When any two clubs are level on points after 5 games and are going to play each other, it’s already a rivalry. However, if the two clubs happens to be the Arsenal and Spuds, it’s not rivalry but a WAR. North London Derby is here, on a British Sunday Afternoon, at Emirates. If you have got any plans, I would rather suggest to forget about it and restock your refrigerator. Waitrose opens at 10 am on Sunday and 4 hours are sufficient to sort out any scarcity.
Arsenal v Tottenham is one of the biggest game of this season. The result will affect both the teams, for one is trying to compete for the title and the other one is trying to show the world they, still, are a part of the top 6. A win today will move us ahead of our arch rivals and closer to Manchester City. A win today will keep our confidence high. And for the fans, a win today will mean the world.
Right, that’s a lot of emotion from me on a Sunday morning. Lets get back to the facts.
In the team news, I doubt Martinelli will be available for today. Even if he makes it, I don’t think Arteta will risk him with games coming thick and fast, and when we have a back up in Trossard who is doing exceptionally well for whatever chances he is getting. Raya is probably gonna get the start ahead of Ramsdale again today and the back 4 will remain same. It would be interesting to see whom Mikel prefers in the midfield alongside Declan Rice. Will it be his favorite Havertz, or the in-form Vieira? I would personally go with Vieira, never replace a confident player unless he needs resting.
We need Gabriel Jesus up top and we need him to do the famous Henry slide in the corner after his hattrick today. Saka has been phenomenal until now and I don’t have to guess that he will only improve his performance. He is already excited for the game, and has to say this when asked about the game.
I’m really excited. It’s a massive advantage. Personally, the feeling I have every time I play at the Emirates is that we’re going to win and the people are behind us. The support that the fans give us, not allowing us to lose, gives us that extra confidence boost.
source : arsenal.com
Well, here’s the bitter pill. It’s not going to be easy. Spuds are having a new manager bounce and though they don’t have the usual scorer against Arsenal in Harry Kane, they are playing better than their own standards. Derbys are more emotion than the talent, and we must make sure we keep our emotions in check, score 3 by the half time and not let them have any chances. We need to be solid defensively, whoever plays at CF need to make most of the chances he gets and we must keep them pressed for the whole game. We must also be careful about the goals we concede in the first few minutes of the games; no lapse in concentration will be accepted.
Right, there’s not much for today except the excitement. We have beaten them in both of our games last season, and I hope we do the third on them today. Convincingly.
I will see you during the match.
Reasons to be cheerful part one. This is my feeling in my office this morning.
Chavs sitting 15th in the table
Manure, Pool and City losing
Manure sitting 10th in the table
Haverwest beat Aberystwyth 3:0 meaning our KP will be on a high when he finds his stash once back home to bake with.
I’m not adding our win because it was expected and B’mouth are just a shade above Everton, where both are really championship level currently. We did what we needed to do and keep a clean sheet (I prefer Raya for his calmness, commanding his penalty box and distribution), beef up our goal difference to 9, which is only 3 points now below City who have a 10GD.
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Our display yesterday was solid enough, but never really put to the test. We were superior all over the park including our subs that still appear at very odd times compared to when they were most needed. Mikel could have used 4 subs at half time and we would still have won by the same margin. It was Mikel’s perfect opportunity to give ESR 45+ minutes to sharpen up his pace and skills and rest Odegard.
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I was telling junior yesterday that I read Havertz is a virtuoso pianist to concert level, which doesn’t surprise this spectrum dwelling poster. Havertz’s eye have that 1000 yard stare similar to Pepe if you compare them; Pepe would stare into spare a lot, and not look in the eyes of people talking to him. Watching Havertz’s reactions to scoring his penalty also seemed labored on the outside. However, he was probably experiencing a multitude of emotions internally, and one has to ask did scoring the penalty lift Havertz’s game. A great show of togetherness from the team, though. Can’t fault that or the manner in which Havertz took his penalty giving the keeper no chance.
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Being subbed gives us that answer.
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ESR got 10 minutes and did more than Eddie or Havertz did all game bar the penalty shout/goal. Give ESR 3 starts in a row and we’ll begin to see the real ESR we first loved when he saved Arteta’s big fat arse 2 seasons ago.
