I have to admit that we go into tonight’s game ,with me knowing as much about the opposition as I do about quantum physics. So basically I’m not going to be much help to anyone.
What I do know is that this competition is now very important to all concerned with Arsenal FC. I think we have reached the point where we can say that it is our season.
Arsene has said he expects to have a full complement of fit player to chose from, so no excuses on that front.
I think he could go to the old 4 3 3 line up with
Opsina
Bellerin, Mustafi, Koscielny, Monreal.
Wilshere, Ramsey, Xhaka.
Mkyitaryan, Lacazette, Ozil.
Well that would be my best guess anyway. I ,of course, am not suggesting for a moment that that should be the line up, just that I think it might be.
We are unreliably informed that we are interested in buying one of their midfield players, so that is something else we can watch out for.
Let’s hope we play well and the result will look after itself.
Have a great night my friends and we will speak on the other side of it.
Positively Arsenal 
wenger said yesterday that “at the moment we are not in for him” concerning rumors AFC are trying to sign CSKA star player Golovin
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seeing as since last night the narrative is all about how AFC and Wenger fucked up Oxlade-Chamberlain and how tonight at the merest hint that our midfield is not over running CSKA’s we will see Ox’s name mentioned, I thought it was worth taking a deeper look at Liverpool’s ox
Ox in the BPL for LFC, 13 starts, 16 sub, 3 goals
ox in BPL last yr for AFC 16 starts, 13 sub, 2 goals
jeez the transformation is unreal well unreal in that its not real, its a narrative, that sadly many AFC fans are willing to peddle so they can attack AFC and the manager.
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reg ox stats for us why everyone forget his brilliant cross at OT for Girouds header last year.
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Thomas Tuchel will be the new PSG coach, reports @LaurensJulien. Al Khelaifi preferred Conte while sporting director Henrique pushed for Fonseca & Jardim. “But in the end it was the Emir of Qatar himself, who owns PSG, who decided Tuchel was the right man”
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Eds we are referring to people that can’t admit to themselves that Alexis Sanchez & Mesut Ozil improved as footballers and have had their best years with AW. They will ignore the record. The trophies. Everything regarding the football to flog their sado-masochistic gibberish.
Feck ’em all!
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But Eds on Chambo…(insert wonky smiley face)
if Chamberlain was average why did Juergen Klopp who knows a thing or two rest Chamberlain at the weekend as his team laboured against Palace even more then AFC against Stoke – ignored by the revisionistic wankers you refer to above who ignore the Football to praise Liverpool’s Football which can be observed if one has been watching Liverpool’s football is just a fading veneer not covering their desire to attack AFC, why would Klopp plan to start him in the biggest game of their season?
Why was Arsene Wenger starting him at LB in a record breaking Fa Cup victory over the Champions?
This footballer has scored bigger goals then Alli and Kane in his career so far. For club & country! This is his record, not my opinion.
And it is a good record for a player whose career has been broken up by growing pains.
He’s a good English footballer. Arsene Wenger said after he’d left that he’d go on to be an important or useful English Footballer. I believe him.
To clarify I think English football fans calling Milner poor are mental! He was good for City, had stand out performances against Munich, also a useful footballer. I can understand why he retired from the national team, lesser players were selected ahead of him.
I have the strong impression that people in England appear to be quick to laud players that have good PR and not so much for what they do on the Football pitch. England are not blessed with a thousand or even just one Verratti let alone a Ramsey.
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George, since you asked last time.. Let me inform you of an error of the typographical variety, in the manner of the young person’s internet.
MONERAL MONERAL MONERAL MONERAL MONERAL MONERAL MONERAL MONERAL MONERAL MONERAL MONERAL MONERAL MONERAL MONERAL MONERAL MONERAL
You’re welcome.
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The fact that the overwhelming majority of us know nothing about our next opponents, is in a way exciting. The way it used to be before wall to wall coverage and soapbox tacticians. I’m looking forward to it.
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fins you will find that klopp rests ox more often than not,
BPL 13 starts 16 sub
all competitions 18 starts 19 sub
its almost as if the ox is not a first choice player, or is inconsistent or something odd like that.
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I’d venture…
Ospina
Bellerin – Mustafi – Koscielny – Monreal
Ramsey – Xhaka
Mkhitaryan – Ozil – Iwobi
Lacazette
S: Cech, Chambers, Kolasinac, M.Niles, Elneny, Wilshere, Welbeck.
