How can our team beat the Northern Oilers and then get absolutely demolished by S’ton? It is so typical of the last 10 years. Unfathomable.
If I had to pick a first 11 out of the 22 that took the field on Boxing Day 10 would be Gunners. Is this my AFC bias? I don’t think so – which is why such a defeat came as major shock. An unlucky one goal loss like WBA away one can understand but a 4 goal drubbing??
Mr Wenger will be looking to get us back on track today against a surprisingly in-form Bournemouth. Let there be no doubt, B’mouth can leave the Emirates with a good result. A 6 game unbeaten run including wins over Chelsea, WHU and MU are evidence of a team brimming with confidence but today I expect us to recover some pride.
Wouldn’t it be great if the Ox could find some form? The man has unquestionable quality and is one of England’s great hopes but what has happened? Is it confidence, over-training, trying too hard – whatever it is he needs to get back to form or face a career as a squad player.
I would like to see Gabriel start, he is going to be a top CB and needs pitch time to establish a partnership with Kos, though today I would like to see the Frenchman rested after a poor game against the cheating Long.
Chambers in midfield? Surely not. Gibbs instead of Monreal? Unlikely. Ox to play instead of whom? If it is to be Giroud then Theo plays centrally.
We are at home, Leicester have a tough game, we can be top going into 2017.
Let it be so
COYRRG
Arsenal News 24/7
arsenalarsenal.net 
Nice one Radish 🙂
Interestingly the current top form teams are:
1:Watford
2: Leicester
3: Bournemouth
4: The team that shall not be named
5: Palace
What a strange state of affairs… but probably good for the PL.
I reckon a good win today for us… get our goal diff back to respectable. Ramsey to have a good game… Ozil back to normal and I’m waiting for Monreal to get on the scoreshhet or assist sheet… he has been so close recently, it must come eventually.
Lovely stuff Raddy, they just said on the radio that if any team can survive the first 20 minutes at The Emirates, they have a good chance of taking some points.
Let’s hope we come out all guns blazing, but if we don’t score in that first 20 minutes, just rein it in, control the game and wait for Bournemouth to tire. I think if we’d taken that approach at Southampton we would have got at least a point.
Thanks Raddy, superb
I was exceedingly gentle post Southampton, but today an altogether firmer Didit returns
I’ll start with The Ox. One of my favourite players, but his days are numbered. You say a place as a squad player beckons unless he steps up, well I think he’s in danger of losing that to someone more worthwhile. I hope I’m wrong, but Arsene needs to ruthless for us to move to a higher plain
Agree about rotating Per and Gabriel
Last point about the Boxing Day game. It highlights what Sanchez brings to the side. In other words, a will to win.
Cheers, BR.
I still think the problem with the Ox is that stupid haircut.
If he does the sensible thing and has a no.1 at the barber’s, he’ll be back to normal. 🙂
The upturned bucket look is not good.
Ox’s ‘Fresh Prince’ look is ruining his game as he clearly spends hours looking at 80’s shows and has forgotten how to play.
Ox like Ramsey has missed a lot of game time, he is now at an age where we expect him to start delivering consistently rather than a few good cameos, but in terms of development he and game time he is probably still at cameo level.
I think I’d rest Ollie today use the pace of Theo Ox and JC to try and stretch with Ozil picking holes. Need Ramsey to be far more disciplined than he was against Saints.
I agree with Rasp in that our approach to Saintsshould have been more measured even after they got the first goal, the way we gave the ball away for the second was criminal.
Rubbish news about Wilshere especially when added to the Welbeck news pre-Xmas.
How can this happen? These men are wrapped in cotton wool and have their own trainers, training routines, medics, fitness coaches, psychologists, dieticians etc etc
Yet they break down time after time.
No-one believes the “it will be 3 weeks” anymore. Sanchez hamstring started as 3 weeks and is now 6 – who knows when we will see his return?
