Exciting times ahead, or will this be …. I can’t even bring myself to write it
Beating Sutton brings no glory only the opportunity to go further in the FAC. If I had the choice I would prefer to play a PL team at home but such is Lady Luck.
Will AW rotate the team or will he keep the scoundrels who let him down in Munich, giving them the chance of redemption. I guess he will rotate where he can.
Plastic pitch, so no Danny. I expect us to start with a mix of youth and experience
My Team:
Ospina
Debuchy/Jenks Holding Gabriel Monreal
Maitland Niles Elneny Iwobi
Theo Giroud Jeff
Pretty exciting team, don’t you think?
And what of Sutton. In the days of Yore I had two season tickets, one for AFC and the other for Barnet. So, I have seen Sutton and been to Sutton Utd ground. It is/was a shitpit. When I went there would be perhaps 2000 fans but the palace will be packed tonight. Millions watching on TV; will the Sutton players freeze or rise to the occasion? Even if they do, we should win. We should win with our U-19 team but Burnley thought that at home to Lincoln. It is the Magic of the Cup.
Sutton play in the Vanarama National League. What the hell is that. Couldn’t they find a better named sponsor? What next … The Poundland Southern League?
A Cup run is exciting and our main hope of Glory this season. A win is a must.
Let it be So
COYRRG
Arsenal News 24/7
Thanks Raddy, Sutton Utd … they’re krill … not even minnows 🙂
Talking of Suttons … has anyone been listening to that complete bollix Chris Sutton has spouting … since when did he become a pundit?
Back to the game …. it should be enjoyable and relaxed ….. who am I kidding 🙄
Its a must win .. but also a cannot win, because we will either be bullies and beat them 7:0 or they’ll put up strong resistance and the media coverage will all be about them …
Let’s hope the squad have a media lockdown and a steely determination to prove that the ‘Bayern Arsenal’ will not feature again this season.
Thanks, BR.
11 versus 11, who wants it more, will quality be given the chance to shine through, dodgy pitch, kicked off the park, ref keen to help the non-League side, makeshift team with too many changes, weather too mild…….. have I forgotten any other possible excuses? 😊
Hopefully we won’t be employing them tomorrow.
I’m afraid I can’t agree with the idea that we’re already in the semis, though if we don’t get there, I will be on mugabe media lock down until August.
P.s. so you didn’t like Micky’s suggestion at the end of the last post of “per holding coq” ? ☺
Read a lot of shite about Arsene and Arsenal this week. I’ve said a few times on here that I think it’s time for him to leave, but the media attacks and bullshit are enough to make a big part of me want him to stay. I cannot stand the abuse and disrespect dished out by the utter morons in the press and on tv, and it’s this drivel that always makes me side with Wenger in the end. I’d love him to find the answer and win another big trophy with Arsenal, even though deep down I know this won’t happen. It may be time for him to go, but I’d rather side with him than the cretins in the media.
As for tonight, hopefully we don’t produce a massive cock-up tonight and we can start to move on from a terrible week. We’ve got a great chance to go to Wembley for a big FA Cup semi final, and we’ve still got to try and grab a top 4 place. Not what we were hoping for at the beginning of the season, but it’s what we have so no point sulking about it.
Ospina
Gabriel Merts Holding Gibbs
AMN Elneny
Walcott JRA Perez
Giroud
http://www.thearsenalhistory.com/?p=14378
Excellent little article about non-league opponents including this great little video where we obviously bribed the ref. 🙂
Debuchy Jenkinson at right back this is going great be rough
I know someone who has a ticket for tonight they want to sell (he’s not a gooner) …. any takers?
Here is my team: 3 – 4 – 1 – 2 with Perez in the pocket behind the strikers.
Ospina – Holding, Mustafi, Monreal – Bellerin, Ramsey, Coquelin, Oxlade – Perez – Giroud, Walcott
By the way – I am really done with Gabriel and I am afraid that I am losing patience with Coquelin as well. For Xhaka, my patience is also getting thinner but I am willing to give him more time.
