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Standard Liège vs Arsenal

Posted by pedantic George @arseblagger on December 12, 2019 in All Posts
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On the back of Freddie Ljungberg’s first win as interim boss, Arsenal travel across the English Channel to face Standard Liège at their Stade de Sclessin for our final Europa League Group F clash.
Good day all. For the Gunners to advance to this season’s knockout stage the task is very simple, just avoid a heavy defeat; whilst Standard not only have to do the sensational to beat the North London side by five goals, but also rely on a result elsewhere going in their favour – sounds like a decent enough chance.
For Arsenal supporters the last few weeks haven’t been easy, but after an agonizing run the football gods finally smile down on us as Freddie finally got something to bounce off with a 3-1 victory at West Ham United. For large parts during the first half of that game it seemed like it’s going to be another of those nights, however, after the hour mark all that changed as football memories came flooding back and the boys remembered what they’re made of.
Freddie’s task will now be to keep the switch on, get back a sense of balance from which to create a stable platform to build so we can dominate games from the onset. We got such a talented group of players, one certainly more than capable of going all the way in the Europa. There are still a lots of work to be done though, so many edges that need smoothing instead of getting too ahead.
Standard Liège are unbeaten in five straight games (all competitions) since the last inter-break, a run in which they scored 10 goals. So they should feel reasonably encouraged coming into this one. They have quite a handy record at home too having won 12 of their last 14 matches in front of their own crowd.
The Gunners should be a different challenge to what they’re used to though, having already beaten them 4-0 in the reverse fixture. So if the home side got genuine designs on making it through to the ’round of 32′, simply beating the Gunners won’t cut it, they have to smash us. Meaning they got little option but to throw us with the kitchen sink from the first minute; which is the sort of desperation that could work in our favour as it will leave lots of open spaces in behind for us to take advantage of. So whatever any of you guys do make sure not to miss this one, or at least the first half, because it could be quite the spectacle.
Team News
Monday night took a bit out the squad with Nicolas Pépé (knee),  Hector Bellerìn (hamstring), Kieran Tierney (shoulder) and Granit Xhaka (concussion) joining Dani Ceballos and Rob Holding on the sidelines. Shkodran Mustafi is suspended for this encounter.
Getting in the swing of the festive as fixtures comes thick and fast, we can expect quite a bit of rotation to ensure players are being kept fresh and others a few extra days to recover from knocks.
Prediction
Coming off their first win in a while the Gunners will have a spring in the step and should feel confident of getting a result here. However, the Belgian’s home crowd are enjoying quite a ride with their side, and will be right behind them all the way hoping for an upset against a young-ish Gunners outfit. We should get some decent chances though in an expected open game.
Having seen some dire football in recent months, this game is going to be scrappy in bits but I doubt it will fall short in entertainment value. Get in there Arsenal… COYG!
— @LaboGoon
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Are We Arsenal Supporters Or Glory Hunters?