Our medical team need to shape up or ship out
Thanks Big Randy.
I`m not having it !…..it`s fcuking Bournemouth, not Barcamouth !…..we will surely stuff this lot and be top, even me, the most worried and pessimistic Gooner can not be scared of a little seaside club, they are nothing….5-0 at least !.
As for the Ox`s hairstyle, I`d go for Giroud`s Le coq Monster hairstyle and he will be like Olly ……a current world class goal scorer …..and lover !…..obviously, only Ox and not Theo and Gibbo as we don’t want to confuse the Reff !.
Where the fcuk is Arnie ?
Raddy
Some people are able to overcome pain and injury quicker than others. Some heal quicker as well… ie: as in cuts and bruises. Perhaps it’s also a mental thing… apparently Vardy has been playing through an injury for weeks… ok it may have finally caught up with him but he managed it. Our players are too mollycoddled I think…. the more support you put on to a musculer injury, the weaker it becomes.
I remember having several sprained ankles but never ever put it into a support, consequently it healed quickly and actually became stronger.
Hey Monster Coq…. I found this video earlier, is this what you do for entertainment in Cornwall?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QkDDGV4s-E
I can see why we may be considering Elneny, the return from injury prognosis seems to keep extending – for pretty much every injured player.
Thanks once again Raddy.
I would send out the same team that didn’t turn up at Southampton and tell them all that no one has a guaranteed place in the team.
It won’t be easy tonight, in fact it hardly ever is as often said “which team will turn up”.
I seriously think Wilshere is best forgotten in long term plans and that is not meant to be nasty but practical.
Hahaha `69er……..the quintessential Cornish inbreds !
Coquie man…. I thought it may have been you? 🙂
Apart from Elneny, we are being linked with Javier Hernandez. Good player, but I find this hard to believe unless we are going to be without Sanchez for longer than they’re letting on.
Wouldn’t surprise me Rasp…. management have done it before.
Don’t be silly `69er !……if that was me I would have been enticing the Turkey into one of those caravans for some Christmas pleasure ….there`s only one way to stuff a Turkey in Cornwall and it doesn`t involve Paxo !.
Coq 🙂
One thing I’m wondering is we have a late kick off to compensate for being the evening game on Boxing Day, obviously Bournemouth finished playing 5 hours before us. Are we at a disadvantage due to that, or have the players just had massages for 24 hours?
Yes we all love Boxing Day football, but can’t help feeling it could all be slightly better organised, why couldn’t today’s games be Tuesday/Wednesday night and then players would be playing Saturday/Tuesday/Friday could have even managed to squeeze a further game in on Tuesday/Wednesday before FA Cup and hence more games on TV as today’s 3pms can’t be televised. Moving games for TV on the holiday dates also brings an element of unfairness especially those in crunch games (relegation battles etc)
Rasp that one was in the Daily Star so I’ll file under “sell advertising” 🙂
Yes GiE, I don’t think that particular rumour has much merit 🙂 The likelihood of Elneny has gone up to 60% on my personal swingometer – it seems to make perfect sense.
Cockie.. you can forget 5-0 to the Arsenal tonight. Bournemouth are in the top five form teams at the moment.
We should still come out on top though. Play with pace from the off, but our full backs must defend first during the opening half.
I would make two changes from Saturday to freshen the legs.
Gabriel instead of Merts or Kos, and The Ox instead of Campbell.
If we have breathing space in the last 15 mins I would like to see Iwobi and Rene given a run out. We may need them during the start of 2016 with our extended injury problems, as I cannot see Wenger putting his hand in Arsenals pocket. Would spoil his bonus at the end of the season.
COYG
DM is nailed on Vickers, trust me or I`ll eat your Zimmer frame !…………………..and 5-0 is just the first half score, we will never have an easier EPL game !. hahaha
I`m so confident, I`m only going to half hide behind the Sofa !.
