@LaboGoon leads us to the South coast

After going through the yawns of international breaks “tis’ the season” of football jolly as the games just keep rolling in.

Good day one and all…

Arsenal is at the South Coast this afternoon to take on Southampton under new manager Ralph Husenhattl; this of course is his first game in front of the St Mary’s faithful following the recent sacking of the sparkless Mark Hughes.

The Gunners are currently sitting outside of a Champions League qualifying spot on goal difference behind Chelsea, both started the weekend trailing Spurs by two points. With our neighbours having beaten Burnley and the Blues favourites at Brighton, the pressure will be on Unai Emery’s side to get all three points as the battle between the three London rivals look like it is going to be very close.

Considering the form the Gunners are in many see this as a bread and butter encounter, but we have been hot and cold against the Saints in recent years. We won three and drew one of our last four meetings in all competitions, however, we won just one of our last seven trips to St Mary’s (D4-L2). Something Ralph no doubt will be reminding his team about to give them the belief that they can get something from this fixture.

It’s going to take something special though as their only recent sign of life was the first 20 minutes vs Manchester United in a game that ended 2-2. Their defense has been rather pasty all season, having conceded 30 goals in 16 Premier League games and their attack even more anaemic as their main strikers netted only 6 of the 13 Saints goals between them, Danny Ings top scorer with 4.

The free scoring Arsenal will look to exploit the hosts’ defensive issues who will miss a few regular starters through injury. We have a few issues of our own with the suspensions of both Mustafi and Sokratis leaving a hole at the back, but should Lichtsteiner, Koscielny and Monreal start as the back three, the experience between them should do to keep the Saints attack at arms length, the only breach possibly coming through mea culpa.

Do the Gunners have too much for the Saints?

The appointment of Ralph Hasenhuttl, who was on the radar of Bayern Munich not too long ago, is likely to be a breath of fresh of air down at St Mary’s as they are looking to drag themselves out of the pit which they have dug themselves in to, so at the least we should expect his players to put their best foot forward with a committed performance today.

Which makes things a bit tricky for the Gunners not really knowing what to expect as games tend to go up against a new man. But we are on a good run, mixing it up dominating teams and grinding out results, and will be looking to take advantage as the Austrian are still settling in.

Good luck to all Gooners watching the games today and if I’m forced to stick my neck out, I think the home crowd will definitely bring the noise but in cold and wet conditions with the hosts on a 12 game winless streak… we may just edge it.

Good morning Positives,

A cold night at a half empty Emirates provided an opportunity for me to get seats for the family and friends so a good time was had, more memorable for my chance to play the informative old fart for those attending a live football match for the first time.

Of the game itself Arsenal never moved above second gear, and never needed to. Qarabag were competent at the back but in attack they were totally bereft of any threat all evening.  Emi Martinez did not have one genuine save to make all evening, and I can only recall hm dropping to his knees to collect the ball on one occasion. The result was never in doubt but Laca’s goal was a good one, and as we were sitting four rows back in the Clock End had the chance for the close-up.

The evening was one for UE to check on the fitness and potential availability of returning players, and Mesut, Kosc and Nacho ticked that box for him. Our club captain was a bit leggy strolled about most of the evening with no obvious difficulty but Stu Macfarlane caught the Frenchman’s relief/pleasure at getting back to first team action beautifully below;

Of our young lads Bukayo Saka was lively with his couple of strikes in goal. But for Vagner’s face the winger would have been celebrating a goal on his debut as the youngest ever AFC Euro scorer.  He is however raw as a plate of freshly prepare sushi so a lot more U21and U23 experience required.

Joe Willock and Eddie did OK but I expected a little more from the latter, especially after Lacazette went off. Unfair perhaps but it was a chance for Nketiah to make his case for more first team action and he did not convince. And Zech Medley – how big is he ffs !?

A long way to come, for those Azeris who travelled, for so little. At least the Armenian pitch invader gave them something to cheer about before the final whistle.

In line with the not getting out of second gear I shall leave you there and launch into Friday. Onward to the Saints.

Good morning Positive people,

I am the wrong man to provide any form of detailed match review today. “Not much difference this week then” I hear some of you say, but this week   I did not seen the game live or on stream, but listed to it on the radio and followed it on Twitter. God it was hard work. I did later supplement the audio experience with the highlights on Sky and on MotD so I saw most of the good bits. And of the bad bits ? Well I heard the howls of rage and frustration via the radio. As for the main target of the ire, in the ground and on the internet,  referee Tierney can never, ever have been described so frequently by the same digital descriptors in so short a period in his life.

