I usually have a good moan about early kick-offs and that’s when they’re at 1.30 so todays midday start is going to feel really strange. I like to look forward to going to football – well for at least a few hours anyway but today it’s up, washed, dressed and out the door before my coffee has a chance to hit the sides of my stomach.
You have to feel sorry for the Huddersfield Town supporters who must have left home in the dark this morning and wonder why our game had to be scheduled at midday while spuds only have to travel to Fulham for a 4 o’clock ko – the decision making of the TV scheduelers astounds me. But midday it is and I’m hoping its not too early for a loud throng to make their way to the Emirates for this fourth round FA Cup tie.
We go into this game unbeaten in 9 apart from the Carling Cup tie away at Ipswich having scored 21 goals and conceded 5 but its the loss at Ipswich and the draw at Wigan with the ‘B’ team that will worry many gooners about the team selection for todays game. I feel the team might be set up like this :-
Subs – Almunia Clichy Squillacci Fabregas Theo van Persie
Why have Shea on the bench if you’re never going to play him Arsene? Arshavin made two great assists on Tuesday night and maybe, just maybe today will be his day to hit the back of the net. Chamakh needs to get back to scoring ways too and if he’s been watching Robin he’ll know how to put his work-rate to good use and be in the right place for Niks fabulous crosses. Tuesday night’s win against Ipswich should set the ‘A/B’ team up for this game, Arsene loves the FA Cup, Arsenal love winning the FA Cup and this team needs to keep on winning.
The best thing about the ‘A’ team hitting a rich vein of form is that the others will have been watching, watching them score, watching them win and they’ll want some of that. No lapses in concentration, no underestimating the opposition, just come out and work for each other and play the best football on the planet – well in the UK at least.
Huddersfield Town are sitting third in Division 1. They’ve won 13 out of 26 games scoring 42 goals but conceding 32 so there’s hope – joking! They are very excited about this fixture against us but will be without their top goal scorer Jordan Rhodes who has 16 goals to his name but was injured last weekend. You may remember that Arsenal were invited to play at Huddersfield’s Centenary match for the Herbert Chapman Trophy in August 2008. Our very own Herbert Chapman had managed Huddersfield Town and led them to a FA Cup trophy in the 1921-22 season before being prized away by Sir Henry Norris in 1925 to join Arsenal.
There’s not going to be too much time to agonise over how the team will set up and those going to the game will out early but we’ll also be back early so catch you all later. Enjoy the game.
COYRRG
Written by peachesgooner
Arsenal News 24/7
Morning all
Out the door in half an hour so I’ll leave you all to chat.
Carito – looks like we’ll be moaning together 😦
OOOOOOh Peaches I do believe your not happy. Thanks for the post.
Cricketers and Murray getting stuffed, lets hope the Arse save the day.
Morning all,
Thanks for the pre-match peaches, I see the clash as the Continental Breakfast v the Full English.
One is very healthy and sophisticated and the other a traditional fare that still has its roots in Olde England.
Good luck to Huddersfield. I hope they enjoy their day and lose valiantly.
Hidden talents
Good pre match Peaches. I stick by my predicton of 26-0.
London Don’T forget GG’s 11 dustbins.!!!!!!!
interesting preview but in answer to the question, why have shea on the bench…? because he’s our 4th choice keeper and nos 2 and 3 are injured or unplayable. solid defences are built on playing together concistently and now is not the time to drop szczesny.
i would also find a place for rosicky, probably at wilshere’s expense. the youngster will benefit from the rest and little mozart should thrive in a game like this.
Rasp – please don’t compare us to a continental breakfast. there’s nothing more dispiriting than waking up in a strange hotel and finding nothing but ‘continental breakfast’ on the menu. puts me right down in the dumps.
croissant and marmalade? what kind of lunatic thought that would be a good way to start the day. you don’t have to have a meatfeast either, what’s wrong with a bracing bowl of piping hot porage oats? healthy and satisfying, och aye!
Fair enough mt, I start every day with a fortifying bowl of porridge myself. Maybe we shouldn’t be taking today’s game so lightly, but I was joining in the spirit of what I hope will be an early moring stroll in/on the park!
Morning all.
it will be interesting to see how many attend today,and as peaches said in her post,who plans these fixture times.
