Brown Sugar: Match preview.

March 21, 2012

Moyes …… never liked the fella. Reminds me of the chap who hangs around Harry Potter, or is it the little bloke who kept looking for his “precious” in Lord of the Rings? Either way, never liked the cut of his jib.

People say he does a wonderful job at Everton, citing the financial constraints, the shadow of his Stanley Park neighbours etc etc but Howard Kendall had the same constraints and he did  OK, but then he was a proper manager.

I have a soft spot for Everton; for many years they were just another Northern team of pretenders who sold Gary Lineker (and later Rooney) but all that changed on 3rd May 1998 with TA6’s goal in the 4-0 win at Highbury which crowned the PL winning season. That goal and that day are at the pinnacle of my very favorite Highbury memories, the picture of Tony arms spread standing in front of the North Bank sits by my desk as I write. Thank you Everton.

Of course, tonight will be a tough game, the Toffees (see final paragraph) are very strong at home. They lost badly at Anfield in their last outing albeit with a weakened squad but their home form is excellent, having beaten Spurs, Chelsea and Man City in their last 3 games. Beating Arsenal will be a feather in Moyes cap in a season which may still result in silverware and a Euro place. Goalscoring has been a major challenge for Everton this season with Baines joint top scorer with 3 PL goals!

Arsenal have not lost to Everton in 9 games – a run going back to 2007. We won the home tie 1-0 thanks to a wonder goal from RvP (who else) – Everton must have been happy to see him replicate the goal at Anfield.

We are almost free from the injury hell suffered throughout the season. Diaby played for the reserves last night, Santos is in training and only Wilshire, BFG and Squillaci remain unavailable. Our form up to the break has been good – 5 league wins on the bounce. The only worry is that we have not kept a clean sheet in one of those games. We have to find defensive solidity if we are to challenge this season and in the future. The personnel are good enough so it must be a question of organisation.

My Team:

The only area of doubt in selection is on the left. Will Mr Wenger continue with OC or play the rested Gervinho? I would play OC and have him take a deeper role thus making a 4 in midfield, bringing on the Gerv on the hour to attack a tired Everton defence.

A big night for Arteta, his first return to his former club, a club which he served with such honour; that he will get a huge ovation upon his return is testament to his professionalism. Hope he scores!

Inventor from Everton: It has to be Molly Bushell who “invented” Toffee. She established a factory and shop “Everton Toffee,”which became world famous, one of it’s customers was Queen Victoria. When the shop and factory moved to larger premises they discovered another toffee manufacturer close by owned by Mother Nobletts (I kid you not) and in order to make her toffees distinctive Mother Nobletts covered them in black and white striped sugar –  being the colors of Everton football shirt of the time. Hence Everton’s nickname, The Toffees.

Molly Bushell prior to her bi-annual trip to 224 Shaftesbury Ave.

HOWEVER, as Molly Bushell died in 1818 and the club wasn’t founded until 1878 there would appear to be some good old fashioned Scouse blarney attached to this story. My guess is that there was some skulduggery involving under the table payments made to players in the form of toffee which was the working man’s cocaine of it’s day 🙂

A tough night’s work ahead but given our form a winnable game.

COYRRG

Written by Big Raddy

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If You know Your History Pt.1. Youth Policy?

March 20, 2012

We have talked the Youth Policy completely to death ….. or have we?

To people of my generation the Youth Policy was the only way to establish a top team. Have a look at the FA Youth Cup winning team of 1966: Peter Simpson, Jon Sammels, George Armstrong, Peter Storey, Ray Kennedy, Sammy Nelson, Pat Rice and John Radford were all in the team, and all went on to have fine careers at AFC. – 5 years later they won the Double under Bertie Mee. 8 players made the leap into the first team!

Our 1987 FA Youth Cup winning team was not so fortunate with only Kevin Campbell making a successful jump to fame, though the team did include David Hillier and Steven Morrow who went on to be first team players (in the worst AFC team I have seen).

Of our 1994 winning team only Stephen Hughes made the first team.

