Hail fellows, and well met! How are you?
Saturday 2nd of November at 12.30pm ( western European time) sees the mighty cannon take on Newcastle United up at St. James’ park. Aside of the early rise its sure to be a high octane clash? Unless its not. Anyway, its the clash of the ‘dark arts’ apparently, whoever came up with that crap I have no idea, somebody perhaps righteous in pen and pencil only?
At the end of the 90’s my bruv was posted in his job from London to Newcastle and I was living half way between the two so I regularly went up there to see him. He’s got some hilarious stories taken from life in Newcastle and we had a lot of great times there.
Anyway either on the first trip or maybe the second when it was all a bit unknown, we ventured out down into the town, and ended up at the Big Market. Of course we hadn’t a clue where we were so putting on my best southern accent I went up to these two women and said “alright, excuse me, erm, any nice pubs round ‘ere?”. The women looked at me in away in which implied I was either mad, a tool or from out of space, and she just said, whilst pointing each one out: there’s a nice pub there, and a nice pub there, and a nice pub there!”… of course the Big Market being a place with millions of pubs!
We got totally stitched up, it was really funny, our first run in with ye old dry Geordie wit. It still makes me laugh though.
Anyway, Newcastle are now mid-table (12th), but we know that St, James’ Park can be a cauldron fortress of difficulty, and many of us still feel a haunting from last years spiel? However one thing that struck me listening (or wasting my time?) to some outlets was the prediction that if Arsenal lose this game we are out of the race. Really?
On past results and analytics that might be the case, but who would have predicted us have a some tough draws (that feel like losses?)and not really getting into gear as much as might be expected? But who can truly see the future, all predictions are bets, and is last year this year? But really I’ve written this because what made me feel really sad, was that if a team in 3rd place is out of the title race in the earliest days of November then perhaps something is desperately wrong? What sort of competition is this and its bad enough with poor officiating but if only a financially well-oiled team can win the league each year, then surely its the times for new rules and regulations? What do you guys think?
But we have much to look forward to, we played really well against Liverpool, especially in the first half, and had a great game against Preston, Nwaneri’s goal was a delight. Saliba’s back and ready after his outing at Deepdale, Calafiori will not be, at the time of writing this there are hints that Big Gab will be back too. Who knows, on the rumour mill there’s even one about Paul Pogba turning up in January. Not sure how that one might work out…but I’m sure the analytical teams at Arsenal are on ze case.
Newcastle have been given a 29% chance of winning, by whom or what I have no idea.
Well that’s it, lots of bits and pieces that I’m sure have made you feel like going off and counting which tree has the most leaves to relieve the tedium of it all, except in autumn its not such a big deal.
Even so, here’s to a great game for us and lucky horses!
COYG and keep on keepin’ on!
Mills
Positively Arsenal 
A brilliant write up as usual to start off our football weekend.
Yeah the introduction of the Premier League meant the introduction of big money and all the evils that brings.
Gone are the days when the Derby’s and Forest of this world would win the league and even the historic clubs like Everton Everton and Villa were producing top sides
Before the introduction of the big money PL and sports washing we were domestically the second most successful club behind Liverpool and way ahead of Utd.
Nowadays only big money teams win trophies and I can’t see that ever changing and when people say the magic of the F.A. cup has gone that’s why.
I remember my visits to the far north, where the police escort would take you through cobbled streets, where the upper floor of the old houses seemed to hang over those streets and old ladies would hang out the windows and shout obscenities at us.
When they was building the new stand the away supporters were put on a very creaky unstable scaffolding. We were half watching the game and half holding on to scaffolding swaying in the wind.
Back at station the Geordies would ask people the time to see their accents so you just had to stay stum and hold your watch up so they could see any then just hope the train came in
Today is another hard game with players missing but attrition seems to be our forte at the moment so a narrow win without the interference from pigmol would be very welcome COYG.
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Thanks Ian. Great post, amazing memories of times up at St James’-I’m sure you’ve got loads more, plus yr thoughts on the PL, with which I agree. We gained a fair bit and lost much in that too?
COYG!
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crap game but at least it’s invincibles day
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It was, I didn’t think Newcastle were too hot either, it was like we couldn’t get started. Poor Dec will have that miss at the end on his mind for a while.
For a minute it looked like Liverpool might lose too as well as City.
Amazing to see how well Forest are doing, its quite a shock to see that name in the mix, and that you mentioned them earlier Ian. Hope the results go our way tomorrow!
Good to be Invincible still.
Fk it! Its the road to the San Siro now and all eyes forward!
COYG!
