We all had our hopes pinned to the relegation bound Nottingham Forest drawing against the might Liverpool. They were unlucky, do were we… because Nunez scored a goal in 9th minute of extra time which allowed Liverpool to keep their points advantage at the top. They now sit at the top, 4 points ahead of Man City and 5 points from us, where we both have a game in hand. A loss to them last night would have made everything more exciting.
Anyways, you don’t win titles because of someone else’s downfall. You win because you have the heart and courage to fight, and convert into performance on the pitch on gamedays. There are still 12 games to go, both City and Arsenal will get chances to go back to the top, if we take or it let it go like season is what will decide our fate this season.
We are playing Sheffield United tomorrow. They are having a rough time, and most likely will be relegated. They are 20th, with 13 points having won just 3 games in 26 which they have played and there is no way we should lose to them. I would even expect us to improve that goal difference by few goals.
We have some positive news from the fitness point of view. Thomas Partey is expected to make the matchday squad after months, Zinchenko and Tomiyasu might not make it tomorrow but they are close as well, and we could see them back in a week. Timber has started training with the team, he won’t play for a month at least but he is recovering well and we need everyone we can have for the remaining 12 games and the Champions League run.
We ran out of options last season because some players were out injured, others were fatigued and we don’t want to repeat that this season.
Mikel Arteta had different views for playing against Sheffield United, when asked about what challenges they will pose, this is what he had to say…
They’re a really difficult team to beat. I’ve watched four or five games now with the City game, the way they started against Villa, and then obviously the game took a different route, but as you mentioned they are extremely well coached. I know Chris really well and I admire his teams, a lot of things that he does with them. It will be Monday night football and it’s going to be a tough night.
source: arsenal.com
Look, we don’t like to play against the bottom teams. They sit back, they let us have all the possessions and sometimes Mikel Arteta don’t know what to do with that. We need to break that, because that’s what Sheff’s are going to do.
Right, a short one today. I will be back before the game tomorrow. Hope you are having a nice weekend!
Hi Ambarish
Good scene setter as usual. I watch quite a bit of championship football as you know and Sheffield United have pulled off the unlikely act of making their team weaker this season following their promotion. That takes some doing and it points to a club in trouble. Just a straightforward injury-free win with some careful preparation and no complacency will be the order of the day. They need wins but whether they go low-block or try to take us on at the home ground will be interesting to see. A unlikely draw for them will be seen as a win but they really need wins.
This is another game where Tets could/should rotate… But he won’t.
Talking of the championship, Cardiff beat (and doubled) Bristol C (aka the shit) in the derby yesterday. Bluebirds 1-Ingerland 0
I drove all the way up to Colwyn Bay to watch County draw a nil-nil in the freezing gloom. 🤒
“This is another game where Tets could/should rotate… But he won’t.”
How many times can that be said a season?
Sensational goal by Rashford with thanks from Gooners globally🙏👀😂
Manure worthy of their lead and countering at speed. Ten Hag has got UTD playing well won’t be easy for us against them now.
Next season Utd will be a threat.
Rashford absolutely smashed that keeper had no chance.
Lovely goal by Foden.
Hi Tony
I’m not manure will ever be a threat again in the foreseeable future. Their entire model just seems awry.
Anyway, just enjoying the moment hoping they can hang on. Ought to be a nice fillip for Arsenal if they do.
Oh… Fuk
Kroenke
The current model has certainly been – the question is what can Ratcliffe do?
the only thing of note in this Sunday derby is the quality of finishes…this should be a not so gentle reminder that we don’t have a single figure that has either of those goals in their respective boots(at least not on purpose)…Foden’s strike speaks to the issues we have against the bus sitters at times, like Porto, as we don’t have someone who can craft a goal from distance seemingly out of nothing…let’s hope that gets suitably solved this summer
He’s zero and one so far with his sporting interventions. Ineos cycling is very ordinary. Given Ratcliffe is such a monumental tosser, and it’s Manure we’re talking about, fingers crossed for more of the same.
England certainly have a very good front 3 in Saka, Foden and Kane for the summer.
KP & Marc—I do agree with your assessments regarding the current “model”, if you could actually call it that…that said, I likewise concur with Marc’s thoughts regarding the possibility of them changing that narrative with the emergence of a new voice up top…unlike the Chelsea model from last season, when money was spent hand over fist from the offing, they appear to have taken a more commonsensical approach by curtailing the willy-nilly spending habits of the past and using this season to closely observe those presently under contract…they’ve saddled themselves with a whole host of square peg projects, which is something we’re all too familiar with, and they will have some tough decisions to make this off-season
meanwhile back at the ranch Foden is having a day…ironically I was feeling like Foden had been playing rather poorly lately, at least when it came to the business end of the pitch, but that hasn’t been the case on this day…he has 9 shots today, his highest ever total
It’s the hole that kills you… Forest first, losing in the last minute.. and then Manure going 1-0 up and then giving away the lead. Both draws could have done us a big favor.
Looks like we have to do it ourselves.
A front 3 of Foden, Saka and Kane is lethal… Haaland scores another one as I type this.
here’s another key difference between City and us, they don’t take a second-half lead then immediately put on 6-7 defender-types and drop deep…maybe United can catch them once again on the counter…oops, done and dusted now
TRVL
The key difference between Arsenal and City is that Pep’s not a completely fuckwit.
Hi Ambarish
I know you meant to say ‘hope’, but saying it’s the hole that kills you is equally – if not more – profound! 😂
Ambarish-I want nothing to do with that mentality that emerged during Wenger’s latter years, which relied too often on the kindness of others…we need to prove we can make it on our own before the big boys will really take us seriously…that’s why I worry about MA’s oft-times gutless tendencies
The key difference between Arsenal and City is that Pep’s not a completely fuckwit
And that’s also properly profound. Cheers Marc.
Nice one KP!!! being down in the hole can have grave consequences unless your Andy Dufresne
Kroenke
I’ve told you before I’m a prophet for the Football Gods!
So the focus shifts to Bramhall Lane tomorrow night. Anything less than 3 points will be inexcusable, even by that plethora of cunts on le grove.
Marc
Does your skill set extend to making 100 percent reliable football predictions?
I’m asking for a friend called Ivan Toney.
tomorrow should be another cake walk, but we all know how we turned similar fixtures into banana skins last season
Haha, I meant hope but I will leave it as it is..
What do you guys think about that Ederson tackle. It was a red to my eyes.
TRVL
I was thinking of other, arguably more perilous, holes than jails!
Kroenke
Yes but there’s loads of NDA’s involved so I can’t tell you results until afterwards when I can say “I knew that was going to happen”.
TRVL,
Certainly. Liverpool won it against Pep not because Pep handed it to him.
You fight and you win if you deserve it. Hoping Forest beat Liverpool so that we gets an advantage is fine, but ‘depending’ on it is as foolish as it can get.
GD Haaland has 80 goals since arriving at the Etihad…that’s more than Jesus and Eddie’s professional careers totals combined (I might have made that up for dramatic effect, but it’s undoubtedly true anyways)