Liverpool has dropped 3 huge points at home to Crystal Palace. City are 2 points ahead having played an extra game than us. We win today and we go back to the top. We win today and we go three crucial points ahead of Liverpool with only 6 games to go. Every game is a cup final now for the boys and Mikel.
Team News
Strange decision to start Zinchenko ahead of Kiwior, because Kiwior has been doing better than Zinni and one bad game doesn’t mean we are going to hamper his confidence. If it’s purely for rotational purpose, I can live with it. Gabriel Jesus makes his way into the starting XI with Rice anchoring the midfield alone with Havertz playing the more forward role today. Trossard starts today ahead of Martinelli whom I think will come-in at some point to give Saka some rest.
Frankly, I had hated the concept of playing Havertz as CF but he has been doing better up top than he does in midfield. Gabriel Jesus does the dirty work but is not as clinical in front as you would expect your CF to be. Trossard gives me some hope though.
Liverpool is suffering the way we did last season. One loss and everything has gone bonkers for them. They were unbeaten at home from god knows when, and suddenly Atlanta wins 3-0 and they can’t even keep Crystal Palace to a draw. City, on the other hand, have gone full beast mode.
We need to win today. At any cost. First, because Pep is not going to drop any points now and the only way we win the league is by winning all our games. Second, I hate Aston Villa.
Right, a very short one today. See you during the game.
good banter today boys…my time zone issues precludes me from actively participating, but an enjoyable read nonetheless
should be a rather one-sided fixture this weekend against another injury-decimated squad, but I guess you just never know…this is the kind of match where we should be looking to create even more separation from a goal differential standpoint just in case City shit the bed, which seems unlikely considering their CL ousting, but that’s why you play the games
let’s hope that our gangly faux forward Havertz doesn’t get a couple poacher specials so that the whole “we don’t need a Striker” narrative doesn’t return in full-force
TRVL
That’s the question over Arteta now – can he at least make it a tight finish? A real winner would take a view that with City not playing in the PL this weekend and us having 2 fixtures before they play in it again, then we play before they have their next match it’s worth putting pressure on them and seeing if even the mighty Pep can feel the heat.
I wouldn’t bet on it though.
can he at least make it a tight finish
Marc
Now that he’s introduced his better half to Dido, I doubt it… (fnarr fnarr).
Let’s be honest, we probably ain’t winning the title, yet again. The only way we can is to go on another post Dubai rip and hope that the RM defeat has put the zap on Guardiola’s bawheid brain.
I hate to say it but I fear a sagging, flaccid finish that leaves Arsenal lovers unfulfilled. It’s what he does.
Sexual innuendo Saturday.
Hi Vieira
KH isn’t only a faux forward – at times, he’s a faux footballer. He – and several others – need big games tonight against a depleted pack of Wolves.
After Munich, I watched a second pub team game last night. Pembrokeshire league game final at County’s ground in Haverfordwest. Not the best, just like Wednesday, and I’m there for another one tonight. I’m hoping they invent a tablet to combat footballitis soon.
Also got my ticket for the annual end of season away day for Cardiff fans.
Drum roll please……. 🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁
It’s (already relegated) Rotherham! Looks like an interesting ground, and the high point is they play in Arsenal colours. 4th of May. Hoping we can do better than last season’s finale which was a three nil defeat up at Burnley.
Oh, and tomorrow it’s a 70 mile bus trip (not driving so that junior and I can have a few pints) to Penybont (Bridgend) to see if County can win and get into a Europa Conference play off.
NORG – and that’s your fun-packed installment on Welsh football for the week. 😊
Looking back I think Ode and Saka weren’t anywhere near their best for large parts of the first half of the season. Both players, Ode in particular seemed to really up their games after our mid season break but have looked jaded in the last two matches.
Arteta not knowing how to rotate players is beginning to look less like a problem and more like a permanent brick wall that sees us collapse in the final run in.
Is it really going to take another season of the same thing happening for the fans to click?
“not driving so that junior and I can have a few pints”
Drinking before a match? Not something I can condone.
Hi Marc
The thing about Arteta’s constipation 💩 when it comes to rotating is that he’ll be given another 600 million to spend on players who’ll become his new favourites meaning that they won’t be rotated while the old favourites (Ode, TP, KH etc.) remain rooted to next year’s bench. Rinse and repeat. The rumours already seem to be picking up about (another) transfer war chest this summer. It makes you wonder what Old Man Kroenke is sniffing. Laudanum, mogodon and qualudes would be my guess, washed down with a valium protein shake.
I thought you had shares in the Tollington Arms?
A lot of the football I watch these days ought to come with free pints and chasers. Cheers!
“I’m hoping they invent a tablet to combat footballitis soon.”
Most certainly would be indica based as you can’t go anywhere sound the silly wobbly knees walk. Finding keys will get you to miss most of the first half, but you’ll be too paranoid to get out of the car which will take some explaining to junior and his mates.
