The cover photo is the first picture I took when I visited Emirates 3 years back against Burnley. Dani Ceballos played brilliantly that day, I was saving this for the big day!
We are almost there for the biggest game of this season. It’s going to be even sweeter if we win today and retain our ‘top of the league’ position against Conte’s side.
Line up is out and we have Partey and Zinchenko back in playing XI. That’s good news for us, we need Partey’s brilliance in the midfield and Zinchenko’s link up with Martinelli.
Arteta has specifically asked the supporters to UP the game in stadium. If you are reading this while in the queue at Emirates, make sure to return back after the game with a sore throat. This is what he had to say for the Derby.
“I can’t wait to see the atmosphere, I am so excited about it. We experienced an incredible game and atmosphere last time we played them at home and I encourage everyone to do the same.”
source: Arsenal.com
Odegaard talked about his first goal against Spu*s at Emirates, he didn’t really like the empty stadium at that time but go on lad, score one today and you will see how much you are loved in North London. Gabriel Jesus is playing his first North London Derby and he is as excited as anyone else.
I should appreciate Mikel’s attempt to rebuild the culture at club. The excitements are at all time high, fans are loudest and we, fans, are buzzing before every game. The negativity of last two seasons has gone a bit (at least for me) and we can all see the players are buying it now. Everyone wants to prove a point and contribute in Arsenal win.
Talk about proving a point and you can’t ignore Martinelli. At the age of 21, he is a starter for one of the biggest club in the world, in one of the toughest leagues. He is a machine, he never tires and you leave him unattended for a minute and he will make you regret.
Hear me out, Martinelli and Jesus are better than Son and Kane. Fu*k the Spu*s, all of them.
About time now, only some 30 minutes left for the game. Enjoy it from whichever part of the world you are from, lets beat them 4-0 today and show who owns the London!
P.S. – Thank you for all your support, LiR is approved for Google News now (I might have to stop cussing now, lol). It couldn’t have been possible without you.
Herb,
No apologies required,like Kroenkephobe said it’s the realism of your perspective that makes it so desirable. Club spin and blind faith are anathema to me at this stage. I too would love to have optimism flowing through my veins but not at the cost of being able to perceive the truth. For example,imagine if Arteta left us tomorrow and his work here was done. Look at what the history books would record in cold facts as his ‘achievements’ and the colossal spend required to secure them. Nobody would look on his reign at the club as being a successful appointment. Name one single manager in English footballing history who managed a club of Arsenal’s size and secured 8th,8th and 5th place finishes with unlimited funding that has gone into the annals as legendary? Yet here we are. According to many Arteta has now justified his appointment. We’ve got the right man. It’s all been worthwhile. The proof? We are top of the table in October. Yet no-one,including those who are celebrating this ‘achievement’ expects us to remain there. Indeed top 4 would still be considered a great season. Where is the perspective? Where is the context? Our rivals,bar city, are all out of form but Arsenal fans aren’t excited by the opportunity to win a title,they’re too busy telling us not to expect one!! To dare suggest a good manager would lead this squad into a 2 horse title race is considered unfair on Arteta,unreasonable to expect such a thing. You may actually be accused of not being a fan at all for ‘demanding’ the club compete,now,for the major honours. You would be labelled ‘entitled’.
When did we become Everton? Everything you said about the fans being conditioned to accept mediocrity is embodied by the hero worship of a manager who has yet to achieve anything of note. So no apologies Herb,you have the right of it as far as I’m concerned.
K’phobe, re your Hibbies or? Fan? Sadly I was a product of a 16-year-old Jewish ice skater in an ice dance company and a 40-year-old BBC producer. If you’re wondering why I’m not on any dance shows, It’s because I dance like Mr. Bean, but I am gifted with being able to frame video and pictures, editing etc, so some good came of it.
My bio-pop did a runner and I ended up with foster parents in the east end, soon after to be passed around in orphanages for 5 years. Bio-mum snared a 70-year-old Jewish millionaire 15 years later, but he had the last laugh by having no will and an ex-wife and daughter with claws and talons clashing for the money.
Eventually, I was adopted by an older couple with an ailing mum and a heavy-handed father with a thick belt and in dire need of anger management sessions. An only child in a family including the extended few who talked nothing else other than gardening. Their GOAT amounted to the likes of Alan Titchmarsh.
Not one relative liked sport! It was all roses, petunias and fucking gladioli et al.
