Arsenal FC – Our away record against Watford

April 13, 2019

The beginnings of the club can be traced back to 1881, when Watford Rovers was formed by Henry Grover and a group of fellow teenagers who had been given permission by the Earl of Essex to kick a football around in Cassiobury Park. Friendly matches began in 1882, with various sites in the town being used for matches. The first competitive game was an FA Cup tie against Swindon Town in 1886. In 1890 West Herts Club and Ground was set up in Cassio Road (where it remains to this day) and Watford Rovers moved in as the football section, changing name to West Herts in 1893.

Watford joined the Football League in 1920. The club played at several grounds in its early history, before moving to a permanent location at Vicarage Road in 1922, where it remains.

Vicarage Road 1932

One of the most successful periods for the club was when they were managed by ex England manager Graham Taylor who took charge of Watford in 1977. He led the club to promotion to the Third Division in 1978, the Second Division in 1979, and the First Division for the first time in Watford’s history in 1982. After a second-placed finish in the First Division in 1983, Watford competed in European competition for the first time in 1983–84, as well as reaching the 1984 FA Cup final.

Taylor left the club at the end of 1986–87. Under the six subsequent permanent managers Watford slid from 9th in the top tier in 1987, to 13th in the third tier in 1997. Taylor returned as manager for the start of the 1997–98 season. He led the club to consecutive promotions, but could not prevent relegation from the Premier League in 1999–2000. Since Taylor’s retirement in 2001, Watford has had sixteen different managers. The current manager is Javi Gracia he was hired in 2018 and has a contract until 2023.

Watford is owned by the Pozzo family, which also owns Udinese Calcio in Italy and previously Granada CF in Spain. Sir Elton John, who owned Watford during both of Graham Taylor’s successful periods as manager, served alongside Taylor as the club’s joint Honorary Life President until 2008, only to later resume the role he shared alongside Graham Taylor until Taylor’s death. Sir Elton John’s seven year old son Zachary signed up for the academy team at Watford Football Club in 2018.

This was always going to be a difficult away game but Watford will be flying high after their amazing comeback in the FA Cup semi final so it will now be even tougher.

Here are our away game statistics against Watford.

 

Getty Images

We need a positive result but will our team be up to the task?

GunnerN5

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Arsenal 2 Napoli 0 – Player Ratings

April 12, 2019

Ramsey and Ozil play together again along with our most prolific goal scorers up front. Wingbacks and three at the back. Mustafi on the bench – no sign of Xhaka.

First Half

A brilliantly constructed opener saw A. M-N set up Rambo for a pass into the far corner.

The second came after Koulibaly had blocked a couple of fine efforts on goal but his third blocking attempt diverted Torreira’s effort beyond Ospina’s replacement.

The BT Sport commentary team with Nobbie Savage and some other moron was so awful, mute was the only sensible option for the second half.

Second Half

The second period saw us have several brilliant chances of stretching our lead even further while also allowing Napoli a couple of sniffs at that important away goal.

Rambo could have had a hat trick in the end, he seems to be revelling in his his desire to win something with us in his last season. Auba’s clinical early season finishing is not there at the moment but he’ll be fine now that the antibiotics are out of his system.

Even the subs were decent, adding extra oomph when needed.

Conclusion

Brilliant result at home – a third goal would have been superb but what’s  better 3-1 or 2-0?

If we score in Naples they will need 4.

It was a fine game of attacking football, so much better than the tepid snorefests dished up by the Champions League this week.

Ratings

Cech – good fisting when required – clean sheet, all good … 8

Sokratis – excellent from Papa – Mustafi will struggle to get back his right side back three position … 8

Koscielny – how good a defender has he become? Ligue 2 defender to world class – who was our Director of Football when he signed? … 9

Monreal – the billy goat came good again even with creaking limbs … 8

Maitland-Niles – really superb tonight – sharp passing, quick to cover, bang up for it … 8

Kolasinac – likewise for Sead – contributed throughout and his passing went up a notch as it did for most of tonight’s team … 8

Torreira – absolutely majestic in the first half, interceptions and successful tackles galore – only understandable that he faded a little near the end … 9