The 2000 & 2001 winning team had a little more luck with Alladiere,  Stephen Sidwell, Moris Volz, Jermaine Pennant and Justin Hoyte becoming PL players though none made the grade at THOF.

We won the cup again in 2009. Can this group achieve success? In the team were Frimpong, Bartley, Coquelin, Lansbury and Jack Wilshere. LJW seems assured a bright future at Arsenal but the prospects hang in the balance for the others. The influx of ready made stars severely curtailing their chances.

So what is a successful youth policy? Is it enough that Wilshere has come through the ranks? Should AFC sell him he will attract the kind of fee which makes the youth team economically worthwhile (as did the sale of Cesc). Liam Brady is not only bringing through fine players, he is also creating a handsome income stream.

Arsenal generate a huge amount of money and perhaps, like the rest of the top 6 ,we should rely entirely on mercenaries. Looking at our rivals, how many have home grown players?

MU  Cleverley, Welbeck and … erm (let’s discount the wrinkles)

Chelsea … Josh Mcreachran (and JT)

MC …. Micah Richards

Liverpool … the 32 y.o Gerrard and the 34 y.o Carragher – young players, none.

Spurs …..  none, that’s right – zip!

What does that tell us? Well, one thing is obvious – there is a huge gap in skills between the Youth and the first teams in the PL. Furthermore, clubs are unwilling to take the punt on players developing over time in the PL; we cherry pick our kids from the youth academies all around Europe and still do not let them get a run of games  – unless they come to us from Southampton. Our rivals do not have any interest in developing kids – Chelsea’s lack of kids is a terrible indictment.

Will Financial FairPlay make a difference and force teams to focus upon youth development? It would be great but I have a feeling FFP will be just another money earner for bean counters (sorry to you bean counters!)

Sadly, the days of picking up great players like Charlie George and Pat Rice from the Holloway Road are long gone, the Youth team of ’66 are a distant memory. We should be grateful to Arsène Wenger and Arsenal that they continue to pour money and time into one of Europe’s finest Youth projects.

Let us hope that the 2009 FA Youth Cup Winners take us to another Double in 5 years.

COYRRG

Written by Big Raddy

Great News

Most will have heard by now that Fabrice Muamba is conscious, able to speak and is surrounded by his family. He is still seriously ill but on the long road to recovery. We wish Fabrice and all our friends on AA who are suffering problems at present a speedy return to full health.

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‘Til the End of the Day: Match Preview

March 6, 2012

How exciting to welcome the reigning Italian Champions and current leaders of Serie A.

AC Milan arrive fresh from another 4-0 victory, away to Palermo. They sit 3 points ahead of Juventus who have a game in hand. Is this important? I would say Yes, because apart from the over-confidence rising from the first leg, Milan will not want to expend too much energy prior to facing their next League game (home to Lecce). Clutching at straws? Probably …

We were rubbish in Milan.  Apparently it was the worst CL performance in Arsenal history. The Milan pitch was much to blame but so too were the players who just went missing, even Mr Wenger publicly criticizing his team which to my knowledge is a first.

Were we over-confident? Were we tired after a long trip? Did the players have an argument prior to going out onto the San Siro pitch? Were they overawed by the occasion? Were AW’s tactics ignored or did he get it totally wrong? Whatever it was, we were pants and got just desserts for our performance.

However, since then we have beaten two rivals for the CL places and done so in an encouraging manner. We have scored 12 goals in our last two home games and should we keep up the average can advance into the last 8 of the CL. But and this is a huge BUT – we need to keep a clean sheet. With the Famous Five at the back I would bet DanDan’s house that we would do it, but with this current defence the chances are slim. Nonetheless, we have to hope and stay positive.

I expect the atmosphere to be great tonight, few will expect us to go through, and the fans will get the opportunity to see some superb players in the Milan side. The mood from the blogs indicates we are favourites to win but not by much. I tend to go along with this view. Arsenal are a damned good team, capable of beating anyone when on-form (including Barca and RM),

Mr Wenger has stated that he will play a full team which is exciting. We do not play again until Monday evening, so the players can go flat out from the first whistle.