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What I didn’t like yesterday was we played it safe and still won 4:0. It took us forever to score the first where we never seemed to get out of 2nd gear for more than fleeting moments against a serious contender for relegation. It would appear that Arteta is only ruthless with his players and not opposition. Pep? He would have put 6+ past the south coast team, so would have Wenger and GG.
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Last season’s PL in general is morphing into a new level of last year because of the money flowing into the game. City losing to Wolves and Manure losing to Palace is the tip of the iceberg this season. I feel we can expect another topsy turvy season with several surprises to come over the coming 8+ months.
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The football cash cow industry is in full flight where being a club owner now is important before the global streaming becomes the norm. It’s why Saudi and other countries want in on this cash bonanza where countries and corporate entities will do battle all ALA modern day: Rollerball. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0073631/
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Obviously, not as brutal in fact the sport is fast becoming a no contact sport, but that’s for another day’s discussion…………..
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What did we learn from yesterday other than ALL teams are going to drop points at various times and against teams who produce Palace and Wolves results, which is going to make the PL all the more exciting for the neutrals and us fans in general.
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Something I did take from the game yesterday was the fear some players are playing with, which is really not healthy for their game and squad. Havertz, White and big Gabs all look unsettled to me compared to last season and that is on Arteta and his galaxy brain all for one, and one for all positional tactics particularly off the ball.
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As an example Zinchenko one one of his wandering in their final 3rd to support the attack and Saka had to sprint across to the LB position to stop a counter from his halfway opposite side of the pitch position. This is why our players are breaking. As with Partey, they are expected to be AI versions of themselves with endless energy levels of running. Rice is reveling in the new role, but completely unaware yet of the accumulating effects of such a vast area to police each game. Back spasm already is not a good sign for the rest of the season of a player who is know to be serious robust in the PL.
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Finally, Arteta looks worried. More than his usual stressed look on the touchline. Maybe Josh has said this is the season you come of age or look for another club as a coach, because whether we like Arteta or not, and I despise the man Arteta is to others he manages, I can’t take away the way the team has adapted and become warriors together with a unity normally witnessed by serial winners.
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Personally, I believe the players are doing this by themselves where the whole team is a clique and not small fractions that were there in Wenger’s days.
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Have a good Sunday Gooners where ever you are.
Got to say I thoroughly enjoyed Everton losing yesterday. They really do look fucked – they’ve flirted with relegation before but I think they might just fly a little to close to the sun this time.
KP
Don’t know if you’ve watched Grand Tourismo the movie with Orlando Bloom, but it’s a true story of the son of a Cardiff footballer. Excellent true movie story and I thought you’d enjoy it more being a Cardiff supporter.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4495098/
Hi Marc
Fully agree about Everton and their demise. The last time they were any good was in the mid 80s. I’m hugely enjoying every loss and I’m wondering where or to who they’ll turn to after Dyche’s impending defenestration. Maybe a former player? Would Usmanov break the bank to persuade goldenballsArteta back to the fold? One can dream.
That said, I’m no closet fan of the Hatters – I was at Wembley in 87 when Gus Caesar, Nigel Winterburn and the Stein brothers conspired to deny us of a league cup win.
Tony – I’ll look that film up and thanks for the kind thoughts about County. My afternoon got even better when I got back to hear all the results.
I hate to see this with ESR. It’s clear he wants to get back to his best and Arteta is preventing that only giving ESR 10 minutes when winning 3:0.
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ESR only needs consistent game time and he’ll put Havertz to shame as an 8 or 10.
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/smithrowe-arsenal-bournemouth-zinchenko-arteta-31078293
Our injuries are mounting and being patched up and from various reports various players still carrying knocks the being sent back out to play.
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We’re not evening winter time yet and we have Marts, Saka, Trossard, Partey, Jesus and possibly Rice all not fully recovered and the games are coming thick and fast.
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If these 6 players are not allowed to heal properly before being thrown in the mix for Lens and the City game, how do you all think we’ll be by early January after freezing nights and travel fatigue setting in?
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Anyone have thoughts about this?
Tony
Thanks for the link.
