Brighton. A Lovers Repose

December 26, 2018

Having played all our home games for 2018 we finish the year with away ties at Brighton and Liverpool.

Brighton is the home to many an ex-lover (as was discovered on the blog on Xmas Eve). Strange that. Must be the air.

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My First Love, now residing in Brighton

Also in the strange department is the fact we are playing in a black kit – apparently our second away kit – against a team who plays in blue and white. Being an old fart I cannot understand this, are ther new rules that teams cannot use their home kit when playing away? And even if that is the case, which numpty designed a grey/black kit or for that matter, an awful peppermint outfit? Thankfully we change our kit sponsor next season.

Last season Brighton beat us at the Amex, they play good football under their very popular manager, David Wagner,and the atmosphere created by the Seagulls fans is fervent. This will not be an easy victory. But, we have finally overcome the monkey of leading at half-time. An ealry goal for the men in black would be very welcome

Our squad is suffering from a plethora of injuries, A greek chap, Holding, Catwalk, Naco, Mustafi, Mhki, Smith Rowe (Lab) and Big Danny all out; some for lengthy spells. Given the very recent and less than impressive return of Koscielny, there is clearly a need for purchases in January.

So, who remains standing? We can still put out a strong team. Terrier and Ramsey were rested at the weekend and will surely play today (unless our Welsh Wizard has already signed his transfer papers.

My Team:

Bent

AMN  (Cons)     Sokratis     Koscielny     Wardrobe

Ramsey    Xhaka   Terrier

Ozil    Iwobi

Lacazette

With the Liverpool game in a couple of days, I think PEA will be benched.

Ramsey to play in his preferred role in front of the midfield. Looking at this team it is crying out for a proper winger.

Any money spent in January will surely be on defenders, our defensive record is as bad as I can remember. We have only had 3 clean sheets this season and I do not expect another today. Brighton are a tough team at the Amex.

Don’t forget the later kick off

We need 3 points this afternoon if top 4 is remain on the horizon. Let it be So.

COYRRG

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Posted by Erik the Red

Arsenal FC – Our away record against the Seagulls

December 24, 2018

Brighton and Hove are twin towns, now combined as one city, on the South Coast of England in the county of Sussex, and are well known as tourist destinations.

Professional football in the area was the brainchild of Edgar Everest, a Sussex Football Association official who founded Brighton United in 1897. Playing at the Sussex County Cricket Ground, the club collapsed in 1900. A high-class amateur side, Brighton & Hove Rangers, was formed in its wake but also folded after just one year.

But the will to provide the towns with a successful club was already strong. The former manager of Brighton United, John Jackson, was the driving-force behind a third club.

Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. were founded in 1901 and 19 years later, in 1920, they were elected to the Football League’s new Third Division – having previously been members of the Southern League.

In the Southern League they won their only national honour to date, the FA Charity Shield, which at that time was contested by the champions of the Southern League, and the Football League, by defeating Football League Champions Aston Villa in 1910.

Our first game against Brighton was in the third round proper of the FA Cup played on January 12th 1935 at the Goldstone Ground in Hove and it ended in a 0-2 win for Arsenal.

In league play we have only met Brighton on ten occasions, eight in Division 1 and two in the EPL.

Here is our complete league away record –

Treat it like a cup tie – our recent record at the Amex (or whatever mercenary, corporate name it has now) is good in the FA Cup.

GunnerN5

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Posted by Bongo

Arsenal 3 Burnley 1 – Player Ratings

December 23, 2018

Before the game

Superb fun on the 8:45 from Nottingham. A complimentary full English included in the price of a first class ticket. Our only dilemma was how to fit in the three accompanying beers. Once in London, beers in the World’s End, Finsbury Park with LBG and two hip flasks of surgical spirit, plus a lovely discussion about a match photo on the pub wall, all preceded meeting up with the ticket fairy outside entrance F.

We all knew how Dyche would set up his team to maximise the chance of sneaking something with the bang average players he has at his disposal – kick the opposition and hope for a goal at a set-piece.

