Another semi-final. In the last one we smashed Man City. Can we do the same to the Southern Oilers?
Team selection will be interesting as it will show how much of a priority Mr Wenger gives to the Carabao – very little is my guess. Though in a season which promises to end poorly, any silverware is important.
Man City put out a full squad against Bristol, they are clearly focussed upon winning the CC, which indicates that AW will give it the beans tonight.
I fear the away goals rule, it could cost us dear, especially given the flakiness of our defence. We conceded twice against the Chavs last time we met at THOF, do so tonight and we wave goodbye to Wembley (until we play away to THFC).
No Miki, he is cup-tied. No OG, Welbz and possibly Nacho. So almost a full squad.
If we are to win Ozil has to perform. He has been in good form of late and his set-up for Lacazette last weekend was superb. More of the same tonight, please.
Conte, who like most Italian managers is blessed with magnificent hair, will be prudent, adopting defensive tactics and relying on the counter-attacking excellence of Willian and Hazard. As always, our wing backs will need to be wary.
My Team:
Ospina
Chambers Mustafi Koscielny
Bellerin Wilshire Xhaka M_N
Ozil Iwobi
Lacazette
We have little attacking threat on the bench with Theo gone, and OG/Welbz injured. Could it be the night when Eddie cements his Carabao and AFC career, scoring late in the game to seal a victory?
I know I shouldn’t mention this but one of my worst football moments was late in a return leg CL game at Highbury against the Chavs, you know the one. That’s not going to happen tonight, is it?
We can win this.
COYRRG
Arsenal News 24/7
Nice one Raddinski 🙂
With no football for six days after this one, I expect Wenger to play a v strong team (pretty much the same as against the Eagles). There is pride, momentum, and new hope at stake. Arsenal have their left flank back again now that Sanchez is a Manc. Yippee! 🙂
I’d like to see the team you put up there. If one change, maybe Ramsey for Iwobi. Chelsea are missing a couple of players so hopefully we can make the most of it, although keeping Hazard quiet and not giving opportunities to cheat in the box will be key. We must start Özil as we may aswell go for this trophy now.
GOYG!
and Ref’s, no penalties 4fs
TA,
We might even see some of our midfielders express themselves again rather than moving forward 5 yards and having the ball taken off them by a short, angry Chilean!
I think we will eventually see some players flourish now he’s gone as even though he was fantastic, he took a lot away from our structure and from our midfield.
Morning FGG, “short, angry Chilean” 😀
I often felt it was 10 + 1 rather 11 Gunners on the pitch. Agreed he was fantastic as an individual, but did he ever make other players better? I know it is only one game, but we looked so much more like an Arsenal team on Saturday. We may even see Perez return now…
Thanks Raddy, I agree with Total (Hi, how are you 🙂 ), with a 6 day break we should be able to play a strong side tonight. We have become the chav’s bogey team of late. Ozil could be the difference between the sides, let’s hope he starts.
Hey Rasper, I am good thanks. Hope you too? I like that ‘we have become the Chav’s bogey team’. Let’s hope this will continue after tonight. 🙂
he doesn’t know if to comb or wipe it
cheers Raddy, nice PM, more than the Cup deserves it.
Wenger has never won it, so it is possible he will play the strongest XI. I wouldn’t .it would be nice to beat chavs, but not at all cost. We have some tough fixtures coming and we should concentrate on winning in Sweden.
But I am not the decision maker, so I will just make myself comfortagble to enjoy the game. Whatever.
My starting XI: 5-3-1-1
Ospina – Bellerin, Mustafi, BFG, Kos, Koli – Xhaka, El Neny, Wilshere – Ozil – Lacazette
– Willian, Hazard, Alonso and Azpi or Moses need to contained
– We need to block the wings so ultimately, we will need Xhaka and Wilshere to also cover part of the wings which is why we need 3CB + El Neny…
– As the game evolves, we can always bring in Iwobi or Ntiah
This is our best chance of silverware – let us beat Chelsea and then City so that we can show the world we can beat the big boys…
I would sign for a 1-0 but I think we may end up having to score at least 2 goals to get through this tie as Chelsea will certainly score 1…
COYG!
