Not a huge amount of news this week but here it is anyway. . . . . . . . . . . .
Saturday:
The early afternoon kick off against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park brought us three points through a penalty by Mikel Arteta, after Serge Gnabry was brought down in the box, and a fine chipped pass by Ramsey to set up a header for Olivier Giroud. All this after an early injury forced Flamini off and Arsenal went down to ten men when Arteta was harshly red carded for a DOGSO. ( Denial Of Goal Scoring Opportunity).
Sunday:
A good day in the press for The Gunners, there’s nothing like a win to silence the pundits. Was it a red card offence? The consensus seems to be a clear no. Chamakh after moving the ball to his right then leant into Arteta on his left and fell over. Would he have gone on to score? C’mon it’s Chamakh we’re talking about here. When asked if Arsenal would appeal the red card Wenger said although there was a good argument for doing so, there’s no point as it’s only a one match suspension and that game is the Capital One Cup for which he wouldn’t have picked Arteta anyway.
Monday:
Per Mertesacker believes how Arsenal respond to the upcoming tough schedules will define their season. “Crystal Palace on Saturday was a good test for us and a good win ahead of the hard games to come in the next weeks,” said Arsenal defender Mertesacker. “There will be more tests to come and that will be crucial for the rest of the season”.
“That we have started well showed we have improved a lot over the last two years. We are in a better position. It feels much better now. We don’t have to get anything back on the other sides, so that gives us more safety and we feel much better.”
Our favourite pundit, Alan Hansen, was at it again writing in The Telegraph he once more failed to resist his in-built bias and wrote off Arsenal’s chances of winning the title this season.
Arsenal may be looking down on Chelsea and Manchester City from the top of the Premier League this morning, but they will not end the season as champions“.
“Despite their hugely impressive reaction since losing to Aston Villa on the opening day of the season, which has enabled them to move clear at the top of the table, I still believe that Arsenal will end the campaign in fourth place“.
He went on “If you run out of gas in March, April or May, you will be mentally and physically shot and miss out on everything. United have mastered the art of pacing themselves, Liverpool did it for 20 years and Chelsea and City both know what it takes”. He just couldn’t resist mentioning his beloved Liverpool, while forgetting that they haven’t managed to pace themselves to a win in the last twenty years. What has this man got against Arsenal?
Serge Gnabry signed a new long term contract. Arsène Wenger said: “We signed Serge Gnabry because I believe that he will be a great player. He has technical ability, he has power, he has pace, he has finishing quality and he can give a final ball. He’s a powerful offensive player and I believe that he will be a great player for Arsenal Football Club.”
Tuesday:
Emmanuel Frimpong is set to be warned over his future conduct after appearing to claim that his omission from the Capital One Cup tie against Chelsea was because of his colour.
The 21-year-old Ghana international denied he had accused manager Arsene Wenger of racism despite responding on Twitter to a question why he was not in the squad by saying: “LOL I wanna laugh.” He then wrote: “Sometimes I wish I was white and English.”
Frimpong later deleted that tweet and added “not every tweet is football related. Goosh [sic]” and later, “Look what ever [sic] you read tomorrow has majorly been twisted. Is a joke what people will do to start controversy goodnight people.” A word of advice for Master Frimpong: Think before you twitter!
Jose Mourinho was moaning about his poor darlings having to play the Mighty Arsenal just two days after his team scrabbled to get a win against the Oilers. (A last minute cock-up by Joe Hart presented an open goal for £50 million man Torres).
“One team play 12.30pm on Saturday another play 4pm on Sunday”.
“Another team play against Crystal Palace, the other against Manchester City and now we have to play on Tuesday”.
If you can’t stand the heat Jose, get out of the kitchen!
Former Arsenal defender Nelson Vivas has resigned as manager of Argentinean club Quilmes after sensationally attacking one of their fans. Vivas – who signed for the Gunners in 1998 from Boca Juniors before moving on to Inter Milan – leapt into the stand to hit a spectator three times after his side’s game against Atletico Rafaela. The fan was said to have been insulting the former Argentina international during the club’s disappointing draw.
Wednesday:
It was difficult to find any relevant Arsenal news, other than the Capital One cup defeat at the hands of Chelsea. The consensus seemed to be that but for that back header it was a fairly close game, both sides had a decent enough number of goal attempts, not too many were on target, although Mata’s strike was all to obviously spot on.
On the injury front, no news is good news, all our players came through unscathed, on top of that Vermaelen escaped what should have been a straight red for a DOGSO. Having served his one match ban Arteta is available for Saturday.
Thursday:
It’s all about confidence, claims Olly.
Talking to Standard Sport Olivier Giroud said “It is [down to] confidence. I did well from the start of the season, I had good preparation with the team — instead of last season when I wasn’t here from the beginning —and I scored early in the pre-season games.
“I feel really confident, the boss made me feel good and that is why I feel good and try to improve every day. It is all about confidence I think”.
Written by Norfolk Gooner
Arsenal News 24/7
arsenalarsenal.net 
Nice one, NG.