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While he was impressed with his showing, the Spaniard believes that Smith Rowe is not yet ready to play a full game. He said: “I think he had really good moments in the first half, and the game was much easier for him, the way he was developing with his qualities, and the game we started to play after five or ten minutes in the second half, and then after he was struggling more. ”
An extract of a conman’s dodge speak by Arteta exposes how uncomfortable ESR makes him. My guess is ESR saving his arse 2 seasons back is an uncomfortable pain in the arse for Arteta. Only psychoanalysis provides a cogent explanation.
An interview with Xhaka comparing Arsenal and Bayern Leverkusen. Interesting insight
https://www.football.london/arsenal-fc/news/arsenal-granit-xhaka-bayer-leverkusen-27824993
Hoopah-it was interesting that he didn’t say “like Arsenal” Lever have a plan and want to achieve something, albeit that might have been simply lost in translation, so to speak…in the end, it sounds like he wants his cake and eat it too, as he desires making boatloads of money without having to deal with the noise that typically accompanies these circumstances…tbf I’m just elated that he’s elsewhere…unfortunately our MIT decided to pay homage to him by acquiring an underwhelming and vastly overpriced replacement…fact remains Havertz was brought in to be a difference-maker, not someone who’s been so pathetic that his teammates had to throw him a penalty kick bone just to get him off the snide…of course, for the betterment of the squad as a whole, especially considering MA’s propensity to stubbornly stay the course, I hope he comes good, but when you make me, of all people, wish that we hadn’t rid ourselves of our Swiss albatross, you know you’re bringing absolutely nothing to the equation
Willian v Cucurella. It’s the Hair Bear Bunch SW London derby.
Tony – remember this show? Cool as fuck.
https://youtu.be/QUw7Eb9RdoY?si=6Nsneh7RaSyW3yhy
No a new one on me, KP. Saw this and thought you’d enjoy it;
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1VAkXNTR1Y
So, Lens cest soir and too late for me at 2a.m. Junior is in BKK staying with his sister and meeting friends, so he might watch it with Pumpkin.
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Lens are a an out of form side and then we have City Saturday.
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From the Internet:
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“This performance currently places Lens at 13th out of 18 teams in the Ligue 1 Table, winning 29% of matches. Lens’s home form is poor with the following results : 1 wins, 1 draws, and 1 losses. And their away form is considered poor, as a result of 1 wins, 0 draws, and 3 losses.”
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That said they have won their last 2 games, so will be confident playing at home.
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Will Arteta think this tie can be a calculated drop in points and play his 2nd team? Saville are good on their day, and drew with Lens. It depends on which front Arteta feels he can challenge the most; CL or PL?
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I mean both the same is the right answer, but with out injury room having been full of knocks in the last 10 days, can Arteta afford to play all who are carrying knocks or should they be given a few more days to play City?
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I haven’t really done any homework on Lens other than the above, but I feel we should be too much for them and hope ESR gets a full game tonight.
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Finally had some spare time this morning and was able to watch na double header of Australia being beaten by Fiji and The Springboks finding it hard against Tonga but ran home winners in the end.
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The Aussis making schoolboy errors that Eddie Jones had England doing in the end. Has ready Eddie had his day in todays professional rugby union? His world cup results suggest he has. Personally I think he peaked with Japan, but what ddi I know?
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Hopefully, I should get to watch more key matches the next day.
something worth noting was the elite refereeing in the 2 games I’ve just watch at least. TMO was also excellent with a minimum of fuss and not a hint of controversy.
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Then we have VAR…………
Tony
I agree that we should win tonight. But if Lego thinks he can come up with some wheeze, we’ll suffer. Pick a strong team to win, hope for another draw in the other tie, and enjoy a 4 point lead. The stars are aligned for us in this group. If he can’t finish first, he’ll be a monumental arse. Tell the players to be on top form and that they may get a look-in for the City game. Carrot and Stick.
But I don’t pluck my eyebrows and wear black polo neck jumpers so what do I know?
