Stoke, Watford, Swansea, Bournemouth, Forest, WBA, West Ham, Southampton. All teams we should beat. We didn’t. What unites all of these? You’ve got it – they were all away fixtures.
Chelsea 4 times, Man City twice, Reading, Hull, Wigan, Our winning streak at Wembey.
Conclusion: We are rubbish on the road this season but have a very good record at Wembley. It’s our second home.
Unfortunately Spurs have done very well at home this season losing only once in the PL (I think. To be honest, I have little desire to check my facts about them)
So … will Arsenal view this as a home fixture where we are almost unbeaten this season, or an away fixture where we are clearly crap? This is strange and it is difficult to understand the difference in form. Much better qualified men than me work with the team to solve this problem, team psychologists, motivation specialists, individual positive therapy gurus, inspirational speakers, Steve Bould, Ian Wright; even Tony Adams has had a go. And we still lose to the bottom team in the PL.
But, Wembley is different. It has a proper pitch, centrally heated changing rooms with hot showers. It is in North London.
How Arsenal approach the NLD tomorrow will have a huge influence upon the result. We did them at home, we can do so tomorrow – assuming someone convinces the team that this is just another home game against weak opposition, if they can’t …. we are doomed.
Arsenal News 24/7
thanks Raddy
presumably there will be a proper PM tomorrow, but this game deserves 3 posts, at least.
Is this the biggest game of the season?
Watch last week’s interplay between Mikhitaryan, Ozil, Aubameyang add Ramsey’s run’s into the box again and you will see there is so much to get excited about.
Just don’t look at the defence, no, or should I say the defensive midfield, Elneny would be so much more the better choice tomorrow.
Not going to happen — possibly a 3-4 scoreline to the good guys.
Cheers, BR.
Let’s hope it’s a home.
How it is approached is crucial. We rolled over a bit last year at the Lane. Can’t afford to be anything less than 100% commmitted tomorrow.
As you can see our away form in the PL is not that great.
I just hope that the game is not decided by a dive – (unless it’s our dive)
All – W D L GF GA GD Pts
Home 43 24 20 141 99 42 154
Away 24 22 40 121 142 -21 95
Total 67 46 60 262 241 21 249
PL – W D L GF GA GD Pts
Home 14 10 2 49 25 24 52
Away 5 9 11 35 36 -1 24
Total 19 19 13 84 61 23 76
Thanks Raddy. I will not be around for a bit so will comment now. We have the beating of them but I remain to be convinced on our midfield combinations despite last week. I am happy to become convinced if AW can show that his preferred 1st 11 line up can do it consistently against different and better types of opposition.
Despite an excellent performance from our boys I am not so sure that a poor Everton team performance is a good barometer of our strongest 11. Ramsey and Xhaka worked in that game but have been poor on many other occasions.
Better opposition find the chinks in the armour more ruthlessly and I worry that Rambo will try and play further up the pitch too often leaving gaps that Xhaka doesn’t have the pace, positioning or natural game to cover.
If anything I still feel Wilshere is a player that gives us greater control of a game in midfield which is important against better teams, rather than ones we have been able to steamroller with little threat coming back at us.
I feel Jack needs to be in this game but also doubt he will be because I think AW has something in his mind about Ramsey and Xhaka. Xhaka is mostly the weak link in a starting 11 for me but I don’t know if Wilshere and Ramsey can compliment each other. I still feel for better teams and tougher games we need a more specialist HM rather than 2 B2B ones just trying to work it out between them..
Would also like to see us at some point accommodate a front 2 with Auba and Laca but probably not best to try it for the first time away at Spuds. The right midfield combo behind 1 striker is the best for this game but what is the right midfield combo?
The kick off is at 7:30am over here, I’m really excited to see if our form against Everton will last.
GB – good point about Jack, I hope he is at his best tomorrow.
GN5 – don’t forget to set the alarm clock on.
Given the performance last weekend it would be difficult for AW to change the team. An admission that we fear the Spuds.
I don’t think we should be too harsh on ourselves. Everton were no weaker than Swansea when it comes to barometers.
Fat Sam was not wrong in the idea of setting his team up in the same way as Swansea did but the difference is that we have an attack to get past those kinds of set ups now.
I am more excited about a game than I have been in ages, we have the arsenal to crush spuds tomorrow.
I am always mildly amused when I find a use for a lower case letter to start the word Arsenal.
