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Three Points Wanted To Retain The Top Three Berth

Oct 20th, 2019 by 'holic

It’s been a full day, one way or another, and a preview post awaits. Let’s see what we can do at this hour of the night. Positives to take into Monday night? Middlesex, Yanited, and ‘Pool have all dropped points this weekend. Tougher is that we need to win at Bramall Lane to reclaim our top four berth having been overhauled by Chelsea and Leicester, both with home wins by the narrowest of margins on Saturday.

The good news is that we are back to full strength, Reiss Nelson aside. Now Unai Emery really starts to earn his corn. Bernd Leno will retain his place in goal, but oh, the options ahead of him. Does he bring both full-backs together after their extended injury breaks? With Calum Chambers in surprisingly good form in recent weeks there is no need to take any chances on the right, but Kieran Tierney seems to be an irresistible option on the left.

In the centre of the defence, where we can expect some considerable pressure on Monday, the hardest choice of all remains. Rob Holding has come back looking in decent form but his problem is that he is a left-sided player as is David Luiz. Perhaps the experienced Luiz could switch to the right to take Sokratis Papastathopoulos out of the firing line, but it would be a risk. Shkodran Mustafi, impressive in the cups this season remains the great question mark.

With Granit Xhaka somehow being a given for the head coach his partner at the base of the midfield will be the improving Matteo Guendouzi or the hopefully more defensive-minded Lucas Torreira. The latter may be preferred for a cold Monday night battle in South Yorkshire. By the same logic Dani Ceballos should see off a potential return for Mesut Ozil as the German and Emery make conciliatory noises to each other.

If Alexandre Lacazette is deemed fully fit then he surely returns alongside Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Nicolas Pepe up front. Harsh on Bukayo Saka? Probably not. His time will come again and he will surely return a far more confident member of the side.

The Blades made a confident return to the top flight and whilst giving a good account of themselves early on three consecutive defeats have seen them slip to a point clear of the relegation places. They are a better side than that suggests as manager Chris Wilder pointed out pre-match.

“We are competitive and we fancy our chances and we are bullish. At the same time, however, understanding the threat and pace and power that Arsenal have in the top end of the pitch, we must respect that.”

The ‘holic pound

If we are being honest a draw looks very tempting, but when have I ever backed the status quo? If there is to be a result this has all the makings of a single goal triumph either way. 0-1 or 1-2? I’ve wrestled with it but have a feeling the hosts will force one over the line, so I’m on 1-2 at a best of 8/1.

If you are making the journey you have my admiration. I remember doing midweek trips up north many moons ago and the journeys home were generally unenjoyable affairs involving milk trains. Do they still run?

Here’s hoping all of us will be celebrating a return to form away from home just before ten.

Have a good one, holics.

Posted in match preview | 77 Drinks

77 Responses to “Three Points Wanted To Retain The Top Three Berth”

  1. on 20 Oct 2019 at 9:30 pm1Mark Earle

    Fab piece Dave, thanks very much, 1 nil to the Arsenal!

  2. on 20 Oct 2019 at 9:35 pm2Pangloss

    That’s the stuff to give the troops, guv’nor. 1-3 please.

    COYG

  3. on 20 Oct 2019 at 9:51 pm3Countryman100

    Nice preview Guvna. As you say, this is where we start to judge Emery, with a full deck to play with.

    I’m surprisingly confident. Two nil to The Arsenal.

  4. on 20 Oct 2019 at 10:09 pm4North Bank Ned

    Back as if you had never been away, Guv’nor. I’d happily take 1-2, and not just because it would land the ‘Holic pound.

    Pangloss @previousdrinks: I can barely remember this morning let alone 1974, but swimming through the mists of memory comes the fact Sheffield United ended the 74-75 season with a dozen more points than we did. And we ended up a magnificent four points clear of relegation.

    The other odd fact of that season was that we needed a replay to get through every round of the FA Cup until we reached the 6th Round, when we lost to the Hammers.

  5. on 20 Oct 2019 at 10:16 pm5Three Points Wanted To Retain The Top Three Berth – Arsenal FC News

    […] Original article: https://goonerholic.com/2019/10/three-points-wanted-to-retain-the-top-three-berth/ […]

  6. on 20 Oct 2019 at 10:44 pm6OsakaMatt

    Thanks Guvnor.

    Several selection conundrums
    as you say. I wouldn’t be
    surprised if Laca returns from
    the bench.

