Mikel completed his 6 years as the Arsenal manager 4 days back and he won his only trophy – an FA cup – in Aug 2020. It’s been a long journey for him and the club and of course the supporters, we have spend more than a billion GBP and have 2 playing XI that would finish in top half of the table. But as the former British F1 Champion, Damon Hill, used to say, “the only ones who remember when you come second are your wife and your dog”, finishing 2nd and making into the semi finals means nothing.
And in the pursuit of greatness and the trophies, Mikel and Co. are going head to head against Crystal Palace in about an hour in Carabao Cup. Newcastle and Man City have already qualified and will play each other in the semi final and if we win today, we would be playing Chelsea. It’s not going to be easy, but to come to that stage, we must beat Crystal Palace first.
We have beaten them in Premier League at home, thanks to an Eze goal and we can do that again. The line up is out and Mikel has gone with some changes –
Kepa gets his start today in the goal. Timber and Saliba keeps their position while Calafiori shifts to CB to make way for MLS at LB. We will see a midfield of Norgaard, Merino and Eze. Saka gets some rest and Madueke starts in his place, Martinelli gets the nod ahead of Trossard and Gabriel Jesus makes his first start after 23 years and 6 months. With all the players we have, Mikel couldn’t have picked up a weaker playing XI that us. A midfield without Declan Rice or Zubimendi will struggle and Calafiori / MLS are LBs and only one should be on the pitch at any point of time. Also, I am not sure how fit Jesus is, and will he hold on for 90 minutes. If he can’t, there was no point playing him ahead of Gyokeres.
But, hey, I won’t care if we come up with a win. Personally I think Nwaneri could have started ahead of Merino and must be sulking to not make into the playing XI. We have a strong bench though, so Mikel can certainly make some changes if something goes wrong.
WE NEED A TROPHY. See you during the game.
😂
Marc & Art – you missed out one three letter word beginning with B and ending in G.
Somebody offered me the chance to go to Saturdays game but chose instead to have a casual stroll around West Norwood Cemetery – one of the magnificent seven. Far more entertaining.
Emery has the ability through wise substitutions to change Villas game.
NORG
The moronic cunt ( this manager, not Wicksy) is now saying he wants more fuckin players.
More!
Once a cunt, always a BIG cunt.
You made a good choice with the graveyard mate.
Art
How the fuck is he going to fit more players into the squad? What position are we short of numbers? He can’t complain about lack of quality because he bought the fucking players.
El B is unlikely to be afforded the luxury of more funds to spend on additions to his squad and therefore has started bleating because the heat is on. Peps garlicy breath is hot on the back of El B’s neck and his team are in second place in the table and current form.
It is 5th time lucky for Arsenal – they are top going into the New Year and cannot be overtaken (City play on Thursday 1st Jan). They have never achieved a top place finish in the Premiership having led at the end of the year. On 17 occasions the top team at the end of the year has gone on to win the league.
Marc
The cunt has burned through a billion and still does not have a decent striker.
Gykores makes John Hawley and Lee Chapman look potent and dynamic.
He is relying on skanky own goals to keep this shitshow on the road.
Fuck knows what the younger plays think , when they hear this cunt basically stating they are shit and need more players.
Maybe the cunt will take Sterling on loan again.
Art
You joke but would anyone be surprised if we took a Chelsea player on loan in Jan.
Chelsea or Real Sociedad?
Useless unimaginative one dimensional cunts.
Eze was a rare flair player and as predicted , the cunt has fucking ruined him. Didnt expect to be as quickly as this, even by his fuckin standards.
Real Sociedad is El B’s next managerial position. As Sid would say – you heard it here first.
Is it just me, or are we all cheering on the Villa tonight?
Great to see the likeable Emery do the double over the moronic cunt again.
AF
Ask the Arsenal players who were at Arsenal when Emery was in charge and they would all say what a good guy he is. Saka is guarded in what he says in public but when in the company of ESR they both take the piss out of El B. Saka knows he is untouchable and at the moment he can do what he wants. He likes London life and he would not move – at the moment. But……..
https://youtube.com/shorts/JR4czsbFFWo?si=xzTeQp_DBYgmeL4o
Christmas/New Year competition….Spot the cunt. Big clue…it might be the one in the hat.
AF
Nah…that’s a step too far for me mate. I fucking hate ‘Shit on the Villa’s even if they do have a better manager than ours.
I also didn’t start supporting Spurs after GG went there…
Pedro looks like a shoplifting crack addict in a porn dungeon these days…
Kroenkephobe
George Graham went up further in my estimation when he went to Tottenham.
He really didnt give a fuck what people were saying or that both sets of supporters were on his case. He was going to Tottenham, so fuck you.
Good on George.
I always think if Rioch was given longer and the tools , he would have won us plenty. I rated him as player.
Back then you had proper football men in charge and not the bunch of clueless pampered cunts that need 50 players we have nowdays.
KP
I thought Pedro would have had a bit of a tan as a result of his head being so far up his own arse.
Rice out with a knock and Havertz back on the bench so enjoy Gyokeres tonight chances are we won’t see him again!
Maybe Havertz will replace Rice in MA’s new RB/CF position
Seems to be plenty of goals in the other matches shame Arteta’s main tactic is to try and bore the opposition into a catatonic state and then try to nick a goal.
What a blunt instrument starting 11
MA’s recipe for “success”
a gallon of flopping sauce
a quart of blind crosses
a pint of set piece dark magic juice
a pinch of own goal voodoo powder
mix vigorously then close your eyes and hope for the fucking best