@LaboGoon emerges from international hibernation, and thank goodness…
Here we are again… breathing a huge sigh of relief with the last international break of 2018 out the way and equally excited to be at the start of what is going to be a very busy period with the fixture list chuck-full in the run up to New Years Day – when we often rank the contenders from the pretenders from the relegation candidates. Ergo it’s vital to maximize performances to make sure we don’t have too much ground to cover later on.
Good morning one and all.
The Unai Emery evolution faces a stern test this afternoon with a trip to the Vitality Stadium to face a Bournemouth team enjoying their best-ever start in the top flight.
When Eddie Howe started his managerial journey with the Cherries they were in Football League Two and started their season on a 17 points deduction. Ten years on they are excelling well beyond their expectations and look to disrupt the party of the ‘big six’ – a measure of how much the man and his team are steadily growing year on year with modest resources. Take a bow mate!
Just before the inter-break both sides went through a bit of a wobble; the Gunners struggled to turn draws into wins and the Cherries picked up just one win in their last four Premier League games. So the break came at a good time as they are now keen to press the reset button and get back to winning ways.
Arsenal have had a mixed time playing Bournemouth in the six PL fixtures against each others. We beat them quite comfortably at the Emirates but on our travels to the south coast we’ve seen them really cranking it up. In our three visits there we beat them, then we drew and they finally got one over us in the last outing – and this season they are a much better side with a real cutting edge to them.
Howe’s steadfast belief in his ideas has made the Cherries an attractive side with attackers that can be a real handful and their “goals for” are only bettered by the top five teams on the PL table. If we want any joy today we need to find a way to negate that threat.
The habit of starting games slowly cost us in recent times as we lacked the infamous second half performances to offset it. With the hosts a side that gives it their all at the Vitality that and any defensive issues are what they will look to take advantage of. Of course them looking to play on the front foot will suit us as it will bring the trio of Özil, Lacazette and Aubameyang into the game. We know how deadly they can be if they have that extra bit of space to work with.
With both sides expected to have a right go at each others there are goals in this at both ends to make it a very entertaining encounter to look forward to.
Let’s go!
Positively Arsenal 
Much debate on what has and has not changed with the new manager, but the ability to shoot ourselves in the foot at the worst possible time remains.
We seem very vulnerable just before half time.
Unai, there is a time and place for the riot act, I suspect it is right now.
Really stupid goal to concede.
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Half Time; Bournemouth 1-1 Arsenal
started slowly, got into the game and got a lucky own goal to lead, what a belter of a goal it was too, then had our best spell but poor passing seen some great attacking positions wasted, then poor defending in injury time and its 1-1,
will need to step it up in the second half, I’d take Mkhitaryan off who for me has really wasted too much good attacking positions
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13 BPL games and we still haven’t led at half time this season, Cardiff the only other side to have done this too.
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Arsenal Women 4-1 Brighton Ladies
Miedma, Bloodworth, DeDonk and Mead with our goals after falling behind. 100% start to the season continues
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What with B’mouth making it square, does that mean we’ve got our AFTV back? Need Mesut or Rambo to turn this one around, hopefully with a couple of goals for us.
Anyway, a long way to go.
COYG!
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There goes my half-time take!
The old question again of how much vulnerability in defence, especially on counters, even when leading, is acceptable for a positive,attacking team?
On stroke of half time, with our first half record this season…it feels reasonable to expect more smarts and caution.
Their execution was perfect though, it must be said.
My half time thought was going to be about them seemingly- based on this, recent utd game, and some vague recollections- having a knack for starting halves very well, with a lot of tempo and intent, but there being opportunities to be had if that can be negotiated as they slow down afterwards.
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If we’d gone in 2-0 up at HT Rich everyone would have been delighted. Even so the back door was unlocked. Good finish from King though.
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we have upped the tempo this half, and bournemouth’s attacking is only on counter attacks
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In control for past 10 minutes – must must must convert into goal (s)
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Tick that box
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Aubameyangggggggggggggggg with a simple finish from Kolasinac cross along the six yard line 2-1
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We’ve got our Aubameyang back!
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Mkhitaryan is having a nightmare game, need to get Ramsey or Ozil on for him
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Guendouzi on for Torreira
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Hit the fucking target ffs
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that was too easy of a chance for them, out of nothing.
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mkhitaryan still having a poor game
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Ramsey on for Iwobi
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lerma almost scored with another power shot, this time for his team, hits the post, it came after a poor clearance
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leno with a fine save
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4 minutes of stoppage time to be played
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Nketiah on for Aubameyang
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thats poor defending right at the end
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Well we did it.Phew!
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Shouldn’t that have been a penalty on Ramsey?
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FT: Bournemouth 1-2 Arsenal
lerma og and Aubameyang with our goals, we are now 1pt off CFC in third, and 3pts off spurs in 3rd.
a poor performance, where really I can’t think of one of our players who was at his very best or took the game by the scruff of the neck. Bellerin and Mustafi were good for me, Iwobi buzzed about a lot with little end product, Mkhitaryan was awful, not sure how he stayed on for the full game, PEA fired a couple of decent chances over the bar but got our winner. Kolasinac is better going forward than defending, Holding ok, sokratis looked rusty,
but it must be said a win is a win is a win, and that is all that matters.
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we now have a 5pt lead over Everton and 6pts on Man Utd
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Tremendous 3 points for The Arsenal with the added bonus of further ruining an already ruined weekend for Jose, who appears to be doing just enough to avoid the sack, but not enough to have any kind of meaningful success this season.
Well played Arsenal and well done Mo.
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Hairy, but happy with the points.
Very few will have a comfortable day at Bournemouth.
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Again were missing our chances, our shooting is awful. The great P.E.A. can’t shoot for toffee but his movement is excellent. The media saying we were lucky but really we should have scored alot more then two and yes that was a pen on Aaron at the end.
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kos and willock were at the game today, both expected to play for our U23’s tomorrow.
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New post up
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Kola with two assists had a better game than he usually does. He looks better in this formation than as part of a back four. B’mouth still had some good moves down our left, but Leno who appears to have been working on crosses held everything (I think). Other worthy performances form Bellerin, Holding, Torreira & Iwobi.
That Welsh lad Brooks looks to be a future star, and was unlucky to be given offside in the first half (with Mustafi lying on the ground keeping him on with his head & shoulders) when ‘scoring’. Ramsey didn’t look too fussed about being brought down in the box, perhaps he shouldn’t have got up so quickly, might have got something there.
Deserved win of course. (smug smiley).
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Ref had a long time between the contact/foul knocking Ramsey off balance and him eventually hitting deck, so don’t think his reaction once down then would have made any difference.
Not exactly the norm for us to get pens which look like there was probably or may well have been a foul. Complain a lot or not, stay down, get up- we do badly on our pen calls.
Mind, I’m sure that little shit Fraser could have sold it better and got the decision. Good player but hate his pen-seeking ways.
Thankfully ref had none of his garbage this time, when he tried getting one from Kola for nothing. Suspect he used same technique in other box first half though to win free kick when Bellerin nearly in
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Welcome bit of luck on their disallowed goal and the own goal first half though.
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