Good morning any positive gooners left.
It’s the worst of times, at least the worst of time following 20 odd years of the best of times. I feel like not only is hope lost, but we are struggling to find the hope that there could be hope. It’s grim folks, grim I tell ye.
At 6 P.M. we take on Southampton, a team at the opposite end of the hopeful spectrum. They are a good team playing well. Sometimes teams go on a good run that is a surprise, getting results which are as much a result of the rub of the green as they are to good play, but Southampton are not such a team. They are good players playing well. They are a team preforming in the way that I think Arteta is striving to get us playing like. Every player has a specific role and they action it well. They are hard working, solid and inventive. Just a good team, I won’t be at all surprised to see them in the top 6 come the end of the season.
As for us? Oh my word, it’s hard to think it could get worse, but it likely will. Two of the current whipping boys, Xhaka and Bellerin, are out. Whatever people think of these two (personally I think they are two of our very best) they have both been mainstays for Mikel. Options to replace Xhaka are very limited, what with Partey also being out, so it looks likely to be Elneny and Ceballos in the middle. Cedric will probably come in for Hector, as AMN seems to somehow have become another persona non grata since he said the whole squad was behind Ozil.
I suspect we might even see a return to 3 at the back tonight, we have lost every game with 4, (as far as I can remember) and as Aubameyang can’t scrore right, left or centre, he may as well go back on the left, allowing our new creative hub, Lacazette, to be this No.9/false9/10 hybrid thingamabob. Pepe should come in on the right, but who knows?
All that said, I think we could win tonight, I feel strangely optimistic, 5 home losses on the spin is unacceptable, well when I say “unacceptable” I actually mean unthinkable. So, if I can’t think it, I must think we will not lose. Brilliant logic, don’t you agree?
I think that’s enough nonsense form me, but if nonsense is your thing, here is another chance to listen to yesterdays podcast.
Pedantic George.
Positively Arsenal 
So Xhaka and Bellerin are two of our best.Well,I totally disagree. They are presently two of our worst players, if not the worsts. The stats are there for all to see. So I am happy both will not play tonight. AMN should be deployed in the mid field role in this match together with Elneney and Smith Rowe.Arteta should stop being too sentimental, if he wants to get results and If he wants to retain his job as Arsenal coach. He should stop kidding himself that his job is safe and secured, definitely not for long, especially if we lose tonight and Saturday against Everton.
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Don’t know how anyone could approach a prem game without trepidation/dread at moment. Agree seems likely 3 at back could return.
Believe he has got to try ‘twist’ at this stage, with a different attacking element. Smith Rowe would be my pick. Should be too early to thrust Martinelli in but with things as they are could happen.
Supposing three, I’d go : Leno ; Holding, Gab; Tierney ; Ainsley, Elneny, Willock, Smith-Rowe, Saka; Aubameyang, Laca.
Zero chance of that though and probably not close either.
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After reading both George and Shard’s Uncensored match preview , written by two separate individuals, thousands of miles apart, I reminded of that timeless saying “hope is the last to die.”
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Well it’s getting to that time of year when clubs tends to sack managers and this morning Slaven has gone.
When ours will go is anyone’s guess but I don’t think the project will bear fruit in time to save him
Although this is the worst of times and all the signs point to a Saints win football is crazy and being a football fan I think we might just win tonight.
Elneny is our best player at the moment and indeed all season so if he’s playing we stand a chance even if the best partnership is with Xhaka beside him
Normally I would worry about Cedric playing but you would hope he would be playing out of his skin against his old club. I hope he is supported by whoever plays in front of him and not left to get rinsed down that side like Hector is regularly.
Whoever plays and however well Southampton play let’s hope to finally see a goal in the right end from open play and for the three points to cheer us up no matter how bad a state we think the club is a top level COYG and the return to the best of times.
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https://twitter.com/topimpacat/status/1338977438378946561?s=20
Stats like that Chairman?
Or this stat perhaps? https://twitter.com/CGKnowsBall/status/1337447621321953280?s=20
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Interesting stats there. Always maintained it takes incredible idiocy to think Xhaka a bad player or, similarly, that he is the player holding us back. Fuck knows if we could hit a better formula with what we have or someone new, but on pitch evidence is he is one of our best and things would be worse without him.
Got to say the Alexander Arnold stats are insane, add Robertson to it and their impact for Liverpool is scarcely believable, and all that with only two centre backs.