I can assure you ADHD and gardening are a bad match. Nothing happens for days, weeks and sometime months. Cricket is my limit where my macabre side would want to prod a sloth with a live electric wire to see how fast it could actually move.
It was no wonder I was off at the first chance to find a world I fitted in and could choose my education and life’s challenges. I got the sex, drugs and rock and roll out of my system first, and then paid much more attention to making money with the odd relapse when being invaded by mad, elite musos or asked to go to LA to be with said musos to record a month of song writing.
Mine, like your life K’phobe, our lives have been extreme by ‘normal’ jobs, lives and 2.2 kids and wife. I have 2.0 kids. I never found out what the .2 was ever referred to or how that was normal? Were the ‘normal’ mad after all?
I’ve posted the lengths I’ve gone to, to be able to watch The Arsenal over 40+ years of no real base. Missing a game really hurt, especially if I couldn’t get to see the highlights.
So that’s a long-winded way of saying The Arsenal is my extent of my football life. Whatever league or cup we were involved in, I was fully invested in. I enjoy reading you all reminiscing, though.
Guess it’s funny how life runs in circles and now laws here for κάνναβις are relaxed to personal use and cultivating, I’m putting all my dad thumped into me into growing primo White Widow, Durban Poison and Malawi cob for Xmas & New Year. Has a certain irony to it growing my own medication because it’s a far better choice to Ritalin.
Of course, no one knew what ADHD was back then, so I was just deemed overactive who was into everything that was curious and seemingly annoying to all around me.
Back to today’s life and Junior and I watch 5 games over the weekend including our games. That is unless he’s away playing golf tournaments – more as practice against people older and more skilled. He’s away tomorrow, but back in time for our game Sunday.
BKK: LIR Gooner weekend sounds like a plan to me. http://www.saxophonepub.com is a place my wife and I frequent when in BKK. A Thai Ronnie Scotts, but more than jazz. Maybe time it when Arsenal do a pre-season here?
Herb, I think the topic of a disagreement was to do with the older establishment and not The Arsenal. I can’t remember now, but I think I was saying it was all old school tie and nepotism that formed the basis of who made our laws and enforced them. Whilst a stiff upper lip got us through 2 world wars, in peace time we needed a different more open minded, well experienced leadership.
It seemed to me that those who thought outside the box were ostrasised for not conforming and deemed “A bad Lot”! Now we have gone way too far to the other ‘woke’ side where frankly who is policing who?
It was never anything serious, just the rebel in me explaining my discord with the system at that time.
As China1 and I said before every country has its skeletons in its culture and sub cultures. The more I travelled when in my 20s onwards, the more I could see I wasn’t a good fit for living in the UK. Nomadic life suited me. It was a where-ever-I-laid-my-hat existence working with differing cultures that suited me perfectly and my thirst for new knowledge each country and experience offered.
By the time I was 40 I knew I wanted to live in S E Asia including Japan.
A comfortable 3-0 win tonight. Eddie Unket Marquinhos and Vieira with a goal apiece.
Tony
Seriously mate, that memoir would sell like hot (dope) cakes. Mine is much more prosaic but I’ve had some interesting moments in foreign climes…
I spat my tea out reading your comment about Alan Titchmarsh. TV Gardeners and TV chefs would all neatly fit within a larger circle in a
Venn diagram called ‘famous twats’.
I’m really looking forward to tonight’s game. Should be fun. Although I won’t be thinking that if it’s anything other than a win.
Almunia
That’s me and one of the (Arsenal and Cardiff mad) twins booked on the road to Wigan Pier. Orwell would be proud. Well, the DW Stadium to be accurate where we’re hoping to see the Bluebirds get the full 3 points. I’ll do a review of the pies and pints for LiR. Big plus is it won’t affect my Arsenal weekend – I missed the Spuds and Brentford games. I’m becoming a glory hunting plastic fan…
K’phobe the game is 2am for us so looks like highlights in the morning. CL is no problem I can record it for the morning, but no EL here on satellite. Will be great to see the new gen playing. Read earlier Patino had another game with the manager full of praises for him. Azeez is doing well also. In about 18 months we’ll be spoilt for MF’s choice.
Enjoy the game guys.
No sign of Nwaneri tonight… Makes me think there were ulterior motives for bringing him on at Brentford. A persuader to sign a youth contract perhaps?
Tonight’s selection a bit odd.