First half

Harum scarum start to the game. Could have been goals at either end in the first couple of minutes. Eventually the footballing side shone through and deservedly took the lead when Auba scored. Mesut’s through ball to Kola was mind-bending; such vision in a crowded penalty area. No-one else in the Premier could have played that pass. One nil to the Arsenal. Burnley’s 354 away fans were distraught.

Second half

Arsenal should have been sailing gently down the three points river after Auba doubled his tally with a classy pile-driver high into the net at Hart’s near post.

Instead we let the Neanderthals back into the game with a series of dreadful attempts at clearances from a dead ball. A Dyche team scoring from a dead ball – who would have thought it?

At this point I could see two eventualities 4-1 or 2-2. Luckily Wobbly popped up with the winner when played onside by the Burnley right back. His goal-bound effort was close enough to the goal not to sail over the bar!

get your head over it, lad

The fourth was not forthcoming, so we had to be content with just 3-1 and three lovely points. 🙂

Conclusion

A worthy three points against a team of cloggers. Shame Mesut didn’t play as defensive midfielder! 😊

Ratings

Leno – Sound performance … 7

Maitland-Niles – lackadaisical and no threat going forward … 5

Sokratis – MOTM – a Greek Tony Adams – stood up to Barnes who could have been sent off twice – Auba calls him ‘Papa’, sounds good to me … 9

Monreal – solid but bandy legs caused another injury … 6

Kolasinac – not much to do defensively which played to his strong suit – some majestic power challenges … 7

Xhaka – where was he playing? – was he good or bad? You decide … 7

Elneny – Bang average – Animal from the Muppets – how bad is it when you only get picked when the Terrier needs a rest and even then you can’t last 90 mins without being subbed?… 5

Guendouzi – not one of his best – needs a haircut … 6

Ozil – masterminded Burnley’s downfall, pass for the first goal was world class – run for the third mesmeric … 8

Aubameyang – does what it says on the tin … 8

Lacazette – sparky and full of spunk, needs a goal but instrumental in the crucial second … 7

Subs

Lichtsteiner – not the best passer but he wasn’t signed for his sweet passing – a great squad player … 7

Iwobi – did very little – apart from seal the victory … 6

Torreira – shouldn’t have been needed for Burnley … 6

Managers

Emery – tricky day for him with so many out, but did a fair job at juggling his resources … 7

Dyche – like some hideous reincarnation of all of Alex Ferguson’s worst traits. Comments after the game ridiculously laughable … 2

chas

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Posted by Bongo

Burnley. Home Record and Probable Line-Up

December 22, 2018

Another two part post this morning  – you lucky folk.

Burnley FC History

Proud founder members of the Football League, Burnley Football Club began life as the ‘Burnley Rovers’ rugby club and became Burnley Football Club in 1882. They moved to their Turf Moor home shortly afterwards, at the invitation of the town’s cricket club, which is still uniquely situated next to the stadium.

FA Cup campaigns gave way to organised football in 1888 with the foundation of the Football League – and since then Burnley have claimed every major honour, with the exception of the League Cup.

The first honour was a Second Division title in 1897-98 and the club’s improved fortunes were finally reflected in an FA Cup triumph at The Crystal Palace in 1914, with a 1-0 win against Liverpool coming just months before the outbreak of the Great War.

Following the War, the Clarets continued to make their mark on the domestic game and in the 1920-21 season the team enjoyed a remarkable unbeaten run of 30 league matches as they led the club to an inaugural First Division title, having been runners-up the previous season.

That magnificent league record stood for over 80 years, until being battered by Arsenal in the 2003/04 season.

We have only met Burnley at home on four occasions and we hold a perfect record, if our leaky defensive wall is repaired in time we should keep that record intact.

Here are the Premier League home results

Our overall League home results

GunnerN5

Part 2:

Burnley will prove a stern test this afternoon, having lost against an astonishingly lucky Spurs team in the 99th minute last week.

Like the town, they will be dour.