Ramsey – playing like a man possessed – he wanted to leave for the change but wanted to stay because he loves Arsenal – scored one, could have had two more – reborn in midfield … 9

Ozil – everything was good in Mesut-world for tonight’s game – his use of the ball and ability to find space are world-class … 8

Lacazette – another banging performance just lacking that goal to cap it off – maybe one is waiting for him in Naples? … 8

Aubameyang – a few decent sniffs but no goals – what are the odds on both him and Laca scoring in Italy? … 8

Subs

Mkhitaryan – nearly got an assist for the Ramsey chance which was skied – it was the perfect scenario for him to come on with both teams going for it … 7

Iwobi – didn’t let the team down by adding drive and enthusiasm in exchange for tired legs … 7

Elneny – good that his non-performance against Everton has been consigned to the history books … 7

Managers

Emery –  dominated his much-lauded opposition manager – top marks, Unai    … 9

Carlo Wagnerotti – his side came to play football which should be praised, though the early goal forced his hand somewhat … 5

Ref

Alberto Undiano Mallenco – Spanish, so an expert at spotting diving. He has been a full international referee for FIFA since 2004. Undiano is also a part-time sociologist. He was almost invisible which is exactly what’s required from all refs … 9

chas

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Arsenal FC – Our home record against Napoli

April 10, 2019

Naples is one of the oldest continuously inhabited urban areas in the world. It was first settled by Greeks in the second millennium BC. In the ninth century BC, a colony known as Parthenope was established on the Island of Megaride later refounded as Neápolis in the sixth century BC. The city was an important part of Magna Graecia, played a major role in the merging of Greek and Roman society and a significant cultural centre under the Romans. It served as the capital of the Duchy of Naples (661–1139), then of the Kingdom of Naples (1282–1816) and finally of the Two Sicilies until the unification of Italy in 1861.

Società Sportiva Calcio Napoli S.p.A.

Nickname(s)    Gli Azzurri (The Blues), I Partenopei (The Parthenopeans)

Napoli’s San Paolo Stadium (capacity 60,240) was inaugurated in 1959 and is the third largest in Italy, after Milan’s Meazza Stadium and Rome’s Olimpico. Situated in the Fuorigrotta neighbourhood, it measures 110 by 68 meters. It was remodelled for the 1980 European Championship and again for the World Cup hosted by Italy in 1990, when a covering and a new 330-seat press stand were installed, the track and lighting systems were redone and the stadium was brought up to FIFA safety standards. With an 8-lane track, three sports gyms, a boxing gym, a fitness gym and a wrestling and martial arts gym.

Naples Football Club was the first true Neapolitan football club to represent the city.  It was founded between late 1904 and early 1905, after a series of meetings at the homes of an Englishman, William Poths, and a Neapolitan, Ernesto Bruschini.

William Poths

Dark and pale blue stripes were chosen as the team colours. Their first President was engineer Amedeo Salsi, flanked by Poths, Bayon and two amateur football players, Conforti and Catterina. William Poths deserves special mention. An employee of the Cunard Shipping Line, he moved to Naples from England in 1903 and quite naturally brought all his English customs with him, including an immense passion for football, which had been played in England since 1847 and was rapidly gaining popularity in Europe and Italy too. There were already several teams in Naples: The aristocratic Open Air team, The Helios team, and the Audace team.

Early games were played at via Campegna. Napoli’s early history seems sketchier by comparison to Arsenal’s. The following is a translation from a SSC Napoli history site which beautifully captures the appeal of the early rise of football in the area by describing the via Campegna playing conditions.

a rather unstable and dusty expanse of land where a group of “stoic gamblers” chased a rolling sphere in shorts and rough and often ungainly attitudes that induced the paying public (at that time half a lira) including marquises, countesses, dukes and real dudes and ” gagà ” of Naples to smile at observing that absurd race to those who conquered the ball

Napoli broke the world transfer record fee after acquiring Diego Maradona in a €12 million deal from Barcelona on 30 June 1984. The 1986–87 season was the landmark in Napoli’s history; they won the double, securing the Serie A title by three points and then beating Atalanta 4–0 to lift the Coppa Italia.

