We need to win this one to keep the dream alive. This was the year when we felt that the boss actually believed we could win something. We’ve been cruelly hit by injuries and although they’ve reduced in number, it seems we still occassionally produce performances that are inexplicably lacking in desire and belief – those favourite words we so often hear Arsene quote. Not many of us would put our houses on a win at Stamford Bridge today, but one thing we do know about our team is that they perform well when the underdog. The players have the talent. Brain must outwit brawn. Nothing less than total focus and commitment from kick off to final whistle will suffice.
The passage below is from Raddy’s excellent article yesterday, we’ve reproduced it because it describes everything about the set-up for the side that needs to be said.
Following our poor display last Sunday, I have little idea of the team AW will play. Almunia will start only because there is no real alternative. The Back 4 pick themselves. Can TV/WG keep out Drogba and Anelka? Seeing Anelka’s goal celebrations always upsets me, AW could and definitely should have re-signed him, and Drogba seems to love a goal against us. Malouda and Cole are improving, whilst our full backs are looking shaky. Clichy has to find his form, and Sagna remember that we play in Red & White.
Chelsea have a formidable midfield even without Essien. Fat Frank and Ballack are highly intelligent players, and Cesc will have problems escaping the returning Obi. In my opinion Denilson has to rest for this one. He must be mentally shattered after his recent mistakes. I am hopeful that Eboue plays, his power and defensive abilty will be important against Anelka who likes to cut in from wing positions.
I look forward to Arshavin going back to his natural position and Bendtner starting. Nik got the usual 20 minutes returning from injury and should be available to start. I expect him to play and Theo to come on after 70 minutes. I want to see AA humiliate Cashley, I want to see Nik hold the ball up for the onrushing Cesc prior to our Spanish genius sliding the ball under the hapless Cech. I want to see Song bully Ballack and Obi, showing that he is The Man, and not the young apprentice.
Despite the pessimism all over the Arsenal blogsites, this game is not lost pre-kick off, our team has not gone from winners to losers in one poor game. A win would be a huge boost towards our run in, and it is not beyond the realms of possibility. Should our players find the touch that has been missing and eradicate the silly errors, we can win.
By Big Raddy
Arsenal News 24/7
arsenalarsenal.net 
Morning all
Today is the day – in my dream Arshavin does pass to Theo to score so we’ll see if that happens 🙂
Those travelling gooners are going to have great time singing today, I expect to hear them loud and proud 😆
Chary – hope you get a chance to come and chat to us…..
OOOh so apprehensive – and I’ve to try and get sleep before K.O.
Hiya – I was just gonna text you to see if you were around
Yep – will be around for about an hour then going to try and get some sleep.
I added another blog to the blog roll, the owner of Arsenal News Blogspot said he’d do likewise for us.
This team are good enough to beat anybody, they’ve become a bit anal haven’t they – all that passing in front of goal – no-one really wanting to take a shot, have any credit for helping the team. They’ve become parsimonious……………
I’d need a punch to knock me out – I’m all nervous about the match. I got that feeling we could win but also the feeling we could be very sad later
Well done thanks for that Irish
rasp has had a good time playing in the Widgets, I suspect theres a lot more to come from him ……. 😛
😆 Did it hurt when you swallowed the dictionary Peaches 😉
“parsimonious” – I like it 🙂
Yes, I agree that we could definitely beat them but they could also charge us down like a runaway train. Concentration levels are going to be really important today – a lapse from either side and it could be over very quickly 😦
I’ll try and get a few more links Peaches.
I love the Superman Vermaelen pic.
we could be 4-0 up on 85mins and I’d still be worried we feck up with flappy mac flap flap in goal…
Arsene is parsimonious and now hes made the team play in a parsimonious way………… 😀
The flappy one is a real worry isn’t he – why do we have to be burdoned with such a weak keeper……
I’m going to stop being negative now…..until the next wave of nausea at least………
Nikki should start today shouldn’t he…………
😆 I think you should get an award for using parsimonious twice in a sentence.
Definitely – need to get Arshavin back out on the left and a bit of height up front.
If we can get crosses in from someone and Nikki remembers how to head then we can cause them troubles. Cech is terrible under the high ball.