Thanks BR
Despite Bournemouth’s current form we should be strong favourites, but after the Boxing Day debacle, who knows?
I can’t believe people are wanting Ox to start today. I feel sorry for the lad, but he’s been a liability this season – his mistakes lead to a goal against in practically every game he plays.
Ramsey needs to do more to help the Flamster lock down midfield, otherwise lets stick him back out on the right and put Chambers in alongside Flam.
Knowing our lot, we’ll probably bounce back with a 5-0 win.
Hope so, anyway…
Rocky. I know where you are coming from regards to the Ox, but I’m looking towards giving them a shake up and a little freshener.
The Ox and Gabriel are the only viable reserves capable enough to stand in. Look at our bench on Saturday, that proves the point.Thats why I said if we have some breathing space late on, we should give Iwobi and Rene a run out.
I would go as far as selling the Ox when a few injured players come back. He has reached a level and I feel he won’t go any further.
Did I enter a portal and skip a year ahead in time? 2017 the blog says 😛
We’ll win today. Southampton may have bee a terrible performance but going there was never going to be easy. The terribleness of the performance will mean we will come out eager to set things right. Tiredness, whether physical or mental, will not be allowed to be an excuse.
I would give a start to Gabriel, put Chambers instead of Flamini, and maybe even a start for the Ox, though that might have to wait for the next game.
The Ox does need to get his act together. He’s in the same position as Ramsey was. He needs to forget about trying to impress or do too much. Just do the basics right. Rocky is right that not only has Ox been ineffective this season, he has often been a liability. Which makes it tough to put him on from the start. All the same, he needs the opportunity to step up and with injuries and the games coming thick and fast, it’ll have to be soon.
Pity I missed the controversy today morning. I don’t like not knowing what’s going on. Gossipmonger..that’s me 🙂
3-1 win today. I am 87% confident. Let’s hope that unlucky 13% doesn’t come out to play.
Shard. I wanted to see how long it would be before someone noticed:-)
Shows how many actually read it!
Rocky. Ox needs to score. When he does he will gain confidence and return to the class player he has been with England.
Just needs pitch-time (IMO)
Rocky und VCC
The Ox is a real problem for me as I’ve willed him on more than any other for so long, but as VCC says, I think its almost time for a season long loan and see if regular action can produce another Coquelin style turnaround in fortunes
Yikes
Spuds one up
Shard
Re the 2017
I believe each and every word I read of the Raddy
He also happens to be A Sensitive 🙂
Greetings VCC, Micky, and BR…
I don’t think we should sell the Ox – I am very conscious of the troubles Ramsey had a few years back – and Oxo could be another ugly duckling waiting to turn into a swan.
But – as Micky suggests – let’s let him spend his duckling period in someone else’s team: couple of signings in January and a loan move for Oxo for the rest of the season.
Micky
Spuds are making me nervous this year in a way I haven’t felt for a very, very long time. 😦
True Rocky
Bugger is, the little sods are doing it in OUR year
Or 2017, as Erik likes to call it
Bless him
Yes Watford…. Igloo goal ha ha
Shhhhh NB
I’m trying to practice me wooden box ‘n string thing 🙂
Why has no one put up the team news? 4 changes, but still a good side 🙂
Team news?????
I’m at the pub, can’t put it up. Gabriel, Oz, chambers and Gibbs in
Told to be quiet Rasp… 🙂
Cor blimey, Callum DM
33 Cech
24 Bellerín
04 Mertesacker
05 Gabriel
03 Gibbs
16 Ramsey
21 Chambers
15 Oxlade-Chamberlain
11 Özil
14 Walcott
12 Giroud
Substitutes
02 Debuchy
06 Koscielny
13 Ospina
18 Monreal
28 Campbell
45 Iwobi
54 Reine Adelaide
Who would have thought only a few seasons ago we would be playing Bournemouth, let alone worry if we can get the three points.
