Good day one and all.
Arsenal is traveling north to the King Power Stadium for a high noon confrontation with Leicester City in what may well be a last chance saloon to keep alive top-four aspirations.
The Gunners lost their way a bit in the last two Premier League fixtures as they conceded three goals in defeats to both Crystal Palace and Wolves, after conceding just one in their seven games prior (all competitions). It made the Gooniverse restless as questions are being asked as to whether they got the gumption to get over the last few hurdles as we approach the finish line. This is the same group of players that registered fine victories over United, Chelsea and Tottenham, and were impressive in draws against Liverpool and Tottenham (a) – both which they were unlucky not to win.
So why did we look so limp and stripped of any kind of heart? Is Unai Emery’s tinkering unsettling the team?
Since taking charge of the Foxes Brendan Rodgers lost his first against Watford but he look to have instilled ‘great character’ thereafter as his team won their next four. However, their last two matches were a loss and draw each, so to avoid three game winless run it’s unlikely we’ll find them in the mood to just rollover. Jamie Vardy too, who had his ups and downs under previous manager Claude Puel, seem to have got an arm around his shoulder and whispers of nonsensical motivational mantra into his ear as he comes into this game having scored six goals in their last six matches.
There’s no hiding that Arsenal was a bit sh** this past week but the battle for Champions League places is not over yet and it will arguably makes little sense to rest and rotate with two weeks left this campaign. Although Europa offers another path for a return to Europe’s premier club competition, being ‘at the beach’ would not be ideal preparation ahead of Thursday night – which indeed pose an interesting selection dilemma for Emery.
Win this afternoon and we will move to within a point of Totnum and also put added pressure on both Chelsea and Manutd – who face each other later at Old Trafford – as the loser may well find themselves out of the top-four race.
That being said, the Gunners’ away form has been pretty dire and beating the Foxes at the KP is a task easier said than done. So while this is a tough one to call, I think we can expect to see a very interesting game because both teams are going to slug it out, and if push comes to shove… the Gunners just need to dig deep.
@LaboGoon
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Positively Arsenal 
Thanks Labo and good luck to the team and to all positive gooners. I think we were a bit tired after our Neapolitan advetures but the 10 day break since then should have refreshed tired legs so I can see no reason why we shouldn’t out fox the foxes and put the onus back on United and Chelsea, and also of course the spuds who are looking a bit wobbly themselves all of a sudden.
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Yep top four will take a few big performances starting with today. This historically is a happy hunting ground for us however just lately we have been breaking records the wrong way.
It goes without saying starting line up and tactics need to be correct from the start as sometimes reaction management just doesnt work in crucial games. While were stating the obvious team attitude has to right as well.
On current form we dont start as favourites however when were on form we can beat anyone and sometimes ARSENAL even play well enough to let me watch the game without my heart beating out my chest.
Free flowing battling madjestic ARSENAL today please COYG.
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but the million dollar question is
Will Jamie Vardy finally tell us how he feels about turning down a move to Arsenal all those years ago?
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Keeping my mind blank and hoping for best come kick off for this one!
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I think the marked difference from our performances in the big games and what we have seen far too often against the lesser lights, to our cost, is that oddly enough in the big games we have by and large gone for it, been on the front foot, approached the task with a high tempo, with a desire to put the opponents on the back foot, where as against the lesser lights we have been tentative, 3 CB’s, often 3 CM’s as well, we play with what our former manager used to call “the handbrake on”, its all slow passing, all no over to you stuff. Of course one of the explanations for this might be that the big teams are going at us too, so we are not facing 10 or 11 men behind the ball, just waiting for breakaway chances, and that we don’t have the attackers to break down massed defenses, but then the reason for that might be that we have too often a team stacked with defensive players and not enough attackers on the pitch. Emery’s liking for our main attacking approach to be through the fullbacks or wingbacks, may be the reason we look toothless far too often.
Take the handbrake off, go for it lads, whats the worst that can happen, can it be any worse than the performances at Everton, Watford, Crystal Palace and Wolves
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Shotta just posted interesting quote on twitter from Emery.
Something about technical quality not being enough in premier league, and need to be physical with it.
True of course but it’s all about degree. Also think you can do it primarily with technique but it takes outstanding technique throughout team- mid and attack at least- as well as a defence with plenty of speed, height, and overall quality, i.e expensive as fuck.
