Good day one and all.
In this podcast we look at the Wolves game and consider just what realistic chance we have of finishing above City and what may act in our favour.
Pedantic George
164 comments on “We’re Going To Win The League…..Maybe!”
Comments are closed.
Positively Arsenal 
Although I still don’t think we’re going to win the league, based on Cities record in the second half of the season and the availability of funds and squad, my evaluation on our final league position and % chance of winning the league is going up week by week.
I would not like to be dragged by my bollocks from my line of expectation at the start of the season to my line of expectation now, such has been the improvement.
LikeLike
Think it was Tony Atwood who first documented AWs progressive evolution in modern tactics and what he described as a modern WM formation. Alongside a few other coaches at that time. Who all were obviously studying and copying each other.
And Arteta apprenticed with two of them.
Ironically it was Arteta’s least favourite team mate (and player that he managed) Ozil who described the identity of the Arsenal AW football style as a
“famous fast one touch passing game”.
Yet don’t expect the gaslighting blaggers or their unfortunately gullible listeners who lapped up the meme that ‘ don’t do tactics’ like some kind of merchant banker snorting bleach from a brown urinal to state the obvious.
It was the re-signing of Xhaka that encouraged many to just about keep toys in the pram over the bumps. many here noted an improvement here over the summer and hoped for more success with signings made by the coach and not an agent.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi Posivistas
Its really a soap opera at the Old toilet…… care to comment???
LikeLike
I would say that a lot of the Football coming from Jesus’ for his Second* club in the PL resembles that of a young injury free RVP. I feel like clapping & singing a song of praise.
For me what’s happened with Ronny is Karma.
Hopefully you can quote me on that by the end of the season.
–
Yes it is obvious where Mikel picked up some (not all) of his attacking vibes alongside the other stand out inspiration he’s taken from another coach: with the evolving FBs. He started off with the latter imprint, Nelson was on the right etc. Then we saw an ‘05 inspired cup victory and after the turbulence is showing some of his vision for the team. One which those who admired his football for the club always hoped to see.
*it’s an awful pun. Sorry.
LikeLike
IMO The big negative from Saliba being on loan last season and there were a few not least the impact on the Goals Against total is that he could be getting some coaching from the BFG.
I like to imagine that Mertesacker is secretly Arteta’s no.2 in the background. Most likely not true but it is a fun speculation.
Could be a big world cup for Saliba though I hope he stays on the bench! Likewise Saka.
How Arteta manages the returning athletes who played more then a few games at the WC will be a big and difficult test. Nelson, England and world cups invite even more appalling puns. I just hope the player has a role to play when the season kicks off again. I’ll build Arteta a column if he adds the skill of managing the fitness of young players to his cv whilst continuing this form. To be fair i speculate it usually takes the coaches who have this skill some time to pick that up.
LikeLike
I feel a bit sorry for Ronny, he followed his heart rather than his head one old red nose got involved. He should have known manure wouldn’t be a CL team.
He absolutely saved them last season and the new manager didn’t want him but as we see with Mikel the boards are tending to back managers lately having got their fingers burnt backing players for the last few years.
It great news hearing Kolo, one of my favourites,
Getting his first job in management. I wish him every success and hope he is in great demand.
LikeLike
Jeorge Bird is reporting that S16 year old Myles Lewis-Skelly has been selected for Arsenal’s first-team training camp in Dubai
LikeLiked by 1 person
Is anybody alive out there?
LikeLike
Strange world cup so far to say the results have been difficult to predict is an understatement. Probably the most unpredictable world cup ever following on from a very unpredictable Premier League.
LikeLike
Well we’re at Oxford in the cup that’s a great draw
LikeLike
Bad news with Jesus picking up a knee injury hopefully it’s not a serious one
LikeLike
Arsenal squad that traveled to Dubai for training camp and a couple of games is
Goalkeepers: Hein, Graczyk, Hillson
Defenders: Tierney, Gabriel, Holding, Cedric, Zinchenko, Foran, Monlouis, Sousa, Walters
Midfielders: Odegaard, Smith Rowe, Vieira, Lokonga, Elneny, Cirjan, Smith, Lewis-Skelly, Nwaneri
Forwards: Nketiah, Nelson, Marquinhos, Butler-Oyedeji, Sagoe Jr, Cozier-Duberry
Players such as Partey and Turner who are out of the world cup will meet up with the squad in Dubai. Seems what ever caused White to leave the England squad has kept him out of this too.
