At this stage, I’m only interested in those 3 points we grabbed yesterday against Leeds United. What a game it was for Eddie, and us Arsenal fans. After we missed out Champions League spot because of a missed penalty under Emery, I don’t want to be too optimistic for my own sake. However, what a wonderful Thursday it would be, if we manage to beat Spu*s at Shi*e Hart Lane which will confirm our qualification and the team who would miss out will be none other than Spu*s.
It would be fantastic!
Back to the game, we all knew it was going to be a Nketiah’s special. He was on loan to Leeds in 2019-20 season where he scored in his first appearance in a EFL Cup, and went ahead to score in his Championship debut too. He had some other good games before we recalled him but he earned his first league medal as a Leeds player after Leeds were the Championship winners that season.
Yesterday, in only the 5th minute, Leeds Goalkeeper made a mistake and Nketiah was quick enough to nick the ball off from him into the net. It wasn’t long before he scored another one in 10th minute when Martinelli’s passed a ball to him from the left side. Soon after, Ayling was sent off for a straight red against a challenge on Martinelli reviewed by VAR and on field referee. I thought that should be enough and we will try to close that goal difference but the usual happened. We stopped controlling the game in the second half. Llorente after the hour mark scored from the first Leeds’ corner of the match. Interestingly this was the first goal we conceded from set pieces, kudos! to the coach. We were shaky for rest of the match but we managed to close the game on a winning score.
Tomiyasu played as a LB and what a player we have in him. He is versatile, no nonsense player with a very high level of accuracy. If he stays fit, it will solve our LB back up conundrum because of the frequent Tierney’s injuries.
Elneny had an impressive game again. He was massive and is probably the second best midfield options we have. I’m not so sure if we are going to renew him but keeping a utility player like him who can give a good game whenever called upon will be a necessity next season. I’m inclined towards strengthening midfield and spending some bucks.
I’m excited for the Tottenham game. They are at a stage where only a win will help them, and we are usually good against teams which brings their game to us. We are leading them with 4 points having played equal games.
If we win the NLD, we cement our place in CL. There are other permutations but I don’t want to go into them. I will very much like us to finish the job on Thursday.
Right, I will keep this a short one; been busy a bit this week but hopefully find some time to not miss the London Derby.
Don’t forget to refill your refrigerator, make sure your kids are asleep before 7 and beg your spouse to leave you alone for 90 min on Thursday!
I rarely watch PL games that don’t involve Arsenal, but watching this Villa – Liverpool game, it’s striking just how much help Liverpool get from refs. Tonight’s 12th man – Jon Moss – is so clearly trying to help them win.
Kroenke
I’m sure it’s the refs thinking it’s only a soft form of corruption (as if there’s such a thing). ManU and Liverpool are the two biggest teams in the PL and having one of them compete is good for the PL so therefore one of them needs to compete.
Liverpool are just getting the same treatment as ManU used to – wait till a couple of years after Fergie dies then the stories will come out.
Ambarish
We’ve got a few very good young players – imagine where they’d be under a coach like earlier Wenger! The problem is how long before they realise what’s going on and look to move on?
Klopp loves Martinelli, City will look to replace Sterling soon – Saka would be a great fit. We’ve already seen Arteta start to throw Saliba under a bus.
We’ve got the foundations for a great team – We’ve also got the lovechild of Pulis and Allardyce in charge.
Marc
We’ve also got the lovechild of Pulis and Allardyce in charge.
That’s a powerful image (and a little unkind to TP and SA). A more international version of Tets as a managerial lovechild might be Craig Levein (who as Scotland manager once sent out a team formation that a journalist described as 6-4-0) crossed with Christian Gross.
Kroenkephobe,
Bit harsh on Levein there,he was a forerunner for Pep’s Barca and City teams and Spain’s WC winners who filled the team with midfield technicians in place of a recognised striker. Poor old Craig,like most geniuses he’s destined not to be recognised in his own lifetime!
Carragher doesn’t half talk shite. Ings had the first touch of an octogenarian after climbing the stairs and Carragher was gushing about Allison.
Nice one Almunia
I’m duty bound to give CL a hard time cos he is a massive Hearts of Midlothian legend (I favour Hibs in Scotland). Just researched that story where he set Scotland up for what he hoped would be a draw. They lost 1 nil to the Czech Republic.
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2010/oct/10/scotland-craig-levein-euro-2012
It was a 4-2-4-0 formation according to the Guardian which is pretty original at least.
I’m sticking by the 6-4-0.
Marc and I have had a go at describing Tets’s likely football ancestry. I’m sure you’ve got two up your sleeve…
Terrible fucking refereeing from minute 1.