I have a lot of time on my hands right now, lol
Well, LB, I can now join you and the gang for a weekend of merriment given I have, at last, time on my hands also 🙂
Lads, aka Chas and Erik, thanks for the posts last two days. Most amusing and they bushed my tail
I’ve been thinking
Place these in your own order of priority for this season. For me they go:
1st Europa Cup
2nd Top four
3rd Carling Cup
AW could and should change Xhaka for Elneny and if we need more fire power as the game goes on then he could swap Wilshere for Elneny but the political problem Wenger has is where does that leave Xhaka, he would be for all intents and purposes redundant.
This isn’t going to happen, it will be a typical all guns blazing line up and damn the defensive frailties.
My score line is still 3-4
So that’ll be a 0-1 then 🙂
On this very rare occasion, I’d take a 1-0 to The Arrsenal
That looks right to me Micky.
I think that if we loose tomorrow we can kiss any lingering hopes of fourth goodbye but if we win, it’s game on.
1-0 to Arsenal implies a tight controlled game, my reason for 3-4 is that I think it is going to be like the wild west out there tomorrow.
My actual prediction is 2-2, but it hurts not to have a No 4 in any Arsenal scoreline guess
I think you’re right he’ll go for Granit, but no idea whether back 3 or 4, and if it’s a back four, whether he goes for Jack and Rambo either side of Granit (my choice) or keeps with Iwobi
As BR says, can’t see him changing last week’s winning formula
micky – you have to let go off the past. There is no longer a Carling Cup trophy.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has described himself as feeling ‘positive’ over ongoing contract talks with homegrown midfielder Jack Wilshere that will extend the player’s stay at the club beyond the end of the season.
As things stand, Wilshere is due to be out of contract in June. But he has been working hard all season to prove his fitness and is even rumored to have rebuffed interest from other clubs as he aims to become a Gunners legend.
“I’m positive, because I want [Wilshere] to stay. I do the maximum I can to make him happy,” Wenger is quoted as saying by the Daily Mirror in the latest update on the matter.
It has already been well established that any new contract Wilshere signs will see his basic salary drop. That will protect Arsenal against major financial outlay on a player whose entire career has so far been ravaged by injuries.
The good news for Wilshere is that he will earn plenty in bonuses the more he plays.
Aaron Ramsey is seemingly the next player Arsenal want to tie down to a new contract, with the Welshman’s current deal set to expire in June 2019. For now, time is less critical.
“Aaron is a little bit different because he has less time-constraints than with Jack. With Jack it is now. With Aaron, do we lose two weeks or three weeks, it doesn’t matter much,” Wenger commented.
Arsenal lost Alexis Sanchez to Manchester United during the January transfer window after the Chilean refused to sign fresh terms in north London. But Mesut Ozil did sign on the dotted line, recently agreeing an extension to 2021.
Arsenal also considerably strengthen their attacking ranks last month, bringing in Henrikh Mkhitaryan as part of the Sanchez deal and breaking the club transfer record to sign prolific Borussia Dortmund striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Eddie
Ok, I’ll do my best 🙂
Re: you and the dating. Any fresh meat on the menu for tonight?
Oooo, I saaay
Yip, he google image searched Big Sausage
1st Europa Cup
2nd Top four
3rd Wilshere and Ramsey sign
4th Copacabana Cup
Watching Valencia against Barcelona highlights and coquilen is playing like a boss
At last. Match day again.
What’s more it is Saturday, and that means boiled eggs and toasted marmite soldiers. Hoooray
Hey Erik
Apologies. Just remembered your watered down milk breakfast orders, so seems harsh of me to talk real tucker.
On the other hand, I’d say man up.
I have very little experience of Viking women, but I’m given to understand they only respect men who put up the fiercest resistance.
My advice: when she returns from her pre-dawn raid, greet her with the whiff of the full English, as more than likely, she’ll want a post pillage “de-stresser” with a real man, and by standing up to her you will have garnered more than just calories 🙂
sorry micky, I was out. Dating reached the stage I feel it is inappropriate to share on the public site 🙂
Morning All,
Micky. Mrs R. is off for a weeks skiing today. Sunday brekkie is the Full English. I tried my best to put up resistance but it was a futile attempt
A man must know his limitations
before we start the very important today footy chats I need to confess that I am virtually unfaithful and still talk to other gentleman.
One calls himself Highbury and I was instantly attracted to him. yes, he is a Gunner, but sadly he loves dancing. Feck that.
