Good morning Fellow Positives,
A very relaxed evening’s viewing, the qualification ‘jobby’ long ago done, and the only purpose of the evening was to put on a decent display so as to not let down the sides playing in Belgrade, and to give the lads on the bench a good run out.
And so it proved. A real deck chair of a performance for the Arsenal armchair fan like me, and even for our opponents;
Bate Borisov coach Aleksandr Yermakovich: “It was a totally different level for the team and it was very difficult for us. We were not prepared for this match, we were trying to play for our fans and play attacking football, sadly it didn’t happen.”
Good grief that is “honest” from a coach. Is he mad ?
He is right though. Arsenal were always in command of the game and had pinned Borisov back in their 18 yard box for long periods. 6-0 hardly did us justice. At half time and 3-0 it was over. Only 71% possession compared to 75% on Saturday, and just 23 shots, but we can work on that.
Of our brave lads Jack was bright and confident. Theo had the best evening he has had in 2017, and I enjoyed Elneny working hard and showing what a box to box midfielder should do. Reiss Nelson – get him on the big stage. My congratulations to the visitors’ young keeper Denis Scherbitski – good effort and at 21 years old a very mature performance.
Not much else to say.
I’m off to bed. Enjoy Friday.
Positively Arsenal 
Well done Andy for such a prompt and succinct review.
Actually they could of really gone for the goal their much travelled fans craved as 8-1 would have been better than 6-0 for the visiting supporters but there you go.
I thought their keeper was brilliant last night and the saves he made were more spectacular than De geas on Saturday.
Elneny needs to move the ball quicker and more directly in midfield looking forward instead of using the backs as a way out every time. He also doesn’t use the option to run with the ball when it’s there enough either. However I was pleased he scored as we could see the subs warning up and we new he was coming off.
All in all a good performance by all and let’s move on to Sunday.
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jack played ok in the no. 10 role last night and the web is full of fanboys claiming it proves he should be in our BPL starting 11, wait for it, in xhaka’s place, of course these same people would be aghast if anyone suggested that Walcott who had a fine game last night, scored one, won a penalty, and it took a goal line clearance and a top class save to stop him getting a hattrick, should get a starting spot on Sunday.
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Ian I would agree with you about Elneny, he had another one of those ok games, when opportunity seemed to be there for him to have much more of an impact, he just seems to be a safe player, could be a confidence thing.
Disappointed by Welbeck last night, he really was way too greedy, he wasn’t even looking to pass, always going for his goal, no matter how better placed team mates where.
AMN had another good game, I would love to see how he’d play in his natural CM spot.
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I made a comment yesterday on twitter about “Arsenal clearly pricing fans out of going to the Bate game” and believe it or not, some took it serious, are they so far into to knocking Arsenal that all reason goes out the window
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I clearly have a soft spot for Mo’s weaknesses !
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I have to take my lovely little dog to the vet for the last time this morning, as bad a day as I can remember.
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edu, if jack continues in this trajetry, i see no reason why he shouldnt be back in the first 11. him and ramsey were meant to man our midfield and have both shown great potential together before injuries stopped both. in truth i cant remember anyone dominating a game in this present squad as jack did last night apart from ramsey. yes he played from 10 last night but he can play from a more defensive position. i think for once we should be glad that jack is coming back to his element. it is arsene’s job to determine wether he comes in and if he does, then he arsene will determine who goes out too. and who says he cant go in ahead of xhaka? in all honesty, i think xhaka has been playing in the border of mediocrity for sometime now and if we have someone to put him on his toes, the better for the team. no one should have a place cemented in a team that is not winning everything. same goes for bellerin. i was glad to see debuchy doing great last night if only to put some presure on hector.
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Horrible but the final thing you can do and have to do
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My deepest sympathies George, this weekend is the anniversary of us losing little Molly last year and the other one went just after Christmas as well the house seem so quiet and I still expect them to come running when I open the back door even now.
Be strong we’ll all be thinking of you on here. Then go and have a quite cry somewhere.
I suggest you stay off Twitter for a few days the last thing you need is some twat annoying you.
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Sorry, PG.
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Sad to hear that George.
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pedantic george
Truely sorry for your loss
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layksite no one is saying jack can’t make it back into the starting 11, what I’m saying is don’t be silly enough to suggest that an ok performance at no.10 means he should oust someone from a different position. Wenger has so far this season in the cups used Jack in a more attacking mid role, that suggests he sees that as his best use, so again suggesting that its Mesut, Arron and even Alexis that Jack is vying with for a starting role, and for me he has done little to suggest he should be in the team ahead of Ozil or Ramsey. And I would suggest that most who are saying he should be in ahead of Xhaka know it too, and that is why they are suggesting Xhaka despite knowing he has not been used in that role at all this season. Elneny and Coquelin are the ones vying with Xhaka for his place, not Jack.