CSKA are no easy opponent. Enough guile resides within thais team.
We have to be completely focused tonight.
And in Moscow.
COYG!!!
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I should have written Nacho, but I would likely have spelled it Natcho.
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The reason Arsenal fans are raving about the Ox now is that they do not have to endure his fluctuations from a world beater to Sunday league player from game to game any longer. Make that from minute to minute within the same game.
He is just as inconsistent for Liverpool as he ever was for us. He still looks anonymous for 60-70% of his games, but he has admittedly scored 2 extremely good goals against City this year. One of them could prove to be of vital importance.
That being said, he clearly suits Liverpool’s style better than ours. It was good business for us for sure. Whether he will turn out to be good for Liverpool – time will tell. Personally, I wish him well, but our fans making him into another thing to moan about, without any justification (as is often the case) is unbearable.
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Afternoon peeps.
I’ll be heading into town to watch the game a bit later. It’s great to see the Boss has nearly the full deck of cards to select from tonight, barring Santi of course.
I hope to see Arsenal hit these Russians hard and fast, I have no idea what the opposition are capable of, but results in Europe show that they are no mugs and difficult to beat away from Moscow.
As for last night in Liverpool, what we saw was the result of a team playing with no fear of failure, Liverpool’s top four position for next year looks secure, they could see the potential for flaws in City’s back line and just went for it, if they lost no one would have castigated Klopp either.
It’s still flabbergasting that a Midfield of Milner-Henderson-Ox dominated City so much, but there you are. I’ve seen Pep’s teams fade badly at the end of a season before, but never this much. He has a habit of over-pushing his squad early on to build up a typically unassailable league position.
Can’t comment from my phone when I’m on the go, so see you all later.
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Aus
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And as you can all see, I shouldn’t comment en route to the game!
My first outing of the season so naturally sick with excitement and a bag of nerves (hence previous post courtesy of a juggle on the train).
No idea about our opponents obviously, but hoping for a sellout crowd and some big noise for our boys. It’s not been an easy season but the fact it’s still very much alive in early April, despite this, is telling and a cause for a sense of perspective and a resurrection of the positive spirit in all our fans.
I won’t hold my breath for that but I will sure as hell enjoy the night out!
COYGS!
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Take it these aren’t the Moscow club who took a hammering at Anfield this year?
Think I’ve seen bit of them over years in CL if they are the one with old stalwarts at the back- the twin and the other one who played in Russia’s defence for years.
National team keeper who was highly rated once upon a time, but has that unenviable record of no clean sheets in about a decade of champ league football.
Seem to remember them as being quite deceptive in that a few times i’ve thought they were actually a very decent team- normally while hoping for them to beat one of the other English teams- but then other times thinking they just fall a little short.
Think They’ve got Musa, who on song is a dangerous customer with good dribbling and good speed. Rangy Brazilian turned Russian full back who gets forward well on right.
Talented forward in Dzagoev who can produce moment of quality, then the young Russian hope we were linked with in midfield who has good skills and technique.
Apparently moved big aggressive fellow Wernbloom upfront now.
Anyway, I think that’s the Moscow club in question. Definitely got enough about them to hurt us on a good day for them. Meanwhile, if it’s a good day for us we could surely win it well.
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Is it just me but I am just very we have a big European game to look forward to this season?
COYG!
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ospina out with an ankle injury
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anyone remember the time we played CSKA at home in CL in 2006, and we totally dominated the game, had 26 shots on target and failed to score in a 0-0. Rosicky missed an open goal from inside the six yard box with no one between him and the goal.
Seemingly CSKA have 3 or 4 of the starting 11 from that night, starting again tonight
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https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DaCX6OoXkAEIh3O.jpg:large
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Best 11 available to start imo.
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CSKA played Arsenal in 06 with
Akinfeev in goal, V. Berezutsky, A. Berezutsky & Ignashevich in defence.
Tonight CSKA will play Arsenal with
Akinfeev in goal, V. Berezutsky, A. Berezutsky & Ignashevich in defence.
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They seem happier about our disallowed goal than the dodgy offside we got away with. Always use the word controversial when it’s us and Raaaaamsey
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Ozil brought down and its a penalty to arsenal
lacazetteeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee Arsenal back in front 2-1
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Ramseyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy with his second goal of the night makes it 3-1 with a brilliant finish, his first one wasn’t bad either, but that one was something special
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Who is Oxlade-Chamberlain? We have Aaron Ramsey!
