Time to move away from the Young Jack eulogising and onto some proper English PL football, and there are few grounds more suited to a return to earth than the Stadium of Light.
Sunderland is a fine town with a fine history. It has one of the lowest incomes per head in the UK and yet almost 40,000 people go to watch their home games (5k more than Spurs!) They love their team and their football.
Martin O’Neill has had problems getting the Black Cats to gel. Rarely have I seen a more frustrated figure on the sidelines because whatever one thinks of MoN, he is a passionate man and gives his all to his clubs. Many moons ago Gooners were calling for him to replace Mr Wenger – insanity runs deep amongst our fans.
Sadly, Sunderland fans are not getting to see much artistry on the pitch (apart from the opposition). They are struggling for goals and rely more on sweat than inspiration. The huge fee paid for Fletcher and the signing of Danny Graham is an indication of their need for some fire power and gumption ,though I have long admired both Sessegnon and Larsson. It is always good to see an ex-Gunner who has been Wengered succeed and Larsson has had a fine career – shame he likes to score against us!
After a short injury-free period we have players queuing for the treatment table. Late fitness tests on much of the defence means Raddy’s line-up could be drastically affected. There is also a fear that Theo was limping after the Brazil game.
Runners & Riders:
Given the amount of time our Internationals were on the pitch midweek, we may well see some changes.
Diaby could start as his stature is important defensively, but who gets dropped? Dare we play without Pod and have a 4 man midfield with Santi taking the left side attacking berth?
It will be interesting to see how Monreal copes with Adam Johnson who is finally showing some form.
Todays explorer: Sir James Clark Ross (1800 – 1862). You may think it is cold outside, particularly if you are going to the game but today is almost tropical compared to the norm for Sir Ross; an Arctic and Antarctic explorer in the days of wooden ships. As a young man Ross went North with his Uncle, Sir William Parry to search for the fabled North-West Passage and here he fell in love with polar exploration. Upon promotion to Captain he took his ship, the Erebus, to the Antarctic which he surveyed extensively becoming, at that time, the furthest South man had travelled.
I name this picture The Ross Icon
Sir James discovered Ross Bay, James Ross Island, the Ross Sea, the Ross Ice Shelf, Victoria Island, Mount Erebus & Mt. Terror. He returned to England a hero, dying in Blackheath at the age of 61.
On paper we should win this game. Should the defence stay focussed and disciplined we will be fine, but they will not get the easy game they had vs Stoke. With Danny Graham playing his first game at the SoL, Sunderland will be looking for 3 points. But so will we….
Arsenal News 24/7
arsenalarsenal.net 
Excellent prematch as ever. I think Vermaelen is injured and Kos has a fitness test today. If Kos can’t start, Miquel has been called up. Many of us think Miquel looks very good, so seeing him start would be fine. And it would mean we’d have five Spaniards in the starting XI – not sure we’ve ever done that.
Sunderland won’t be easy but we have a fairly good track record up there. We won’t thrash them but, having thrown away so many points this season, anything less than three today would be disappointing.
Sorry, that should’ve said four Spaniards.
Morning all
Nice pre match report we will have a tough game today against the black cats but I think we can manage a win.
PS who wrote the match report it does not say.
MUCH LOVE
Sheep Hagger™
Put this name in to a search engine
DALE MORRISON he’s the supermarket owner.
He looks like Arsen Wenger after eating loads of pies,take a look.
Ps hope there is no horse meat in the burgers today at the game.
Something I forgot to mention is the quality of Sunderland’s GK, Mignolet. He is ver very good.. Not unbeatable but proof that any defence rests upon the quality of their GK
Reassuringly Raddyly, thank you.
Whichever combo of Kos, Mert, Verm or Miquel should be good enough. Hope if Diaby starts to help the defensive side of our game, he’s not wearing his jogging shoes, rather the running ones 🙂
Hopefully Sunderland will be less bus-parky at home than they were away, and I’m sure we will win.
