Good day one and all.
The battle lines are drawn as Arsenal host Tottenham at the Emirates for the first of three North London Derbies this season, and apart from bragging rights the stakes are much higher as a win will not only be crucial in the quest for top-four but will also help not to cede further ground on the early Premier League log leaders.
Following three back-to-back PL draws the Gunners got back to winning ways against a spirited Bournemouth side, and although not vintage we did create the lion’s share of scoring chances. So play as we did then with better composure in front of goal and we will have joy.
Easier said than done though as this is a much tougher assignment. Spurs got their tails up with a run of six wins in all competitions in which they conceded just 5 goals and scored 13.
No-one really expect them to be troubling the trophy engravers anytime soon, but there was quite a celebration when they ended Chelsea’s unbeaten run last Sunday in a match their attackers danced around the Blues side with incredibly light feet. So we’ll need to show a much more committed performance than ‘Sarri-ball’ to nip in the bud any ideas our visitors may have that today will be another quick-step.
The last time we played one of the big ones second-placed Liverpool gave us quite a stern test, but we fought our way back from a goal down to earn a creditable draw. So whatever happens, today will provide a measure of just what the red half of North London can do in the league this campaign.
Then there is the matter of one Michael Dean. While he was the man in the middle in this fixture last season, a match we won with relative ease, it is worth mentioning he did admit to giving a phantom penalty to West Brom against us a few weeks later. So with a Spurs side who deliberately use tactics to con refs into them penalties the Gunners will need to remain organised and keep their wits about them if Mike is going to look like he wants to steal the show.
Gunner-in-chief Unai Emery’s first NLD and I’m sure he know it will be emotionally charged, so it will be a surprise to see him sacrificing an attacking player to keep with the three at the back he used in our last PL outing against attack minded opponents. While the system suits both Hector Bellerín and Sead Kolasinac’s attacking abilities, the three central defenders will need to be at their best vs a team that offers more of an attacking threat. If a return to a back four is favoured, the coach will have a tough decision whom to leave out of three, while still facing the same challenges Spurs pose. Sort of headache one imagine Pochettino himself to have to keep our attackers at bay.
We can expect these teams to have a good go at against each others to give us a very closely fought, equally entertaining and tense match up… and we can bet the Emirates faithful will not disappoint by providing the appropriate atmosphere.
@LaboGoon
Positively Arsenal 
After a false start, we are away and running. Huge game, really really huge. Bigger than that , humongous massive game.
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Is this one of those “MUST WIN” games we always seemed to be playing under you know who?
Nice scene-setter Labo, imagine the Spuds are as fearful of us as we of them but would be great to get the 3 points to seal a top five breakaway group – a group from which Jose’s Manure are pleasingly distant.
I don’t think our defence + Mike Dean make the best of bedfellows although I HAVE seen Dean referee superbly in the past (albeit rarely); if he can just put aside his Middlesex preferences then an evenly-matched game may be in prospect. Will be interesting to see the reaction to the Deli/Kane Diving Display and hopefully our own defence don’t gift Dean too many opportunities to make the headlines.
Will be watching the game on Catch-Up – 30 minutes following kick-off so I’ll be doing a Likely Lads for at least half the afternoon.
Enjoy the game, wherever you are, whenever you watch it.
COYGs!
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Thanks Labo,
There was the moment early on in this fixture last season where the lazy non-hard running “lazy” Turkish/Hun/German Özil ran past Tottenham CB with pace and strength, passion and power, heh, and was clearly brought down by the CB and no pen. or card were called.
I’ve put my corn on an Arsenal pelanty today. Surely the odds are in my favour?
There should also be a rare appearance against a hard running team that Özil never performs against according to our own experts, save for examples such as this fixture last season where he dusted himself off after the non-pen to sulk, be lazy, not run, and to then casually stroke in a gem of a free kick right onto Mustafi’s noggin.
Özil starting today would be as staggering as David silva coming off the bench after a big mid-week European game, who could imagine such a thing? There is a tiny possibility that Özil just might start as the new gaffer aims to get the Arsenal up the table, whilst the arse-blaggers out there are “relegated” into the dustbin.
Enjoy the football everyone, unlike all of these Experts I will try to focus on the football on the pitch and not up in the selfie, beautiful as it is, of my toddler sized ego.
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COYG! FOYS!
