Hello and hope youre well?
Wednesday the 18th of December 8.30pm (western European time) will witness the Mighty Cannon in a deadly duel of two parts with London rivals Crystal Palace. The first at Ashburton Grove will see the next installment of our Carabao cup games as we fight for a place in the semi-final. The second match will be a few days later at the Nest, as a PL game.
As we start to approach the winter solstice and everyone reaches for their vitamin D supplements, with regards to this game the Arsenal have been given a 65.9% chance of winning and Palace only 13.4%. Being no insider or an expert in anyway I can’t imagine how Arteta is going to line this one up. Will he go full force with a few small changes (maybe Sterling might start instead of warming the bank?) or will he throw even more youngsters into the deep end? Will Kieran get a game after such a long time? Poor lad missed out on a cabinet full of trophies at Celtic, in search of fresher meadows. Whoever plays, I hope they find form and confidence and can do the business. We sure could do with it!
Palace I’m sure having seen the aspirations exemplified by both Fulham and Everton of trying to grind out a point rather than go head to head will no doubt will go for the old parked bus tactics and hope for a penalty shoot out? I don’t feel so worried about this game but I do feel part two at Selhurst Park will be much tougher, but I can get into the doom and gloom of that one next time.
I realise everyone’s feeling pretty frustrated and I’m sure the players and management feel it too. Palace lie in 15th in the PL but I hear you cry what that to do with a cup game? and you’re quite right. Nix. Palace saw off Villa, QPR, Norwich on their way to play out this one.
It will be two years since Terry Hall died, a man missed by many and who touched many hearts and minds but we can still enjoy the music he made, enjoy yourself, its later than you think, even if you did too much too young! Here’s hoping for a great game and a great result.
And sincere apologies, this is the best I can do. COYG!
Well that’s it, lots of bits and pieces that I’m sure have made you feel like going off and counting all the visible stars in the night sky instead of reading this.
Even so, here’s to a great game for us and lucky horses!
COYG and keep on keepin’ on!
Mills
Positively Arsenal 
These cup games can be a bit of a “ghost town” so interesting to see the interest so to speak.
With Wharton out and Eze a doubt maybe Palace will just put out a maybe side. I have often found it strange that smaller sides will give up even at this stage if they think they have little chance of winning three games and concentrate on the league.
Obviously we have been dumped out of this competition by smaller sides before when we have assumed they will just turn up and not put on a display.
This game sees the return of Eddie and I hope he scores but obviously only a consolation goal once we are 5-0 up.
Three games away from a trophy and drifting in the league, I would imagine Mikel will go very strong for this one and I hope it’s a magical cup night COYG.
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Thank you Millsy. No point in naval gazing misery – we’re here to support the team right? I love that you keep it light and don’t descend into the know it all misery of the other blogs.
Now that other sides have seen the success of the parked bus they might well try it for themselves. Of course this logic entirely ignores all the lucky deflections, uncharacteristic missed shots and last gasp blocks which actually led to the drawn games.
One of those goes in and the opposition have to come out and try to play. With all too predictable results.
We’ve seen and overcome this tactic many times in recent years and I am entirely confident we’ll do so again. No one can count on being as lucky as Everton were. It certainly isn’t a strategy to rely on.
Looking forward to a relaxed game in a pressure free competition, hopefully with some youngsters to the fore.
Up the Arse my friends, up the Arse.
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I keep trying to embed Prince Busters ‘Seven Wonders of the World’, and keep failing. Anyway, seems like one the inspirations for the Specials Ghost Town?
COYG!
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the biggest selection question tonight is who will be in goal, Neto is cup tied, so do we go with Raya or stick with young Setford who made his debut in the last round, although that was against a Championship team.
Rice is reported to be out, so who gets his spot, Partey or Jorginho, or could Mikel take the shackles off and throw in Nwaneri alongside Odegaard.
Might we see Sterling get a start, give Saka a rest
whatever the answers to those questions we will find out shortly
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well if we do go out of the cup tonight we will be told its a good thing as it gives us less fixtures, fucking bullshit. We haven’t won enough to be turning our noses up at any cup. One of my best days as an Arsenal supporter was being at Wembley in 87 for our 2-1 win over liverpool, Charlie Nicholas scored twice to wipe out ian rush’s opener, this was the first game lfc lost where rush had scored in it. For me this league cup win was the foundation for our league title success in 89
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Arsenal: Raya, Partey, Timber, Kiwior, Tierney, Jorginho, Merino, Nwaneri, Sterling, Trossard, Jesus
Subs: Setford, Saliba, Gabriel, Kacurri, Lewis-Skelly, Odegaard, Saka, Martinelli, Havertz
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Wow, what a gamble. Lots of players who have never played together. Really hope it all clicks otherwise there’s going to be some shit thrown on the blogs tomorrow.
Pray for a win and I’m an atheist COYG.
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kiwior with a mistake and palace take the lead after 3 minutes,
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Great start. Always a good sign to go 1-0 down early, give us some fire.
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newcastle 1-0 up at home to Brentford
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Arsenal women 1-0 up v Bayern.
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Arsenal Women have taken the lead v Bayern Munich Women in their CL game.
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HT: Arsenal 0-1 Crystal Palace
creating sweet fuck all once again, sterile possession.