My Team:

Milan will look to play on the break and as such we will have the opportunity to keep possession and play tippy-tappy. If he were fit, I would play Ramsey instead of Rosicky. He is better at beating a player and is more likely to score but the latest news sadly is that he will not make the squad and Arteta is ruled out for a week following the mild concussion he suffered against pool. We can expect Milan to double up on the flanks but both our wingers will do much better playing on the Emirates Bowling Green.

Today’s Gooner: Ray and Dave Davies of the Kinks are confirmed Arsenal fans, both having had season tickets at Highbury. Born in Muswell Hill, they went to Fortismere School and onto Hornsey College. Forming the Kinks in 1963 they had their first Number One in 1964. The Kinks have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Ray was made a CBE in 2005.

The Lads anxiously watching the !971 Cup Final in the Top of the Pops studio

It is rare to see Arsenal in this situation, one where attack is the only policy. It should be fun.

Written by Big Raddy

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Let’s Stay Together: Match Preview

March 3, 2012

Following on from Rocky’s finely researched post about the curse of the Carling Cup:

Another lunch time fixture, another outing for our dreadful blue away kit and a tough fixture.

I am from the generation which remembers Anfield as the toughest fixture of the season. Win up there and you were a quality team, you had to be because for many, many years Liverpool were supreme: The Liverpool side of the late 80’s was the best team ever seen on British soil until the arrival of  The Invincibles.

However, times move on and this Liverpool side despite having been expensively assembled is nowhere near good enough to win the PL (not that we are!), they are as unpredictable as a Nik Bendnter finish. Scraping past a very average Cardiff is proof of their weaknesses.

The hugely expensive purchases of recent years have shown that money cannot buy success – our record signing is Wiltord at £16m approx; in the last few seasons the Scouse have bought Aquillani, Torres, Downing, Saurez, Mascherano, Carroll, Henderon, Johnson and Keane, all of whom cost more than Wiltord. And what have they won? The CC. How many times have the been in the CL? Not enough for the investment.

Still swallowing the King Kenny Dream

However, they remain a potent force at Anfield and it must be remembered they beat us at THOF. They are unbeaten this season at home and yet have won only 4 out of 12.

Liverpool have some injury problems with Agger out but Stevie Me is likely to have recovered from his half hour for England.  Carroll may be a laughing stock but we are prone to concede goals from players of his stature. Had Mr Wenger had his way Reina would be playing for the good guys, he remains the best GK in the Prem (IMO). Their defence is shaky without Agger. Midfield will be where the game is won and lost. The impression I get from L’pool blogs is that Adam has not been a success, nor has Henderson and the loss of Lucas has been costly. Which brings us to Liverpools’s most potent weapon, Suarez.

Is there a less popular player in English football? It cannot be denied Suarez is blessed with huge talent but his cheating and demeanor are appalling – he is the new El Hadj Diouf. As to the racial abuse case: Dalgleish’s stand and the general support from the fans was shameful, in particular at a club with the proud heritage of LFC. There is no possibility Mr Wenger and The Arsenal would have supported the player in this case. It has harmed the standing of a great club. Will Liverpool sell Suarez in summer as I hope would be the case at Arsenal – probably not, just look at the way MC have handled Tevez. One insincere apology from the media dept and all is well  …. shame on them.

Arsenal have the usual injury problems. There are doubts about key players: Vermaelen, Rosicky and RvP, without whom we will struggle. Diaby is back in the squad but is unlikely to play.

My team:

Benayoun played very well last weekend and it is hard to drop him but I believe Gervinho’s pace will cause the Scouse problems. Mozart is on his best run of form in his Arsenal career and will surely start ahead of the fit again Ramsey.

Inventor from Liverpool: Mr Frank Hornby. Inventor of Boys Toys Extraordinaire. Not just the Hornby train sets but also Meccano and my personal favorite, Dinky toys. At one time Meccano was the most popular toy in the world.

Calm Down now

March is Mr. Wenger’s most successful  month with a Pl 52. W36 D10 L6 record. A win today could knock one of the 3 challengers for a CL place out of contention.