How no one picking Sanchez to start
Thanks Raddy. Not as excited as I should be and I feel a tad guilty about that, but the last few weeks have knocked the enthusiasm out of me to some degree. Will still watch though and will likely get more excited as kick off approaches.
In truth I would bite your hand off if we finish the season in the top 4 and as F.A cup winners. I think it would be a pretty decent way for Arsene to bow out.
I am Fred 🙂
Thank you Erik. Fine read. Nice tempo and stuff like that.
Swap Giroud and Jeff for Sanchez and Perez, and we have a deal on the line up.
My one wonder is might Per start? Has he played any warm up games for the Under 12’s or anything like that?
Fred, Sanchez has to start, he is in my fantasy football team and I have been struggling a bit recently. All my big hitters (him aside) have gone missing recently.
Fantasy Football doesn’t apply to FA Cup games, does it?
Per with some of his u12s colleagues.
Ahhhh…Mr GB
How are you apart from miserable? 🙂
Who’s your dream attack to get us to the end of the season. Can I assume, like mine, Sanchez, Danny and Perez?
For this reason, I hope Perez starts getting game time, beginning this evening.
RC78,
Totally agree on Gabriel and Coquelin. Gabriel has been here long enough to have improved but has shown no sign of it and I don’t think I’ve seen him have a really good game for us yet. He has to go in the summer. I also think Coquelin has been poor this season and the stats seem to back that up. He doesn’t offer much other than effort. I’d rather us get rid and bring someone in who is more physical.
I disagree on Xhaka though. His play has actually been decent and much more effective than Coquelin. It’s just his discipline that has let him down. If he can sort that out and therefore play more games, instead of missing matches due to suspension, then I think he can be exactly what we need in the middle of the park.
Haven’t you seen?
Perez wants out.
http://news.arseblog.com/2017/02/agent-perez-wants-to-leave-at-all-costs/
ha ha Chas, maybe there’s an Under 5 Feet Tall XI he could warm up in
No, I hadn’t seen and I haven’t read, but, if he suddenly became a First XI’er in a dynamic, all-conquering Arsenal front three, he may reconsider
Ok, Chas, due diligence done. Article read.
One could hardly blame Lucas and it’s very hard to understand his lack of playing time given how good he looks on his odd outings
I can’t stand Trump and he should not be allowed to make political mileage out of countries that have a more humanitarian attitude than his own …. but …..there is a growing unrest in Sweden. The government and the media play it down, but it is becoming a problem …
http://www.spectator.co.uk/2016/09/how-sweden-became-an-example-of-how-not-to-handle-immigration/
Chas, the F.A cup most certainly does apply to my fantasy football team. As such Arsene will not be in my good books if Sanchez and Ozil fail to start and I will be rather miffed if we don’t win 6-0 with a hat-trick from both of them and each assisting every goal for the others hat-trick.
Micky, spot on, Sanchez up top dovetailing with Danny to the left and Perez to the right and Ozil pulling the strings.
GoonerB hope u don’t have 3 spurs player in your team
No fa cup game don’t count,
I’m quite excited about tonight.
No not 3 Fred, although Kane, Delli Alli and Eriksen are all scoring quite highly.
Erik
I’m not at all excited about playing Sutton, but really looking forward to seeing The Arsenal play.
I’m not a fan of ever making more than three changes as consistent rotation and freshness are my middle names, but I’m really hoping to see The Conservative and Perez.
Superb stuff Chas, thank you
Love the bouncing away end pic
Reminds me of my local team I go and see maybe once a season, only that pic reminds me of the Directors Box which anyone is allowed to sit in 🙂
Hooray for the Xhaka Elneny partnership, and hooray for Perez
Agree. Lovely team apart from the CF.
Why don’t Jenks of Boosh get a kick anymore? Gabriel has shown he is no full back.
Probably because both are on the way out. Better giving the time to Gabriel to see if he can improve. Doubt it!
