Good morning all you positives.
We go into today’s game with me not having a clue what team will play, what players will play and what shape we will adopt. So anyone hoping for the least little bit of insight can stop reading now.
For a while it looked like we had jumped on the “3 at the back” bandwagon permanently. Now it seems less sure. I’ve noticed that when Arsene wants the team to buck up, he makes a change to the tried and tested 4 across. The 3 seemed to play to the strengths of Xhaka and Ramsey, but recent results, and performances, have not give much confidence that it was more than a fleeting glimpse of a working partnership. The problem is that those two don’t seem to work too well in a 4 2 3 1 either.However they are both top class and I really can’t imagine a best 11 without either of them in it.
So what to do?
Go 4 3 3 and introduce Francis? It would make us stronger in the middle and offer more protection to a 4 at the back, but leaves us shoehorning the 3 (who I suspect will be first choice) of Lacazette, Alexis and Ozil ,into the front 3, meaning Ozil will be asked to play wide right.
So all in all, just about anything could happen. But whatever happens, it really has to work. Another bad result, with Chelsea away, up next, will see a meltdown not seen since Pompeii.
However often we tell ourselves that its a minority of fans that are against Arsene, the board, the team and Doris the tea lady, there are definitely enough to put the cat among the pigeons if the worst, or anything near the worst, happens this afternoon.
Make no mistake, it may only be game 4, and it may only be Bournemouth at our gaff, but this game is huge.
Lets just hope all goes well, otherwise I’m building a bomb shelter.
P.S. I’m sure it will.
Positively Arsenal 
with the lastest judas gone I would imagine Sead will start and obviously so will Hector. As many of the players being away it would make sence to add Le Coq in there to break up Bournemouth’s passing style. Personally Danny is a worry because of his lack of goals wheather you cure that by keep playing him or introduce him off the bench is a close call, I think I would bench him. Alexis/Alexander on the left Mezut/Theo on the right who knows? Anyway I do expect a good passing game and I thats normally our cup of tea so all good COYG
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A bomb shelter eh? We’ve all been hiding in plain sight after the battle an Anfield. No one can ever accuse us of going missing. [insert smiley with Arsenal war paint]
Can I just add that this will be the biggest game of our the season thus far. With the media’s open warfare against us after Özil’s “open letter”, this is the one game we can’t afford to lose, and I too, dont believe we will.
Arsène held his ‘clear the air’ talks with our players and I’m convinced they are ready to lay their lives on the line for him and us. What happened at Anfield is something they never want to experience again, nor do they want that for us.
Those going to the game do wave your flags for our boys and show them their 12th man is with them every step of the way, come rain or shine. COYG
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3-4-2-1
Cech
Mustafi Koscielny Holding
Bellerin Xhaka Ramsey Kolasinac
Ozil Alexis
Lacazette
4-3-2-1
Bellerin Mustafi Koscielny Kolasinac
Coquelin Xhaka
Ramsey Ozil Alexis
Lacazette
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I think we should win, strong favourites, which to me in this case means we win it about 7 out of 10 times (don’t know how else to express it). That still leaves me pretty damn nervous.
Purely in terms of needing a win after two losses in first three, a win is incredibly important, but my tension for that can’t be separated (quarantined?) from the knowledge of how anything other than a win will be treated by media and those who totally make their own minds up always.
I’m as unsure as can be about how we’ll line up. Seems strong possibility we’ll change formation, and quite a few who didn’t start or play last time -Mustafi, Per, Coq, Elneny, Kolasinac, Lacazette- could easily be in team.
Basically, I don’t think we can expect team to play as they will once we have settled on a formation and, more or less, starting eleven. It’s too soon after a lot of disruption. The Europa games and C Cup will be helpful in coming weeks, and I expect a much clearer picture to emerge after them. Yet we still need the win and I bloody hope we get it.
We need results while we figure out team; not ideal but how it is.
Only guess I can make is that we’ll lean heavily on maturity and character in the selection.
If the three ,then, prob Mustafi, Per, Kos (Monreal left back), or Kos, Per, Monreal (Kol left back; if two, Per and Kos.
Ah, no, can’t even guess any more than that.
Complicates things that this is an entirely different task than Pool away, i.e I’d be almost sure the Ramsey Xhaka axis would be changed if the task was similar to last time, but it aint, so they may well get another go.
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https://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/when-club-heroes-go-sour-why-tony-adams-tarnishing-his-arsenal-legacy
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Ed
I was so in favour of the three, but my faith has been dynamited for now (Xhaka needs disciplined ,hard-running, speedy, always conscious of defence partner, surely, for it to maybe work *)…so I much prefer your 2nd formation.