Almunia – what do your brothers say about referee bias towards Liverpool? Do they even acknowledge it exists?
It’s quite incredible really. They totally acknowledge that Fergie’s utd were favoured time and time again,we all know the list of horrors during that era. But they can’t see it now at all. Football supporters, what can you say…..
I remember that Levein game,I had never seen such a reaction to a formation before. Given the strength ot the two teams the result was far from shocking,but the formation was seen as a pre match surrender. We had the same shit with Trappatoni towards the end. He put out teams to keep the score down,they always got thumped!!
Just sent the brothers a text saying I was surprised Klopp didn’t rest Jon Moss for the final!
For those of you wondering about Arteta’s parentage,I think I’ve solved it. It also explains the lego hair.
https://youtu.be/wV6m9NlsOJ4
Captain Black right? Or maybe captain Green? UK users forbidden from opening the clip! Crossed with a mysteron. I used to love that show. Properly sinister considering it was a load of plastic puppetry. My brother had an SPV blue tank thingy.
And the text about Moss. Spot on. Bet they think you’re just bitter.
Captain Scarlet. Brings back memories!
My brothers and I rarely talk about football now,it gets too heated….. god be with the days we all just agreed to hate utd.
Hate? Please don’t make me laugh Ambarish.
Just a mere observation that you’re housing the 3 stooges from another blog that are polluting this one. You should just do them all a favour and share their emails so they can wallow in misery together.
It’s like a sad romcom talking about their exes and having to settle with eachother. Woe is me.
3 salty cunts gutted the arsenal are winning.
Not really mate. It’s a new site but I have my fair share of readers. I don’t agree with most things people say here and even in real life, but free speech is free, even if it’s against my liking or yours.
I’m a FOSS enthusiast, run a different platform from 10+ years and I have been championing freedom in IT world. When it comes to real world (sports discussion on London is Red), I can’t shy away just because I don’t like it.
So yeah, some of my readers can hate Arteta. I’m sure I will see some readers in favor of him like you.
I’m sure you will agree against the name callings.
Rampedro
As you’re so full of the joys, perhaps you could tell us why you think it was right to extend Tets’s contract at this particular time.
Come on now tough guy. Don’t go disappearing like the time you did between losing to Palace and beating Chelsea. Put us straight on the basque bantamweight and why hes
… the next George Graham.
# tumbleweeds blow down the highways and byways as Kroenkephobe awaits an answer#
Sorry mate,but if you expect to be engaged on an intellectual level by a poster who takes offence at being accused of being hateful while proceeding to call other posters cunts, you’ll be sorely disappointed.
It’s always the one side who resorts to abuse, really odd stuff.
Anyway, you getting the nerves yet? Really wish it was on Friday night so I could go to the pub and watch it,will have to spend the night biting my tongue as my better half warns me about my language in front of the kids. Will wait til closer to the game for my prediction. Will be interesting to see what type of atmosphere is generated. We don’t do well in front of vocal,hostile crowds….
Almunia
Rampedro… What a bottler eh? Not sure there’s enough grey matter to launch any kind of defence of his cult leader. Tumbleweed indeed…it always works asking idiots like that to explain their thinking. Fundamentally, there’s none. I quite like being classed as a ‘salty cunt’. I’m taking it as a condiment… 😀
The game IS on my mind. I don’t think we have the team mentality to play for a draw so it’ll have to be a gutsy, fully committed win. We’ve only had 3 tied games all season. Spuds fans will be looking to make it as intimidating as they can, although I’m not sure their players are capable of backing it up. I’m also going to reserve judgment a little longer. Look at us Almunia – we’ve morphed into a couple of upright fence-sitting bastards!
Might try to get in front of the Leeds /Chelsea game tonight. Squeaky arses on both sides of the tunnel for that game too.
PS
I’m surprised your efforts to get Tony over here didn’t work. He’s almost a lone voice over there these days having to defend his (and my) prediction that we’d finish 4th to Arteta boys who think he’s being too bold/miserable/anti Arteta. Delete as appropriate or do what ballbags like Rampedro do and accuse him of all of them.
KP
Tony posts intermittently but he and a few others are the lone voices, like Tom, The Real Vieira Lynn, TR7 and andy1886.
For me the season has taken an unusual twist. I remember when the goal for Pedro was 5th or 6th and 4th was a stretch too far. This was a setup to explain missing out of CL. However something worst may happen, if we loose the NLD and can’t get the required 6 points from the remaining 2 games, then the Sp*ds will be gloating as they will claim they denied us 4th. That is worst than just reaching 5th or 6th. So here is to hoping for a draw or a win tomorrow.