Bournemouth is known as the English Riviera (or it is in my family!!). We used to holiday there in the days before I was allowed to travel on my own. When I passed my driving test Bournemouth became a weekend destination because there were language schools full of Scandigirls who had weekend discos ( a portent for my future!) …. you can guess the rest!
As such Bournemouth raises happy memories in BR’s ageing head, let’s hope I feel the same way at game’s end today.
Eddie Howe has done an amazing job . Not only keeping a small club in the PL but doing so by playing attacking football. They almost gave us a shock at the Emirates where a 90th minute goal from Sanchez sealed the points. We won 3-1 in an absorbing game with Bournemouth missing many chances. It was the game of Debuchy’s brief return.
Rotation will the keyword today. I expect AW to rest a few and perhaps finally experiment with the Ramsey/Xhaka combo.
My Team:
Cesc
Bellerin Mustafi Koscielny Monreal
Ramsey Xhaka Coquelin
Perez Giroud Sanchez
Has AW the courage to rest Sanchez given that Ozil is out again? If so, it would be intersting to see Ox start on the right with Perez on the left. Or Iwobi.
I cannot recall a run of games when the whole of the top 6 win so consistently, Spurs, L’pool, MU and Chelsea have stepped up a gear and we need to do the same. A win today is important, a draw is simply not enough. Winning under this kind of pressure is what makes Champions, and we will see how the team responds.
I still maintain that we were unfortunate in both losses in December and that it affected the fans more than the team – time will tell.
We are unbeaten in 2017, let’s keep it that way
COYRRG
Arsenal News 24/7
from previous conversation – LB and Raddy – things didn’t go his way? He won!!
Lovely preview, Raddinski and agreed re Eddie Howe. 🙂
I reckon Ozil will play… the wengjury is over 😉
Re Pep: when he speaks we should all listen.
Well he was sulking for some reason, what did I miss?
Guardiola is making a fool of himself, I say this as an Arsenal supporter on an Arsenal blog.
Yes, back to tonight, thanks for the read BR, the team selection is the fascinating part of this evening’s outing.
I am going to go for something a bit different.
——————-Cech
Bellerin, Mustafi, Koscielny, Monreal
——-Coquelin———–Xhaka,
___________Iwobi
—–Ox——–Giroud——-Sanchez
Ah, I almost forgot, I have made a schoolboy error, I booked an evening meal with a friend’s family and all of mine without looking at the fixture list.Tut, tut.
The up shot is that I am going to watch it live delayed at around 10.30 tonight so not only will I not be able to write anything, to avoid finding out the score, I wont even be on the blog.
is Cesc playing in goals?
Lots of vigour in the posts/comments since the changes and a change is as good as a holiday. Happy Holidays everyone and HNY.
From Arsenal.com
Giroud is scoring at a rate of one every 69.8 minutes in the Premier League, the best of any player in the division, and has eight goals in his last six Arsenal starts.
Not only that, but when you look at the goals that he has scored, you see just how important they have been, from the volley to give us some breathing space at Sunderland after the hosts had pulled one back, to his last-gasp equaliser at Manchester United.
Read more at http://www.arsenal.com/match/report/1617/pre/first-team/bournemouth-v-arsenal-the-inside-track#ICOQI8f4QTLcOrBR.99
Happy New Year AA.
Hi LB.
I was just listening to Hawksbee and Jacobs on TS, who where talking to Spanish correspondent Graham Hunter about Guardiola, who apparently behaved exactly the same at Barcelona and Bayern. He believes strongly in his football principles and will not compromise them. His football, his way.
He said Guardiola could be happy in defeat as long as he saw football played the way he wanted, but equally could be tetchy and awkward in victory if things hadn’t quite gone to plan.
Yesterday, something was lost in translation, and without having had the benefit of seeing the ball cross the line for Burnley’s goal, he thought Claudio Bravo was fouled before the goal had been awarded, and this on top of Fernandinho’s red card, would have made him even more angry.
Maybe if Guardiola had seen a replay of the whole incident and realised that Burnley’s goal was legitimate, he would have given a completely different interview.
In the heat of the moment he did come across as petulant and as John Hartson said yesterday, like a ‘spoilt child’, but our own manager isn’t averse to moments like that, and has had his share of ‘spats’ in the past where he hasn’t always had the best of manners.
This is arguably the biggest challenge of his career given what he inherited at Barcelona and Bayern. Bar John Stones, City’s whole defence needs up-grading, the full/wing-backs are all over 30, and he still hasn’t got a solid Centre-Back pairing. But he has an open cheque-book, so expect a massive over-haul in the summer.
Hope you all have a wonderful 2017.
Thanks Herb for clearing that up.
Cheers, BR.
I’m praying we grab hold of the three points early doors and refuse to let them out of our grasp thenceforth.
Should be a reasonable game tonight, especially with Riviera Rovers at home. (in my family, it was Torbay that was the English Riviera, but I suppose it was wherever you went really!)
