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Top Three In View – Be Positive Gunners

Oct 5th, 2019 by 'holic

A 2pm non-televised kick-off on a Sunday. It’s a result of only qualifying for the Europa League and why we need to win to leapfrog Leicester City and secure third place to defend as the season progresses.

Forget our struggles against Watford, Villa, and United. Bournemouth’s record at The Arsenal is indicative of why we should approach tomorrow with confidence and a positive attitude. We have won all five of our home matches against Bournemouth in all competitions.

The team selection for this is complicated by the young Gunners ripping Forest and Standard Liege for nine goals in then days. They have played with a swagger that has largely escaped their senior colleagues thus far.

However Thursday to Sunday early afternoon would be a big ask, particularly of players we might otherwise want to see but coming back from injury like Hector Bellerin and Kieran Tierney. Selecting the latter might also be a bit of a slap in the face to Scotland who agreed not to select Kieran in order that he could have a phased return to his club side.

Don’t be surprised to see Bernd Leno again start behind Calum Chambers, Sokratis Papastathopoulos (Shkodran Mustafi anyone?), David Luiz, and Sead Kolasinac. Hopefully the personnel will interchange a little for the post-international break trip to Sheffield United.

Lucas Torreira featured in both midweek matches last week so we could see Granit Xhaka (one booking away from a suspension) paired with Matteo Guendouzi ahead of the defence. Bukayo Saka must return on the left flank next to Dani Ceballos or Joe Willock in the centre. The teenager Gabriel Martinelli is on fire and could possibly be preferred to Nicolas Pepe on the right?

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, strangely introduced late on Thursday, mercifully remains fit to be our talisman up front. He is looking to become the first Arsenal player to score eight goals in the opening eight Premier League games of a season since Dennis Bergkamp in 1997.

The visitors have made a solid start with eleven points from seven starts. Callum Wilson is looking to score in five consecutive league games and has form against us, with three goals in four Premier League appearances against The Gunners.

The ‘holic pound

I’ll allow Wilson his moment of glory, but am on us to win 3-1 at 10/1. I have to confess to a small back-up on 4-1 at 16/1. Here’s hoping that will pay for tomorrows fillet of beef joint.

Have a great one, ‘holics, especially those fortunate enough to be going.

Posted in match preview | 75 Drinks

75 Responses to “Top Three In View – Be Positive Gunners”

  1. on 05 Oct 2019 at 10:36 pm1Top Three In View – Be Positive Gunners – Arsenal FC News

    […] Original article: https://goonerholic.com/2019/10/top-three-in-view-be-positive-gunners/ […]

  2. on 05 Oct 2019 at 10:58 pm2Goonersince54

    Evening H
    We should be beating Bournemouth at home whatever side we put out.
    But then again we could say that about Burnley and Villa,and we struggled against both with bemusing game plans and structures, that left many of us shaking our heads in disbelief.
    Let’s hope we see a more coherent team performance tomorrow and 3pts to see us off to the Int’l break,after which we can hopefully see Tierney/Bellerin/Holding pushing for first team selection to shore up our shaky defence as well as give us more potent offensive options as well.
    The weekend has started well with the Spuds losing at dear old Brighton,and England beating the Argies in the Rugby World Cup,so let’s see the Arse make it a w/end hat trick.
    And one for BTM and Bath,
    For the first time ever,3 British athletes have qualified for the Men’s 1500m final of the World Athletic Championships in Doha,and amazingly all 3 are Scottish. !!

  3. on 05 Oct 2019 at 11:00 pm3TTG

    I’m pretty much agreed about the line-up Holic. I think Pepe will be retuned and I think he will pick Willock instead of Ceballos when he might play them both . Otherwise I think you’re spot on .
    I suspect we might find them a tough prospect. I’ve reappraised Eddie Howe as I have Brendan Rodgers and rate him as a good coach . I hope Auba will continue his hot streak to give us a 2-1 win

  4. on 05 Oct 2019 at 11:01 pm4Countryman100

    TTG. IBtM and I are meeting in the Tolly before the game. Care to join us?

  5. on 05 Oct 2019 at 11:23 pm5TTG

    C100
    That is a lovely invitation but I am travelling with two friends tomorrow and won’t be getting to the ground until close to 2pm. But I would love to meet with you all at a future date . Have a great drink tomorrow!

  6. on 05 Oct 2019 at 11:31 pm6bt8

    Slap in the face to Scotland? Wouldn’t think of it, but Tierney did have my heart racing in the first half against Liège.