Loved the Explorer as usual.
Back outside until ko.
Have Peaches and Rasp given up on us?
Will have to read your post and comment later Raddy. Just finished work and need to get my skates on. Off to the Ems to see the live away screening of the game with our esteemed AA board of directors.
Morning all.
Fine report Raddy and, as usual, more exploring for me……..
It’s not exactly arctic weather here but it’s -13c with a foot of snow on the ground.
Well done Raddy, i am sure not that many appreciate the work and research you do for these pre match posts.
Sky Sports says vermaelen is definitely out, Kozzer a doubt and jack is on the bench
Really quiet here today.
Unnatural – especially with kick-off less than an hour way.
kelsey. Thank you. It does take some effort but I really enjoy the writing process and in particular the research for the explorers.
Top stuff as always BR
Another fine explorer – they’re a real treat in every pre-match.
Looks like the Spudders are about to win again, so it has to be three points from us today.
The Teams Are In
Sunderland Team
Mignolet, Gardner, Bramble, O’Shea, Rose, N’Diaye, Colback, Cattermole, Johnson, Sessegnon, Fletcher
Substitutes
Westwood, Bardsley, Cuellar, Mangane, Vaughan, Larsson, Graham
Cazorla And Ramsey Return
The pair are in for Abou Diaby and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who are both named on the bench
Arsenal
Szczesny, Sagna, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal, Arteta, Wilshere, Ramsey, Cazorla, Walcott, Giroud
Substitutes
Mannone, Jenkinson, Miquel, Diaby, Rosicky, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Podolski
Kos out injured in warm up, Jenkinson in
So MonkeyBoy rescues Spurs yet again.
Surprised not to see Diaby, but I guess Sagna will platy at CB.
Odd decision given that Miquel is on the bench
Just seen the team haven’t read pre match…..squeaky bum see you on 90 minutes.
Seven points behind Spurs makes this a must, must win.
Cattermole starting. JW is in for a bruising afternoon.
Looks like it’s going to be an open game, should suit us best.
This referee is a moron. Jenks gets a yellow for a foull whilst two of our players got demoilshed by Sunderland thugs.
And Cattermole should have been given a red.
JW as usual being targeted
And so the rotational fouling on jack begins.
Dear Raddy, thank you for the great prematch. I must admit I read your PM like I read newspapers – starting with the end 🙂 You never disappoint.
However, I wish you stop calling Gareth Bale a Monkey Boy. It is terribly unfair to those sweet little animals
Just tuned in to the game, is it Cazorla or Ramsey who’s playing right wing?
stadium of light looks biiiiig, nice venue
49k bums, that is big
Another imbecile co-commentator. Shame on him
OG’s not at the races today.
Is this “let’s try and injure Ramsey and Wilshere” day? I feckin hate Cattermole – dirty, vile little rat of a player
Woohoo 🙂
Yeeeeeeeeeeeeppeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
weeeehhheeeey Irish 🙂
Get innnnnn
Oh yessssss
Lovely move
Sorry I wasn’t here for the warm up 🙂
Waaaaaaaaaaaaay Evonne 😉
Raddy – polish commentators are terrible gossips, they were just talking about Nacho’s start saying that playing for Arsenal would come as a shock to the Spaniard, but playing Stoke in the first game would shock anybody
and the customary madness of AA prevails 🙂
More of the same in the 2nd half and we will be happy campers!
We would be at least 4 up but for Mignolet. The 2 saves from Ramsey were first class.
Playing 4-4-2 is working well allowing JW and Santi enough space to run the game. No way will we get so much time in the 2nd half as MoN will surely tell his players to get closer.
And who’s fault is that for bigging him up in the pre-match?
Then Big Raddy 🙂
Pointless Sunderland doing anything other than come at us more now, so I only see more goals for the boys in yellow.
Remember, we’re always rubbish in the first half 🙂
We really should be out of sight already. More of the same in the 2nd half please.