Honours

National titles

Serie A

Winners (2): 1986–87, 1989–90

Coppa Italia

Winners (5): 1961–62, 1975–76, 1986–87, 2011–12, 2013–14

Supercoppa Italiana

Winners (2): 1990, 2014

European titles

UEFA Cup

Winners (1): 1988–89

Our only home game against Napoli was in Group F of the 2013-14 Champions League – we won the game 2-0 with goals from Ozil (his first Arsenal goal) and Giroud.

The Napoli fans have a reputation it’s fair to say and caused a deal of trouble in Islington in 2013.

Getty Images

Given our away record this season we will need to take full advantage of playing in front of our home supporters and win the game with an all important clean sheet.

GunnerN5

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Everton Arsenal – Player Ratings

April 8, 2019

Torreira banned, Xhaka not quite ready plus Rambo eased back slowly (perhaps because he’s in the red zone) means that Elneny and Guendouzi got the gig in centre midfield. Mkhitaryan there to help and with the wingbacks we should have enough in midfield? Kos is still out so the back three is as against Newcastle but will surely face greater pressure than on Monday night.

First Half

The start to the game tended to suggest which way the game might head. After a couple of minutes Laca was completely cleared out by Zouma with a late, sliding, reckless challenge in the penalty area which the ref completely ignored. A penalty and caution were obvious, but no, it was Guendouzi who received the first yellow with a silly follow through a couple of minutes later.

Action Images via Reuters

The goal when it came was typical Arsenal, back to those away days at Stoke when Delap used to terrorise us with his trebuchet. The throw was legal as Digne’s heel was on the touchline contrary to a huge outcry on twitter. The 50/50 header wasn’t read by the Arsenal defence and the follow up header hit Kolasinac on the foot, deflected 90 degrees straight to Jagielka who hadn’t been down to play until a half hour before kick off. He hadn’t scored since the 20th century. Classic Arsenal concession.

Not too much happened goalmouth-wise for the rest of the first half. There were, however, a series of nasty challenges. We’ve been kicked off the park at Goodison before but it never gets any easier to watch.

Only one effort from Arsenal in that 45, zero on target, not good enough. Mesut was swamped every time he touched the ball. Pre-match doubts about the Guendouzi/Elneny partnership were completely justified in that first half. The only way to match them in the second half would be to match their intensity or completely change formation.

Second Half

The necessary change in personnel with Ramsey and Auba replacing Elneny and Wardrobe appeared to have an immediate positive effect, but illustrated the absolute poverty of that first half performance and team selection.

Our best period of the game was the ten minutes after half time. There were a few good chances but none looked remotely like being taken.

The rest of the second period was Arsenal pressing but Everton looking more likely to score on the break.

In summary, we were garbage and made an average Everton side look quite good.

This pretty much sums up the performance …..

https://twitter.com/outofcontextars/status/1114900461738393600

Conclusion

What has become a somewhat predictable away performance from Arsenal. Few chances created but plenty of opposition chances allowed. We probably could have played for another hour and not scored. Beaten by a really poxy set piece calamity of a goal.

So, we’re back behind the spuds and those 4 away games left look dangerous unless there’s some sort of change in mentality.

Getty Images

Ratings

Leno – nowt much do again, a good block from Sigurdsson in the second half and a fine block when Bernard was through – when the keeper is MOTM and you’ve lost, you know it’s been a shite performance from the team … 7

Mustafi – a pretty standard performance from the German – some good challenges mixed in with some garbage … 5

Sokratis – too often left exposed by our weakness on the flanks – his booking means he misses our next two matches against Watford and Palace … 5

Monreal – struggled manfully as usual but received no cover from the wing back or central midfield … 5

Maitland-Niles – seemed confused by Everton’s intensity – mind you, he wasn’t the only one … 3

Kolasinac – pretty clueless – no help to Monreal and he passes backwards if he’s not barrelling toward the byline, which he never was … 4

Guendouzi – felt sorry for him – a 19 year old shouldn’t be placed under that much pressure and responsibility … 5

Elneny – a squad player at best – a chance to shine and he was barely noticeable in that first half … 3