I doubt very much Shea will be in goal or that Diaby will start.If Nasri is fit he should start with Theo and Song and save Denilson for Everton, a team he invariably plays well against.
The Vela loan just shows the power of agents,though I believe Vela’s days are over at Arsenal.
Too much tinkering and we might struggle but I have 5-1 or 5-2 in my head.I think there will be many goals and if AA starts I sincerely hopes he scores.
Maybe some bacon n eggs then???lol we should breeze past this easy. But then nothing is set in stone
Hi kelsey,
After watching manu struggle in the first half yesterday perhaps we should start with a stronger side. There is no doubt the players peaches lists in the post man-for-man will be superior to Huddersfield but they will not be as experienced as a team unit – that was the problem with the side we put out against Wigan away.
Arsenal
01 Almunia
06 Koscielny
18 Squillaci
27 Eboue
28 Gibbs
02 Diaby
08 Nasri
15 Denilson
23 Arshavin
29 Chamakh
52 Bendtner
Decent line up.
COYRRG !!
Is that Wadfle talking twaddle? Gibbs short of match practice? Yet again hoping for an upset again.
Disappointing crowd…my excuse I would have had to leave home at 7am to make kick off 😦
AA23 starting well today, good work rate and jeeps getting in there.
1 nil – Bendy
Nasri NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!
Nasri injured – hamstring, please god, no more injuries!
Nightmare!! Squillaci sent off – where’s that new CB we needed to sign in January?
Chamakh looks lost, Song will be out for the second half, AA trying but so lacks confidence.
Making hard work of it. Some players coasting and letting manager down AGAIN!
Should go 4-3-2 for second half. We’ll have to use another substitution though.
Did someone say Denilson has played well this season?
Just outside the penalty area he passes square to a Huddersfield player without looking, then being passed so easily by the Huddersfield full back and forcing Sqidgy into making a red card tackle.
Hate to see Denilson when he is playing badly!
Hamstring, how long 3 weeks minimum? thats 6 games including Barca.
Dandan your 12:52 is spot on. What has happened to Chamack?
Denilson looks poor when he doesn’t play alongside our strongest team.
Time to give up on Diaby, such a shame as he could have been one of the most skillful and influential players of a generation, just don’t think he has it in his heart/head …. too many injuries have taken their toll.
Feels like I’m watching an Emirates Cup at start of season.
One has to be critical.Sqillaci had already made a horrendous mistake before he got sent off.denilson is just not good enough.Almunia was beaten every time,though the efforts went wide.Arshavin is ok and nic looks our best player.Eboue does a great run and then doesn’t know what to do with the final ball.Chamakh is anonomous.We need to buck our ideas up.
Its such a shame. You’d think that any player would love to be a part of the Arsenal set-up and yet some of our present second string do not seem to be making the most of the opportunity.
Whether due to lack of effort, ability or confidence, the club cannot keep excusing poor performances from players who consistently under-achieve.
confirmed,nasri has a pulled hamstring. grat.
i would suggest arsene leave now and get someone in before monday night
Nik B having a good game, shows what a few games can do to help touch.
It is hard to criticise sone players when the options are not there. EE making great runs but he is finding one option when he gets there and 6 blue and white shirts.
In danger of giving this one away.
Surely we only have one sub left? Waddle talking about bringing on Cesc and Theo?
1:1 – do ‘these players’ have the fighting spirit?
Be it 1 sub or 2, Arsène needs to make a change.
too many ring rusty players out there.gibbs,diaby and rosicky.
OK, Fab on, that should do it……
poor old nic,can’t score the easy chances.
Cesc to the rescue with a penalty …. some are saying it was a dive? Does anyone have a view?
Clear cut penalty. Player should have been given a red card a la Squidge.
Without Djourou, poor old Kosser looks like a hard working midfielder.
It was nailed on pen, the kind that refs in league 1 don’t see. Should have been red card
Clattenberg is awful he seems to like letting other teams rough as up.
our name is on the cup 🙂
nic our best player and cesc the icing on the cake.
it’s time to say goodbye to little mozart,he can’t change a game.
overall a poor team effort but nevertheless a win.
Wow.
A bad day (Nasri’s injury) could have turned out a lot worse (Nas’ injury plus another replay).
In a word. Relieved.
