@LaboGoon in the bow this morning and Go or Row
Good day one and all…
Arsenal will be making the short trip to Fulham this lunch time looking to extend on their run of good results.
The Cottagers coming into this game off the back of a heavy 3-0 loss at Goodison Park is a bit of an enigma even if they managed just one win of their seven Premier League fixtures thus far.
On the road they’re terrible but at Craven Cottage they are more competitive. In their last two home fixtures they have beaten Burnley 4-2 and went toe-to-toe with Watford in 1-1 draw, which reflected a missed opportunity as they hit the post late.
Their defense are rather charitable as they have shipped 16 goals in the seven games. While at the other end of the pitch they have Mitrovic who proved himself capable of rattling any defense. With the class of Seri and Schurrle providing him good service he helped himself to five goals and an assist – good returns in seven games.
It’s almost as if, unlike their attack their defense hasn’t caught up with the demands of the PL yet. But I guess Slavisa Jokanovic encourages them not to sit back but try and play good football, even if it does leaves them vulnerable at the back.
Opposition being too open in the final third is where the Gunners are thriving. Whilst not so convincing elsewhere our attack has the ability to grind for results which encouraging as we scored 22 goals in our winning run of eight games. Defense is slowly coming the party though with three consecutive clean sheets. Now I’m not suggesting they are there yet as we still have our share of hairy moments… but small steps right.
With a short turnaround after Thursday night’s game we can expect Unai Emery to make changes to that side, with only Leno and possibly Sokratis and Monreal (who only played a half) the ones making the matchday XI. Meaning the rest should be well rested and returning fresh. Aaron Ramsey could possibly miss today’s game with his wife ready to give birth.
With Bernd Leno coming on for the injured Petr Cech last week we may be witnessing what could be a changing of the guard as he may use this opportunity to make Arsenal’s number one gloves his own.
Eight wins on the bounce got a nice ring to it but ‘nine on the bounce’ so much better as we go into another international break following today’s fixtures. For that we need a win though.
With Fulham so keen to play attacking football and Arsenal in good form, I got a feeling this is going to be a great game to watch.
LET’S GO!!!
Positively Arsenal 
Let’s hope for some art as well as a result today.
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Excellent again LG, I’m sure the hoards of Gooners taking the boat trip up the thames to Stevenage Road will be looking forward to a feast of goals and a good win, however whenever we all expect both defences to lose out to more prolific attacks the games tends to be a bit more stagnent. After Thursday, the fact this is early and a London derby could mean this is a game of attrition rather than that of beautiful football.
Three points however gathered is the order of the day which will set us nicely for the break and our players shooting off all round the world as the game after that is always difficult.
We have players on the brink of top form could it be today they click we only need a 3-0 win to go above the spuds but maybe thats asking to much against a very good Fulham side.
I’m always excited to see the ARSENAL especially with Unai’s tendency to through on 24 strikers whatever the situation. I’m looking forward to a blaze of red and white today COYG.
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We had, in recent seasons, a bit of a problem with early kick offs and find ourselves 2-0 in 39 minutes. Tight start required.
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Many thanks for setting the scene LaboGoon.
Baku and back, then a lunchtime game, not so easy, but hoping it will be! COYG!
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arse_or_brain
I didn’t know you could make that trip by boat, but it does make sense as Craven Cottage isn’t the most accessible ground, but well worth a visit. Statue of one of Englands greatest (Johnny Haynes) outside a late 19th early 20th century front. Architecture at it’s most glorious and thankfully listed.
Fulham crowd are a decent bunch too, especially as compared to the potato heads down the road.
Good result anticipated.
UTA
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Hopefully the Arsenal boys has an early night and Fulham’s knocked a few back.
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Özil sick, or you can buy into whichever funny paper tickles your funny bone?
Midweek absentees returning to the bench for one reason or another so it’s start again for Iwobi and Welbeck in West London.
COYG!
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Thank fuck we on this site are not partial to “predicted line ups” ?
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Fulham fans are a very friendly bunch but like their team they can be full of surprises. A friend who is a Fulham fan and a thoroughly loveable rogue suprised us all when it turned out that he was a benefit cheat who regularly smuggled in football t shirts and owned a brothel in Burma. But apart from that he was a top bloke!
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First sve by Leno following poor pass from Bellerin
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We are going to get a serious injury from this thug Mitrovic if this ref keeps letting things like that go
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Good fluid opening – bit more care required with the final ball
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I think Lacazette started the move that led to his goal with defensive header. Great work down the left by you know who. Almost two more goals since all originating from the left where Danny, Iwobi, Monreal & Iwobi are combining very well
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fucks sake, 1-1
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a game we should have been 3 or 4 up in and its 1-1
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We’re not singing
We’re not singing
We’re not singing anymore
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what was our goal like..?