Looks good to me ,actually, especially for today’s task/ opposition.
*on majority of occasions and especially for toughest games.
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Chelsea U18’s are playing Arsenal U18’s at the moment and it will be 900 days unbeaten at home in all comps for Chelsea Under-18s it they avoid defeat. Its a disgrace that despite the almost total dominance of youth football in England for six or seven years, that they have not brought through to the first team one player. Yet young lads keep picking them over everyone else, must be those £30K a week salaries and the super agents that is the lure.
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What is clear is that Stew can’t be substituted by me and we stay in contention.
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Ivan Gazidis is doing a Q&A at a fans forum before the game today, about a dozen reps of fans groups and the AST will be attending. AST have a whole host of questions put forward, even one asking Ivan to forego his bonus payment this year, of course AST word the question in their usual nasty way, something along the lines of them listing their perceived failings.
they have of course briefed the media on what they will be saying, nay, demanding, from Gazidis today. Attention Seeking Brigade at their best, its about time they actually changed AST to ASB, save any confusion.
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just found out the team and actually the suprise is at CB.
Cech
Bellerin Koscielny Monreal Kolasinac
Coquelin
Ramsey Xhaka
Ozil Alexis
Lacazette
COYG
Banned smiley
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this is brilliant tweet on Dick Law leaving AFC
Al Wayne @alwayne75 13h13 hours ago
Dick Law let his own contract run down after failing to agree an extension with himself last summer.
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HALF TIME: Chelsea U18’s 2-0 Arsenal U18’s. Goals from Guehi and Gilmour put CFC men in command at the break. Seemingly Cfc have been very much on top and only an outstanding performance from AFC keeper Virginia has kept the score respectful
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Oh boy. Watching our u18’s.
Being outplayed by very strong Chelsea side, but on stroke of half time when two nil down we get a pen- or at least our player is fouled in box by outstretched leg across him.
Gets booked. And this ref is far too old for pgmol contention as well. I guess it has filtered all the way down or something.
Their commentators are surprised by it, most of all by the fact our lad wasn’t angry and barely made any protest. Just shook his head dejectedly.
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not sure if its just journos copying each other but lots of them are saying Arsenal going back to 4 at the back from today
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Rich I’ve seen some outrageous decisions against us in youth and reserve games, refs have got the memo no penalties for AFC and also book or send off first chance you get.
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Good morning George and fellow Positives
I fancy an open game with Larry and Laca and Alexis as a deadly trident of goalscoring weaponry that will pin the Cherries to the ground and finish them off with a brace of late goals.
Interesting to see if LeCoq and Arter carry on their blood feud – one of those boys will get hurt I think one day.
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Thanks for this, and good luck to the team today. For any team the next game after two consecutive losses would be important and at least a must not lose. It would be great to start putting a bit of a run together and we certainly have the players to do that. The problem for most fans are that they are so easily led to believe we don’t have a very good squad. Iwobi, Elneny, Walcott, Welbeck, Giroud, Mustafi, Ospina wouldn’t be the worst bench put out this season in the League – and its not hard to imagine Wilshere starting to stake a claim again.
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Ed
One that killed me was an u23 game vs Chelsea about two years ago. Score was 2-1 them, about 60 mins, when their keeper deliberately wiped out player centrally just outside their box, no one around, good controlled touch past him.
Ref gave a yellow, but very same ref- recognised him, checked name- had sent off Hayden 10 mins into a Spurs game a fortnight before for a very quick grab of shirt, last man, wide in box. How can that happen? How can he change from ultra strict to supremely lenient in two weeks?
Anyway, more cheery news from u23’s- one of ours- Burton- just went off on buggy after completely wild out of control lunge on his ankle. Normally there are a couple of them on us each youth game. Refs never try limit chance of them when get chance, nor punish properly for bad ones.
I’m pretty sure it has a massive impact on our ability to try perfect Barca-style total football through academy.
Anyway, I’m leaving that game. Gotta save the old energy reserves for later.
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a big game coming off the back of 2 defeats, and what have a section of our fan base decided to do to support the team and help get us the best performance we can,
a pre game protest march, banners, a4 et al
and an in game protest, a walk out if you don’t mind on 27 minutes
nothing like having supporters get behind the team, and this is nothing like getting behind the team,
only time these lot could be described as being behind the team is when they are on their backs
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Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is a sub for LFC today
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funny seeing journos defending that awful challenge by Mane, of course liverpool just like spurs are treated differently
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He could have killed Ederson – his boot was nowhere near the ball
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me I am just happy for what Liverpool is going through… they deserve no less. Hope it gets up to 5
Klopp out. LOL
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Didn’t Thierry play in the two games in which we had Bergkamp and RVP sent off for similar type challenges?