This game today had better be a cakewalk not a cock-up, regardless of the lineup on the pitch, or all MA’s chatter about squad depth will be suitably exposed
Confirmed starting 11
Raya
Tomi
Saliba
Gabs
Zinchenko
Rice
Ode
Havertz
Saka
Tross
Jesus
supposedly Partey is also available
obviously MA is petrified to select his supposedly favoured depth pieces against even this minnow of a side and with City on the docket this weekend…Ramsdale is clearly in full Leno mode now, so he must be fucking furious
against the run of play, we’re up 1-0, on a silver platter goal scored by Jesus…Lens haven’t been in the CL for 21 years, so they came out all guns ablaze, but we seem to have weathered the initial storm and are now starting to control the play a bit more…it’s important to note that Lens are in 15th place in Ligue 1, with only 2 wins in 7 and have only scored 7 goals thus far this season
Raya’s error from the back just cost us dearly, so it’s all tied at 1…somewhere on the sidelines, if you listen very closely, you can hear Ramsdale chuckling to himself
our passing is slow and, at times, rather sloppy…our first touches are letting us down and Havertz missed another grade A chance…they play with wingbacks so it will cause us some concerns with Zinchenko tucked inside, yet somehow we can’t seem to take advantage in wide positions because we don’t attack with the requisite amount of pace…if only we had someone, besides Ode, who can pick a fucking pass in and around the box
Saka is now down on the pitch with the commentators making note of his injury status, following the fixture on the weekend, and now he’s gone off after 33 minutes…another MA selection cock-up that could cost us dearly come the weekend…now Vieira has come on as his replacement, so we have absolutely no pace on either wing
MA’s preferred wide side tactics make no sense whatsoever with Tross and Vieira out wide, yet no changes appear to be forthcoming
Why the fuck does Arteta run players into the ground and then looked surprised that they’re missing for one of the biggest matches of the season?
Oh yeah because he’s a fucking useless moron cunt of a manager.
over and over again, whenever we have numbers going forward we invariably slow down play and allow them to restore their defensive shape…these are the kind of affairs when we could really use a clinical finisher anywhere on the pitch
ironically, Lens are deploying the exact tactics we should have been utilizing this season if MA had spent our unprecendented monetary windfall properly…3 at the back, with wingbacks to give proper cover for both Marts and Saka, then having two midfielders who could pick a pass taking up more central positions
we’re basically toothless out there, simply foraging for any loose Lens touches, otherwise it’s backwards and sideways passing ad nauseam
I wouldn’t be surprised if MA brought in another defender soon and tried to settle for a 1-1 draw…Havertz is his usual passenger self, Vieira is bloody useless in wide spaces, Tross is constantly facing 3 defenders and Zinchenko appears to have borrowed Eddie’s cleats for tonight’s affair
I can only suspect that Tomi will be coming off soon, as he’s been a bag of toys out there tonight
anywhere else and Tomi would have scored…do we practice hitting directly at the Keeper or something???
how many times can our MIT be outmanaged by lesser sides before his most ardent supporters finally acknowledge that he’s out of his depth whenever his one trick pony plans fall flat
What a clown show…only MA could spend 200+M and make us a worse side!!!
Fucking woeful…
Tony
Don’t bother wasting a few precious hours watching that.
Hi Vieira
I’d just about give Rice some credit out there tonight but the others were absolute shite. Artetaball at its worst.
Arteta’s billion £ squad get’s outplayed by the Spud’s who have a new manager from a pub league and lost their best player / captain a couple of months ago, loses tonight in a group match Wenger would have played a reserve team in and will get smashed by City on Sunday.
At some point the majority of fans are going to wake up and ask “what the fuck have we been doing for the last 4 years?”
How much did our team cost compared to Lens?
Fucking shambles, fucking disgrace.
The list of shame continues.
Olympiakos, Sporting Lisbon, PSV, Villarreal and now Lens.
The cunt strikes again
He has to GO!
Art
What odds that Havertz’s weekly wage is close to the entire Lens team that started the match?
Maybe Manure will headhunt legoman to replace ten Hag. 🙏
KP-I get that Rice is a high-end DM, but his range of passing is far below that of Partey’s, so he doesn’t really provide anything in the final third, minus maybe when it comes to set pieces…this is why I said we should have acquired wingbacks, then had Rice provide ample cover for a back 3…instead we literally have our offence running through an inverted left back, which didn’t even change when Tomi replaced him at LB…it’s insane to expect us to be better if Zinchenko plays a more prominent role, in the opposing final third, than Ode
Kroenke
They’re daft not fucking retarded!
Marc
This cunt has spent more money than all the Arsenal managers combined and we still play like this.
Havertz is a Chelsea slag and always will be.
End of debate there.
He can fuck off as well.