Not been fun seeing them have this great few years of theirs but they are certainly an interesting proposition. No no.10 or even truly creative, passing midfielder (though Wijnaldum a good technical all-rounder). Still think it’s the 3 front players, with their wide range of skills and link play which is the key even beyond the full backs, Van Dijk and Keeper though.
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Leno
Maitland-Niles
Holding
Gabriel
Tierney
Pepe
Ceballos
Elneny
Saka
Nketiah
Aubameyang
Subs
Runarrson
Cedric
Mustafi
Luiz
Willock
Willian
Lacazette
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usual meltdown from the usual suspects after the team announcement, this time cos there is no Smith-Rowe or Balogun in the squad, and that David Luiz and Mustafi both included in the subs
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ah jasus George don’t be putting up stats to make a show of a clown claiming the stats are there for all to see when having a go at one or two of our players that are disliked, aftv viewers and their ilk don’t like that sort of thing
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Studs up challenge on Saka with the player totally out of control but he only gets a yellow.
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Walcott destroying Arsenal. Another one of Arsene’s “Dead wood”.
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now who is surprised that our central midfield is so bad without Xhaka there
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Aubamayang is one of several players I feel somewhat unconvinced about. Even when he was scoring. He seems to be playing with a “hand-brake on” to avoid getting injured. He rarely creates for teammates.
Leno is a disappointment….
I hope I get egg on my face….
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It’s uninspiring stuff at the moment….
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We have improved over the last 5 mins.
Dani stupidly trying to get a penalty when we had a good chance instead.
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Dani playing well though. Pepe should have scored with that through ball.
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Now Dani gets the same penalty for throwing the ball into the ground as their FB got for a studs up challenge. Crazy.
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HT: Arsenal 0-1 southampton
Walcott with the goal, another 45 minutes of paint by numbers football from Arsenal, we’ve had one shot on target.
southampton have had more possession, shots and shots on target.
But as Edu said yesterday, you should see what is being done in training
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You would think Southampton were Arsenal.
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Edu said training huh? lol!
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“We have a beautiful future”!
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Beautiful goal. Great run by Saka. Assist by Nketiah was sweet. Cool finish by Auba.
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Great goal!
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Play the Arsenal way and the team will score. They are good players!
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We’re playing well this half. Since 30 mins actually.
Some semblance of a real Arsenal team. How this can be a turning point.
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We seem to have reverted to 3 at the back.
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Now Gabriel gets a second yellow.
Ridiculous. He was having a shit game too.
30 mins with 10 players now.
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cant be real
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shot ourselves in the foot again, two stupid yellows for Gabriel and he is off, our 7th red, his first yellow was totally needless, will arteta condemn him
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If have expected Pepe to be off instead of Dani there.
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willock on for ceballos
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david luiz came on for Nketiah too
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last 10 minutes has seen southampton with 70% possession
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feck that, holding hits the bar with a header from a saka freekick
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FT: Arsenal 1-1 Southampton
Aubameyang scored to level after walcott had given the visitors the lead.
Gabriel needlessly got himself sent off, I wonder will Arteta and the bloggers have a go at him the way they have at Pepe and Xhaka
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A draw. Yay… Feels nice to not lose.
Thought we played pretty well from 30 mins until the red.
Compared to our recent displays at least.
Pepe really needs to improve. Didn’t do enough.
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Whatever you think about David Luiz he has more leadership qualities in his little finger than Auba has in his whole body!
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Everton won 2-0 away at Leicester, and Leeds won 5-2 at home to Newcastle, with the leeds keeper scoring their 3rd goal to put them 3-2 up with 8 minutes left
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Well, that really did resemble Arsenal a bit. Causes me to wonder are the players just going off of what they know or is Arteta realizing that this defensive, counterattacking, mostly wing play is not getting the best out of this set of players.
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Despite his best efforts on the touchline to coach while the stadiums are empty, there’s an old managerial adage that says that once the players enter the field they are their own responsibility. And however many reds in such a short space of time must be doing Arteta’s head in, but all credit to whatever he has engendered in the team that they have kept battling away when down to 10.
And I can’t help but notice the alacrity with which the refs brandish those cards against us.
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Maybe arteta realised that he is teetering on the brink and decided to change, which is what so many were looking for a ages.
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Mikel Arteta was proud of our resilience as we fought back to claim a point with 10 men against Southampton on Wednesday night.