We need to score early and open up the game but this is not the Emery way at the moment. It would be great to go in for half time oranges with a lead.

Given the poor showing midweek the team will want to return to winning ways and hopefully show they are not replacing the old “crap in November” with “crap in December”.

My Team:

Bent

Mustafi   Sokratis    Nacho

Ramsey   Terrier   Xhaka    AMN

Ozil

Laca    PEA

If Wardrobe is fit he should play in place of AMN, though I would like to see the young man get a run of games in the team.

An important game against rugged opponents, we need to garner 3 points.

Let it be So

COYRRG

 

 

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Posted by Bongo

Meaty, Beaty, Big And Bouncy

December 21, 2018

No, we’re not talking The Who compilation albums but the effects of both removing managers and of installing new ones.

Thought AAers might be interested in the fascinating discussion on radio by a sports psychologist of two “effects” relevant to the Moaninho story and, I thought, relevant to us.

First effect is called the “false kick”. He was suggesting the problems at Manure are higher up and throughout the Club rather than at the managers door. The false kick believes all the problems will be removed by getting rid of him, and he was doubtful.

The comparison with the Arse was interesting to me. Did we get rid of the main problem by ousting AW? (Much more complicated, of course because we have changed the structure dramatically at the same time).

The second effect he talked about is the “bounce”, one we are very familiar with, even recently (don’t mention St Mary’s). The result of a new man coming in and the change in “motivation” from the same players who were seemingly not performing for the last manager, suddenly start playing like men possessed.

Again, surely we have witnessed a bounce from Dick’s arrival!?

I liked his comparison with teaching.

When a new teacher arrives, all the kids don’t know how to react (including the baddies, in my experience). How should we react, what will he/she be like, what are the rules?

This is the strongest moment in a teacher’s reign. Doesn’t last long though, folks.

LBG

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Posted by Erik the Red

Arsenal v Spuds Ratings

December 20, 2018

Two for the price of one today! We won the one that mattered, so don’t be too downhearted.

First up our resident glove butler followed by the world’s foremost expert on continental imports.

If no one else will say it I will that was piss poor!

Everything about that defeat was our own making from not creating enough, not taking chances we did create, and far too easy to be broken down from defence to attack.

Now here’s an issue teams have stopped playing through our midfield because we’ve actually sorted that problem, so instead they bypassed it twice and took the chances. Southampton went wide, and I’m also a bit concerned with the positions out midfield two were taking up.

Also professionalism was lacking getting upset at Spuds timewasting tactics at 2-0 but we shouldn’t have been 2-0 down, so it’s crying over spilt milk what do we expect them to do?

Going through the team you can see the players playing Emery’s way and the ones not:

Cech just can’t play the ball out back,cost us possession far too often with his inability to pass ball ten yards or fifty.

Monreal playing high up the pitch leaving us exposed, but I think he is one of the hardest battlers in the side and never hides

AM-N we know he is out of position on the right and I love the kids touch he can pull a ball out of the sky and invariably he puts it in front of him ready to pass on, however there were times tonight where I wanted to see first time crosses from a diagonal ball but he chose an extra touch.

Sokratis a solid defender, but that’s it.

Xhaka …. not a centre back, better midfielder but mainly better at long passes

Guendouzzi ….. covers a lot of ground, maybe step back to disciplined central role.

Torreira …. is he getting a bit attack minded or was it needs must in second half? Would prefer him to be asked to stick to break up and tick over duties

Ramsey …. disinterested or not wanting to get injured or basically not good enough to be missed

Mikhi…he is currently the player we need to do the creating but seems unable to step up to the plate consistently. I do like him though and think he is most likely to do as asked.

Iwobi….end product end product

PEA …. not enough variety in his play as the lone striker, tried to play on the shoulder, rarely comes short

Subs:
Kozzer …. still ring rusty
Laca ….. with Iwobi and Mikhi off he had no one playing to him with Ramsey in hiding
Nketiah…looked out of depth but by that stage I am not sure what formation we were playing.

