To say I dislike Mark Hughes would be like describing the size of the planet Jupiter as being bigger than a dog. I don’t like the cut of his jib. You can tell much about the man by his football philosophy – this is a chap who can take the wonderful artistry of Shaqiri and turn him into yet another water carrier. Stoke are a club where the manager’s personality reflects the club itself (as does ours, of course).
Just in case you forget, ask Ramsey and Debuchy what they think about Stoke’s physical approach.
But, their recent results are good, since September Stoke’s results would have them in 4th place in the PL, above the Mighty Totts. They have won 5 of the last 7 games.
We are on quite a good run ourselves, unbeaten in the league since the opening day blip and scoring 9 goals in our last 2 games.
This is our third game in 8 days so we can expect rotation.
My Team.
Cech
Gabriel Mustafi Koscielny Monreal
Xhaka Coquelin Ox
Theo Alexis Mesut
Not easy to get the midfield correct. AW loves Coquelin and he is rested after missing the midweek victory, so I expect to see him start. Xhaka is the sort of chap we need to fight the Orcs but I fear he may retaliate – perhaps he is better coming off the bench, but what the heck, let’s see if he can show grace under fire.
Warning. Today’s referee is Lee Mason. A man who is so stupid he cannot see the continuous rotational fouling Stoke use against AFC. This is a chap whom Alan Green (who knows a thing or two about football) calls “the worst referee in the PL”. A man who gives our players a yellow card for every 2 fouls and every 9 fouls for the opposition. I suppose it adds to the spectacle 😀
Stoke have yet to win at The Emirates. The run needs to continue.
Arsenal News 24/7
arsenalarsenal.net 
Ha ha. Very nice Erik. Thank you.
Bar Bell, that’s our First XI. So, if you want my advice on a sure way to guarantee we thrash them and score four goals, then rest Mesut and Sanchez 🙂
Wouldn’t it be great if Wenger carried on with Perez on the right?
I suspect you have got the team right today BR, it’s not easy trying to double guess Wenger these days.
Thanks for taking the trouble to write the pre-match as ever.
Excellent, BR.
Tough game today, especially with Hislop refereeing.
Maybe he’ll give us a penalty as it’s nearly Christmas.
And they’re off!
https://twitter.com/fumbunker/status/2954391680
Eddie
Shaking Swedens is Carlito you were talking about the other day.
I’m all set
I’ve read the BR Pre-match (thanks BR)
Will now go watch a movie with my my son on the couch (because this 15/16 up-and-coming footballer enjoys the home life:-) btw, did I mention he is now playing in the juniors at Melbourne Knights FC, the home of Mark Viduka)
Go pick up my daughter from an 18th party at 1am
watch the game at 2am COYG!!!
go for a run at 7am
church at 9am
Brunch at 10.30am
nanna nap at noon
basketball at 3pm
crash and burn at about 6pm
VP
That’s some schedule.
VP. Can’t you record the Arsenal and give the run a miss?
This clip starts to explain, apparently why Stoke hate Arsenal as George Armstrong got a slight nudge in the box from Dobing which looks like the sort of thing they might give now but wouldn’t consider in those days, and it lead to Arsenals equalising penalty
10.41 I was at that Everton game though in the Clock End. Like SS it remains one of my all-time fave goals
And this goal line clearance also
http://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/the-photograph-that-helps-explain-why-stoke-hate-arsenal/story-29966406-detail/story.html
Bloody Lee Mason……saw that news yesterday and realised Mark Hughes will have been laughing his head off. Interestingly Hughes has spoken about using the Emirates crowd against us. Hopefully the appointment of Mason and the inevitable rubbish decisions he will make will lead to a vociferous crowd barracking the ref.
Love that Stoke clip, especially Charlie George’s celebration of BR’s goal
Ant and Duck will definitely be vociferous against Mason, unless we are 4 up by then
LOL Ant. Wow, Market Harborough, thats a fair way out of London
Fascinating stuff and much more interesting than Cuffley
Market Harborough is a market town within the Harborough district of Leicestershire, England. It has a population of 22,911 (2011). It sits on the Northamptonshire-Leicestershire border. The town was formerly at a crossroads for both road and rail; however the A6 now bypasses the town to the east and the A14 which carries east-west traffic is 6 miles (9.7 km) to the south. The town is served by East Midlands Trains with direct services to Leicester, Nottingham, Sheffield, Derby and St Pancras International.
Market Harborough is located in an area which was formerly a part of the Rockingham Forest, a royal hunting forest used by the medieval monarchs starting with William I.