LikeLike
Ian, might not be back till mid-Feb
Jesus’ injury is entirely my fault. Unless someone else made a written comparison with RVP and jinxed it all up before me. I’m sorry.
The most frustrating, infuriating part of the injury is that Jesus was playing in a dead rubber meaningless match and he was only playing so Neymar & even worse the Tottenham scum (who has been the lesser player in the PL) could get a rest. Meh.
On the plus side Xhaka avoided a lynching during/after the “game” against Serbia, Saliba has barely played and Saka is one of the leading scorers with Southgate blissfully not overplaying the kid even resting him after 65 mins (I hope Mikel was watching).
COYG
LikeLike
So with only Xhaka, Saka, Martinelli, Ramsdale and Saliba still left at the tournament (and the possible return of White) the Dubai squad doesn’t look bad especially as you say when Turner, Partey and Tommy added as well.
The major glaring hole is a back up for Eddie with the first option of Martinelli then exposing our choices on the flanks.
As we have said on here and on the pod the second half and a bit of the season will stretch our squad and challenge the back up players.
With this in mind you have to wonder what the recruitment will be in January.
LikeLike
Martinelli Up front with Nketiah and then Nelson and Smith Row and Viera with Saka on the wings…
LikeLike
The trouble is so far Veira has proved lightweight even in his more natural position as a number 10. I don’t think we are going to see the best of him until next season.
Saka hasn’t really had a break for three years so we are looking a little sparce.
I think we would of needed new recruits even if Jesus wasn’t injured as after the world cup will be very exaushting.
LikeLike
Excellent win against Lyon, not only to keep up the momentum but also to give run outs to so many players.
Good to see the squad players all doing well and the youngsters.
LikeLike
always liked Giroud, I like him a bit more now.
LikeLike
What is it with refs in the EPL and it now seems, in international tournaments, and their weird fetish in seemingly tolerating, perhaps enjoying Saka being kicked all over the place unpunished?
I know his persistent being fouled led to a penalty in the end, but ….can’t these refs get control of this strange sadistic tendency that seems to affect officials when dealing with this player?
LikeLike
Perhaps the referees are now wise to the ploy of dribbling aimlessly in the penalty area looking for a penalty that Kane is so adept at and Saka now seems to be employing as well.
That tactic employs no attempt to score in any other way.
Whilst Saka was our best player and it was so strange to take him off, nevertheless it seemed that apart from the Maguire header the only way we seemed likely to score was from a penalty.
It was ironic that Kane, the diver supreme, should
bungle that 2nd penalty.
LikeLike
He is fouled so often, I think referees start to doubt themselves.
In the Chelsea game it felt like the referee was embarrassed to keep blowing his whistle. Chelsea gave him no choice, and then after a half an hour of stop-start football the directive to “let it flow” must have crept into his thinking, and they started getting away with blatant kicks.
LikeLike
It should be remembered that Rooney, that great diver, specialised in getting penalties by starting to go down before he was touched, as we saw in the 50th Game.
That is what Kane and so many divers do. We have seen it time and time again.
Perhaps the foreign referees can see that a mile away, even if our local ones can’t or won’t.
LikeLike
In the build up to the world cup everyone was talking about Mbbape v kane when all true Gooners it was Giroud v kane and Giroud would win.
It’s great to think all those that booed his name as it was read out before every game would have had a pain in their heart after the final whistle went.
The most disappointing thing about England’s exit was it was just about our missed chances. If you get beaten by the better side then ok but France weren’t at their best and we’re there for the taking.
Unfortunately against Italy and now against France we have lost because Southgate doesn’t really know how to go for the throat.
LikeLike
so the world cup final is Argentina v France, the winner will be winning it for the third time, all wins since England won the world cup. Yet so many fans in England would look down their nose at both France and Argentina, many say their domestic leagues are “farmers league”, yet here we are, come Sunday, five world cup wins between them, and unlike England they have both won their other major competition, the Euros and the Copa America a few times too. An over estimation of the level of football and of how it is better because they allow rough and tumble, they love to get in the faces of the skilled player(we have all heard them glorify in “anywhere else that would be a foul”) and all those other stupid fucking soundbites to excuse thuggish play
LikeLike
for me its a final with a great match up, a final that I will be pleased for certain players on each side, Mbappe and Giroud and of course Saliba if France win, and who would not be happy to see Messi win the world cup, unbelievable player.
LikeLike
Martinez!
Think it is safe to say he is a Great keeper. We saw that intensity of performance that was crucial in that cup run.
was a big and unnecessary and expensive loss as noted here. fortunately Ramsdale might turn out to be as good.