It’s a weave 😱
So Dortmund has fixed the price for Aubam at 70 Mln EUR
Let us pay it and get over it. If this materializes, we can sell Wellbeck ASAP to Galatasaray or Besiktas or Marseille or Monaco or Dortmund. It does not matter. I would keep Giroud over Wellbeck.
Our forward line would then include:
Aubam, Lacaz, Giroud, Ntiah
Our attacking mids/wingers would be
Ozil, Miky, Iwobi, Jeff
Basically – we need another winger who would actually be ok hugging the touchline like Fekir, Meertens or we can always move Koli up the field…
This season we got 35 for Ox, 20 for Theo and 12 for Coq = 67m.
So PEA would only cost a net €3m.
Cheap as chips
I hope this is that last time I see Iwobi in our starting lineup for a while
https://www.whoscored.com/Players/321389/Show/Tanguy-NDombele
https://www.whoscored.com/Players/80464/Show/Idrissa-Gueye
Fine pre-match, BR.
Apart from the completely unnecessary mention of that CL QF, of course.
W.Bridge mentioned it on Twitter recently and, for some reason, he received all kinds of nasty feedback, much of it about one of his former teammates, John George Terry. 🙂
Conte’s comments about the chavs not being in the same league financially as the two manc clubs are slightly galling after Abramovich changed the face of football with his billion pound loan to Fulham’s neighbours.
Any sort of win would do tonight. Defend well and we’re through. Haha.
just testing
From Football365.
Robin van Persie has credited Arsene Wenger with his “development as a player and as a person”.
Van Persie has neatly rounded off a storied career by returning to boyhood club Feyenoord on an 18-month deal.
The striker started out with the Eredivisie club before leaving in 2004 as a 20-year-old to join Arsenal.
He established himself as one of the world’s leading forwards in north London, scoring 132 goals in 278 games.
But he won just one FA Cup and a Community Shield in eight years, leading to his 2012 departure for Manchester United.
He won a Premier League title at Old Trafford, but Van Persie looks back on his time under Wenger more fondly than with any other manager.
“Arsene is just the best manager in the world,” he said.
“This is why I want him to be successful with Arsenal. He deserves it.
“I owe everything to Arsene Wenger. He has been crucial for me in my development as a player and as a person.
“I only have warm memories. I enjoyed every day, every minute I worked, trained and played for Arsene.’’
I enjoyed the PM Raddy, but was it really necessary to bring up a rotten memory – it brought back the horrible sinking feeling I experienced. 😦
Anybody rates Iwobi in this forum? I am not a fan…
Thanks Erik
I now think Conte would look better with the full Pep, although given that he runs around like an excited little school boy, perhaps the rug is mop look is more appropriate
Me either had liked him but he seems to be regressing
GN5 et al. Sorry. Mea Colpa. It will not happen again
funny that out of all the ‘top four’ managers, who happen to be similar age bald Pep looks the youngest. And sexiest.
fucking judas, he didn’t he know all that when he ditched the club who provided bed and night nurses for him for 8 years?
Fred. I htought Iwobi had a good game at the weekend. He is only 21 so one cannot expect him to be great evry game.
I have high hopes for the lad but with the arrival of Miki. Iwobi’s appearances may be few.
Jack Wilshere regressed until he was 63 years old, then wallop.
Alex Iwobi is 5. Give him another 6 months at least
Erik had the grown up answer 🙂
Thinking of Iwobi and the other young guns, I still have no idea of M-N’s best role.
I know we’re short of an invisible shield I think Chas called it, and he may be the solution, but he’s also great further forwards
Iwobi’s learning curve seemed to have faltered, he was unsurprisingly better on the weekend in his favored position on the left.
Raddy,
Seriously it was a terrible feeling which was only dulled by a few more glasses of my favourite malt liquor.
GN5. That is the best way forward, which reminds me that stock level in my bar is dangerously low.
It’s interesting when we now talk about our invisible shield with a certain amount of reverence as I can distinctly remember Gilberto getting all sorts of criticism for being lazy and involved.
It’s interesting how our feelings change after a few years, take George Bush for instance, he was vilified during and after his time as president but now Trump has come along Bush is now spoken of in glowing terms.