Of my impressions of the match itself ? We came into the game physically tired and it showed.Part of that fatigue was down  to injuries and that we had no Ramsey and Ozil and the same layers had to turn out again for another hard working performance against game opponents.  I can see, I think, why UE started with Laca and PEA up front. His  aim was  breaking the Terriers open early and being a goal or two ahead after which, after half time, we could control the game and ease off. We had a comfortable win against them last year and they have let in a lot of goals away from home. I could see his logic. Unfortunately when that opener did not come there was no opportunity to lower the team’s gear and I thought we were forced to work as hard against the Yorkshiremen as we had in either of our previous two contests against loftier opponents.

Despite that frustration however we did keep our concentration. Our energy did not wane.  With 80%+ possession we pressed until, finally, the visitors cracked and our Uruguayan dynamo flew through the air. It was a very good goal, the ball from Matteo, the take down and control of Auba and, most spectacular of all, the scissors kick from Lucas.

The second positive in the game, which proved as decisive as Torreira’s winner, was the success the defence had in stopping Huddersfield scoring. It was as long ago as September since we had last had a “0” in the Premier League.

Man of the Match award for the game though ? For his constant energy yesterday and on Wednesday step forward and hold out your hand Matteo Guendouzi.

Of our opponents read and heard a lot of abuse about their approach to the game but what I saw they defended well, albeit stretching the rules to the limit.  12 months of PL football has made Wagner less starry-eyed I suspect. They will be disappointed that they did not have another 12 minutes in them to cling on. As last year though I fancy they will survive.

So a decent interval until Southampton and every prospect of taking advantage of the chaos at St Mary’s, a tricky ground  in recent years. In the interim Qarabag, and you will be pleased to hear I am in the Clock End for that one. I shall spare no gory detail.

Enjoy sunday.

Good day one and all…

As festive fixtures continue to pile up Arsenal will be hosting their Premier League cousins Huddersfield Town at the Emirates this afternoon.

Following the last inter-break we had to navigate our way through some tricky fixtures, but with a more favourable run of six fixtures, bar Liverpool on the 29th, till New Years Day against teams at the bottom half of the PL table one feels we have a good chance to cash in – starting with the Terriers.

These two teams couldn’t have more contrasting fortunes; while Unai Emery’s side are looking to maintain their strong position in the race for top-four and bettered by only Manchester City on the goal-scoring charts, David Wagner’s Terriers look toothless having scored the least number of goals and their only hope is to be spared falling through the relegation trapdoor.

We had little trouble dispatching them 5-0 in this fixture last season and it doesn’t look like they have improved much since. They are amongst the league’s worst travellers having failed to win 17 of their last 19 and conceded 16 goals in their last 7 away games.

With the hosts in good goal scoring nick one can’t help but feel the visitors may be in for a long afternoon, which of course wouldn’t cause them much concern. With injury concerns and their next two fixtures at home to Newcastle and Southampton… it would be a matter of knowing which battles to fight. Who want to be a Terriers supporter eh?

Rob Holding out for the rest of the season has left us a bit short at the back at the moment, which could see us going back to the more conventional back four. The extra attacking player being add may be Alexandre Lacazette as one sense Unai want him and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to build a partnership upfront as they are both key to our season. Auba of course is the PL’s leading goalscorer and the French striker has been impressive off the bench recently. With Granit Xhaka back from suspension to continue building on an already imposing partnership with Lucas Torreira in central midfield, Arsenal wouldn’t be short of quality.

With the Terriers’ lack of attacking impetus its really hard seeing them coming to the Emirates to outscore a free scoring Gunners side, so this may turn out to be a straightforward game for the hosts.

@LaboGoon

A late injury to Andy Nic brings me into the fray.

I have to be honest, it was a disappointing game. Disappointing that we didn’t win and disappointing performance quality wise. But it was far from a disappointing effort put in and 20 games unbeaten is enough to keep us all happy.

I thought Iwobi and Guendouzi were poor in the opening period, although Guendouzi came into it better in the second period.

I felt when Mustafi scored we had gotten, all be it slightly, the upper hand. Sadly, within about 3 minutes we were pegged back. I saw some people blaming Leno, but I thought he did well pushing it out to the touchline, however some real lack of effort from some of our lads led to be ball being allowed to get into the middle of the box for Martial to have an easy finish.

By half time we had lost Holding and Ramsey to injury, but I don’t think we suffered much as their replacements did ok.

I thought Emery once again showed his bravery by bringing Lacazette on fairly early, given we had then used all 3 substitutes. I also thought we immediately looked better. Following a bad mistake by United he and Mkhitaryan linked up to put us in the lead. Then 13 seconds of playing time latter a catalogue of errors allowed them to level the score for the second time.

In the last half hour or so I thought we had our best period. Both Amamayang and Mkhitarayan really really should have scored.

