This is usually one of the highlights of the season but today is before the Lord Mayor’s show. Win, lose, draw – doesn’t matter, what matters is that we go to Madrid with a fit and as full as possible squad.
Thinking of which, the AM game last week was made for Santi 😦
With this in mind I would send out the Ladies team to play and beat Merino’s oh-so-dull Utd side.The Arsenal WFC have won the PL 12 times, the FA Cup 14 times, the League cup 11 times and 58 trophies since their inauguration in 1993. Makes perfect sense to me.
Alternatively, we could see many of the youth and U-23 team. Would be brilliant to see some of the kids weaving their way past a static MU defence but I fear AW will not agree.
As this is Arsene’s last game at OT, he is likely to play many of our stars, however meaningless the game is. Does he dare play Ramsey and Ozil? Or even Lacazette? My guess is that very, very few Gooners would take that risk.
And what of MU? If they win the FAC will the MU BoD consider it a major achievement after Merino belittled AW’s 3 times in 4 years? 16 points behind MC?
They have spent a fortune on this team with a €75m striker and a €100m MF, but are the faithful United fans satisfied? We know the answer as we had the same with George Graham – the football can be poor as long as there is silverware. This is why Merino always gets sacked because if his teams do not win trophies there is nothing for the fans.
Don’t want to write about Sanchez – the man is dead to me.
My Team
Cech
Chambers Mustafi Holding
Wilshere Xhaka Willock Kolasinac
Nelson Iwobi
PEA
In his press conference AW said Miki is almost fit and could play today. I would rest him ahead of AM because IMO he will give us more than Wilshere and Arsenal cannot take a risk with Miki’s fragile fitness in a meaningless fixture. Maybe 30 minutes as sub.
What I don’t want is a hammering, the thought of that slimeball’s face should they thrash a weakened AFC team is too much to bear.
On reflection, I think we go up there, play 10 defenders plus PEA and park the bus. AM did it to good effect midweek, why can’t we?
Either that or get the Women’s team kitted up
Come on girls – make us proud.
COYRRG
Arsenal News 24/7
arsenalarsenal.net 
Thanks, BR, you’ve summed up the pointlessness of the game perfectly.
This game really is all about Thursday. The squad news confirms it.
No injuries please.
Aubameyang hat trick on the counter. Boom.
Says posted by Erik, but title says Chas
There we go, a thanks from Chas
Right, thanks Erik. I reckon Mikhi will get plenty of the game to sharpen match fitness so that he can start ahead of Danny rather than Jack
Today will test my manliness. Am I strong enough not to bother? 🙂
(my son says no chance)
All BR’s work, post and title, I’m just publishing because he’s busy.
The title is because BR is down with the anarcho punk kids like yourself.
I might have the picture on while listening to Sham69’s greatest hits on full volume.
Should pass the first 20 minutes at least.
20 mins is pushing it 🙂
Erik and busy are not words that sit comfortably together, and to describe him as an anarcho punk is an insult to my life’s work 🙂
Never did like Jimmy Pursey and I remember him coming on stage to join The Clash in Victoria Park ’78 and thinking…fuck off you twat or something similar 🙂
I’m sure Chas posted the answer to this, but am I right in thinking we qualify for EL whether we finish above Burnley or not?
masterpiece. Thank you Raddy. yep, it feels strange not caring about Manu fixture. There – I couldn’t care less. Not sure I will watch it at all.
sham69 – simply awful, I would need drugs to be in the same room as them.
Eddie
Pretty sure anyone who ever endured sham69 was drugged up to the eyeballs
of course. There is no other plausible explanation to anyone listening to that shite.
Didit – I was thinking about you last night. You must be having kittens just thinking of this summer’s transfers. Half the squad could be replaced, a new shiny boss and probably some of his cronies going south of the Canal la Manche
How excited are you on the scale of 1 to 11?
I just hope the club appoints the new manager sooner rather than later so he can knock the team into a shape before start of the new era. I know that would spoil some of your fun, but it’s crucial to us progressing
Allegri is the hot favourite. i can live with that. Tall, handsome Italian, fairy successful and most importantly never stays anywhere for long, including marriage. He will start the changes and move on. We can then pouch Pep or Klopp and start winning big, big trophies
Well, Eddie, kittens I am not having 🙂
Mainly as I think the kitty itself will be empty, so we’ll be in a sell to buy era, therefore I’d simply expect the new man to be reshaping the squad
I know someone will probably say there’s squillions of cash in bank, but I reckon they’ll need every penny to keep the ship afloat if the new boss does not generate enough excitement to get corporate bums booked up in advance
I know that sounds a little gloomy, but it’s not really, as I think a decent manager could shape and improve the current squad quite easily, so we’d be looking at hopefully just one season as he eases us back into top four, then some spending could begin
exactly, Allegri is perfect for easing us back. He has my vote of confidence
Given that I think an orangutan could do a better job, then Allegri, along with a whole host of other apes, would fit the bill 🙂
ok, given I’ve been glued to charts and graphs four 4 hours, it’s time for some air
Great work Raddy.
