This is not a match report. If you want to re-live yesterday’s slop bucket of a performance you’ll have to look elsewhere. You masochistic saddo.

In the aftermath of the game I contributed a comment with some “Reasons To Be Doomy.” Perhaps the kind organisers of this Blog will republish it in the comments below when this offering appears.

But today is another day and I am putting doom and gloom aside.

Let’s face it, we weren’t the only “big” team to get slapped in the face with a kipper on New Years Day (take a bow, Jose).

But as we look ahead to the second half of the season there really are reasons for all Arsenal fans to feel optimistic:

The Spuds Are Ahead Of Us
This may sound counter-intuitive, but it’s actually a good thing that they have climbed past us in the table. During their lean spell it has gone far too quiet in N17 – no gloating boasts about a “shift in the balance of power”; no cries echoing across the burnt-out wastelands that “this is our year.” Well, now that will all change. Indeed the “One Point Above Arsenal” celebration video is probably already in production. The reason it makes me happy is that we all know how this story ends: God, being a Gooner, has already scripted it out and He loves nothing more than to give the Spuds a hatful of hope before ensuring that their dreams turn to ashes in their mouth.

Returning Stars
Theo is back. He got a decent run out against his old club yesterday and, even better, didn’t expend any energy because he didn’t do anything. And by the time we entertain those nice young men from Stoke a week on Sunday hopefully we will also have Ozil, Welbeck, Giroud, Flamini and possibly even Arteta.

Transfer Window
It’s January and the shop window is open. Of course it doesn’t mean we’re going to buy anyone, but there is always the possibility that we might – which means we can dream. And there are precedents for interesting arrivals coming in the January window – Reyes, Arshavin, TH14 (Mk 2). Be hopeful fellow fans, be hopeful…

Topsy-Turvy Season
Up until recently people were saying that Chelsea were nailed on champs and all the other teams were struggling to find consistent form. Well, now even the supposedly unstoppable Chavs with their supposedly infallible manager have found that the course of true footy does not run smoothly. With the form of teams like ManUre, ‘Pool and the Spuds proving as reliable as a Network Southwest train timetable over the festive holidays, our own inconsistency has not been punished as harshly as it might have been. And with some of the players we have coming back in the near future we have a better chance than most of putting a good run together.

Arsene Wenger
He’s an infuriating, stubborn, bewildering, frustrating, enigmatic, surprising, dignified, intelligent, workaholic genius of a man. We underestimate him at our peril. I’m backing him to get an excellent second half of the season out of our squad.

The Champions League
There’s something in my water (well, something in addition to the residue of festive alcohol over-consumption) that tells me we’re going to do well in this competition this year. Many of our best players will be coning back having had their own mid-season break (thanks to injury) and if we get our groove going we could surprise a lot of people. Can we go all the way? The Chavs did it with the worst team to ever grace a European Cup Final pitch, so the answer is yes, of course we can.

We Support Arsenal
Even if the wheels fall and off and we slip down the table and out of the cups, always cling to this one thought: you support the best club in the world. Just imagine how soiled you would feel to have to pull on a Spud shirt to watch football? Or to be obliged to steal car radios on your way to home games at Anfield? Or to sit in silent, entitled smugness at Old Toilet. Or, Dennis forbid, to have your brain removed and replaced with sewage so you can join the Morlocks* at Stamford Bridge. Thankfully you don’t have to do any of those things because you, my friend, won the lottery of life.

RockyLives

*Morlocks: from H. G. Wells’ “The Time Machine” – a race of troglodoid, subhuman beings who represent human evolution gone wrong.

We are where we are. Not much use ruminating. However, there is a job to be done. Gaining 3rd or 4th in the EPL. And this will require all feet and heads on board. But also strategy?

Which brings us to the question. Does Arsene do strategy? Or are we one-dimensional, playing the same way all of the time. If we do strategy, what strategy would work best for us?

Following the admission recently by Arteta that we prepare for a game based on who our next opposition is, there has been some discussion on AA in the past few weeks. But the bubble burst spectacularly against Pool at Anfield.

One of our keenest observers of the game, Norfolk Gooner, wrote (December 22, 2014 at 3:56 pm):

“I think there was a plan……. of sorts,

1) Keep it tight at the back for the first twenty minutes. DO NOT concede an early goal.

