Away games a Everton have been good fun for us football fans in recent years. I’m sure you all remember the details. As the manager said, a good measure for the Arsenal squad.
Before Moysie went to OT in order to pick up his pension he would set his teams up to be less boring than usual at home. They had some decent players like some chap called Arteta. Even though these were tough games the Arsenal fan could approach the fixture with confidence because until last season Arsenal had been unbeaten in all these entertaining encounters for a while.
Then to the relief of the Evertonian faithful they were gifted a proper football manager in Martinez and last season a stretched Arsenal squad (only through hacking and the resultant injuries) suffered a rare defeat at Goodison Park. As always in such games, as last year, the first goal could be the key. Still, with a stronger bench I’ll be less concerned this year if Arsenal concede first.
We should see what variations the Arsenal can make in their line up . With a crucial Champions League tie in the balance there could be some rotation. It would be nice to hear the away fans serenade Diaby again.
Key concerns for Arsenal fans will be how the partnership in midfield between Ramsey and Wilshere develops. It must be a long term programme, because that’s the only justification for not playing Rosicky I can think of !
On a mainstream podcast this week a disingenuous lying uncredible idiot hack tried to compare the two Arsenal players saying one was in decline whilst the other was improving, completely editing out the injury trials that Jack Wilshere has had to endure. Yet Wilshere was out of the game not playing football for almost as long as Ramsey, the crucial difference being he is a year behind in this cycle. You’d hope that a professional football journalist who’d spent their lives following football would be aware of such things, but i guess they were either making a horrible attack on the Arsenal player which some fans will lap up, or this professional football hack knows sweet FA about football. One or the other. The choice, dear reader, is yours.
There are historical precedents, current ones too when thinking of Arteta, so we can reasonably conclude that as an Arsenal player Wilshere will be the target of such idiotic commentary. No Football brain etc. The Andy Townsend treatment: “Get In!”. Proper stinking bullshit droppings that will be sniffed up by the bitter malcontents and propagated through social media and back into the ground.
It might be just like with the insane and inexplicable abuse we saw directed towards England’s best young wide forward.Least we forget Walcott’s stats in the PL two years ago were as impressive as Alexis’ last year in la Liga, and he was on course for better last year.
Jack Wilshere needs to play five to ten games in quick succession for us fans to have some idea of where he is at. Even that benchmark would be temporary, because he’ll improve over the year as his constitution improves with more minutes and less injuries, hopefully. I’m no expert but after a quiet start I thought he grew into the game a little on Tuesday.
I would like to see some rotation for this game, simply because I’d like to see some Rosicky! And to keep some players fresh for Wednesday.
This’ll be a big game for the Flamster. Without Barkley and possibly Lukaku his less subtle tackling technique might not be as exposed against the runners. (Please refer to Flamini’s missed challenge on Barkley in the build up to an Everton goal last year).
The new signing for Everton, Besic, looked quite good in the WC, so even without Barkley who is still very green in my eyes and not worthy of the excessive hype (he’s no Chambers!), the midfield will be fascinating to watch tomorrow.
My favourite midfield from last season when Ozil was not available was the combination of Ramsey, Rosicky and Cazorla. But it is a little risky, and if I wasn’t playing FM I’d probably have to think again.
Chamberlain and Campbell were a little behind in their pre-seasons, but they could also be inked in for more minutes this week.
Finally, I would say that Vincent Tan is no hero of mine, but, it has to be said: well played Cardiff City. The LMA have dug themselves into a nasty little hole. I’m happy to back up the likes of Sol Campbell, even though he doesn’t always do things in the simplest way. Who can argue against given the evidence before us ?
But fortunately we can ignore all that gunk. Hope you all enjoy the Football.
A guest post from Finsbury.
Positively Arsenal 
In the famous words of Arsene ” We may have a little surprise for you” and soon.
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Morning all – nice post Finsbury.
Top four looks very interesting this year – most people assume City, CFC and AFC will feature but that fourth spot looks up for grabs to me. I think the lethargic pace at which Manure are strengthening (so far) could cost them dearly and the addition of the small question of the Champions League competition to Liverpool’s itinerary could weigh them down more heavily than they presently imagine.
So I think fourth might be filled by a dark horse and there’s little reason for it not to be Everton, largely for the reasons Fins outlines above. Also suspect the Spuds will quietly do better than expected with a decent manager in place though they are always vulnerable to Levy’s hormonal swings.
So the two big losers this year could be Loserpool and Manu, the dark horses possibly Everton or Spuds whilst the winners will obviously be Arsenal although I do expect a spirited surge by City with Chelsea swimming in on their shoulders as media favourites in the absence of Loser doing enough to keep up.
Should be a very exciting season.
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Good lord – a post on the interwebs that is actually, yanno, knowledgeable and balanced. I salute you sir. For me, Flambo, Rambo, Ozil in the middle today, Ox and Alexis wide of Giroud. Campbell, Rosicky and JW on the bench to change things up.
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Thanks AA
Looks like Lukaku might start, but he won’t be a hundred per cent so hopefully that’ll work out to Arsenal’s advantage
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ITK George!!!!
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No, its another blog . publishing at 1 o’clock
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It’s a tricky one Sammy, but it’s so nice to see the manager have the options! Cazorla could get the start in the CL game if he rests today.
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Looking forward to the new blog
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Be very interesting to see how the rotation works out this season. The manager made that recent comment on the average players needing a number of games to get up to speed. The comment this week on Camplell was a clue, he’ll get the minutes at some point over the season
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Here you go. Its Stew. http://wp.me/37nXa
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Do we know how long Mikel is out for yet?
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Thanks Fins; just the job. Feeling pretty confident about this afternoon.
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You lot mind if I creep back in here?
Haven’t been on any blogs for a long time but the match day atmosphere on twitter is so horribly toxic I thought there might be folk here who could be trusted to keep some sort of perspective and positive feeling going. Fins post being a perfect illustration.
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No need for creeping Stew, You have the front door key.
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Can’t promise I’ll join in if the resident crazy guy comes down from the attic but be nice catching up with the rest of you. Frank still around?
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No sign of him for about 6 months Stew. The Frank on your blog the other day wasn’t our Frank.
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Ah, I wondered if there might not be more than one Frank in the world.
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Top post Fins
It never ceases to amaze me how ignorant(wilfully?)/unprepared some professional journalists are…..
Is should be no surprise yesterday when MOTD were celebrating 50 years that there as no mention of the Invincibles and that ManCity winning the league into dying seconds of the game trumped Arsenal at Anfield in ’89….Pathetic
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Thanks Fins – this was an enjoyable read.
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Nice one Fins,very enjoyable read that mate-I know what Stew means about twitter,I’m giving it a swerve for a while,too many cry babies & egomaniacs,and that’s just me & George.
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