The centre of the town is dominated by the steeple of St. Dionysius Parish Church which rises directly from the street, as there is no church yard. It was constructed in grey stone in 1300 with the church itself a later building of about 1470. Next to the church stands the Old Grammar School, a small timber building dating from 1614.
Market Harborough has two villages within its confines: Great Bowden lies over a hill about a mile from the town centre; Little Bowden is less than half a mile from the town centre. The three centres have largely coalesced through ribbon development and infill, although Great Bowden continues to retain a strong village identity.
At Market Harborough we thought we were delayed as we seemed to have stopped before the station. As it turns out, we were at the station and the platform wasn’t big enough for the whole train.
Sebastian our train manager didn’t make it clear, though he did say he could answer most queries, as he was knowledgeable on most subjects, except on geo-politics and sport.
No booze in the pic. Bizarre
Train manager? Sebastian? What is this …. the Orient Express? Or are you on your way to Hogwarts?
Hercule Poirot or Harry Potter on the train?
He also said that coach A used to be a quiet coach but no longer .. but if you were in it that you should still act with decorum and decency to other humans
I love Sebastian. Is he a “man’s man”?
BR 11:02, now on Optus here in Oz, not on Foxtel anymore, so cant record it as it drops down as a viewable game app. But sometimes Optus does not deem the game worthy of a full game app and only includes the game as a highlights package so it safer to watch it live. Plus its a rites of passage here, if your an EPL fan, you forgo sleep during the season and watch the games live. You get used to it after a few decades.
Also, as for the 7am run, I just love to run. I go off with my garmin watch and record it all as part of weekly step challenges etc.
I lead a sad life
https://twitter.com/fumbunker/status/807553257409232896
We have not seen Sebastian yet BR but will get a photo if he walks through the carriage
😀 😀
He sounds like he Is both a man’s and a woman’s man!
Ah, a practical man. Best pf both worlds.
Better get some work done pre-match.
Be back on the sofa for the game.
It’s a special day today as Jc is attending his 250,000 match!
Were getting off now… cheers😈😂
That really was a good Ian Wright goal against Everton.
After the kind of stories that have gone on this morning I am almost embarrassed to explain how easy it is for me to get to the ground and more importantly — how easy it is to get home.
Definitely never have an excuse to leave early LB 🙂
There are two things I love about that Ian Wright goal, the look on Neville Southalls face, the length of time afterwards the North Bank were singing Ian Wright Wright Wright from memory he stopped to applaud the North Bank about 5 minutes after the goal.
Oh there’s a third thing….I was there and still had a season ticket…..before foolishly giving it up at the end of that season to play senior football.
As excuses go GIE that is a pretty good one.
Changed my mind
Want Perez to start. And Iwobi. Any chance?
Sebastian 🙂
Cech, Gabriel, Mustafi, Koscielny, Monreal, Xhaka, Coquelin, Walcott, Ozil, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Sanchez.
Subs: Gibbs, Lucas Perez, Giroud, Ospina, Iwobi, Bellerin, Elneny
11/11 Erik. The Master at work 🙂
Bell on the bench. Great news.
Well done Raddy, team is as you predicted.
What’s happened to Ramsey?
That is a very very strong bench
(you know what I mean. What’s on the bench 🙄 )
They’ve found a buyer Peaches?
Ooops 🙂
Back for ko
Peaches. Ramsey played midweek and I guess they are easing him back after his injury problems.
So they are about to start the coverage of Arsenal vs Stoke and they cut to a classic highlights package of when Manure put 8 past us. What was the point of this? Whose fans was it entertaining other than some twat Manure supporter sitting in their media player room pressing the play button. Seriously that is a bs way to start an Arsenal game coverage.
Come on you Gunnnnnners
Trying ch8 Erik…nothing…you?
Nothing Micky. Thankfully it is on Danish TV.
COYRRG
Excellent PM BR.
10 minutes in – it’s an open game which will hopefully suit us – but they do carry threat going forward.
This is ok’ish
http://cricfree.tv/watch/live/arsenal-vs-stoke-city-live-streaming
It is back on Micky
Canadian TV serving up the goods too!
Sa little worried about how open we are playing. Stoke had two very good chances.
But enjoying our attacking play, some excellent combinations.
Bugger, Mustafi knacked
We knew it. Lee Mason stiffs us
You won’t see a softer penalty than that this season.
rocky. xhaka went for Allen’s sheen and then whacked his head for good measure. Soft indeed. Do you want a player dead on the pitch to justify a pen?
Eddie. You must be watching a different incident.
Xhaka went for the ball and got it. It is not his fault that Allen flew into the tackle and hit Xhaka. There was no movement whatsoever from Xhaka to hit Allen, if Mason thought there had been he would have sent Xhaka off for violent play.