Holdinhooooooooooogol
Why tf is he making those subs? What on earth is the rationale to bring on those 3 at this stage?
Adequate I suppose. A typical early round game in a minor euro junket. Looks like no one picked up injuries.
The result is what was needed the playing style against Bodo/Glimt especially in the 2nd half was meh, but enough to produce a score line that flatters us.
Got to see the highlights this morning and happy for the 3 although expected.
Difficult to give opinions on a short highlight reel. Turner doesn’t look as bad as some make out.Eddie needs a run of games and Partey was missed in MF, so a replacement is essential in January. With Patino and Azeez plus excelling on loans we should buy an experienced 26/7 YO MF, although I do like the idea of buying Troussard. He would be a very interesting acquisition.
All in all a good work out for the ‘B’ team, but still a fair amount of work to do to play collectively, which should come with more games played.
3:0*
G’wan the bluebirds! Safe trip home Kroenkephobe.
Haaland only scored one today,totally overrated!
Guimares was seriously impressive for Newcastle today, Almiron also seems to have become a proper player. Mind you Brentford were poor enough.
Hoping Brighton do us a favour but I have a bad feeling having watched the first 15 mins. Doherty is getting too much room for my liking.
Both my brothers are Liverpool fans,is it possible I’ll get bragging rights for the first time in what seems like forever??
Almunia
A great day from start to finish (home at 11pm ffs). Seeing Cardiff win away, let alone score three, is a rare and wonderful treasure. Strange place is Wigan FC. It’s almost like a theme park for away fans. No home support, very comfy (and cheap) bar attached to the away end and absolutely no singing from their end. Cardiff players and fans dominated making for a loud and raucous atmosphere. There were drunken 70 year old men falling over seats everywhere and 20 something boys coked up to their eyeballs. My daughter loved every minute of it.
Josh Magennis from the north on show for them and James McClean who seems to have lost his belligerence and effectiveness over the years. By contrast, our two Callums were fucking terrific. A brilliant day – my travelling companion said she’d never forget it – so job done!
Now to the small matter of the bin dippers. Win today and I want to hear all about you ‘samsunging’ your brothers straight after the final whistle!
Good to hear the day went well. Makes you wonder how clubs like Wigan can survive doesn’t it. McClean is definitely winding down. No longer a starter for Ireland either. He’s made a good career for himself considering. Robinson and O’Dowda seem to be enjoying themselves.
I see Liverpool have their very own Kim Kallstrom in Arthur. Signed on deadline day,one substitute appearance, now 3-4 months out with an injury. I still fear Klopp though. He’s capable of getting a tune out of his misfiring team today. Firminio above all seems to relish playing against us. Let’s hope recent form prevails.
The Everton-utd game at 7 means it’s sport all the way today. England v Australia in the t20 in half an hour. Takes us nicely to Palace v Leeds, then the big one,then Goodison. Hope you all have a good day(results allowing).
Almunia
I was obliged to be courteous and uncharacteristically kind to Ms Kroenkephobe this morning before setting out the exact same essential sporting itinerary to her. I even buttered her toast! (no, that’s not some obscure innuendo! Although it could probably be used as such).
You’re right and grounded to fear Liverpool – they could easily be back to their best this afternoon if only to spite us. Nevertheless, my krystalkroenkeball sees us prevailing with a 2-1. Partey again and Jesus. How are you watching the cricket? I very much doubt its on terrestrial! Not on sky here. Probably BT. I see they hit over 200 but 4 or 5 teams are capable of topping that.
Good win for England but Aussies played their reserve attack so hard to tell the significance of it. Watched it on bt via a dodgy stick(also not a euphemism!)
Kick off getting closer,starting to get nervous. Going to go for a rare clean sheet,2 nil to the gunners.
Fuck me,just saw the draw for the euro 24 qualifiers. Ireland got a ridiculous group yet again. How the hell are France second seeds?? All the home nations have a fair shot at it,even Northern Ireland despite being 5th seeds. I’m gutted for Stephen Kenny,he won’t make it through that group. Anyway,here’s the draw if you’re interested.
https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/63191282
I saw the draw too mate and came on to commiserate. Once you drop out of those high seedings, getting back is a nightmare. It laughably happened to ingerland in the 80s and it cost them. I got the cricket on a line by line feed in the end. You obviously saw what Wade did to potentially block that catch. Not a good look for him nor the Aussies. The WC is going to be maaad!