Third Place In Our Hands On Rocky Remembrance Day
Mar 31st, 2019 by 'holic
It’s a pretty good weekend to be a Gooner. It would be even if it was only us showing a degree of good form and belief in recent weeks with the restoration of Mesut Ozil or Aaron Ramsey, or even both as against Rennes. We are playing well at the pointed end of the season. A fight to reach the top four when we were behind Chelsea and Manchester United not long ago looked a tall order.
From there we arrive at today. United have temporarily relieved us of fourth place with a fortunate win over Watford yesterday. Chelsea are on our heels but far from in convincing form. Then there are the Nomads from Middlesex. Their spectacular demise meant that this afternoon their worst nightmare loomed into view. Defeat at Liverpool means third place is mathematically ours to lose now. St Totteringham is still in his sick bed but showing signs of a full recovery to rude health quite soon.
All of which means the Monday Night football becomes more significant than The Arsenal versus Newcastle United appeared when it was moved by Sky, who love to make supporters travel the depth of the country at the most inconvenient times possible. It’s usually us so there will be no gloating at the fanatical Geordies from us tomorrow.
That said the opportunity to leapfrog United and the Nomads is one to be grasped with both hands. According to arsenal.com apart from the longterm absent trio we will only be missing the suspended Lucas Torreira. The BBC run with Granit Xhaka requiring a fitness test after his well-reported injury on international duty. Missing both would be a blow for us, but hopefully one we could overcome.
A likely starting line-up could be Bernd Leno behind a three of Sokratis Papastathopoulos, Laurent Koscielny, and fit again Nacho Monreal? Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Sead Kolasinac to power up and down the flanks?
Despite talk of a start for Dennis Suarez I find that improbable. The deepest lying pairing could be Ramsey and either Xhaka (if fit) or Matteo Guendouzi. That allows Alex Iwobi or Henrikh Mkhitaryan, or Ozil, and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to operate behind and alongside Alexandre Lacazette. That team gives a feel good buzz, doesn’t it?
The ‘holic pound
I would have been more worried about facing Rafa Benitez’ side if he himself sounded more ambitious about the game. He has never won a league match at our place with any of his clubs, and ahead of the match had this to say,
“We know we have to win maybe just one more game but if we can’t win the next one, we just have to keep going. I will not put us under pressure.”
They have improved a great deal over the second half of the season to all but mathematically avoid the possibility of relegation. We will probably feel the pressure of the situation more than them, but a confident Gunners team in good form should be capable of a tenth consecutive home win.
There isn’t too much value out there as we are firm favourites with the bookies, not surprisingly. They favour 2-0, followed by 1-0 and 2-1. They are probably the most popular of my tips over the years. Safe, often achieved, usually in a different order to which I have suggested! I can see it being a difficult start for us, but if a goal arrives in the first-half the second might be a demonstration, so I am taking the 20/1 available against 4-1. I’ll get a run for my money as long as the Geordies don’t score twice early on.
A little earlier in the piece than usual I shall say, have a good one, ‘holics.
David Rocastle
Even at this late hour (in the UK) I cannot say goodnight without a mention of the late, great, Rocky. An absolute diamond of a footballer, a Gooner to the core, football lost a fabulous player too soon to injury. Little did we know much worse was to follow. Most I think most know his passing was on the day of the North London derby in 2001, a day that will live long in the memory.
Credit the visiting supporters that day who understood that English football, not just Arsenal, had suffered a devastating blow. Thoughts today (but not just today) go out to Rocky’s family, Janet, Ryan, Monique, and Melissa. We think we feel pain. It pales into insignificance to what they go through. Our best wishes to you all, the outpouring of love and affection for a unique human being will help we hope.
49 Responses to “Third Place In Our Hands On Rocky Remembrance Day”
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Nice preview H.
Thanks Steve. A day of mixed emotions for sure. I’ve been from way down there to the sky. Silly old sod, me!
Great setting of the scene Holic for what is a huge match tomorrow . At this time of the season new rules apply and easy games become anything but. We have a lot of experience as a club at navigating the pointy end of the season and will enter tomorriw’s match as big favourites. That means nothing at this stage of the season. Favouritism tends to mean pressure and odd results occur.
Xhaka didn’t train today so I doubt he will start but apart from this I think your team is spot on Holic. Ideally, we need a couple of early goals but this one may go down to the wire. I’m going for 2-0 to us.