LikeLike
Arsenal’s U18’s began their FA Youth Cup campaign tonight with a 6-0 win over Milwall, Ethan Nwaneri among the goal scorers, as was Amario Cozier-Duberry
LikeLike
OT, sad to see Terry Hall died.Feels like a bit of me died with him.He helped make some smart music though(imo).It will be odd without him.
LikeLike
I couldn’t believe it he was only 63 but apparently he was a recovering alcoholic.
The last time I see the specials was in Hatfield with the Maytals absolutely brilliant gig.
LikeLike
Isco now a free agent, I would like to see him at ARSENAL although I would imagine he would have loads of suiters
LikeLike
FAO George, I just put up a post about Mesut Ozil buying into a Major League Pickleball team, can you find it and post it if possible
LikeLike
Merry Christmas guys, and hope everyone has a good time,take care of yourselves.
LikeLike
Reports that Arsenal have decided to trigger a two year extension to Charlie Patino’s contract, his current deal expires at end of this season, he is doing well on loan at Blackpool
on contracts, its rumored that the hold up in Saliba signing a new deal is that AFC have offered a long term deal, said to be 5 years, but have not offered the sort of massive wages that such a long deal would imply the importance of.
LikeLike
Arsenal being linked with a move for Atletico Madrid forward Joao Felix, a one in four goal scorer for AM, the 23 year old is said to be available for an initial half season loan for £8M plus his wages, and its said he would then cost in the region of £100M to make the deal full time.
I’ve seen him play a number of times, and there is no doubting his talent, but he has always seemed light weight to me, and very prone to diving or winning freekicks that he would not get in an Arsenal shirt, but as I say the talent can not be doubted, but I would say he is probably a better fit to our style of play than that mudryk guy we are linked with too.
LikeLike
Merry Xmas everyone!
Hope all are ok.
–
Mid-February is a far away and it seems the club have no choice but to look at transfers to back up the squad?
I like to think given the trust shown to Nelson in the past by Arteta was a strong reason why he was chosen as Saka’s cover/reserve over what would’ve been a sulking Pepe.
so Nelson’s injury is another big blow considering Conte’s admission that he might not start any WC players tomorrow as their fitness is not at the same level as other players who just had a rest for four weeks (trying to mitigate/reduce or remove the double whammy of tired players up against fresh opponents).
As in it will be nice to see Saka tomorrow but he should reasonably not even be on the bench.
Tricky test for Arteta I wish him well and hope he can juggle the need to play some of the players who played deeper into the tournament until they are back to full fitness/at the same level as the other players.
COYG.
LikeLike
Mikel Arteta: “We can afford to get a striker for sure if we want one, I don’t know if he plays in League Two, in League Five, in Spain, Portugal, Africa. What we can not afford to do is get a player here that is not for us. This is what we can not afford, that is for sure.”
LikeLike
Arsenal v West Ham
Team: Ramsdale, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Tierney, Partey, Xhaka, Odegaard, Saka, Martinelli, Nketiah.
Subs: Turner, Holding, Cedric, Vieira, Lokonga, Elneny, Marquinhos, Zinchenko, Crozier-Duberry
none of the home sides in the EPL have won today so far
LikeLike
west ham: Fabianski, Coufal, Dawson, Kehrer, Cresswell, Soucek, Rice, Paqueta, Bowen, Benrahma, Antonio.
Subs: Areola, Johnson, Fornals, Lanzini, Downes Ogbonna, Coventry, Emerson, Mubama
LikeLike
penalty to west ham
LikeLike
behrahma scores to give west ham the lead after 27 minutes
LikeLike
Arsene Wenger attends his first Arsenal game since leaving the club in 2018.
LikeLike
Penalty to Arsenal
LikeLike
VAR rightly overturns decision
LikeLike
HT: Arsenal 0-1 West Ham
not great from Arsenal, soft goal to give away and not doing nearly enough up front to score
LikeLike
1-1, Sakaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
LikeLike
2-1 Martinelliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii
LikeLike
Eddie, Eddie, Eddie 3-1 to the Arsenal
LikeLike
Zinchenko on for Tierney
LikeLike
Martinelli off, Vieira on
LikeLiked by 1 person
FT: Arsenal 3-1 West Ham
Saka, Martinelli and Nketiah with our goals that keep us clear at the top of the league, 7pts clear of Newcastle, with a game in hand, 8pts above City but they have a game in hand on us, and we are a full 10pts clear of spurs in 4th with a game in hand on them. 23 games to go, ha ha ha
LikeLike