You can’t make up news if not much has happened. (unlike many journos)
The week seemed all about getting the C1 Cup game out of the way. I’ve still no idea why Rambo and Jack didn’t get a rest.
The press conference has suggested Flamini might be back for the mancs away. Twatter was suggesting Podolski was back in the squad for the dippers, but I haven’t seen that confirmed.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lyShQ3nVVA
NG. Lovely start to the day.
Chas. The standing seats idea is so good it is a no-brainer. I wonder if they come in red?
The sound when Pod hits the ball is just so ……. German
Nicely done Norfolk. I so enjoy reading your news flash style Friday reports. As I said before I read them in my head in a Ron Burgundy voice-over which seems to make them even more enjoyable to me.
Sorry I didn’t get on yesterday Raddy to compliment you on your post. I have belatedly read it and the comments and pretty much anything I would have said was said. Got caught up in the trick or treating after a long work schedule.
Chas, I know someone high up in heirarchy who states that he knows for a fact that in order to get the Ozil deal through we had to agree to a Madrid buy back clause of £30m plus our choice of any player from the Madrid acadamy, but it can only be activated in next summers transfer window and after that it is void. Did you know anything about that?
Yep, I bet they do some with a bit of padding on them, too, for pampered southern bottoms.
I certainly didn’t, GoonerB.
I’d imagine Gazidis and Dick Law would have sold their grannies as part of the deal to get it through.
Cardiff v Arsenal sold out to 20+ credits. Bugger.
Just pulling your leg Chas. Just trying to disprove your opening gambit that you can’t make up news if nothing much has happened. You have met me, do I seriously come across as someone that would know anyone high up anywhere? You can give me a dig in the ribs at the Tavern tomorrow for being cheeky.
BTW who is coming out to play at the Tavern tomorrow?
Reading Hansen’s article, I couldn’t help but notice that he said Man u will bounce back even though they are playing shite, but says we are surely going to come fourth even though we are playing better than everybody else. If you remember the Madrid of 2005-08, they were a great attacking team but they had a poor defence (although they did have a great keeper) and won the league 3 yrs straight. I think our attack is the best in the league and we will simply score more than the opposition many times.
Haha, GoonerB.
I fell for it hook, line and sinker.
I was just about to have a look at their academy players!
If kelsey and Rasp know high up people at the club, anything’s possible. 🙂
Nice recap NG. Anyone know what the story is with Walcott? I thought he was only supposed to be out for two weeks?
The “Friday Round Up”, what’s not to like?
I really hope you’re right, Jamie.
DidIt has been advocating a porous defence for years. 🙂
Sounds as though Hansen is just playing the odds. The mancs do usually bounce back and we average 3rd or 4th place in recent (oligarch) times.
It’s if we beat the odds that his predictions will be in danger. Still he won’t care as he’s getting sacked at the end of the season. 🙂
Walcott definitely had a setback in his recovery from the stomach op.
http://espnfc.com/news/story/_/id/1589370/theo-walcott-suffers-further-injury-setback?cc=5739
That was from October 21st, btw.
GB 10.36. Naughty boy. There is a very good kid in the RM academy called Juanjo Narvaez – which I would never have known had I not been so bloody gullible.
https://twitter.com/RoadToBelize/status/396240715162083328
How about this kid?
http://www.101greatgoals.com/blog/a-spanish-kid-gets-to-be-famous-because-is-a-doppelganger-of-arsenals-mesut-ozil/?
Thanks NG
I’ve had a stupidly busy week and haven’t been able to keep up with much of the week’s happenings (didn’t even get to see a single second of the Cap One game 😦 ).
In such circumstances it’s nice to be able to read a summary of things.
Shard,
I don’t think Mesut will be too impressed. 🙂
He’s got Özil eyes!! 😯
Norfolk Gooner, A very nice summary of the week. Do you write a bit everyday, or do you compile it and write it in one go? Either way, I think it’s a good feature to catch up with the week, and possibly revisit some stories. The Vivas one was quite funny actually. Whatever happened to him after he left us. He went to Inter Milan as I recall. Or did he come to us from there?
Anyway..Can’t stay around much today.. Back to studying. Boring though it is.
Good day all,
Just back from my Friday walk, off round to the local in a minute or two for lunch.
Shard, I write each bit as I find it, I only start to panic around four o’clock on Thursday. 😀
Cheers Norfolk
The general jist of the vibes this week is “There about to implode” with the usual vultures circulating overhead.
The media, certain pundits, other teams fans and even some of our own rabid support, rubbing themselves and then there hands at the delicious prospect of our demise.
Well I have news for the Rubbers, F*ck off. The only thing imploding will be your rather small brains and hopefully, even smaller nether regions. We will be top at Christmas
I had that once. After my first wife done me in the divorce court all my work colleagues gathered round, eyes like Ozil, taking bets on it. “He’s bound to lose it” “Do you reckon he will start sobbing or be like last time when he thought he was General Patton?”
I thought I will show you, bloody sods, so I stayed calm, ruining there fun
At the end of the day, I told my boss I would be staying late so after everyone had left I stripped down to my Y Fronts, climbed onto the office roof and dived 50 feet down landing in a skip full of soft rubbish.