Dreadful decision from an awful referee.
Eddie – BR has it right.
It was an accidental coming together. Never a penalty in a million years.
I give up.
Can’t get a stream, just wondering how dirty we are, can’t believe stats that we lead foul count 7-2 compared to tackle count being 5-6?
I wish Lee Mason would
GiE – it’s Lee Mason
AW has criticized Mason in the past and it looks like payback time.
Get in Theo!
Great goal.
Get in.
Brilliant build up and terrific finish. Theo gets another cracker
He has hated us for a lot longer time than a season Rocky, I think Wenger just finally lost it with him last season and called him out on it, every tackle by the opposition fair, every tackle by us foul.
Ox back on form which is great to see, he is such a trier
I put the Mason foul stats in the post
Have seen penalty can’t really see what Xhaka supposed to do to avoid contact, he plays ball and turns, its only because Allen is 5ft his arm connects with his head, any of Stokes Orcs and it would be in his midriff.
Hi guys, I’m afraid I haven’t been able to read the post or dreamy if the game, but by the sound of it, Mason will be looking to send one of our players off next!
GIE. Danish summarisers and commentators agree with you
We played well in that half especially upfront but there are worrying gaps at the back. Is this due to Coquelin or Gabriel not holding their positions or just good play from Stoke?
Should be a n exciting second half
Wow! A Mesut header
Come on you Gunners
Another lovely goal. Oxo’s resurgence could have a huge impact on our season
you lot are so biased. If that happened to one of our players there will be calls not just for the pen but also for a red card.
Commentators here agree with me – def pen.
Gie – please don’t go away. There has been a discussion about academy. Apart from Peaches I was without any substance on either side of the argument. I know you just LOVE the academy, but tell the truth, are we losing money or cutting evens?
Mason is dreadful, Stoke Orc goes through the back of Xhaka and Stoke”s 12th man waves play on
Eddie – I will happily plead guilty to the accusation of bias.
But I’m still right.
Eddie. What you mean is that no one agrees with you😉
Le Coq is having an excellent game
Rocky. I second your emotion
raddy – I wouldn’t call you no one 🙂
it was a pen and it should have been. Xhaka knew exactly what he was doing. He didn’t just turn and caught Allen with his elbow – pee off, he hit him on the head full strenght
Eddie. We disagree
yeah, and you don’t like pugs.
Lovely!
Lovely, lovely from Iwobi with a fine assist from Mesut
Wow Ozil, great run and finish by Iwobi too …… things are looking rosy
Stay 2 ahead and we go top
We are in a good place when we can bring on Bellerin and Iwobi as subs 😄
ToTL.
Ozil my MotM. Superb performance
Very good performance from what little I saw
Very good all round.
Big kudos to Paul Easter who looked very solid when he switched to CB
Bad: Mustafi
Good: the strength of our squad
Brilliant: resilience and quality of football in attack
Outlook: scorchio 🙂
Brilliant PM Raddy. 😊
Had an interesting day. Started the day at a conference in Seville. An inefficient giggly but pleasant secretary took 30 minutes to book a taxi and almost got me to miss a bus to Faro, PT. Anyway reached safely and to my surprise got to see the entire game at a sports bar. Together with Bacalhau, fine cut chips and plenty of Super Bock. On my way to Aveiro PT now. How good was that! 😊
Arnie. Sounds like a top day. Scorchio even-
What an enjoyable game! I have a few questions but I will wait for the headline post tomorrow. But here is one for which I cannot wait.
How much consistently gullible must a referee have to be before you suspect, and allege, negligence with sinister intent! Beggars belief
Eddie I gave my tuppence on the academy in the early hours …. got to be worth it.
Thank you Raddy 😊
Got through all comments. Great blogging. Eddie trying hard to be the devils advocate. Unfortunately not enough conviction 😊
Have to catch a train. Bye now 😊😊 tea la la
OMG I just don’t think you understand – Mesut’s goal scorchio indeed 😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁
Wow that was fantastic. Everyone played well. Loved Granit and Coq’s displays.. ooo err.
If that was a penalty then I’m Twiggy.
Mesut was sublime.
Roll on a trip to Goodison on Tuesday
Oi Twiggy…..Leave Sebastian alone!
Hell’s teeth, anyone who thought that was a valid penalty is either a Stoke fan, a lobotomist or winding us all up.
I know what my money’s on 😕
I agree about Coq and Granit. We are looking so strong all over the pitch, and our options for freshness and goals from the bench is, well, christmassy
Also, how much better is the right attack with Bell back in action.
Hope Mustafi is not too long out.
Any medics here who know about these things?
