Arsenal – arrivals and exits, final hours.

August 31, 2017

Here is where we are in a nutshell ………

Ox is off to Liverpool

Gibbs has gone to West Brom

Mustafi is still here ……. Milan have given up wanting him

Today will be about whether Dick Law’s team actually know what they’re doing and can earn their wages.

Rumour has it, talks are ongoing to get Sanchez to Man City but we won’t allow the deal to happen unless we bring someone in. Sounds fair to me, only that could have happened a month ago …………. thanks Alexis.

My hope is for Draxler, he and Ozil know how to play together but Mahrez is on the horizon too.

Lots of talk of ‘no money’ out there ……. again no money!!!! To say this window is a mess is so far from an understatement it’s now comical.

But gooner friends, it does give us a large dollop of excitement for the final hours. Will our inept backstage team get a player over the line so that our Chilean can move on ………. 15 hours to go, buckle up we’re almost there.

 Written by peachesgooner

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Posted by peachesgÖÖner

THE LATE DASH FOR THE ARSENAL EXIT DOOR

August 30, 2017

A little over 36 hours to the close of the window, and wow, it’s all happening at Arsenal.

Incredible really. Last season closed with ripples of optimism. The fabulous Cup win and the sexy new system. Add the three players down spine we needed, keep our best players, sell the obvious to clear the decks and free up wages and at least we’d have improved the on-field side of things 😊

The window began well. Now at August 30. What a bloody shambles. Sanchez, and Ox want out. We’re two CB’s down with Gabs away and Mustafi half way through the exit door

Let’s be realistic, it will be impossible to replace/upgrade all of those before tomorrow night, so we are in big time damage limitation. This means that any well thought out club transfer strategy is out of the window. This is by far and away the least professionally managed period I can remember in Arsenal history.

I won’t touch on names of possible recruits or exiters, but like many, I do wonder how this mess all came about so bloody late in the day. Something triggered the late dash for the exit as otherwise, for their own sakes, why didn’t these guys get their own careers sorted out earlier?

Written by mickydid89

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Posted by peachesgÖÖner

Obviously the best is still to come from Arsenal………

August 28, 2017

it has to be – as it cannot possibly get any worse than it was today.

I want to put this in perspective; now I’ve watched as a spectator or a viewer more games than anybody I know – over 2,500 and our performance (or lack of) against Liverpool ranks as the very worst that I have ever witnessed.

I’m neither a strategist nor a tactician I am just a simple supporter who supports the team of my choice and upbringing. As a kid I stood at the clock end in my short trousers in the rain and snow and froze my rear end off just to watch my team. I’ve seen games where we lost badly and I’ve experienced season after season where we started off and ended as no hopers but I was never deterred as in my heart of hearts I knew things would get better – and eventually they did. However I’d never seen an Arsenal team play without heart or desire – until today. I feel very sad and let down but I refuse to give up on my team and I will continue, as I have countless times before, to support my team with all my heart and soul.

I will not sink to the level of criticising our strategy, tactics, manager, players or staff as I have no knowledge or special skills in any of those disciplines. I am however an expert supporter and I was an expert business manager – so here are my views based on the things I am/was good at…..

courtesy of the Mirror

If an employee gave me notice that they were leaving then I would immediately realize that they no longer had the good of the company/club at heart then I would have them walked out of the door/sold so they could cause no further damage or disruption to the business/club.

If an employee who was trained/hired/bought to work in a certain discipline was found to be underperforming than he/she would receive coaching if this failed to achieve the right results then an alternative position would be considered – if in a new position they continued to under perform then due notice of termination/sale would be given.

If the overall business model was not giving the desired results then all areas of the business would be reviewed, including staffing, business strategy, competitors, employee compensation, techniques and decisions would be made that would create the results needed – maintaining status quo was never a consideration.

My hope is that during this convenient international break Arsenal conduct an overall business review that will bring about the changes that have become obvious to many of us supporters. In this supporter’s opinion, status quo is unacceptable and effective change, including player/staff departures, must take place before we play Bournemouth.

A loyal but deeply disappointed

Written by Gunner N5

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Posted by Bongo Hedge

Liverpool Preview

August 27, 2017

Yet again we go to Anfield as the underdogs , a strange circumstance as for so many years they were also rans. FairPlay to the LFC BoD for investing hundreds of millions into the playing staff and then signing such an in demand manager.

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It has to be said that most of the hundreds of millions have been wasted but if I were a Scouse, I wouldn’t give a monkeys as Liverpool have also signed a few gems; Mane, Coutinho, Firmino, Can, Lallana and Wijnaldum are all fine players. Sturridge, despite being a bit of a girl, is hugely talented and Salah is quality. They specialise in counter-attack and our defence will be tested.

Defensively they can be shaky but Klopp adheres to the Micky philosophy of football –  score more than the opposition.