He’s weird
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I love man city today esp because Ox played… 5 – 0 vs pool.
lovely!
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Liverpool get a good tonking. The Ox fully deserves that after his pathetic performance for us against them.
The challenge was a definite red card Mane knew the keeper was there but chances it and didn’t make it. There was only one outcome once he got beat to the ball
I really hope we keep a clean sheet today that would instill some confidence in the team
Thierry Henry the commentator I can’t stand. Is it s prerequisite for ex players to suddenly become football illiterate once they pick the mic?
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The week all our legends have insisted they only say what they see, no media bias, etc… yet…barely heard a word of criticism or even discussion from commentators about how Liverpool played after the sending off.
The attitude seemed to be, implicitly : all bets off, suspend all judgement when a man down. Contrast with us in those situations is simply night and day.
We are barely allowed to use it as the slightest bit of mitigation, and they groan- outrageous, pathetic, embarrassing, scandalous, horrific, they’re not trying, disgrace; the WORST THING THAT HAS EVER EXISTED IN THIS OR ANY OTHER WORLD OR POSSIBLE WORLD- and tear us to pieces any time defence exposed, possession lost and ,most of all, goal conceded.
If they say sending off altered game and reduced chances, they instantly add it was our fault anyway for doing it.
Anyway, bit of credit to Carragher. He accepted they were poor after sending off and, more importantly, has explained the card reasonably well, while everyone else in studio gives him no backing, despite him stating clear facts and referencing rules.
Oh, here’s Henry, talking shit, and ignoring the rules which were explained seconds ago.
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Gazidis categorically denied that Mustafi asked or wanted to leave Arsenal this summer in the fans forum earlier today.
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The state of Tyler and Neville after the Mane red card you’d have thought they’d been kicked in the head. Moe nonsense about it being a yellow card and how it would have been different if Ederson had jumped up afterwards ——– ffs he went off on a stretcher with an oxygen mask
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Rich they say what they are paid to say, the money is in attacking Arsenal
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I had to larf;
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Welbeckkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk some nice build up play between ramsey and kolasinac and SK crosses in to Danny on the six yard line to head home
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Has anyone got a stream?
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Im on Arseplayer !
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George, I’ve always had shit luck with streams, and with an apparent big clampdown this year not sure if it’s worth me looking for one now.
I’m sure tech whizzes have solutions but that doesn’t help me
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http://firstrow1uk.eu/soccer/arsenal-bournemouth-frsc8a19?l=2997339247
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Lacazetteeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee makes it 2-0 with a well placed shot from the edge of the area
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27 minutes eddy
(banned smirk)
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lacazette with a greta finish according to comms.
five games,then- two good goals: great finish disallowed; post with good effort; Liv game as sub with little chance when on.
Every game started a goal or extremely close each time and each with high class striker’s efforts. That’s a very encouraging start in my book. Lost in the furore after Stoke was that it was a bloody sensational strike from him
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* great.
A typo- I haven’t started listening to Italian streams or had much alcohol. yet
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It’s as if Henry wants us to think he’s a Dick Head and just does not care. Arrogant twat
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HT: Arsenal 2-0 Bournemouth
comfortable so far, Welbeck with the opener, Lacazette with the second.
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http://www.navixsport.com/m/sport.php?id=2998
Top notch stream
A very comfortable half really easy I don’t think Bournemouth have had a shot a goal or Cech having any saves to make
Great goal from Lacs
Sead has been a monster
Ozil late runs opened up Bournemouth a few times
Xhaka passing positional play has been excellent
Ramsey has had a lot of freedom and switched well with Ozil
Defence has had the easiest game so far
Maintain focus and a couple more goals second half should do it
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Try ronaldo 7 – Arsenal. Lots of streams.
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Welbeckkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk 3-0
moments after defoe hits the post, ramsey takes the ball off Arter and sets Danny in and he shoots across the keeper to make it 3-0
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not surprised that I have never overly liked Henry, great as he was as a player. appreciated him as an arsenal plyer of course
DB10 has always been my arsenal great, watching him in the Dutch team brought me to search for his club and thus to arsenal
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FT: Arsenal 3-0 Bournemouth
easy easy easy
Welbeck x 2, Lacazette with the goals
We came close to scoring several times more too. Danny almost with a wonder third when he chipped the keeper.
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