Only one question for me, why cant Arsenal players shoot? if they try it is either over the top or scuffed, hardly ever with power power on target. We have every skill but that one.
Agreed DanDan, especially Arshavins wild efforts.
My sources at the game are saying that Clattenburg had a stinker. Either Nik dived and should have been given a yellow or their player should have been sent off.
Arshavins efforts are borne out of low confidence, he can’t pick the right option, place it/power it always wrong choice. It’ll come he is getting back to his best. Great saving tackle at one point too.
Players did not get up for it at all today until Cesc came on. Cracking save by Manuel too.
Absolutely, saw it in slow mo, there was a pull and they were on there own on the penalty spot, OK Nic went easy but the guy should have gone.
Off topic : According to french press (via rumors from England), FC lorient is awaiting a forward from Arsenal. Probably Sunu, on loan. He might have been seen training with Lorient Pro team this morning.
Link (in french) containing a snapshot of this player : http://www.fclorient.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=14440
Any comments ?
At least we won the game. When Man U play bad and win people say mark of champions. When Arsenal play bad and win everyone (including our own fans) say we are rubbish. I think we’ve learnt to win ugly. Who cares as long as we march on! Ref had a stinker. He smiled when he sent off our player. He couldn’t wait to do it.
Come of it Sid it was a blatant red the ref had no option.
Mixed emotions really. Sid is right, at least we won, so I am pleased and relieved. But worried about the performance and the loss of Samir.
Not a good time to try and be too analytic. We have played like that before and gone on and won the Cup!! 🙂
Squidges’ sending off cannot be disputed. Dandan is spot on.
Yann,
Sunu has long been rumoured to go back to France on loan, to develop his career. I suspect he will not return to AFC.
I don’t think it was blatant. Arguable and I’m prepared to discuss the merits of the last man and the surrounding debate. But their one was the last man and Bendy was about to shoot (or maybe take a touch!), but that was blatant, IMO.
We had three players, right off form, Gibbs, Denilson, Chamakh…… Arshaven and Diaby struggling but improving… Nasri Injured… squidgy off taking a red one for the team. so played with ten men for an hour.
All in all should be happy we don’t have a replay
Me, I don’t care as long as we win. So many times in previous seasons we have played well and lost. It doesn’t matter anymore. I think us fans should get behind our players all the time, even if not playing well. At least no one was hiding who didn’t play well. Get behind the team and worry about who should go at the end of the season.
I don’t see anyone arguing with you Sid. roll on tonights draw
Here, here. UP THE GUNNERS!
Watching Notts Cnty v Citeh. Still 0:0 in the second half.
Notts Co. 1 – City 0
Dandan,
If you are still there, I have just read Patrick Collins in the MoS today and he claims that the Gray/Keys fracas was started by that paper last week.
If he is to believed, you were spot on in your Post yesterday. 🙂
He goes on to say that the pair gave Barney Francis, the guy who dispensed with their services, a tough time before he got promotion to his current post. In his case, revenge tasted better cold!
I have contacts within that paper RA so was sure of my facts before I published that is why I was upset my memory let me down with Atkinson.
I hate spreading rumour, facts are so much better.
Having said that, does anyone else like me have a feeling that Nasri is being played as much as he is,usually as captain. Because AW is getting him used to a more important role, post Cesc next season.
Afternoon folks! Just back from the ground. A predictably sleepy Grove today- I’m blaming the timing this time as even I struggled a bit 🙂
The ref was very inconsistent when applying the last man rule to both sides but he balanced it by awarding a penalty that could have gone either way. Sad for Nasri and thought Denilson had gone the same way when he pulled up in the Huddersfield box but he was soon back on the pitch. Maybe he got dizzy being that high up the pitch? 😉
We missed big Johan’s aerial nous in defence today and Denilson has shown once again that he gets bypassed and out-tackled against lower league opposition- frankly an embarrassment! Bendtner was MOTM for workrate, desire and end product. Song and Fabregas coming on made playing keep ball much easier and Fab4 in particular just created time and space and simplified the whole game for us. Not a game that will live long in the memory but we march on!
Sid- I like your point about winning whilst playing badly- a far better situation than last season but I wish it wasn’t SO ugly and against such poor opposition. If they’d had any finishing quality we’d have been taken to the cleaners today
The comments about Chamakh seem justified to me. Anyone got a clue as to what ails the man? Could it be as simple as coming to terms with the interminable grey skies and cold of the last months?