I predicted the team would struggle without the glue that is Xhaka and the guile that Ozil brings, and it proved to be the case. United were poor and we were only marginally better. But, WE DIDN’T LOSE.

We have a run of 4 very winnable PL games now and we are on the coattails of Chelsea and Spurs. We could easily be sitting in 3rd place come Christmas.

Onward and upwards.

Good Morning Positives,

We anticipated a keenly fought contest yesterday between two teams determined to secure a Champions League place, if not better, this season and the almost 100 minutes of action did not deviate from the script. Both sets of players left the field drained of energy and great credit to them all. Last game against Bournemouth  I noted we had 20 shots  and warned we would get far fewer chanced against the pride of Middlesex in the NLD. I see we had 22 shots yesterday. Experts eh – what ARE they like ?

Of the match itself we set about the visitors from the first whistle and battered their defence. Our best opening phase of the season  and, almost,  inevitably the Totties cracked with Verthongen flailing at the ball amid a jumble of heads. A tidy despatch by PEA and the mood in the crowd around me became more confident. We ‘should’ have added to the opener but a combination of indecisive finishing and desperate defence kept the score at 1-0. And ever so slowly the opposition got off the floor, get over the half way line and  put two passes together.

And then calamity, or double calamity as it turned out! A needless free kick given away by Sokratis, a ball whipped in by Eriksen, a glance of Dier’s turnip-shaped head and in off Leno. A real kick to the guts, though followed by some commendable scuffling as the Tottie player foolishly provoked the home crowd in the corner. Our concentration wavered, it was a setback.

As for the second string of misfortune within a minute a needless challenge from Holding on the dishonest Son, Deano points again to the spot and again the net bulges. Consternation, big, big consternation. At the game it looked a sure penalty, as it did to everyone around me. Son was already being shepherded away from the goal. There was no need to slide in. Watching it again last night I don’t know. According to the Sky Jamie ‘contactscope’ multiple slo-mo review showed a positive reading hence although Son clearly chucked himself to the ground a penalty was the correct decision. Bollocks. It was the wrong decision, although the result of calculated cheating on the Korean’s part. There will be no come-back on it for Son, and no doubt Pochettino will give him a pat on the back for his alleged cleverness, but he will find it harder to get away with next  season. Bastard. He and his Milton Keynes mate took abuse when they were subbed on 80 minutes, people up on their seats and over the back of the Spurs bench.

Our collective balloon was a bit deflated going into half time and a fan one up from me stormed out at HT, never to return. I was happy to get in at 1-2 to be honest. Going into half time a goal down though ? It is the Arsenal way.

I expected Emery to make changes at HT and Mkhi was top of everyone’s list. The Spaniard was more decisive than expected though with Alex Iwobi also benched. Rambo and Laca were however experienced, strong and more direct players and that is what we required. The opening five minutes of the second phase was a bit scrappy and a third for TH would have really floored us for good.  Again however we grappled our way back in, and began to control the ball. Hard work in midfield, decisive defending, and everyone playing as part of the team.

With PEA’s sublime finish for the second we never looked back. We seized the game by the throat, with Lucas dominant in midfield, Aubameyang tormenting Hoyth without mercy and Laca twisting the Spurs Belgian centre back inside and out. The killer tackle then through pass from Rambo to Laca sent us ahead again, courtesy of the finest but decisive touch off Dier to take the ball an inch past the diving Lloris (banned smiley).  Lucas topped the contest off on 77 minutes, excellent strike.

They were done for, the points were ours and North London is very, very Red.

No single MotM this week. A team award.

Enjoy Monday.

Good Morning Positive fans,

Very little comment required from me on last night’s performance and a comprehensive victory. Emery chose an Arsenal team that reflected our already strong EL position in the group, as well as the December fixture list. Youth was paired with experience, silky skill with a couple of players with the harder edge, the seen-it-all expressions of Lichtsteiner and Cech alongside fresh faced Euro innocence of Medley, Gilmour and Saka.

And it worked perfectly, especially getting that first goal.  Our confidence rose, Smith Rowe put on a show in midfield, Aaron waved his baton, Mo patrolled the back line like a hungry hyena. Three goals up at half time ? Away from home ! It seems a while since that happened.

After a decent finish at the Emirates in September Poltova must have fancied their chances of making a good game of it, but they barely laid a glove on us. After that opening goal setback I thought our Ukrainian opponents rather lost the plot. Their discipline went.They bickered among themselves, argued incessantly with the officials about trivial calls, and forgot about playing football. I felt sorry for them with what was probably their biggest ever Euro home tie switched to the empty bowl in Kiev.

I shall give Carl the MotM award for the tie, not that he was outstanding on an evening where everyone was good, but as the PA equivalent of a lifetime achievement award.

Friday beckons, as does Sunday.