Who says there isn’t a God? Top at Christmas I say.
Virtually impossible to look at this and not smile yourself.
Here’s something to bring a smile to your faces.
…………………………………………………………….
Subject: 2+2+2=7
You gotta love little Johnny
Teacher: If I gave you 2 cats and another 2 cats and another 2, how many will you have?
Johnny: Seven, Sir.
Teacher: No, listen carefully.
If I gave you 2 cats, and another 2 cats and another 2, how many will you have?
Johnny: Seven
Teacher: Let me put it to you differently.
If I gave you 2 apples, and another 2 apples and another 2, how many will you have?
Johnny: Six.
Teacher: Good. Now if I gave you 2 cats, and another 2 cats and another 2,
how many will you have?
Johnny: Seven!!!
A very angry Teacher: Where in the hell do you get seven from?!?!?
A very angry Johnny: Because,….I’ve already got a fuckin’ cat !!!
Terry, We seem to agree on what it takes to be an out and out loyal supporter. But every now and then I have to take a few days off to clear my head of crap I read and some of the snide comments. However I always return for more punishment……….
Next up Liverpool. It’s always a tough fixture for me as my wife is a Liverpudlian and her family are fanatical Liverpool supporters. I always enjoy talking with them and they are rightly proud of their teams history. This is the best and most well managed team they have had in donkey’s years and it will certainly put us to the test.
I feel a draw would be an admirable result and a win would be incredible.
Spurs could be in for a licking at Everton on Sunday – which would round out the weekend quite nicely.
Terry. I know we keep telling you , but you are a top, top writer.
Gn5. I look forward to tomorrow if only to gauge where we are, unfortunately having important players injured distorts the picture.
Raddy, I yearn for the the day when we can go into a key game with a full squad for AW’s selection.
I guess I can just dream on “zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz”
I don’t mind admitting it: reading Terry’s daily comment is one the highlights of my day.
I like the fact that there is more and more personal opinion coming into the Friday News Round Up.
Norfolk – you are AA’s Samuel Pepys 🙂 Thank you for the news roundup, great refresh for the tired brain 🙂
you and Olly are spot on – with strikers it’s all about confidence. I wonder how we could take Suarez a peg down? Perhaps if we all wore those ugly vampire dentures to the game?
Terry – you wear Y fronts? No wonder your wife divorced you.
Fantastic, Norfolk. A week without any bad news, not even from journo-land!!!! What a pleasure!!!!
All building up, in nervous anticipation for tomorrow. May have to miss part of the game, what a pity!!!!
Terry must be a writer, or a comedian!!!!! What a fantastic gift of language, of quintessential “British” humour, economy of words as well!!!!
I hadn’t seen this photo before. De Gea punching Kompany and Vidic looking like he’s laughing.
Im with Chas first comment. Why didnt Ramsey, maybe our most valuable player get a rest. Lets show pool theyre not at our level.
😉
gif heaven
“We play half the match with only Arteta at the back”. Lol
Who has more to fear tomorrow, us or Liverpool?
Well, I reckon the pressure is more on them that it is on us, we have both started well and expectations are running high, but the fact that they have never won the EPL weighs heavier on their shoulders than a lack of a trophy in the last seven years does on ours.
I hope it isn’t a draw, I want to see them put to the sword and written off by every journo in the country.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6F2eU7UORc
Motning All.
Very nearly off manoeuvres. Plan to be back at Didit HQ in plenty of time to have another go at finding my liveonline in time for KO.
Big thanks to GoonerB, Raddy and Norfolk. All greatly appreciated reads.
Right, straight down to business. Liverpool. A great game in prospect. I can’t see beyond an Arsenal victory.
We have a top keeper, great defence, the most creative and exciting midfield in the country, and Ollie up top to compliment the flair around him.
Naturally, my only concern remains the defensive side of our midfield, but we will have more than enough for Pool 🙂
I was waken up by ‘You’ll never walk alone’ coming from the shower. Closely followed by the Anfield Road rubbish
We will see who is the last man singing, we will see
Evonne
In the unlikely event that things go belly up, I firmly believe that you have all the tools necessary to make your “shower chanteur’s” life an absolute misery
In other words, there will only be one winner in your household 🙂
Yes Micky. The shower chanteur knows the routine in cases of emerency. His suitcase is always packed and sitting by the door.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/24774140
Today, for arsenal is about the one that came to stay (till 2018) and the one that didn’t. Suarez is our only problem
If things go terribly wrong today, Chavs will be 1st. This could be one of the best days in our season or a complete horror. I hope the players are aware of that
evonne. In the words of the great Jamaican, Jimmy Cliff OM – “there are many rivers to cross”
I am not a Jamaican or Sisyphus and I fear rather than embrace challenges, and that makes me a very nervous supporter. Yes, very nervous. And if that bloody ‘Na nana na…Luiz Suarez’ doesn’t stop soon, I will flip
evonne. They will be singing it in Madrid next season.
The scouse have to fear our rendition of a Beatles song today.
Morning all …..
….. New post …..