Emery…struggle to see the benefit from the substitutions, however recognise that we are shortnib the squad due to injuries and some selections are forced on him. And don’t believe that is what he asked players to do. Time to see what he can do.

If you hadn’t guessed I’m pissed off and maybe that colours my assessments above.

That was simply not good enough.

Not sure what has happened with Ozil but I think we continue to look less dangerous without him.

Written by GIE

Cech – 4

AMN – 4. He needs to play higher up the pitch.

Sok – 5. Was our best defender.

Xhaka – 4.5. Tried hard but also multiple poor passes.

Monreal – 5. Tried hard as always but not cut out to play as a FB the Emery style.

Guen – 5. Tries but needs to tidy up his passing.
LT – 5. Looks tired.
Ramsey – 4. Wanted to do well but did not want to run much.

Miky – 4.5. Seems like he is struggling physically at the moment because his running is low. Needs to work his fitness level and also rediscover his magic passes.
PEA – 4. Frustrating night for our forward
Iwobi – 5. Tried hard, created chances but should have created a lot more.

Kos – awful. I am sorry but I think he is a liability.

Laca -5. A decent showing but would have done better if he started the game

Nketiah – 3. Too big of a game. Was lost on the pitch

2 losses in a row. Now I hope that Emery does the right think and rests some players and brings some energy in our next game.

Leno – Lichten, Mustafi, Sok, Monreal – AMN, El Neny, Xhaka, Douzi – Laca, PEA

Ratings by RC78

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Posted by Bongo

Another Easy Victory?

December 19, 2018

Them again.

Trouble with this game is that I am ambivalent – desperately want to beat the Miscreants but don’t want a two leg semi-final against Oilers.

How will Mr. Emery approach this fixture? Will he continue to utilise youth players or prioritise silverware and select a number of first teamers? I have no idea and doubt you do!

The 4-2 victory was glorious (any victory against them is glorious). Every goal magnificent. We witnessed one of the PL games of the season and gave them a hammering. The Emirates was rocking. Shame we couldn’t repeat a 5-2 victory!

Pochettino will want to end his final season at Spurs with some silverware, so I anticipate they will bring a very strong team including  Alderweiss (isn’t that a song from Sound of Music?), Alli and all the other muppets.

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We, on the other hand, are blighted by injuries and cannot risk some of our chaps. Dare we start with Nketiah upfront or play safe with Lacazette?

My Team:

Helmet

Licht   Sokratis    Medley   AMN

Ramsey    Xhaka   Willock

Ozil     Iwobi

Lacazette

Mustafi is recovering from injury, Kos played 90 on Sunday, Holding out, Mavro out,  Wradrobe out, Chambers AWOL, we have to play either Monreal or a kid at CB, I choose the kid. SAka and Eddie on the bench. PEA given a night off.

We play Burnley at the weekend which must be the priority.

If we win – it is a fine victory

If we lose – it is only the Carabao and we beat them in the important game.

COYRRG

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Posted by Erik the Red

Arsenal Player Ratings vs S’ton

December 17, 2018

Run over. Disappointing performnce done. Emery had severe selection problems. Let’s move on …

But before we do here are some purely subjective player ratings:

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Leno: Despite GIE’s fine disclaimer, I think Leno could and should have done better with the goals. Made one fine save.      5

Bellerin: A costly injury to a player who has done well this season. Could have got closer to the crosser for S’ton’s first goal    5

Lichtsteiner. Not good. Despite his vast experience he was continually caught out. S’ton are not blesssed with great attackers but the defence allowed them to score 3 headers.    4

Koscielny. Love the bloke but he had a shocker. I know there are many excuses/reasons but nonetheless we can only judge on his afternoon’s work    3

Xhaka. Not a Swiss Army knife. He is no full back nor is he a CB. Did his best – it wasn’t good enough   4

Monreal. One of hhis worst ever games. Apart from the cross for Mhiki’s first he contributed little to attack and was absent too often in defence    4