Micky if you don’t agree I will never ever talk to you again 😉
2-1 Spurs, oh no.
Bloody hell NB, you haven’t finally learnt to do what you’re told have you? 🙂
And all it ever took was a simple Shhh 🙂
It’s defo a MWG now…. that team from up the road have their noses right up our fecking Arse
Crystals
Simple. Win or Wenger Out 🙂
It’ll be very interesting to see how Chambers does
Indeed, I still think he’s a bit of a novice, are we in Red and White for a change ?
How did Watford not get the goal?? Ball clearly crossed the line, even the replay showed with goal line tech that the ball was over line..
spuds = crap!
Go Gunners!
No Flamini…. is he injured?
Rested
So if Chambers has to come off, who steps in? Monreal? Debuchy? Kos?
Wow, I pretty much predicted the team!
Just watched a fantastic game at Everton with both teams committed to attack.
Bloody Spurs score in the last minutes …. yet again. It used to be our trick.
4 changes is bold, would settle for a comfortable 1 nil – hang on, there is no such thing as a comfortable 1 nil 🙂
There were some reports that Flamini had received a kick on the ankle during the Southampton game. I guess they were right. No reason for him not to be on the bench otherwise.
NB
It might be Debuchy, or it might even be Iwobi, who has apparently been playing in central midfield for the U21s ever since Cazorla’s injury.
Thanks for that Shard…. so he has a knock and nothing worse.
Teams in……hmmmmm
Shard, by all accounts he was struggling with an ankle knock during the City game.
Guess it makes sense to rest.
Hopefully Ox is on the right as I don’t like the changes to the left side of defence and left midfield, although maybe BFG will line up to the left of Paulista.
Also Ramsey has to bedisciplined today and sit alongside Chambers, if anything happens to Chambers I’d put Gibbs in there.
NB. I blame you entirely for Spurs late winner.
Flamini has a groin strain apparently
sorry anout that… I posted as nortbank and the WW came up
I know it’s my fault Raddy… I watched the fecking game
Chavs go to OT without a striker on the pitch or the bench. Bet they are happy they sold Lukaku.
NB. I did not have you down as a masochist 🙂
Raddy… I watched it to see Watford thrash the buggers… my mistake ha ha
COYG’s
Come on you Gunners
Didit. Has the family survived your first day with the viola?
Wakey Wakey
A bit like Southampton so far.
Opponents are working hard and we keep turning over possession too easily.
We want six
We want six
A little premature maybe, but hey
Bournemouth have done their homework… pushing forward trying to get an early goal
I don’t understand our tactics. Are there any?
Erik
They’ve left home
Hey Ho
Will someone tell the lads this isn’t a testimonial and if we actually move the ball forward we have a chance to score and subsequently top the league.
This is just not acceptable IMO
Micky wants sex, oh well you can’t please everyone.
Micky. Fully understandable.
Yesssss
We want seven
We want seven
Wonderful. A bit of Brazilian magic.
Now you can have 6 😉
Erik
They’re short on good taste if you ask me
Don’t even like rose and violet creams 🙄
They’re looking a bit better now… COYG’s
Crystals
I might 🙂
So playing well then?
We could have had 3. Gabriel has impressed and I think Chambers has done well. The Ox is beginning to find his touch. We could do with a second to have a comfort zone. The ref has been OK
Considering how poor their defence is at corners one would expect Giroud to be in the mix a bit more often.
I would hate to think where we would be without the magician Ozil.
20 minutes of finding our way into the game which was understandable given the shellacking we got at St Mary’s, then we took control.
Gabriel looks the nuts, Chambers growing into the game, Ozil on another level.
But – our only minus is the Ox. Saves me right for bigging him up
Ozil gets a goal for a change ha ha
Wow wow wow
Superb Mesut and wonderful touch from Ollie
That was quite good from Mesut.
Come on lads, that’s the points in the bag, now let’s do some goal difference damage
Erik 🙂
We are (nearly) top of the league 🙂
Happy with that.
