Under normal circumstances the prospect of WBA arriving at The Ems when we are in desperate need of three points would bring a smile especially as despite the furore we are unbeaten in 4 games and have 8 points from 12.
But ….. if you are reading this then you know how the fans and media are turning on the team, particularly at Fortress Arsenal, and to a long-in-the-tooth Gooner that hurts. Our 12th man is already on the beach – worse, our 12th man has become toxic or as Mr Wenger puts it “we play in a negative atmosphere”
It is sad to say that we would be more likely to beat our opposition when playing away from home, Of course this is purely an opinion and an opinion based upon the evidence seen on a television 1000 miles from the Emirates.
Putting this subject aside for a full post, let us return to tonight.
If we are to continue our run of playing each season in the CL – a run unsurpassed by any other team in Europe ( a little exaggeration because RM are equal with us at 19), then a win tonight is vital.
Will Mr Pulis allow his team to roll over like Chelsea did to MC or Stoke vs Spurs? Probably not. Does any manager whose team are on a poor run of form?
Will Rondon and Berahinho score for a team that averages one goal a game?
I don’t do stats but I know that WBA have lost 7 of their last games at The Emirates and have won just one of their last 11 away games in the PL.
Arsenal: Is it time for rotation? If so, who gets dropped?
My guess is that Iwobi will be given a rest. Apart from him, only Mr Wenger knows. If it were me I would play Walcott against WBA’s less than sprightly FB’s and give OG a start upfront. If we are to throw crosses into the box (which seems to have become de rigueur) the we have to have someone who can muscle his way past defenders; as much as I like Welbeck this is not his forte.
Ramsey has to return. He has become a marmite player in the team but I am huge fan of his (whilst hating marmite). Giving Ramsey the freedom to play that is given to young Iwobi may lead to a resurrection of his form.
A regular fans complaint is that Arsenal are lacking a leader, if so BFG has to start. Paul Easter has potential but I miss the Big Man.
We need to win, not just for the points but for the atmosphere around the club. If Arsenal walk off the pitch with less than 3 points they will leave the pitch to a chorus of boos from three-quarter empty stands.
It is a well-known fact that Her Majesty, QE 2 is a dyed-in-the-wool Gooner. She has a poster of Tony Adams scoring vs Everton on her mantlepiece at Windsor Castle and another of Micky’s somersault in her bedroom at Buckingham Palace. On her 90th birthday it is up to the players to bring a smile to her much wrinkled face.
Let it be So.
COYRRG
Arsenal News 24/7
arsenalarsenal.net 
A colleague tells me Gabriel is one step up from Squillaci, but then he also said Giroud was no better than Chamakh! I think the Brazilian has potential but it’s obviously taking him time to adapt to language and the PL. I remember Kos being being pretty average for a while so hopefully next season we see the best of Gabriel. For now though, I’d like to see the experience of Merts for a few games.
As for the rest of the team, I’d play Giroud up top, Welbeck right and Ramsey through the middle. Do we really need Coq and Elneny against West Brom? Playing those 2 didn’t stop us conceding against Palace, so why not say sod it and go all out attack!?
Cech
Bellerin Merts Kos Gibbs
Elneny
Welbeck Ramsey Özil Sanchez
Giroud
FGG. I like the cut of your jib 🙂
Nice, BR.
I hope those that stay away tonight are the moany ones. 🙂
If we grind out a tedious 1-0 win, it won’t be enough for the purists.
The sun is shining in Notts and I’m looking forward to a train trip with younger bro, meeting up with older bro (the good-looking sensible one) at the FFB for even more scoops.
Is there are match on?, who cares, I won’t remember any of it. 😆
Raddy
if we don’t win tonight, lasagnagate will seem like a trifle as us,United,West ham and Liverpool will be fighting for forth ffs. 🙂
oh mertesacker back in for his speed perhaps and what about Wally will he get 5 minutes 😉
kelsey.
It has always been like that. and next season will be even more exciting as other teams improve.
The PL has been non-competitive for so long but now it seems that next season at least 7 teams are the possibility to win the title.
Arsenal have no divine right to get Top 4. Instead of worrying about it why not admire our amazing level of long-term consistency?