Afternoon all
Alright Corky..I agree re Girouds ‘mixed’ half, but he’s a fighter who always keeps going. Close to getting two assists and a goal already
Sharkey
How are you watching the game?
Willy Wilshire injured?
Please be a very cautionary move that Jack is gone off
Bolix. JW off after another foul.
not Ramsey
I reckon Jack might not have been 100% but we needed him to start and AW told him if he feels any kind of a knock he’s to signal and come right off?
They’ve turned their thuggery up a notch this half…………
Oh dear we got lucky there…
Diaby’s not found the pace of the game yet.
Stopped enjoying this.as much. Diaby slowing things down and Ramsey being silly. Theo anonymous.
COYRRG
He found the red card for us – cunt of a fucking ref
Jenks red can be laid at the door of dopey Diaby.
Abou has been like a 12th man for Sunderland.
Now we have 10 men!
How is it that the team which is playing football gets a red when the team which are kicking lumps out of JW & Santi are cardless.
Though it was a reckless and stupid tackle.
Irish. You said what I wanted to 🙂
He’s rubbish Jenkinson well overrated .!
Squeaky, squeaky..
Oi Irish, (well hi, first of all 🙂 good to see you) how come you can say tnuc without being executed? 😀
😆 Hi BR and RA – ha ha only noticed now it passed the filter. The webpage must have felt my anger
phenomenal pass from Santi….oh Theo
Awful ref. He should be speaking to the Sunderland Captain and telling him to calm his team down before more of our men get hurt
Wojtek is the MotfM
Speak to me for friggle sake. No view, no radio and you have all gone quiet!!!!!!
extra time
we are under siege
cannot watch…
RA – the northern bastards are dirty, dirty, dirty
Giroud is workaholic
Sagna magnificent
Szczesny and Santi – 10 out of 10
Wtf giroud!!
Nor can I , Evonne!!!! 🙂
end of…..pheeeeew
That’s what you call digging in for a win – Sagna and Szczesny were immense the second half
Yesssssssssssssssss
We won 1-0
Sir Chesney
Pay rise for Bac
WooooooooWWW FT and it#s 0:1 Yesssssss!!
Excellent three points
Hope Jack’s not too bad
like The Alamo, well done all of you.
Phew. Two clean sheets in row!
Back to our Signature score….. 6 points from two 1-0’s …. lovely
Not even a nail biter, I’m down to my wrist 😦
Peaches has officially ask for a match report 🙂
Sagna and Scsezny were superc!
Hi Irish
Just remind me, what did you think of the ref? 🙂
Giroud’s decision to shoot towards the end of the game when he could have played a simple pass either to his right or left was absolutely shocking. Definitely not one of Giroud’s better games up front. Nevertheless a win is a win and credit have to be given to Sczeszny and Sagna for keeping Sunderland at bay during the second half onslaught. Not very impressed with Jenkinson’s sending off too.
In other news, it seems that Santos is off on a one year loan. Simply cannot fathom why, Gibbs and Vermaelen are both still out with injury and Nachos is cup tied. With the Bayern game around the corner, this move strikes me as madness.
Rasp
How to kill a few happy moments 🙂
Anyone notice the strapping on JW’s left thigh? And it was his left leg which got injured.
I think he was in the red zone and perhaps should have been rested.
Unusually we had a brilliant first half and were under the cosh in the second. Prefer it the other way round … it is better for the blood pressure
Stop it, Micky, you know how I love it when Irish talks dirty!! Especially when we win!!!!! 😀
Wow… can we stop squeaking now…
Brilliant defending by the whole team second half. Anything other than three points would have been a travesty given the chances we had, but boy, did we have to work for it!
Outstanding in the second half from Sagna, BFG, Santi and especially OG and Szcz.
OG could barely walk at the end, having put in a simply immense shift. Back to defend every set piece, forward again to hold up the play when we got it forward and to close them down when they had the ball at the back. Dennis knows how many miles he must have run.