But when do our team ever take advantage of another teams weaknesses…………..Arsene likes them to play fair I think, he doesn’t want them to be thugs in any way 😦
‘crosses from someone’ – hmmmnnn
Is it playing fair or being naive?
Yeah I didn’t want to embarrass myself by saying Clichy and Sagna 😦 Sad state of affairs when your full/wing backs can’t cross.
The team are naive in two ways I think – they think there are always more opportunities to score so are very relaxed until the last 10 minutes and they also are too relaxed when giving the ball away in mid-field and believe that the oposition are not going to want to score.
The early season closing down that happened high up the pitch isn’t happening as much. We should be pressing higher up.
There was definitely more energy and ‘belief’ in the way the team played early on in the season – you’re right they were closing down much higher up the pitch and now they just let players keep on running – is there a smiley for aaaaaarrrrrgggggghhhhhh
Now I’ve gone back to being negative again 😦
Do we know if Diaby is fit?
Nope not heard anything yet.
Did you hear a Blackburn fan died this morning after been hit over the head with a bin at the Stoke match yesterday? Seems to have been a fellow Blackburn fan that caused it.
Oh no thats terrible………..
Can you keep an eye for about half an hour – I just have to do something – rasp will be around in a few minutes – catch you in a bit……………..
😆 This should get an airing today
To the tune of “London Bridge”
“Mrs Bridge is going down, going down, going down
Mrs Bridge is going down
On John Terry”
Yep no bother – I’m off to bed in about 45mins so I’ll be around till then
Morning Irish (and peaches if you are still there). I can’t find anyone who is confident about today, but I’m not making any predictions and that normally helps us.
One suggestion for the blogroll is http://arsenalyouth.wordpress.com/ , don’t know if you have looked at it before but Jeorge seems very well informed about the next generation.
Morning Alfa.
I dunno what I feel, 50% of me thinks we’ll win and 50% thinks Drogba will make a mess of us.
I dunno are we only putting up people on the blogroll that’ll put us up on theirs. Have to ask Rasp or Peaches that one.
Great site though, I visit it a few times a week.
You nervous about today?
I’m trying not to be nervous; as I said to Chaf over a beer last night if we get a goal I’ll be happy and I’m trying to tell myself I still believe that.
Makes sense about only reciprocating on the blogroll.
Got to go now, hope you get some sleep before the game
I’d myself all built up last weekend and was so crushed I couldn’t even get angry. So no building up today – going to bed shortly for a few hours, get up at 2:30am, grab some chocolate (very important) and just sit, watch, support and hope.
Catch you soon Alfa.
I gotta go for a few hours guys – see ye just before kick off.
Morning Cannons 😉
It’s not going to happen, but I’d play Diaby up front in the middle, AA out wide left and Nik on the right, with just Song sitting in front of the back 4 and Cesc and Tomas to make things happen in the middle.
Mannone (but actually Al)
Sag Gal TV Clichy
– – Song
– Cesc Tomas
Nik – Diaby – AA
Morning alfa and rasp – see you later Irish
kelsey – I know you’re around – I hope you’re not lost in the dashboards, this is how to find us
http://www.arsenalarsenal.wordpress.com
Morning peaches,
Everyone’s keeping their heads down. It’s an amazing power our team have over the supporters – they can collectively spread elation or deep despair to hundreds of thousands of fans. The knock on effect will either be alcohol sales and family rows, or alcohol sales and horizontal refreshment 😆
The whisper is that neither Nik or Diaby will start … not the news I wanted to hear 😦
Incidentally, how is it that there were only 2 red cards in the dippers game yesterday? – I counted at least 5 challenges worthy of a straight red …. and Gerrard won a free kick on the edghe of the box by diving again … he goes down as easily as Perroncel these days 😳
Thats not good rasp 😦
Surely Nikki must be fit to start now…….Arsene what are you doing?
‘goes down as easily as Perroncel’ what are you like 😳
peaches, this is from arsenal.com
“Injury-wise, here are the certainties. Sol Campbell is back in the squad for the game but Eduardo (hamstring) and Carlos Vela (knee) are still out. Manuel Almunia retains his place in goal but Nicklas Bendtner is still not fit enough to start.”