Mkhitaryan – lightweight and not what was required for a battle at Goodison … 5

Ozil – captain? do me a favour – not very good leadership either by command or by example … 4

Lacazette – not one of his best days – almost our best move/chance and Laca could only fall over when a simple pass to Aubameyang was on … 4

Subs

Ramsey – raised the level of Arsenal’s performance from the depths – but couldn’t engineer a goal … 6

Aubameyang – another who perhaps should have been on from the start – it would have been nice to see him double-teaming with Laca, especially near the end when we needed a goal … 5

Iwobi – had an excellent little test of his dribbling skills for 15 minutes – perhaps unlucky not to achieve more … 6

Managers

Emery – he’s still not cracked the away form weakness – let’s hope inspiration comes before Watford … 5

Marco Wagner – set his team up to steamroller the Southern softies into submission and it worked – 3 points reduction for beating us … 4

Ref

Kevin Friend of Everton – a penalty and a yellow for Zouma in the first few minutes and it’s a different game – allowed far too much niggly foul play from the Toffees … 3

chas

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Arsenal’s Century Club – John Radford

April 6, 2019

Nineteen players have achieved the feat of scoring 100 goals for the Club over the past 96 years. The players are sorted by the number of games taken to reach the 100 goal mark. Big Raddy sits at number 17.

John Radford was born on 22 February 1947 in Hemsworth, Yorkshire.

He joined Arsenal as an apprentice in 1962, turning professional in February 1964.

During an interview he said – “I well remember the day before my debut in Arsenal’s senior side. It was Friday 20th March 1964, just a month after my 17th birthday. In those days we youngsters had to do all sorts of menial tasks around the place and one of them that day was to clean the baths at Highbury stadium. I was scrubbing away when the next thing I knew, our manager Billy Wright was standing watching me.

“John, you’ll need to rest up a bit when you’ve finished doing that.” he said looking serious.

“Why’s that?” I replied a bit puzzled.

“Because you’re playing at West Ham tomorrow” he said and walked away leaving me stunned as you can well imagine.”

Prior to the start of the 1968-69 football season. (Photo by Rolls Press/Popperfoto/Getty Images)

John was a prolific goal scorer in his youth but his only appearance in 1964-65 was his debut game against West Ham. In the 1965-66 season he played 15 times, and became Arsenal’s youngest ever hat-trick scorer, against Wolves on 2 January 1965, at the age of 17 years and 315 days, a record that remains to this day.

He soon became an Arsenal regular, and blossomed under the management of Bertie Mee; in 1968-69, although he had been moved out to the right wing, he scored nineteen goals and reached the 1969 League Cup final. As he peaked, so did Arsenal; in 1969-70 he again scored nineteen goals, and helped Arsenal win the 1970 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, their first trophy in seventeen years; John scored the second goal in Arsenal’s 3-0 win in the second leg of the final, which they won 4-3 on aggregate.

John was moved up front again and continued to score regularly. The following season (1970-71) he scored 21 goals, his best single tally in a season, forming a partnership with Ray Kennedy they recorded 47 goals between them. With his goals, John was an instrumental part of Arsenal’s FA Cup and League Championship double-winning side, and his assists played an important role too; he set up Kennedy for the winning goal in Arsenal’s FA Cup semi-final replay win against Stoke City, and set up both Eddie Kelly and Charlie George for their goals in the Final against Liverpool.

Arsenal footballers Ray Kennedy, Frank McClintock, (captain) and John Radford celebrating in the changing room after Arsenal’s 2-1 victory over Liverpool in the FA Cup final. Original Publication: People Disc – HP0267 (Photo by Evening Standard/Getty Images)

He continued to play for Arsenal through the early 1970s, scoring another 19 goals in 1972-73. However, his goal rate gradually reduced (only achieving single figures in 1973-74 and 1974-75) and he was injured in 1975-76, further restricting his appearances. By now, the partnership of Malcolm Macdonald and Frank Stapleton had become Arsenal’s first-choice attacking duo and John only played twice in the first four months of 1976-77.