Who is Wally?
chas. I look forward to your inebriate ramblings.
“I feel sentimental towards Arsene Wenger. I do not think there to be any great shame in this. I am eager for him to succeed where I might feel apathy or even antipathy towards others. I might regard a manager with less of a history with Arsenal as more disposable. I very much doubt I will see another Arsenal manager in the hot seat for this long. It seems natural that I have an emotional investment in him as an individual.”
This from Arseblog sums it up for me. The guy goes on to say he’s ready for a new manager and I think I’m pretty much there myself, but if we are having at least another season of Wenger then I’m going to try and enjoy what he does bring to our football club rather than what he doesn’t. Who knows, he may still go out on a high.
http://youtu.be/PtZlByc3ljU
Video aimed at Leeds United chairman Massimo Cellino. I’m guessing none of the players had any idea what this was about! 😂
We just need to win – which ever team we field…
I would field:
Cech – Bellerin, BFG, Kos, Monreal – El Neny, Coquelin – Wellbeck, Ozil, Sanchez – Walcott
Chelsea lining up moves for:
Pogba, Griezzman and Lukaku as Conte is considering squad haul
meaning that Brazilians Ramires, Oscar and Diego Costa would be up for sale.
If we sell Giroud, I d take Costa any day…despite his dirty tricks
Anyone fancy a ticket for tonight, £20 only?
Once you have entry to the ground, you’ll be able to sit anywhere I’d imagine!
Is that the girl who won The eurovision Song Contest, Chas.
“If we sell Giroud, I d take Costa any day…despite his dirty tricks”
yes but we would need to find at least 50 million 😉
Chas
Does the ticket come with a gift box? If not, then forget Ebay 🙂
Erik
Thank you, however, what’s all that crap about you not liking Marmite. I remember clearly tucking in to my Saturday boiled eggs and marmite soldiers, which you then described as the Breakfast of Champions.
It will now be hard to believe a word you utter 🙂
You see Chas, he had enough ,so went as far away as possible i.e. The north Pole.
RC
What the hell do you mean “If we sell Giroud”. I was fine today until I saw that word “If” in your sentence 🙂
kelsey
Fancy a trip to the game tonight – only 20 squid?
You could nab a seat behind Wenger and hold up your placard. 🙂
Marmite is the work of the devil.
Finally before I go
Mornings to FGG, Erik, Crystals, Chas, RC and Eddie from earlier.
I go work.
The ticket comes in this……
Chas
Later, I’ll see if I can find a pic of Oscars homemade pizza with marmite, sweetcorn and cheese topping 🙂
Nice, wish I could come up today 😦
Must go
One of my fave photos of the season.
Superb read as ever BR.
My first 5 names on the team sheet for next year:
-> Cech – Bellerin, Kos – Ozil – Sanchez
For the rest, we can improve imho…
Nice one BR
Doesn’t matter which players we put out we need to win and ought to win.
The players are perfectly good enough…
I agree with you about the BFG – he has been a big miss recently.
Name the spud…………
Is it that Chris Jones chas? I use to like him because he had a lovely habit of missing sitters and was quite good with that shit band Bay City Rollers.
He is infamous for been replaced by the one and only. Steve Archibald.
Cheers Raddy. We need a win and will get it.
This leave after 75 minutes thing? What a joke. I have a meeting with a client tonight so will be lucky to get the game by the 75 minute.
ime not bloody well walking in and then straight away leaving again. Besides, by turning up at that time it will look as though ime protesting in reverse, hopefully confusing the ungrateful bastards
ha ha ha, so some are planning to leave on 75 mins are they?
It can go so horribly wrong. Winning 4-0 and you leave in disgust ROLF
Blimey, even Dagenham and Redbridge fans don’t leave early, and they’re bottom of the 4th division
Yep, it is Chris Jones, Terry.
I knew you’d get it being an expert on old Tottingham players.
Bloody Arsenal
No matter how crap they are, or how many times I’ve actually fallen asleep during a game this season, I CANNOT wait ’till team news, then kick off.
Talk about addicted, and even during these dark times, I’m forfeiting going to a gig tonight. And it’s piano with a CELLO!!!!!
