- Lacazette is worth the money.
- We can win without Sanchez.
- Mr Wenger’s experiment of playing Bellerin on the left is over.
- Kolasinac needs PL experience but looks a fine addition.
- Welbeck can finish!
- Mustafi central with pacy CB’s outside him works against teams who have no attack
- Our midfield excel against teams lacking confidence and ability
- We are better without The Ox (but good luck to the chap).
- In Xhaka and Ozil we have two wonderful creative players who will propel Lacazette towards 25 goals this season
- Arsene will struggle to find game time for Walcott
And from elsewhere:
- MU are flat-track bullies and will struggle against better, more organised sides.
- Chelsea remain a quality team
- De Bruyne is a marvellous player and should be sold to Real Madrid – immediately.
- The same can be said for Harry Kane
- Liverpool played exceptionally well when beating us and were rubbish on Saturday
- West Ham are doomed.
- And this hurts to write …. Spurs are serious title contenders.
I also learned that it is not a good idea to go walking in torrential rain
written by Big Raddy
Arsenal News 24/7
arsenalarsenal.net 
Thanks Raddy, all good points.
I could add:
11. Overall balance is more important than getting your best 11 players on the pitch
12. Sanchez may be an impact sub if he’s going in January?
13. Very sad about Coq’s hamstring … ElNeny is an adequate replacement
14. It looks like Bournemouth will struggle to stay up
15. Ramsey has got some fancy tricks
16. We need a song for Lacaz
17. The idiots that booed Sanchez and Defoe should be ashamed
18. Moaninho will go into meltdown this season when things stop going his way (I hope)
On another note……..
Did anyone else clock the cones? There were cones laid out by the tunnel as the players came out for the second half. They had to do the ‘fast stepping thing’ through the cones before kick off … maybe an attempt to wake them from the half time malaise that we often display?
….also, I’m looking forward to the Cologne game on Thursday and hope to see Jack and Nelson start …..
Erik
This new format is a complete triumph. Love it. Well played.
Yip, agree with all you say, and sadly, agree with what Rasp says about Coq. I think this is a big loss so early in the season as while I really like Xhaka, Coq is our only dedicated DM.
Biggest talking point for me is the Sanchez conundrum, and I am not sure what I think is the right way ahead. Seems wrong to drop either Danny or Laca, a they both performed so well and are part of the future.
Now, what’s all this cone business. I was a minute late back into my pew for the second half so missed the spectacle.
Hi Micky, I was sitting next to LBG and we originally thought the cones had been put down for the Bournemouth players, but they came on early and did not use them … the cones were laid out leading into our half of the pitch and sure enough our players used them as they came on. I am encouraged by anything that shows we are trying something different in areas where there is room for improvement, and our vulnerability at the start of the second half has been a feature 🙂
I could have sworn that the cones were laid out in Bournemouth’s direction. I didn’t see our players use them so I must be wrong.
Like the format, great stuff and particularly 6&7 of the first part made me smile
I met up with Harry before the game. He’d been getting it large from a pool supporting mate after the 4:0 defeat. He stood his ground and laid 2 very astute bets I thought …. 1. The Ox starts fewer games for pool this season than he did for us last …. and 2. That we are above pool in the table at Xmas
I’d drop Özil for Sanchez against Chelsea. It won’t happen, but it’s what I’d do.
De Boer been sacked. Crazy after 4 games. They should’ve beaten Burnley yesterday and were the better team and had really good opportunities to score. Plus the goal they conceded was a shocking defensive error. Not a lot a manager can do when open goals and one on ones are being missed and your attacking midfielder gifts the opposition a goal.
I will never like welbeck but after seeing what he did Saturday it’s hard for leave him out so why not go back to a 4231 and allow him to play on Friday right
Fred
I think you’re being a bit harsh on Danny
You may as well change the formation from 4231 to 1, because on Friday night, Danny will be playing all by himself 🙂
Thanks Raddy. Not much to disagree with in your assessment points (and Rasp’s also) except I would change point 5 in the 2nd list to we allowed and encouraged Liverpool to play exceptionally well against us, and made them look better than they actually are. Not saying they are a bad outfit but when comparing our best 1st 11 and squad depth to theirs I think we are better in both departments. That game and horrific result was 80% down to us and 20% them.