Unable to keep a regular place in the side, he moved on to West Ham United in December 1976 for £80,000. After a year and 28 league appearances and no goals with the Hammers, Radford joined Blackburn Rovers in 1977. He was moderately successful with the Second Division side, scoring ten times in 38 league appearances. He left Rovers in 1978 and played for non-league Bishop’s Stortford before retiring. After retiring, he became a pub landlord, and enjoyed several spells as manager of Bishop’s Stortford in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

In all he played 485 times for Arsenal, scoring 149 goals, which makes him Arsenal’s fourth all-time top scorer.

His 100th goal was scored against Leicester City at Highbury on September 25th 1971 in his 306th game for Arsenal.

In a supporter’s poll to determine Arsenal’s all time top 50 players John placed 24th. His total of 149 goals puts him 4th on Arsenal’s all time top goalscorer list.

GunnerN5

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Arsenal FC – Our away record against Everton

April 5, 2019

Everton was founded in 1878 by the St Domingo Methodist New Connexion Chapel in Breckfield Road North; it was named St Domingo FC and was created so that members of the congregation could play football as well as cricket. The club was renamed Everton in November 1879 to allow people outside of the congregation to participate.

The lock up tower featured on Everton’s club crest

On April 17, 1888 Everton became a founding member of the Football League.

Representatives of the Blues along with Aston Villa, Blackburn Rovers, Bolton Wanderers, Burnley, Derby County, Notts County, Preston North End, Stoke, West Bromwich Albion and Wolverhampton Wanderers met at the Royal Hotel in Manchester.

The move followed concerns that too many friendly games were being cancelled thereby depriving the clubs of gate money, and playing a set number of matches home and away should offset any losses derived from losing friendly matches.

Membership was set at £2 2s a year.

Everton’s nickname “The Toffees” or “The Toffeemen”, came about after Everton moved to Goodison. One of the possible reasons for the nickname was that there was a business in Everton village, named Mother Noblett’s, it was a toffee shop that sold sweets including the Everton Mint. It was also located opposite the lock up which Everton’s club crest is based on. The Toffee Lady tradition in which a girl walks around the perimeter of the pitch before the start of a game tossing free Everton Mints into the crowd symbolises the connection. Another possible reason is that there was a house named Ye Anciente Everton Toffee House in nearby Village Street, Everton, run by Ma Bushell. The toffee house was located near the Queen’s Head hotel in which early club meetings took place

Goodison Park clock 1970s

(Joe Mercer was born in Ellesmere Port in 1914. He joined Everton as a youngster and forced himself into the first team on a regular basis in 1935. Developing quickly, he became England’s left-half. The Second World War came and went and Sergeant Major Mercer, captain of his country, returned to Goodison Park having won 26 wartime caps. When he returned Everton had both a captain and a manager and Mercer, no longer a figure of responsibility became disconsolate. Arsenal heard about his disenchantment and signed him in late 1946 for £7,000. )

In 1925 they signed Dixie Dean from Tranmere Rovers.

Prior to the final game of the 1927-28 season Dean had been injured but was declared fit to play just before the kick off; the game was at home to Herbert Chapman’s legendary Arsenal side, he needed to get a hat-trick for the league scoring record. The Gunners had the famous Charles Buchan playing his final match before retirement in their defence and he was eager to ensure Everton’s young upstart didn’t steal his show. It was, however, undeniably Dean’s day. He scored the third goal of his hat trick and the record 60th of the season in the 85th minute. His record stands to this day.

A reporter wrote – “You talk about explosions, and loud applause; we have heard many explosions, and much applause in our long pilgrimage, but, believe us, we have never heard such a prolonged roar of thundering, congratulatory applause before as to that which ascended to heaven when Dixie broke the record.”

He scored 37 hat tricks for Everton – First: 17/10/1925, Last: 7/11/1936.

(Tommy Lawton one of the greatest goal scorers of his or any age began his career with Burnley and moved to Everton for £6,500, as an eventual replacement for Dixie Dean, in March 1937. He helped the club win the League title in 1939. In November 1953, Lawton was traded to First Division champions Arsenal for £7,500.)

