Will Unai Treat Naples like A Home From Home?
Apr 17th, 2019 by 'holic
Finally I can settle down. This could take a while. I am starting the preview of our vital trip to Naples as the games at Citeh and Porto kick-off.
Four paragraphs later there is a massive delete going on. How to put something together at half past ten after after half a litre of dubious rehydration? I’m so glad I have been able to watch Ajax at Bayern, Real, and last night at Juve. They really are a brilliant young side who have the ability to win anywhere. Pray they don’t freeze at the pointed end. They have been by far the best team in this season’s Champions League.
Arguably (and certainly at home!) we have been the best team in this season’s Europa League. However, there is quite a question mark hanging over us as we defend a 2-0 lead in Napoli. Our away form, it is not unreasonably argued, is what could do for us. The win at Watford on Monday, whatever you think of the merits of it, must have delivered some degree of belief on top of the desperately unlucky draw with the Nomads at Wembley and the win at Huddersfield (yeah, I know).
Important players got a breather ahead of this game. We are not in a position to write off any Premier League match while the top four is mathematically ours, but the potential for a third European trophy offers us a back-up option that cannot be ignored. And as Arseblog mentioned this morning it is the preferred of the two options if only one were to be achieved.
We know the last time we played Napoli we won 2-0 at our place, and they won 2-0 at theirs. We obviously are keen to avoid a repeat. One goal from us would require them to score four. Under such circumstances Unai Emery has a remit to look for a first-half goal with an attacking line-up. That’s not to say they can’t score, but neither do I believe we couldn’t strike twice these days if required. Emery understands this.
“We want to play thinking to win, thinking to score, thinking to push, thinking to stop them.”
The selection should be as close as we can get to the home leg. No? Aaron Ramsey, Mesut Ozil, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, and Alexandre Lacazette were trusted to start together in a formation we rarely employ away from home. Our 3-4-1-2 in a lot of home games switches to 3-4-2-1 away from home too often, and I know Auba can be a great impact substitute, but he could also be a great starter getting us an early goal that would all but kill the tie before Napoli could build a head of steam.
The ‘holic pound
It’s always difficult to predict a game in which a 1-3 scoreline would put us through. Nobody wants that. Will Napoli score? They have to, and they aren’t a bad side. They had their chances at our place and both of us could be said to have been wasteful.
I do still feel there is a spirit in the camp that gives us belief (even if Everton gave the lie to that). I have on occasion plumped for a draw in such circumstances, and I am attracted to the somewhat skinny best of 13/1 against a 2-2 outcome.
With that you have a somewhat abbreviated appreciation of a potentially crucial match for us. The report on the tie itself is likely to follow on Friday. The grand’holics are visiting, which is excellent, and so I will not report live as normally happens when I am not at the game.
Therefore it is already the appropriate moment to wish a very happy Easter to those of you who celebrate it. Thank you for your reading this often nonsense and for your friendship in so many cases.
Have a great one, ‘holics.
177 Responses to “Will Unai Treat Naples like A Home From Home?”
Accurate depiction I would say. Auba to start is my preference over impact sub. Will have a slice of Parma ham pre match to add sustenance. And a Peroni. God bless.
Between the delete button and the half litre, it came out well, Guv’nor.
I am still of a mind that the first half against Watford was a tactical dress rehearsal for the Napoli game and that Emery will thus favour stopping Napoli scoring early doors over us going for a quick extension to the lead. This implies starting with 3-4-2-1.
happy easter, ‘holic. that’s an awfully skinny pound, but it gets us through. i hope for the early goal, and then a second…that would put paid to napoli’s pursuit, as i just can’t see us shipping 6.
i think we should definitely start with the same home leg crew, and just nail the bastards.
I think Ned is right and I think 1-1 is the likely outcome. If we score first I will breathe a lot easier!
Heresy to say it here,but well done to the Neighbors.
Fantastic result at the Etihad against the billion pound spending oil rich Sheiks,and for what it’s worth i think VAR got both calls right.
I’ve got a few very good Totts mates,and have been fielding friendly texts and calls ever since the final whistle.
We now have all the motivation we need in Naples, with the odious ones in the semi final of the CL for the first time since 1962.
We cannot allow them to strut around North London preening their feathers,while we languish in the EL.
If we are not in the CL next season i will be very very disappointed.
Thanks Guvnor, nice preview
and a Happy Hols to you too.
3-1 to us as we shred them on
the break.
all seemingly very confident this morning – I think we need a strong start and to play to our attacking strengths – everything is crossed and I’ll be having a lucky guinness….now where are my lucky pants ?