If a player is not fit enough to start, surely he’s not fit enough to be on the bench. We play Gallas and AA every week with injuries, why can’t we start with Nik and take him of if he’s flagging?
Re Diaby, the official line is…
“The solitary doubt is Abou Diaby, who has been out with a groin problem since the 4-2 win over Bolton on January 20.
“He has a chance of being in the squad at least,” said Wenger. “We could do with him.
…. too bloody right Arsene – so play him FFS!
Rasp, morning. It certainly was an old-fashioned derby yesterday. I don’t understand how Gerrard gets away with it all the time.
I’m feeling good, I just want a goal, will let the rest take care of itself. Hope the team feel the same.
Where did his groin injury come from – he got kicked on the calf I thought………..
The Verminator needs to take a few of the wimps to one side afterall he had a broken leg 2 weeks ago didn’t he 😛
Morning peaches. The site is looking good, a credit to both of you. Don’t know if you saw my suggestion in an earlier comment for an addition to the blogroll (arsenalyouth) – Irish pointed out you only one to include those that will reciprocate which makes sense.
Morning alfa,
An early goal followed by them making a silly mistake and conceding a second before half time would be just the ticket. I’ve read a few chav sites this morning and funnily, their fans are not that confident either.
I think it will be a major blow if we don’t start with Nik and Diaby – Denilson and Nasri will get bullied.
Alfa – you’d better get down the Kings Road quick and do the team talk I think…….
I agree about wanting a goal – an good crisp early goal from Cesc will set us up nicely and boost the confidence………….
Hi alfa – your contribution to the site is much appreciated and there are still some extras that can go on maybe this week.
I’m not sure whether having sites in the blogroll is only to do with a reciprocal nature – I just looked on the cannon and he had about 50 Arsenal site in his blogroll.
The mancs will be wanting us to help them out won’t they, a draw will keep them top of the table.
I love it when the ‘can can’ kicks in 😀
Hi folks
I am alive but unusually for me I have a bit of work to do hence the low profile.
Hi London,
Go on, be honest – you’re hiding behind the sofa aren’t you 😆
Did you like my TV pic London? Talk about fly Emirates!
Hi London – I saw your comments yesterday about writing match reports and we love your match reports so please do whatever you’re comfortable with – a fabulous comical romantic winning report or a bloody good rant if thats whats needed please 😀
Hi Peaches
I will do what I can for the match report, sometimes when we win I just can’t wait to write it but when we lose it can be a bit of a slog, anyway, hopefully I won’t have to worry about the second possibility.
Rasp
You have caught me, I am behind the sofa with my lap top, various family members keep coming in and asking me what on earth I’m doing, I explain that we are playing Chelsea away later and they leave with understanding looks on their faces.
And yes, I love the Vermaelen picture, a good choice as well for today; he is the one player we can rely on to come out fighting and not stop until the final whistle. Go TV.
😆
😆 London
Actually I think we can add Gallas to that too – he doesn’t like them very much ……..
This is the spirit we want to show today 😛
It has taken me ages to get on the right site..Well today is pivotal for us if we wish to remain in the title race.A loss and we could be fighting for forth.
I wish Arsene wouldn’t publishise the fact all the players he nearly signed.
No Nic today so perhaps there is a plan C.
For those interested my teeth have become a nightmare,the whole 6 month venture has turned into a nightmare with no immediate solution, our puppy boxer was poisoned on the hills with meat soaked in anti freeze and is fighting for his life, and apart from that a few other things going on.
Apologises for not being able to blog, but my mind is not on it.I will be in touch peaches soon.
All the best for today.Miracles do happen 🙂
Hi kelsey,
Sorry to hear about your all your trials and tribulations, hope the puppy makes a swift recovery. Quick, bookmark the site so you can find us again … you’ve been missed!
Rosicky and Denilson dropped to the bench, Diaby and Theo to start.