GN5. Perhaps in America/Canada but certainly not in Europe. Respected for his age and perhaps for his wisdom but Bush remains a much disliked President.
However, as we have said many times, AA is not a political forum so …
M-N or Kolasinac tonight?
Mrs R, is dragging me out, hope to return for the second half.
Thanks Raddy. I am with TA that we should play our strongest side tonight with no game for 6 days. It may be the smallest of the silverware on offer at the start of the season but when a Wembley final against City is on offer we should fight for it with all we have. Tonight is also against a top table rival so a win would be excellent for confidence moving forwards.
I like your team Raddy but would potentially be tempted to play the same team as started on Saturday. Two deeper lying midfielders to deal with Hazard et al may be sensible and may also allow Wilshere and Ozil more freedom to impose on the game rather than having to come back and help out Arsene’s favourite speedy back 4 protector of Xhaka.
Either that or play the quicker AMN who I think would have a better chance of dealing with the fleet footed Hazard….which kind of answers Micky’s question at 3.08.
Come to think of it I now realise in its entirety that next to no-one reads my ( slightly 🙂 ) longer comments. Originally I thought it was just Chas and Ant but now I realise it is all of you. AMN and the holding midfield role was one of the discussion points between myself and FGG with my ( slightly 🙂 ) longer comments the other day. So that puts Micky on the list as well.
I also suggested a system that incorporated Miki, Auba, Laca, Ozil and Jack all at the same time and then I read both Rasp and Raddy ask if anyone can suggest a system that could incorporate them all with Raddy suggesting that he couldn’t see how Miki could be incorporated. Don’t worry chaps, I don’t take it personally and am perfectly happy with the sound of my own typing 🙂
Maybe some day in the future I will find someone who reads, digests and appreciates epic levels of blogging 🙂
are you a man or a mouse raddy???
resist!!
Don’t worry GoonerB, I have been admiring you from afar for some time now and can tell you nailed it with your set up and I love spending half my day on one of your points.
GB. I read your comment but my dementia is worsening. And I still do not see how they play together.
GB, I would need the Enigma machine to decipher all of your posts 🙂
You asked for it Raddy 🙂 Tactical bolleux alert, look away now if you are of a certain disposition 🙂
4-1-3-2 :
Cech
bellerin, Kos, Mustaffi, Monreal
AMN
Ozil, Jack, Miki
Laca, Auba
We get 2 strikers and shouldn’t want for goals so the loss of Sanchez’ goals is not only covered but is actually improved upon. Lacaxette has shown that given a chance he is a clinical finisher and buries it but has looked a bit isolated this season with the CD’s tying him up as often he is the only advanced player for them to worry about. They cannot mark 2 strikers as easily so each supports the other and creates space for the other….cue a Mickytastic goalfest.
the two strikers will not be isolated either if you look at the characteristics of the floating 3 behind.
The 1 holding midfielder is a key to this and has to be quick and good at stealing the ball and screening in front of the back 4, and is not Xhaka. However this player will not be isolated on his own throughout the game if you again look at the characteristics of the floating 3 in front.
Jack tends to work more in a vertical line down the middle and his style of game means he is equally able to support the holding midfielder defensively and also receive possession from deep but can still get around and inside the opposition box to affect the game. I expect his heat map should be more vertical slightly more weighted to the centre.
ozil and Miki are more similar in that I expect their heat maps to be higher up the pitch and more horizontal across the pitch than Jack’s vertical with Miki’s weighted more to the left and Ozils to the right.
What you essentially get is a trio that can link up with high quality possession and attacking football going forwards with good support of the front 2 but with good support and quality in deeper midfield as well. It is both solid and fluid all at the same time. I expect this high quality floating 3 to form a formidable alliance and partnership in working as a unit and will frequently during the game support each other in forming our attacks but without exposing ourselves in defence.
We get a high quality bench that can include the likes of Rambo, Xhaka, Iwobi, Welbz and the FFP (if still with us) plus any keepers or defenders that AW wants on the bench and any of the more ready youngsters he wants to introduce.
Oh no…..Milykalongakommant has stolen my crown. bloody usurper.