You’ve set it up nicely, Holic. I think we’ll score. I think they’ll score, I expect to be sitting on the edge of my seat for, at least, 90 minutes.
Enjoy the grandkids. Enjoy the game.
A very good and carefully measured preview, Guvna.
Frankly, I have no idea what Emery’s plan for this game will be. I hope he will send out the team that you suggest and try to kill their hopes with an early Arsenal goal. I know that I don’t trust our current defence to keep them out and I suspect he feels the same way. At least the return of Sokratis will stiffen the resolve at the back and fingers crossed that Kos is capable of playing another game so soon.
We have to score and deep inside I have a voice telling me, “You know, we might even win this game!”
COYG
Happy Easter Holic and I hope that you’re still mending well.
I can’t recall if you’ve ever put the pound on anything but a win so I’d take a draw but still fancy a 1-0 to the Arsenal.
UTA.
I’m very much of the same mins as Bath on this one.
Whisper this, we go into this game on a “run” of two clean sheets. It might just be that our defence is settling in. Of course we might just have been lucky, but even luck tends to come (and go) in streaks.
As ever, there are plenty of reasons to be pessimistic, but frankly I’m bored with that. 1-0 to Arse say I, and shame about the Pound.
Hope your planned return on Sunday is still on, ‘H.
COYG
Happy Easter, ‘holic. A calm, restful one too.
Clive is correct, despite the heresy. Spurs have played very well and are enjoying their moment in the sunshine. May it give them skin cancer.
COYG the pressure is on but we are the Mighty Gunners and they are not.
‘holic
*shakes knowing head*
take a leaf outta my boke
never drink and hard drive
.
.
how many FUCKIN TIMES do i have to say it
P E O P L E
.
.
.
never
.
met some mods today
weather fine
for some reason that stirs a rush to the sea
in the immaculately manicured hard men
.
i wear suits
drainpipe sixties suits
so apparently i was fair game
.
.
turns out
they were lovely
and
my decades long piss taking
is now at
a ‘bet ye iron yer socks’ end
.
.
glazed over
on extreme northern soul obscurities
a hearty long standing knowledgeof Stax
does for me and mine
and
as i used to post youngin no 1
up in the top turret when
Tamla tarts came a-poachin’
i’d a thought we’d a seen off the delicates
once
and
-ba dam bam bam bam bam bam bam-
for all
.
.
.
nope
it seems
hard men who regularly use an iron
still come
still they come
they come still
anyhoo
.
.
Dennis bless all here
in this holy time
.
.
is there a game on ?
Absolutely devastated to learn that Premier League footballers are going on a social media strike for 24 hours in a protest against racist trolling.
How the hell will I manage to exist without seeing photos of their bling lifestyles, their dogs or hilarious videos about planned goal celebrations with their current bromantic partner?
Have a heart lads. Racism might be evil as this hard hitting response that will really teach all potential KKK members a lesson clearly shows, but seriously? I need those self indulgent posts!
(Does sarcasm work on the internet?)
Aye, there is. It’s a bit quiet for a game night, is it not?
Cynic @21. No, in my experience, it doesn’t. People just take offence. Though it might be added, that seems to be most peoples default reaction to just about everything these days.
Fuck off, bath, you offensive bounder.
😉
Ozil not picked. Xhaka in Ozil out is the only change from the first leg..
Cheers H. Come on you fucking Arsenal! Let’s have it sorted for a change.
I’m still bemused by the image of CBA in drainpipe trousers. I bet you look immaculate old chap . I like the look of the team although I’d prefer Van Dijk at CB , De Bruyne instead of Xhaka and Messi upfront . Sarcasm alert***
thunder T
i don’t look a day over 59
ya big ornamental pooove
?
cynic – pansy
bath – brilliant y
esso – great drummer
C’mon boys let’s go
Clive@5,
You paint a very scary picture, sir.
They’re effectively a coin toss to make the final, but should receive the “ginger-haired stepchild” treatment if they get there!
dorset
where do you stand on
glasgow grandchildren
i try i do
sweet and gentle fuck
every third word i get
not that
i’d recommend standing on them
glasgow foments and ferments
.
.
silly wee fucker s
.
can’t see the game here
????
sectarianism
a thing i understand
but never understood
some scottish sectarian people
are like packet soup
the more ye stir the thicker it gets
rearrange the words there
point still stands though
Need to be more switched on, we are slowly showing the away omens again!
CBA@31,
Probably on their throat, sir!
dorset
join the orderly queue ?