I’m pleasantly surprised that you’ve managed to put together such a strong team, let’s hope our boys enjoy themselves whatever the outcome.
What’s happened to M-N? …injured?
It’s all about Thursday. The closer we get to that game the more | can see us winning it 🙂
micky
There’s a few websites recently saying the kitty available for the new boss is 50m.
Not much in today’s environment.
However, like you say, he can sell to buy.
He can boost the kitty quite significantly by selling the following players to raise more dosh.
So, out go Cech, Chambers, Holding, Kolasinac, Elneny, Wilshere, Cazorla, Iwobi, Jenkinson, Perez, Campbell.
Tha’s eleven quality players.
Total value?
25m tops.
Excellent.
Core:
Cech
Bellerin
Mustafi
Koscielny
Monreal
Ramsey
Xhaka
Wilshere
Özil
Mkhitaryan
Aubameyang
Lacazette
Questionable:
Ospina
Chambers
Kolasinac
Elneny
Cazorla
Welbeck
Campbell
Perez
Asano
Youngsters
Martinez
Mavropanos
Holding
Maitland-Niles
Willock
Reine-Adelaide
Nelson
Iwobi
Akpom
The first thing this squad needs is an identity. We need a manager who can put a stamp on the team and get them playing a certain way, wether that be high energy, high pressing, possession football, 3 at the back, whatever. For a while now we’ve been a side who has lacked a real identity on the field and has seemed to struggle to find a certain way of playing. We’ve stopped keeping possession, stopped pressing, played 3 and 4 at the back, and have looked a little clueless at times. We also haven’t had a proper captain at the club for years now and that needs to change.
It’s a difficult task for anyone coming in, especially if Ramsey and Wilshere decide to walk away, but hopefully we can get a manager who can put a work ethos into these players and get the team and the fans back together as a unit so that we are all pushing for the same goals.
Looking at the current squad it’s going to be a very tough job for any manager to come in and turn it around quickly, but my choice would be Allegri or Simeone.
FGG
That’s exactly what I tried to say 22 mins before you.
You’re the sharpest tool in the box, you are.
I don’t really read the comments Big Al. I just use this site as Arsenal therapy, and to put on my thought processes, which is why sometimes my comments contradict themselves!
Biggest challenge for whoever comes in will be to change the culture. It’s a big ask to do it quickly unless the players themselves want a new culture.
Looks like the women have other fish to fry.
It will be interesting to see how the new structure looks. We’ve employed Mislintat and Senllahi and I imagine both will have a big say in how transfers are run moving forward. Whoever arrives willneed to work closely with those 2 in order for things to be successful.
Mislintat (allegedly) has his eye on another scrote.
29 years old. Plays for his… can you guess… yep, Dortmund.
Got a long Greek looking name.
If our new manager wants a squad of scrotes, he can’t do better than Mislintat as his sidekick. or so it appears to me.
Here we go…
https://www.football.london/arsenal-fc/transfer-news/sokratis-dortmund-arsenal-transfer-mislintat-14585010
Possibly fake news, of course.
The comments, all short and sweet, are pretty much what I would have entered, were I to be bothered.
FGG.
Just re-read my post @12.55
Didn’t mean to be rude, or sarky.
I genuinely wish I’d had the time to write what you wrote.
Birmigham City Ladies are in a different league, I am surprised they are in the ladies league
Team to play Man Utd: Opsina, Bellerin, Chambers, Mavropanos, Kolasinac, Xhaka, Maitland-Niles, Nelson, Iwobi, Mkhitaryan, Aubameyang
Subs: Cech, Holding, Monreal, Welbeck, Nketiah, Oseu-Tutu, Willock
Tell you what Chas, I’ll race you to the Utd line up
Ready…..steady….go
Team to play Arsenal: De Gea, Valencia, Lindelof, Smalling, Young, Herrera, Matic, Pogba, Lingard, Sanchez, Lukaku
Subs: Pereira, Rojo, Mata, Martial, Rashford, Fellaini, McTominay
🙂
Haha, who gives a fuck who’s playing for them?!!