Jens lehman Chas
GB
When you’re next around, I’d like to discuss a point you made in the last sentence of your essay
Cheers
Was just looking into ways we could get 2 strikers on the pitch aswell as play JW and AMN in the same side:
4-1-3-2 :
Cech
Bellerin, Koscielny, Mustafi, Monreal
AMN
Ozil, Jack, Miki
Laca, Auba
Any thoughts anyone?
Bloody loving these formations with Mesut, Miki, Jack, Laca, Auba and Messi all in the XI 🙂
Hell, why bother trying to shoehorn defenders and a keeper in. Go the whole hog and stop muckin’ about
Genius FGG. Wish I’d thought of it.
Off for half an hour Micky but which bit? Guessing it was the bit about defenders on the bench. Don’t worry I washed myself out with soap.
All joking aside GB,
If we played the way that City do with their full backs tucking into DM roles then that formation would work for us, but if we do that then it would be up to Özil and or Mkhitaryan to provide width, something City’s attacking players do very well. Sane and Sterling hug the touch lines at times and that allows space for the central creators. They also use their fullbacks in this HM way which allows all their attacking players to remain forward and press the ball. It also means when they lose the ball they get it back very quickly and maintain pressure.
At times you even see both full backs pushed into HM roles and then push high to maintain pressure. It makes it very difficult for teams to get out against them as they have 2 banks of 3 across your half of the pitch.
Wenger likes his FB’s to provide width though so unless our attacking midfielders worked tirelessly (like Peps Barca team) then we’d be very open to counters. Pep’s use of full backs is something we could learn from as they are vital to the way his team play and maintain pressure.
Ospina Nonreal and Elneny start
Ospin, Bell, Kos, Must, Mon, Elen, Xhaka, Jack, Mesut, Iwobi Laca
And on the comfy seats: Macey, Chambers, Kolasinac, Maitland-Niles, Ramsey, Nelson, Nketiah
Like the line up Micky. the same as Saturday except for Cech.
FGG, I also think some width could come from the 2 strikers, particularly Auba as I think he was used to linking up and dovetailing between wide and central positions with Miki at Dortmund.
It all depends on what types of strikers you have. I believe both Laca and Auba started out as wing forward types so have the instincts to be out wide at times. Not really something you can ever do with a striker like Giroud.
It is why I like that line up because i think all the players mentioned have the qualities to cover us in most areas and it may be that Arsene gets his fluid interchanging team after all. I think the one spanner in the works will be Arsene himself with his collection of samey midfielders and trying to get too many of them into the starting line up at the expense of players that give us better balance.
Anyway before we even start dreaming of it we need to get Auba and also ideally get Ozil and Jack signed up and fully committed to the cause.
Like the line ups. We should really dominate the middle of the pitch, but need to be careful out wide. They don’t have a target man for crosses though so that’s good. Looking forward to this game.
Us giving players chances has us exactly were we are today if we had gotten rid of the likes of theo etc we would have a solid team in my opinion
To be fare I always wanted theo etc to do good but it never works and I feel Iwobi is the same
So players never played good unless they are in there favourite postilion that just craziness
I thought Iwobi looked fantastic pre season, but he never brought it into the season itself. Usually young players have a tendency to be inconsistent so I’m not willing to judge him just yet. He obviously has talent and I’ve seen him play some very good games for us where he’s been very effective carrying the ball from our own half. His finishing needs a lot of work and sometimes he slows play down, but he could still develop into a quality player.
Shambolic start and dreadful closing down by our midfield. Xhaka and Elneny don’t seem to understand where they are playing in relation to each other. Shocking start
Oh dear it’s now twice as difficult!!!
Seems to be a 4-1-4-1 but I would much prefer Xhaka deeper next to Elneny to avoid exactly what happened with their goal. They got behind the lines and had far too much time which is suicidal with a high defensive line. Need to sort this quickly.
Pinball wizard
Away goals only AFTER extra time.
That was a precision header from Monreal if he meant to do that! 😂
In the chair. How are we doing?
Pretty shambolic, BR.
I can only listen to the game on Arsenal Player. They always make it sound exciting.