Fred, what return to the 4-2-3-1 that we were pants in last year that saw us (in the 2nd half of the season) lose 3-1 to each of Pool, Chelsea, and the mighty WBA. 2-1 to Watford at home. 5-1 to Bayern Munich twice, and have to come back from 3-0 down against Bournemouth………..compared to (after switching to a back 3) 9 wins out of the final 10 games of the season including wins over Man City, Man Utd and Chelsea in the cup final, plus a 4-1 win away at Stoke all while scoring 20 goals and conceding 7 in those final 10 games.
I am not getting this wish to switcheroo it back to a back 4 again.
sorry Fred, even forgot the 3-0 loss to the mighty Crystal Palace before the switch to the back 3.
So is there any way we can get Sanchez welbeck and laca in the same team using or current formation
GB. The L’pool game was an all-round carcrash. Terrible team selection, confused players and tactics and a rampant Liverpool.
However, had Welbeck scored the relatively easy chance prior to L’pool ‘s first goal we could have won the game.
So perhaps Fred makes a valid point.
Cheers, BR.
All good points.
I’m not sure about the happy hammers being doomed at this early stage in the season. 🙂
chas. Not as good as this morning’s fish.
Cech
Koscielny Mustafi Monreal
Ramsey Xhaka Kolasinac
Welbeck Özil Sanchez
Lacazette
The only way I see us playing Welbs/Laca/Sanchez without going to 4 at the back.
OK well screw welbeck or Sanchez no way bellerin should ever get rested
If you all didn’t know bellerin is my favorite player
we need to get prepared for no Sanchez so iwouldnt change a winning team.
So you all think we selling him I January or will he stay the season
Thanks BR, good post. Succulent short statements are excellent
I think it’s more important to learn from mistakes and to never repeat them but you are right, the game was very telling
The goals from Welbeck and lacazette were terrific. If we were to take just one positive from the game and carry it forward it had to get the goals galore. What a difference a proper striker makes to a game!! Awesome
See Chas, that’s why a Hard Brexit is such a good idea. The Continentals could put a wall up and ban the English 🙂
Such a Dotty pose
And finally…..good morning
Fir enough Fred, we all have our favourite players
Re your question about Sanchez, I reckon we’ll take about 20M for him in Jan, although it may be announced as an undisclosed figure 🙂
Hope your island wasn’t too badly effected by storms
I was thinking about dotty the other day, no idea why. Is she the most important member of the family?
Never mind Brexit, a Polexit is brewing in my crazy country. A politician from the leading party of trump-like morons declared that the French won’t tell us what to do ! We tough them how to use forks! Sheer embarrassment 😦
Morning All,
Fred. As Micky says, I hope you and your family are not too badly affected.
chas. Oh Wise One. It was too early to write off WHU 😀
I think we will see both Walcott and OG start on Thursday. Alongside Ospina, Elneny and BFG
Erik
You promised us you were going overseas 🙂
When do you weigh anchor
Ts ts ts Raddy
I hope you is wrong
Europa win is our best chance of playing in CL next season, top priority imo
Erik
I think the most important thing for Thursday is that the system/formation mirrors the seniors, so that any promotion can be as seamless as possible
I’m already worried about starting Elneny, as we’re already looking thin at DM, not that I see Elneny as a DM
Who is our next-in-line dedicated DM now Coq is crocked. The Conservative?
Micky. Tomorrow evening. A few days walking in the mountains.