And as for Szcz – he has been poor on occasion this season but today he was brilliant. The save from Fletcher’s header in particular was Seamanesque (and there is no higher praise).
I was moaning about Diaby earlier – he can be really frustrating. But I guess we should mark it down to him still working back to full match fitness and touch.
Ditto Jenks. Tough game to come into the first team for, especially against a very good winger in Sessegnon.
Adrian. It is a very strange move but until confirmed it is just rumour.
Do you lot know how appalling it is not to have any stream and no radio?? And you say you are down to the wrist?
I am lucky I never got down to the todger!!!
MIDI – He’s an unlikable sort 😉
RL. You are too kind. Jenks was stupid. He had lost his player was on a yellow and with a ref who was a homer.
To jump in like that invited a card.
I agree. OG was superb today, though he needs to change his footwear away from the toblerone boots. His shooting was wayward.
RA. If you are that bendable, you are a very lucky man 😀
Amazing that it’s two weeks before our next EPL game.
After which we could be one point behind the Spuds, who don’t play until the Monday night that weekend.
Raddy, 😀 — perhaps a little poetic licence — ask Rasper!! 🙂
Just trying to impress Irish!! 😛
BR – I’m not sure I entirely agree about Jenks.
I think he felt he had to take him down to stop him getting a free run into the box or a free cross.
If Jenks had not touched him and Sunderland had scored, people would probably slate him for not being professional enough.
You always impress me RA 😉 😆
Adrian and Raddy
I’d rather Fabianski play at LB against Bayern than Santos
Irish
Such a Lady…….sometimes 🙂
Can’t wait to meet you, Irish. I will wear a mask like the Phantom of the Opera, to greet his beautiful heroine without frightening her!! 😛
Can you remind me who are Bayern wingers? I have a feeling they are rather good….
Irish. Good to have your company.
RA – had I known you were not watching I would keep you updated. I feel really stupid commenting on the game knowing that those who read it are watching too 🙂 Unless we pretend we are watching together and just chatting casually
happy dayz, 50th win over sunderland
thanks Raddy, only Irish is good company? terrific
RL. We can disagree. I still think it was reckless.
What was best about today was the way the players fought so hard for each other. Ramsey must be totally knackered – he was everywhere, not always effectively but his energy levels are remarkable.
evonne. You have other attributes ;-D
& I enjoy having others watching the game with me. It is like being at an Arsenal pub (well, I am drinking!).
Unusual our Aussie friends were absent.
Rasp,
Updated widgets sent to Arsenal nuts.
Raddy 🙂
lovely goal for the Saints!!
and 2 nil to southampton!!!!
Good to be back here for a game – this going to college AND working is seriously eating into my Arsenal time. I better get a job about a mile from the Emirates to make up for my current sacrifices 😆 – I know, I know, I have it tough 😆
Hello irish, how are you ?
I think Wenger gave one of his better interviews today.On another occasion we would have had three by half time. mind you Giroud at the end was just plain stupid.
Arteta, Cazorla and Wilhere were magnifitient in forward play today. For many patches of play in 2nd half you could not guess Arsenal were playing 10 men, the passing ws so good.
But so many chances went beggin’.. so many!
For sure Cattermole& Larson shoud have seen at least 2 yellows both.
Theo get one in face for 2nd match in a row.
Arenal Matches at SoL are so ofeten ridiculous, so many home fouls got unpunished year in& year out…
Do you believe Taylor only gave 6 fouls agaist Arsenal today?
Harsh on OG. He must have been knackered and not capable of reason!
Great first half at St Mary’s.
BR:
If he had scored he would have been a hero.
lovely finish from Milner 🙂 og and 3:1 to So’ton
When Fergie said last week that So’ton were the best team to play at OT this season I thought he started the mind games, dirty old bast**d, but to give him credit he was right, they are an excellent team
barry not Milner, soz
Nasri off for Milner. How embarrassing
Evening from Wales
Much needed win today .