Oh good. Something to improve upon in the second half
Chavs play filthy targeting Mezut
Did you see Barkley rolling on the pitch like a pig in a pile of shit. Disgusting
Eddie
Can you write the match report?
I think I could enjoy that.
Two incorrect offsides given against us when in attacking positions is not good enough. Lacaz looking short on confidence
Lacaz looking massively short of support as well.
Where the hell is Iwobi playing. He seems to have spent most of his time at LFB
Conte watching Barkley doing his basking pig impression.
Awful half from us. Iwobi constantly giving the ball away but doing well defensively against Moses. We look a mess in midfield. Xhaka doesn’t seem to have a clue where he’s playing. He’s popped up on both wings at times and is making runs beyond the striker. Not really what we need from him. We have the numbers in midfield if our players stay in position and pass the ball, but the movement is poor and they are making silly runs. I’d prefer Wilshere and Xhaka deeper and allow Özil some space. Too often Özil is having to come deeper than Wilshere and Xhaka because they are taking his space.
Chas. That will not happen in my new set up, which i know you read and digested with great enthusiasm 😉 with aubemayeng up top with him.
Playing 4-1-4-1 Chas and it’s a mess so far. I guess Wenger was worried about their wing backs and so he’s playing Iwobi wider and asking him to come back and Bellerin to push on the right and change to wing backs when defending.
If we emerge from the dressing rooms all hot, sticky and raring to go, we could take this by the scruff of the neck
I thought we were playing a midfield isosceles triangle. 🙂
As you say, nobody has a clue where they are meant to be in midfield. Jack didn’t touch the ball in the first 15 minutes.
The chavs overloading the centre backs has stopped a little with Willian going off.
The cones out for the second half will be crucial.
Iwobi and Lacazette are not world class. Jack is. Hector and Nacho are too
Going to pay more attention to our line up this half. Come on boys turn it up a bit
GoonerB
I’d love to see 2 up front for us again.
Kennedy and Radford
Nicholas and Woodcock
Adebayor and Bendtner
Bollocks. No cones, Chas 🙂
Where are the yellow cards.? Our boys are getting a horrible kicking.
Bakayoko makes a foul on every challenge but because he’s a rangey piece of shit he gets away with it.
These offsides are a bit weird.
As an attacker your feet can be onside but your head offside if it’s beyond the line of the last defender’s feet.
Not a clue where he’s playing but he wasn’t in the right place then! Get in!
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
That’s good
*was
Lovely finish. Xhaka shows why he gets into the box
Just need to see the game out now, nice and tight.
Moses slipped trying to part Iwobi’s red sea
Ramsey for Iwobi, pleae
We are still very sloppy. Been average so far.
There’s a ball over the top on most times we get the ball deep in midfield. Just need to get our heads up.
Ramsey’s in an attacking role would be good. Don’t trust him defensively but his energy and ball retention would be useful going forward.
Fouls so far on the BBC website are 6 to us 15 to the chavs.
I’m convinced they’ve made at least 25
Iwobi
No idea how to beat the keeper. Poor
Wrong man, right place
Come on AW. Subs.
The bottom squeaketh
Glad I have my Tena Gentleman in situ for this occasion.
Iwobi better in defence than attack as FGG said. Strange.
I fucking love Monreal!
Agree, FGG.
He makes 98% use of his god given talents.
If only some of the others used anywhere near that.
Get in!!!!!
Totally winged that formation-wise, but who cares. Difficult to judge how well we played as Chelsea are very average going forward these days, but we worked bloody hard and another Wembley final!
Phew
Wemberley, Wemberley……
Eddie
How’s the match report shaping up?
Kolasinac looked like the fat kid who you give a couple of minutes at the end of a game. What’s happened to him!?
Semi finals are often scrappy and so it turned out. Cracking win though. Monreal, Kos, Mustafi and Elneny gave a very good shield and defended very well throughout.
Kolasinac reminds me a bit of Andre Santos.
Maybe once he settles in London he’ll turn the corner.
Willian’s injury was decisive. Hazard just cannot do it on his own (though he is a wonderful player).
We were brave and committed and fortune favours the brave.
