Arsenal

[Chicog]

Missed the game last night - got a little tired and emotional. Spent all day avoiding the result and hoping it would come up as a replay on CTH. Heard in the build-up to the Wham v Swans game that we got killed. Depressing. Glad I hadn't pressed the button to pay for the internet download.

Can't remember when we actually played convincingly and well. Was it away to Besiktas 3 months ago?

Not much point getting worked up about Arsene - he's clearly going to self-implode before the end of the season.

I'd recommend you don't watch, unless you want an early preview of the Six Nations.

[SantiSuk]

Oh dear - was expecting an icy blast to my Arsene wind-up - along the lines of 'crawl back under yer stone plastic prawn sandwich muncher - Arsene always pulls the Champions League* rabbit out of the hat!' Things must be bad

*the Champions League Qualification Cup, specially invented for Arsenal

[SantiSuk]

Good that Arsene is resting Sanchez and Wellbeck tonight . Dortmund may be near bottom in Bundesliga but they have beaten everyone including us once in the CL. I don't expect them to let us by them to top spot.

[Chicog]

Well we're doing our bit. Come on Anderlecht!

[salty]

Tonight makes you wonder why Podolski has made so few starts.

[Chicog]

If you take tonight in isolation, yes. His workrate off the ball is usually dismal.

[SantiSuk]

Yes, I figure that's why Arsene only plays him for the odd 10 minutes here and there. You'd think the scouts would have sorted out that he doesn't fit Arsene's style before he was bought. Still he's probably put the transfer price up to Koln a few pfennigs with his recent successful powerful blasts. May even attract some bargain hunters from lower down the Prem, though he looks like he does stuff for love rather than money. Probably the only guy on the team you would contemplate having a beer with!

Refreshing to see a decent half of footy from us for once. Ramsey and Ox were excellent at opening up a pretty badly managed midfield/defence. Sanogo waltzed around in meaningless gangly fashion and Campbell needs to be sold PDQ or loaned out again with an instruction not to come back until he's learned to raise his head to look for colleagues.

Didn't see much to write home about from the kids, but you could actually envisage us having a go again at the top 4 (even making a decent showing in the next round) if Ox, Ramsey and Cazorla can keep fitness and recent form and if Sanchez has not been overplayed and if Kos and Debuchy are really properly

mended and if the boss buys a hard man DMF with craft in January and if .......

[SantiSuk]

Home to Hull in the Facup!

Another chance to go several down in the first half? Doubt it - not a bad draw for us

[Chicog]

Home to Hull in the Facup!

Another chance to go several down in the first half? Doubt it - not a bad draw for us

Before that we have the small matter of:

Barcodes (H)

Mickey Mousers (A)

'Arry's Mob (H)

Wet Sham (A)

Soton (A)

[Chicog]

But for now, just enjoy this and hope he's got his taste for it back.

https://mtc.cdn.vine.co/r/videos_h264high/65CC3ACA101154196350775480320_SW_WEBM_1418156045653c2584e4cf5.mp4?versionId=T_8X6p2pAKRl0phq0oXZA4CYBXKHrlUP

[SantiSuk]

Certainly Arsenal's goal of the season and contender for a broader prize (I'm pi$$ed off at us being a repeated victim in that prize, recalling goals from barcodes and Spuds!). I had a double take when I saw it at 3 in the morning! Eh, did that really happen or am I still dreaming?

[Chicog]

Certainly Arsenal's goal of the season and contender for a broader prize (I'm pi$$ed off at us being a repeated victim in that prize, recalling goals from barcodes and Spuds!). I had a double take when I saw it at 3 in the morning! Eh, did that really happen or am I still dreaming?

When he let his first one go I thought "What is he doing, there's no-one in there" but it was just brilliance.

[jellydog]

[Chicog]

arsB4fmGOmCYAAFb6F.jpg

Strange title considering we were already 2-0 up and cruising against probably the worst team in this round of the competition.

[jellydog]

arsB4fmGOmCYAAFb6F.jpg

Strange title considering we were already 2-0 up and cruising against probably the worst team in this round of the competition.

Yeah, the title a bit forced. He liked the "rocket" and "lift off" and was going to use it come what may.

[carmine]

Rumors are ofcourse just rumors but the Pogba to Arsenal one is rather interesting. Arsenal have the money and it makes a lot of sense, really beefing up your midfield, so lets <deleted> hope it goes tits up!