Guendouzi.  Ran about a lot. As yet  not a creative MF, and we needed one.    5

Terrier. As usual he took a kicking which the referee allowed. Probably our best player.   6

Iwobi. Started well, faded rapidly.  A poor performance from a man who needs a goal to bolster his confidence    3

Mhiki.  Scored twice which raises his rating from a 4 to a     6

Auba.  Well marsalled but had chances.  Worked hard.     5

Subs.   AMN. Caught napping for S’ton’s winner (according to some)     4

Ozil.  Played too high up the pitch to influence. Some delightful flicks     5

Laca. Busy.    5

Mr. Emery. Given the lack of available defenders he was always struggling but I felt his choice of Duozi in midfield and Xhaka at the back caused us problems. We never managed to gain control in midfield  nor did we have players to create chances for PEA (apart from an early long ball from Douzi).. Was he keeping players back for the midweek Spurs game. It was obvious that S’ton with Ings and Austin would try to score from crosses so why not play a Back 4?   4

The run had to end but it should not have done at team who had yet to win at home this season.

written by Big Raddy

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Posted by Erik the Red

Pre-Match & Our away record against the Saints

December 16, 2018

A double dose today; our away stats from the ever accurate GN5 followed by a gentle pre-match from Raddy.

Our first game against The Saints was at home in the FA Cup on March 26, 1927 and ended in a 2-1 victory for Arsenal, incredibly we never played them again until we met in  Division 1 game at home on December 26, 1966 (39 years later) and then played them again the very next day.

Premier League away record

Overall league away record

Football – 1991 / 1992 First Division – Southampton 0 Arsenal 4. David Rocastle of Arsenal celebrates with goalscorer Ian Wright, at The Dell. Wright scored a hat trick on what was his Arsenal league debut. 28/09/1991

The Saints have proven to be very difficult for Arsenal to beat at St. Mary’s, our record in the last 8 games being W2, D4, L2, GF8, GA11.

So far 2018/19 has been a tough campaign for The Saints they have won just one game, away to Crystal Palace, their home record is a miserable W0, D5, L2, GF6, GA10. Their last home game was on December 1st and Manchester U was fortunate to come away with a 2-2 draw.

I leave it up to the pundits to pick a winner but it could be a tricky game.

Historic Southampton Trivia

  1. God’s House Tower, on the corner of Town Quay, Lower Canal Walk and Platform Road, was the first dedicated artillery fortification built in England. It was constructed in 1417, as part of the drive to fortify Southampton following the French raids some 80 years earlier. The town gunner was paid sixpence a week.
  2. The Central Parks in Southampton were common land (Lammas lands) for residents of the medieval town, and used for cultivation up until August each year, when they were then used for grazing cattle. The bell on the top of the Bargate was used to alert those working in the fields when to return inside the town walls. The parks were made into the green leisure spaces enjoyed by many today, in the mid 1800s and the cricket pitches in Hoglands Park have been used almost continuously since 1867.                                                      
  3. Southampton played a major role in the success of fish fingers. Clarence Birdseye tested herring sticks and cod sticks on shoppers in Southampton and South Wales. The Southampton customers loved the cod sticks, which then became known as fish fingers and rolled out across the country.

 

Enjoy the game and let’s see if they can make it 23 games in a row unbeaten.

GunnerN5

St. Mary’s has been a mixed bag over the years, as you can see from GN5’s stats. I recall the days of Laurie McMenemy, Mick Channon, Le Tiss and a very curly Kevin Keegan. No such stars there any more. I wonder of Le Tiss, who was a footballing genius, would have stayed at STFC had he been playing today.

Southampton are struggling, having been Mark Hughes’ed over the recent past; how he gets work is incredible. Their new manager is another German import, David Wagner, and we must hope AFC do not suffer from S’ton’s efforts to impress their new chap.

BTW never liked Shane Long, he looks too much like a haddock in my opinion.

S’ton haven’t won a game in ages, we haven’t lost in ages. Worrying isn’t it?

It will be a makeshift defence but the reurn of Kos and Nacho is timely. Ramsey will surely start.