Arsenal will be seething after losing a very winnable game last weekend; a stupid defensive error and a lack of composure in front of goal lost us 3 valuable points. Especially as the following two games are away to two Top 4 clubs.

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However, we have some fine men returning to the first team – Koscielny  and Sanchez are probably our two best players. We have missed them

The Mustafi business is odd and if he is really going to Italy then it would be a surprise to see him play today. I hope he stays but if we are to sign a better defender then Bye Bye Shkodran.

Team selection is not easy to predict, will AW stay with the Back 3 or play a little more safe and include more defensive wing-backs. I think he will

My Team;

Cech

Mustafi    Koscielny    Monreal

Bellerin    Xhaka     Ramsey    Kolisinac

Ozil

Lacazette     Sanchez

This is a tasty team. No Ox, no Theo, no Iwobi or OG, nor a Welbz, but when playing away from home against a team that knocked 7 passed us (in 2 games) it is balanced. We have a superb bench

Of course there is the YNWA factor but if we can keep them at bay for an hour Anfield can become as much a Library as the Emirates.

I have to be honest and say I would be delighted with a point,

COYRRG

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Posted by Erik the Red

Next up we travel to Anfield to play Liverpool

August 24, 2017

I always get a thrill when I hear the traditional names of the stadiums, well that’s not entirely true as I get a totally different feeling when I here White Hart Lane or Old Trafford but generally the names strike a very pleasing chord with me. As commercialism has taken over the names of yore are fast disappearing. Recently Mike Ashley was forced to change the name of the Newcastle ground back to St. James Park after the Geordie fans echoed their horror at their ground being called after his Sports Direct business.

Anyway I’ve always been a fan of Liverpool and their style of football especially with my in-laws being Liverpudlians, on each family visit they always managed to get me a ticket and their fans were just incredible just being among them when they sang the “Liverpool Anthem” used to give me goose bumps.

I managed to see one game against Arsenal and even though I was in with the Liverpool crowd they treated me exceptionally well – that is they didn’t aim their rolled up newspapers at me when they took a leak.

Overall Liverpool has the edge over us – but as you can see below after playing 182 league games against each other there is a difference of a mere 4 games.

W D L GF GA
Total Home Games 40 31 20 140 80
Total Away Games 24 19 48 105 175
Total Games 64 50

68

 245 255

 

Now here is our complete league record (home first). –

Enjoy the game everybody and I hope the Arsenal strut their stuff and keep the Pool supporters in their seats.

Written by GunnerN5

 

 

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Posted by Bongo Hedge

Arsenal window Time Bomb

August 21, 2017

No idea how many days in August, so let’s pretend the window remains open for ten’ish days. That is not long at all, although I suspect a great deal more business will be done across Europe. I imagine Barca will be very active, and this will have the inevitable knock-on effect as to who goes where.

As we entered the summer, my only comment regarding The Arsenal summer activity concerned the importance of resigning Sanchez. One, he is our best player, and two, it would send out the right signals to both current players as well as transfer targets.

Here is/was my hit list:

  1. Sign up players entering final year of contracts. Essentials being Sanchez, Mesut and Ox.
  2. Sign Ian Wright….or similar
  3. Sign Patrick Vieira….or similar
  4. Sign Tony Adams….or similar

Additional to those players’ footballing abilities was that two of them were Leaders.

Ok, now the bad news. We’ve done just one of the above, in Lacazette. Yes, I’m very pleased with The Bosnian Beast, but that signing was cake icing.

So, here we are, ten’ish days remaining. I do not believe all the above will be done, so damage limitation could be the order of the day. I was staggered to learn about the sale of Gabriel, not because I believe he was an especially good defender, but because we’re thin, to put it mildly, in experienced CB’s.

Based on that sale, my money would be on a defender arriving as the most likely.

Sanchez leaving would be a complete disaster, and even having him stay on with a thicker weekly envelope fills me with awful memories of how Henry performed with 200k a week in his tight trousers.

What would you like from the last ten’ish days, because damn sure, not all your dreams will come true? I predict a disaster.

Written by mickydidit89

 

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Posted by peachesgÖÖner

Stoke, no longer The Orcs?

August 19, 2017

I admit it – they don’t play hoofball any more, they have players who can pass a ball and others who are highly skilled, but they are still Stoke and the stands at The Britannia are still packed with Neanderthals and Orcs.

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Even the obnoxious Sparky Hughes has mellowed, though not to the extent where one would want him to meet the family. There is a cockney saying …. “you can’t polish a Richard (the Third)”.

Stoke, on paper, look a decent team; the addition of Zouma, on loan from Chelsea, will tighten an already good defence. They have got rid of the appallingly violent Bardsley,  Whelan and Walters and replaced them with ball-players from abroad. Though they have signed Darren Fletcher who loves a tackle from behind.

Given the size of the Stoke team allied to our vulnerability to the high ball it will be no shock to see Stoke rely on set plays to score. This will be recurrent theme this season. For this reason I would start Giroud ahead of Welbeck (though the return of BFG and Mustafi is a major positive). Or we take the  preferred Micky route and just score more than Stoke.

