Good afternoon Positive Red People,
I trust we are all primed for his evening’s game which, by my reckoning, is our 8th serious contest with the Blues in the last 16 month. (W3L1D4). The semi final tie is perfectly balanced. Like us Conte’s men have struggle to score goals, despite bringing in an expensive striker in the Summer. Recent draws have been greeted by the spoiled Stamford Bridge hoard with “Boooos”. A home crowd booing ? Ridiculous.
I anticipate both managers will put out their strongest possible sides, so that for me would involve Aaron back, with young Alex Iwobi tasked with filling the departed Chilean’s role this evening. Will Sead come back in ? I hope so. It will be a wet, cold night, and perhaps run into extra time and penalties. A tank is likely to adapt to the conditions better than the smoother wheeled vehicle that is AMN.
Of our opponents Conte appeared to say that Cesc and Morata were out with injuries yesterday, and this morning’s MSM report that he and Batshuayi have had another contretemp – perhaps a dash from the Potteries for Crouchie iis not impossible after all (no I have no idea if he is Cup-tied either!)
One moment of brilliance from one of the many excellent players on show, or one catastrophic error, will ensure that one club and their supporters returns home in despair, and one triumphantly matches on down Wembley Way determined to dent Pep’s ambitions on the 25th February. To lose at the semi final stage – very cruel. What I absolutely will not tolerate is cheating from players on either side. I expect all the players, and both managers, to do their best to assist the match officials over what will be a tense 90 or 120 minutes. Like all of you my fingers are firmly crossed that VAR will improve decision making and erase both the cheating of opposition players and the refereeing errors that have cost us so often.
And speaking of brilliance;
So settle in for kick off at 8.00 pm UK time. Lets have plenty of noise, clapping, blowing your Arsehorns, and no sneaking out before the end.
Positively Arsenal 
Couple of interesting things on VAR today : 1st a report showing it to be a great improvement in correct decisions being reached
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/42781236
2nd something form Uefa head honcho saying it is unlikely to be used in CL yet, as it is too early, used the ’cause more problems than it solves’ line, which appears to be completely contradicted by the report above.
A third note from a highly dubious source. The Football is Fixed people claim when VAR is up and running in prem only two pgmol officials, personally selected by you know who alone, will be used for all VAR duties.
That doesn’t even seem possible if there’s a full programme of fixtures on at any time- ssix or more Saturday games with only one or two people manning the screens!?- but, as I see no other reports of it, at least a reasonable test of whether that source does have any credible inside information.
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There seems to be an air of optimism about recently. We need a protest to put a stop to that and focus on those long suffering souls that want their Arsenal back. They are Arsenal,
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I know RVP regrets the “You guys” note
The next morning in walked Santi Cazorla , the first training session with Santi he ‘knicked’ over to Mr Wenger and said “Boss, I am sorry, I didn’t mean what I said I’ve changed my mind.
Can I stay?
Mr Wenger looked him in the eyes and said “No, Robin” then turned and walked away.
The very next time Mr Wenger acknowledged RVP was full-time at Old Trafford,
Allegedly
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Really enjoyed last night and in looking forward to tonights fair with maybe the same result
COYG.
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I suspect that reason why many fans, like myself, no longer have any time for Sanchez, is simply that his motives were so obviously for the money.
The fact that he has declared that it is not the case, is simply more evidence that it is.
What tips the balance is the signing on fee, not the wages. So, Man$ity having made it clear that they would not stomp up the money, despite the fact that he had clearly been pining to be rejoined with Pep, the manager who kept him on the bench and barely played him, he moved on to the only team that would, Manure and, all of a sudden he is in love (metaphorically, of course) with Moaninho.
He is likely to find it a culture shock between the friendly, family atmosphere at AFC, to the intense, pressurising Moaninho regime.
Good luck to him.
Even if he wins no prizes, he still has the money as compensation.
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one week of the transfer window left, our main transfer negotiation team are still in Germany trying to get a deal done for Aubameyang. Reports suggest that Dick Law is working on a move for Johnny Evans, WBA have said any transfer for him has to be complete by Sunday, so that they have a few days to use the money on bringing in players, so we might not have long to wait if we are to do either or both deals.
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Tonight I would expect a team very similar to the one that played CP at the weekend. Ospina in for Cech the only nailed on change. Ramsey back in the squad
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In case you wondered;
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I am distinctly in the “could not give a monkey’s” camp about Jonny Evans. He has participated in Baggies defence that was and is poor, in spite of Pulis. At the Mancs he as so so and that is why they let him go two years ago for about £8 million (allegedly).
He is no better now than he was then.
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wenger has wanted him for a long time, tried to buy him from utd a couple of times.