Afterwards he faced the press and discussed the performance, the way we dug in, Gabriel’s red card and more.
This is what he said:
on the result…
Considering the fact that we played 35 minutes with 10 men, we have to take the point because we showed some resilience and character to hang in there for so long against a really dangerous team. But at the same time we’re disappointed because we came back after conceding the goal, we showed how much we wanted it, created some situations and at half-time we corrected a few things. We came back really strong in the game, scored a goal and then when we had the best moments, we shot ourselves in the foot. It obviously made it really hard.
on whether he is frustrated by the number of red cards…
It’s very difficult to compete in this league when you play for such a long period with 10 men. When you’re struggling for the results, it makes it even more complicated but I think that the boys stood up for it and again showed a lot of character and resilience. They never gave up. After 1-0 I was worried because after this moment, you can start to see players hiding but they did the complete opposite.
on why Gabriel got sent off…
I don’t know. I was really disappointed with the two yellow cards – one on Dani and one on Gabi because there were many other incidents during the first half that didn’t get a yellow card. Obviously that is going to affect your game. Then the second one, yeah. Exactly.
on whether that result is one of the most important of the season…
I agree. At the end, if you lose the game again it would’ve been a really difficult one to take. The players showed what we expect them to do. Sometimes with more or less quality, but at least the work is there. I saw all the players were participating and they were in the stands, shouting, being behind the team and leading the game with them. That’s a really strong signal as well and I’m really pleased with that as well.
on Walcott saying there was ‘a lot of fear’ in the Arsenal team…
I was going to say that I just spoke with him and he never mentioned that to me. He mentioned other things but not that. If he’s said that, it’s his feeling.
on what he can do to boost confidence…
Just to play with freedom and enjoy the profession as well, and to be accountable when you go on that pitch, that you do your best. Then there are a lot of things we cannot control. I try to protect them as much as possible and give them comfort. You see there were four or five situations in the first half where we were around the box, inside the six-yard box and we should’ve finished the action with a goal. It is lacking. In the second half Auba scored and hopefully this unlocks a little bit because that individual is a player who needs that moment. Hopefully things will change now.
on what the goal can do for Auba’s season…
Hopefully it’s going to change everything dramatically and he’s going to score every game because this is what we need at the moment. We need the points and in order to do that, we need to score many more goals and be more efficient when we have the chances. I think it’s going to make him really good.
on whether he’s seen a change in Auba’s confidence already…
I don’t have to see it, I’m sure that it’s going to take a lot of pressure off him and it’s going to release him as well.
Copyright 2020 The Arsenal Football Club plc. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit being given to http://www.arsenal.com as the source.
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Liverpool beat spurs with a 90th minute goal 2-1
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Saw the first half only and it was such a boring match.With only 35% pocession at home and no creativity we look a disjointed lot.
Has Arteta lost the dressing room? It does look so as i see players not putting there 100%.
Are the big bloggers and there idiot fan following who wanted a modern manager happy to get there Arsenal back?
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Boy, I was a bit happy to see some type of good football with the goal. It was really nice! I’m looking for any sign that the team will start going in the right direction.
What bothers me quite a bit is how all the players are being thrown under the bus, by the club, many supporters and some ex Arsenal players. The idea that Arteta must get his players in is utter none sense, we all know that the players are better than what we have seen thus far. This is nothing but a get out of jail free card. The same thing happened under emery. Ironically you didn’t hear this when the “deadwood” had an unbeaten run under Emery and when we won the FA Cup and Community Sheild under Arteta.
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Ritchie Woodard
@RitchieWoodard
·
22h
Arsenal are 15th in fouls, yet 4th in yellows and 1st in reds.
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another piece of club PR in the Atletic today, all years of decline, years of wrong attitude etc to fix, big clear out needed, change of culture, trust the process etc etc etc
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EPL has voted to have more subs on the bench, gone up from 7 to 9, but it seems that its still only use 3 of them, and not the 5 some managers had called for
also EPL likely to bring in concussion subs very soon, maybe January
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Hertha Berlin centre-back Omar Rekik has arrived in London ahead of finalising a move to Arsenal in January. 18-year-old Rekik will initially be part of the U23s. The deal was agreed in the summer but the paper work did not get completed in time
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Jeorge Bird
@jeorgebird
·
1h
When Omar Rekik signs Arsenal will have 17 centre-backs on professional contracts, including those on loan.
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