The ladies won three vital points today. If they win the next two games the title is theirs and they have Champions League Football next season.
Amazing to think Rocky has been gone so long. He was a lovely lad and great Gooner. I still remember being able to hear a pin drop at Highbury during the shocked silence to mark his death. Huge credit to those Tottenham fans who respected him more than they hated Arsenal.
Good preview Guv’nor.
Nice to feel nervous rather than resigned before a game at the pointy end once again.
COYG
4-1 would be great Guvnor.
Thanks for the report and the
timely reminder of Rocky Rocky.
Thanks for another fine preview, Guv’nor. I am glad we are playing them at home. They are the last team to beat City in the league and hope our players approach the game seriously. I wish you get your pound sir, but 4-1 is a bit of a stretch?.
7-3
?
Your match day trivia: The previous 7-3 was 3-3 with 20 minutes to go, and Newcastle has scored in only four of their subsequent 10 games against us.
That weekend result set things up nicely thanks principally to Monsieur Loris. Pity about the standard of the officiating at Cardiff.
4-1. Really? I’ll take every bit of that. Enjoy, Holics.
Great post. I am of the opinion that we should forget about Europa league and concentrate on premier league. Top four assured. If we aim for champions league using the two leagues, we will fail . Take that to the bank.
Thanks for an excellent preview, Holic, and a moving and timely reminder of the great David Rocastle. I can’t really see your punt coming home but I sincerely hope that it does. Heading up the road shortly. COYG.
The fixture list is testing us again and our resilience, focus and squad depth must be spot on this evening as it will need be consistently to the end of the season. COYG one match at a time.
Thoughtful, correct and classy as usual, Holic.
The match preview was quite good too. ?
Well said, TTG.
Cheers H!!
No Kos. No Granit. PEA on the bench.
me like real football
me like the ball, too. leather one
cook the leather
put it on me
Scary looking defence there.
Sokratis with the pull no goal wtf?
Antony Taylor is already up to his tricks. Ramsey’s goal disallowed for a minor foul.
I see the refs decided to carry on with their stellar performance from the Chavs match…
COME ON !
Totts would do anything for a top four spot as they would like to show off their new stadium to the world and what better way than to host Champions League games. Given our PL refs love for the totts and man utd, I wouldn’t be surprised if we are at the receiving end for the rest of the campaign.
The X-ray occular enhancement the ref has got is shite.. The FA should get a refund.
Barcodes are dropping like flies at the slightest provocation.. is it a sale?
Get in!!! Ramsey!!!!
RAmsey… GET IN!!!
What are we letting him go again??
Almost conceded there!!! Our defence is scary.
WTF is Mustafi doing, passing into the box with their attacker close by!!!
What Defence?
😀
REF couldn’t give us two more seconds for the corner?
The same defence that has concede only seven goals (3 in one match against Rennes) in the last nine games with five clean sheets, BB. Our defence is scary but it is there and over the last couple of months it is improving.
So long as we control the midfield onwards, am not too bothered about our defence, we could always score 4 even if we let in 3.
As for the defence improving, I beg to differ, it is as it was BUT if our defensive stats keep up till season end, I’ll concede the point.
🙂
Pay no attention to Anthony Taylor’s anti-Arsenal bias. It only gives him the attention he craves.
Blatant handball for penalty.. but i guess you’ll have to do a seig heil of a handball before the ref sees it… even then…
😀
Anti-Arsenal and pro-other top four contenders, Bt8 and I would be happy if it was only attention seeking behavior. I read an agenda there.
So Arsenal. We could really do with a second goal.
And a third for that matter.
Do we have to play Mustafi or could we just elect to play with 10???
We definitely need another goal as Taylor could well award a penalty against us from an imaginary foul.
Laca scores from Auba cross!!!
Done and Dusted!
GET INNNNNNNNNNNNN!
LACA!
Rafa’s got his milk in the wirral face on…
😀
Another perfectly good goal disallowed by Taylor.
Why do the refs have to be such c.nts??
Another baffling disallowed goal…
Arsenal 11 vs Barcodes + Taylor – 2:0
Well done, three points in the bag. We played well but for a couple of defensive hiccups. We overcame Antony Taylor and Newcastle United.
Third in the table. Our away performances will define our season.
Third baby, third! >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Here’s to Palace giving the spuds the opening they deserve come Wednesday.