Hooray hooray another exciting match day
BFG alongside Cazorla in the wall. Craziness. I blame Wenger.
https://twitter.com/fumbunker/status/723144921981530112
Make a change Venger!
Piano with an effin cello?
You’re insane missing that.
But not Rambo, Theo or the FP,
Usual high standard of cuisine.
https://twitter.com/fumbunker/status/723146636046831616
Wow midweek train with waiter service freebies inc nuts, crisps and some macaroons with a cup of Rosie
Ant
As we hope to be meeting GoonerB tonight can we talk some tactical bollox?
Yes of course Chas but I wish Gooner B was here for his intelligent, insightful tactical analysis and brief synopsises!
With all these photos of beer and shite food, no wonder NG fecked off. 🙂
Looking forward to speaking with RA on the train..
Cech – Bellerin, VARANE, Koscielny, R. RODRIGUEZ – Ramsey, J. MARTINEZ – Ozil – MAHREZ, LUKAKU, Sanchez
Ospina – COLEMAN, Bfg, Gabriel, Gibbs – El Neny, Coquelin, Wilshere – Ox, Wellbeck, Iwobi (or Walcott if we keep him)
Varane = 40 Mln EUR
R. Rodriguez = 15 Mln EUR
J. Martinez = 35 Mln EUR
Mahrez = 40 Mln EUR
Lukaku = 40 Mln EUR
———————————
170 Mln EUR = 140 Mln Pounds
Sell:
Jenkinson, Debuchy, Monreal, Flamini, Arteta, Rosicky, Cazorla, Campbell, Sanogo, Giroud and maybe even Walcott
= between 75 and 110 Mln EUR = between 60 and 90 Mln Pounds
Loan out:
Chambers, Zelalem
Total investment = 50 to 80 Mln pounds
The only briefness GoonerB knows, he buys at M&S.
Who do you think will start up front?
RC78
I totally agree.
First Class?
Whatever happened to segregation 🙄
There is also Gaya in Spain at LB
Dolly Parton has always been the best up front with Theo down the sides for his pace and shiftiness.
Sometimes the hoi-polloi get to mix with you privileged nobs. 🙂
They know about us on East Mids trains so we get our own carriage, Micky
Chas – let us put that forward to AW and the board 🙂
£31 first class return at this time and 5 hours on the ale before ko Mickey.
Wow that’s cheap
Great Western do 1st class upgrades on a Saturday for a tenner, otherwise first class is for the riff raff and lefties
Now I think about it, I’ve never seen either of you slip out at half time for a slash. Do you have “in trouser systems”?
Great to see the road show is alive and drinking. Deeply envious of the fine fare you are consuming.
I leave for Paris in about half an hour for a w/e of r&r with Mrs R. Doubt we will get such haute cuisine over there.
Dolly Parton has a two-pointed attack feared by the opposition.
Micky. Almost certainly a thick plastic bag.
Chas is a leftie and I’m riffraff then.
Yes we have those soil pocket release things that we use like in the Great Escape. Sandy sol absorbs the most.
Oysters and shagging, BR, you poor thing!
Who you calling a thick plastic bag oh mighty Raddy?
GoonerB
Can you put a 2,000 word comment up on the site about 11.30pm? I need to get some kip on the way back. 🙂
Have a good time Erik
Which arrondisement are you lodging in?
Anyway back to GOoner B, I think Theo’s best position is not as a striker but at Swansea..
ha ha ha superb system. Explains the puddle
What puddle?
Those are usually tears, you know.
I can’t wait for that 11.30pm comment as I feel as hyper as BEz at the mo..
Ant @ 3:20
Are those wee bags around your legs – beer conversion units? 🙂
Hi RA, I have copyright on all piss holding leg devices and am in negotiations with Mickey about selling him the franchise for Devon for a fiver.
Do they have macaroons in the States RA?
Love the socks and sandals combo. The knee protectors are a bit suspect.
Micky. I think it is called something like Molotov
Well done, Ant, you got to the end of the following statement without nodding off!