Laca BOOM
Lacaaaaaaaaaaaaa
it’s fucking over
Get in Laca what a beauty ??
i get lectured on Irish history
by the way
you’re an English bastard
?
…Scuzza me, but you see, back in old Napoli
That’s amooooore
apparently
Cynic
Don’t let that Jessie call you a pansy!
Is this the last we will see of Ramsey in an Arsenal shirt ?
Mestalla, here – we -come!!!!!!!!!
hello silly
Joey Ramones 18 anniversary
just recently monday gone
i know cock sparrer more up yer kilt
but
im guessing you’d understand
.
.
.
i can’t get the game on anything
refreshing to check score on google
Good first half. Please chill TF out Sead ffs. No need for anything rash.
tiny packets of information
.
thunder T
you adorable wee bastard
i dunno where to shoot you to save yer life
????????
Cock Sparrer & Ramones
same thing, different haircuts
must understand
Excellent first half played within themselves gave no major chances away and are winning 1 nil couldn’t ask for more
Fingers crossed our off side trap holds up in the second half, Laca’s goal was something else but poor positioning by the keeper. Do hope we get to see Rambo again but his hammys aren’t quick to heal.
Feeling more confident , keep it up you Reds.
skin edddds
were mixed up in Ireland
i saw NF spray painted on a wall
could only have been accessed
by standupsitdownshutuptaigs
goofballs late 70s
.
.
i left for England shortly after
i’m sure the clowns who wrote that
were educated
non consolidato per insigne
no
Papasta – fucking – thopoulos!
!
they all go to one barber?
Luigi
Me like 1:0 to The Arsenal ?
Anybody else annoyed of not being on the edge of the sofa the whole game? ?
That was as easy as could be. Arsenal did very well but in both legs we looked a different class to Napoli. If they are second in the Italian League it speaks volumes about the quality of Italian football.
Well done boys!
Job done thank you very much, I’m not entirely sure how Napoli got this far. The main thing is we had a really good away outing and didn’t concede.
Hopefully this is a sign of better things to come!
Gunner_KS
I really enjoyed this I was literally chilling out ☺️
Two clean sheets over the two legs, and the second game controlled and closed out very professionally. Not much not to like.
didn’t see the whole thing, but if the last 30 were indicative, we defended well, by and large. whisper it, but 3 clean sheets on the trot…in fact, since we lost to rennes away 3-1 on march 7 we’ve played 7 games and let in 1 goal, losing to everton. and we’ve won the other six games. wow!
COYG!
We looked almost like a professional
defence tonight!
Great effort in fact and going to
Napoli and making it look simple
must be our best defensive effort of
the season
Ramsey off was the only blip on
the night but a muscle injury for
him is one of the great inevitables.
Well done to UE on his game
management since Everton.
Valencia will be tough, but playing the first leg at home might be very good.
Just watched the Chelski game’s goals, they were lucky with a couple of theirs, and Kepa is not that good. Frankfurt scored one from clear offside, don’t care much as they are also beatable. One step at a time though.
Ain’t let in a goal since I don’t know when
You can sing that to an old blues melody
Cynic
Don’t let that Jessie call you a pansy!
Don’t worry, I’ve rung the lads and his back door’s going to get a serious pounding.
Matron.
?
i love cynic
and 8ball
though herself likes him more than me
she’s from bt8
me
i think he’s trying to steal my wife
.
(she’s gorgeous -excellent choice)
if bananaramas arse cheeks
were
after a particularly chaotic road accident
reconstituted into a single arse
herself would be
the just below the back
custodian of
it
.
.
.
.
.
.
she didn’t help me write that
.
.
*bounces tins of corned beef of Mary’s accomplished arse*
Evening, cba.
Just back in. I see the boys did their thing tonight. A game singularly lacking in incident to judge from the drinks above.
COYG
.
never short of a comfortable seat my Mary
(god possibly shortly rest her)
i like pan G
and Pan G likes you.
So that’s all right.
a complete and utter
fuckin bastard
i can do business with
???
.
top of the range
TOP O THE RANGE
drunk people today
shot by
jam wine
supermarket jam
BREWED
not just delicious
it’s brutal
.
.
drink it meself
drop cola
callimocho some such
dunno spelling
my Basque friends call it
Could be quite late tomorrow. Happy days people. ?
? ‘hol
i hope yer bellows are wheeezing back to health big man
proper grown up shite that
occasionally i catch meself in the mirror
and
lose my breath
so
i know yer struggle
.
.
.
*preens*
but
what can I do
dig my father up outta his grave
“Why ”
“Why…….”
“Why , the looks…”
.
