Up North Again.

Our away form is a worry and a trip to Burnley, which a couple of seasons ago would have been one filled with optimism, is now a concern.

Chapeau off to Burnley who have done remarkably; a team with little money, small crowds and limited resources, are not only keeping a place in the PL but currently in the in 7th, level on points with the Mighty Arsenal. It shows what hardwork, playying as a team and good tactics can do. Sean Dyche will undoubtedly go onto bigger clubs as he has ta touch of the George Graham about him – an ability to create a united club.

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As to Arsenal, how do we break this away hoodoo? The same way that Burnley do it – hard work, cohesive tactics and the odd piece of exceptional creativity. Just how we played last weekend.

We know what to expect, at least 65% AFC possession and Burnley looking for goals from the counter and set plays. We are used to games following this pattern.

Almost everyone is fit so there will be selection headaches for Mr Wenger but I expect the same team as entertained us so royally against the Miscreants.

My Team:

Cech

Mustafi    Koscielny    Monreal

Bellerin    Ramsey    Xhaka    Kolasinac

Ozil

Lacazette    Sanchez

This is our best starting 11 and with Welbeck, Giroud etc on the bench we have a damned good first team.

Weather today will be rubbish, cold and wet. Referee will need to be alert and consistent. Much has been written about how lucky we were with the decisions vs Spurs. Poppycock.  We won because we were the better team. More of the same today please.

COYRRG

 

100 Responses to Up North Again.

  1. chas's avatar chas says:

    Great stuff, BR.

    Must win game today.
    We could be 4th 6th or 7th tonight.
    Time to perform well away from home.
    Hopefully the NLD has galvanised team spirit and belief.
    Time to show some mental strength.
    COYRRG

  2. chas's avatar chas says:

  3. chas's avatar chas says:

  4. chas's avatar chas says:

    Strange to see little highlight clips for this game.

  5. LB's avatar LB says:

    Thanks BR and for the great mood starters from Chas.

    Mood starters, is that a thing?

    Off to cycle round Regents Park with a few friends in the never ending struggle to keep the fat at bay.

  6. mickydidit89's avatar mickydidit89 says:

    Where am I?

  7. mickydidit89's avatar mickydidit89 says:

    Oh yes, morning all.

    Before I get on to the BR PM, a small round of applause for yesterday’s results. Very nice for us.

    Merci Erik

    What kind of football do Burnley play? Slick and sexy, or hoofy and northern?
    Mind you we will, and should, play the same XI either way 🙂

  8. LB's avatar LB says:

    Is today’s game on telly?

  9. mickydidit89's avatar mickydidit89 says:

    Wow, apparently not

    It is listed on liveonlinefootie, but even there it’s a bit weird as it’s listed on Ch1 which is the Sky sports talkie channel

  10. It’s on my telly, micky and LB.
    TrueVisions, courtesy of BeIn Sports – LIVE !

    I’ll never understand how I get every PL game LIVE when England doesn’t. Every Champions League game LIVE. Every Europa League game LIVE.

    Gobsmackingly unbelievable.

  11. Big Raddy
    When you state “my team” and name 11 players, is that the team YOU want to be selected, or…
    …is that the team that you think Arsene will pick?

  12. fred1266's avatar fred1266 says:

    Those who not attending where are we watching the game

  13. LB's avatar LB says:

    Poking my nose in here.

    Surely this is one of those rare occasions when that totally over rated bloke who has been choosing the starting line up for 21 years is in agreement with the supporters view of things?

  14. LB's avatar LB says:

    I am battling with my inner soul not to go to the 12 Pins in Finsbury Park and chance watching a stream, which could be awful, on line.

  15. fred1266's avatar fred1266 says:

    Finnary Park LB

  16. fred1266's avatar fred1266 says:

    What time the game starting not accustomed to UK time yet

  17. Stewart's avatar Stewart says:

    Yes Chas, a must win game today… come 4 o’clock we could be 4th…. Burnley that is…

    As long as after the game we aren’t talking about Off-sides and Hand-ball goals like last season…

    Arsenal should win this on paper but… dismiss us at your peril, ask Liverpool, Tottenham CHELSEA (ha ha ha now that was one to savour)
    May the best team win (as long as its Burnley 😉)

    Come on you Clarets

  18. chas's avatar chas says:

    Mesut out with illness (apparently)

  19. Rasp's avatar Rasp says:

    Thanks Raddy … spot on as always.

    We don’t need Stewart (above) to tell us what a tricky feature this could be ….. but on the other hand he’s a cocky git who needs taking down a peg or two 🙂

    Let’s hope we can play football and they don’t decide to be orks ….

  20. Rasp's avatar Rasp says:

    …. Why no Ozil ???

  21. Rasp's avatar Rasp says:

    Oh … I see, he’s ill …. a blow, he’s been exceptional recently …

  22. mickydidit89's avatar mickydidit89 says:

    Chas

    1:01 AND with the graphic. That’s seriously impressive work

    Ok, here come my excuses. Didn’t get home until 3am. Big toe hurts, and worst of all, my facial skin is dehydrated and dry as crisp. Terrible state of affairs.

    No Mesut. I demand an explanation.