I can see why it is on Emery’s mind as his first year draws to a close and it may be indication of what direction we are going. Reservation is that if you try and play it like majority of rest of league with 5th or 6th best budget perhaps it is even harder to exceed expectations/expected outcomes with that budget than if you have a unique style.
Anyway, that’s for the future; everything crossed for a win today.
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team for today – not sure of the formation
Leno
Maitland-Niles, Mustafi, Sokratis, Kolasinac
Xhaka, Torreira
Mkhitaryan Iwobi, Aubameyang
Lacazette
subs Cech, Koscielny, Mavropanos, Elneny, Guendouzi, Willock, Nketiah
Ozil and Monreal both out injured
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Rich I seen the Emery quotes yesterday and it looked like he was saying you need physical players with great technique in the BPL, that the other top 6 sides have this, but we lack a little bit of it.
he also made some comments about transfers, basically that there might or there might not be lots of changes to the squad this summer, this might mean many leaving and many new signings, or it might be that we promote from our Academy, he mentioned that for example we might sign a replacement for Ramsey, or we might give Willock the chance to step up and replace AR, just like AR was given his chance all those years ago to step into the first team as a young lad.
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Thanks Labo for laying out the facts and not the fiction, nice intro as always. Good comments to read also; its funny Ed I was thinking about that Vardy statement as well the other day. Despite the doldrums of last week, everyone seems up for it and believing again. Nothing like a bit of Posi drive.
Cheers again Labo and may the gees be with the lads and us all.
COYG!
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Thanks Labo
Shame for the LCFC fans they won’t get to see Ozil play some footy today after his form in the home game earlier in the season. Hopefully it’s just a niggle. They have some players I’m looking forward to watch play some football. Their LB Chilwell Is heir for Monreal.
If push comes to shove let’s hope the official rep. is not hopeless and calling pushes and shoves though we’ve witnessed and recorded a different trend there since early last season.
Missing two out of three creative sparks today (Xhaka starts), Koscielny out, I think they’ll attack and conversely as i prefer to watch more players in midfield as against Man Utd I feel three at the back would suit the Gunners today. I think they played four against LCFC earlier in the season albeit with Ozil pulling the strings, hopefully I am wrong and it’s a good start for the Gunners today.
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Ed
You reckon ‘physical’ is code for aggression, as often is in football, or physical characteristics- height, power, speed, stamina?
Whatever. Still leaves situation where if we try inject more aggression/ foul play into team it’s only as effective as pgmol let it be.
Was surprised by some of the off ball work of our u23’s on Friday night. Evoked for me some of what you see with Atletico in terms of players moving at times like a single organism, including moments of hunting ball like a pack. I wonder if that is much easier with youngsters and their fresh legs and malleable minds.
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Rich I would think it means height, power, speed, stamina, with stamina the biggest one, as it is needed for what we are led to believe is Emery’s style of play, high press, constant movement.
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< Chilwell is some people's fantasy signing for this summer, a heir for Monreal. Haven't seen him play much myself but looks a good player.
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Rich as for what the U23’s did, well they play a fraction of the games the first team do, its slower, less physical, far more space afforded in games too.
I do laugh when I see people see someone like Saka tear it up in the U23’s against wide open defenses, and suggest he would be certain to open up BPL massed defenses, of course he might, and I hope he does, but we seen Nelson do it last season and he can’t buy a game at Hoffenheim.
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Given what Xhaka, Gabriel and notorious ‘ard man Cazorla have seen on offer from the pgmo clowns, the easy fouls against for falling over in recent games home and away Emery might need to watch those videos very closely and recalibrate…
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Notice Choudbury comes in for them today. Apparently only been on bench (twice) before under Rogers. He’s caught eye few times in past for physical stuff- including big tackles- we’re sort of talking about.
Mad how often over years teams bring out their more physical players for games against us. Rojo the ultimate in recent times, but also recall Cattermole coming in from long spell in cold, before going back there promptly, for game against us.
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like you Finsbury I have not seen that much of Chilwell, and wonder if being English, and considered young, he is 22, will be 23 this year, that he is a bit over rated. He when he first got game time seemed to be unfazed by it, a bit like Guendouzi for us, but like Matteo, is being unfazed enough for the hype.
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Ed
Good point about how fresh u23’s must be with their limited games. Hadn’t fully taken that into account.
