@LaboGoon opens the programme – and he’s not predicting 0-0
Good day Positivistas ……
Arsenal face Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium this afternoon, looking for some respite after recent results.
We of course didn’t start 2018 the way we would have liked, so a positive result would really help set the tone for us to kick-on to stay in touch with those teams fighting it out for a top 4 finish. Bournemouth themselves are desperate for points as they hover just above the drop zone by a single point.
So for both of these teams there is plenty to play for.
Looking at Eddie Howe’s team you immediately associate them with energy and commitment. But this season they are a bit topsy-turvy, blowing hot and cold; hot when the opposition are all over the place, and cold when you come at them direct and well organised. And for a team that has picked up just one victory in their last 10 PL games, Eddie is getting a surprisingly easy ride when so many others are taking a lot of heat. But he’s a good guy that always try to play good football and not hide whatever weaknesses behind a bus. Which has always suited us as we have scored 13 goals against them in 5 games since being promoted, conceding 6 goals of which 3 were in an entertaining 3-3 draw in this fixture last season.
So for us it’s important to approach this game in the right frame of mind and not allow outside pressures to stifle our performance and tactics. We need to go out there and get on with the business of the day.
Team news: after an initial scare mid-week Jack seem to have recovered from his knock. Ramsey and Kolašinac returned to full training and is expected to play a part. Özil will be subjected to a late fitness test for a swollen knee. By the end of the month we could be back to a full complement – Santi aside of course.
With the promise of goals for us today it would be foolish to write the Cherries off. Despite a rough patch they still remain a good side, so we have to look after our play, take care of the ball and focus on playing our natural game, while staying switched on defensively.
Last but not least; another thing we need catching a break from is inept (and I am being polite) refs. That’s the least we deserve after Mike’s ‘confession’.
So thank you for being a Friend.
Good luck to our boys and everyone watching the game today. Hopefully after the game we all will be filled with renewed optimism.
Positively Arsenal 
bellerin not been good, indecisive in attack and only jogging back to defend
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HT: 0-0
an open game, afc been on top, but afcb have had chances too
welbeck and lacazette not doing enough for my liking. Jack been good, as has mustafi
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Iwobi got away with one there. Friend will feel pressured to make that one up. Doubt if we will get a marginal penalty call in the 2nd half.
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I love Hector like a favourite nephew but his passing today has been incredible. He is clearly drunk.
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Call that the curse of the commentator
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you were saying anicol,
come on Hectorrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
he has been awful but he gives us the lead
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Must be the hair
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Oh Jacky!
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we’ve gone into our shells since we scored
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a better final ball and we would have four or five here and now fucking it its 1-1
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Dear oh dear oh dear
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a bit of a cech mistake, once he came he had to make it
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jack booked
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ah the bournemouth guy has already been booked so he can’t get booked again
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Ramsey on for Chambers
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calamity defending and we are behind
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I think the “bad to worse” just kicked in
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15 minutes left.
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that old problem of letting in a second goal once we let in one has struck again
theo on for iwobi
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we are playing poorly, gone form a goal up and in total control to behind and a mess withing the space of a few minutes
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5 minutes left and little sign we are going save this
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couple of minutes to go, a goal behind and our main striker is staying outside the area, odd
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our shooting is something else entirely
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4 minutes of stoppage time called,
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FT: Bournemouth 2-1 Arsenal
goal up, in total control, just lacking the final ball to put the game to be, and fall apart, letting in 2 goals in 4 minutes, and never looked like getting it level. A piss poor result and a massive let down.
Bellerin scored, but was awful, as was Welbeck and Lacazette. Jack was great till we let in a goal and then his game went. Mustafi our best performer. Iwboi was better than recently, Xhaka was good.
Theo was waste of time when he came on. Ramsey did little
first time we ever lost to Bournemouth. it seems the current team is intent on breaking all our records in a bad way.
another away day defeat.
When AFCB scored it was like a switch was turned off in our team, from being totally on top to being awful, I really don’t understand it.
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we had 59% possession, but had less shots than them and less on target, with only 3.
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i think Wenger off the touchline made a diffetence too.
Last time also when Wenger was banned the performance was poor.
Hope we will be better once Kos Kolasinac Ozil n Giroud are back.
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i only watched after 25 minutes of the first half, but what I saw was absolutely awful.
No attack and no defence.
So many misplaced passes.
We, frankly, got what we deserved.
Wilshire cannot so it all by himself. The final pass is missing most of the time.
I cannot think of any player who could be described as above mediocre.
What an enormous disappointment.
The anti aw bloggs will have a field day.
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the lack of a response from our team was a real worry, too many shrinking violets, even jacks game went
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Oh well, you get used to disappointment…
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ah, that’s a bastard. The fatal rocky period around 2nd reminded me of Watford game. I think we might suffer then, after first blow, for not having a true defensive culture, or particular type of nous, to call upon. Was poised to praise defence and be pleased with English lads, Chambers especially, before the first.