Oh go on, I’ll watch, just to see Mavropanos 🙂
Looking forward to the 5.30pm kick off. 😊
Big Al,
I have a lot of time thanks to having children and a wife. Ignoring them as much as possible frees up hours of my time! 😂
Not going to watch the game but might look at it later to see Mavropanos. He looks a bit of a unit, which we need.
We really need to sell some of these players and get ones with easier names like Jo, Ba, Fer etc.
Arse Gent
Superb
Good news Mhiki is playing …. that will give us an extra attacking edge … I hope he starts in place of Danny on Thursday
Henry and Souness talking shite as usual. If we play full team and get 3 injuries then we get slated, if we play weakened team and lose we get slated. Even if we win or draw it will be because United were rubbish and didn’t take it seriously.
Good to see AW being pragmatic ahead of Thursday. If this team gets within 2 goals of MU they will have done well
Shocked to see the Utd fans give AW such a warm welcome.
Must be due to the team he has piched🤠
Yaw yaw
BIt of class shown by United there. Don’t often see that!
Wish Bellerin could cross a ball .
Ref’s a homer, that’s for sure.
Man U and Arsenal have dropped so far in the last 10 years!
The kids are doing ok here though. Enjoying our football upto now.
Kolasinac seems to have lost all confidence. He was a bombing full back when we signed him but now he looks scared to run or pass forward.
Kids doing well. Some flowing football but PEA needs more support
Miki our best player
Mavropanos hasn’t looked out of place in our team, but in fairness my mother wouldn’t look out of place playing in our defence!
Seems cool on the ball though and has some size to him. Think Chambers has done well also.
Truth hurts, but Souness is correct
Anyway, moving swiftly on, ‘ts alright 🙂
Wow,!
Correct about what?
erik
was saying about accountability. he was talking about Granit, although I don’t agree with making an example of him in particular
who scored? went for a bath
Miki did it
Who’s the geezer with a touche? I’ve not seen him before
ha ha thanks eddie
such a strange atmosphere.
Eddie. Our new bubble. Terry must be very proud (wherever he is)
eddie
Mavropanos, our new big greek
Aha the Greek with embarrassingly short name 😬 He needs to shave that thing off
Bloody Sanchez is keen, will probably get MotM
new bubble rolf
Bubble and squeak – proper cockney slang
Who is singing “Jose mourinho we want you to stay” , I think that’s our mob, revenge 😬
he he he
Fergie time it is yet again
bloody hoofball
Yep rough
shit. feel sorry for arsene
We deserved a point.
Horrible way to lose from MU’s only shot on target in the 2nd half.
Moral victory.
If Micki’s fit and the Beast is the only casualty, then it’s job done.
Haha, new bubble.
After they scored the first I guess I wasn’t alone in expecting a drubbing. But as your title asks Raddy you were given a very clear answer. Yes we lacked that bit of cohesion and game management but we have experienced first teamers (Kos, Mustafi to Name two culprits) who haven’t got it either
If anything this game left me with more regrets than many others, because I believe for the last few seasons we have been acquiring average squad players and overlooking our academy, could be Wenger, could be willingness to spend by the board. We will probably find out next season.
Couldn’t fault the application of the players today they left it all on the park and came up second best, but any fan will accept that as a minimum, and too often this season it has not been the case.
Highlights of the game.
Exile
Agree, although only saw maybe 30 mins of game here and there, but I expected a drubbing also
Chas
Thanks for goal clip
Erik
To clarify. I agreed with what Souness said, but I do think Granit is an elegant footballer, but absolutely not a dm, so the frnatic english league defensive stuff not really his bag
Do you think anyone would notice if we sneaked Mutton Chops O’Bannon in on Thursday?
Nothing but positives in that performance for me. A new CB who looked the part, I thought Bellerin and Chambers played well, AMN was excellent, and Mkhi and Auba showed that they still have the star quality we will need to progress. A draw would’ve been a cracking result but ultimately would’ve made no difference to anything.
Onwards and upwards with this side and a new manager.
Morning All,
There is something unjust in the world when a scratch team goes to the Old Toilet and gets beaten in the final minute by a long-haired lout. I have to say I was upset.
M-N i particular did not deserve to lose.
There were plenty of positives but I will leave this until the match report is posted (if there is one 😀 )
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