Forest ‘almost’ did us a favour!

Forest ‘almost’ did us a favour!

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!

135 Comments

  1. Kroenkephobe

    And breathe… I’m such a wanker sometimes.

  2. The Real Vieira Lynn

    we should be going for double-digits against this most pathetic of sides!!! since the beginning of December they’ve allowed a 5 spot against BHA twice, Villa and lowly Burnley

    3-0 to the good guys already, albeit only one was “clean”

    how bad are you if you’re subbed off in the 17th minute

  3. Kroenkephobe

    Blades Leaving? No, surely not.

  4. The Real Vieira Lynn

    Sheffield ought to be deploying some time-wasting measures post-haste

  5. The Real Vieira Lynn

    we should see Jesus, Vieira, ESR and/or Nelson at the start of the second-half

  6. The Real Vieira Lynn

    Sheffield are seeing ghosts…3 passes to a player who had vacated that spot 5+ seconds earlier

    fans already leaving the scene of the crime

  7. The Real Vieira Lynn

    the last straw for those departing = conceding a goal to our resident drunken giraffe

  8. The Real Vieira Lynn

    if we score again this could become a full-blown home game

  9. The Real Vieira Lynn

    I’ve never seen our central defenders setting up shop in such advanced spaces in the first-half of a match

  10. The Real Vieira Lynn

    they should go for the first-half goalscoring record now that Rice potted the 5th…only 1 more will get it done

  11. The Real Vieira Lynn

    even the extra official must hate SFU’s display or how else could you justify 5 minutes of add-on time

  12. Kroenkephobe

    Mismatch. Yeah, that player (Norwood) who was subbed, apparently uninjured, must be feeling really bad. Agree that some early subbing would be best.

  13. Aitcho

    Blades players are hiding, that’s unforgiveable at any level. Their fans can see it and have probably seen it regularly enough this season to know it’s hometime.

    Disagree with the presenter describing Havertz as a fringe player, he’s important to the way we play.

  14. The Real Vieira Lynn

    only one sub is ALMOST unbelieveable on MA’s part…ifnot now, when???

  15. Aitcho

    Viera on! Seems like ages.
    Smart to take Saka off.
    Some guys on for Blades.
    Hopefully they have a bash for 10/15 mins

  16. The Real Vieira Lynn

    you know things are going horribly awry when Ben White scores against you…to be fair, Sheffield’s halftime subs have made a difference in regards to the attitude on the pitch, but they’re still a bag of toys at the back…must get some other subs onto the pitch so we’re not just going through the motions for the next 30+ minutes

  17. The Real Vieira Lynn

    there’s no doubt that we’re an above average passing and pressing team, but since the end of the window we’ve had a handful of exhibition matches…some of which weren’t totally surprising, whereas others were rather out of character for the opposition, like our one-sided affairs against the Hammers, Newcastle and Palace…two of those teams are known for their ability to park the bus, then counter somewhat effectively, yet when we played them they did no such thing…thankfully this has happened in the business end of the season, unlike the previous season when some very similar matches took place before the break…let’s face it, if it were all about us, what transpired in Porto a couple weeks prior, would never have been possible

    on a side note, Marts should have been removed at half

  18. Islington Kev

    You have to laugh. Is this Vierra Lyn character for real? Arsenal have just thrashed several teams, including Newcastle & Liverpool, scored a ridiculous amount of goals & he is on Arteta’s back? Again. What kind of fan is upset with the manager when you score 5, 3, 4, 6, 5, 6. Sorry we didn’t score ten, sack the manager.

  19. The Real Vieira Lynn

    context and nuance are beyond your capabilities little guy kev…we just beat a team with a -50 goal differential, who didn’t even show up for the first-half…until we do something of real consequence we’re functionally the Dallas Cowboys of the PL…now head on back down to your troll cave before your Mom gets home

  20. Kroenkephobe

    81 percent possession.

  21. Islington Kev

    Viera Lyn

    Troll cave? How old are you, eight? Do you think every opposition team we have beaten with some incredible football has nothing to do with Arteta? I have no idea what your problem is with him. Sure, if he makes a mistake call him out, but you call him out when we score 30 goals in 7 games!!!! That’s not normal fan behaviour, it’s signs of obsession.

  22. Islington Kev

    On a mature note, it’s good to see Partey back. He looked rusty, but once he’s match fit he improves our team for the run in. Like Jiorginho, he lets Rice play the n a more advanced role.

    This really could be our season. We’re coached well & we are even a threat at set pieces. 5, 6, 5 in consecutive away games, even City can’t do that…..!!!

  23. Aitcho

    He’s for real Kev.

    It wouldn’t be a proper football blog without an in house misery. Perhaps he sees something nobody else does and all those goals really were pure luck and Tets is nothing more than jammy.