Domestic Honours:

* 1st Division Champions (9): 1890–91, 1914–15, 1927–28, 1931–32, 1938–39, 1962–63, 1969–70, 1984–85, 1986–87

* 2nd Division: Winners (1): 1930–31

* FA Cup: Winners (5): 1905–06, 1932–33, 1965–66, 1983–84, 1994–95

* FA Charity Shield: Winners (9): 1928, 1932, 1963, 1970, 1984, 1985, 1986 (shared), 1987, 1995

European Honours:

* European Cup Winners Cup: Winners: (1): 1984–85

 

AFP

Everton’s 2018-19 home record.

Thirty one games played and we are down to our final seven games of the season; Sunday will be the first of the five away games we have to play and none of them will be easy.

If we win all seven games we will be guaranteed both third place and a place in the 2019-20 Champions League.

My breath is bated and I await the games with a great deal of nervous anticipation.

GunnerN5

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Is Guendouzi really lightweight, Mesut really lazy, Mustafi an accident waiting to happen?

April 3, 2019

One of the topics of discussion from the Arsenal Toon game was Matteo Guendouzi and how different spectators see different things when watching his performances. This brings me to ‘confirmation bias’. Basically we choose what we want to see and, one would imagine that in terms of football fans, this phenomenon is positively viral in its contagion.

Here’s the Wiki definition of the term …..

Confirmation bias is the tendency to search for, interpret, favour, and recall information in a way that confirms one’s pre-existing beliefs or hypotheses. It is a type of cognitive bias and a systematic error of inductive reasoning. People display this bias when they gather or remember information selectively, or when they interpret it in a biased way. The effect is stronger for emotionally charged issues and for deeply entrenched beliefs.

Back to some specific examples. Mattteo Guendouzi is still ten days away from not being a teenager anymore. Before coming to Arsenal he played a handful of games for Lorient in his debut season of 2016/17 (Lorient were relegated). He featured 21 times in the following season in the French second tier and Lorient finished 7th. So far this season he has made 34 (23 League) appearances across all competitions for a top 6 EPL side.  This is just background and may or may not be of any significance.

Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images

What do you think the answer to the question is, ‘Does Guendouzi get caught in possession more times on average than Granit Xhaka or than Lucas Torreira?’ The answer is probably that for central midfielders, they all get caught a similar number of times – it’s the nature of the position to a certain extent, especially as the high press is the current fashion for every Klopp, Pep and Wagner.

How about ‘Does Guendouzi make more misplaced passes than the other two?’ Their pass accuracy percentages are 87.7, 87.6 and 85.2. Matteo top, then Lucas followed by Granit. Granit plays twice as many long balls per game which probably accounts for part of this difference.

Is Mesut lazy? If so, why does he clock up so many k’s over a season. (2016/7 season figures given just because they were handy)

2016/7 season

Is Shkodran Mustafi an accident waiting to happen? Does he launch into ‘flat on his a*se’ tackles at every available opportunity? If this is the case, why does he top the stats for tackles for the whole Arsenal squad?

It’s not so very far back that Aaron Ramsey was always slated on Arsenal blogs across the world for slowing the game down, being ponderous on the ball and indecisive when it came to the crunch. Now that he’s leaving, he’s suddenly become the best player since Zidane and absolutely crucial to Arsenal’s team play. Where does the truth lie? Somewhere in the middle, maybe?

Many Arsenal fans (well, it’s probably true for all fans of other teams, too) like to have their favourite players and also the ones they just can’t bear to see on the teamsheet. AdeBarnDoor was a prime example, Walcott another. What I find difficult to understand is that if you make up your mind that a particular player is pants, what do you do when they have a good game? Do you celebrate any goals they might score?

My particular strongest confirmation bias is against refs. Why are they all against us? Don’t they like the red and white shirts? Are they all from the North West? (Most are, as it happens 🙂 ). I realise that a lot of the time it’s irrational, but hell, I’m blowed if I’m going to stop doing it. I love it.

Anyway, enough of this waffle. All I’m saying is that we all see what we want to see and have our own multitudinous confirmation biases going on in our heads every time we watch a game.