Beating the Miscreants was a result of team play and pressing all over the pitch, if we can reproduce this team ethic we can win …. Let’s Stay Together!

COYRRG

Written by Big Raddy

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That’ll be the Day: Match preview:

February 26, 2012

Those who regularly read my pre-matches may have noticed a softening in approach over recent months; this is due to the Jonah effect. Every time I slagged off a team they took points from us. However, if nothing else, this season has persuaded me that my “lucky” habits have no effect on Arsenal’s performance, I have used lucky socks, lucky shirts, lucky cakes, lucky beer, lucky wine, lucky scarves, lucky routes, lucky sweets, and you know what – nothing works. Nothing.

So, have the new respectful  Big Raddy posts made a difference? Of course not, and as such it is with great pleasure that I return to the bile filled Raddy posts of the days of yore  ….. Today we play a team of Miscreants whose fans are pond life. No, that is an insult to pond life.

Spurs and their fans are a waste of skin.

All season long I have heard about how wonderful the Cave Dwellers are , how they play great football, how Monkey Boy and Ratface and Adewhore are the best team in the PL.  I guess 3rd gets you the title this season, in the unlikely event they stay there.  When we finish 3rd it is at best an average season and a reason for the media to have another pop about lack of trophies!

The last decent Spurs team – No colour photos available

But thanks to Harry, the fawning press highlight our “crisis” and their “resurrection”.

The media witch hunt for Mr Wenger coincided with the adoration at the feet of Harry (no doubt, soon to be Sir Harry). Strange that! But then who wouldn’t prefer a self proclaimed East End ignoramus to  an urbane well educated Frenchman?  Mr Redknapp embodies Spurs ambitions and traditions; no class and a market boy mentality mixed with underlying boot boy aggression.

You may have noticed I have omitted any talk of onfield activities. What can one say – for the first time in 15 years there is a probability there will be no St Tottts Day. It beggars belief and is a schism in the natural way of the world. It may well happen that Spurs finish the season above us as our team move into the next era of supremacy, but they will never be top dogs in London, they are third as they have been since homo erectus first crawled out of the swamplands of  N17.

But credit where credit is due, Spurs have played the best football this season, mixing pace with guile and determination. This Spurs team do not lie down and  to whose credit  is that? Is it the superb coaching from the miscreant Orcs, Clive Allen and Joe Jordan? Or could it lie in the hands of our very own Arsenal team? I believe you can trace the resurrection of  Spurs back to that dreadful day in Oct 2008 when we drew 4-4 at THOF; for the first time in an epoch, we let them off the hook, we gave them the belief that it was possible to get something from a lost cause playing against a better team.  AFC  2 goals up in the 88th minute …. you can probably relive the rest.

As to our team, once again we are blighted by injury; it seems as one player comes back we lose another. Sagna back – Mertesacker out. Gibbs back – Koscielny and Ramsey out. Nonetheless, we can put out a competitive side.

My Team;

Given the pace of Tottenham’s attack we must pray for the good health of Koscielny. JD has always been fragile under the stress of fast running forwards.  It will require Song to be defensively aware today. We are getting used to seeing Arsenal hit with the sucker punch and it is about time the midfield as a whole showed more defensive nous. We have to be clinical in attack; Theo needs to show he deserves his place as does Gervinho. It is in the big games that players show their mettle and this is as big as it gets.

Famous Gooner? Well, a few games ago I pointed out that George Carey, the Archbishop of Canterbury is a Gooner. You are going to love this …. so is Jonathan Saks, the Chief Rabbi 🙂  Jonathan Saks went to Christ College Finchley where he became a fervent Gooner. Of course, Saturday games were difficult for him but nonetheless he was a regular at Highbury and is often at The Emirates.

 Should we pray for a Van Persie hatrick?

Important game today, perhaps not as hugely important as the media would have us believe, after all it is just the normal 3 points for a win. Following the two poor recent performances Arsenal need to give their fans something. Beating Tottenham today will be a huge fillip for the remainder of the season.

Spurs, Top Club in London?   That’ll be the Day.