Our Team:

Cech

   Mustafi     BFG     Monreal

Bellerin    Ramsey    Xhaka     Kolasinac

Ozil

Giroud    Lacazette

I expect AW to play Welbz but IMO it would be a mistake.

Where do we find a place for Ox? Does he replace Bellerin in home games? Or Monreal? No wonder the young chap is restless and concerned about his future at AFC.

Last weekend saw us win a very exciting and error-strewn game. More of the same could be fun but I would prefer a copy of last season’s game – a 4-1 victory to the Arsenal.

Let it be So …

COYRRG

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Posted by Erik the Red

Now we play Stoke City in the Potteries

August 17, 2017

This is my least favourite away game of the season; we play the ever repugnant Stoke City. My thoughts are always dominated by the FA Cup semi final games in 1971 and 1972, both semis went to replays and we won them both. The circumstances involved in those losses caused Stoke fans to have an everlasting dislike/hatred for the Arsenal.

The most infamous away game was seven seasons back on May 10th 2010 when Ryan Shawcross got a red card for breaking Aaron Ramsey’s leg. One of the headlines that sticks in my head was –

“Spare us the sanctimony about Ryan Shawcross being a nice lad”

Poor Arsene Wenger always suffers terribly at the torrents of abuse cascading down from their “fans” but he handles it all like a true gentleman.

Anyway  – our away record against them is as abysmal as they are – we have only won two away games in the Premier League era and to make matters even worse their manager is the equally obnoxious – Leslie Mark Hughes.

Historically we have only managed to get 33.3% of the points in our away games against them so based on the past we should not be too optimistic – but the past is the past and we are the ARSENAL.

 Here is our complete league record against Stoke City.

Written by GunnerN5

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Posted by Bongo Hedge

Is the FA Biased?

August 15, 2017

Now I’m not one who endorses conspiracy theories but when I look at the opening seven games in the Premier League it gives me leave to at least wonder.

In my belief it is important to have a high degree of balance and fairness in the schedule in order to give every team an equal opportunity of success. However the opening seven games favour one team far more than others.

Take a look at this ——–

Is it just a quirk of scheduling or do I perceive bias? Of course in the end result each team plays a home and away game against every other team but the schedule gives Man U a totally unfair advantage as they do not face any of the other top six teams. They have a distinct possibility of winning all seven games which will be a huge boost to their confidence level while the other five teams are in a dog fight playing against each other.

Am I being paranoid or do others have a similar opinion?

Written by GunnerN5

 

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Tally Ho. Leicester Preview.

August 11, 2017

Kicking off the PL on a Friday night, Thursday night football and a season full of Sunday p.m. games – could this be the recipe for a successful campaign?

Let’s hope so.

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I wrote yesterday that I believe we have the squad, the experience and the talent to win the title (I wasn’t joking) and believe if we can get through the very difficult opening fixtures with confidence intact, we will be top at Xmas.

And it starts tonight. Leicester were a pale shadow of the Champions last season, Mahrez was rubbish, Vardy the same, Kante walked, etc etc. They have managed to retain almost all of their highly talented squad but can they improve ? Well, they have spent 0ver 50 million of Her Majesty’s finest in the summer, bolstering the midfield and adding some Man City reject upfront.

Is it enough?

It depends upon expectations. LCFC will never win the title again, it is unlikely they will ever reach Top 4. Better than last season when Leicester so cruelly sacked The Tinkerman? Yes.

Enough of them …

We must be hyped about tonight. We have made two  (so far) excellent (so far) signings, maintained (so far) the squad, and have already won silverware. I am unhappy that we carry injuries into the start of the season with Wilshire, Ozil,  Ramsey, Mustafi, Sanchez, Coquelin, Cazorla, Gabriel and Mertesacker unlikely to start. Koscielny is suspended.This is very frustrating in a summer with no major International tournament.

My Team:

Cech

Holding   Monreal   Kolasinac

Bellerin    Elneny    Xhaka    Ox

Welbeck    Lacazette    Iwobi

Ozil may be fit enough to play as is Walcott. This is not a team Mr Wenger would choose if everyone was fit, perhaps only 4/5 would be first picks.

Are they good enough to beat Leicester? If they play as well as they did for most of the game at Wembley, then Yes.

Lacazette will be the media focus. I predict great things for the man.  He has all the attributes to succeed in a passing, fast-attacking team, but we have yet to see if he can become a target man.

Big game for Kolasinac. First impressions are very good but he will have to play alongside a very inexperienced CB partnership. Monreal will have to be at his best and most vocal.

Time for Welbz to score – he has been goal shy for some time and if he wishes to become an automatic starter Welbeck has to become an efficient finisher.

We need a good start to the season.

Let it be So

COYRRG

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Posted by Erik the Red

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