.
so
spare a thought for the gorgeous among you
we’re a much gawped at
but seldom thought about
slice of society
.
.
we are people too
i’m a nazi schatze…
johnny lives!
ye had yer chance shorty
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wun5Cg-xr-s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6Xae9jsqxU
yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaah!!!!!!!
Off out
Cheerio now
running off, hippie?
it’s joey sinigin’
Excellent win! Maybe after Hector back next season AMN becomes a top midfielder?
sinigin’?
ya KkK basterd
ya can’t even –
LaKKKazette
and
KKKanuuuuuuuuuuu
A home
from home? Guess he did.
Away from home too.
stand up and be counted
show the world that you’re a –
william wellman, at least
Unai Emery being familiar with the makings of paella valenciana it could help with peeling the langostinos.
bottle delivered
so
what are ye sayin then ya watery wee fuck
honestly
ye engage once with
Mr skin edd
in good faith
and whaddya get in return
exactly the reason ye never engaged before
Hard as manicured nails
.
When you’ve walked a mile
in my high heels mr angry wha wha
bla blaaaa
.
rope
.
.
snow still on it ……
ppffttttttttttt
in other news
howdy 8ball
ya fucker ?
CBA
Keep up the good work fella ?
forgot me torch
full moon
thank fuck
if there isn’t
there’s fuckin nothin
fuckin not foot in front of ye
mad
i live in a wee valley
so the general notion of direction
is there when ye get close
house light
but
further away
you are wasting your bastardin time
the noise of the Atlantic helps
but still a foot by foot basis
i like Arthur
?
if ye can watch this stoned faced
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sohc_sOVe74
sweet merciful mother of all that’s good and holy in the world
i typed stoney
but
like our resident 5skin wonder
thunder T
ma typing ability occasionally becomes impaired
dunno if this is well known ?
steve
dave
ned
?
ive always loved it and him and SHARKS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OaElQ3pb1GE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlYG2TZxRhQ
and
of course
everyone knows i think
the clash were the most original
greatestest band of all angry posh time
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJLmFOrLrro
i do
.
oh how great they were ?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KF8JbsLPupY
how many times can i say they weren’t
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIrSXDcn2-U
‘holic says
that’s enough
you’ve made your point
you’ve made your point well
God
a little bit too well
why were we fooled by the thieving posh clowns
for so long
.
.
.
.
i dunno
some of us weren’t
pub rock with expensive trousers
.
.
pub rock with TROUSERS
here’s some more floppy haired cunts’ opinions
just not getting it
just not getting it
fuckin twats
never liked that quite pleased with himself herbert
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XaybV46MA6E
Snips song and video @111??
8ball man
do ye know it ?
i fuckin love that song
did it reach the twin cities?
A first for me but not unexpectedly seeing as nearly all my exposure to popular music is on Goonerholic
One thing you don’t want to do is make Pep and his boys mad if you have to play them again in a few days’ time
Arthur might break out the Wisniowka if we keep doing good. That is incentive right there.
well
this place is a weird place
i think i’ve asked ‘holic before
did he canvas outside university medical schools
de target the uber brainy ones inhabit here
“Hello , my name is Goonerholic . Join me ”
.
.
i know my root here
through the mighty Arseblog
a man so clever it must hurt
‘holic used to say hello occasionally there
and for reasons of importance to me
i stopped reading blogs’ site and
like a stray mongrel i followed ‘holic home
and i’ve been a fuckin thorn in the noose round his neck since
Goonerholic
Low tech but high hospitality and high Arsenality
Not really so low tech truth be told but a charming occasional glitch now and then
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ta3YkTdIQqE
‘holic is a gentleman of high regard
and
there’s very few here i wouldn’t hold in that same heft
despite (as another gentleman goonerSD cleverly spotted) my best efforts to annoy everyone
i cross the line
too often
i bore meself with the moooooooooooooooooooooo business
but sometimes fifteen different opinions
on a team selection grates
and
i’d say i’d be classified as an elderly gooner here
but
like leaving a concert
i never used to deconstruct Dee Dee or Johnny Ramones playing
in the same way i don’t /can’t/have no interest in doing similar Arsenal wise on my way walking home from the bar after a game
but
what i enjoy about here is – i have been taught so much about tactics . I was and to be honest mostly still am a ROAR AND SHOUT merchant but in the background there’s a wee bit of insight from ‘holic , clive , thunder T and Steve and various others . Proper analysis from people who’ve worn boots . I still think they’re all a big shower of daisies but they’re the kinda daisies i am accustomed to and i would without hesitation buy a pint to – with four straws
.
full pint for dorset M
he knows his beer
.
sherbet dib dab for cynic
cos
let’s face it
he’s a titan round here
man’s a legend
speaking of legends
esso
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8lMzAvY8kI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtZxewxXoPc
116
posh prick is called david hepworth
music introducer
d’ye remember ?
and latter day music book writer
the kinda fella
like danny baker
“ye had to be there , things were different then”
his fuckin revisionist take on Dr Feelgood Roxette
should really have seen him
ridden outta town on a rail
“musically it’s not that great”
“it was all about the image”
?