COYRRG

written by Big Raddy

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Do it Again: Match preview

February 18, 2012

A week is a long time in football. Just 7 days ago we were wrapped up in enthusiasm following our last minute victory, and yet those happy days seem a long gone. Will the confidence of the team plummet because we got spanked by a rampant AC Milan? We shall see today.

I cannot remember a time under Mr Wenger when there has been so much uncertainty amongst the fans. It appears that the team go on a winning run and imbue confidence then implode leading to calls (from some) for the manager’s head. If we are confused imagine how the management at THOF feel. When your most reliable defender over the past 3 seasons make elementary mistakes like Vermaelen did,  then what can you do?

However, the Malaise in Milan was a team effort and it would be wrong to put blame on any one shirt. If blame is to be dealt, then the manager must be included because this is his team and his tactics. Mr Wenger will do all he can to improve things and hopefully the lads will do better today.

I really disliked O’Neill’s tactics last week. Sunderland parked the bus and played with 10 men behind the ball – if I were a paying Sunderland fan I would be seriously worried about the prospects of seeing entertainment over the coming seasons. I guess O’Neill could point to their extra time Cup game midweek and that the game was lost in the final 15 minutes but prior to that Sunderland offered nothing and their goal came as a result of pure good fortune (very bad fortune for Arsenal).

How will Mr Wenger respond today? I expect a much changed side – not a weaker team but one with different faces. There are players whose confidence will have taken a mighty bashing; Ramsey was completely over-run in a way he has probably never experienced, same for Theo, who must have been shakes to be removed at half-time. Should they “get back in the saddle”?

My Team:

Controversial I know but I believe Song needs a rest. He is unlikely to get one and Ramsey is more likely to be rested.  Rosicky has been playing well and getting far more minutes than I expected, but Ramsey needs to get his mojo back and that is best done away from home. – which is an awful indictment of our home “support” (more of this subject another time).

Another Sunderland Inventor;  This may upset some of our American readers but Edison did not invent the electric Lightbulb, it was invented by Sir Joseph Swan, an extremely hirsute resident of Sunderland. Swan (1828 – 1914) patented his lightbulb in England a few years before Edison took out his worldwide (bar UK) patent for an identical product (cheap Yank copy was the term used). The first building to be lit entirely by electricity  (1880) was The Savoy Theatre in London using 1200 lamps supplied by Swan. Swan also invented Bromide paper which is still in use when developing black and white photographs.

Bloody Septic stole my bloody invention!

O’Neill will see this as the ideal opportunity to take revenge upon a tired and shell-shocked Arsenal. The vast majority of the Arsenal baiting media will be looking to stick the knife in should we lose as they are predicting. It is up to our team to prove them wrong.

COYRRG

Written by Big Raddy

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Tutto L’Amore che Ho: Forza Arsenal

February 15, 2012

What an exciting and challenging game we can anticipate tonight. A return to the scene of the European recognition  of Fabregas’s genius (sorry GM!). That night is etched in the memory alongside so many other astonishing and unexpected Arsenal victories – win this and we may get a repeat of the TH inspired win in the Bernabeu!

Having won our group we could have drawn an easier opponent because let us be clear, this is not going to be easy. Milan are a much better and younger side than the one vanquished by our heroes in 2008; they are top of Serie A. Unfortunately, their injury crisis  (13 players out in their recent win at Udinese) is rapidly improving, Nesta, Pato, Flamini, Prince-Boateng and Van Bommel return to the squad. Style of play? Allegri has said this of AC Milan’s approach “You can’t always dine on lobster and caviar, sometimes you have to have a ham sandwich”.  Cantona-esque!

I would like to concentrate on just two of Milan’s pantheon of superstars, Ibrahimovic and Van Bommel.