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liverpool 1-0 up away to southampton
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Saliba on for Partey
Odegaard on for Nwaneri
no chance of arteta giving nwaneri a chance alongside odegaard, its always like for like with mikel
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close
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1-1 in the womens game, poor defending at a corner
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Jesussssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss 1-1
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both newcastle and liverpool are 2-0 up in their games
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Nketiah on for crystal palace
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HT: Arsenal Women 1-1 Bayern Munich Women
a low quality game bogged down in midfield
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Lewis-Skelly on for Tierney
Saka on for Sterling
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Jesussssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss 2-1 to the Arsenal, Saka with the assist
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Jesussssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss 3-1 to the Arsenal, hattrick for Jesus
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7 shots on target for Arsenal in the second half, its amazing what can happen when you shoot
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Ian prayed, and Jesus answered. COYG!
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Nketiah has made it 3-2 with a great header, game not over just yet
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Gabriel on for Kiwior
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arsenal women gone behind, more shite defending at a corner
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newcastle 3-0 ahead
southampton pull it back to 2-1 down v liverpool
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Arsenal Women have made it 2-2
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Phew! Cruising for the win, but brought a nervy ending on ourselves!Onto the semis! COYG!
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FT: Arsenal 3-2 Crystal Palace
Jesus x3 with all our goals, his first hattrick for Arsenal.
Sterile first half, much better attacking intent the second half.
Nketiah scored for palace
Arsenal now face Crystal Palace away on Saturday in the league
Newcastle going through to the semi final too, and Liverpool ahead in their game. the last semi is tomorrow, man utd v spurs, the semi final draw will be made after that game
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penalty to arsenal women
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Marionaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa 3-2 arsenal women, 5 minutes plus injury time to play
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5 minutes of stoppage time to play
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FT: Arsenal Women 3-2 Bayern Munich Women
that win puts Arsenal top of their group and into the last 8 of the CL
awful game in the first half, arsenal gave away two awful goals at corners, but showed enough to deserve the win.
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so the semi finals of the league cup will have
Arsenal
liverpool
newcastle
winners of spurs v man utd
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David Ornstein
@David_Ornstein
·
EXCL: Kieran Tierney to leave Arsenal in summer at latest after club decided against using option to extend contract. #AFC deal ends June & date to add 1y gone. 27yo can pre-agree with non-English clubs (or possibly go permanently) in Jan
@TheAthleticFC
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Two 3-2 wins tonight, what a great ARSENAL night.
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just got back from the game (£16.50 courtesy of old crusty status) and what a strange evening it was. We were truly awful in the first half, with no-one covering themselves in much glory, but the presence of Saliba and Odegaard in the second made such a difference. Suddenly we were playing with pace and purpose.and it was only a matter of time before we equalised. What was interesting was the visible growth in Jesus’s confidence after his second goal and he looked like the player he seemed when he first signed for us. And a lovely goal from Nketiah which made the last few minutes more awkward than they perhaps should have been. Still, overall we very much deserved to win and I hope it will have given them all a boost.
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Thanks Heady for the mini-review, and being the PA man on the spot.
COYG!
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I suppose last night was a bit of a Johnny Nash as it posed more questions than answers.
Keiran played well and we always knew he was a quality crosser of the ball but is being sold as we announced we are not taking up the option of the extra year on his contract.
Mikel made early subs, so will he do this more often or was it just his gamble wasn’t paying off, it was a cup game and we were one nil down.
Our non scoring striker got a hatrick and beautifully put an England CB on his arse and shoved many critical words down the throats of myself and many others. Will he lead the charge for the rest of the season and will it stop the club doing the winter spend.
Seeing how the first half was so stale how will Mikel plan for first teamers missing when the there seems to be a massive gap between them and the squad.
Two 3-2 wins produced a brilliant night for us but when Mikel looks at the bigger picture in the cold light of day he will see lots of obstacles coming next year.
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one thing that really struck me and which you don’t see on TV was the movement of David Raya. How quickly he ran into appropriate spaces to create angles to receive the ball from defenders and how far out of the penalty area he spent most of the game. Plus also the extensive and lengthy warm up routine he went through. Goal keeping has changed massively!
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carabao cup semi final draw
Arsenal v Newcastle
Spurs v Liverpool
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The two-legged ties will be played in the weeks beginning January 6 and February 3, 2025, with the final set to take place on March 16 at Wembley.
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This is where drawing manure in the cup is a real pain. The other sides will be putting out 2nd string sides in the F.A. cup leaving them to have a rested first team for the league cup.
We also have the added problem of playing Brighton away before the first leg and then city at home before the 2nd.
The extended CL group stage means at a time when we should be resetting for the second part of the season will actually be a mega busy period.
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seemingly only White and Tomiyasu definitely out of the squad tomorrow, Zinchenko not certain but likely available, Calafiori and Rice are fit.
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seems that today is the 5 year anniversary of the appointment of Arteta as firstly the head coach and then the manager of Arsenal, and for me he has done a good job, but all the over the top stuff and PR being run by the club and certain bloggers and big X accounts is laughable. All the shite about the before Arteta the club was dead, on its knees, etc etc, and how now its only a matter of time before Arsenal wins all the major trophies. How he has transformed the club.
Well if he is as good as they claim, they wouldn’t have to do all these puff pieces about the miracle worker he is, they would only have to point to the titles he has won Arsenal. He may one day get Arsenal to where we can point to all the major titles he has won us, but till then stop the bullshit, its very spursy
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New post is up.
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