Posted by pedantic George @arseblagger on December 10, 2019 in All Posts
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I’ve been a Gooner for over 50 years, I really began supporting Arsenal off the back of losing two League Cup finals, 1968 & 1969, so you can see as a child I was not in it for the Glory, and to this day nothing has changed.  The Glory is a happy by product of when things go very well for Arsenal, but supporting a club is about far more than just the glory days.  If it wasn’t none of us would stick with any club for very long.  And we would certainly have jumped ship during the hard times, hard times such as the one we currently find ourselves in.  For me this is just another one of those poor runs for the club, I’ve seen it all before, in fact I’ve seen it much worse.
The 76 and 77 seasons were dire, yes we never really fell into the bottom 3 relegation places, but we just barely stayed above them as we hovered near them all season long.  It was really a case of there being a enough clubs worse than us.  Of course we had the belief in “We Are THE ARSENAL” and we don’t get relegated.  The football was dire, the pitches were dire, it was only 5 years earlier that we had won the Double and followed that up with a great run the European Cup, only narrowly failing to the great Ajax side.  Now when I look back I feel that if we could have won it that year our whole history would have changed.  We may very well have done what Liverpool went on to do in the 70’s and early 80’s, instead our brilliant young team and squad that won the double in 71 was broke up very quickly, and was replaced by journey men and kids, some who were just not up to it, but we had solace in the emergence of a brilliant young Irish kid with a left peg that made dreams come true, the great Liam Chippy Brady.
Much like now we were in the aftermath of having let go a Title winning manager, in Bertie Mee, the first Manager I’d know in my time as a supporter.  The search for his ideal replacement was very much like what we seen now in the search for a suitable replacement for Wenger, and if truth be told it’s the very same search we’ve seen after every manager or head coach we’ve had in those 50+ years, and if we delve into the History of Arsenal, it’s the same search we’ve had all but once in our entire time in existence.  Herbert Chapman is the only truly big name manager we’ve ever appointed.
Let me explain what I mean by that.  Here is what I’ve seen from Mee to Emery.
To replace Mee Arsenal went for Real Madrid’s Miljan Miljanic, as our Chairman, Denis Hillwood wanted to go big, make Arsenal a super power not only in England but in Europe too, but somehow when that deal went tits up we ended up with Terry Neill, who had been having a rough time in charge of Spurs.
When Neill’s time was up we went for Bobby Robson but he was only a year in the England job and would not leave it. So Don Howe became our manger.  Howe actually resigned when he found out David Dein was in talks with Terry Venables who was Head Coach at Barcelona at the time, and when that deal was not done we went for Alex Ferguson, but that deal broke down because he was Managing Scotland at the World Cup and we were not prepared to wait till it was over so we ended up hiring George Graham from second division Millwall.
When Graham was drummed out after the FA banned him for a year, once again Bobby Robson was a target, but he was undergoing treatment for Cancer at the time, and had just won the league with Porto, so talks did not go anywhere and so once more we went for a manger from the lower leagues, in Bruce Rioch who had just weeks earlier won promotion with Bolton.
A year in and Rioch was replaced, by Arsene Wenger, or Arsene Who as the media dubbed him.  He had won the title in France with Monaco, but he was sacked by them and then ended up out in Japan, which is where we brought him from. After Arsene we were linked with all sorts, but hired the unattached Unai Emery, who despite winning the treble in France his failure to advance in the CL seen him drummed out of PSG.
So what can we expect in our search for a new Head Coach, well lots and lots of names to be linked, one or maybe two Coaches with the highest reputations, and then for us to hire some lesser know or to appoint from within or a former Arsenal player, so for me it is far more likely that we hire Freddie or Arteta, or Vieira or even Henry, than we are to hire Allegri, or Simone or the like.
Anyway, back to the football, well its poor by the standards of the best of Graham or Wenger eras, but its bloody fantastic compared to most of what we saw in the 76 and 77 seasons  And on the subject of what we saw back then.  Well if you were not a match goer, you only saw the goals or at best a five to ten minute highlight reel on Match of the Day, or my favorite, the Big Match which was shown Lunchtime on a Sunday.  In my region here it was UTV, but they took the LWT version, so it meant Arsenal got lots of exposure.  I seen so little of the Arsenal that even just a few minutes even in defeat was bloody great, it was something to look forward to.  I read everything and anything concerning Arsenal, I bought the like of Shoot and Match and Football Monthly just to get any mention of Arsenal.  All very innocent stuff, there was no doubting my support, no matter how results went, you see Results was only part of being an Arsenal supporter. For me it still is, although in a different way, maybe a more adult way, after all I was a kid then but those days are a distant memory.  But despite Arsenal having a different place in my priorities now, and meaning something a little different, it’s still my Arsenal, I’m still a Gooner, and I know from experience that our current run of form, and that is what it is, a run of form, is not set in stone, and it too shall pass, and better times will come again, and go again, and come again and so on and so forth for as long as I or any of you support The Arsenal.
eduardo1966
@edminton1966
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Come On Freddie, Let’s Hammer The Hammers

