You couldn’t be any happier as an Arsenal fan. Well, there are some caveats but if you look at the overall picture, we are having a heck of a time. We are sitting at the top in Premier League with a 4 point lead to 2nd place Bournemouth and 6 points over Man City whom we can consider the competition. We have 3 wins in 3 games in Champions League, one of them was 4-0 against the Simeone’s side. We qualified for the Quarter Finals in Carabao Cup with a team that started a 15 year old and will face Crystal Palace and not one of the City, Chelsea or Newcastle. Our FA cup run is yet to start, but everything else looks fine so far. In fact, much better than just fine.
However, the road to success will get much tougher as we move forward, other teams will figure out their mess and every game will get decisive. All we need to do, is keep our head cool, perform the best we can, challenge each other for the starting place and prove why you deserved it and we can win something of value finally. We have got some of the best players in Premier League on bench. We have the best defence in the league and the opposition is struggling to put a shot on target. We have 15-year olds challenging Brightonions and we have players that are making history with the 15 minutes they are getting. The hunger is there, the team has fallen 3 years in a row after getting so close to the title and they surely would have that pain in their heart. I am pretty sure they don’t want to feel it again.
–
Right, lets get back to the game. We are visiting Burnely today, and they aren’t in a very good condition. With only 3 wins in 9 games, they are fighting a relegation battle and the three wins they have were against Wolves, Sunderland and Leeds. We are surely the favorites and a win today will either keep the lead to 6 points against City or Bournemouth can do us a favor by beating them tomorrow. But, in any case, we can’t afford to lose our focus today.
Gabriel Martinelli picked up an injury against Brighton mid week and will not available for today’s game. Mikel is starting Trossard mostly in Premier League anyway so it should be fine. William Saliba remains a doubt after coming off at half time against Palace last weekend but we have Mosquera who can fill in his place. He had one bad game but you can expect that from a 21-year old CB trying to fit in the shoes of the best CB partnership in the world.
I am hoping a back 4 of Timber, Mosquera, Gabriel and Calafiori starting today with Raya back in the goal. Both Rice and Zubimendi are expected to start with Eze playing the no. 10 role. Saka, Gyokeres and Trossard will keep their places.
–
I am bit sorry for Gyokeres. That lad thought he is coming to Arsenal to bang in couple of goals every game but is being surrounded by 3 defenders every game and is not getting the freedom he was otherwise getting with Sporting. The league’s tougher than anything else and with Arteta’s style of play, where your CF needs to go back in his own penalty box to defend, he will have to work harder to get his name on the scoresheet. However, it’s allowing Saka, Martinelli, Trossard more space on the wings and is ultimately improving our game in the final third so it’s not a bad thing as long as we keep winning.
Also, I hate to be overly dependent on set pieces and winning games 1-0, but 3 points are 3 points. Would I love some David Beckham free kick goals from Eze? Yes. Would I love Gyokeres scoring a hattrick with bicycle kicks? Fucking Yes. Martinelli picking the ball in his own half courtesy to a Raya’s pass and then beating 3 defenders to score a solo goal is a mesmerizing thing, but if you come at me calling the club a set piece club, I would show you the 3 points and the league table. If you happen to be a Liverpool fan, I would also ask you fuck off.
Right, that’s me done. See you during the game.
TRVL
Apologies I didn’t mean that as an actual comparison between the ability of those players just a comment on not writing players off after 90 seconds.
The ref’s letting an awful lot go in the Spuddie / Chelsea match.
Marc—I know, I was just fucking around…have a good one
Vieira
So the baseball is over til spring training. Two decent clubs – one with a strong anti ICE stance and the other from Trump’s arguably least favourite country 🇨🇦. I can’t imagine too many MAGA cunts having enjoyed any of it.
I thought Rice’s goal yesterday was fucking tremendous…every single aspect of it, from soup to nuts. I know it was only against Burnley but a good win nonetheless.
Scumderland next week right after the game against Slavia? The whole Xhaka thing will be interesting…I think he’ll find it tough against Dec and Zubimendi.
KP
Agree about the Rice goal but I can guarantee you that Arteta won’t be applauding the ball from gyokeres or the cross from trossard or the header from Rice , he will be applauding the intelligent and unselfish run from Eze to the near post that took 2 defenders away from the danger area, Eze knew exactly what he was doing as he had a little look over his shoulder at Rice to create the space for a superbly worked goal from one end of the pitch to the other ….and some fools think we can’t score from open play.
To the uneducated Eze is not performing well but there is more to being a top class player than chasing around like a mad man in a desperate attempt to get on the ball….Eze has so much confidence in his own ability that he will wait for the big moments when he can affect the game as we have seen so far with goals and assists at crucial moments in games..