Gabriel was great but Ozil obviously MotM.
Ox improved in the 2nd half .
Off to cook …. Ham, eggs, saute pots and peas. The dinner of Champions
Not seen anything yet and going to watch Match Choice tonight, but from text commentary it sounds like our German magician has created anything from 8-12 chances by himself!!!
Great result and top of the league!
Win against Newcastle and this will have been a very good Xmas period and we will head into the new year TOTL!
Poor game but fantastic result
I thought Chambers looked good. Really like the way that whenever he won the ball, he immediately looked forwards for the pass rather than sideways.
Mesut….other worldly
19 clear of Chelsea
12 clear of Liverpool
9 clear of United
Anyone stick a fiver on that at beginning of season?
I honestly think we should have scored 6.That’s what you get from Giroud and Walcott, they blow hot and cold.
Pleased with the points but I am not kidding myself that we will win the league.For that to happen we need to improve at least 20%.
I would give Gabriel a run for a few games and after the weekend unlock the safe,Mr Wenger.
It is an extraordinary season FGG, that’s for sure
Love to hear other people’s views on Callum’s performance
Crystals
It’s hard to say we need to improve by any margin when we’re top ie better than anyone else
However, I’d agree the safe needs blowing 🙂
Thing is though Kelsey, we easily have another 20% in us. A Sanchez on form gives us that.
We are top of the league, so if it’s 20% for us, then it’s 30%+ for everyone else.
Hey FGG
Imagine blowing £50M on a good forward. That would leave the chasing pack seeking an extra 50% at least
FFG that’s what I meant, we do have the 20% more in us but often don’t show it. Remain consistent and we have a real chance.
So was that the game when Cech broke the record for clean sheets?
Well that was OK.
After giving Oxo a hard time in the comments earlier I thought he did really well today.
He still made quite a few mistakes but his direct running was exciting and helped keep the Retirement Homers on the back foot.
Chambers was very good in central mid. Theo should have had a hat trick.
If the rest of the team had had their scoring boots on Mesut would have had 8 or 9 assists! The man is the most gifted player we’ve had since the good lord Dennis.
And helmets off to Petr Cech for breaking the ‘clean sheets’ record today.
That was a proper win!
Mesut is like watching any creative genius-Berkamp & Zidane come to mind.
Gabe rules, Gibbs played very well, Ox finally showed up for a full 90, Bellerin is a sprinting god, Theo and Ollie should have scored, but will take Theo’s runs and Ollie’s pass all day, Mesut is just sublime, Chambers did well except 2 times from what I saw, and hope his hammy is ok, Mert read the game well, Cech kept the clean sheet, Ramsey is a wind up toy. A very good team performance.
Onwards and upwards!
Kelsey,
Definitely agree about consistency being the key this season.
For the first time in a long time we have the world class players needed to produce and they run down the spine of our team.
Cech, Koscielny. Özil and Sanchez are as good, if not better than anything else in this league.
Hi Rocky, the crowd were singing Mesut’s name to winter wonderland today, so the connection to DB is definitely there 🙂
He deserves it Rasp.
And the “you sold Bale, we signed Mesut Ozil” is getting a little bit old…
Although he wasn’t spectacular, I thought the BFG was very good again today (as he was against Man City) in terms of bringing calmness to the back four when we were being pressed while in possession.
He uses the ball so well from the back – better than just about any centre back in the league.
Yes the BFG adds fluidity to our play from the back. He did give the ball away uncharacteristically a couple of times at the start, but otherwise I don’t think he put a foot wrong .
Chamber’s performance may well have put paid to our seeking to buy a new defensive midfielder in January.
Not here but massive ROLF to Rocky for this gem
“helmets off to Petr Cech”
simple, but brilliant 🙂
Rasp
More loot for a striker 🙂
A sign of the times that I forgot that ManU and Chelsea were playing against each other today. Were both those sets of fans chanting Moaninho’s name? That would be just fantastic.