Posted by pedantic George @arseblagger on December 9, 2019 in All Posts
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Arsenal make the short trip across the capital to take on West Ham United at their London Stadium. Both sides are short of results as the Gunners come into this match having won two of their last 13 Premier League matches, the Hammers only one in their previous nine.
Good day all. It goes without saying that Arsenal find themselves in a bit of a crisis and in need of a win to lift both the players and supporters. With so much happening behind the scenes in recent months, mostly baffling stuff, results were bound to suffer and it culminated in interim boss Freddie Ljungberg receiving the proverbial hospital pass. There’s general unhappiness with the way Raul Sanllehi and the Kroenkes dealt with the Unai Emery situation but for me that’s a fight for another day as Freddie and the boys need all hands on deck to help navigate the club through a chock full festive fixture list.
It’s always said that supporting Arsenal is like riding a rollercoaster and guess what, we are still on the ride so just make those straps a bit tighter. We are not always going to the scenic route.
Whilst the Gunners have given us little, if anything, to crow about all season, the Hammers are one of the few sides not doing any better, especially in front of their own crowd where they are winless in their last four home fixtures (D1, L3). The West Ham faithful have grown extremely frustrated, which has only increased pressure on their players and manager Manuel Pellegrini.
Pellegrini has been around the block longer than most though and will look at Arsenal’s recent results and feel that we are there for the taking, especially considering that two of their four league wins this season were against Man United and Chelsea. If they win today it will move them level on points with the Gunners and how much of a tonic will that be?
Freddie can do with one himself. Picking up just one from a possible six points, in the two matches following Emery’s sacking, hasn’t done him any favours if he got any designs on making his interim job a fulltime one.
Recent reports tells that Arsenal are stepping up their search for a permanent candidate with talks about an “Apprentice-type” grilling. Of course these should be taken with a pinch of salt, but one can’t help but think that if the run of poor results continue, the scope of the job for the new man will just get bigger and bigger.
For those as myself supporting the Arsenal for the last 20 to 30 years these are certainly “interesting times”, but I do take counsel from those that have been doing this longer and recognize it as the ebbs and flows of being a football supporter. So if we expect the players and coach to go out there doing their best, perhaps as fans we should step up ourselves and help them through this difficult period. It’s winter baby… we always knew it was coming.
Team News
Thankfully there’s no new injuries as both Dani Ceballos and Rob Holding still remain the only two absentees.
Prediction
This is a meeting between two dismally out-of-form teams; one of the league’s worst home records in the one corner versus one of the worst away records in the other. Almost as if each will find the other a welcomed opponent. Somewhat difficult to split on current form, but if I have to put my hand up… I’ll go Gunners all the way. COYG!
— @LaboGoon
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Arsenal Sinking Like The Titanic

Posted by R. Green on December 8, 2019 in All Posts

Compliments of Wikimedia

New Podcast: Arsenal is sinking like the Titanic, critically damaged but the band is still playing.

  • No quick-fix available.
  • Sinking into relegation danger.
  • Freddie Ljunberg unlikely to survive.
  • Key players have been lost because the Kroenkes refuse to spend big on wages.
  • More likely to leave as there is no prospect of winning trophies or European football.
  • No money to spend as the club falls out of Europe.

The future is grim. Is there any hope?

Remember to  Like and Subscribe to our podcasts wherever you listen and spread the word about our factual, no-nonsense point of view.

This podcast is available at Spreaker, Soundcloud, Spotify, Apple Podcast and Google Podcast by searching for Uncensored Arsenal.

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Mid Table Arsenal- Permanently?

Posted by pedantic George @arseblagger on December 6, 2019 in All Posts

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Last night was horrible. We hoped for better and it didn’t happen. What do we hope for now? Where do we go from here? Just how deep a hole are we in and who is to blame?

More and more fans are beginning to understand the depth of the hole we are in. The idea that a new coach, and I mean ANY new coach, can bring about a quick fix is frankly ridiculous. Perhaps a slight improvement immediately, and a gradual improvement over the rest of the season is possible, but that’s it and even that is a long shot.

So why do I think we are destined to years of mediocrity? I don’t mean the 3 Fa cups in 4 years type of mediocrity that people thought was mediocrity, I mean proper midtable stuff, no cups and likely no decent cup runs even.

The ownership model of self sustaining means there will be no massive injection of fund to buy our way back into a seat at the top table. We know this. So that’s out! Personally I think that is how every club should run in principal, but if Stan wants the club to have a seat, he would have to put his hand into his back pocket. But let me reiterate, that isn’t going to happen.

In order to have a long term successful plan we need someone with a good plan to be in charge, have a vision and the conviction to see it through,and Stan has to stick by him. The problem is finding that man, the likes of Arsene Wenger doesn’t grow on trees, he was a once in a several lifetimes manager and his like will never be seen again, not least because other clubs would have first dibs.

At present the man with the vision is Don Raul, and it’s not 20/20 vision he has, it’s Mister Magoo vision, he can’t see past his contacts book. I can’t think of a single thing he has done that hasn’t knocked us back at least one step. Seriously, he couldn’t even see that the football brand had to be maintained, simply the most basic and important ethos of the club. Can you imagine any new fan choosing Arsenal now? Other clubs will be building their fan bases and we will be hemorrhaging ours. Tv companies will stop picking Arsenal games, revenue will fall, fans will stop watching and attending if the style of football doesn’t meet their requirements. Now, I can hear people screaming “plastic fans“, but that is the reality of the modern game. Especially if that’s what you started following the club to see , or that is your priority when choosing to support a club. The old “Arsenal ’till I die” fans might not like it, but that is how it works for a club that wants to be a global force.