I like the team and looking forward to watching the 3 in the middle of the pitch aswell as Holding and Perez. Hope the lads are up for a scrap tonight and don’t turn up and go through the motions like Burnley did.
I’m surprised that Cech, Ozil and Giroud are not involved?
Don’t know about you lot, but looking closely at those in the Arsenal end, I sense trouble 🙂
GN5 – and Sanchez, why is he not playing?
Vanarama National league 🙂 is it really called that?
He’s on the bench, Eddie
On a leash with a muzzle
ha. I posted Vanarama’s team photo TWICE and it disappeared
Oh shut up DidIt, what fooking trouble??!! We lost to Bayern, they are phenomenal we are playing SUTTON tonight, not BM second leg.
that’s his dog you doughnut!! the golden retriever, Sanchez has black hair
Not sure you’re firing on all cylinders, Eddie 🙂
I am not.
Pathetic attempt to get stripes onto the pitch 🙂
Xhaka has to go …. another totally unnecessary yellow card … he doesn’t learn 😦
We seem to be struggling. Or not….!
Was just going to say we are struggling but thankfully we’ve scored.
Rasp,
How many times have we bemoaned our midfielders for letting the opposition run away from them on the counter? Xhaka stops a break and suddenly he needs to be sold!?
Yes fgg he does. It’s about his poor decision making. That wasn’t a challenge that stopped them getting through on goal, like the majority of his cards, it was simple petulance … he didn’t take one for the team, he got angry because he failed in a challenge or played a bad pass
I reckon he’s going to be top class for us Rasp, although I know a few on here disagree. Time will tell.
How good would Ospina be if he didn’t do shit like that!? Terrible decision making at times.
We can’t afford time, he’s a top professional and he’s not learning … let’s not persist with yet another player who learns nothing. Of course you’d like to think our coaches are working on him …. but we have a history of not addressing weaknesses like that
fattie – if he cannot take the ball of the opposition with clean tackles than he is not at the level required by a top club.
We want to stop the oppo but not playing with 10 men because our player lacks in skills and tries to make up for it with playing dirty
He doesn’t strike me as someone who needs much time. Everybody just wants to see his discipline and totally ignore the fact he’s a very good player who does some very good things. Hes far better than Coquelin and should be our holding player. He’s only been sent off twice for us and the one against Swansea was never a red card and actually a tackle I’m glad he made (taking someone out on halfway to stop a counter).
I am with FGG on this one. Xhaka looks quality and will learn to cut out the silly fouls.
That said the referee is another muppet. We have two yellows for nothing and Sutton none despite kicking our boys from pillar to post.
Xhaka is a liability and may well have cost us the game against the chavs. He’s irresponsible and reckless
He’s won more tackles and conceded less fouls than Coquelin this season in the PL despite playing less minutes.
And collected more cards and been banned for more games
Ox looks good
Again from the middle
I’m with Rasp, Xhaka’s yellow was for very unintelligent play, if he’s going to learn not to do those then he should’ve learnt by now.
I like the way he plays but not the way he tackles
Guess we’ll just have to disagree and see how his career pans out. He’s playing very well here though despite his yellow card.
Name me one other player with a top team who picks up as many reds as Xhaka … he’s the most ‘sent off’ player in top flight European football
And one more yellow card for a lack of judgement and we have to finish with 10 men … are you that confident he won’t?
That’s a trick question Rasp! If he’s top of the list then I can’t possibly name another one! 😂
I’m not debating that he gets sent off. I’m talking about how good a footballer he is. Even if he sorted his discipline out he’s still going to get booked from time to time. The best scenario would be he stops getting sent off and becomes world class for us. I’m sure we can both agree on that!
The Ox has everything Theo lacks
I see Nicky Bailey on the McNuggets is going the distance. Hardly a great advert for the benefits of vegetables
Theo has everything Ox doesn’t….Goals! 😀 Shame we can’t merge them.
Not seen Xhaka make a tackle second half and he’s pulled out of a few. Maybe he’s learning a little bit?
