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

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

Qarabag Ratings

December 14, 2018

This is the reason international friendlies never entice – if there’s nothing riding on a game of football, tedium ensues.

First Half

Laca scored a beauty from a Mesut pass.

Laca even had time to do a celebration dance as the ball sped under the keeper

Second Half

I went to bed to read.

Ratings

Everyone got a … 6

except

Laca (for scoring),  Kos (for surviving) and Mesut (for being Mesut) … 7

Qarabag … 2 – so poor they didn’t even try to make it an entertaining game of football even though they had nothing whatsoever to lose.

Comments from AA match attendees

LB

I got the feeling that Ozil wasn’t out there for as long as he was to get important game time but as a kind of sop to us poor souls who braved the cold.

LBG

I can safely say that was a worse game to be at than even the recent 0-0 draw.
Good luck with player ratings. Not one of the youngsters did themselves justice. Sokratis OK, Kos OK Laca frustrated by no service. Mesut reasonable. Ref shit (for a change…ed)

On to Sunday, take your boots if you’re going, you might be needed.

chas

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Posted by Bongo

The Trouble with 3 at the Back

December 11, 2018

The trouble with playing three at the back is that you use up your store of centre backs all too quickly. They either get injured or get extra bookings leading to suspensions.

Let’s face it, they’re not really cut out to cover large amounts of the pitch. All  that extra running will be bound to take its toll eventually.

Perhaps we ought to go to the other extreme and just play one centre back who plays higher up the pitch between the right and left halfs ……. let’s call him a centre half.

How about the full backs as the rear most defenders and the centre half just drops into the back line occasionally. This will leave us exposed on the counter, so the only solution is not letting the opposition have the ball at all. It will also stop the full backs getting forward down the flanks, so perhaps we would need dedicated wing men, perhaps even a left and right winger.

Two attacking midfielders will be essential to keep the pressure on the other team – inside right and inside left? So, starting to look like this ……..

Who could play in this line up?

………………..                               Leno

…………                        Bellerin                   Monreal

…….                    Torreira           Koscielny          Xhaka

Mkhitaryan    Ramsey   Aubameyang      Ozil         Iwobi

There you go, sorted for Southampton. Full out attack for the first half hour. Build a lead and bring Lacazette on for the second half to give Kos a rest in the second half.

Could work, don’t you think?

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Posted by Bongo

Arsenal Huddersfield – Player Ratings

December 9, 2018

Was it going to be another difficult day exacerbated by yet another appalling ref?

Unfortunately, yes.

First half

So many fouls it was difficult to keep track. Laca missed a simple one by slipping just before shooting.  The half finished with us on 4 bookings and the dirty Udders on 3. That sums up how poor the ref was.

Second half

More of the same except the good guys sneaked a goal via a glorious overhead kick courtesy of our Uruguayan genius.

Summary

Justice done. A team of journeyman turn up running their arses off hoping for a point. Thank Dennis they got diddley squat in return for contributing absolutely nothing to a game of football.

Awful game but three points – on we go.

Ratings

Leno – nowt to do … 6

Bellerin – hmmmmm … 6

Mustafi – got injured, no idea if that’s good or bad … 6

Sokratis – looked like he could produce a good doner… 6

Lichtsteiner – hmmmmmm … 6

Kolasinac – yep … 6

Torreira – thank heaven for small mercies from Uruguay … 8

Xhaka – tried hard … 6

Guendouzi – hair looked good, surely he was tugged over by the ghost of Fellaini? …6

Aubameyang – perhaps should have done better diverting a near post effort wide with his left peg, though it did come quickly at him … 6

Lacazette – unlucky to have a goal disallowed by a trigger happy linesman, slipped on an earlier chance … 6

Subs

Mkhitaryan – brought on too soon … 6

Iwobi – brought on too soon … 6

Monreal – thank heaven he’s still alive … 6

What we’d all like to do

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Posted by Bongo

Arsenal FC – our home record against the Terriers

December 7, 2018

Here are our all time home results starting with Division 2.

Our first home game against Huddersfield was in Division 2 on February 14th 1914 we lost 0-1

Our history with Huddersfield would be incomplete with mention of Herbert Chapman, he was manager of Huddersfield from 1921 to 1925 and won the FA Cup in 1921/22 and the First Division Championship in 1923/24 and 1924/25.