Arsenal team in full:
Almunia, Sagna, Gallas, Vermaelen, Clichy, Song, Fabregas, Nasri, Diaby, Arshavin, Walcott
Substitutes: Fabianski, Campbell, Eboue, Denilson, Ramsey, Rosicky, Bendtner
Hi kelsey – sorry I missed you – the fridge was temporarly bare………
Theo does love to score against the chavs so maybe its a good omen – come on Theo 🙂
Theo for Rosicky??? 👿
I’d play Tomas in place of Theo, Theo adds nothing to the defence. If we go for outright attack, we’ll get picked off……
Hi Irish … you did it to me again .. doh! 🙄
That got you out of bed Irish 🙂
😆
Oh it did Peaches 😈
Anyone here use veetle.com to watch streams? Its either down of its after getting blocked cos it won’t open for me 😦
OK. At least we have a team capable of scoring.
COYRRG
“Terry is Mr.Chelsea”
Indeed he is, a proper scumbag.
Come on Arsenal
Hi Raddy 🙂
Irish – do you want to use my stream
🙄
Arshavin is 5ft4 not bloody 20 foot Gael
No its okay Peaches thanks 🙂
I found a stream I can watch through media player – its in Chinese, they get very excited ha ha
Are we winning? 😕
No No No the early goal was supposed to be ours 😦
I don’t believe it 😦
Hopeless as usual
Song left him go completely
Clichy is getting the blame for coming off the back post. We’ll see if Arsene’s mythical spirit and belief can survive such a body blow?
What a chance
Arsene’s getting very excited on the touchline…..
Who missed the chance peaches?
Arshavin did.
AA, just found it, sounds like a good save instead of a missed chance
Arsh received a fabulous ball and shot on the volley but Cech was in the right place
Oh dear 😦
We’d had so much possession – I don’t know what will happen now
Fucking Hopeless.
Just stand and look him that’ll work….
Terry just smacked Fab around the head
This is what came up on the BBC just before we conceded the second…
Arsenal are in this game, make no mistake about that. Andrey Arshavin jinks into some space on the left-hand side of the Chelsea box but his low shot is blocked by the formidable frame of John Terry.
We can’t defend….. end of
Pity he doesn’t smack a few more they might wake up a bit.
I said before the game that if we go for out and out attack they’ll destroy us …. I hate being right…
Whatever happens in this game, Clichy needs to be ‘rested’
Almunias eyes were closed while trying to save the first goal
How stupid are we… we go for all-out attack and we haven’t even got a striker on the pitch. Is Theo tearing their fullback apart
As it happens he is – surprise surprise
” How stupid are we…” You forgot the “nger” there Rasp.
What a clown…. Bendtner is either fit or not. Bloody start a striker.
We’ve got 60% possession aaarrrrgggghhhhh
Theo down – Theo up
I’m losing faith Irish – ‘parsimonious’ isn’t the word. Arsene has become so conservatively tight arsed – you’d think it was coming out of his pocket and he loses his bottle when it comes to the big games so little surprise that the players look fragile.
Our testimonial “60% possession of f**k all”
Rasp – But he tried ever so hard to sign someone on transfer deadline day but bless his little cotton socks didn’t time run out 🙄
I’d be a lot more angry where it not so funny the way the Chinese commentators pronounce “Ashley Cole” 😆
I hate Didier Drogba
We play a different game to the top teams. They play basic, structured football, we ignore the basics and are surprised when flair is defeated by organisation and power.
Even the Chinese are laughing at us-don’t know what they are saying but they are laughing at us!
Drogba’s a proper striker – Cesc asked us to sign a player like that. Let’s pay Cesc more money to compensdate for the fact that the manager lets him down…. gggrrrrrr
I’m off. I’ll catch up much later. Apologies to anyone I’ve upset. I’ll know how much of what I’ve written above is knee-jerk when I read it later. Angry doesn’t come close at the moment. You can’t win a premiership unless you can defend …..
Cesc doesn’t care for the money too much IMO, if he did he’d have left last summer. No doubt Barca/Real would have offered him more.
Rasp – when Arsenal are continually as crap when does it stop being knee jerk? We’ll hear the same lame excuses and as usual he’ll do nothing.
At least we are getting a better performance than last week.
Drogba’s second was a fantastic goal, that is two like that in two weeks.
No doubt we will hear the men against boys argument, but had AA buried his chance, we would be right in this game.