After all, that’s where varying opinions come from and is partly what makes blogging or shooting the breeze in the pub so popular.

Thoughts?

chas

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Arsenal 2 Newcastle 0 – Player Ratings

April 2, 2019

No Xhaka, no Kos, Curly is last man standing with Torreira banned. Iwobi gets a run with Auba and Micki as firepower off the bench.

First Half

Consider the Benitez Bus well and truly parked – the wheels were off and it was being shoved backwards and forwards across the 18 yard box on a massive trolley jack.

Nothing to speak of in the first 30 apart from a seemingly perfect goal from Ramsey ruled out by the replusive Taylor for some ‘six of one and half a dozen of the other’ shirt tugging which had no influence on the goal.

Finally a ball broke for us in the area with a cannily crafted assist from two Magpie defenders; Rambo’s left slotting it in off the far post.

Newcastle had one token effort from Rondon which was going wide before some nice interchange created the best chance of the half when Laca swivelled but his shot miraculously cannoned off a square head to leave the score at 1-0 at the break.

Halftime foul count Arsenal 8 Newcastle 4 – yeah right.

Second Half

More of the same from Newcastle – a tedious desire to suck the life out of a game of football.

Auba for Iwobi had an immediate effect. His pace was electric down the right wing but couldn’t quite find Laca with a driven cross. The second when it came was the same combination, an Auba header and Laca slipping round the back to lob the keeper.

Stuart MacFarlane on twitter

The chances now started to flow properly and we should have had a third when Taylor decided he’d seen a handball from Laca which came off a massive goalkeeping glove! He really was terrible tonight – the comical booking of SeadK straight out of the Mike Dean book of celebrity reffing.

Conclusion

A perfect start to April with Newcastle being the only fools on Fools’ Day. Bus parking got exactly what it received – absolutely sweet FA.

Ratings

Leno – nothing to do against the shot shy Toon  ….. 7

Ainsley – recovered from his knock and played competently throughout   ….. 7

Shkod – some on social media still having a pop even when he does nothing wrong -smh ….. 7

Papa – solid, steely, indefatigable ….. 8

Nacho – another fine performance from La Cabra – ridiculous booking dished out by the man from the Manchester region   ….. 8

Wardrobe – rampaging and rollocking, just couldn’t find that crucial final ball ….. 7

Guendouzi – still caught in possession too often but with no protection from the ref – must have touched the ball most? – never hides ….. 7

Ramsey – crucial goal – not sure what his injury was as he jogged off comfortably enough ….. 7

Iwobi – tried to unpick the bus station doors to no avail  ….. 7

Ozil – all over the pitch, needs to take his class to some away grounds     ….. 8

Laca – didn’t look like he was going to have a right place, right time night until he popped up chasing Auba’s header ….. 8

Subs

Auba – made a difference – he really suits that last half hour cameo  ….. 8

Elneny – he came, he saw, he Mo’ed ….. 7

Micki – time wasting sub to allow Mesut to get an ovation

Managers

Emery – Everything right again at home against an uninspiring negative Newcastle team – Let’s come up with an away plan now, Unai ….. 8

The Spanish Wagner – Tediousness personified ….. 3

Referee – so many calls wrong it was ridiculous – no wonder we can’t provide refs for big international tournaments – he’s meant to be one of the better ones …. 0

chas

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What does April hold in store for Emery’s Arsenal?

March 31, 2019

Three Monday night games. Two home games, four aways in the Prem and a Europa quarter final against Napoli. Pretty exciting maybe?

Of the three Monday night games only one is at home, which just so happens to be tomorrow night against Newcastle. On April Fools’ night the UK parliament is going to, yet again, attempt to extract its head from its back passage.  Don’t hold out much hope for that, but at least we have a fighting chance of turning Newcastle over!

Next Sunday, March 7th, sees us at Goodison with a 2.05pm kick off. The Toffees are on the up and we’ll need to be better than the chavs were on their recent visit to the wild wastelands of the North West if we want to come away with something.