Anyone know when the draw for the next round is?
Leyton Orient away in the next round
Fulham or Tottenham v Bolton or Wigan
Man Utd v Crawley
Everton or Chelsea v Reading
Leyton Orient v Arsenal
Birmingham City v Sheff Wed
Stoke City v Brighton
Notts County or Man City v Aston Villa
West Ham v Burnley
Just seen we’re going away to Orient! Wicked draw
Just seen the highlights on ITV- we were lucky to get that pen in my opinion
Manu v Crawley ….. where’s that damned karma I keep referring to?
Much tho’ I love Arsene, I repeat what I have previously written, that I wish he would simply say “no comment” when asked prying questions, because his answers sometimes do not do him credit.
His latest to Sky Sports rendering defies understanding, or is plainly silly. When asked about trfs he said;
“I cannot tell you definitely no, because if somebody knocks at my door in the morning and says ‘I would like to play for you’ and he is a good player, I will sign him.”
Silence would be much wiser than that.
@Carilto11 We are never lucky to get a pen, Childs was straight on with the stats 13/14th penalty this season for us, as if thats our fault? Perhaps its the fact that we play most of the game in the opponents 3rd and are so quick footed and minded that opposition players can do nothing but bring us down. Have any penalties actually been seriously disputed? Or considered a dive yet this year?
In a way I’m pleased for Crawley, the share of the Gate receipts plus TV monies will see them financially secure for a few years to come.
Bet Barry Hearn is wishing they were away to us too. I don’t think too many of our squad players will fancy a trip to Brisbane Road, so maybe we will need to play the big boys down there. Although coming 4 days after Barca, 3 days before Stoke and 7 days before CC final I think we should get ourselves prepared for the inevitable.
It is so hard to judge any of the players performances today.
Thought Nik was probably our best player today, but as for the others who had off games (Deni, Diaby, Rosicky, Gibbs) they can sometimes make each other look like bad players.
Put one of our squad players in amongst the first eleven and they look ok, put them all together and we seem to put each other under pressure, plenty of times today the ball was passed backwards or sideways to a player under pressure because there wasn’t 2/3/4 options available when we had the ball, as there undoubtedly is when you have all the best players working together.
Even Samir wasn’t really in the game up until he got injured.
We will miss Nasri, but I honestly think with AA23 returning to form (at least he seems up for the fight and is getting on the end of things again now) we may not miss him too badly.
Bigger concern for me is that Koz and JD will have to play 3 consecutive games before the home leg against Barca, any injuries and Squidge will be taking the field against Messi et al.
It seems strange that Squidge and Kos seem to have no understanding when they play together. For the sending off Squidge was far too close to Kos who had attacked the player with the ball meaning he was way out of position and all he could do was haul Hunt down.
Spurs are currently imploding!!
2:0 down, Dawson off! How sad!!
one should only comment at one game at a time but the fact is that we are still vunerable to set pieces regardless who is playing in defence.
gibbs had a bad game, so what,that doesn’t make him a bad player,and to a degree diaby didn’t do much,but he was just back from yet another injury.
the balance of the team wasn’t right and even before nasri broke down he wasn’t influential.
rosicky,well how many more chances does he need to impose himself and he hasn’t scored for over a year.
denilson was more exposed today and it showed,imo he is not the answer.
arshavin will come good.
chamakh worries me.he was hardly noticeable in the game and for a striker he never shoots or gets into the box for low crosses.
nic has a swagger,can score sublime goals but fluffs the easy ones.
eboue did o.k. but goes allover the pitch and then suddenly doesn’t know when to release the ball.
almunia did make a great save,but his body language to me was that he wasn’t that interested.
at least we won and with barcelona at home just before orient we will see yet again the same sort of team.
the player we missed most was jack in midfield and i still think we need an out and out striker but not easy to find one.
Just found 2 side by side tickets on the TickExch for Everton, where is Block 8?
3-0 in 25 minutes, shame 😉
Kelsey don’t get me started on defending set pieces…..we have a recent history of being too deep and of keepers who don’t come big and strong.
Anyone else attribute lapsing back 4 down to quiet keeper today? Sczezny seems to organise whats in front of him constantly.