A rebuild will require patience, Loooooooooooooooooooool, 6 days into Freddie’s term and “patience” has already run out in many quarters. Because of the “we deserve” element in the fanbase, coaches and players will not be given the support necessary to develop and build.

So what can we do about it? The answer is very little, all we can do is be supportive of the coach and players if they are trying to play the right way and doing all they can , I believe Freddie and the majority of our players are. It’s going to be a long hard road back, we must not make the journey more difficult for those tasked  with carrying us, while prompting  those in charge to make the changes that will give the players a fighting chance.

 

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Arsenal vs Brighton & Hove Albion

Posted by pedantic George @arseblagger on December 5, 2019 in All Posts
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Arsenal goes up against Brighton & Hove Albion at the Emirates Stadium this evening, in hopes of putting an end to our six-game Premier League winless run. Whilst the Seagulls are not doing much better, coming into this game on the back of three straight defeats.
Good day all. Despite not doing very well this season the Gunners are just four points off fifth-placed Wolves. However, we got to pick up the pace before the top-four starts getting to far away from the chasing pack.
Freddie Ljungberg had his first run as Arsenal interim boss at Norwich last Sunday, while we did not play particularly well overall, we came from behind twice for a share the points. Of the issues we struggled with during Unai Emery’s tenure were still there. As we still seem too likely to concede regardless of opposition, as well as the over reliance on Bernd Leno at one end of the pitch and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang at the other to keep us in the game.
The Swede noted at his pre-match presser that he identified few areas we need to improve on in order to produce better performances to keep hope alive of ending the season in Champions League spots. Of his main concerns were transitions with the defense being left too exposed, flat-footed if we lose the ball. So whilst adjusting he need to ensure the boys stay switched on in order to get wins in our next two games to help ease some of the pressure ahead of the very tricky festive run.
Since winning away at Watford on the opening day Brighton have not win any of their following six games on their travels (D1, L5). So with defeats in their last three games as well as their last four on the road, Graham Potter will be well aware that his side need to end their losing run or risk being dragged into the early relegation scrap; they’re currently hovering just one point above the drop zone.
Potter may feel that this North London trip came at an opportune time to get out of their rut. They also have recent history on their sides, being unbeaten in the last three meetings between these sides (W1, D2). However, his cause for concern will be that his sides defense too are lacking in patches; having conceded at least two goals in five of their away games. Meaning there are vulnerabilities for our attackers to exploit as well.
Team news
Dani Ceballos remain out till at least end of this month, alongside Rob Holding.
Prediction
Having already dropped too many points against sides in the bottom half of the table, this game certainly goes into the “must-win” bracket. Hopefully Freddie’s first game in charge in front of the Emirates faithful will give the Gunners an advantage, but this won’t be a cakewalk though. Given our issues we got to take our chances if we are to get our first win in a very long while.
That said, Arsenal for the win with goals coming at both ends.
— @LaboGoon
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Positive, Aggressive Football From Freddie

Posted by R. Green on December 2, 2019 in All Posts

In his first match as Arsenal’s new head coach, a 2-2 draw with Norwich, there were positive signs from Freddie Ljunberg’s first match as coach of Arsenal but there is still a long way to go. The team showed aggressive, attacking intent but there remains a lack of quality in some positions according to yours truly, Shotta and Blackburn George, the Arseblagger.

Here are some of the issues we discuss:

  • Positives and negatives from Freddie’s first game
  • Players who excelled and those who didn’t.
  • Possible adjustments for next game
  • Overcoming negative fans

Remember to  Like and Subscribe to our podcasts wherever you listen and spread the word about our factual, no-nonsense point of view?

This podcast is available at Spreaker, Soundcloud, Spotify, Apple Podcast and Google Podcast by searching for Uncensored Arsenal.