Van Bommel is one hard Dutchman. I remember a Highbury night watching him kick lumps out of our lads when playing for PSV (2004 1-0). He was without doubt the dirtiest player I had seen and it was a miracle he stayed on the pitch. After that night I followed his career with interest because I felt he would be a fine replacement for PV4. Sadly, he moved to Barca where he won a CL winners medal and later moved  on to become the first non-German captain of Bayern Munich. At 32 he moved to Milan and has been an integral part of Max Allegri’s squad.  70 Dutch caps, a league winner in 4 countries, WC finalist, CL winner – one could say he has had a successful career.  Should he play tonight I hope Aaron is wearing extra shin and ankle protection!

Zlatan Ibrahimovich is one of the world’s great players. A man who has never received the respect he deserves from the British press. Scorer of some of the most spectacular goals ever scored (check out Youtube) the Swede has a phenomenal record – at the moment, Ibra is on a run of 8 successive League title wins in 3 countries with 5 different clubs! I think it would be prudent to have a little wager on AC winning the Scudetto this season. During his time at Barca he was the world’s highest paid footballer on €28m a year. Barca paid €70m for him and sold him 18 months later for €24m – which makes the Torres deal look sweet.

“you’ll never play for Arsenal”

In 2001 Mr Wenger tried to sign Zlatan from Malmo but he chose Ajax for a then record Swedish transfer fee. It beggers the question  – who would have been sacrificed for him? Not Henry, so it must have been Wiltord who was going to be shipped out. Ibra has attitude and may have clashed with Thierry but what a forward line that would have been.

My Team:

The loss of BFG is a major disappointment; he is made for games like tonight against a clever but not particularly pacy forward line. Fortunately, we have super replacements and TV is finally back in his natural position. It is ages since we have seen Gibbs get a run of games but he is a super player and a full International, he will not be embarrassed. I would start Arshavin ahead of the Ox, his experience and precision of passing will be important in what is likely to be a tight game.  Expect a big game from Ramsey.

Inventor from Milan: Step forward Enrico Forlanini (if he were still alive). Born in 1847 he developed the world’s first helicopter (powered by steam!) and went on to pioneer the hydrofoil. Milan City Airport is dedicated to Forlanini.

Here’s Looking at You, Kid

Thierry Henry has scored in his final FA Cup game, his final PL  home game, his final PL away game and tonight ……  you would bet against it.  Thierry, whatever happens tonight and in the future, You are The Man.

COYRRG

Written by Big Raddy

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Fight for the Right: Game preview.

February 11, 2012

What a game in store for us this afternoon. As was said earlier this week – a barometer game. A resurgent Sunderland looking to continue their very surprising run against an Arsenal team confident as a result of last week’s big win.

And yet, in my opinion both appear to be skating on thin ice. Sunderland are, let’s be honest, a poor team managed by an average manager. Arsenal are on the verge of greatness but are not there yet, as the results at Swansea and Fulham portray. Yes, we smacked Blackburn but have you ever seen a worse performance from a PL side fighting relegation? Nor have I.

What has Mr- O’Neill brought to Sunderland to transform them? The same as Fat Sam has has brought to West Ham and SAF continues to bring to MU –  an atmosphere of fear and aggression. Hard work, get in their faces, ride your luck, long ball tactics, close down in midfield, compress the play thereby nullifying any creativity in the opposition and best of all, score and then defend like crazy. It works. After a dreadful start Sunderland have beaten Man City, Norwich, Stoke and Swansea.

Sessegnon is their main attacking force, however, it should be pointed out that this season he has scored 9 whereas our top scorer has 28. We know all about Seb Larsson who is one of the players often referred to when discussing the (too) early transfer of young players.

Another conundrum is who is going to start for Arsenal?. With the huge game in Milan on Weds. will Mr.Wenger risk playing his full first X1 or will he rotate? What would you do? Which game would you prioritise?  Do you think he should start with the same team in both games? I think we cannot afford to do anything but play our best starting X1 in every game – Big Raddy played 60+ games almost every season. (back when men were men!)

My Team:

I am torn between Ramsey and Rosicky. Perhaps Tomas should start today given his excellent recent form and that Ramsey will be better suited to the slower game played by AC Milan midweek – I expect him to star out in Italy, just as Fabregas did a few years ago. Everyone wants to see The Ox and I hope Mr. Wenger doesn’t drop him –  which he is almost sure to do when Gervinho returns next week holding his ACN Winners Medal.

