Obviously, full focus on The Europa.
Moi? I’d use the league games to discover who I wanted in next season’s first team squad so that I knew exactly who would be surplus to requirements before the summer window opens.
I’d want to see more action from Iwobi, M-N, Nelson and Nketiah.
Out of those, I reckon it’s time to really nail down M-N’s ideal position
Finally, that brings me to a dedicated Holding Midfielder/DM. Do we have one?
Written by MickyDidIt89
42 Comments | 
Uncategorized | Tagged: Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Alex Iwobi, Arsène Wenger, Arsenal, Eddie Nketiah, English Premier League, Europa Cup, Europa League, Football, Reiss Nelson | 
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Posted by Bongo
Succinct PM :
Up against it against a better organised and balanced side.
Arsene, play your best balanced and strongest 11 not just put your 11 best individual (or most favourite) players out there.
Play a proper HM to protect the back 4 not an attackingy type CM in this position…..and not 2 of them to make up for this as it wastes a valuable player elsewhere in the line up.
Get some width in the team and / or instruct certain players to give us that width at the right times. Tell them when this is most important.
Get more support to the striker so he is not isolated with 2 CD’s on him.
Go win game.
Cheers, simples.
GoonerB
130 Comments | Uncategorized | Tagged: Arsène Wenger, Arsenal, Emirates Stadium, English Premier League, Football, Man City, Premiership | Permalink
Posted by Bongo
Is it true that the general consensus seems to be that it’s time for a new Manager? It does appear so.
So considering our dressing room current state what do we need? Our main competitors have taken varying routes from employing the best coaches (with a history of trophies) or pinching potentially good managers from smaller clubs when they have PL experience.
The former seems to work well for one or two seasons, especially when it’s just a case of a settled squad that won things recently needing fresh impetus (City, Chavs etc). The latter has worked well for Spuds most recent, but not so great for Liverpool (Rodgers), United (Moyes), and in all the years Fergie was at United and Arsene at Arsenal none have proven successful long term until the last couple of seasons.
Still the chances of Klopp or Poch getting a trophy this season are slim.
So when Arsene leaves, be it summer 2018 or 2019, what are we looking for? I’ve seen TH14 and PV4 names mentioned which is frankly ridiculous, Ancelotti and friends of that generation are not going to take us anywhere new and are best at organising a well paid squad, (Maureen is probably in this bracket too).
So the only option to me is next big thing out of Europe (have no idea) or take one of the smaller teams managers that we like Howe, Pellegrini, Puel, Wagner.
For me, only Wagner would bring enough status to satisfy the likes of Ozil. And that maybe where we have to accept something, if we are going to take an up and coming Manager, we have to accept that there is going to be quite a bit of readjustment.
Written by a Gooner In Exile
102 Comments | Uncategorized | Tagged: Ancellloti, Arsène Wenger, Arsenal, Champions League, David Wagner, Emirates Stadium, English Premier League, Football, Mesut Ozil | Permalink
Posted by Bongo
So, the dust has finally settled on the Mickey Mouse Cup Final – a Final none of us really thought we had much chance of winning, regardless of what the optimists amongst us, like GoonerB say. Playing against the best team in the country, it would have taken them to play relatively poorly and us to have a real dream day.
They’ve won 10 games more than us in the League and we’ve both played only 27 matches. Their goal difference is 44 better than ours and it’s so pleasing they have that 1 entry in the defeat column, courtesy of the dippers.
Luckily the game is all a bit of a blur for me. We were outclassed, of that there can be no doubt. However having seen clips of the goals, I still don’t understand why Aguero shoving Mustafi under the ball for the first goal wasn’t penalised (even if Mustafi was naive). Clever play, I’d imagine would be Shearer’s assessment.
Also why was Sane not deemed to be offside when Kompany’s deflection virtually rolled over his toe. Then again, the offside rule is a complete mystery to me these days, so please forgive my ignorance. It was so much better when flags were raised when someone was in an offside position and judgements were then made as to whether they were ‘interfering with play’. At least we knew were we stood.
‘If he’s not interfering with play, what is he doing on the pitch?’ (credit either Bill Nick, Cloughie or Shanks, can’t remember which).