My Team:

Bent

Catwalk   Kos   Nacho   Wardrobe

Ramsey  Terrier   Xhaka

Ozil

Laca   PEA

There is little chance that I have predicted the team – Mr. Emery confounds us all. AMN could start, so could Wobbly or Mhiki or the Swiss fella.

Given the form of the teams above us it is imperative Arsenal maintain their unbeaten run.

Let it Be So

written by Big Raddy

 

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Posted by Bongo

Alternative Qarabag – exciting prospects give us a glimpse of the future?

December 15, 2018

As things stand we have very few options on the right: Ramsey and Ozil have been deployed out there with very little success; I mean what’s the point in tasking Ozil with tracking back and worse, what a waste? Ramsey is slightly better in the sense that he is more naturally aware of what is expected from someone playing in that position but with all the best will in the world, his main drawback is that he is very slow over the ground and when tracking back with pace is one of the principal yardsticks in which a player is gauged on the flank, the Welshman will always be seen as being lacking. Aubameyang and Lacazette drift out there from time to time but obviously offer no defensive cover or token at best.

Then there is Mkhitaryan, I have read on a few occasions how Henrich seems to be one of Emery’s favourites and is the reason why, on occasions, when it seems to make no sense, he gets the nod ahead of Ozil. I don’t see this at all. In fairness, on the flank, Mkhitaryan does offer something going forward, he does have good close control and does try to track back, certainly does better than any other player that Emery has used in that position, but that is not saying much. And this is where I bring you back to the match you are trying to forget or more than likely had forgotten: Qarabag.

ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP/Getty Images

The most interesting point for me was how Emery deployed AM-N; he started as predicted at LB which, as we know, he can play but as we equally all know, there is so much more in his locker but second half Emery put him wide right and he almost created a goal with his first very exciting foray into the 18 yard box.

I think a lot can be read into this. What is becoming apparent is that Emery loves a mobile player with good close control; the ability to push forward but, above all, the player must be able to defend (did I just describe Torreira?)

You see where I am coming from. If you think about it, AM-N has all of those qualities plus one further special gift: he is fast and when he gets going he is very fast. I expect Emery to play him out there far more in the near future.

A couple of other thoughts: I like the way that Saka is being fast-tracked, yes he is the latest hot young prospect that we are all getting excited about but, hey, what is wrong with that? Cynics point to a long line of players that people like me have got excited about but have fallen short of what was hoped for (I thought Jack Wilshere was the next Maradonna but hey ho we can’t get them all right) However, I would argue that to not to get excited about the next hot thing is to miss out on an incredibly important and uplifting part of supporting a football team.

Photo by Action Foto Sport/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Young Bukayo, only seventeen, started the game naturally nervous, he may have trained with Ozil and Lacazette but playing along side them is understandably going to take some time to get used to. It was noticeable that he got better and better as the game went on and having drunk some of Unai Emery’s half time magic drink he, like every other player at the club, came out in the second half a changed man. It also helped when Lacazette went off and then finally Ozil; the young man was then surrounded by players up front that he is used to playing with on a weekly basis and the reason for him being fast tracked became apparent. The man possesses superb close control and can seemingly go past players at will; he was in the right place at the right time to receive AM-N’s deft cross on the break to leave Saka one on one with the keeper but unfortunately he fluffed his lines and missed. As for when he is likely to break into the first team, hmmm, I wonder if he can defend. If so, then fast tracked really will mean fast tracked.

Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images

The last player I want to give a bit of attention to is Zech Medley, still only 18 but as nervous as Saka started, Medley was the absolute opposite; he came on and immediately went to take up his natural central defensive position only to be told by Koscielny to go out to the left, did this make him nervous? Not at all, what we have here is a left footed, tall central defender who can obviously play LB with close control skills that are so good I can’t even think of a comparison. Ohh, and the other reason that he gets a mention above others is that he is one of us, a boyhood Arsenal fan and that will always count for an awful lot in my household. COYRRG.

Written by LB

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Posted by LB

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