Another one is a lovely polish guy. He writes books and poetry at night and during the day he is a street cleaner in London. And he loves his job. Feck that.
I am still looking for someone like you Didit, mission impossible?
Shape up Eddie. This is a safe environment to share.
Its Saturday night kick-off over here, 11.30pm to be exact which means I will be able to commandeer at least one of the big screens away from the kids.
Nice work Eddie.
and talking of food Micky, I started my day with a bacon, egg mayo brioche burger and am about to sit down to some pappardelle pasta for dinner.
COYG! I predict a 3:1 victory
VP. I am deeply envious as I tuck into a bowl of thin gruel-like mush. At least it has raisins.
Though you pay the penalty for all those calories by having to go running which must be the dullest sport I know.
ok raddy, I suppose I can tell my friends 🙂
We are starting to have disagreements. About Brexit, WW2 and worst of all the Arsenal. I will give you an example – he is not watching today’s game!! How bad is that??
Shit a brick, Eddie
When you say dating has reached an inappropriate stage, surely we’re not talking full contact are we?
A poet??? Dear God, that’ll be frilly shirts and sensitive hair 🙄
AW has come out to say that Sanchez should have been sold sooner as its been disruptive to the team. Personally I think its played out well as all the pieces fell nicely in the transfer window for us. However it has effected our results so I’m hoping last week was a sign of things to come today…
BR I paid the penalty in my forties when I started getting dyspepsia. Tomorrow I will be eating lightly (and probably a run as well:-)
Nice work VP. Most impressed
Had to googlise the pappardelle stuff. Says: Beautiful, slithery, wide ribbons of pasta. Recipes for pappardelle. Main course. Creamy pancetta pasta with mushrooms and parmesan
and how about this gentleman? I was lost for words
Apologies, pre 9AM, but:
lovely post, Raddy. 🙂 Yes, it is an extension of home. We need to make amends for our exit in FAC by showng the world why Wemberley is ours. 🙂 COYG
VP
I think the Sanchez/Mikki swap was pure genius.
I’m sure some doomers were assuming Maureen had pulled a Sylvestre over Arsene, whereas my take was the bigger picture in helping to lure Auba with the promise of reuniting him with his most dynamic work partner
motning all. 🙂
nice batner. well done Eddie. disagreements are a good sign.
where is Chas! busy decking up for the game? 🙂
8:24 Transplant’s cousin, Denise Rousos
Arnie
Whenever Chas doesn’t make a motning session after a Friday night, I always assume he either got ripped to the tits and can’t move, or he got lucky and is on a sleep over somewhere
Ooops
ha ha 🙂
…and you are wrong on both counts. When chas is not blogging he is busy reading other people’s twits, living an exciting life 🙂 he even reads mine 🙂
do you twit, Eddie? 🙂
arnie, no not really. But I sent a couple of messages for Ollie and some other player, can’t even remember who. Chas read and ridiculed them. I won’t twit in a hurry now
Yip, sitar noise will really pump us up ahead of KO
Although terrifyingly, I hear the loathsome machines, but don’t see them
omg, the video is 16mins long!!!!
arnie – be honest – do you really think those are beautiful sounds?
not necessarily, Eddie, depends on what you compare these with. 🙂
8.24 That bloke looks a bit suspect – perhaps a Devonian surfer type
Eddie
I’m still intrigued about the sizzling hot date that ends in disagreement over WWII. Seems fairly clear cut to me. Three options.
1. Hitler was ok
2. Hitler was not ok, or
3. The Irish/Swedish take ie mmm, not sure, so won’t take sides on this one
Perhaps the conversation over dinner was more WWII specific, like design faults on the bouncing bomb delivery mechanism
simple solution, Eddie. Sitar music. 🙂
dog with cosmos 🙂 🙂 🙂 thank you chas
micky – worse. He seems to think that Europe should be grateful to the English and Americans for freeing them. ‘Europe forgets where they would be if not for this country and the Americans’. Hmmm……he was talking to a wrong person. Hairs stood on ends.
I’m just hopping up and down with excitement. I can’t contain myself, I can’t wait for this one to start.
Ok Eddie, bin him.
The “we won the war” line is a very bad stance.
Ok, back up plan so that weekend not ruined if ref bent or grass too long, England Wales rugger around 5pm
There is a New Post.
Apologies but this one is not as nasty as previous posts – I am too good a mood