Leicester 3-0 v City in 20 mins
Hey,Iwobi’s Mum, what you cooking your boy to celebrate his goal tonight?
Where’s VP?
Cmon VP it’s only 5am. Nearly time to get up for your run. ☺
Man City. 76% possession, 3-0 down.
Ahhhhh, my boy 🙂
Must go
Nite all
https://twitter.com/fumbunker/status/807659780890394624
Think we should have scored more
Hope City are this generous when we play them. Shame we can’t draw them in CL because they are a shambles at the back!
https://twitter.com/FootyHumour/status/807663028925853696
Where’s StewDog?
Mesut’s goal
Alex Iwobi goal
Who was MOTM, everyone was sooooo good 🙂
I have something for tomorrow although struggling with a title…..
Any ideas?
Wow, wonderful goals … thanks Peaches 🙂
What was the nature of Mustafi’s injury?
LB
Player ratings for the demolition of the orcs
will pull in the most punters
Mason lives up to exceedingly low expectations
If that was a pen, I’m Twiggy
Mason’s dodgy handshake
Rugby team stuffed at the Emirates
Morning Chas:-)
I’m wrecked but fine. Had to drive my daughter and her friends to a club after the party but got back in plenty of time for ko. I’ve delayed my run until noon so will scrap my nanna nap but I’ve had a good 3 hours sleep. The fun bit is waking my daughter now. An angel last night, she turns into a demon in the morning.
What a great game overnight.
I 100% agree, def not a penalty. Why are the commentators so dumb? The slightest touch and Allen is down for the knockout count. Stallone could act better.
…according to former Premier League referee Howard Webb, it was neither a penalty nor a deliberate elbow from the Swiss international.
“If he throws his arm at Joe Allen that’s a separate action, that’s worth a penalty but you can’t say that’s intentional.
“It’s a coming together, there is some contact, for me I think it’s a harsh call and he’s really unlucky.”
What’s interesting is how Arsene is so upset about the penalty call but losing to Southampton in the EFL was a bit of a laugh.
Actually, not really that interesting…
Great titles Chas, made me laugh.
What is interesting is how the dynamics are suddenly changing –
If spuds win, they are back in the top 4 and could even go as high as 3rd
If Manure win, they will much closer to finishing the season above their shitty rivals
All of a sudden both teams have extra motivation and impetus. Which team capitalises on this will show the better coach/team…
Oh, Finch, I know you are reading this got any ideas?
Rasp
It looked like a hamstring. Hard to say whether it was any worse than they usually are.
Thanks LB, hamstring would not be good …. 4-6 weeks if a low level or several months if a major tear 😦
So are we saying that Granit is growing into Santi’s role but because of that we are playing in a slightly different way = fewer short passes, more diagonals?
Love this
For the first time in ages (since Keown/O’Leary/Adams) we are well served at CB. With Gabriel, Holding, BFG (almost fit), Kos and Mustafi we can have one or even two out and be covered.
Though I really hope Mustafi will be back for the New Year
LB, Peaches just provided a title – swagger we’ve displayed on the road is flashing its knickers at home.
VP I don’t think we can use those exact words cos they’re someone else’s and ‘knickers’ might not pass the newsnow filter sadly
I thought as much Peaches but I love the word swagger. Its why I had Jagger playing CF in my academy team in the previous post. You need swagger in a CF. That photo of Giroud with Sanchez on his back after scoring against Manure, now thats swagger
Oh I definitely agree with you VP
LB – can you get ‘swagger’ into a title? Where’s Rasp, he’s good with titles
Arsene finds the zip?
I like that one 😁 I’m sure LB will find a clever one 🙂
Mason lays a brick, Theo smells the coffee and Mesut uses his head
Top of the League- It’s beginning to look a lot Christmas
Top of the League – It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas
You have made it very easy for me now.
Joke of a pen. Couldn’t give 2 shits about the elbow. How does a foul there (Allen running away from goal) deserve a free shot from 12 yards. Another terrible example of the penalty rule.
FGG you’ve just given me an idea for a major rule change that would change the diving nonsense and the lifting the ball on purpose into a defenders hand.we’ve seen i recent weeks.
The same rules as a penalty should be the result, direct free kick in the area should be awarded rather than a penalty from the spot. All rules of penalty stay the same except the player must shoot at goal rather than just play ball forward.
LB
If you go for a top of table flavoured title, can you post early. We have six hours to gloat, and I am ready to do my bit 🙂
3 goals and I cannot decide which is best. That good. Oh joy
Morning All,
Best goal? Has to be Ozil’s. Superb accurate pass, brilliant run to find the space, wonderful intelligence to sum up where the keeper was and stunning technique to lift the ball into the net.
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