Morning Posi-Gunners! Cheers to LG for the intro and setting the scene, great posts too today from everyone( and sure theres more to come).
May the force be with us and not with the Chicken.
COYG! FOYS!
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Good luck t ur boys today, going to be tough.
As one who believes Wenger got a very raw deal stemming from the days he threatened Fergie, who we know had power to select refs at OT, and who I am sure had a big influence in Riley’s appointment. Let’s see if it is Wenger that Dean had some sort of problem with over a number of years, or the club.
I know we haven’t done SO badly under him very recently, but If Dean carries true to form,- check pens for and against he has given us over the last few years versus what he has done for other top clubs for starters, then – some of the worst divers in the league will have a field day, Kane, Alli, Lamella and others need no invitation to take a tumble.
I don’t like the fact this referee is so prevalent in this fixture but I hope today is about Auba, Lacca, Mesut, Bellerin, Unai, and not the referee.
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Excellent LG, Yes this a big game today but when has it not been. The biggest thing about a win today, apart from the much needed points, is the fact everyone rates the spuds and beating them would elevate our credentials enormously and give us confidence for Wednesday. Today we need to believe in ourselves and ignore the noise COYG.
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as feared ozil not in the squad
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Arsenal FC
Verified account @Arsenal
2m2 minutes ago
⚠️ We’re without @MesutOzil1088 today – he misses #ARSTOT after suffering a back spasm in training
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Afternoon everybody, thanks Labo for the warm up – not long now for the contest to begin.
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Özil not training, thanks for the heads up on that Eds.
Looks like it’s another crisis at the arsenal. Hehe.
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Looks like a swap with Pogba on the cards in January (shocked face)
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https://twitter.com/LondonGoona/status/1069220402684182528
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COYG!
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if we had a better final ball we could already be a couple up, some great attacking moves so far but lack that killer ball
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yes.
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penalty, verthongan handles as mustafi is about to head from a corner six yards out
Aubameyang scores as keeper goes the wrong way
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Arsenal Women’s winning run ended at 2nd placed man city ladies, the stack of injuries caught up with our girls
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bugger.
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for fucks sake, dominating the game and its 1-1 with leno making a massive mistake
a little bit of handbags after it as spurs players and arsenal subs get involved, surely there has to be some bookings from that
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penalty to spurs
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not sure if holding made any contact
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aint no fuckin pen.
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kane scores, fucking hell, a game we should out of sight in and we are losing
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stinking chicken shit
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cant understand how we are behind.
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we need to keep calm though, a few of the Guns getting a bit hot under the collar.
COYG!!!!
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Son is diving scum
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No surprise at Dean giving a phantom penalty to them after he had to give us one. Didn’t yellow card Dier for the tackle on Torreira.
We had so many good chances though. Should have been at least 4-0 up.
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Didn’t yellow card Dier for the tackle on Torreira.
Good point Deano soon forgot that in his delight.
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shag! should have had that !
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offside
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how is there only 3 minutes of stoppage time
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HT: Arsenal 1-2 spurs
dominated for large parts, took the lead, should have been at least 3 up, then Leno with a massive error sees it 1-1, then a Son dive is rewarded by Mike Dean and we are behind.
spurs are cheating diving scum and dean is just the ref to reward them for it
Still not led a BPL game at HT so far this season.
Need to regain our composure and take the game to them again, also need to be much much better with our finishing.
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Well we didnt deserve to go in behind, phantom pen. Looked smart for the last five though. Uncle Emery will do the HT biz.
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penalty? really?
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That was lively
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COYG! FOYS!
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Iwobi and Mkhitaryan off, Ramsey and Lacazette on
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All Spurs chances have come from dives.
Cunts.
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have the feeling that we will soon be down to 10 men
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get in thhhhheeeerrrreeee!!!!!! COYG!
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What a goal. Now let’s finish them off.
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Aubameyanggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg bellerin with a great ball into hollywood ramsey who squares it to PEA who curls it in form edge of the area, 2-2, come on you gooners
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Another 5-2
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COYG!!!!
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Really should be in the lead, oh so close there
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Spurs getting rough because they can’t get the ball.
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Bellerin with a poor pass across edge of our area, right to Son whose shot is parried away by leno
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chkmiaot they are getting rough cos they know they will be allowed to get away with it
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