She wore, wore … in the Merry month of February
All quiet in the trouser department
Hard fought win. Lacked some elegance, but who cares eh
Chas, go forth and tell Ant to prepare the wigs. He’s going public
She wore, wore … in the Merry month of February 🙂 🙂
Dead right making Nacho MOTM …. let’s not let him be labelled an unsung hero …. he’s been brilliant all season
For a club that’s such a mess and a manager who hasn’t got a clue we seem to have to go to Wembley a lot. Weird.
The ‘experts’ are saying we were lucky …. yeah, lucky to get 4 incorrect offside decisions against us …. remind me, how many times did the chavs get a wrong decision?
Well that was enjoyable 🙂
Wow, what a great game. Nacho obviously superb but the player who doesn’t usually get praise although thoroughly deserves it is Elneny. Take a bow young man, you were outstanding.
Ederson 35m
Bravo 17m
Walker 45m
Danilo 26.5m
Otamendi 32m
Stones 47.5m
Mangala 40m
Kompany 7m
Mendy 52m
Delph 8m
Laporte 60m?
Total 370m
City’s defence! 😂😂😂
I am looking forward to Eddie’s match report.
This new Corner routine where we seem to put hardly anyone in the box seems to really confuse defenders.
Apparently we had a £50m bid for Aubameyang rejected tonight. I wonder if we will move on?
Anyone seen the new Leeds badge? Awful. 60,000 fans signed a petition to stop it and now they are going back to the drawing board! 😂
my favourite comment
FGG – For a club that’s such a mess and a manager who hasn’t got a clue we seem to have to go to Wembley a lot. Weird.
A big aggressive centre forward who scores lots of goals will only strengthen the team
Thought Lacazette was fantastic up there on his own tonight. Agree about Elneny, he showed his defensive quality tonight. We need a HM player and he put in the kind of performance we are looking for. With 4 at the back we need someone who is disciplined and reads the game. He did that very well tonight and looked the part.
Channel 5 now.
Forgot about the snake
In games against defensive teams, we could play 4312:
Cech
Bellerin Koscielny Mustafi Monreal
Wilshere Xhaka Mkhitaryan
Özil
Lacazette Aubameyang
Wenger this week talked about Mkhitaryan playing central and deeper than the 10 role so I could see him playing this role with Xhaka deeper.
Against the better teams though we could see something similar to tonight:
Cech
Bellerin Koscielny Mustafi Monreal
Elneny
Özil Wilshere Xhaka Mkhitaryan
Aubameyang (or Lacazette)
I could really see these 2 formations working for us with that personnel. We would have far more structure than we did with Sanchez and I think there are some hard working players in there as we saw tonight, but also plenty of creativity.
Weird how lacazette never in those positions
No man
Really happy with that. You can’t argue with another cup final, and our ability to raise our game against good opposition in the latter stages of cup competitions I feel indicates that we have a far stronger and more high quality squad than many believe.
This begs the question about our inability to apply this consistently across a season in the league? Why so sporadic in our “A” game?
I still think there were aspects tonight, even in our victory, that will not stand up to regular scrutiny across a run of games. Xhaka got the winning goal tonight, but allowing him to play higher up the pitch than Wilshere is folly in the long run.
I like Xhaka as a player individually but I feel he is kind of a player without identity for us. If he is playing as a midfielder slightly further forward then I feel he is behind both Jack and Ramsey in terms of what he can offer. As a deep lying holding midfielder I don’t feel he quite has it at the top level either, lacking the athleticism, pace, and the positional know how for the role. I feel the same about Elneny when looking at what his skill set is, even though he did well tonight.
What exactly are they and are they first 11 player at the highest level? Are they better options than our other choices as HM’s, box to box DM’s or ACM’s?
Iwobi wasn’t too bad tonight but flattered to deceive again overall. In an advanced role he seems to lack a goal threat with poor clinical finishing, and the ball doesn’t really leave his boot like a thunderbolt when he shoots.
I remember the best i saw of him in pre-season was when he played deeper in the more box to box role. He seemed better in the deeper central area with more space to operate in and showed good retention of possession and an ability to bring the ball forwards. He seems to lack something in the last third (at least at present) to make him an effective forward or wing forward.