An inventor from Sunderland? I bring you Sir William Mills, inventor of the Mills bomb. Those with a historical bent and an interest in World War 1 will know all about the Mills bomb which a type of grenade . 75 million of them were made and used during WW1. Yes – 75million!!. A prolific inventor he also developed a gearing system for ships which was used worldwide, and a telescopic walking stick/seat which remains widely available today (think Toffs/Range Rovers/ National Hunt).

Sir William Mills,  no relation to Mrs.

It will be Siberian conditions Up North which will affect both the pitch and the players. If Arsenal have pretensions to a Top 4 finish they have to get something from this game. I do not believe Sunderland are as good a team as we are but given the January failures there must be caution. Going one up, which a few years ago would be a guaranteed 3 points is a trait we must reproduce. This will be a game won in midfield and our boys will have to fight fire with fire.

Given the animosity between our respective managers, I expect an intense game with yellow cards aplenty.

COYRRG

Written by Big Raddy

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And February made me Shiver: Match preview

February 4, 2012

It is said that revenge is a dish best served cold.  If temperature is a guide to the revenge due then Blackburn are going to get roasted.

Our game at Ewood was a seriously depressing affair and one of the low points of this (and any) season. To concede 4 goals from 3 Blackburn shots and to lose from being 2 up after 20 mins was desperate for fans just recovering from the MU mauling. They were the worst of times.

Today we hope to continue our long unbeaten run since the last defeat (thanks RL), and I see no reason whatsoever to think A Change is Going to Come. Can we do it ? Yes We Can. In fact, I Had a Dream we would win in style (stop these American pre-Superbowl quotes immediately BR before you lose your audience)

With better luck we would have left the Reebock with 3 points , being only the woodwork away from a comfortable win; We were able to get good Yardage but the Completion Rate wan’t good enough. Walcott, who came in for much criticism, piled up lots of Rushing Yards but was unable to Convert his Air Yards. The use of Ramsey as the Ball Carrier was not working as Bolton’s Defensive Ends kept Blocking him.resulting in too many Incomplete Passes and Interceptions This could be put down to our Offensive line having problems escaping their markers. Despite the negativity, it was highly encouraging to see our Defensive Line cope so well now our Full Back has Returned, and is able to help in Defensive Co-ordination. (Enough BR!!)

What do Blackburn bring?  Well, a poor defence whose last away clean sheet was last season at the Emirates. The Yak is suspended, Samba is out of favour and will not be picked. Steve Kean has been given the vote of Confidence by the Venky’s. Rovers were extraordinarily unlucky to lose to Newcastle mid-week having 30 shots on goal with no result. Blackburn are 18th in the PL, closer in points to us than we are to MU.

Mr. Wenger has stated he will rotate today, by that I believe he will rest O-C and perhaps Ramsey. Though Van Persie needs some R & R he is unlikely to get it as Park is clearly not to be trusted ; if we are frustrated, imagine how Park must feel – excited beyond belief at his signing and then left bereft on the bench, which must be hugely dispiriting given his hero status in Korea.

My Team:

Rosicky remains one of my favorite Arsenal player, it is tragic his injuries have resulted in our not seeing his best form, but every time he plays he gives his all and deserves more pitch time. Whether AW would drop Ramsey who appears to be an automatic starter is a moot point, but if it were my call, the Welshman would get a rest.

Today’s Gooner: I used to walk my dog (Eddie RIP) in Highgate Woods. As often happens when dog walking one makes friends with fellow walkers. Usually we have no idea of each others names and refer to each other as “Rufus’s Dad” or “Snowy’s Mum” etc. I became friendly with a big man walking his Staffordshire, he always wore a hat low over his brow and I thought nothing of it. We often talked football and one day he said he played regularly for Arsenal Celebrities. Curiosity got the better of me and I asked him his name, to which he replied Tony Hadley, the lead singer of Spandau Ballet. Being a top class bullshitter I managed to extricate myself from an embarrassing situation by telling him he looked much older and fatter on television.