That said, Chelseas look more likely to score a 3rd
Even if Nikki comes on now – Chelsea know how to defend we haven’t got a hope…………….
Raddy – How many times have we said “if X had buried that chance we’d be right in the game?”
This isn’t La Liga where its open football and teams come out to attack. You get a chance you must take it and as that happens you defend – we can’t defend.
I agree Irish.
Chelsea are so alert to our threaded passes in the penalty area…….
Its getting disheartening Raddy, very disheartening.
I’m sick of the excuses, sick of them.
Manky Utd have played most the season with a makeshift back five and they are top of the table. They win games when it matters. Its honestly one of the most average United squads in a long time and yet they are ahead of us….
Another chance goes begging……Nasris passing has not been very good he keeps missing Clichy
Did Drogba just run through Cesc and upend him
Well that is so depressing isn’t it – can’t score, can’t defend but play very good football……..
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/341426-chelsea-2-0-arsenal-same-old-arsenal-as-strong-as-a-chocolate-saucepan?just_published=1
Well that’s that for another year. Maybe this time we’ll be better and finish 3rd so will go straight into the Champions League 🙄
Good write up Irish – very frustrating for us gooners yet I suppose Arsene will say that we were the better team……………….
Well I’m gutted that we lost, but let’s get some perspective. This performance was totally different to last week even if the end result was the same.
We played as a team, got most of the passing right and dominated possession
-Theo played his heart out, offensively and defensively
-Clichy’s pace is getting back to where it needs to be even if his crossing is still off and he was at fault for the second goal.
-We out tackled Chelsea in the midfield for long periods
-We had more corners, chances etc.
Leaves me feeling a little better than last week.
Cos we had a lot of possession?? That to Wenger is a victory.
I’m just tired of it all. I’m not even feeling angry cos I’ve gone beyond that.
There is no excuse for getting the basics of football so wrong. Swallow some pride Wenger and get in a proper defensive coach – Martin Keown looks bored in that BBC couch.
Alfa – I hate to burst your bubble but we only looked good because Chelsea let us have the ball. They had their two goals and were content and slipped down a few gears.
Theo tried but was useless.
Corners are pointless because all our players are tiny and we can’t whip in a good one.
Chelsea got another easy game and that’s a fact.
Irish I’d say there is no point having the possession unless we have someone who can turn it into goals. We all know we need a striker.
Re defence maybe its the coach, I think we need someone on the pitch who can organise, and it doesn’t seem to be Gallas or Almunia.
When I think that we could have had Chamakh and apparently an unnamed GK last week, I do wonder what is going on.
Exactly Alfa – Chelsea let us have possession because we weren’t a threat in their eyes. They got back in numbers to defend and knew we’d do the same old, same old of trying to pass it into the net.
Why should they over-exert themselves in midfield when they were in a comfortable lead?
We’d never have got Chamakh in the January window – he’s of more value to Bordeaux playing for them than getting a measly £3-4 million for him, they’d rather use him and let him go on a free in the summer.
I agree alfa it was much better Arsenal football just not winning football 😦
Definitely want winning footbal 😦
Chamakh’s been saying the last few days that Arsenal are his perfect team, I guess that means we’ll get him in the summer. Maybe that will persuade Cesc to stay but I doubt it.
I’m baffled – schoolboy defending everyime, why can’t we defend?????????
Going back to bed 😦
“We were much better than we were against united” is what I am hearing from the optimists …. true, and we lost 2 nil. No ifs, no buts … if my auntie had balls etc etc……..
We don’t have a striker … everyone knows it….
We don’t have a top class keeper … everyone knows it….
We have an excess of lightweight players … everyone knows it….
We aren’t going to win the premiership … everyone knows it…
Do we have a god-given right to any of those things?
Is it in the hands of one man who could right the wrongs but chooses not to?
How much longer can this go on?
Its the saddest thing to know that AW was trying to sign a keeper and a striker – how naive to wait until the last day actually not naive, pathetic. I said the other day that he knew long before the window opened that there was no RVP and Nikki and he needed a striker – I can’t believe Arshavin will stay for next season he has no allegiance to us.