Hope you don’t think I’m picking an argument with you Rasp!? We just seem to be viewing things a bit differently tonight! 😄
No problem Fgg, to give it some perspective, Xhaka had missed 1 in every 3.5 games this season through suspension. I agree Walcott gets more goals than the ox, but I’ve lost count of how many times Theo has been in a good attaching position and been let down by his lack of close as control this evening.
Just had a flick through the in-game comments.
So pleased I don’t come on here during games. 🙂
Great evening
enjoyed that very much
If he had a decent touch Rasp he’d have double the amount of goals he’s got. Shame. Ox could be amazing but just not sure how we get the best out of him or even what his best is. Can he do it consistently? Nobody knows.
Nice easy victory. No injuries that I could see.
We could have won by more but happy with a comfortable win.
Loved the camera showing their goalie on the pies. Superb
Chas. We need your positivity. 😀
Agree Micky. The pie lasted just a few second. Very fiunny
Lincoln at home for a place at Wembley. Got to be happy with that.
gnite all
Geez,
I read back through the comments and mostly I see a bunch of critics moaning about this that and the other.
We are on an open highway to the last 4 of the oldest and the best cup competition in the world and maybe I’m the only one that is thrilled – but to be honest I’m both thrilled and proud of my team.
For crying out loud give the team a break and stop trying to out them and out manage the manager!
stop trying to outplay them ………………
Hi GN5, stop trying to censor opinion and specifically stop misrepresenting what others say. It was a good result tonight in the circumstances … no one has said otherwise
Rasp, If you want an open and honest blog then stop trying to censor me. I disagree with the dour and drab comments and I will always speak my piece.
Rasp on second thoughts be more explicit and show me where I misrepresented what others say………………
That’s fine GN5, but the manner and tone of your comments is unnecessarily aggressive and objectionable.
I’m not going to get involved in a personal spat with you GN5, I have no more to add
What the hell are you telling me that you will throw out and unwarranted and unjustifiable comment about me and then hide away?
“I read back through the comments and mostly I see a bunch of critics moaning about this that and the other”.
Come out of hiding Rasp and tell me just where this cooment is misrepresenting what others say?
Not that you give a fuck Rasp but your shrinking numbers just shrank by one.
I really want us to sign Youri Tielemans.
Games 168 (31 games in EL & CL)
Goals 33
Assists 25
He’s Anderlechts vice captain and takes penalties.
He’s 19!
He’s just done this aswell in one game.
This is what he did in one game. Clearly 2 footed!
A away win on a micro crap field and well played to Sutton!
Perez is a trickster and enjoy seeing him play.
Xhaka got a yellow for what moaninho teaches every one of his players to do on the counter. On the flip side, guy goes in on Iwobi studs up and rakes him and not even a card.
So, please stop the over-dramatization that he is an idiot, foolish, amateurish and all the lot. Professional fouls that have not hurt one of the players of the opposing sides. The 2 reds were from the same ref who went down a league for a couple of games and came back and gave yellows for the exact same fouls Xhaka committed.
Arsenal to the pool to swim in the deep end!
Arsenal donated £50000 to Sutton which will be used to build 2 classrooms apparently. Donation confirmed by Sutton boss Paul Doswell. Also very classy of Arsenal to give Sanchez 15 minutes. Wenger will get slated by some for it and maybe rightly so, but it was a classy touch to give the fans a glimpse of one of the worlds best players. The ground won’t get to see that again anytime soon.
Gabriel, Monreal, Xhaka, Reine Adelaide and Iwobi had horrible nights at best
Ospina, Mustafi, Holding, El Neny and Lucas were anonymous
Theo was equal to himself but at least he showed some hunger
Ox showed what he can bring to this team: pace, hunger, engine and a poor last pass 😦 but overall a positive contribution
Sanchez – equal to himself 🙂
Good news – we are through and shall also breeze through next round
I like the look of Lucas, he has a nippiness to him without having a sprinters pace, he keeps us moving our play quickly without unnecessarily slowing it down, and has a good touch and link up play. He should play more.