    I’m enjoying it. I advised him to. Some people prefer blowharding but, you know what, at some point we’ll lose and he can rant about the manager, not spending £100m on Toney and seeing Emi for under value. Again

  24. The Real Vieira Lynn

    I simply responded in kind to your juvenile first post, which was clearly a trolljob, as I’m a regular poster here and you’re merely a passing ship-type…btw simpletons, such as yourself, said some very similar things during Wenger’s latter years, when I spoke my unfiltered mind, and we all know how that ended…all I want is for us is to construct a world-class squad that can compete with the best and the brightest when it matters most and I still think he’s our weakest link to achieving that lofty goal…until then, you two recency bias wet dreamers aren’t going to deter me from speaking my truth…have a good one

  25. The Real Vieira Lynn

    upon further reflection, I recognize that it was my bad for taking the obvious bait…the beauty of this blog is that it provides us with a predominantly uncensored forum to discuss our Arsenal-related thoughts and concerns without fear of any Pedro-like reprisals, so I tend to overreact whenever someone enters the fray simply to ruffle feathers…the individuals involved know full-well that many of us on here feel a certain way about our current maanger and a few of his acquisitions, for a variety of totally legitimate reasons, so it should come as no surprise that some rather unflattering posts could be on display at any given moment…as such, only someone with an ulterior motive would respond directly to such criticisms in a derogatory manner…of course, they have every right to say their piece and I likewise have every right to respond, within reason, but I certainly didn’t want it to sully an otherwise good evening, at least from a results standpoint…Cheers to one and all

  26. The Real Vieira Lynn

    according to our manager, Saka was feeling ill and Marts simply suffered a minor cut from a cleat…not sure exactly why Marts needed to be helped off if that was the case, but let’s hope that the information provided was a truthful account of those two situations, as this month will be a vitally important one on two fronts…first we will face a Brentford side who at times defend well and will generally counter far more effectively than some of our recent opponents…then we will have our return CL fixture against a Porto side who will be bouyed by their late-game heroics in the first leg…finally, on the 31st we will head to the Etihad, where we haven’t won since January of 2015, to face off against an increasingly healthy City side…depending on what transpires between now and then, as City have to travel to Anfield this weekend, this match could have serious implications…according to the number crunchers, Pool have the easiest remaining schedule, followed by us then City, from a points per game standpoint, so we can only hope that questions surrounding the health of some of our key players doesn’t throw an unwanted wrench into the equation…fingers-crossed

  27. Morning all
    Pretty much a forgone conclusion and when Havertz gets on the score sheet after missing 2 sitters, I knew this was going to be a training match for us.

    Pumpkin could set Arsenal up to win against Sheffield. Pumpkin is well known in the parts as an El B sage. As for you gripes about TRVL, mate I’d go back to LG where the morons suck El B’s dick for using a zippier better than Wenger. Have word mate.

    This site runs well where we say what we feel.

    If you don’t like our comments, LG will welcome you with open arms, Bob or whoever you are.

    We prefer to have an open mic here for people who are objective, such as still complaining about El B’s lack of using youth & ESR. Last night was a perfect time to give 2nd half to such players.

    Let’s see Islington Ken if we win the league? If we don’t, we need a manager who can win the PL and CL. So far after 4+ years Arteta is not that man until he wins the league unless you’re happy to nearly win things as Wenger did. Wenger was the nearly man after 2008. Nearly signed so many players and nearly won nothing but devalued tin pot FA cups any team can win.

    I’d have rather had, Klopp or Pep when they were available; not a repeat mistake maker when it counts, and we fall short, and then you’re no where to be seen to prop up you messiah. Probably sucking on your kids pacifier with tears running………

    Same as Wenger should have gone in 2008, Arteta should go if no PL this season after we should have won last season, but didn’t because of El B’s BS in the TWs.

    Aitcho, I have no problem with your views, only LG tossers turning up to troll.

    Islington Ken have you suffered from myopia long or is it a childhood problem never solved or you just like trolling?

    We’ve won nothing yet league wise for far too long. You can be happy with that, but we are not, and let it be known why. Then El B excuse makers like you turn up acting like the muppet you are on a site that supports there club, not the manager who is yet to win a significant trophy after nearly 5 years.

    We’ll stick to the facts and you can continue with your myopic views while we contemplate the bigger picture of being PL trophy less for 20+ years.

    Sound about right to you, IK?

    How about coming back when Arteta actually wins the league or CL? We won’t hold our breath…….

  28. Norg & KP
    Really enjoy your stories of past and present. I was complaining being cold this winter here with 12*C lol

    We really have the squad to win the league bar as Ambarish eluded to we need a 20+ a season 9; Havertz only scores around 1:4 sitters against rank average bottom dwellers.

    Arteta is consistent with his ESR & youth BS and in-game management. If I were a youth player, I’d have my agent looking around or hope Arteta leaves.

    Pepe works better with youth as does Klopp and both are serial winners. Arteta? One FA cup in covid.

    Says it all really………

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