    Either way nice to have him
    back and I’m with C100 on
    the score – 2-0

  7. on 20 Oct 2019 at 11:02 pm7Goonersince54

    Evening H
    Another boring interlull gone,with mercifully only one more next month until next March.
    I wouldn’t mind a crystal ball to peer into the future and see where we stand when the first interlull of 2020 comes around.
    Will Unai still be in charge, with the Club firmly entrenched in the top 4,and the youngsters winning a thrilling League Cup final over the holders Man City, or will things have gone to pot with the club struggling to stay in touch with the top 6,and Freddie stepping up as interim manager while we conduct a worldwide search for a new Head man. ??
    Well the line in the sand is now,with a full squad to choose from as Countryman points out @3,there really are no more excuses.
    A bang average journeyman newly promoted side in Sheff Utd,should be dispatched with the minimum of fuss.
    They have absolutely nothing going for them technically,just plenty of honest endeavour.
    We are a class above them and i won’t be the only one seriously disgruntled if we don’t return to London with the 3pts.

  8. on 21 Oct 2019 at 1:45 am8Malaysian gunner

    Arsenal’s passing game can be stopped especially if they are slow. The passing sideways and all day ball retention can be nullified by Sheff Utd who wont give the gunnerrs time and space.
    How about long ball and diagonal passing which can split the defence with speed.
    If the gunners are slow they could be vulnerable to the sucker punch.It had happened during Wengers time but he refused to change and asa result he would inevitably lose to rf

  9. on 21 Oct 2019 at 3:10 am9North Bank Ned

    Clive: good to see you in. It seems to have been a while. Hope all is well.

  10. on 21 Oct 2019 at 5:52 am10goonersince54

    Morning Ned
    Yes all well,trust same with you and yours.
    Busy with work,5 gr/children to keep in the style to which they are accustomed. ??
    Plus recently became a great Uncle,so there’s another mouth to feed.???.
    Halfway to a first eleven plus a sub.⚽⚽

  11. on 21 Oct 2019 at 7:18 am11John

    Chambers has been playing too well to drop him in my view. If I was the boss I’d challenge Ozil to make a claim to a starting place and pick:

    Leno
    Bellerin – Chambers – Holding – Tierney
    Torreira – Guendouzi
    Ozil
    Pepe – Aubameyang – Saka

  12. on 21 Oct 2019 at 9:34 am12Vinay Prabhakar

    Time to see us play and for all the cribbing, football isnt the same without the arsenal playing.

    Tierney set to start, chambers at rb, torreira hopefully as Dm and Xhaka as Cm with a front 3 of auba, pepe and i think saka considering lacazette is just coming off an injury. Can we for once see Ozil start instead of ceballos? Sheffield would be prepared for a known 11, can unai for once keep the front foot and say, dont care what happens, let us win 4-2 again?? time shall tell but till then 2-1 to us hopefully with auba scoring his 50th goal for us

  13. on 21 Oct 2019 at 9:49 am13iBtM

    Your 1-2 prediction has a nice ring to it, Holic but Vinay’s 2-4 would be more entertaining, particularly if it included one of these rare beasts, a Pepe hat-trick.

    The replacement of the faltering fullback by Kieran Tierney is the equivalent of the addition of an extra player as we’ll one who can actually defend, knows when to get forward and when he does, who can cross the ball unerringly onto a pinhead.

    All we need now is a pinhead in the middle. 🙂

    Enjoy. I’m not going tonight but will be at Thursday’s game.

  14. on 21 Oct 2019 at 11:05 am14Bathgooner on tour

    Excellent preview, Guvna. 2-1 sounds about right. The Blades will play the kind of robust energetic games that have posed us problems since the Invincibles were broken up. We will do well to come home with 3 points but if we are to return to where we all believe this club should sit, this is the kind of game that we have to win. If necessary by scrapping it out. I do hope Emery isn’t going to play for a draw.

  15. on 21 Oct 2019 at 1:50 pm15scruzgooner

    apropos the tornado in dallas, lonestar are you ok?

  16. on 21 Oct 2019 at 6:18 pm16Silly Second Yella

    fourteen days without football and it’s sheffield bloody united but

    addicts can’t be choosers. off the smack, for now

    (leaving meaning)

    We’re off to see Mesut, the wonderful Wizard of Oz!

  17. on 21 Oct 2019 at 6:32 pm17Silly Second Yella

    because because because because because

  18. on 21 Oct 2019 at 6:46 pm18Countryman100

    Mesut not in the squad tonight according to Sam Dean of the Telegraph. I did predict this. Bet he play’s Thursday.

  19. on 21 Oct 2019 at 6:47 pm19TTG

    A super preview for a very tough game. Surely though we can’t leave Guendouzi out he has been brilliant and has the bottle for a game like this. The Scousers struggled at Bramall Lane so we will definitely find it hard but I think we will manage a 1-1 draw

  20. on 21 Oct 2019 at 7:03 pm20TTG

    No Tierney, No Holding, No Torreira , No Ceballos, No Bellerin
    Unai takes his time in getting to his best eleven doesn’t he?