  7. on 05 Oct 2019 at 11:34 pm7bt8

    Kenyans for distance, Scots for sprints.

  8. on 05 Oct 2019 at 11:46 pm8Goonersince54

    Evening Countryman
    When is your next away day trip. ??
    Pretty slim pickings over the next few weeks,with only Sheff Utd away on a Monday night after the Int’l break,and then Leicester in November.
    Evening TTG
    Trust you are keeping well.
    On a more sombre note,
    I am really pleased to see the police have arrested and charged 2 men with the murder of the innocent young Arsenal supporter who was stabbed to death at Hillingdon tube station whilst on his way to the Ems to see the Nottingham Forest league cup game.
    It was apparently the first time he had ventured to a game on his own,and he paid a terrible price.
    What a senseless waste of a young life.

  9. on 06 Oct 2019 at 12:04 am9OsakaMatt

    Thanks Guvnor, I think. you’re
    very close with the team but
    UE often has one surprise
    selection up his sleeve.

    Hadn’t heard about the death
    of the young Arsenal fan that
    Clive mentioned. That is terrible
    news.

  10. on 06 Oct 2019 at 2:39 am10can't be arsed

    clive

    that’s just rotten
    poor fella
    the world can be a shite at times

  11. on 06 Oct 2019 at 2:44 am11can't be arsed

    c100 and btm
    happy beering
    itsa great place here
    ?
    UP THE ARSENAL

  12. on 06 Oct 2019 at 3:14 am12bt8

    Wot cba said, and hoping it is a lovely day.

  13. on 06 Oct 2019 at 3:16 am13can't be arsed

    bonnie greer
    what a woman !

  14. on 06 Oct 2019 at 3:17 am14OsakaMatt

    No clean sheets for Bournemouth
    this season. But they usually score
    with Wilson/King up front.
    However, I’ll follow the Guvnor’s
    headline advice to be positive
    and go for a 3-0 win hoping Auba’s
    shooting boots are still on fire.

  15. on 06 Oct 2019 at 3:31 am15can't be arsed

    8ball
    i’ll be deflated if they don’t call each other
    by their ‘holic handles

  16. on 06 Oct 2019 at 3:43 am16bt8

    But will c100 write it up as an away day report even while not away?

  17. on 06 Oct 2019 at 3:50 am17can't be arsed

    unfortunately no i suspect
    a pity
    really love his writing style

    you are in the car
    you are eating the grub
    and
    most of all
    you are at the game
    with him

    and that’s a real skill
    ‘hol has it too
    very envious of both of them
    the pair o cunts
    ?

  18. on 06 Oct 2019 at 4:40 am18OsakaMatt

    I’ve missed Delia’s reports
    recently. Hopefully the return
    of Hector will mean the
    return of the reports 🙂

    C100 can just ask the Tolly
    Guvnor to shout “is there a
    Mr Bergkamp in the bar?”

  19. on 06 Oct 2019 at 4:52 am19can't be arsed

    osaka M
    100%
    re Delia

    train journeys
    her compatriots
    always prefixed with gooner

    real stories
    brilliant

  20. on 06 Oct 2019 at 5:52 am20TTG

    Lovely to hear from you Clive .
    I’m well and looking forward to the match .
    I’m very pleased about the conveyor belt of talent from the academy and the young players brought in. We’ve kept the best ones for us rather than loaning them out. Martinelli and Saka are special. Pity we don’t breed defenders like we breed young wide attackers!
    I share your concern about the killing which seems completely unprovoked. A terrible shame .

  21. on 06 Oct 2019 at 6:18 am21can't be arsed

    and
    btm big man
    ya cheeky bollix
    ?
    worry ye not
    we’d be easily differentiated
    my handsomeness is such that
    I GLOW
    however i’m in no doubt
    yer accent would win the battle
    mine merely says ye’ve 5 minutes to get out

  22. on 06 Oct 2019 at 6:23 am22can't be arsed

    my voice
    is an unattended package on the tube
    for many
    ?

  23. on 06 Oct 2019 at 6:28 am23can't be arsed

    .
    .
    .
    which is a shame
    cos
    if you take the time
    to get to know me
    you’d realise
    that
    you were
    right all along
    proper wrongun me
    shockin cunt of a bastard
    ?