Anyway, onwards to Thursday. What on Earth must be being said in the Arsenal camp for the next few days. Chastisement, I doubt it. Head-scratching, probably. Formulating a plan to turn the tables and blow them out of the water – this is my preferred option. Pre-match lasagne anyone?
The press are uncovering fabricated shortlists for the next Arsenal manager to take over in the summer. We all know that Arsene always sees his contracts through to their end and that he would never be removed from office, so I doubt there’s anything in it. A tweeter made me laugh when he said he’d prefer Buck Rogers to Brendan.
So after City, we have Brighton away on Sunday, quickly followed by the Milan ties sandwiching Watford at home before the blessed relief of another interlull.
Roll on May and the Europa Cup Final!
chas
84 Comments | Uncategorized | Tagged: Arsène Wenger, Arsenal, English Premier League, Football | Permalink
Posted by Bongo
4th Wembley Final in 5 years. It is a home game and we must approach it as a though we own the ground.
My first attendance at a League Cup Final was as a youngster and I am still scarred by the event. Don Rogers scoring in the mud as lowly Swindon beat my heroes in a David and Goliath victory. The year before I watched the highlights of Dirty Leeds in black and white – I should point out that this was 7 years after Spurs last won the League 🙂
Today: Our away form is so disastrous that if Mr Wenger sets up his team to be conservative we are bolloxed; quite frankly this Arsenal defence is not good enough to halt the City attack. So, the answer is to be on the front foot from kick-off.
Sadly, we have a history of starting games slowly, feeling our way into the match, assessing the opposition and then trying to step up a gear. I expect the same today.
We have a plethora of attacking talent, if they fire as a unit, we could be kushtie. Ozil and PEA will cause any team problems … IF.
And what of Manchester City? From top down the Northern Oilers have created a powerful organisation. The inevitable, financially driven, ascendancy took time but today MC are clearly a cut above the opposition on a season long basis, same as PSG and BM (and the Chavs , until the Russian lost interest). But on a one-off game they can be beaten, Wigan did it.
Evidence of the financial doping? Mr Weger has spent￡349m in his 21 years as AC manager. Guardiola has spent ￡371m in his 21 months at MCFC. This sums up all we need to know about why AFC are not competeing for the title.
How can we win? A couple of sending-offs would help – preferably Sterling and Stones. A lucky goal or two from Hector and Nacho. A few thrilling saves from Ospina and defensive meltdown by the City defence. It is possible..
My Team:
Ospina
Koscielny Mustafi Monreal
Bellerin Ramsey Xhaka Elneny
Wilshire Ozil
PEA
The above team has little potency and it will require a goal or two from midfield.
The Number 5.
We have lost more League/EFL/Rumbelows Finals than any other team, 5
We have only scored 5 goals on the way to the final.
There will be 5 goals in the final, let’s hope they are in our favour.
COYRRG
117 Comments | Uncategorized | Tagged: Arsène Wenger, Arsenal, Carabao, Man City, Pep Guardiola, Wembley | Permalink
Posted by Erik the Red
If you are averse to statistics and spread sheets then you should stop reading.
We are now 27 games into the 26th Premier League Season and to date it has only been won by 6 different teams –
Manchester United 13 – last win 2012/13
Chelsea 5 – last win 2016/17
Arsenal 3 – last win 2003/04
Manchester City 2 – last win 2013/14
Blackburn Rovers 1 – only win 1994/95
Leicester City 1 – only win 2015/16
Manchester United have been the dominant team with 13 Championships, but that dominance has now slipped and they have not won in the last 4 seasons which is the longest period without them being champions.
Arsenal have not won the Premier League since 2003/04 and in the last 13 seasons we have finished 2nd twice, 3rd on 4 occasions, 4th 6 times and 5th once.
Chelsea own 4 Premier League records – most games won – 30 in 2016/17, most points won – 95 in 2004/05, most goals scored – 103 in 2009/10, least goals against 15 in 2004/05.
After 27 games Arsenal have only 13 wins – the same as in 2012/13 and the least since 2008/09, we have lost 8 the same as in 2012/13 and the most since 2005/06, goals scored does not appear to be an issue, 51 being 4 above our overall PL average, goals against seems to be our Achilles heel with 36 being the second highest in our PL history. Our goals against after 27 games in the last two seasons are in 2nd and 3rd highest in our PL history.