— “I wish Gooner B was here for his intelligent, insightful tactical analysis and brief synopsises…zzzzzzz zz z
He will be so pleased!! 🙂
Micky’s going to need some industrial sized bags next time he transports Mr incontinence to Wembley.
I had to Google ‘arrondissement’.
Riff-raff leftie that I am.
Ant. I am glad I deduced your piddle-hosen were your own fashion accessory and foot splashers.
We certainly have macaroons (or we call them macarons) in New York. Very nice too. 🙂
We’ll maybe see him (GB) later at the pub and may even drop off during one of his chats with our older, uglier, brother. He does talk some long winded tactical bolleaux though as he has often been told! Get Martinez in!
Erik
Arrondisement is a number. 1 middle, then it clockwise spirals out. Lefties normally head for the 5th.
Erik
Head to the Musee d’Orsay. Nice building on the river. It’s where Orson Welles filmed Camus’ The Trial. Full of art and shit.
I am going to friends who live in the Molotov (makaloff) area. Probably has a number but ….
Mr Incontinence 🙂
Poor fellow
Been there, done it and all the other Parisian tourist spots – too many people. Prefer to wander the streets and find the small galleries. Might even catch a game if PSG are at home.
A demain
I reckon Sanchez will start as centre forward tonight.
Then during the game he’ll move to right wing, left wing, left mid-winger, right mid-winger and finally quarter-back.
Same team maybe minus Iwobi. Gabriel can play, he just cant allow (insert any name here) an old and slow abe to run with the ball for 60 meters without fouling him so Arsenal can grind out a 1 – 0 scoreline.
Maybe sit back and let the game come to Arsenal instead of always trying to score against the other team in their 6 yard box.
ha ha ha just googled it. Guess what, a commune 🙂
From google: Malakoff is a suburban commune in the Hauts-de-Seine department southwest of Paris, France.
ok, join someone for the game. Later.
94 comments and all of tactical merit.
The gram is tomorrow Mickey.
Game
Wasn’t The Trial by Kafka?
Now that I have finished reading the comments backwards – not actually backwards, as they are mostly indecipherable even reading them from the front – but from the latest to the earliest is what I mean — why didn’t I just say that to start with? But if GB gets away with excruciating, irrelevant detail why not me too? And he is not even here to read me pillorying him!! 😀
Anyway, the elusive Rocky made a brief appearance, and all is well, because he is still rooting for BFG, despite the fact he (BFG) has aged another 3 years since the Rocket was last here, and nowadays is carried onto the pitch in a clay pot, and watered copiously before the game, so he can direct operations.
Ant made an intuitive, classy riposte to what GB would have said, if he had been here, “Theo should not play in the striker position, he should play in Swansea”. Classic! 🙂
We love Gooner B but worry for him as this week he has taken his part 1 coaching licence with Kevin Beattie and we won’t hear the end of it.
Chas @ 3:51
😀
Ant @ 4:03
Oh, No-oooooo, Groan.
And he might bring his miserable mate again.. And I don mean Kevin Beattie
Congrats on the 100 up BR
Kafka. That’s right Chas
Camus was the goal keeper 🙂
Sorry, killed the blog with all this non-Arsenal rubbish.
Cmon Arsenal.
No colours?
The Worlds End. Happy days.
Just noticed the Queen header. Who made the change?
Soz, BR, it was me this morning before your post went up. I assumed you’d change it for your pre-match
Rasp’s handiwork did seem appropriate for today.
Header is appropriate for the post..
No, I have weak wrists (over use)
Mert, Ramsey and Giroud start
Thank God the FP is playing!
Yes Ant. I am very excited.
I mean, I can’t wait for the weaving dribbles, gliding past stranded defenders, and bending one in with his right foot. Very excited.
Say hello to GB. If he hasn’t jumped.
Seriously. Boy do we need an early goal.
Giroud
goal or on his arse looking at the sky,Micky
Now now Crystals, the moment the French Striker steps on the pitch, I become a fan of his.
Well, I’ll pretend anyway.
Hi all
On my way to the game, sorry to be missing the beautiful Faltering Fullback but looking forward to some smashing goals ……… by us please 😃
OK, quick 20 mins outside before KO
Aha kelsey, are you ok?