Felt it was one, with lineup and performance, where we could win, could draw and could indeed lose. I know that’s bland and true of most prem teams on most days but it still feels truest summation of where we’re at- I guess it’s about probabilities of win/lose/draw, not that it can, obviously, happen. Ours aren’t what we want for top four let alone title contention.
I just wish we could be left in peace to accept this as a transition year, playing and developing youngsters, giving Holding, Chambers and Iwobi further oppportunities, try to stay in top four race, and have real crack at remaining cups, while hopefully integrating a couple of signings.
I know to an extent it’s within my power to regard it as that whatever the talk is, but even avoiding the talk, it does have an effect on the games.
Oh well, Bugger. At least there’s no ref stuff to pain me.
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the saddest thing is that Bournemouth won without even having to play well
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“When AFCB scored it was like a switch was turned off in our team, from being totally on top to being awful, I really don’t understand it.”
Think when you’re a defence-first team and concede, you’re prob better set for the minutes afterwards, to keep calm, weather a storm and decide how to play- particularly how many to commit forward- in stages of game from there. Plus a defence first team has a lot of practice in what to do if opposition really comes onto them and pins them back.
I wrestle plenty with what’s fair to expect from an attacking team. One thing, I think, is that it should be harder for a team to get openings against you when you lead than while behind or drawing. I’m not sure if that’s true with us. Their equaliser was disappointingly simple, though well executed.
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We are going to finish 6th. And we could be worse next year. Not sure what the answer is or even what the question should be.
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well george if that is the case then simply put the question is
what can or will Arsenal do to improve our chances
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despite only being 5pts off 4th, our performance level has been such, especially away from home, that it seems our best chance of getting in CL is to win the EL
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jack was great as qlways. maybe even better today because we play his former club. but our strikers were very very poor. we could 200 more minutes, i’m sure welbs and laca wont even get a shot target let alone score. walcot came on and two chances. i’m surprise wenger played him wide.
cech was at fault for the first goal. until then we were clearly in control. at a time our strikers struggle to score, we dont need mistakes like that if we want to have anything to say about the to four this season.
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thereis so much complaint about bellerin crossing, but you are always going to struggle even when you have no striker to finish of a few ones you manage to cross. just look at their first goal. you want lacazette to be there to finish goals like that.
if what wenger intends to do after the expected departure of sanchez is to play welbz, i advise wenger to perish the idea. i’ll rather play laca there and giroud down the middle.
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I don’t know of any team that wouldn’t struggle when it’s most influential players both in defense and attack are missing. We missed the experience and assurance provided by guys like Monreal and Kos. We also missed Ozil’s guile in attack.
Hopefully Sanchez can now leave and we can regroup like we have done on so many occasions when we have lost big players in the past. And with Wenger’s ban finished and hopefully the beef with the pgmol put to bed, big if though, we can recover our form and push for the top 4.
#UTA
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new post up
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I suspect that the transfer window unsettles the Arsenal camp more than most comparable clubs. We have attracted world class players like Sanchez and Özil who then are tempted by big bucks and playing in teams with world class players in every position. It’s a hunch. I expect we will improve a bit, stabilise after the blood letting of his transfer window.
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Think the reality is we either pick up, and have more positive results in league, cups, or even through positive signings and/or Ozil renewing, or it is likely to be Wenger’s final year.
For instance, well out of top 4, no cups and bad news on renewal/signing front and it is hard to imagine another year happening.
Most likely, it’s all in the balance.
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wenger’s after game comments
On the result
Overall it was a tough game for us.
We were 1-0 up and then we made two very surprising mistakes. They weren’t forced errors, just lack of decision making.
We come out of the game and think how did we lose.
We looked a bit lacklustre in the final third. Not sharp enough to create chances.
Very frustrating, very disappointing outcome.
Wenger on Lacazette lacking confidence
It’s inevitable. When you don’t score, you get like that.
On a lack of team spirit
I’m not concerned about the spirit. I’m concerned when it matters we are not dangerous enough.
On Sanchez
If Sanchez goes, we need to replace him. When you look today we missed many players today. If he goes, we have to respond.
More on Sanchez
At the moment we try to use players who are completely focused on the club.
On Sanchez leaving
It could happen today, tomorrow or not at all. I didn’t want to travel with him and then he goes somewhere.
More on Sanchez
It will be decided in the next 48 hours. It was difficult for him because he was on standby a little bit.
On Ozil
Wenger asked if Ozil was left out as well because he is leaving.
No, he is injured.
On signing Malcom as a replacement for Sanchez
There’s nothing concrete there. It’s better that I don’t come out on any specific name.
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personally i dont see any difference between fith and sixth so far you dont make top four. if to four is beyond us, if will be foolish not to take our europa league seriously. all the talk only play the first team from semi final if foolish to me bacause we will struggle to reach the quater final with our second team
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