To win the Premier League has taken an average of 2.24 points per game, goals for of 2.07 and goals against of .85. Arsenal’s average has been 1.87 points, 1.75 goals for, and .96 goals against.
After the first 27 games of 2017/18 the average for Manchester City (who look like run away champions) is 2.67 points per game, 2.93 goals for and .74 for goals against. While Arsenal’s averages are 1.67 points, 1.89 goals for and 1.33 goals against – which is a startling difference?
Manchester City is in the midst of creating a new and vastly improved set of standards for the Premier League and it shows just how high a hill we have to climb!
Is it insurmountable?
Written by GunnerN5
63 Comments | Uncategorized | Tagged: Arsène Wenger, Arsenal, English Premier League, Football, Manchester City | Permalink
Posted by Bongo
First half
The chavs came flying out of the blocks, high press, overloading the centre backs with Hazard, Pedro and Willian confusing the whatnots out of Koscielny and Mustafi. Thank Dennis their early goal was cancelled out by Nacho’s crazy double kiss header, else the game could have run away from us.
Our midfield was all over the place with no-one quite sure what they were supposed to be doing as the ball flashed past them.
Gradually we got a toe-hold and had the two best chances in the rest of the first half; a Granit fizzer from a free kick and Mesut’s deflected right footer just before the break.
Second half
So much better second half, even without the cones! Chelsea began to play for the away goal counting after extra time. Their rotational fouling was not penalised by the lenient Oliver. Granit must have had a nose bleed being in the chavs’ six yard box but there he was, at a ridiculous altitude at precisely the right moment; almost as if it was pre-ordained. Alexander missed a chance to put the game to bed which, being kind, was probably harder than it looked. No major scares in the last ten minutes – job done, off to Wembley.
Ratings
Ospina – Busy Doing Nothing – 2 shots on target for the chavs didn’t leave our Colombian much to do ….7
Monreal – Pinball Wizard – Magnificent commitment throughout, his goal came at exactly the right moment ….9
Mustafi – Working in the Coal Mine – always tries hard, improved as the game went on….8
Koscielny – Leader of the Pack – seemed to be fighting his injuries even more than usual but still imperious ….8
Bellerin – The Way You Look Tonight – quiet, didn’t do much at all ….6
Xhaka – Road to Nowhere – summed up Arsenal’s performance, chaotic but Johnny-on-the-spot ….6
Wilshere – Push It – barely got a touch in the first half, an inspiration in the second ….7
Elneny – Nowhere to Run – covered every blade at the apex of the upside down midfield triangle ….8
Iwobi – Back Door Man – most tackles, most misplaced passes, bizarre ….7
Ozil – Pretty Beat Up – the man with the weave decided kicking him was the only way to lessen his impact ….7
Lacazette – So Lonely – even less support than normal with the dog-botherer gone and an extra body in midfield ….7
55 Comments | Uncategorized | Tagged: Arsène Wenger, Arsenal, Carabao Cup, Chelsea FC, Football, Granit Xhaka, Nacho Monreal, Wembley | Permalink
Posted by Bongo
First up, a word on the opposition, Crystal Palace.
Here is another club I don’t think should even exist. So someone knocks up a glass shed in Hyde Park to show off some knick-knacks from around the world, then moves it South London when everyone’s seen enough, and somehow, this becomes good enough reason to name a football club after it. Ok, whatever, I guess.
Having said all that, there are a few notable highlights in their history. One, the development of Ian Wright as a superstar of world football, and the other being their famous triumph during the 1913-14 season, when they won the London Challenge Cup by beating Tottenham Hotspurs 2-1 at Highbury.
Now, down to business. Does today’s fixture even matter?
Yes it bloody well does because we WILL all be watching, so quite apart from anything else, we might as well score a hat full and enjoy ourselves.
I have no idea how Palace play, but that wouldn’t alter the way Arsenal line up anyway. Also no idea who’s fit or what’s going on regarding transfers. I’ll hazard a guess and say that Sanchez won’t start, and despite whatever it is you think about the slippery dog fancier, we will be short on goalscorers. Because you lot appear to like that line up thing, here’s a stab at it:
Laca
Iwobi Mesut
M-N Jack Granit Bell
Kos Must Cham
Cech
Options: Danny, Rambo, Beast, Nelson
Hope we score four. Enjoy your day if going. Up The Gunners.