Mesut scores in a 5-2 win at Goodison in October 2017

We’re back at the Emirates on the 11th for the home tie of the Napoli QF. It’ll be interesting to see Unai’s priorities for each game in this really busy month. At present the League appears our best route to a CL place since we sit in a top 4 place (well we did before the mancs luckily sneaked past Watford yesterday). Juggling both Prem and Europa balls is going to be tricky. One game at a time, I suppose. 🙂

The subsequent EPL game is away to Watford on Monday the 15th April, which does gives us an extra day after the Napoli game to regroup if you were trying to look for the positives of Monday night footie. Watford are a bit up and down but can be a stern proposition at Vicarage Road if it gets buzzing and Deeney puts that hideous mask on again.

Three days later we head to Naples, hopefully to finish off the job we begun in London. This is Arsenal, though, so don’t expect 3-0 at home and a clean sheet away in Italy. We don’t do easy.

The distance to the pitch in Naples will help but it’ll still be a hostile atmosphere

Yet another three day break follows and on the 21st we entertain Crystal Palace at THOF for the 4pm kick off. I’m particularly excited about this one as it’s my next trip to see the boys in the flesh.

Wolves in midweek on the 24th of April will be a tall order after such an intensive series of games, but if we can’t match them under the Molineux floodlights ….. we shall see. For some reason, this fixture seems one of the trickiest of the month, so expect us to cruise it.

April is topped off on the 29th with the third Monday Night Football we’ll have to endure over the next month. Away at Leicester is never easy but it just so happens to be the venue for my favourite away trip fixture of recent years when we beat them 5-3 and the beer was just delicious.

All in all a very busy, very exciting and potentially rewarding month is in store for Unai’s Arsenal. After the arid, uninspiring desert that was the second half of March, it’s going to be a headlong, bumpy sprint riding on the back of a camel desperate to dip its head into the oasis.

Before you go, what do you think the dippers v spuds score might be this afternoon? Take a punt

chas 

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Arsenal FC – Our home record against the Magpies

March 30, 2019

Newcastle United Football Club (based in Newcastle upon Tyne) was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End. Their home ground has been St James’ Park since the club’s foundation the ground was developed into an all-seater stadium in the mid-1990s and has a capacity of 52,354. The club has been owned by Mike Ashley since 2007, succeeding long term chairman and owner Sir John Hall.

Rodney Bewes and Ian Le Frenais St James’ Park 1972 – Newcastle Chronicle

The club is the 17th-highest revenue producing club in the world in terms of annual revenue, generating €169.3 million in 2015. Newcastle’s highest placing was in 1999, when they were the fifth-highest revenue producing football club in the world, and second in England only behind Manchester United.

Newcastle has been a member of the Premier League for all but three years of the competition’s history and has been in the top four on five occasions.

Currently Newcastle is eighth in the Premier League all time table.

The club’s top goal scorer is Alan Shearer, who scored 206 goals in all competitions between 1996 and 2006. Andy Cole holds the record for the most goals scored in a season: 41 in the 1993–94 season in the Premier League. Shay Given is the most capped international for the club, with 134 appearances for Republic of Ireland.

Newcastle Club Honours

Football League First Division: Winners (4) – 1904–05, 1906–07, 1908–09, 1926–27

Second Division / Championship: Winners (4) – 1964–65, 1992–93, 2009–10, 2016–17

FA Cup: Winners (6) – 1910, 1924, 1932, 1951, 1952, 1955

FA Charity Shield: Winners (1) – 1909

European – Inter-Cities Fairs Cup: Winners (1) − 1969

UEFA Intertoto Cup: Winners (1) − 2006 (Outright Winner)

Woolwich Arsenal’s inaugural Football League appearance was played before a crowd of 10,000 at the club’s “new” ground, the Manor Field in a Division 2 game against Newcastle United on September 2nd 1893 and ended in a 2-2 draw.

Here’s a Arsenal History match report of that first ever game in the Football League.

Classic Match Report: Arsenal v Newcastle 2 September 1893

Arsenal has won 17 of our 23 home games against Newcastle with the last loss coming on November 10, 2010.

Theo scores in the 7-3 thriller of December 2012

Ray Kennedy beats Bobby Moncur April 1971

Hopefully our good home form will see us over the line against the barcodes.

GunnerN5

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