  24. on 06 Oct 2019 at 9:34 am24Wolfgang

    Spurs were expected to beat Norwich .I bet many pundits got it wrong. That’s why the epl is the most competitive in Europe.
    As for Bournemouth Arsenal will be expected to roll over with the Brazilian threat. However it aint as easy as that.How were Spurs beaten?
    Well everyone of the Norwich guys was afighter. If the gunners turn up expecting an easy meal,they could be in for a shock.

  25. on 06 Oct 2019 at 10:44 am25bathgooner

    Fine preview Guvna. I do like making with the positive vibes, baby. ?

    Your 3-1 call is spot on. Sad;y I don’t expect a clean sheet. I suspect the starting XI will be: Leno; Chambers, Sokratis, Luiz, Kolasinac; Guendouzi, Torreira, Xhaka; Pepe, Aubameyang, Saka.

    The paradox of the ‘B-team’ playing with such fluency and incision while the ‘A-team’ labours and crunches like a damaged clockwork toy is extremely frustrating. We have to hope that the former shows how Emery wants the latter to play (it’s simple – just drop Xhaka) and whether that is so or not, we can detect a sense of direction off the field and the quality of our young players gives us optimism for the future.

    Meanwhile, today, we have to send Bournemouth back to their beaches, beaten and bowed.

    COYG

  26. on 06 Oct 2019 at 12:41 pm26bt8

    What about bedraggled?

  27. on 06 Oct 2019 at 1:33 pm27OsakaMatt

    No real surprises today from
    UE. Ceballos in front of
    Guen/Xhaka and the expected
    defence.
    Pepe, Auba,Saka up top.

    Martinelli in on the bench.
    It’s a difficult time for Reiss
    Nelson now but I thought he
    did ok Thursday and I hope
    he’s keeping his head up
    Tierney, Holding, Willock,
    Torreira on the bench too

  28. on 06 Oct 2019 at 1:55 pm28bt8

    A clean sheet clearly being too much to expect Can we even hope for a stained sheet on only one side?

  29. on 06 Oct 2019 at 2:00 pm29bt8

    Pepe and Saka to cover back at pace if we have a chance?

  30. on 06 Oct 2019 at 2:00 pm30Alan Grunwald

    UTA

  31. on 06 Oct 2019 at 2:09 pm31ksn

    Get in!!!! Luiz heads in.

  32. on 06 Oct 2019 at 2:10 pm32gedo

    Way to go Luiz….Xhaka w a bad tackle during the celebration lol

  33. on 06 Oct 2019 at 2:10 pm33Cynic

    Nice header that. Very nice

  34. on 06 Oct 2019 at 2:15 pm34OsakaMatt

    Good start
    Decent corner and Luiz
    did well to get the run
    on his marker

    Deserved yellow for Billing
    though I could see why he
    was taking a bit of revenge

  35. on 06 Oct 2019 at 2:21 pm35Cynic

    Pepe unlucky with the bender

  36. on 06 Oct 2019 at 2:23 pm36OsakaMatt

    they are dodgier than us at
    playing out from the back

  37. on 06 Oct 2019 at 2:24 pm37ksn

    Clear penalty denied by Atkinson and then VAR.

  38. on 06 Oct 2019 at 2:25 pm38ATG

    Blatant penalty Mane got one yesterday for a lot less

  39. on 06 Oct 2019 at 2:26 pm39OsakaMatt

    penalty all day long for me

  40. on 06 Oct 2019 at 2:27 pm40ATG

    As I said to someone yesterday they don’t have a clue how to use VAR in the EPL

  41. on 06 Oct 2019 at 2:30 pm41Cynic

    This is one of those games where the team we’re playing is awful, but we’re allowing them to stay in the game. We’re going to need another goal or two here.

  42. on 06 Oct 2019 at 2:35 pm42ATG

    Too right Cynic we need another goal and quickly

  43. on 06 Oct 2019 at 2:36 pm43ksn

    VAR is consistent in that it supports the ref’s decision in many instances when the ref is wrong. If it not going to reverse the ref’s decision when he is wrong then what is the point of VAR?

  44. on 06 Oct 2019 at 2:40 pm44Cynic

    They don’t want games refereed from a tv studio, which I am totally on board with.