It’s looks as if city have lost their title
Chances are probably pretty low but if City continue to lose games like this over the following weeks the chances of Utd winning the league at our turf will get higher..
To give an insight of what that would be, just imagine the dutch w@nker celebrating in front of us.
Hi all
Had a great time at the Emirates watching the game live on the big screen in the company of GoonerB and friends and goonermichael and his lovely wife and in-laws too.
It’s a pretty surreal experience 😉
GoonerB has offered to write a post for tomorrow so unless anyone else is adamant that they want to I’ll give him the nod.
I know I’ve not been around much but the house that I was looking after while mine is being refurbished was sold this week and so I was evicted which has meant much wringing of hands and a move back to my mum’s 😦 😦 😦
Still, she let me toddle off to the Ems to watch us win so I’m not too down-hearted.
Fine pre match Raddy, and thanks to the streamers for providing a funny and insightful commentary on the game.
I could certainly feel the tension in the comments towards the end.
Given the comments and the events of the game I can only see this as a hard fought win, much needed and well deserved by the sounds of things. Onwards and upwards.
GoonerB – the post is yours …….. be our guest ……. 🙂
Great result. Tough, but great.
I really like the grit that this team shows. They don’t give up in matches wether it’s a lost cause or not, and as a fan, you can’t moan about that!
Szscesny made some great saves and proved why he’s so highly thought of. Wilshere has 10 days off now with us playing Blackburn next so a slight injury could be a blessing in disguise, though I’m sure Wenger would’ve rested him for Blackburn anyway.
I think Santos leaving is the right move, even if we end up with someone like Miquel or Coquelin playing full back against Bayerrn.
I can see TV playing LB vs Bayern if he is fit
Fantastic backs to the wall 1-0 to the Arsenal stuff.
Ref was shocking. But was disappointed in Arsene. I saw the Jenk’s red card coming from a mile off and what did he do? Nothing as usual. O’neill took off his muggy captain to prevent him from getting the red card he so clearly deserved.
Would like to still see a strong team (but with Jack rested) put out on Saturday to ensure a win. We have a much better chance of winning the FA cup than the Champions League. Don’t like to see the cup disrespected. It’s a fantastic trophy, and at the end of the day we’d appreciate a trip to Wemberley! What did she wear?!!
A yellow ribbon!
“OG could barely walk at the end, having put in a simply immense shift. ”
Completely agree. Not everything he tried worked first half and that included some poor moments. However he always seemed to be in the thick of so much of our good play.
Once we were down to ten men, he seemed to take it upon himself to make up the shortfall. ‘Immense’ really does describe his efforts today.
I’ll just repaste Corkys complete comment:
“OG could barely walk at the end, having put in a simply immense shift. Back to defend every set piece, forward again to hold up the play when we got it forward and to close them down when they had the ball at the back. Dennis knows how many miles he must have run.”
Ill just add that Giroud for me is a complete joy to watch. Some of his play really tells you about his vision and football intelligence. What a signing.
Alright LB…since the demise of LOF I stumbled around a few sites, but lately I’ve found ‘atdee.net’ fairly reliable, if not the highest quality.
On a laptop its fine, no nasty surprises or downloads, from a phone or tablet it offers you an app, which personally I’ve avoided.
It lists almost every majpr sporting event thru the day across global time zones – even Ice Hockey and B’ball
atdee.net 🙂
turned down a ticket to the game today, was expecting one of those north east nightmares, preferred to listen on arsenal player at home in Sutton on trent. What a bad decision. I shoulda gone
Anyway still…great win
Still basking in the win 🙂
It is the ground out, backs to the wall games which make a season. We have seen AFC play sublime football and win comfortably, but for pure tension yesterday was tops.
I don’t know how many times I looked at the clock because time stood still over the last 15 minutes.
JW “just a few days” was greeted with both relief and disbelief in the Raddy household. Like Gibbs “3 weeks”, Diaby’s “next week,” Rosicky’s “soon – he is tired after walking his dog around Haampstead Heath”
Morning Raddy,
Agreed that basking is the order of the day.