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George I’m sorry to hear about your dog, I have two old dogs and am dreading the day they are no more. I still recall with a lot of sadness the end of their predecessor, heartbreaking
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Arsene Wenger has revealed the latest team news ahead of Sunday’s Premier League clash against Southampton.
He has provided updates on Shkodran Mustafi and Theo Walcott and this is what he said:
on team news…
The only one out at the moment is Mustafi. He is certainly not available for Sunday. There’s a little chance of him coming back for West Ham, but he will not be available for Sunday.
on being in the middle of December with only two players out…
I believe that rotation allowed us to protect the players a little bit, and the players who didn’t play in the Europa League haven’t had to travel either, so that helped.
on Theo Walcott’s recovery from illness…
He was alright [after the game]. He had a little tight calf and that’s why I took him off. He looked alright after the game.
Read more at https://www.arsenal.com/news/team-news-updates-walcott-and-mustafi#KhrtA5TOejKJc5tz.99
Read more at https://www.arsenal.com/news/team-news-updates-walcott-and-mustafi#rTYk4gYMo3v5DAXp.99
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Jack looked marvellous at times yesterday. Difference between the opposition and premier league teams is pretty gigantic though.
First up, it’s unthinkable for any premier league/ British team with a large quality gap not to come and sit very deep; second, it’s as unlikely any British team would not try use aggression and physicality, including fouls, to try disrupt our play.
The Man City youth game earlier this year Wilshere played in offered dismal proof of the biggest obstacle of all to Wilshere fulfilling his potential with us.
They couldn’t handle his quality and stop him through fair means so the message went out at half time and they started smashing into him late after releasing the ball. Ref took no action to stop it. He reacted after third or fourth time and off he went.
I’ve settled this year for enjoying any of the moments he shows his unusual and brilliant to watch skills, but for me it still feels highly unlikely he can use all that talent effectively in prem.
Can only be from an advanced midfield position for me, or perhaps as part of a three with two mobile midfield players who can cover him well. Then there’s the speed and brutality of the league and the fact he needs more protection than most from fouls, and plays in a league with less than most, for a team who receive virtually none.
I just can’t see it.
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what i’m saying edu, is that the reason jack is playing 10 role in the europa team is bacause he is the best in the position in that squad. if ramsey is drafted to that squad, i recon he will likely play a 10 just as he does for wales. that does not mean he cant perform in a different role for wales. elneny plays different role to where he plays at arsenal for egypt. i think what wenger is after fitness and game time for jack. he could be used in a different role if wenger feels. just as no one saw it coming when he switched cazorla to central midfield or monreal to central defence. a fit jack is a great player anywhere in the middle.
and if you call that performance an ok performance, i wonder what a great performance is.
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Having only skim read the comments I disagree with some as I contend that Wilshere is a class act and can walk into the first team. He is, at least, interchangeable with Xhaka.
I love the young prospects and hope they play for the first team. Sometimes however, I feel the pundits, who gauge the “pulse” of fandom,can unwittingly bestow a messianic duty on their very young shoulders re: Eddie Nketiah
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Wilshere England best 10 is behind Ozil Germany’s best 10.
Not many clicks there for the hack dwarves but it is what it is.
He might have got more minutes in the AFC first team but thanks to transparent crooks and cheats like Dean England might never know how good a football team that they could’ve had, but yes, without a smidgen of doubt he’s better then Alli, and many others, and his that his agent didn’t get a carthorse onto the front of the FUFA packaging is no great shame, when he can actually dribble and other exotic stuff (mildly important for a tennish player…)
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jack is the best to have come out of our academy in the last decade or so and probably the best bar cesc to have come out of the youth team to the first team squad. nothing will gladen my heart more than see him fulfill the lofty potential that was brutally obstructed through injuries aided by the epl and their officials. the first time i saw him in emirates cu back then i knew we have unravelled a gem. him and ramsey were the reason why some of us saw hope in the future when cesc left the club. i’m desperate to see him and ramsey fulfill that dream partnership.
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Lay,
It’s been an interesting debate over the seasons, can the two play together (when hopefully both are at full fitness) in the same midfield? Of course they can, as always it depends upon the rest of the composition.