  45. on 06 Oct 2019 at 2:43 pm45OsakaMatt

    we’ve gone too passive,
    playing like a training game

    nice ball Luiz, terrible cross,
    no penalty again

  46. on 06 Oct 2019 at 2:46 pm46OsakaMatt

    agree ksn, it shouldn’t be
    an obvious error it should
    be the correct decision

  47. on 06 Oct 2019 at 2:51 pm47bt8

    Correct decision? No way Jose

  48. on 06 Oct 2019 at 2:53 pm48bt8

    We can’t offend the referee’s feelings

  49. on 06 Oct 2019 at 2:53 pm49OsakaMatt

    Bournemouth aren’t actually
    as bad as they’ve looked in
    the 1st half.

    Good we’re in front but I
    hope we will be more
    aggressive 2nd half.

  50. on 06 Oct 2019 at 2:54 pm50ATG

    Spot on ksn….

    Even though we have VAR the decisions are inconsistent, Mane had a slight brush on his calf then dives and gets one. Pepe is blatantly tripped gets bugger all.

    Why even have VAR?

  51. on 06 Oct 2019 at 2:54 pm51OsakaMatt

    bt8,
    I think that’s exactly the
    problem.

  52. on 06 Oct 2019 at 2:56 pm52arsenicDaemon

    This is an opportunity to do what Villa did yesterday but with a clean sheet. Send in Willock, Martinelli and Tierney for maximum damage.

    These men shouldn’t leave the Emirates with anything less than 4.

  53. on 06 Oct 2019 at 3:03 pm53Cynic

    The problem is that VAR should not be used for a subjective thing like a penalty. Use it for obvious offsides, like the one on Monday, and there’s no problem.

    Anyway… second half…

  54. on 06 Oct 2019 at 3:05 pm54Cynic

    Pepe channelling the Ghost of Feo yet again there.

  55. on 06 Oct 2019 at 3:08 pm55gedo

    Wake up boys

  56. on 06 Oct 2019 at 3:09 pm56ksn

    Bournemouth are looking the business in the second half. Wilson almost scored. Very close that. COYG.

  57. on 06 Oct 2019 at 3:11 pm57OsakaMatt

    That was close.

    More aggressive from
    Bournemouth

  58. on 06 Oct 2019 at 3:14 pm58Cynic

    Martinelli on please. I don’t mind who goes off out of Saka and Pepe, but we’re getting more out of Chambers down that flank than the disappointing Pepe.

  59. on 06 Oct 2019 at 3:15 pm59ATG

    What are we doing come on sort it out Emery

  60. on 06 Oct 2019 at 3:15 pm60OsakaMatt

    We should be sharper on
    the counter

    time for Willock and Martinelli?

  61. on 06 Oct 2019 at 3:18 pm61ATG

    We are playing as if we were three nil up not much brains in our style at the moment

  62. on 06 Oct 2019 at 3:20 pm62ksn

    Martinelli for Pépé. Interesting.

  63. on 06 Oct 2019 at 3:21 pm63Cynic

    Pepe off, which is fair. He’s been very average yet again today.

  64. on 06 Oct 2019 at 3:24 pm64ksn

    Second half feels like Watford. Need to get another goal.

  65. on 06 Oct 2019 at 3:27 pm65OsakaMatt

    We can’t produce 2 coherent
    halves of football
    Frustrating

  66. on 06 Oct 2019 at 3:31 pm66ATG

    They look awful but so do we

  67. on 06 Oct 2019 at 3:44 pm67Barack O'Barman

    So so average. Zero creativity. Top 4 looks miles away even with Utd, Spurs and Chelsea struggling

  68. on 06 Oct 2019 at 3:46 pm68Cynic

    We haven’t been THAT bad, but we just haven’t imposed ourselves on the game at all.

  69. on 06 Oct 2019 at 3:53 pm69ksn

    Three precious points in the bag. 1-0 to the Arsenal.

  70. on 06 Oct 2019 at 3:55 pm70Cynic

    Chambers our best player, front three were poor I thought and we were fortunate to be playing Bournemouth, who treat every match like a pre-season friendly.

    We weren’t rubbish, we weren’t great.

    Got the job done, need a lot more from certain players.

  71. on 06 Oct 2019 at 3:55 pm71bt8

    Clean sh*t

  72. on 06 Oct 2019 at 3:56 pm72OsakaMatt

    up to 3rd, a win and a
    clean sheet. 3 positives

  73. on 06 Oct 2019 at 3:56 pm73Gunner_KS

    Citieh lost to Wolves

  74. on 06 Oct 2019 at 3:57 pm74Goonerholic

    Well well well >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

  75. on 06 Oct 2019 at 3:59 pm75ksn

    Pool are the luckiest team in the league. Everything is going for them this season.

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