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Rich
It is weird how so many of the Blaggers don’t or for some reason can’t actually comment on such simple observations (not opinions!) on the footy. It’s just a game…
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Eds if he has the technical quality to be a top level footballer like Sterling or Chamberlain etc then that will shine through, and if he has developed such talent over twenty years hopefully one of Riley’s clowns and some clogger don’t combine to disrupt his career (& hinder the national team and game).
That side of the pitch could be an entertaining contest with Chilwell opposite AMN.
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No foul for a a foul on Auba and a yellow for a barge against AMN
There it is folks. “Physical” my Arsenal.
What a load of bollocks from the PgMO. There’s your “Away” form. Not. A. Bleeding. Mystery.
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well we know what we are up against today, Michael Oliver 7 minutes in just booked AMN for nothing
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and not even a freekick for that by choudbury, fuck off PGMOL game managers, a fucking disgrace to the game.
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Eds you called deliberate stamp no yellow for Choudary.
Yellow for a barge against AMN.
We all saw this. How many Blaggers have the footballs to comment on the cheating official in this football match. I can say he’s cheating as there’s no doubt about it after five minutes of this football match. No. Doubt.
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The PGMO have turned the pgmo into a farce.
We are not watching a football game.
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Lol the PGMO have turned themselves and the league into a farce.
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lacazette goes close with the best chance of the game so far
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arsenal women 1-0 up v brighton
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The Gunners wriggle free of the fouls and make their first big chance of the game, just a little bit too much curl on the cross-pass from Iwobi and Laca volleys just wide.
At the other end a greedy Vardy passes up a chance to counter.
I’d say this has been a good start from the Gunners in a match where there is an obvious and undeniable handicap against.
they’ve seen off the opening burst from the 14 opponents.
COYG
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But it’s not easy when the difference in quality without your three best footballers is not that great.
Great save from Leno off a corner. Arsenal vulnerable from set plays in recent games.
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Elbows/stamps = no yellow
Shoulder barge = yellow
LOL!
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Ohhh Vardy targeting Papa ATM.
LCFC nearly in there.
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oliver is a disgrace, second yellow for AMN again for very little, its 12 v 10 now.
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Great counter through the middle by the Gunners, no cut backs needed by Iwobi can’t find the finish.
He really needs to work on his finishing hehe.
But Oliver shows his hand and sends off AMN. For the kind of foul he hasn’t been calling against when committed by LCFC.
Completely transparent performance from the pgmo rep no fool can defend this “theatre” though they are welcome to waste their time trying.
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Way too soft. Especially the first.
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Who could have predicted such a performance from the official after the loss for those who have a pressing financial need to finish in the CL places?
I refer the reader to the comments pre-kick off above hehe!
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Mills, not a soft calls.
Cheating.
Plain and simple.
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The PGMO rep has been cheating today since the first five minutes.
No.
Doubt.
About it.
How many of the Blaggers will have the footballs to describe what everyone can see?
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The PGMOL under riley are cheats running to an agenda. Two yelloss cant even appeal this criminal to fair pkay
When is this club going to do something about it?
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The players left on the pitch have been defending and saving well this half considering the slope they’ve been playing upon since the kick off.
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Mandy
When they hire some dodgy geezah to pay the kind of bungs the PGMO approves of? Or maybe not…
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you ought to have multiple players sent of every match if you can see red for these fouls. This ref came in the match with an agenda.
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HT: PGMOL 0-0 Arseanl
amn with two challenges and he gets 2 yellow cards, both the softest of the softest kind and yet Choudbury is going round kicking anything that moves and no card, Michael Oliver is a disgrace to his Federation
We have been poor, created very little, Leno has been our best player
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Hope UE can give the lads a bit of inspiration and confidence in his HT talk. Up a notch and we can get this.
COYG!
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It’s cheating and I have no problem with calling it.
I apologise if commenting upon what everyone can see on the football pitch offends any Football Virgins.
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Arsenal Women on course to win their league, 2-0 up 35 minutes in away to Brighton
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The first yellow was hardly a foul.
Credit to the half time folks on NBC they have called out the ref.
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The rewards for the likes of Oliver must really be worthwhile when the price is missing out on the WC, the latter rounds of the CL etc.
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Unfortunately we have not helped ourselves. We look like a team that has not played together much.
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