Written by MickyDidIt89
168 Comments | Uncategorized | Tagged: Alexis Sanchez, Arsène Wenger, Arsenal, Crystal Palace FC, English Premier League, Football | Permalink
Posted by Bongo
Serial Diver
Went down only when he’d lost his balance
Ratings
Ospina – Lazarus got in the way when it mattered ….8
Chambers – WWE slam on Azpilicueta my personal highlight ….8
Mustafi – No unnecessary lunging tonight, except to block shots ….9
Holding – Looked more comfortable against Morata than Brereton ….8
Bellerin – 100% focused – all thoughts of what to wear after the game on the back burner ….6
Xhaka – The Hills are Alive with the sound of crunching tackles while on a yellow ….7
Wilshere – Buzzing – luckily the bang is on his “good” ankle ….8
Maitland-Niles – The young Tory oozed class and a complete disdain for Marxian economics ….8
Iwobi – Magnificent Maradona-esque dribbles followed by powder puff shooting ….8
Welbeck – Magnificent tackle on the snake for which Alan Smith tried to award a penalty ….7
Lacazette – not the day to be an Arsenal striker – best chance half-volleyed into the stands ….7
Elneny – Booked for a foul on Morata ….6
Sanchez – Lively in his pursuit of a transfer ….6
Big Weng – gave the members of the press box something to watch ….8
49 Comments | Uncategorized | Tagged: Arsène Wenger, Arsenal, Carabao, Football, VAR | Permalink
Posted by Bongo
It’s been an odd 2017, hasn’t it?
Will he stay/should he go being one of the main talking points (AW/AS/MO/JW/HB etc). Team played some great football, some lamentable football, some boring football and some football which got you out of your seat marvelling at the sheer ingenuity of the interplay. Probably not enough of the latter.
We have seen Guardiola transform an average team into one of the best ever (but not THE Best ever). Pocchettino take the Miscreants to un-imagined heights, coaching The Plumber (Harry Kane) into one of the world’s top strikers. Merinho reducing United into an expensive Stoke. Klopp making Liverpool the best viewing in the PL. Chavs winning the PL by a huge margin yet remaining unconvincing.
Add in the fairytale seasons for Brighton and Huddersfield and we have a fine year of football.
My highlight of 2017? Unquestionably Per Mertesacker’s performance in the FA Cup Final. Magnificent doesn’t do him justice.
Giroud’s wondergoal came a distant second.
What was yours?
Like countless others I am a regular listener to the Arseblog podcast (the man deserves to be knighted for his services to Arsenal). Arseblog talked recently about how he is not sure that he “likes” the current Arsenal team. This got me thinking and I have to say I agree with him. Individually I enjoy watching Ozil, Ramsey, Sanchez etc but as a team? Do they compare in terms of enjoyable watching with other teams from the last few decades? Not in my opinion.
Why?
Where is the swagger, the humour or the spirit of other teams, whether it be Merson’s insanity, Adams determination, Wrighty’s enthusiasm, Thierry’s brilliance, PV4’s domination, Pires’ elegance or Santi’s humour which were the essence of those teams? There is none of that. We have become industrial; yes, Ozil is a wonderful player but will be remembered as a true Gooner in 15 years? I want someone to make me smile. I want goals, and Yes, I want us to win, but above all I want to be entertained.
Perhaps this is why we have such high ambitions for Wilshere.
This being my final PM of the year please give me some licence – I am not going to write about how we should beat the team rooted to the bottom of the table who haven’t scored twice at home since March, Nor will I do the team etc etc. You can fill in the gaps …
From an AA point of view it has also been a hard year. Fewer visitors, fewer bloggers, fewer people prepared to write posts and add flavour/variety to the opinions on the site. Will AA survive to see NYE in 2018? Who knows but we are here today and in my capacity as a long-term AA’er we wish all who read the blog a very Happy New Year.
And Come On You Rip Roaring Gunners
111 Comments | Uncategorized | Tagged: 2017, Arsène Wenger, Arsenal, Per Mertesacker, Ramsey | Permalink
Posted by Erik the Red
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