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Bitcoin at… Arsenal? Premier League club become first team in world football to sign cryptocurrency partnership
Standard sport
Arsenal have become the first team in world football to partner with a cryptocurrency.
The Premier League outfit have teamed up with CashBet Coin, a cryptocurrency designed for online casino, eSports and sporting betting, ahead of its first sale to the public.
The agreement will see CashBet Coin, a California-based company, advertised inside the Emirates Stadium during Premier League home games.
Vinai Venkatesham, Arsenal’s Chief Commercial Officer, said: “We are pleased to welcome Cashbet Coin as our partner. We are looking forward to working with CashBet Coin as they launch their new cryptocurrency.”
What is Bitcoin?
Dr. Mike Reaves, CEO and Founder of CashBet, said: “With our ICO for CashBet Coin, we are actively targeting a global, multi-billion dollar marketplace of iGaming content providers, operators and players.
“We are delighted to do so in partnership with one of world football’s true giants in Arsenal, enabling us to build our brand and engage this audience in a meaningful way.
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I can’t say I’ve seen much of Evans lately, but when there was first a rumour of us buying him from WBA last year, I must say I was intrigued. He seems to read the game pretty well and is calm on the ball. (I’m no scout) With Kos’ achilles problem a chronic issue, and Per retiring, he would provide an experienced option. And homegrown too.
At the moment our First team has Holding, Chambers, Bellerin, Ramsey, Wilshere, Welbeck and Akpom as over 21 HG players. Iwobi and AMN still count as U21 (for this, and next season respectively) As it is, we have space to bring in 2 more non HG players so not really an issue but it could still help with squad flexibility in the future, especially if Welbeck is going to follow Theo and Coq out the club if we complete the Auba transfer.
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Everyone looking forward to the win?
Expect the post-Sanchez bounce to continue in style and with confidence. Chelsea having VAR to contend with will make it a doubly tricky fixture for them.
It’s odd that VAR is not ready for CL yet is good enough for the World Cup.
Just how much money is there riding in the CL for the powers that be to want to hold onto to full control of this tiresome competition?
You’d think at least they’d sacrifice the Europa as a testing bed for VAR if only to look slightly less grubby in their rejection of technology. Can’t wait for this year’s CL Final to be totally ruined by the usual chaotic levels of refereeing which will look ten times worse given the tech is available to scrub out half the nonsense.
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COYG!
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Match of the Day
Verified account @BBCMOTD
17m17 minutes ago
Tonight is the first time Mesut Ozil has started a League Cup game for Arsenal 😮
This is his fifth season at the club.
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creating our own problems by giving away the ball close to our own goal very easily
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Well this is not going to plan – very poor, we appear half asleep
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shit defending and we are 1 down, cut open
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Whoop whoop
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1-1
monreal header takes a double deflection and its level
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That’s going to cramp his diving
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our defending is all over the place
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hazard booked for foul on ozil
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monreal is tucking that far into the middle it means iwobi is left back
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barkley is on for cfc
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Ok odds on Barclay getting away with a red card tackle or three yellows and then scoring a wonder goal?
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jack rightly booked for an awful foul, he lost control of the ball with a very poor touch(not for the first time tonight) and then lunged at it
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that should have been a booking for barkley
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wenger not a happy bunny
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kos injured, after hazard catches him on the back of the knee. plays on
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still creating our own problems
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phantom offside
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HT: Arsenal 1-1 Chelsea
Hazard gave them the lead, and a double deflected header from Monreal drew us level.
CFC been the better team, our play has been lacking in tempo and our passing is off, and we are creating a lot of our own problems.
Iwobi seems to be playing left wing back. Elneny, Jack and Granit, and ozil too, not got a grip on this game yet.
I would bring on Ramsey and Kolasinac for the second half.
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I shall take 1-1, grateful and with both hands.
We seems to have sorted our defending out finally and Koscielny has been good.
Our attacking game is still off – Chelsea very sharp and our passing just not our usual quality
Delighted to see Hazard get booked.
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2nd best but no damage done. All to play for.
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With Hazard playing deeper the extra player and extra footspeed Arsenal are being outrun in midfield
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we have to win to progress, cfc have the away goal, so a draw will get them to the final
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monreal gets in a great position out wide but when he looks up to cross we had only one player in the area, awful from our attack and midfield, this is why we need ramsey on
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our midfield still not spotting the runs in behind by lacazette and iwobi
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linesman don’t like red shirts tonight
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we’ve been the better team in the second half, but not created enough scoring chances yet
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xhakaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa 2-1
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My old boots
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moses booked
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batsuhayi on for pedro
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Monreal booked
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elneny has been playing mostly in the middle of a back 3 the second half, but with freedom to come out into midfield with the ball
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is kante beyond getting booked
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