  21. on 21 Oct 2019 at 7:08 pm21TTG

    Our bench does look very tasty though- Martinez, Martinelli, Torreira, Ceballos, Tierney, Holding, Lacazette. If you add Bellerin, Ozil , Mustafi and Smith Rowe I think that would beat tonight’s team!

  22. on 21 Oct 2019 at 7:08 pm22iBtM

    Leno, Chambers, Sokratis, Luiz, Kolasinac, Xhaka, Guendouzi, Willock, Saka, Pepe, Aubameyang

    Subs: Martinez, Holding, Tierney, Torreira, Martinelli, Ceballos, Lacazette

    OK, so Tierney’s going to come on and score the winner as the grand announcement of his PL arrival.

  23. on 21 Oct 2019 at 7:27 pm23Countryman100

    I am deeply disappointed with this team.

    I’ll leave it there for the moment.

  24. on 21 Oct 2019 at 7:32 pm24Barack O'Barman

    A shocking line-up.

    I’ll leave it there for the moment.

  25. on 21 Oct 2019 at 7:40 pm25TTG

    C100
    I know what you mean. We all know what you mean but this close to kick off I always go with the coach’s selection and hope we perform. The big disappointment for me is the omission of Tierney. Sheff Utd put a lot of crosses into the box and we need to stop them at source. Can Kola do this?

  26. on 21 Oct 2019 at 7:56 pm26Silly Second Yella

    He’s resting the subs for Gdansk.

  27. on 21 Oct 2019 at 8:17 pm27ATG

    Disappointed with that selection, fingers crossed though!

  28. on 21 Oct 2019 at 8:19 pm28Gunner_KS

    I’ll just leave it there for the moment.

  29. on 21 Oct 2019 at 8:21 pm29TTG

    Gdańsk?
    When are we playing in Poland?

  30. on 21 Oct 2019 at 8:22 pm30ATG

    Pepe just missed a sitter ffs looking dodgy at the back still!

  31. on 21 Oct 2019 at 8:22 pm31ATG

    Europa league final TTG

  32. on 21 Oct 2019 at 8:23 pm32ATG

    WTF is Xhaka doing king fu fighting?

  33. on 21 Oct 2019 at 8:24 pm33iBtM

    Brainless bit of midfield thuggery from Xhaka. Who else?

  34. on 21 Oct 2019 at 8:31 pm34iBtM

    They don’t have a clue.

  35. on 21 Oct 2019 at 8:31 pm35ATG

    Typical!

  36. on 21 Oct 2019 at 8:32 pm36TTG

    Words fail me . We are clearly second best with virtually no sustained possession or control and we look vulnerable at the back . And Xhaka! ?

  37. on 21 Oct 2019 at 8:38 pm37ATG

    Indeed we look clueless but if he gives Saka a card he should have done the same few seconds earlier the other way.

  38. on 21 Oct 2019 at 8:39 pm38Bayonne Jean

    Mike Dean strikes. The kid gets taken down in their box and Dean books him for a dive…

  39. on 21 Oct 2019 at 8:42 pm39ATG

    Playing out the back again which we have already mastered by the looks of things

  40. on 21 Oct 2019 at 8:49 pm40ATG

    Not good enough end off….

  41. on 21 Oct 2019 at 8:53 pm41Impressive Failage

    When my daughter was very small she used to describe things that were not to her liking as “all poo poos and we wee’s”
    That pretty much sums up Arsenals first half performance

  42. on 21 Oct 2019 at 8:53 pm42iBtM

    We should have been two up before they scored through Auba from Pepe’s cross and then Pepe from 9 inches. Their blades would have been blunted. Much to do in the second half. Time for the master tactician to earn is corn.

    Commentators saying Saka manufactured the contact. Hazard and Vardy get better rewards.

    Another poor half in a season of super poor halves.

  43. on 21 Oct 2019 at 8:54 pm43Db10**

    Awful dire first half. No pressing no running. Just terrible football from us. I think David Moyes’s teams played better than anything I have seen so far from Emery’s sides.

  44. on 21 Oct 2019 at 8:56 pm44Gunner_KS

    Thank God my internet was down and could not comment real time. Horrible selection, no creativity. Why on earth Dean doesn’t check the bloody VAR, also for the pull on Sokratis which would have been given against us. Oh, did I mention that Dean is a c…
    If Emery had balls, not saying brains, would make at least 2 changes at the start of 2H.

  45. on 21 Oct 2019 at 8:57 pm45Gunnersaurus Stunt Double

    @41

    That’s exactly what I said

  46. on 21 Oct 2019 at 8:57 pm46radford

    Mane last minute dive for Liverpool versus Leicester.He got the penalty.

  47. on 21 Oct 2019 at 8:59 pm47OsakaMatt

    I hope we’ll make changes at
    half time.
    2-0 is out the window so I’ll go
    for 3-1. COYGS!