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wilshere and ramsey have over the years rarely played as the midfield two, normally when both in the same team one of them has been shifted out wide
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I’ve had people tell me today that Wilshere can replace Ozil, when the facts are that Ozil who is not renowned as a goal scorer has scoring stats that put jack to shame, his worst season for us for goals, was 5, and that is the exact number of goals jack got in his best season, and Ozil has 3 times as many assists in his time at Arsenal alone, as Jack has in his career
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Centre-back Olowu signs first professional contract with Arsenal after making excellent progress
by jeorge bird
Centre-back Joseph Olowu has signed his first professional contract with Arsenal after making excellent progress over the past couple of seasons.
Olowu, a graduate of the club’s Hale End academy, made his debut for Arsenal U23s during the first year of his scholarship and has made three appearances at that level this season, while he has also continued to feature for the U18s.
The 18-year-old, who is comfortable in possession, has missed several games recently through injury but is nearing a return to full fitness and will now be looking to continue his development having secured his short-term future at the club.
Olowu becomes the latest member of last season’s scholars to sign a professional contract with Arsenal, following on from Joao Virginia, Emile Smith Rowe, Zech Medley and Nathan Tormey.
There remain six second years whose futures are undecided – Daniel Ballard, Jay Beckford, Josh Benson, Robbie Burton, Tobi Omole and Dominic Thompson
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Jordi Osei-Tutu, 19, becomes the latest Arsenal youngster to sign a new deal this week following on from Eddie Nketiah, Ben Sheaf, Matt Macey and Joseph Olowu
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afcstuff @afcstuff
5h5 hours ago
Mathieu Debuchy’s opener vs. BATE Borisov last night was Arsenal’s 100th goal in all competitions in 2017. 💯 #afc
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edu
ozil has played in advance attacking role all his career and that might have accounted for his number of goals and assists. but jack hasnt been given consistent run in that position, not because he couldnt play there but because he has always been injured. i will like to know the number of minutes played per goal return as well as the position before i debate that. it is unfortunate to read something like this here. i expect peole to be happy to see jack kick the ball after several years of being sidelined by injuries. and why should a player regarded by many as the best number 10 in the world not be reknown for his goal scoring. or be compared with a player that has barely started more than 10 first epl/cl games a season in the last six or seven seasons? and most of the time played out of position just to get game time and fitness.
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Everyone must be pleased to see Jack playing and playing ok, but the fact is his competition is Ozil and/or Ramsey, and he ain’t starting big games in front of them.
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All this fuss about Jack in particular playing or not playing in the ‘First 11’ is just noise.
When was the last time, has Jack be fit enough to play 10 consecutive games for Arsenal?
He is built up his fittness slowly, looking like he can effective for 90 mins now, just as Arsenal enter the most hectic time of the season.
Arsenal play 10 games in 30 days.
What will be the complaint next?
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“what will the next complaint be?”
He’s too short
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He’s skating on thin Ice?
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For many Arsenal fans Jack is the finest English player since Liam Brady.
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An elite manager gets sacked from an elite club in Germany. Said elite manager refuses a job with his national team, for reasons unknown. He then reportedly moves his belongings to London. Would he work again for a club who sacked him after success, or is there someone else?
But, some who want Wenger out at any costs are , as any reasoned, analytical, logical mind would , putting 2 and 2 together and getting about 196. They’ll learn
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John-Jules amongst scorers as Arsenal U18s overcome Swansea
by jeorge bird
U18 Premier League
Swansea City 0 Arsenal 3 (Amaechi 7, John-Jules 78, Saka 79)
2017-12-09 13_11_22-Tyreece John-Jules Photos Photos – Tottenham Hotspur v Arsenal – Premier League
Arsenal U18s extended their winning run to five matches as they prevailed past Swansea City with a 3-0 away victory today.
Coach Kwame Ampadu made eight alterations to the side that beat Stoke, with Arthur Okonkwo, Harry Clarke, Bayli Spencer-Adams, Dominic Thompson, Jay Beckford, James Olayinka, Bukayo Saka and Tyreece John-Jules all starting.
Defender Mark McGuinness, meanwhile, made the bench for the first time this season after recovering from injury.
Okonkwo
Clarke-Spencer Adams-Omole-Thompson
Beckford-Olayinka
Amaechi-Coyle-Saka
John Jules
Subs: Burton (for Beckford, 55), Balogun (for Amaechi, 62). Not used: Barden, McGuinness, Swanson.
Arsenal have played some excellent attacking football this season and they continued in that manner on this occasion, with Xavier Amaechi opening the scoring in the seventh minute.
The young Gunners had to wait until late in the second half to double their tally through Tyreece John-Jules before schoolboy Bukayo Saka added further gloss to the scoreline with his fourth goal of the campaign.
Attention now turns to next week’s FA Youth Cup fixture against Sheffield Wednesday, when Ampadu could field a rather different team to the one that started today.