Rasp
Not sure if anyone’s slated to do a few words about the game but if not I’d be happy to pull something together…
Get pulling Rocky 🙂
And on that low note, it’s goodnight from him
Goodnight
Haha – night Micky
Can someone please explain to me why Ramsey feels it’s his job and not the strikers to close down the opposition GK?
He did it today at 2-0, but against City he was doing it at 2-1 when we needed men behind the ball. All he’s doing is taking himself out of the midfield and leaving a space. No need for it.
Rant over. Great result.
Oooh a Rocky post.
Looking forward to that.
Wenger should have taken Ozil off with 5 minutes to go, so he could have got his rightful standing ovation from everyone in the ground.
Wow, was he good.
I don’t know if they showed it on the telly but every time he went to the corner flag the Arsenal fans stood and clapped in a reverential way that I haven’t seen since the great man played his one and only game at THOF.
Yes please Rocky, thank you, I’m looking forward to it already 🙂
Özil stats (next best):-
Assists 16 (De Bruyne 8)
Chances created 80 (Tadic 50)
Clear-cut chances 21 (Mahrez 12)
Decent!
LB
They did show the corner flag adulation on the telly – it was good to see.
And I completely agree – I really wish he’d been taken off with a few minutes to spare to get the ovation he so deserved.
I’ve loved the bloke from the first second he stepped on to the turf in the red shirt and white sleeves. I thought Dennis was unassailable in my Arsenal pantheon, but I’m having to start considering that position now.
It seems to me that Cat Vids are the solution to weeding out the Wets and the Weak 🙂
We want Vids
We want Vids
Meeow
Very good Chas, but not what we really really want is it
How is the git that sits five to your left, given we’re top of the league?
I might have got this wrong if so blushes, but the co founder has a birthday today and I wonder if it’s true, when they last celebrated a birthday to coincide with being top of the league.;)
Not sure, I was sat up the North Bank yesterday alongside one of Peaches’ grannies.
Great to see the blog aristocracy and a welcome surprise visit from the Essex Whirlpool.
Blog Aristos 🙂
As opposed to the lowlife plebs you get down here at my level.
We’ve got no titles, nothing. We are belchers and dribblers 🙂
Ha ha ha, love the Woooo at the end 🙂
http://arsenalist.com/f/2015-16/arsenal-vs-bournemouth/goal-mesut-ozil-2-0.html
Chas
At least you were sitting at the right end to enjoy Ollie’s good bit 🙂
Morning All,
HB to the sexagenarian
Ok, so some guesswork
Happy Birthday Rasp
??? 🙂
Erik
Hope the puddles are clearing after your 72 hours of showers
And morning Crystals
Didit. Puddles blown away by gale force 10 winds and a minus 9 chill factor.
Need to move to Bali
Woke up this morning thinking I fancy writing a match report and player ratings but note there is a Rocky post in the loading bay.
Can’t wait to read a positive post from The Master
BTW The table looks good this morning 😀😀
Yes, great news indeed.
I shall return and look forward to reading that
Great banner
Rubbish post so far 🙂
Agree. Terrific banner – one of the best ever.
Morning all, don’t really have any comments on game having only seen highlights. I probably have more questions.
Was Rambo more disciplined?
Was Ozil as good as highlights made out?
Where did Theo leave his first time finishing boots?
How did Gibbs get on? Of all the players we have sitting on the bench he is one I feel most sorry for….Monreal isn’t that much better than him whereas with most of the others we can say there is a gap of quality from first choice to second choice to third. But he doesn’t sulk and he nearly always comes on and gives a performance.
Are Spuds fans really dreaming of the title?
Been under the bonnet and found RL’s post.
There is a New Post
Well Top table looks very good to start a whole new year. Love seeing us beat Barcelona in February though