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Laczetteeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee 4-1, fine finish
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Wengerball being played at its best tonight
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The Original Delboy
@DelmeJ
8m8 minutes ago
Dear media, imagine the EXTRA pressure lacazette would have been under taking the penalty against CSKA if Aubamayang hadn’t selflessly sacrificed his hattrick against Stoke. #FUCKYOU
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CSKA very attack minded and causing us some problems
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We are 4:1 up but our defence is shambolic. Monreal allows the opposition player to get behind him with too much ease. Monreal cannot have confidence in his midfield team mates or he doesn’t mark his player closely enough.
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HT: Arsenal 4-1 CSKA
scored four, had another disallowed and could have had a few more, CSKA have also caused us lots of problems too.
Ramsey and Ozil head and shoulders above all the rest of the players on the pitch.
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xhaka booked
mkhitaryan injured, and iwobi set to come on for him
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Wilshere and Lacazette off, Elneny and Welbeck on. Jack had a poor enough game.
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Ramsey shot hits the post, damn
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not sure how we have not scored so far this half
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FT: Arsenal 4-1 CSKA
Ramsey x 2 and Lacazette x 2 with the goals, Ozil outstanding, defense had its shaky moments, jack not great, Mkhitayran, Ramsey, Xhaka, Ozil and Lacazette all on their game.
not sure how we did not score in the second half, lots of good chances, hit the post too. Ramsey really could have had 4 or 5 tonight. His second goal is a contender for goal of the season.
5th win in a row
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Atletico Madrid 2 – 0 Sporting CP
Lazio 4 – 2 Salzburg
RasenBallsport Leipzig 1 – 0 Marseille
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So so happy for the entire team
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CSKA boss Viktor Goncharenko giving his reaction to the game
They outperformed us greatly. It’s a very bad result for us but we understood who is playing against us. We couldn’t stop our opponents. The score was bad for us. We played open football. Playing open football against Arsenal results in disaster
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Goncharenko asked who were Arsenal’s best players
We knew Ozil was dangerous and Ramsey as well. To know is not enough, one must know how to stop them.
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Wenger on
the win
It was a difficult game. They looked good going forward.
The first half was spectacular, played a high pace but I was worried they could score as well. We played against a side that was technically very good.
We scored some great goals.
on Ozil
He enjoys and I hope you enjoy it because you see a great football player.
On Moscow
CSKA Moscow is a good team, quick going forward. They gave us many problems in the first half especially.
on Ospina
The scan today was reassuring. He will be out for two to three weeks.
How did Ospina get injured in training?
Just moved back to make a save and sprained his ankle. There was no contact.
On Mkhitaryan’s injury
Mkhitaryan has a knee problem, we don’t know how bad it is … He will certainly be out for Sunday
on Ramsey
For Ramsey, it is always the same. I think he has overcome his problems. He has no injury problems anymore.
He is a much better finisher nowadays.
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To be fair to CSKA they came looking to score and get an away goal, more ambition then Utd away, but they couldn’t handle the trip behind Lacazette!
Shotts, the dynamo effect of Ozil and Miki on the pitch along with Ramsey is reminding people of the football they witnessed with Ozil Cazorla and Ramsey on the pitch.
Yep the defending can improve but to be fair the Arsenal they weren’t knocked out after the bestest striker in the world scored his biggest goal tondate in his career, an own goal against the giants from the flatlands: Ghenk (Gent?).
Lots of chanting on my way to the ground, people were excited to see this football match and the Russians fans saw more excitement from their team then other recent visitors.
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Trip < Trio
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the advertising boards knew ozil was on the ball
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Aaron Ramsey.
Best British midfielder. Hands down. No need to waste time with any further consideration.
Some would say best British Footballer. (Usually the opposition!)
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Arsenal like Liverpool had a preferred eleven for their midweek fixture and so rotated those players, of you pay attention both clubs resting players who have more niggles them most, both teams a little sluggish as they had both clearly targeted the first half of their respective European home fixtures for a bit of a blitz.
Consequently, some of the football from the Gunners this evening was quite good. Heh.
And as we have been considering here over the years the toxic narrative of the arse-vampires that leech upon this club will never, not once, acknowledge that the good managers all copy each other, as they should, which is part of the joy of the game. But they are trapped in their own holes (holes that have been dug!) and what Liverpool were doing on the weekend was that they had adapted to play a similar ‘half-press’ that you often see from the Arsenal during fixture congestion in order to keep their legs and stamina for when it’s required!
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