GiE,
Block 8 is lower tier Northbank – I think?
Yeah just checked Seating plan, behind the goal North Bank, first time I have sat in the North Bank since moving to Grove, should be fun.
4-0!!!!!
My brother just sent me a text:
Fulham v Spurs game is worth the ESPN subscription on its own
😀
Fulham could easily be 6 up!! Aaah shame! 🙂
There is a report in drafts should you need one.
Mark Hughes, won’t hear a word against him…..
Poor performances from Arse, United, City and Chelsea this weekend. Not a patch on The Twitcher’s Stratford side though.
You’re a star London, thanks 🙂
Frustrating game all round, poor performance as a team, searching the blogs the knifes are out for the usual suspects….
Spot on Sid, we won, ok they were first div, so what, United came from Behind, City too and they only drew, Chelsea struggled, Spuds smashed (lol), we are in the next round……Remember Game at a time, Wenger put a team out to win, they did……
The main drawback was Nasri, Wenger didnt want to play him, but Rosicky has been ill, one of those things, very slim chance of the Barca game, lets pray, I so wanted to play them with our first 11.
I dont particulary want to comment on individual players, but remember when your slating individuals, if the players round them are struggling and are not sparking, its difficult….Hence comment at top, poor performance as a team.
On the red card, personally thought a red was very harsh and a yellow would have been fairer, still had quite a bit to do, but if you decide to stand in the way you are leaving youself open for the ref to do that…..
On the penalty, there was contact and Bendtner went down, maybe a bit easy, but hey if Rooney did that, it would have been clever……..One site slated him and called it a blantant dive…..?
We won, end of…….Lets think Everton:
Chez
Sagna Kosser JD Clichy
LJ Song
Walcott Fabregas Arshavin
Van Persie
Subs:
Gibbs Chamakh Bendtner Rosicky Diaby Almunia Eboue
Tough Game, got to be solid….3-1…….
I’ll be there cheering them on from the clock end and trying to outsing the Everton…….. COYRRG…….
Harry unfortunately in some peoples eyes Bendtner will never do anything right. (My Dad complains about his poor first touch today…I personally didn’t see too many mis controls from him).
I like the lad and a run of games will see him improve to become the player he has the attributes to be.
I also agree that it is hard to judge/criticise individual performances when the whole team is poor, and it is more often than not the players who keep trying and don’t hide (AA, Eboue, Deni, Gibbs today) who come in for the most stick. I thought Diaby was nowhere to be seen today and so he in my opinion had a worse game than the others mentioned for that reason alone.
Yay we are through. Not a great performance but again another one that got a few different emotions going. But let’s be happy we are in the next round and with I might add a favourable draw at Orient awaiting.
I think one thing is becoming more obvious as the season wears on. The gap in the Premiership has closed a great deal. Really there is not any team that you could say would be a walkover. The top flight clubs have improved their strengths and this has made for a far more interesting competition this year.
In saying that the lower leagues have improved too. With the Premier league clubs buying a higher percentage of foreign players that has left a surplus of home grown players. Many, in seasons past, would have commanded a position in the top league. These players have filtered down to settle in the lower divisions. This has improved the standard there and closed the gap between the leagues.
Gone are the days (mostly) when a postman from Exeter will nod home a 5th round winner. These days the top half of the Championship and the best six or seven from League one are very competitive units. Cup football is also made for these British bulldog type players adorning the afore mentioned group of clubs.
So when we faced Huddersfield we faced a very competent team and we all saw what they could produce. It was no shame to get run so close. It was a real battle and we evened up the odds even more by losing a man, though he did stop what would have been a catastrophic equaliser.
So I’m thankful we won, we had an off day of sorts but we came through. Go the Gunners.
Now back to the Premiership where Everton pay us a visit, should be a walkover….sic!
Morning all
That’s three first class match reports I have just read.
Our best hope is that we get some good news about Nasri today.
Morning, great comments/match analyses from Harry, GiE and Willo – they seem almost wasted on the tail end of yesterday’s post.
The untimely injury to Nasri means that our star player ‘Theo van NasriGas’ will now have to be substituted. I’m thinking that based on his improving effort and effect on games, Theo van ArshGas is the likely replacement – certainly when we play Barca
New post…….
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