I wonder if Iwobi should be more battling for the box to box midfield position. The problem is that then puts him in competition with Jack, Rambo, Xhaka, and Elneny.
Great result tonight and delighted with it but I still worry about the balance of the side and where Arsene is choosing to play certain players, and again think it will be exposed in the long run unless we refine the squad to be more balanced and less top heavy with samey midfielders that we try and cram in to an 11 all at the same time.
We need to get PEA first
Frederico
What is the point of Laca being in those positions if no-one has made the run into the channel in the first place. He would never receive the ball.
Chas I was referring to Iwobi miss lacazette was no were to be seen And majority of the time he receiving the ball on the wing WHY
Don’t give any midfielder a defined role, play everyone in midfield, and there’s a good chance the opposition will be confused
Chelsea had clearly not been well drilled by Mister Good Hair Not A Wig or Anything on playing chaos. Italian Ponce
Morning all
Nacho 🙂
Alright, guvnor.
Ha ha, bloody excellent. My daughter will be honoured 🙂 🙂
My pussies, by the way motningers. My daughter and I have been watching Peaky Blinders and she texted me that yesterday. I think she’s planning on doing all four at some point
Did you see that Mark E Smith has left us, Micky?
GoonerB in response to this :
“This begs the question about our inability to apply this consistently across a season in the league? Why so sporadic in our “A” game?”
I think it’s very simple, in Cup games teams have to attack us more than in League games. In League games teams are content to frustrate and stifle and settle for a point with the chance of nicking a goal on the counter attack the mentality is (don’t lose, nick a win is a bonus). In Cup games they simply cannot play that way if they want highest chance of progressing, they have to commit more men forward which gives us more rooom to play.
No I didn’t
Just read this: “The last time I saw The Fall, in 2017, he felt unwell on stage and sang all the songs from inside his dressing room.”
He also fired 60 band mates in his time 🙂
Agree Exile
Compound that with the fact that the atmosphere is more upbeat due to the terminal nature of the result and the upped stakes.
Then, and I’ve argued before, we’re a Cup side, both for the reson you give and I suspect the more imminent sense of glory.
Who doesn’t like a day out at Wembley? That includes the players
Just noticed Henry getting loads of shit from Arsenal fans about advising Sanchez to leave Arsenal (which never happened). Absolute joke, but then it does make you realise that there is a large group of younger fans out there aged 14 and under who never really saw much of the Arsenal under Wenger that was dominating English football at times, and the Wenger era they’ve had is far less exciting and has involved moving stadium, project youth, and a lot of disappointment. No wonder there is such a divide.
FGG this whole thing around TH and Sanchez is all about TH’s comments on Sanchez (& Ozil) holding Arsenal hostage over wage demands etc. Sanchez then tweeted a thinly veiled dig at TH (“I remember today, a conversation I had with Henry, a historic Arsenal player, who changed club for the same reason and today is my turn.”). Basically calling out TH as being a hypocrite.
The dig became literal with fans thinking that TH actually did give advice to Sanchez over the current transfer where Sanchez would have been referring to some conversation in the past, maybe many months ago. He obviously sees no difference to what he has done vs. what TH did so why cop the hostage spray…
@6:51 …and 3 wives. Type of music that makes me instantly ill.
so after 3 games within 3 weeks there is only 1 goal that separates the teams. A very important goal for the good guys of course.
Nonetheless it is probably fair to say that we are on the same level as chavs.
Both teams didn’t have a full squad and chavs missed Cortouis, Morata and Cesc. We could do with Giroud and Sanchez’s replacement.
At times it was infuriating to watch the blues fouling, cheating, rolling on the pitch, but we have to bear in mind Conte’s DNA, he cannot help it.
On a whole, surprising enjoyable football and I am looking to the next stage.
That explains why Barkley’s pathetic and excessive rolling on the pitch – he was trying to please Conte! I am sure all is forgiven now Ross
Morning All,
Scrappy but exciting win.
With all their money Chelsea had nothing on the bench to replace Willian. Putting on a box to box MF who hasn’t played for a year was the best Conte had.
Expect changes at The Bridge
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