Eddie. A forward line of Sanchez/Iwobi, OG and Theo is very strong. We have a good squad and I would trust any team put out by AW to beat Koln (assuming the players are in their chosen positions)
Are they day walks, or refuge overnighting
IwobI Theo and OG is not very strong 🙂
Overnighters though Auberges not refuges. At my age a bit of luxury is an essential after a hard days exercise
Eddie. We disagree. Theo scored 19 goals in 37 appearances last season. OG is France’s first choice CF ahead of Lacazette and I obi is the future when Ozil leaves
Sorry Eddie, but on this occasion, you have to bow to Erik’s superior intel.
No micky thank God those hurricane didn’t pass no where near us , and praying it stays that way
I really hope it is a starting line up of Sanchez, Giroud, Walcott with even Iwobi behind in the Ozil/Ramsey role.
I expect Ozil to start though, as with Mertasacker, a bit of an experienced German presence should unnerve the opposition to a degree.
The biggest problem I can see for Wenger is who he starts on the left between Sanchez and Welbeck on Sunday.
Personally I hope he starts Welbeck against the chavs in the hope that he builds on last week’s performance, which should continue to improve his confidence.
So for Thursday — ohh the shame
———–Ospina
Holding, Mertz, Kolasinac
———–Elneny
——Ramsey,Xhaka,
————-Ozil
Walcott, Giroud, Sanchez
I suppose he could add Mustafi to the back line and take Ramsey out. This team selection is going to be very interesting
Team selection interesting or boring, do you think it is an important competition? Or will wenger diss it?
All will be revealed by his team selection, and that is what gives it an extra bit of spice.
Correct
but do you dear LB think we should prioritise it or not?
Prioritise it over what? The League? No.
I suspect that he will play it the same way as he does the FA Cup; he starts off with a make shift team and if we get the breaks and make progress he will steadily increase the quality of the team that he fields.
Ey?? Do you actually believe we can win the league this season??
Enough of Thursday footy talk.
I’m reading a book about wisdom of psychopaths. I’m definitely not a psycho – they are cool and collected, but also charming and focused. I’m none of these. So why do I get an urge to murder half the population, at least half of any given walk of life?
That’s easy Eddie, self loathing. When one secretly and subconsciously despises ones self they project there loathing on others.
I wouldn’t worry about it Eddie, I myself enjoy a good murder and would even welcome my own homocide, then I could watch Columbo catch my bow tied killer. it’s perfectly normal. Deep down we all realise we’re not worthy of the skills of Brady.
Thanks for the post Raddy. I was really nervous on Saturday. My thoughts were that a defeat followed by the Chelsea trip could lead to an undignified end to our greatest post war manager. As I took my seat Saturday sitting next to me was an elderly gentleman of around 80. He greeted me with hello and I responded with “I’m living in fear”, he never spoke to me after that.
Just glad we got it out of the way so can now go and win the league in peace
I don’t do self loathing. I quite like myself actually 😊
I would be nervous if I sat next to you terry
Win the league, of course I still think we can win the league. Glass always half full here.
Have to say Chas, but seeing a cat in a box, my hopes were higher
Morning
Having said I was never going to watch The Eurodisney Cup and do pilates instead, I am getting quite excited. Make that very.
Damn I hope we see Iwobi in the Mesut role and Lord Nelson as well
Ooops, it’s tomorrow!
As you were
Micky ☺go plates today, Spursday tomorrow
Are you a psychopath?
Oh oh Celtic lost in CL. I hope some English clubs suffer a similar fate
Feck, chavs and manu did rather well
Morning All,
Highly entertaining conversation between the insomniacs last night.
Morning all. Just rushing out and not about for a bit but how about a post that asks the question what people feel we should do with Sanchez and Ozil. Options could include:
1 Play them as 1st 11 choices all season and let them leave on a free at seasons end.
2 Show them the contract now and say sign or you go to the reserves and we invest the playing time in our future players rather than you.
3 Play them till January then look for the best deals we can get. If so should we look for player swap deals (but with which clubs?) or straight cash (but with which clubs?).
Not sure this helps much but I’ll copy paste send GB’s questions
SENT
Morning all ….
…. New ‘mini’ post ……