I wouldn’t attempt running the line KP could get really messy. There will likely be times when you raise your hand without the flag only to be toilet breaks are not permitted during game time. I hope you bring a bottle.
Now if you use TRVL something thunder I doubt you’ll get off the couch but then Mrs KP maybe will be looking at you questionably as to why Junior has been wait in your car for 40 minutes?
It’s probably better to go to the games and accept footballitis is your thing, but knowing you have the empathetic support from us all here when things go due south at times.
Love your energy at 60 and know it will subside when you finally get to 69 being my tally this year.
Hoping to hear some comedic rumblings from the Emerald Isle.
There’s a lot to be said for being teetotal. No hangovers the next day being chief among the prime reasons.
No my cup of cha. Pun intended.
To tonight’s game, will you be home in time, KP? if you and suitably inebriated the old fingers should be pounding out some cool keyboard shit. My sincere apologies if I’ve cruelly misjudged you.
I’ll do my best to keep awake but it’s difficult when it’s a game that we should win in style. However, what toll to our mental strength has the Villa defeat, then a draw, and deserved loss in Munich.
How is our collective psyche? In the shit house once more and probably be easy break as I said as a kid. if Wolves turn up and turn on the pressure how will we handle that?
Rice, Ode and Saka looked leggy midweek, so that is only going to get worse. We might as well field a bench line cup with fit and green zone players with points to prove, but we won’t of course. Shop windows are for El B mannequins.
Will it be Zinchenko or Kiwior? Big Gabs is praying for Kiwior so he can concentrate on being the great LCB he is until El B expects him to cover LB & 8 with being a dynamic LCB.
Will Partey play instead of Rice? Would be the sensible call. ESR at 8 and shove Havertz into the 9 slot and pray he converts better than one in four guilt edge chances. Keep it on the ground as he is very aerially challenged and slow to get airborne normally preferring to go the penalty oscar route throwing himself to the floor a rising with a hissy fit arms a flailing windmill fashion.
Let’s put it this way if El B fluffs his Wolves lines someone should order El B a one-way taxi from the Emirates the next day after collecting his belongings where I’m more than happy to pay.
How about El B to succeed Klopp? Works for me. He’ll need five years to fcuk up 3 run ins after spending £600m+ and losing the club 100s of millions. We could pick off Mac Allister for about £10m within a year of El B managing the scouters.
They deserve each other. A Match made in heaven.
Message to KP junior.
Please make sure your old man gets home or will it be the blind leading the blind; with no doubt too many shots fired down KP’s throat. I hope you got your old man’s genes (no not Levis) because I believe KP is about 185 so, if you’re shorter, be careful if you hoist KP over your shoulder and perhaps do that on grass. By that I mean terra firma and not rasta fodder.
Visions of me once watching a huge president of a MC club stick out his size 14 steel toe capped boot as a pillow for a brother’s head who was collapsing drunk utterly out cold. “Better than the concrete” the Pres said rather vision impaired.
That would have been true had said Pres not been raising his boot at the point of contact. Timing was everything but shit. I decided just to laugh because it was really funny in my sober state because I had been filming.
‘It is what it is,’ said head coach Arteta yesterday when asked about his team’s apparent April curse. ‘We have to accept it. In the two games, especially the Bayern one at home, at the beginning it could have been different.”
‘I have reviewed the Villa game three times and I think we were the better team. Now it’s not about talking too much, we have to show what we’re made of and turn the situation around.’
From the DM.
So losing is what it is for El B. Then the deluded one thinks we were better than Villa who comprehensively beat us in the second half and could have won by 4 hitting our woodwork twice.
Do the Kroenkes read the press or at least their puppet board member?
I briefly contemplated cancelling my plans to watch the match in real time, but considering the decimated nature of the Wolves squad and our rinse and repeat tactics, I decided to say fuck it…no biggie, I’ll catch what should be a one-sided affair upon my return or maybe later tonight, my time, after watching the start of the NHL playoffs…anything less than a 3 goal victory, with some rotational pieces in play, would be considered a missed opportunity, especially with a Chelsea fixture upcoming on Tuesday…hard to believe that MA spent a considerable amount of time whining this week about “scheduling” in light of the his 2 deep at every position claims, which don’t align whatsoever with his rotational practices…if he spent even half as much time on developing alternative tactical plans as he does on crafting excuses, we could have been champions two times over by season’s end…have a good one
Fuck sake Chelsea you’ve got to score one of these.
Hi Ho Wolverhampton. Good old Jeff Beck. We have a MUCH better team than them on paper. No excuses.
Sorry guys, no post for today and this week. I’m out here in my cousin’s marriage and it lasts for a week.
Fucking terrible challenge.
Ambarish hi mate. Are you near a tv (doubtful I think) or would you like some running commentary?
Enjoy the wedding mate!
Never trust a goalie who wears tights under his shorts. Very suspect.
Arteta is starting to remind me of the lead singer in Sparks. Russell Mael. We’re creating chances
Kiwior – fucking hell