In the 1925 close season, Chapman had already set about improving his squad for Huddersfield to seek a third successive title (something which had never been achieved before). At the same time, Arsenal was looking to replace Leslie Knighton, who had been sacked. Arsenal chairman Sir Henry Norris placed an advertisement in the Athletic News:

“Arsenal Football Club is open to receive applications for the position of TEAM MANAGER. He must be experienced and possess the highest qualifications for the post, both as to ability and personal character. Gentlemen whose sole ability to build up a good side depends on the payment of heavy and exorbitant transfer fees need not apply”

Although Arsenal had been fighting relegation in both the two previous seasons, and despite the chairman’s restriction on spending, Chapman nevertheless moved to Arsenal soon afterwards, attracted both by the London club’s larger crowds and a salary of £2,000, double what he earned at Huddersfield Town. At Arsenal, Chapman immediately made an impact by signing 34-year-old Charlie Buchan, an England international and Sunderland’s all-time record goalscorer, whom he made Arsenal captain.

During his time at Arsenal he won the FA Cup in 1929/30 (our first trophy) and the First Division Championship in 1930/31 and 1932/33, he passed away of pneumonia on January 6th 1934.

 

GunnerN5

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Posted by Bongo

Man Utd Pre-Match. Confident? Don’t look at the Stats.

December 5, 2018

A two part post today. Big R’s pre-match followed by GN5’s statistics for the game

Pt 1:

IMO next to our trophy-less neighbours the biggest game of the season is the Red Devils especially now they are managed by The Miserable One.

As you will read below, we have a poor record at OT but Mr Emery is a new brush, could he bring us our first victory since 2006? If so, how?

images-1.jpeg

Would you choose the Back 3 which has been so successful  or revert to a Back 4? Will Ozil return? Should Wobbly start or Lacazette? Ramsey or Mhiki?

LB made a fine case that Emery is using the Back 3 to accommodate Kolasinac whose defensive discipline is uncertain. It appears to work as this frees the Wardrobe to play with more invention thus he had his best game on Sunday.  If Mesut is still suffering from “back spasms” then I see us lining up with the same team but rewarding Ramsey for his impressive 45 mins..

My Team:

Bent

Mustafi      Sokratis    Holding

Catwalk   Terrier   Xhaka    Wardrobe

Ramsey    Wobbly

Auba

As we know, Mr Emery is likely to make changes should it not be working.

Enough of that … time for some vitriol. Anyone who has read my comments over the years knows how I detest  Moaninho. Since his first press conference in London, his cowardly eye-gouging, the destruction of Inter Milan, his playing style, his conceit and arrogance. And now the beleaguered act. To read the farcical statement that Everton have spent more money than MU said it all, He is the Donald Trump of the PL.

As to the MU team … expect a rough game. Lukaku is a battering ram who creates the space for the lightning fast raids by Rashford and Martial. In midfield they are aggressive but have flair.

And then there is Fellaini.

We need a strong referee. Dean was appalling on Sunday, tonight we have Andre Marriner and we can only hope for better.

Arsenal must be on a high after 3 wins in a week. It should be an exciting but cagey, tense game.

Unknown-1.jpeg

 

Pt 2:

Perhaps our least impressive away record is against Man U, the last game we won at Old Trafford was September 17, 2006 and we have only won a total of three games in the Premier League era. This particular game is special as it’s the 100th away game.

Here is our overall away record.

Our away record by game – in the Premier League.

Memorable victories at the Old Cowshed

14th March 1998 – Man U 0 Arsenal 1

A fair few points behind in the League but with games in hand, this game was pivotal in Arsene’s first League title. Marc Overmars scored in the 79th minute after Arsenal had dominated throughout. Bergkamp, Anelka, Parlour and Petit were imperious and Alex Manninger made a crucial stop when a linesman failed to flag an offside Andy Cole in the first half.

Photo by Rui Vieira/PA.

8th May 2002 – Man U 0 Arsenal 1

With Henry injured and Dennis on the bench, Paddy V, Edu and Parlour bossed the midfield allowing Wiltord and Kanu to score whenever they wanted. They chose the 55th minute (with Freddie’s help) and Arsenal went on to clinch the Double at the home of their nearest rivals (The FA Cup had already been won a few days earlier with goals from the Romford Pele and Freddie).

This is a new era with a new Manager and a renewed level of energy which may introduce a new flavour to our results at Salford.

We are unbeaten in the last 19 games in all competitions – will we make it 20?

GunnerN5

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Posted by Bongo

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