Sorry haven’t read the pre-match Raddy, can’t read on phone, can just about see to type in tiny comment box 😉 I’m sure it’s fab, I’ll catch it later 🙂
Here we go
Come on you Gunnners.
Shooooooooooooot 🙂
Lots of people here to sing with me 😃
Shooooooooot!!!!!!!!!!
yessssssssssss
fantastic. needed that. Hi Peaches
Grear goal from our finest,hello peaches.Well micky you got your ish now for a second.
Sanchez looks back to his best,is he lookingfor a move 😉
Agree about Sanchez, Crystals
I am sorry but giroud is absoluely not Arsenal class and again we are not putting the game to bed and WBA are growing in confidence,
Yeah but Alexis is 😃😃😃😃
Wow Sanchez
He’s deserved that. Superb workrate
A one man forward line.How much is he worth now 😉
Much improved overall performance nearly allour attacks involves Bellerin,Ozil and Sanchez from the right,
Bit of tactical bollix coming up………Iwobi needs an outlet, he doesn’t have anyone to pass to in the final third, there’s only him and Monreal on the left whereas on the right there’s Merts then Hector, Alexis and Ozil with Elneny helping out.
Must be Ramsey’s job then, I think Coquelin would have been doing that. Although the lady on my rights says that if Welbeck was playing he would be the outlet but Giroud stays more in the middle.
Looking forward to the 75th minute
ie the arrival of Transplant with his trumpet
I would take Giroud off and bring on Welbeck
I shouting shoot but they’re not listening 😉
Job well done but it’s getting even more intricate yet Sanchez can let fly from 30 yards, lesson to be learnt perhaps.
Valuable three points. Some nice stuff.
I totally understand, and like, the selection of Iwobi, but Joel has been unlucky not to start more. Looked good.
Goodnight merry gunners
Great result. Enjoyed the team performance tonight and thought we played some good stuff at times although overplayed a little too. Merts and Kos back to their best. Bellerin outstanding. Sanchez the star and the early goal helped settle the nerves.
Happy with the game.
Apparently we lack leaders but Sanchez scores twice and therefore he’s a leader! What a load of bollix!
Also, how many times do I have to hear ‘that sums up Arsenal’s season’?
‘A misplaced pass there at the end of a good move, that sums up Arsenal’s season’
‘Giroud just couldn’t reach it, that sums up Arsenal’s season’
‘Cech just farted, that sums up Arsenal’s season’
Shut up.
Arsenal won 2-0 ..that just sums up our season
I thought Giroud’s looked sharp tonight be angling for a transfer..
And suddenly the world is a happy place again. Good result tonight, it makes a change to step over the banana skin rather than slipping arse over tit as we have on so many occasions this season. We played some good football, not that much better than against Palace I thought, the principal difference being that for all our early pressure we got the reward of a second goal and that calmed the nerves giving us the confidence to go on and win.
Love FGG’s comments
We were shit, all our good players are off.
Here here and thrice here
Cmon LB. They were wasting time when 2-0 down.
And the shit ones are staying..hooray
Fighting for forth again bollix.
Good attendance tonight considering a the knobheads stayed away
Good attendance tonight considering all the knobheads stayed away
Dooplicate comment detected, my arse.
A cheeky M&S cider on the way back
I love everyone on this blog, even Sniffer.
Can’t wait for 11.30
Where’s the polish one and tales from abroad?
Looking forward to your 2000 word dissection, GoonerB. Real shame you didn’t make it to the FFB.
The ghosts of the thirties are steaming..
Eddie’s still thinking what might have been if she’d been born a lillywhite.
5 mins and counting
I think Real will be in with a big bid for Giroud if we keep treating him like this.
Where’s the wormer?
Micky
Pretend he’s really ace, I’m sure they’ll fall for it.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2219499/Mother-terrified-toilets-runs-away-flushed-developing-phobia-childhood-watching-Looks-Whos-Talking-Too.html
Here’s why Chas never uses the loos at the Ems
And this
http://metro.co.uk/2015/06/16/a-burger-restaurants-hand-dryer-blew-urine-up-this-guys-trousers-and-they-responded-perfectly-5247719/
Aren’t you two sitting next to each other 😃😃😃
Lovely three points!!! Did you notice there was a walk out on 75 mins? There was some fire drill singing up my end but it was only when I read Twitter on the way home that I realised why.