2) If successful, try to hit them on the break before half-time. DO NOT concede a goal.

44 minutes gone and the plan is working.

Oh no it’s not!

We give the ball away and there’s no Corporal Jones to shout “Don’t Panic! Don’t Panic”.

We panic and go one down.

Plan goes out of the window, everyone bombs forward and, wonder of wonders, we score with our first attempt on target.

Half-time team talk,

1) Repeat item 1 above.

2) If successful try to hit them on the break before full-time.

19 minutes gone and the plan is working, we hit them on the break and score.

DO NOT concede a goal.

Deep into injury time and the plan is working.

Oh no it’s not!

We give the ball away and there’s no Corporal Jones to shout “Don’t Panic! Don’t Panic”.

We panic and it’s two all.

Deja-vu all over again.”

Which brings us to the question. Against the Hammers and Soton away, what strategy, if any, should we adopt?

AAers, you have your say.

Arnie.

With the January transfer window looming any true football fan starts speculating  – if we buy, who is coming our way, where do we need reinforcements? It is my educated guess that this year the majority of the Arsenal fans would agree on the answer – we need another defender.

Sanchez, Ollie, Danny and Podolski are all capable strikers and therefore we don’t need another one.

We have a formidable midfield, temporarily unavailable, but expected back very soon and hence it would be pointless to bring another midfielder to the squad.

Defence however is a different ballgame altogether –  we need another strong CB. The team were recently considerably weakened by the absence of Koscielny. It was painfully obvious that Per struggled on his own. Perish the thought that both of our CBs were unavailable, as we simply have no one to take their place.

I won’t beat around the bush anymore – I have a perfect candidate for our squad ticking all the boxes. Please stand up Ryan Shawcross. A big, consistent, hard working, experienced and EPL proven professional, who at 27 is at the top of his career and at £8 million a real bargain. Perfect addition to our team.

Now tell me if you would like Shawcross joining our ranks? Is football really all about money and buying trophies?

 Written by Eddie (Evonne)

There is nothing left of real value about present day Arsenal, other than our history. Owned by overseas cash. Sponsored by absolutely anyone. All sense of good taste, class and style has gone. The ordinary fans don’t matter. The stadium is a temple to corporate. What’s to lose?

The best argument about what’s to lose is Financial, and the self-sustaining model. Utter piffle.

Thing is, I believe financial bubbles and even currencies are going to be collapsing around our ears soon. If not imminently, then certainly inevitably. Will this adversely affect football? Nope. It will be a safer haven than ever, and a growing cash cow.

Reason is, football has not begun to plateau off. Quite the opposite. It will double in size in terms of global revenues, booming across Asia and The US, and the real beneficiaries will be the global elite. Real, Barca, Utd, you know the rest.

City and Chelsea are muscling in on that group ahead of Arsenal. Throw Totnum into the mix and life becomes unbearable.

Or does it? You vote.

Written by MickyDidIt89  

There are many bloggers who confuse opinions with facts, but nevertheless we all have our own expectations for this season after a not so perfect start.

A week is a long time in football and we saw a very small percentage of so called supporters hurl abuse at our manager only to hear his name lauded round the stadium after the emphatic win over Newcastle.

Will our injury jinx ever improve and do some of you think that certain players are just permanently sick notes, yet the manager remains loyal to them.

Can we realistically make the top three this season?

Is it a benefit that we are out of the Capital Cup? Personally I think it maybe a blessing in disguise.

Who would be in your strongest and well balanced side presuming everyone was fit?

Is Szczesny an automatic first choice in goal? I believe that though young, he needs competition for his place – but what has happened to Ospina?

Can we progress further in The Champions League than we have done for the last number of years? Over two legs there is no reason why not, if only our defence and midfield could defend as one.

Will Wenger dip into the transfer window in just under two weeks? He is very cagey when talking to the press,but my gut feeling is that he will especially as there is no indication as to when Koscielny will be fully fit.

As for Thierry Henry, regardless of him initially being touted as becoming a Sky pundit, do you see him in some capacity at Arsenal?

Over to you

kelsey