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I was going to say Schurrle is still a good player and always a danger.
I probably won’t bother now.
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Wow the venom from the commentators re arsenal is something else !
Well we need to get ourselves organised in the second half. Fulham are there for the taking on the break. We just need to out hassle them and force them into errors.
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Slick goal Dave, interlink between Iwobi and Monreal on the left edge of Fulham box, sharp ball into Laca who turned the centre back before cracking unstoppable shot into bottom left
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Much appreciated anicoll5, great description. Seems like another top goal from him.
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Annoying, they should be dead and buried, but hopefully we can do what we have done in recent games in the second half.
The commentators are just scared we are a threat to returning to the top four, that really is not on their agenda, because of we did, it would be at the expense of one of their holy of holies
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bellerin oh so close to scoring, keeper makes a great save from his driven shot
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lacazetteeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee 2-1 to the Arsenal, a ball headed on to him on edge of the area and he fires home powerfully
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Back in front again. Good strike by Laca from 20 yds following a terrific save by keeper from Bellerin
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Let’s get Lacca amongst the greats on that hattrick wall of honour!
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Fulham have two biguns up front now
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Aubameyang on for Welbeck, about an hour gone
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we need a 3rd to kill them off
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Holding just gave Mitrovic a bit of his own medicine
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Ramsey on for Iwobi, Alex had a very good first half
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Ramseyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy is that Emeryball 3-1
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Holy shit that was pretty.
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What a beautiful goal.
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backheals, ball juggling, one touch passing, and another backheal to finish it off, Ramsey involved in the build up and oh what a cheeky finish
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Ramsey on & scores with his first touch following a move of flicks & lobs
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we need another goal to go above spurs into 3rd, come on you gooners lets get it done
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Not his first touch. Stunning play
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Aubameyangggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg 4-1, ball in by Bellerin, PEA controls the cross with one touch and swivels and fires home with his second. Currently above spurs, if we get another we would stay above cfc too if they only draw
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The Unai Emery half time talk seems to do the biz every time!
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Well I got my wish. Scintillating stuff.
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Laca & Auba’s first goals mirrored finishes on their preferred foot.
Ominous for the opponent when one can start after a midweek contest and a fresh and deadly replacement is waiting on the bench to come on when the opponents legs are tiring.
Six months plus into their careers (Laca injury set him back a little) and they are starting to find that near post trademark Giroud finish that Tim was describing the other day. More familiar with the Arsenal styles which, whisper it as it counter to the confirmation bias of the Narrative, it’s the same as it was under old as new gaffer, though of course there are superficial differences.
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FT: Fulham 1-5 Arsenal
Lacazette x2, Ramsey, Aubameyang x2, with our goals.
a very dominant performance overall, it was 1-1 at half time despite AFC being well on top, and what really happened in the second half was we brought on 2 better finishers, Ramsey and Aubameyang.
Our CB’s stood up to the high ball, our midfield battled, Bellerin was great helping the attack, Ramsey with a goal of the season contender, Aubameyang, like Lacazette, with two great finishes.
Sadly for the media, and certainly the commentators I was lumbered with, Arsenal are up to 3rd and what hurts them more, we are above Spurs.
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That was as welcome as it was surprising. Was expecting a win, but that was right out of the blue. For once my stream stayed solid & I didn’t miss a kick. With a bench such as ours this is the sort of result that could be a regular occurrence; it was such an Arsenal performance.
Getting carried away now, so I’ll sit back & reflect.
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fucking interlull now, no AFC game till tomorrow two weeks
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New post up
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Looking at the significant stats, Fulham had 21 shots of which only 4 were on target, while we had 9 of which 7 were on target.
How did Fulham manage to get so many shots off? I know we blocked most of them quite easily, but all the same…….
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That was a real treat. Every one of those goals was very aesthetically pleasing and one of them was just off the charts beautiful.
A lot to enjoy. The goals, some cracking football first half which should have seen us a couple ahead, the tension while game in balance (which can be enjoyed in retrospect if you win), then the near total control, lovely crisp passing aplenty, once result was secured.
My note of caution is that the ridiculous level of control at end and the enjoyment of it, is only possible when a game is won, and that message from their goal.
Maybe it’s the prem now- with even struggling teams often possessing players who can really hurt you, especially on break. Maybe it’s us or inherent risks of playing from back full stop . Anyway, you can be playing great and not giving opposition much, and things will remain precarious with no more than a 1 goal lead.
Right now though I just feel good,good, good. A proper treat.
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