Perez brace tonight. Mind you, now I’ve said that, he probably won’t even get a game.
happy new year herb 🙂
I thought Pep was furious about his captain being sent off.
Never mind, we have our own problems to worry about others.
off to read the PM
Micky
Here’s the job for you, boy.
good pm, as usual, thank you Raddy
Funny about the scandi girls, I remember Bourmouth flooded with OAP, are you sure they were young?
you are right about Eddie Howe, good manager, good team, I expect good game with an excellent result
experiment? tonight? I think not Raddy. They are hardly pushovers, heavy machinery needs to be deployed
5.29 😀
Eddie. I agree that this will be a tough game for AFC but think we have such depth in our squad that we can rotate players and still be very strong.
Spot who’s missing
Mesut.
who cares as long as we have Ollie 🙂
Only got Cesc and Perez incorrect, BR. 🙂
Young Fonda. A teenage fantasy
Dear God Erik, you were as sleazy a teenager as you kinda grew up to be. Smoothing around the discos of Bournemouth. Boggles is what the mind does.
Thanks for the PM nonetheless 🙂
Ah ha, Ramsey starts. I’d have put at least a quid on that.
Evening all
Ooo hooray, didn’t notice. Mustafi starts. Good.
Look, I know I shouldn’t, but I had to ROLF reading the Bournemouth team sheet:
Boruc, Francis, Steve Cook, Ake, Daniels, Arter, Gosling, Stanislas, King, Fraser, Callum Wilson
WHO?
Artur Boruc – an excellent keeper
One thing for certain is that B’mouth team cost less than ours by a few hundred mill.
Why do they punch above their weight? Could it be Eddie Howe?
And if so, should he be considered for the next AFC manager?
Micky. You are just jealous of my teenage exploits 😀
I am a bit Erik.
Hanging around language schools is one of those “why didn’t I think of it” things 🙂
ha ha ha , excellent response 🙂
Just as well you didn’t micky, I can just imagine the pair of you loitering with intent
Erik
The next manager should be made to undergo a horribly complicated multiple choice.
We need a new striker. Do you:
a. Grow your own, or
b. Spend a minimum of £70M and not worry whether the club can afford it or not
Eddie
We’d have been easy to spot. Look out for two blokes standing in a pool of dribble
Am I the only one a bit disappointed that Ramsey start over perez
Didn’t enjoy hearing that B’mouth have taken points off L’pool, Spurs and Everton ay home 😦
yes fred
No Fred
However, Aaron is fit and needs to start sometimes. I happen to think his best role for us is right, so I think he’ll do well tonight.
Not overly happy about the line up for various reasons but COYG’S.
Jeff is on the bench. With luck we will get to see him in the second half
GB
Long time. Hope all good.
Actually Aaron in Ozil role interesting hop he plays as good as how he plays for Wales in that role
There is xhaka for you
Oh dear 😦 still plenty of time to get our game together please
We are playing garbage
Both goals were awful. Ramsey not being defensively aware for the first and Xhaka just stupid for the second.
Ramsey alongside Xhaka then and The Ox on the wing
Now a hamstring injury for Coquelin. Things not going well
Tits up
It’s gone
Two games in two days Raddy bound to take its toll somewhere
I thought The Ox should have started anyway
Hi Micky, all good (apart from the obvious). Overseas on phone at the moment.
Do not like to see Ramsey in the side. Offers no D at all.
Sanchez playing to far up also.
To to come back!
So we are now a team that gets the ball out to Sanchez and slings it into the box? That’s all I’ve seen so far. Awful.
As for the pen, still don’t see where Xhaka trips him, but even if he did, it’s just another example of the terrible penalty rules. Fraser is fouled kicking the ball towards the corner flag and therefore deserves a free shot from 12 yards? Hmmm.
Not a shot on target yet.. Boric not made a save.
They have to get the ball to OG who has yet to receive a decent pass.
Really missing Ozil and Santi but who wouldn’t”
No-one trying to get in behind, I hope they’re not all waiting to put an amazing ball into Giroud
Not seen Sanchez or Ox run beyond Giroud yet. It’s all to feet. Just as I write it Ox gets to byline and we have a chance. Need more movement.
Snap, peaches.
I think Perez might be a good option. Take Ramsey or Iwobi off because both doing same job.
Me too fgg, as I sent it Ox got to the by-line 😉
Hard to pick anyone who is playing well but Iwobi is having a stinker.
It could get worse unless AW has A Cunning Plan
What is Iwobi supposed to be doing?
If I was a travelling Gunner, I’d slip out now and head down to Dirty Dave’s Disco for some Swedish lessons
Bloody awful. Tired yes, but…
In fairness to Iwobi, he had a great game as No10 the other day, so why dick about and move him. He had an understanding with Sanchez.
Oh bollocks, I don’t know 🙂
But Sanchez is hugging the touch line today, he’s not in touch with the rest of the play……….
They’ve all been shite. Goals change games though and we need one quickly.
Ok, fingers crossed 🙂
BTW Our Welsh Wizard is also playing crap but I give him some slack as this is his first start for ages
Everything crossed.