Utd could go 12 points clear today. Blimey that’s a massive lead.
Let’s face it, Utd have been very efficient, but hardly scintilating. Makes the performances of the trailing pack look rather woeful this season.
Maureen to City would be a near perfect fit 😦
Just watched the extended highlights. Having looked at statistics I couldn’t understand why everyone was going on about Sunderlands heavy handed tactics, after all only 6 fouls to our 13, however now I have seen highlights I understand, countless times the passer was fouled late but we had the advantage and play was waved on.
For me Cattermoles first challenge was probably worthy of a red, out of control and reckless. Thankfully Ramsey was airborne asto all intents and purposes there was little difference between that foul and Shawcross’s assault on the same man. Full credit to Rambo for getting back into the game, it would have been totally understandable if he had hidden from 50-50s after that. He is made of stern stuff our young Welshman.
I didn’t see Wilsheres strapping in the first half so I can only assume it was strapped at halftime after the flying assault by Bramble in the first half, another out of control lunge but he played the ball so all ok in the EPL!
The problem caused by Taylor playing so much advantage was that the true foul count wasn’t realised and in doing so some Sunderland players probably escaped yellow cards as the memory of who did what most be lessened if you don’t as a ref stop play.
We disadvantage ourselves by the way we play when it comes to earning free kicks.
Good defensive display towards the end, and Sagna’s display at CB provides sufficient reason to extend his contract. Even if the attacking legs are going he can clearly do a job when needed in the back four.
Felt sorry for Jenkinson you could see he was off the pace of the game this is where the need to finish games off earlier becomes important. If we are up 2 or 3 nil we can start to give game time to squad players, rather than have them thrown in at the deep end when required.
Hi GiE
“We disadvantage ourselves by the way we play when it comes to earning free kicks”
I think I know what you are saying here
A little more Ollie G’ing and a little less Jack Honesty’ing 🙂
What we really want is teams like Sunderland and Stoke to go up in flames, and be replaced by more Swanseas.
GIE. Fine summation.
It is the referee who sets up the physical atmosphere of the game. Taylor’s allowance of Bramble’s sideline attack on JW gave permission for the weight of tackle which followed. Yes, Bramble got the ball but it was dangerous play and therefore a foul.
I think there has to be instruction from the 4th official in regard to rotational fouling. Wilshere was targeted and will continue to be so until he is kicked out of the game.
Goodness knows how Messi survives
Raddy,
Messi is always sick when Sunderland come to town.
That, as well as being made out of rubber.
In not even sure in saying that Micky, it’s more that we break with the ball and use multiple players, so Jack to Rambo, Jack gets kicked, Rambo moves it to Santi and gets kicked too. Santi has the ball and is moving forward so ref waves play on, problem is two players now can’t support Santi. Santi loses possession, greater problem as two players are still picking themselves up so are out opposition
When a Sunderland player broke with the ball he runs away from his teammates who are not eager to start following, they are looking for the foul, corner or to win a throw in up the pitch
It’s from the Sam Allardyce school of “restart football”. Get a foul/break in play and reset formation or create goal scoring opportunity from free kick, throw, corner.
Messi may get rough treatment in LaLiga but it is rarely of the full body weight challenge much more likely to be obstructed or tripped. Less dangerous and more survivable than a Cattermole lunge
Agreed, Daddy GiE and Randy. Ref should give a foul against Bramble and do the sweeping motion with arm to indicate it was due to excessive follow through and its clear to everyone, both players and fans
I saw Fat Sam in the flesh on Friday, Yuck
Only just managed to read your pre-match now Raddy. A fine effort sir. Will talk more once the post match goes up.
Morning all
Just sorting the new post …… be as quick as I can
New Post ………….
Sorry i can’t find any pics at the moment so I’ll try and add them in in a bit………enjoy 🙂