Yes rasp we do have the right to have the best players that the manager can buy with the resources he has available………hes bad…….
Graham Souness said that the most important thing for the teams in the top four is to stay there, to qualify for the Champions Lge every year. If thats what AW gives the board they’ll be happy – thats whats wrong…
As long as we qualify AW has a job.
Was he really trying to sign a keeper and striker peaches? I bet if ‘you know who’ was still at the club any transfer targets would have been achieved. It’s the difference between a businessman and an academic.
Worse things happen at sea ….
Haha Raddy,
I’m not a passionate supporter of the sea! Why not let your hair down and have a jolly good moan with us … you’l feel so much better 😆
I know what you mean but they’ve surrounded themselves with a team of administrators that are AMERICAN – what do they know about football? What do they care about Arsenal – David Dein cared about Arsenal, he’s a Gooner, he should be here sorting this out – I’m gutted.
The businessmen are only protecting themselves now, ensuring we have a good business model and we hand over our money week in week out for them to save up for themselves – I’m not happy.
I don’t want to go to sea – I want to go to football and support my team that I know are being prepared to do their best against all opposition in all competitions. Thats not whats happening now Raddy – yes of course there are worse things happening all over the world and this is only football but at the moment I feel like shit about it – I’m cold and numb and the explanantion from the manager is just not good enough.
OK, so what do we look forward to?
Winning the Premiership is out of our hands. It would require a considerable dip in form for manure and chavski and a long unbeaten run for us …. possible but highly unlikely.
Winning the CL – who knows, it’s a funny old game.
A summer with a world cup and the value of quality players being blown up to unreasonable proportions?
The prospect of bolstering the squad with the sort of personnel that we were so obviously lacking in today?
I only have questions. Arsene and the Board don’t have all the answers either, but they do have the power to try.
I can’t believe Arshavin will stay for next season he has no allegiance to us. so said peaches at 7.55p.m. I second that.
I find it ironic that in two matches in a week we have been caught by the sucker punch of a quick breakaway,and yet again all the passing possession with no end result.
It’s unfortunate Sagna has lost form and Clichy is have a mare.
I think the natural game of players like nasri,rosicky and arshavin have been stifled to fit into our system.
Was denilson missed today ?
Is Walcott really worth a starting role.
Played mancs and chavs twice = 0 points. Both build their respective teams on defence and both have a striker in Rooney and Drogba who can change a game.
We are great to watch yet so frustrating and again we will finish as also rans.it could all have been avoided with the odd prudent spending over the last few seasons.
I wish one and all a goodnight and there’s always tomorrow.
Night kelsey, hope things are on the up for you.
It doesn’t even matter now that we feel some of the players aren’t good enough to play for Arsenal – he could have made improvements and didn’t either last summer or last month.
Nik is unproven – its really not right to expect him to slot in as the main striker even RVP for all his talent could be indifferent, we sold the big lazy lump and should have replaced him even if it was just for the height and presence – I accept we can score goals from anywhere but Robins intelligence, drawing players to create space is missing.
Arsene defines pretty much everything about the club. His influence is far-reaching and in the most part unchallenged.
I only possess a fraction of his intelligence. I don’t understand how he can have such immense faith in something that continually falls short of it’s goals, unless he is achieving the goals that he and the Board require … and I don’t want to believe that.
We cannot let teams like the chavs and the mancs score early aginst us – we should have been cagey, played patiently – it could have been 0-0 at half-time.
Irish and I were talking this morning about the naivity of the team and it showed today – I reckon a good schoolboy 11 could have avoided conceding in the first 10 minutes better than we did today.
The Board have trusted him to keep a steady ship, keep their investment safe and maybe given him a free hand in the football – its good for them just rubbish for us.
Lets face it he gets to indulge his footballing ethos, hes under no pressure to buy players so he can get talented young footballers that either succeed or fail without having to worry about big name egoes.
Must be time for another glass of wine………..
I have finished writing something for tomorrow; don’t expect too much, that done, I shall now return to hiding behind the back my sofa.
Thankyou London – you’re a star to write something, I’m finding it quite therapeutic not to have to speak to anyone……..
…….and the wine helps……..
Hope you’ve got some supplies behind the sofa 😉
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