    Ok, what’s the telly sitch?

  23. mickydidit89's avatar mickydidit89 says:

    YES, YES, BTsport Europe it’s called

  24. chas mobile's avatar chas mobile says:

    Micky
    Arsenal team news comes out on twitter almost bang on 1 hour before kick off. Link to image takes 1 second to copy, 1 second to paste. Hardly impressive apart from for those still using telephonic devices.

  25. mickydidit89's avatar mickydidit89 says:

    Stewart

    Can we have a two goal head start, as that suits our style of play the best?
    Cheers 🙂

  26. mickydidit89's avatar mickydidit89 says:

    Chas

    I usually fax my line up over via dial-up from a shed in the woods

  27. LB's avatar LB says:

    Mesut spotted in Las Ramblas

    Mesut’s girl friend visiting schools in Barcelona

    Mesut says free the Jordi’s

    I am not trying to start rumours ok, this is all true.

  28. LB's avatar LB says:

    It’s still impressive to me

    I wouldn’t have a clue how to get the team from Twitter.

    As for “link to image”

    Mejor que hablemos en español porque no tengo ningun idea lo que has escrito.

  29. mickydidit89's avatar mickydidit89 says:

    LB

    Any quality rumour has a grainy, hard to really identify, pic of two people in the back of a dark restaurant 🙂

  30. mickydidit89's avatar mickydidit89 says:

    Ok, come on you Gunnners

    And come on Iwobi

  31. mickydidit89's avatar mickydidit89 says:

    amazing ball from Laca

  32. mickydidit89's avatar mickydidit89 says:

    beginning to turn the screw
    I think

  33. Erik the Red's avatar Big Raddy says:

    Finally on the sofa.

    What have I missed?

  34. Erik the Red's avatar Big Raddy says:

    Arsenal, Zero shots on goal in 45 minutes

    Get a Grip. Do better, much better.

  35. mickydidit89's avatar mickydidit89 says:

    lunch for one

  36. Red Arnie's avatar Red Arnie says:

    Thank you, Raddy. 🙂

    Very tough game, but just one of those games that we look forward to. Expecting a hard earned 3 points and 3 places move up teh table..

    COYG,

  37. chas's avatar chas says:

    Found a stream but it was so bad, I gave up.

    Have Burnley really only committed 2 fouls to our 9, yet they have 2 bookings?

  38. Red Arnie's avatar Red Arnie says:

    Excited to find Iwobi in there.

    Struggled to find a decent stream, seem to have found one just now. 🙂

    Onwards and upwards. COYG.

  39. Red Arnie's avatar Red Arnie says:

    Chas, I am doing one of the additional ones on cricfree. Foreign commentary but decent stream

  40. mickydidit89's avatar mickydidit89 says:

    goals
    come on

  41. Erik the Red's avatar Big Raddy says:

    Lunch is for wimps

  42. mickydidit89's avatar mickydidit89 says:

    Oh God, Erik, you haven’t gone all red braces and Wall Street on us have you

  43. mickydidit89's avatar mickydidit89 says:

    Our off the ball movement in attack is really poor
    May as well stick Ollie on soon and just hoof it

  44. mickydidit89's avatar mickydidit89 says:

    come on lads
    bender to top corner

  45. Erik the Red's avatar Big Raddy says:

    JW is coming on for Iwobi.

    Need an attacking change as well, perhaps some height.

  46. Erik the Red's avatar Big Raddy says:

    Clear penalty on Bellerin.

    Another rubbish decision against us.

  47. mickydidit89's avatar mickydidit89 says:

    Because their fans are so booey and moaney, I’d love a last minute highly controversial Arsenal winner 🙂

  48. mickydidit89's avatar mickydidit89 says:

    he he he
    Pleeeeeease score pleeeeeease

  49. mickydidit89's avatar mickydidit89 says:

    yesssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss

  50. mickydidit89's avatar mickydidit89 says:

    hahahahahahaha

  51. Red Arnie's avatar Red Arnie says:

    ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha 🙂

  52. mickydidit89's avatar mickydidit89 says:

    i’d like my 3:44 to go down as the most prophetic comment of all time

    he he he 🙂

  53. Erik the Red's avatar Big Raddy says:

    Mmmm. Stupid from the Burnley player but who cares.

    Lovely penalty from Sanchez

  54. Red Arnie's avatar Red Arnie says:

    ok, good defensive display from Burnley, but we have the last laugh.

    cannot complain. 🙂

  55. Erik the Red's avatar Big Raddy says:

    Justice was done as we should have had a penalty earlier in the game.

    3 points and we are up into 4th (I think)

  56. Erik the Red's avatar Big Raddy says:

    Micky is the Oracle

  57. chas's avatar chas says:

    Micky, I love you.

  58. Rasp's avatar Rasp says:

    Never in any doubt 🙂 …. apparently we’ve scored in extra time in the last 3 games at Burnley … last year it was kozzers elbow ….

  59. chas's avatar chas says:

    Stewart from Burnley

    No, we’re not talking about handballs and offsides this time around but about defenders so thick they think they can shove someone in the back in the area and not get penalised.

    Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

  60. mickydidit89's avatar mickydidit89 says:

    Although putting up with 90 mins of zero goals, on top of having dry skin are desperate times, last gasp winners are bloody superb

  61. chas's avatar chas says:

    A clearer penalty you never will see. 😆

  62. mickydidit89's avatar mickydidit89 says:

    power shift
    ROLF

  63. chas's avatar chas says:

    90 minutes with dry skin sounds too much to bear.

  64. mickydidit89's avatar mickydidit89 says:

    🙂

  65. Erik the Red's avatar Big Raddy says:

    Just where is this dry skin?

  66. mickydidit89's avatar mickydidit89 says:

    sorry erik, ive gone for a kip

  67. Red Arnie's avatar Red Arnie says:

    Power shift and dry skin. Thoughts of the day. 😀

    Come on Huddersfield

  68. Rasp's avatar Rasp says:

    … in Cornwall?

  69. chas's avatar chas says:

  70. chas's avatar chas says:

    You can almost hear Lee Mason thinking,

    ‘Shit, what have I done? Mike Riley will be retrieving the special referee punishment paddle from its secret hiding place’

  71. Erik the Red's avatar Big Raddy says:

    LB. Tomorrow’s post. OK?

  72. Erik the Red's avatar Big Raddy says:

    Raheem Sterling is a cheat and could overtake Teddy Sheringham as my most despised player.

    2 dives in 2 weeks = 2 penalties.

  73. Eddie's avatar Eddie says:

    how the feck could Didit predict it? Sheer brilliance 🙂
    It was a decent game as it happens and I sort of felt for Sean Dyche, his team could have easily win by 1 or 2 goals. Not a bad little outfit that Burnely

  74. Ant's avatar Ant says:

    Even if it is in Scotland

  75. LB's avatar LB says:

    Southern Iceland

  76. Aaron's avatar Aaron says:

    Arsenal with the win!
    Burnley never really troubled the D, except for Cech’s tipped shot off the post.
    Clean sheet.
    Now, on the other hand, they played very deep and tried to hit on the counter, to be expected. But, every time Arsenal broke, they grabbed, shirt pulled, hacked down and played negative football.
    They were playing for a draw all day long. However, to be considered in the upper echelons of futbol, one has to play attacking futbol or just slide back to mid-pack mediocrity.
    They got what they deserved, and Bellerin should have had a penalty earlier in the game.
    Tale of two halves, and Arsene changed it up for the second, and look at final stats: possession, shots, xG, and one gets a clearer picture.
    Poor spuds falling back to the mean.
    Go Gunners!

  77. chas's avatar chas says:

    Jack’s looking ripped

  78. chas's avatar chas says:

    The twitter hashtag #twitterclarets is really funny if you like to see some Northern piss-boiling. 🙂

    https://twitter.com/search?q=%23twitterclarets

  79. mickydidit89's avatar mickydidit89 says:

    Mornin’

    Two home games in next five days. Huddersfield and Utd.

    Time to step on the gas.

  80. Eddie's avatar Eddie says:

    ha ha ha Ant, I have actually checked Burnley yesterday. It is near Liverpool, not Scotland, you tool

    Didit – you is the new Crystal Ball 🙂 Unbelievable prediction, I am very impressed

    Huddersfield v City ended in 1:2, they are hardly a walk in the park. Where is bloody Huddersfield?? In London?

  81. Eddie's avatar Eddie says:

    oh ffs, near Leeds, not London. Are there any southern teams in the EPL except for us and Spurs?

  82. Eddie's avatar Eddie says:

    micky – you are going to like this. One idiot on the internet dating site wrote to me saying he is looking for some excitement in his life. I suggested he tries selling drugs. He reported me to the admin and I received a stern warning :):)

  83. Erik the Red's avatar Big Raddy says:

    Morning All,

    Watched the Huddersfield game yesterday, they are a good team and we can expect much the same as Burnley.

    Loving a last minute penalty, though for a nano-second I thought the keeper had saved it.

  84. Erik the Red's avatar Big Raddy says:

    Eddie. You are in fine form this morning 😀

  85. Eddie's avatar Eddie says:

    Not really Raddy. The tiler has just arrived. He couldn’t work weekend because his van broke down. He couldn’t get materials today because of an accident on A10. He has done nothing yet, but already made several phone calls, had 2 cups of tea and turned his radio on. Oh, and plugged in his electric tools in to charge – he doesn’t use them here, just helps himself to my electricity.

    And I can’t say a word, because I need him to finish the job. It is fooking killing me.

  86. Erik the Red's avatar Big Raddy says:

    Look on the positives, I bet you were delighted when he turned up – usually you wait in all day and hear nothing.

  87. LB's avatar LB says:

    You should get a Pole, they are much more reliable Eddie.

  88. mickydidit89's avatar mickydidit89 says:

    Is the tiler single?

    Could kill two birds here Eddie

  89. Erik the Red's avatar Big Raddy says:

    There is a New Post

  90. Red Arnie's avatar Red Arnie says:

    motning all. 🙂

    oy, dont you dare badmouth sconny botland or the NORTH. 🙂

    “god far t’ ale” 🙂

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