STILL be 3 pts behind them. Then there’s the Goal Difference difference … a mere 51 goals behind the leaders.
It buggers belief mate.
#136 … another reason we miss the two-footed Santi so badly.
81 minus 48
uh well
85 minus 55
wait, wait…
65 minus 14
uh…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSBybJGZoCU
Clive@135: You have to go back to the 1909-10 season when after 30 games we were 20 points behind the leaders, Aston Villa, who had a game in hand. Two points for a win in those days, so we were effectively 11 wins off the pace, equivalent to a 33 point gap today. The closest to it in our lifetimes was in 1960-61, when after 30 games, we were 19 points behind the leaders who also had a game in hand. So a nominal 10 wins and a draw off the pace. In 1974-75 and again the following season, we had only 25 points after 30 games but were still only 17 points, or eight wins and a draw, behind the leaders. And in the 1964-65 and 1965-66 seasons, when we finished 13th and 14th respectively and were generally pretty terrible, we were only six wins off the pace after 30 games.
Ned,
A nice illustration of the gap
between the haves and have nots.
It’s certainly widened considerably.
I’m not sure the comparison is that
meaningful anymore given the
underlying changes.
To me we’re 6th in a 6 horse race
which doesn’t really beggar belief
as we were 5th in the same race
last season.
Of course I agree with everyone
that changes are urgently required.
Well then Clive, have Elneny and Jack worked well as a central midfield partnership? I can’t remember seeing that pair together very often. I’m looking desperately for a Xhaka alternative at the moment but AW seems to be doing anything but.
bt8,
Yeah, I’ve given up on Xhaka
too. I feel we’ve tried all the
possible midfield combos this
season and none have really
gelled. Jack and Elneny both
seem squad players – good
at certain things but not at
Santi’s level. We need a new
Santi. Now, where’s that damn
Santi tree hiding?
Thnks for the info Ned
Makes for very sober reading.
Only 51 goals behind Chris, a mere bagatelle.
As for Santi,he joins Eduardo as 2 really significant tragic career losses to our Club.
To whom, Clive @ 144, you might add About Diary who was developing as a potentially superb midfield presence when his ankle was totally disrupted by that Sunderland thug and who never recovered.
FFS, darn spillchucker,* Abou Diaby, plus *143 (my fault)
Man City have gone to see Abou Diaby apparently. Which is nice of them.
And Debuchy won the player
of the month award which is
nice for him.
And apparently Hughes is the
leading candidate for the Soton
job which isn’t really nice for
anyone.
And seeing as I’ve got close
I may as well
Take the 150 and raise a bat
before the guvnor gets the Milan
preview in
Taking my daughter to the Women’s Continental Cup Final – Arsenal Ladies Vs Man City Ladies – at Wycombe Wanderers ground tomorrow evening. Be rude not to as it is just a short 10 minute drive away.
Tickets for Two adults and One Child were £18 ; that is how to get youngsters into football ; can barely afford to take myself to the Emirates these days.
My knowledge of the women’s game is scant, but I will try and post some sort of review afterwards for y’all.
NDR@151
Well done for supporting the Ladies. I hope you have a great and successful evening. I’m really impressed by the quality of women’s football . Like women’s tennis it has different qualities to the men’s game and lacks the power but it is very absorbing and the skill level is high.
I’m at Cheltenham this week and will miss Thursday but I hope all going thoroughly enjoy it
Good on you NDA – hope all three of you enjoy the game and that the lady Gunners prevail!
Or even NDR!
TTG – may the Lord have mercy on your liver at Cheltenham! ???????
Oops ? >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>