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no layksite, jack despite his career being blighted by injury, still has played almost 250 top levels games, but has not held down a specific midfield position, not for Arsenal(he has been used mostly as a wide midfieler), not for Bolton, not for Bournemouth and not for England, Jack has not played in the ACM position much for Arsenal cos we have had better players for the position, Ozil, Ramsey, Nasri, Arshavin, just as he did not hold down any regular position in our central midfield cos we have normally had better players there too, that is not a slight on Jack.
Of course injuries have held him back, but for all his undoubted talent, tens years on from his debut, soon to be 26 years of age, and its still a debate as to what is his best position, Eddie Howe at Bournemouth could not figure it out last season, with jack fit for all but 5 of their BPL games, Jack was used in a couple of positions and even lost his place in the team, yet people are surprised that he is not first choice at Arsenal.
Jack has, due to injuries, only managed in his ten seasons, 20 games or more in 5 of them, and only 4 seasons has he managed 20 + BPL games in a season.
He is on course to add to that this season, with 12 games so far.
His best season for games was a 49 game season, but then did not play a game at all the next season, followed up by 90 games over 3 seasons, but again followed by a 3 game season.
We can but hope that Jack stays fit, and manages to fulfill his potential, we should not be upset that he is not a first choice player, but be thankful every time he is fit to play,
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Mustafi ruled out of our game tomorrow, Per did not play on Thursday, suggesting that he might start in the 3 v Southampton. But with us using a 4 at the back v Bate, and Wenger saying its still his preferred formation, might we go with 4-2-3-1 tomorrow, and if so will that see Jack or Theo make the starting 11, in the wide right position.
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edu
im order to justify your arguement you have resulted in twisting the facts. one, nastri and ashavin never stopped jack from playing in the ACM for arsenal because this two players didnt play there and jack as well didnt play there when fit for arsenal. you may recall that the main reason nasri gave for leaving arsenal was that he was not allowed to play through the middle. and ashavin played mostly as a left forward in the 433 formation. two, he was not kept out of the team by better players but mainly by injuries nad many of this injuries are season long ones. and any serious manager will always get a replacement for you position. just look at cazorla, is he being kept out by better player or injury? as things stant today cazorla may sruggle to make the team because the manager has found a new solution. three, the only season he played in a position that wa not in the central midfield was 2013 when he played left midfield because the players who were supose to play were injure. that was after recovering from another long injury.
jack’s first full season with us as an 18 year old he played 35 epl games start most beside alex song in the central midfield winning several motm awards as well as winning the player of the season, young player of the year and made the epl best 11. where were the better players then? that was jack at 18 in 2010/2011!
so no need to twist fact my brother, the only reason jack and ramsey are not doing it together today is injuries and nothing more
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as for his time in bounamount, i also laugh seeing the way you twisted fact again. the mere fact that jack even layed as many games for them was a miracle and for the early part of his time there he was used sparingly because of his injury record. but when he got fitter, he was voted as the player of the month for two consecutive months all playing the central midfield for them. so to come here and say howe didnt know where to use hin is at best economical with the truth. again we all know how it all ended, he was injured again and out of the season. the only club he was used as ACM was at bolton. he was 17 then still not sure where to play. jack at arsenal has even played more role in a mobile DM than he has played in ACM. so to say the only player he is competing with is ozil is also further away from the truth. if his career hasnt been obstructed by injuries, he will be miles ahead of xhaka and many other as non of this players showed his potential and indeed played at his level at 17 or 18. the same goes for abou diaby.
the other thing about england? lets us not just go there. because anytime he was fit to play he plays in the CM and won motm almost all the time. i dont blame people who has forgotten just how good this guy was in 2010/2011. i blame injuries.
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the reason i think jack is playing ACMnow in europa is bacause he is the best in the position among the squad we use for europa. and the way he plays is not even close to the way ozil plays his number 10 even though they were saddled with the same responsibility. jack loves it more in the middle of it while ozil loves it more in the final third. so no one should only expect him to only play in the ACM if he is drafted to the main team. and if again he is moved to the wing as ramsey was twice previously, it wont be because he isnt good enough but that the manager has propably found a better solution in the middle for the main time. everyone knew that ramsey’s best osition was in the box to box when he wa sbeing played wide right but wenger had found a solution when he was injured and the partnership he developed with arteta that saw us going many games unbeaten was broken. now he is back to the position and only injury can again take it away from him not better players. if ozil should be injured for a season and we find a solution that works before he returns the same will happen. just as it is currently with cazorla and was with rosicky who to me was a world class player but became a fringe because of many injuries. but if we fail to find a better or workable solution, he will definately walk back into the team.
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New post up
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