Odegaard may look a more influential player and he is good , but for me Eze is silky smooth with the ball at his feet , he is a player that can produce magic from nothing and as the season progresses we will see evidence of how he can make the difference in tight games .
Nice one Wickmeister. You’re actually manifesting some refreshing and perspicacious anti-Artetaism by suggesting he treats players partially and doesn’t praise all good performances by players. In reality, I’m sure he’s thankful to all of the boys when they perform like they did yesterday and save him another week from the threat of a P45!
You already know about my adoration of Eze. I still get a frisson of pleasure watching him turn out in our kit, let alone the displays he puts in.
What did you make of those two tottycunts blanking Frank after the game? Fucking bizarre. That club is drawn to crises like flies to dog shit.
Newcastle? Gutless Geordie maggots. How easily they yielded to the piss poor hammers.
Nuno’s first win – if they go on a run it’ll start a wave of sackings.
KP
I think the 2 Tottenham players wanted to skulk off in embarrassment as that performance v chelsea was worse than anything I saw under Ange.
Unless they have a few players returning in 3 weeks time when we play them I can’t see anything other than a easy 3 points for us , and then on to Chelsea who will probably try to kick lumps out of us.
Kroenke
Whatever the reason / excuse its not something the manager can let go. Its rank insubordination and undermines the manager in public. Not sure if they have the players / squad to drop the pair for a couple of matches – if not a fine should be the minimum punishment.
Good points both. I was reading some BTL comments on the Spurs v Chelsea game and the daggers are already drawn for Frank. Spurs simply cannot escape the spiral of hiring and firing with the attendant disruption and inconsistency. I vaguely remember being properly concerned about our enduring domination of the cockerel jockeys til they fucking sacked Pochettino. We, on the other hand, tend to hold onto managers far too long if our history over the past 50 plus years is anything to go by. This business with those two players is going to haunt the club for a few weeks I suspect.
I’m not sure Chelsea are still kicking lumps out of better opposition. They look as lightweight and disjointed as ever. When they had the likes of gruppenfuhrer Terry, Desailly, Drogba and Ballack maybe but now their players are far smaller and less physical than Rice, Gabriel, Timber, Saliba, Cauliflower and Gyok.
I’m watching Scumderland v Everton and it’s only 30 minutes in. If they play like this against us, we’ll have far too much for them on Saturday. Struggling to get past Everton’s press, no goal threat and shaky at the back. I think they’re in a false position in the PL. And some geezer called Xhaka giving the ball away all over the park…who knew?
KP
The Makem supporters are all saying it will not last as Granit is the only experienced player in their team. Inevitably there will be injuries and a slide down the table but hopefully they will do enough to maintain premier league status.
Currently we are flying high and are in the same position points wise as in 2014 – 2015. By the end of the season we were in 4th. Hopefully we do not have a repeat but with Havertz soon to return who knows.
It should be another game for the youngsters tonight. They will be hungry after the win against Brighton. I might even tune in instead of watching the paint dry in the drawing room.
That paint is taking its time. Liquid gloss in a cold and damp drawing room…To all budding painters and decorators, never use liquid gloss.
I think it’s going to make the bottom half of the table rather interesting this season. The promoted teams have a foothold and notwithstanding that Hammers result, some reasonably more established clubs are in trouble.
I’d love to see Xhaka come out on Saturday, run up to the travelling fans and mouth a huge ‘fuck off’ to Gooners with a smile on his face.
The term ‘glossing over’ comes to mind but not in our house. Matt finish (sounds like a prolific striker) is the current trend. If Granit doesn’t receive an applause I suspect a middle digit salute might be the order. In theory we should be comfortable winners on Saturday but GX may have different ideas. I expect he will get a yellow and possibly a red.
that penalty kick was a welcome diversion from a 7 minute period of seemingly constant corners…looks as if Saka’s much more comfortable at the spot nowadays…I can’t imagine how pissed you would be as a SP player, who clearly knew this was going to be an uphill battle, when one of your teammates has his fucking hand above his head inside the box…that’s some code red sack of soap level shit
Guys, we have a new addition to our Arsenal family. I’m a proud dad now of a baby girl.
–
A week more of no content but i am guessing i will be forgiven :))
there’s no excuse whatsoever for Merino to be left onside by the backside defender, considering where the ball was, but good touch by our makeshift Striker…btw I would take Merino up top over Havertz every day of the week…that said, neither should be playing Striker for an upper tier side in Europe…it almost appears as if SP only practices what they would do in their own end, as they’re a disjointed mess in our final third
it’s almost as if…
our third tally was another fucking embarassment