Anyway I’m sure not to get much sense out of you two so I’ll wish you goodnight xx
“Someone must have been spreading lies about Josef K, for without having done anything wrong he was arrested one morning”
You have to love him don’t you
We are making complete sense Peachy. Walk outs are for wimps.
Goodnight, Peaches.
Thanks for stopping by to chat.
https://twitter.com/planetepics/status/723282696718438400
This how we are feeling right now.
Where’s Transplant and his trumpet? We didn’t see that!
Terry’s trumpet is legendary in Bounds Green.
I can’t believe you barstewards are all abed. We’ve still got an hour and a half on the train. 🙂
Almost home boys? Not too long back from the Ems myself. You must have left early…..call yourself proper fans 🙂
We wish part-timer. At East Midlands Parkway. So 5 mins plus taxi time. 🙂
Morning all
AW still looks very subdued.
A rejuvinated Sanchez is our lingering hope to finish top 4, it shouldn’t be like that.He,Bellerin and Ozil have the class and the brains to play well together.
Giroud was called a poser on the radio last night.he ought to take up Astronomy as he is always looking up at the sky.13 PL games without a goal he really is poor.
Pity that apart from Sanchez there is no real threat upfront.
If we don’t buy a striker this summer I give up! We are blunt up front, espescially when Giroud starts. Overall he’s done a decent job for us but since he’s joined us he’s always had these 10-15 game spells where he’s done very little. You can’t have that and be the starting CF for Arsenal.
I like Welbeck, but I want lethal, not effort.
There is a draft btw.
Oh dear killed the blog before it’s even got going.
I prefer lethal and effort 😉
You must love Giroud then Kelsey! 😂
Great entertainment by Chas and Ant last night and fine preview, Raddinski. 😀
The boys played with passion and a good tempo throughout and the spine of Cech-BFG-Elneny-Ollie was a joy to watch; the others danced around it and got us an easy win. AlSexis played ala the Argentinian sausage runner: very central, very free and very lethal. 😜
Giroud was not prolific but he created space and allowed us to get into the Brommies’ box time and again; he also played a lot better in the second half when his confidence was gradually returning.
How bloody good is Elneny?
Great performances by the rest of the team with Ozil again brilliant in driving the game, supported by super willing Rambo, Nacho and Bellerina, who all lacked a bit of composure when it mattered most.
But last word goes the man in the post title: Per was calm and composed and read the game well time and again with his interceptions. Got to love him.
One day you will get it, FGG 🙃
Our joint top scorer in the PL is Sanchez, and he went from 20th Oct – 19th Mar scoring 1 PL goal. That’s 5 months of the season!
If you’re refering to Giroud, Total, then i’m a lost cause! 🙂
No saving you FGG, I know! 😉
Well that was an enjoyable days blogging and football lost to work commitments. Was still on clients premises at 11:30 last night but had put Sky on laptop not that I really saw much other than replays of goals.
Did BFG give a calmer presence at the back?
I noticed Rambo was up top quite a lot trying to play those one twos, Hector did similar but because coming from much deeper got clear far more….lesson to learn, maybe Rambo hasn’t got pace to do that, but we certainly have players who can make two quick passes to keep ball moving before he gets there.
We won 1/3 more PL games than the Spuds since the start of the PL 😄
“The boys played with passion and a good tempo throughout and the spine of Cech-BFG-Elneny-Ollie was a joy to watch; the others danced around it and got us an easy win.”
See now that’s a comment from someone who reads the game like me. Chapeau Total.
http://news.arseblog.com/2016/04/arsenal-goals-from-distance-by-the-numbers/
Very happy with the win, but dare I go against the grain on here and say that I thought it was an ok performance, but that overall I thought we looked a bit flat and lacked incisiveness and penetration…….or should I just run for cover and disappear for 48hrs till someone else pops up who thinks the same? 🙂
Oh and morning all, see you in 48hrs 🙂
Morning all
We have a New Post …………….