AW’s next Transfer Target.

Tony will almost certainly be at The Emirates today cheering on his team. Top bloke, big Gooner, fine singer. dodgy pooch.

See you all the The Line of Scrimmage …..

Go Giants

COYRRG

Written by Big Raddy

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Posted by Erik the Red

Winter Winds: Match Preview

February 1, 2012

Still warm and cuddly after Sunday but a midweek trip to a freezing Lancashire is not what was wanted, particularly to a Lancashire team who are in the process of turning their season around.

The recent beatings of both Liverpool teams is evidence of Bolton’s turnaround. Add in the Cup win over Swansea and we can see tonight’s game will be a challenge. Coyle is always heralded as the “coming” man and a manager who can make a team punch above it’s weight. If he keeps Bolton up he will have done a superb job. Kevin Davies always enjoys playing us and like many I hate to see him on the pitch (though I like him very much when playing anyone else!). We lost 1-2 at the Reebock last season, Bolton scoring in the 90th minute after Chesney had saved a Davies penalty.

After the brouhaha of the Cahill affair in summer (if it was true), relations between our two clubs have improved to the extent that we have loaned out Ryo to gain the same education received by Wilshire. Let us hope for the same results.

Arsenal’s form is difficult to assess, we have played superbly in patches over the last 2 games yet have conceded 4 times with the defence looking naive. I thought the overall performance on Sunday was very good with Ramsey running the show but two silly goals were conceded, and it could easily have been worse when AV missed an open goal header from a corner – Fabianski could and should have assisted his defence.

We will not see Fabianski tonight but we will see a return from two players who have been terribly missed: Arteta and Sagna. In a very short time, Arteta has become an integral part of the team, the loss of the Spaniard has been a major factor in our poor run (though he did play in the loss to Fulham).

A Vital Cog

Sagna has been a huge miss. It was no surprise that Theo played better having Coquelin play behind him instead of JD, and with Sagna he will improve further. Losing the best right back in the PL was always going to have an effect, missing Bacary’s defensive ability, particularly in the air has been immensely damaging to our season – perhaps more than any other player. It will be wonderful to see his lung busting runs in support of the attack.

TV is a fine back up LB, (though he was found wanting a couple of times on Sunday),  we are finally close to having a first choice defence and midfield (bar Jack & Santos).

I expect Ivory Coast to get to the Final of the ACN; as such we will not be seeing the return of Gervinho until the end of Feb, so who plays on the left? Oxlade-Chamberlain was very good in patches on Sunday but 3 games in 10 days is a lot to ask of the lad. I expect to see Arshavin or Benayoun start – though it would be interesting to see Park – with O-C coming on at 60+ mins if needed. Another TH cameo goal would be good.

My Team:

With Chamakh returning next week it beggars the question  ……………. Why was Park signed? It is highly unlikely  our scouts just took a punt on him – it is not the Arsenal way. French football is not so different from ours, so the acclimatization must surely have taken place  …. so why? Play the lad, I say, he cannot be worse than the Moroccan.

Which brings us to the inventor from Bolton – being the centre of the cotton industry which brought such wealth to Victorian England, it is no surprise that Bolton was home to Samuel Crompton, inventor of the Spinning Mule, but there has been an embarrassing lack of facial hair in recent weeks and for that reason we are going slightly off subject and  I bring you one of Bolton’s finest –  an Industrialist – William Lever, later to become Viscount Leverholme who founded the company Unilever.

Starting with Sunlight soap, he went on to manufacture both Lux and Lifebouy. Through a mixture of business acumen and worker’s exploitation (he used slave labour in Africa) Lever Bros became one of the biggest businesses in the UK and is now the 18th largest company quoted on the FTSE, employing 160,000+ people. However, both Crompton and Lever were clean shaven….

So here is a bloke who once visited Bolton …..

Bolton’s Winter Home Kit

If you are lucky enough to be going – Dress up Warm.

COYRRG

Written by Big Raddy

376 Comments | Uncategorized | Tagged: , , , | Permalink
Posted by Erik the Red

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