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the levels of our attacking play has been poor so far this season, apart from the regular outstanding moments from Saka, and the steady play of Havertz we have been insipid, Trossard seems to only impact when used as a sub, and sadly Martinelli has not developed how everyone thought he would after the 22/23 season, he regressed last season and so far this season he seems bereft of ideas and confidence. For me no player in our team has suffered more than Martinelli from the sale of Xhaka in the summer of 23, we’ve not had anyone fill the creativity role on the left that Granit gave the team.
Once again Arteta in his after game comments suggested that we created enough to win the game, he does this after every dropped point, its madness to suggest that creating 2 or 3 decent chances should mean we win the game. He also trotted out the “we dominated the game before the scored and should have been ahead”, someone needs to tell him that having sterile possession is not dominating a game, also if he expects us to win all and any game we only create 2 or 3 chances in then he needs to buy a lethal striker or forward to only needs very few chances to score, and his failure to bring in such a striker has cost us, and in fact his failure to only have signed Jesus and maybe Havertz as strikers in his time here is what has cost us in two title battles, and looks like it might cost us big time this season too.
Its all well and good stocking piling defenders but they are not going to change the tight games by scoring us a goal out of nothing with a piece of brilliance. Oh and while I’m whinging, its no good stock piling defenders when far too many of them are rarely available and are so injury prone, Tomiyasu, Tierney, Zinchenko, Calafiori, and Timber all being sick notes is dereliction of duty re squad planning.
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I didn’t think we played that badly in the first half. I would imagine the team were told to double up on Gordon and we just lost him several times.
The second half was terrible our lack of ability to win games from a deficit is worrying going forward. Again the subs came to late and were mostly one for one rather than being able to make significant changes.
Managers normally say if you have an injury in the back four it’s a better risk to replace one player rather than making several changes. The Partey at right back has never really worked and creates other problems elsewhere.
Going into this season we knew the fixtures were not going to be kind to us so maybe after ten games it’s not as bad as it looks.
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Ian, it’s bad.
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1st: Trossard better as an impact player? Should he have been subbed at ht? Has he lost a bit of confidence?Merino mucking up the system that worked better last year? Jorginho or Merino? Raya could have done better with the goal? Poor delivery from Dec on set pieces (too deep?)plus to conscious at the end? Rotational fouling again on Saka? Why wasn’t Gordon picked up more in 1st half? White before Partey as a defender? “same old Arsenal, always cheating. Same old Magpies always fouling”. 2nd: Partey takes too many touches? Merino and Dec too? Martinelli running into too many cul-de sacs? Near the hr The Arsenal can’t string a set of passes together? Why did they take Merino off, the yellow card? Would it have been better to have taken Trossard off? 67mins Saliba grabbed/locked at corner, should have been a pen ref does nix, at any other point in game it would be a foul. Why hasn’t this shite been sorted out? Either grabbing at corners is allowed or not. Would Sterling have been a better option than Jesus? Certainly missing Martin O. Even Ethans lost his one touch magic? Newcastle park the bus, fair enough, defending isn’t dark arts and it works. Linesmen are so inactive these days would AI be better? Bruno deserves Oscar? Always last touches not going our way? Newcastle great at constant press and contain. Poor old Dec. Should have been an equaliser. Maybe just an extra 10% and we could have won this game? It was like we were sleeping of too much Schlafmittel? Newcastle good defensively but not much more than that, one really great play. Arsenal poor for us, Didn’t look strong or connected as a side. Weren’t hungry enough?Not even worth trying to work it out? Better to think on Inter?
COYG!
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Well Edu announcing he’s leaving the club…..!!!
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Any clues why?
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There are reports Edu wanted more responsibility (power) and ARSENAL were in the middle of a reshuffle. So he may have been unhappy with the different dynamic at the club.
The group that owns forest, and several other clubs, has offered him something closer to what he wants, although that’s just a rumour at present. They are looking to buy a bigger (than the have got) European club so it’s possible he may take over there if they complete the deal.
Obviously most of this is unconfirmed reports and rumour from a media that was completely blindsided by this and are playing catch-up.
Nothing is on the ARSENAL website as yet.
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no clean sheet in our last 6 EPL games, and to compound that we are not creating at a high enough rate
on Edu, the reports suggest he is getting a role more like a CEO role with the NFFC group, and that he is getting triple his current salary, who wouldn’t accept that
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Edu has spent the third most in the Premier League since his arrival. He may be thinking the money might be running out and “the process” has come as far as it can go. He might be jumping ship just at the right time to protect his C.V. Especially as the majority of his successful buys have been large outlays to already established players.
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Some of the old blogs are saying “the fans” want Arsene back to take over the role. Totally ironic and hypocritical from the same blogs that hounded him out of the club. Apparently he did a “decent” job when he was at the club.
Decent, fucking Decent !!! Are you fucking kidding me. A strange way to talk about the most successful manager in our history.
I would give up with these blogs if I hadn’t already ten years ago.
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George- I sent the preview over to your mail. COYG!
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New post is up
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