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A New Dawn In Norwich City

Posted by pedantic George @arseblagger on November 30, 2019 in All Posts
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Good day all. It’s back to Premier League action for Arsenal with a trip to Carrow Road this afternoon for their clash against Norwich City; Freddie Ljungberg’s first game as interim coach following the sacking of Unai Emery. Whilst the Canaries come into this game on the back of an excellent 2-0 win at Everton; their first in eight league games.
Ensuing a run of two wins from 11 league games and none in our last seven (all competitions), Emery’s dismissal and provisional handing of the reins to Freddie didn’t came as too much of a surprise. As the club now starts the process to find the Spaniard’s potential long-term successor, the club legend has a shot to showcase what he can do with what still remains a very talented squad.
With our recent run leaving us eight points off 4th-placed Chelsea, Freddie’s immediate priority will be to get the Gunners returning to winning ways. For this he will need the buy-in from all players as well as his support staff to help the team moving onwards and upwards. Because a united response is crucial if we are to maintain any hopes of a top-four finish.
The next three games, today’s followed by Brighton and West Ham, are a decent looking run to build up a good bounce ahead of a very tricky festive schedule.
Norwich started their return to the topflight with two wins from their opening five games, including the prized scalp of Pep Guardiola’s star-studded Man City squad. Then it went downhill as they picked up a mere one point in seven matches; a miserable run that saw them concede 16 goals and scoring just two in reply. So Daniel Farke will be hoping for his sides clean sheet win at Goodison Park to be a step in the right direction to kickstart their bid for PL survival.
Team News
David Luiz and Shkodran Mustafi picked up knocks midweek and will have their fitness assessed ahead of the game, with Hector Bellerìn also being monitored.
Prediction
Freddie had very little time with the players to get his ideas across, so for now it will just be about a return to basics with a focus on looking to address any ongoing issues. Being an unknown also brings an air of the unpredictable that can be used as an initial advantage in pursuit to ‘steady the ship’.
All things considered, both teams will be desperate for a win which could lead to a very open-game… so expect goals at both end. Here’s hoping for the “new manager bounce” to be on our side and maximum points to move within five points of top-four. COYG
— @LaboGoon
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No Quick Fix By Freddie As Interim Coach

Posted by R. Green on November 30, 2019 in All Posts

In this latest edition of the Uncensored podcast, yours truly and Blackburn George conclude that so much damage has been done to Arsenal over the past 18 months, on and off the field, that there is no quick fix by Freddie as interim head coach. We urge cautious enthusiasm.

Here are some of the issues we discuss:

  • How Raul Sanllehi will affect Freddie’s appointment?
  • What must Freddie do to improve performances?
  • What are his chances of getting the job full-time?

Feel free to give us your feedback in the Comments section of the blog.

How much do you appreciate our factual, no-nonsense point of view?

Please remember to Like and Subscribe to our podcasts wherever you listen.

This podcast is available at Spreaker, Soundcloud, Spotify, Apple Podcast and Google Podcast by searching for Uncensored Arsenal.

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Goodbye Emery, What Now?

Posted by pedantic George @arseblagger on November 29, 2019 in All Posts

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A very good morning one and all.

After last night absolutely abysmal display, who would have thought we would be calling it a good morning? But good morning it is.

I was going to do a match review , pap on about our awful form, lack of style and the worst run of results since 1992,but no need, Things have changed, Unai Emery and all of his staff have been sacked. “Don Raul” and his gang of gimps have finally been forced to pull the trigger. The inevitable has happened, but these executives have a lot to answer for. Not a single one of them comes out of this smelling of roses. In the celebration that Emery has gone, we must not lose sight of the total incompetence displayed my these carpetbaggers.

Now the discussion moves on to who come next?

We all have the chance to display our total expertise in selecting and appointing a successor.

The usual names will be thrown into ring.

Allegri

Ancelotti

Benitez

Pochettino

Rodgers

Vieira

Arteta

Nuno Espírito Santo

Henry

and so on.

We will all be sure we know who it should be and also who it shouldn’t be.

Let’s look for a moment what we would like. We need a coach that has a vision, an attacking philosophy that matches our established brand, that the players will respect and give 100% to, great communication skills, is universally respected, fluent linguist , in other words, someone like Arsene Wenger. Of course it can’t be Arsene, that ship has sailed and he won’t be seen again at the club, in any capacity. The problem is there is no one that matches that profile. All of them will have some of those qualities but none will have them all.

I could go through all of them and say why I don’t like that particular one, or why I like some more than others, but seriously, who  cares? The problem is I would actually trust my judgement more that the chancers that will make the decision, and that isn’t because I have a clue, just that they don’t.

Anyway, i’ll just say my preference would be to be bold and go for Mikel Arteta.

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