B’mouth have been excellent, we must hope they run out of puff
Arsenal had no pace on the flanks- yes Sanchez was not being played down the line either. Ramsey does not offer a threat/ Ox does and did so straight away.
The triangles in mid are not going well, and the side was just lumping in though the middle. Horrible to watch.
We miss Elneny in mid to compliment Xhaka. Now Ox is on and maybe Ramsey slides into that role??
Need to build from the back forward.
Aaron. Good analysis.
We have started this half better but still no shot on target.
How’s that different to the pen?
What’s up with Hector tonight???????
How is that not a foul on Bellerin?
We may be playing poorly but what chance do we have with a crap ref?
It was exactly the same as the Xhaka push
Is this the first time Mustafi has been on the losing side
How is that not a foul on Bellerin? Absolute joke of a decision.
my identity is ruined. Sorry peaches can you delete my last comment
Come on!!!
Wow!
blimey
That is two shots on target!
Done 🙂
Come on come on!!!!!!!!!
shit, game on!!!
Come on boys!
Just you and me Oz
Cheers Peaches, you’re a hero.
It’s the hope that kills you!
I wish I hadn’t eaten those chocolates at half time 😉
Ooo, 10 mins v a bus
lucky there.
Not sure it’s a red but I don’t care. Gives us chance to pile pressure on now. Need a goal.
definitely time for 2 more
that will help. Giroud a big threat now
need to see a replay of what happened with giroud at the back post. Thought he was going to win the header easily
what is mustafi doing out wide? he should be in the box not sending in crosses.
He does whip in a great cross Oz
Giroooooooooooooud
Get in……….
I love the FP.
One more?
Come on
YESSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! come on, 1 more!
Reading all over again
Feels like 3 points. What a goal by Perez!
Should never have been three down in the first place
Ox made a huge difference as did Perez.
Perhaps we should have started with them
How can the ref play 6 minutes when a goal was scored in the 6 minutes extra?
In the end we didn’t win because of that ridiculous 3rd goal for them.
Perez did BR. His movement was outstanding when he came on. Popping up on eitherwing and sending some great crosses in. Fantastic finish aswell.
Chas. Completely agree.
I call that a phew
Perez and Ox looked fresh and dangerous.
So true Chas. Shocking decision. The replay from behind showed just how blatant a shove it was.
mixed emotions. Great come back but we started off so poorly. The walls are closing in on our season
Mmmm, good point Chas
Still, given everything, a point was something
Well said FGG. Perez appears to be quite a find. As TA said he looks freddy-like at times. Pops up in good spots and looks like to be a bit of a poacher
Giroud, worst celebration ever?
Wtf was he doing? We needed a winner and he’s practicing scorpion flicks to the crowd! 😂
Good night all
Amazing how much better it feels coming back from 3 down to draw 3-3 than it does to be three up and then draw 3-3
Same result. Different emotions.
We go again in just 4 days time (I think)
Night All,
Fabulous goal from Perez
Great game. We were ridiculous and sublime in equal measure. I don’t see how anyone can question Eddie Howe’s credentials
Terrible result despite salvaging a point. It was never a penalty. Never. Agree that we missed Elneny. These guys seem to lack motivation. I suppose even I would lack motivation on £100,000 / week.
As an individual game it’s a stunning result. 2 days rest, 3-0 down, poor ref decisions. Don’t forget Spurs and Liverpool failed to win at Bournemouth.
In context of winning trophies, not a great result, but if Spurs and Chelsea draw tomorrow then this will feel a lot better.
Very soft pen.
Blatant push on Hector for their third.
Stirring comeback but, ultimately, a very disappointing result and performance. We can’t afford to wait until we’re 2 or 3 down before we start playing.
Pluses: Perez and… er…. not giving up?
Ref got it wrong 2X.
Push on Bel, penalty on Xhaka, and almost a 3rd when some bloke shot wide from the center of the box with 2 Red shirts standing a yard offside..
sheesh..
What an enjoyable game to watch in the last 20 minutes. Should have been playing with that urgency for the entire match and put them away early!!
Perez and Iwobi to start, and Ramsey on the bench forever..
Onwards and upwards.
A truly superb comeback, so proud of the boys. We had to dig from very deep and it is the first time in the PL that we got back from three goals down.
I wonder how LB got on watching it ‘as live’ at 10.30.
Maybe he switched off at 3-0 down. 😀
No chance.
my son gave up when they scored the 3rd goal and went off to play his PS4. I didnt go get him until 3:3, he was shocked. I then lectured him on how much you miss out on when consumed by the PS4. He went back to his PS4, I lost him at “see what happens when you give up on the Arsenal…”
VP
This is what happens when you’re truly obsessed with your PS4 🙂
Morning All,
PS4, Cat owner. Bloke was asking for it
Anyone got a quickie for today? Maybe a player rating or a brief synopsis.
I am working so have no time to publish
New Post
It’s poor I know, so if something else turns up or someone wants to add something then please do.
chas. Good work. Thank you