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!
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)
TRVL
Last time Sheffield United were in the PL, we played them in a Monday night game iirc. During Emery and Gunnerdoozi’s time. We lost weakly by 1 goal to nil, a corner at which we were hopelessly out muscled. I’ll look it up and post it. The blades were singing that stupid fucking John Denver tune all game (you fill up my senses… Etc.) A bad night.
KP-I was likewise thinking of a myriad of different “holes”, but the Shawshank line just popped into my head
you mean fucking “Annie’s Song”…my Mom was a big fan of JD until his drug habits became common knowledge, then she acted like he never fucking existed
Trvl
Certainly sounds credible (and that’s all that matters in a post truth world).
I always take solace though from the fact that Haaland, despite his prowess, goals and money, is one of the ugliest motherfuckers I’ve ever seen. Assuming he has a GF, I’d love to ask her that time honoured question…
what attracted you to the fabulously wealthy norse goal robot? 🤖💰💰💰
That’s the one. Annie’s song. Bloooagghhhhh!
https://youtu.be/zQ-JfLdMW4o?si=Mg4GRLYUaY206qHs
Nice away kit that year… But Sead Kolasinac! What the fuck were they thinking? I remember feeling utterly desperate after that game.
I’m presently watching good old Sead, as he’s playing for Atalanta, which makes me think a bit better of him, due to how highly I rate Gasperini’s managerial abilities…I so wish GPG had come our way, post-Wenger, as he has an incredibly knack to get the best out of his players, an eye for talent and he’s shored up his early defensive tactical issues
I should have said “he’s shored up some of his earlier defensive issues”, as I watched them get boat-raced by Inter, to the tune of a 4-0 scoreline, last week
Kolasinac was always going to struggle here considering what was expected of him on the heels of all the chatter surrounding him being voted onto the Bundesliga team of the year the season prior…he was never worthy of any such accolades…another rather disingenuous propping-up of a player arriving on a free transfer
there’s a whole mess of interesting players involved in this matchup between Atalanta and Bologna…of course Kirkzee, but also Lewis Ferguson, Ademola Lookman and Koopmeiners…not to mention, I’ve always been a fan of Orsolini, as he’s a true wide-side player, who can shoot from distance and provide cover on both sides of the pitch