  48. on 21 Oct 2019 at 9:02 pm48OsakaMatt

    Dean should be made to
    apologise publicly for the
    Saka booking. Dick.

  49. on 21 Oct 2019 at 9:03 pm49Gunnersaurus Stunt Double

    Yellow for Saka unbelievably harsh. Dean’s eyes lit up at the chance to show everyone what a great referee he is.

    We haven’t played two good halves in the league yet this year. Hopefully we manage one in this game and it is enough.

    COYG

  50. on 21 Oct 2019 at 9:13 pm50ATG

    More of first half in the second half

  51. on 21 Oct 2019 at 9:15 pm51ATG

    What the f… are they doing? Are they scared of them?

  52. on 21 Oct 2019 at 9:15 pm52Gunner_KS

    Laca has to come at 60′, move Auba on the wing, maybe things change. A draw looks an achievement tonight. Damn

  53. on 21 Oct 2019 at 9:18 pm53OsakaMatt

    should of equalised

    I’ll settle for a good 30
    minutes. But no sign of
    it so far.

  54. on 21 Oct 2019 at 9:21 pm54ATG

    We look so lethargic as if we were the team who are one nil up, its disappointing and disgraceful!

  55. on 21 Oct 2019 at 9:22 pm55TTG

    Two wide men off for Laca and Martinelli please

  56. on 21 Oct 2019 at 9:24 pm56Gunner_KS

    Emery with selection of Xhaka just looses it for me. Also why not start with Tierney and sub him later. What has happened to Torreira, surely he’s not worse than Xhaka, Guendouzi has also been off tonight.

  57. on 21 Oct 2019 at 9:25 pm57ATG

    Dean is stealing the show now though what a tosser!

  58. on 21 Oct 2019 at 9:26 pm58iBtM

    I can hardly believe my eyes. Xhaka substituted. Now, please, Tierney for Kolasinac.

  59. on 21 Oct 2019 at 9:27 pm59OsakaMatt

    Laca must come on
    and is. Xhaka off

    Fair enough UE is going
    for it

  60. on 21 Oct 2019 at 9:30 pm60Gunner_KS

    Pepe reminiscing of Theo MK2?

  61. on 21 Oct 2019 at 9:42 pm61malo

    That Watford game told us everything we needed to know about Unai Emery and this team.

    Another season of mediocrity beckons.

  62. on 21 Oct 2019 at 9:42 pm62iBtM

    Mesut Ozil sitting at home in his carpet slippers having a chuckle at the expense of his old mate Unai.

  63. on 21 Oct 2019 at 9:43 pm63TTG

    Wilder is managing the game really well. We aren’t getting near them . Our ‘pressure’ is them inviting us to come on to them

  64. on 21 Oct 2019 at 9:45 pm64ATG

    This is comical as much as it’s sad at he same time, Unai is not the right man for this job!

    Disgusting show from the players and the manager

  65. on 21 Oct 2019 at 9:46 pm65ksn

    We are so ineffective and Mike Dean has made it worse.

  66. on 21 Oct 2019 at 9:47 pm66malo

    I said as much after the Watford game ATG. That was the final straw for me.

  67. on 21 Oct 2019 at 9:48 pm67Gunner_KS

    The manager bears more responsibility, defo not the right man, a good bloke but not a top manager.

  68. on 21 Oct 2019 at 9:48 pm68ATG

    Suddenly we are in a hurry

  69. on 21 Oct 2019 at 9:49 pm69OsakaMatt

    To be honest we look no
    better or worse than our
    other away games this
    season. We just haven’t
    had things go our way
    tonight – or to put it
    another way the chances
    haven’t fallen to Auba.

  70. on 21 Oct 2019 at 9:51 pm70TTG

    It’s much worse than that OM

  71. on 21 Oct 2019 at 9:51 pm71ATG

    OM

    You forgot to mention last season away games

  72. on 21 Oct 2019 at 9:51 pm72Gunner_KS

    It’s a shame that so many good players cannot be played in their best positions, or at the right time. Always reacting, never on the front foot.

  73. on 21 Oct 2019 at 9:54 pm73ATG

    I also don’t understand the quite things didn’t go out way today? It because we didn’t do it anything to happen to go our way!

    Clueless running around like headless fucking chickens!

  74. on 21 Oct 2019 at 9:55 pm74Goonerholic

    Had enough of this shit. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

  75. on 21 Oct 2019 at 9:56 pm75ATG

    Bloody spell check keeps butting in

  76. on 21 Oct 2019 at 10:02 pm76Steve Vallins

    UE is making good players worse what is he asking them to do ?
    If a team doesn’t come out we’re lost not 1 chance made in the second half
    I’m so disappointed just too many problems

  77. on 22 Oct 2019 at 12:07 am77Tapera Doma

    As I have stated previously, it is one thing to have the players (resources), but quite another to deploy those resources effectively.

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