Will go look at your Dutch wonderkid FGG. Always a bit aware of those from the Dutch leagues. Depay must have had good stats before bombing at Utd, but they are always worth a punt at the right price in case you are getting a Robben, Berkgkamp or Overmars.
He’s from Belgium! Much better players coming out of there at the moment than a lot of these young Dutch flops. The experience he has at 19 is incredible. Played as many European games as Cazorla or Giroud.
Why was Perez playing on the RW
Nice to read the 11:09 from FGG about Arsenal donating 50k
Wow, good, next game away at Pool
Micky,
Had a look at 3 newspapers online this morning and each went with a different story about the game but none of them were about donations. They were too busy reporting the big stories like how the Sutton GK ate a pie, the Arsenal changing rooms weren’t spotless, and the Arsenal security was like James Bond.
Do people really read this shit!?
Morning All,
I enjoyed the game, the performance and above all the win.
fattie – you do, clearly 🙂 🙂
FGG. You do 😀
Morning Eddie
Yes, they do FGG, and I guess it explains the Sun etc, although their keeper eating the pie was a personal favourite 🙂
ha ha, sorry hadn’t seen the Eddie/Erik comments
school run for me
😀 Just to clarify, the reason I looked at these papers was to see wether they had mentioned the donation!
I stay clear of the papers as I’d rather have the facts!
I thought the game was subdued, players looked subdued even in their goal celebrations, Wenger was subdued – no usual twinkle in his eyes. Sad
About Xhaka. Cesc was a feisty little shit, getting in trouble, getting involved in everything, throwing pizza, etc. But all that happened when he was 17. Maybe 18. 19 or 20. But not when he was Xhaka’s age with Xhaka’s experience. Cesc left us when he was Granit’s age now. So,.I am struggling for conclusions 🙂 Ok, Xhaka is no Cesc.
yeah yeah Fattie 🙂 And Fox news reported terrorist attacks in Sweden
ow! It was Feo’s 100th goal for the club. Well done Feo and thank you
chas – is that Saville with our flag??
9.07 😀
Eddie,
It was a no win game for our guys so it was about being professional and getting the win. Can’t ask for any more than that. If the players had run off celebrating the goals they’d probably been slated because it was ‘only Sutton’.
There was a banner that read ‘Every good story has an ending’ in the away end at the final whistle yesterday.
Morning all, I think the result yesterday is about the best we can expect, we paid them due respect we were also generous and Arsene quite right they praised the quality of their performance. I’m with Mickey, the highlight was their second goalkeeper eating the pie 🙂
Now I am really miserable as I’ve just realised the Pool game is a week on Saturday, so no football for 10 more days
Bloody League Cup. Delete the bastard.
Is that right? How rubbish is that? Let’s hope there is some rugger
City v Monacco tonight. Not good enough for Messrs ?
Speaking to the Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast, club captain and part-time builder Collins said: “Our kit man spoke to their kit man, and he said he’d put every one of their shirts in a black bag.
“We’ve agreed that on Thursday at training we’ll each pull a shirt of the bag, and that’ll be the one we keep.”
Collins also revealed the Sutton dressing room has a couple of special visitors following the game at Gander Green Lane – including Gunners boss Arsene Wenger.
“Ray Parlour came into the changing room after the game and handed out some beers and gave us a little talk, so that was nice of him,” he added.
“Then a few of the Arsenal players came, signed a few shirts and said ‘well played’, and Arsene Wenger himself also came in. He told us it was a great game, we should keep our heads high, we did really well and all the best for the future.
“It was a good touch from a few players and the manager, and we thank them for that.”
POST SENT
Very nice FGG
It’s great to know that wherever Arsenal go, we leave some fresh air rather than some nasty pong in this day and age of stink
aaaahh fattie, you soft touch!
They know they fecked up and need to rebuild reputation and have some good publicity.
I’d still much rather they perform better in Germany last week
But Eddie, that requires being all competitive and oik’ish 🙂
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