.
.
.
we used to have to listen to these berks
we now don’t have to buy their books
.
angry twaddle at the end
was not
repeat
not
intentional
what i meant to say was
don’t buy that plummy accented twats books
cos he’s a twat
a plummy accented one
.
.
.
prick
.
i’ve not drunk
SHOUTIN juice this evening
i’ve drunk
GON SHUT THE FUCK UP THINKIN juice
.
.
.
.
[all of theses juices are made by me and can be purchased in the gift shop]
normally
i stop
what dave and baff euphemistically call “stuff”
at 5
but i’m on my holidays
so
here’s the greatest song ever written
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Y-0nWVdBH4
and yes
mike love
is every also-ran
who butts into your life
with minimal talent but aggrafuckinvatin impact
if only there was somewhere
to say that out loud
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAD4vF2VfIQ
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmenLzDtTXY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPC9AcBWovA
cba@111: never saw that clip before. Steve Parsons kept some good musical company over the years — Ginger Baker, Steve Marriott, Chris Spedding among others.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25pdShyBhOU
ahh
howdy ned
for reasons of one way or t’other
i met a lot of in inverted commas
i stood beside Chris Spedding
i was too embarrassed to even say hello
i fuckin loved Sharks
still do
.
.
.
posh clash not so much ?
was in joe strummers company
more than once
i thought he was
just embarrassing
with an
all things to all people
affected spikey candy coating
i understand putting on an act
but
no
nice fella i’m sure
god rest him
The Undertones gave him a water pistol gun
on the american tour with Bo Diddley
as a piss take
oh the oppressed people
listen to this garbage
the undertones were political
just by being what false name strummer
craved real
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmWE2j75_rU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edQPMLV2ITs
i was “courted” for precisely the same reason
stupid lefty english bastards
as we called them
as were my friends
or “fellow combatants”
as chino wearers would say
or
“stupid paddy bastards”
as i think i mighta heard
once or twice
anyhoo
moooooooooooooooooooooo
150
who is real there
who is what these fake fuckers have contrived punk to be
the answer – those cupla girls
.
if you can watch that shambles
with strummer trying and failing
to set his stall out manifesto wise
then summon some undertones
infinitely smarter
more talented
and not pretend HARD
like they were belongings
.
.
i wonder what his father did
mine was a spark
plastic hard men
scared by
just normal men
.
the clash
do me a fuckin favour
music for the quick of adopting
like totally
errrr
.
.
totally
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01ZGgAuL7Qo
like shite
an ting innit
*does youthful mannerism*
A fine performance and an excellent win. That little voice was correct.
An interesting bar chart in this otherwise anodyne BBC report reveals that Unai Emery has achieved the most victories in his first 50 games (32) of any manager in Arsenal’s history. Of recent predecessors, AW achieved 23 and GG 27, as did the great HC with George Allison at 28. I didn’t expect that.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/47967831
thanks baff
i tucked me arse cheeks in
and called nobody an oul
fuckin bastard like you told
me not to do and fings
i can’t take complete credit
for my correct little voice
though so full props to
your unintelligible instructions
people die in irish accents too
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-47985469
god rest that poor woman
and god love her family
The Clash may have been all cba says, but they did do one decent tune in their career. Only one mind.
As for intelligence it is largely over rated. Innit.
the moronic little turds
that did that have never
seen a british soldier on the streets
fuckin stupid wee bastards
Probably had someone ranting and raving in their ear about how evil the Brits are and selling them on the idea of armed struggle since the day they were born.
god love that poor woman
RIP Lyra McKee
Bono probably, the yellow bespectacled tax exile swine
cynic
don’t you fuckin start
don’t you fuckin dare start
Good morning people, and it is.
Sorry to say football is back in the blog >>>>>>>>>>>
politics caused me to stop talking on arseblogs site when he brought up the IRA at the exact time the British government was apologising for murdering INNOCENT people on Bloody Sunday . People marching for civil rights for themselves and those unable to march . Goodbye here too
and cynic
you are a fuckin slimeball