Really would be a major coup for Wenger

[Chicog]

Rumors are ofcourse just rumors but the Pogba to Arsenal one is rather interesting. Arsenal have the money and it makes a lot of sense, really beefing up your midfield, so lets <deleted> hope it goes tits up!

Really would be a major coup for Wenger

Frankly I don't believe any of this nonsense. Just journalists making stuff up to fill column inches.

[carmine]

Rumors are ofcourse just rumors but the Pogba to Arsenal one is rather interesting. Arsenal have the money and it makes a lot of sense, really beefing up your midfield, so lets <deleted> hope it goes tits up!

Really would be a major coup for Wenger

Frankly I don't believe any of this nonsense. Just journalists making stuff up to fill column inches.

Bet you wish it was true though!!

[Chicog]

Rumors are ofcourse just rumors but the Pogba to Arsenal one is rather interesting. Arsenal have the money and it makes a lot of sense, really beefing up your midfield, so lets <deleted> hope it goes tits up!

Really would be a major coup for Wenger

Frankly I don't believe any of this nonsense. Just journalists making stuff up to fill column inches.

Bet you wish it was true though!!

Why on earth would I bother about some tabloid hack's fantasy?

I'm more concerned about today.

Ramsey out with a hamstring.

Coquelin called back from Charlton.

Debuchy might play centre half.

I don't know if we are running a football club or a rehabilitation home for sick footballers.

[SantiSuk]

I don't see Diaby on the injury lists. Perhaps he could come on for a few minutes before rejoining the injury list.

Strangely we now seem to have a complete line-up of attackers, only about 40% of the decent midfielders and for today at least only 40% of the defenders.

[Chicog]

We'll just go for a 1-10 formation then.

[SantiSuk]

Starting to get some good performances now out of our half first team. Still need Kos back for the big games

[jellydog]

Starting to get some good performances now out of our half first team. Still need Kos back for the big games

You should hope Wilshere is out for awhile. Much better movement without him.

Ridiculous foul called on Welbeck that cancelled out his nice goal. Not that it mattered.

[SantiSuk]

Mason is the worst prem ref on the list IMO. Not that he gets big decisions wrong all the time - just seems to have poor judgement on too many things. I thought his yellow card on Ox for an innocuous foul late on was pathetic. He just doesn't seem to read games at all well. Only saving grace is he tends to even it out over a game. Thought Danny could well have conceded a penalty even though his handball was clearly accidental poor judgement rather than deliberate.

What has Bould done to Flamini? Seems to have quelled the crazies and developed his reading of the game - is in danger of creating a proper holding midfielder out of him!

[carmine]

Arsenal being hard done by again by a ref Santi.....theres a surprise!

[jellydog]

Mason is the worst prem ref on the list IMO. Not that he gets big decisions wrong all the time - just seems to have poor judgement on too many things. I thought his yellow card on Ox for an innocuous foul late on was pathetic. He just doesn't seem to read games at all well. Only saving grace is he tends to even it out over a game. Thought Danny could well have conceded a penalty even though his handball was clearly accidental poor judgement rather than deliberate.

What has Bould done to Flamini? Seems to have quelled the crazies and developed his reading of the game - is in danger of creating a proper holding midfielder out of him!

Agreed.

[Chicog]

The refs are atrocious most of the time. How Cahill didn't walk for that attempt at emulating a spawning salmon I have no idea.

Mason was piss poor as usual but fortunately we made it impossible for him to influence the outcome.

[champers]

That's some forward line you've got there. Sensational! Considering Walcott and Ozil are close to contention too, it could be a very good second half of the season for Arsenal. Hard to fathom why people want Podolski in the starting line up. He's at the back of a long queue for me.

[Chicog]

That's some forward line you've got there. Sensational! Considering Walcott and Ozil are close to contention too, it could be a very good second half of the season for Arsenal. Hard to fathom why people want Podolski in the starting line up. He's at the back of a long queue for me.

Just need a muscleman in front of the back four.

You could probably go past Flamini and/or Arteta in a zimmer frame.

[champers]

Been linked with Tiote (excuse spelling), the guy who Kung Fued Sanchez yesterday, and got away with it. Not cup-tied in Europe and can score the occasional goal - like the equaliser in the 4-4 a while back at Newcastle.