Arsene Wenger was in a good spirits yesterday, I hear his wife bought him an ipad for his birthday which he didn’t think he was getting until Christmas. Did she think about what she’d get him for Christmas now? Of course she didn’t… she’ll regret that.
Anyway, he had a lot to say about JET on Arsenal.com…
“He works very hard to get his fitness right. When his fitness is right, Jay will be not only a good player, but a great player.
“This guy is an unbelievable finisher, inside and outside of the box. He has outstanding qualities, he has the build you dream to have.
“It is down to how far he wants to go because he has big potential.”
He also had a lot to say about Arsenal dream boat, Henri Lansbury…
“I like Henri very much, because of his quality, because of his attitude, his desire and determination.
“He is a Ray Parlour type, a guy who has a good team attitude, goes for the challenges, has an endless engine and has the timing to get into the box and finish, he has shown that at Spurs.
“He is one of the players I want to keep at the club.”
Wow, pretty compelling stuff!
I think this batch of England boys is the first we’ve had that don’t bitch and moan if they’re not in the first team week in week out. Possibly because they are the first batch to see precocious talent leave and do naff all at other clubs. David Bentley, Steven Sidwell and Fabrice Muamba have all tanked in average teams… whilst players like Song, Clichy and Bendtner who never moaned have excelled comparatively.
Perhaps the English boys now know the grass isn’t greener. Maybe they do have genuine love for the club? Maybe, just maybe, this next lot will form the foundation of the first technically gifted England team!
I get more excited by that thought than I do listening to Sophie Dahl talk about preparing a delicious eton mess.
Tonight is going to be an exciting game, I think the only amendment from yesterdays team is that Vela may start instead of JET. That wouldn’t disappoint me. Regardless of what Wenger thinks of him, I believe the guy has more talent than a copy of nuts magazine (and I mean on the pitch, not hidden away in his hotel room).
I don’t think there is a disappointing line up to be had this year. The squad looks like it has the right blend of experience and youth and I’m pretty confident we’ll take victory whoever lines up. A few of the big guns will be on the bench which will give us a bit of security. I’ve heard that Newcastle might rest players as well, which would be just grand!
It’s a big game for motor mouth Chesney. He’ll have to hold his nerve and show us he’s good enough to takeover should the worst happen over the next few months! Theo needs to make sure his head is in the right place, he needs to play with the same decisiveness he displayed earlier on in the season and he needs to play like the senior player his contract tells us he is. I’m looking forward to seeing how JD and Kozzer deal with Carroll and I’m hoping Denilson can have another solid game.
Szczesny
Eboue Djourou Koscielny Gibbs
Denilson
Lansbury Rosicky
Vela Bendtner Walcott
We need to hit Newcastle hard and fast tomorrow, we need to continue our habit of giving as good as we get and the players need to make sure they play for the team, not themselves as is the temptation when you’re trying to catch the eye.
It’s going to be a good game and a fine test for the kids and some of the fringe players… I can’t wait, I mentioned on our twitter (@arsenal_legrove) yesterday that I think I enjoy the Carling Cup more than the FA Cup these days…
…forgive me footballing gods, for I have sinned.
See you in the comments!
P.S. Congratulations to Cesc for making the Ballon D’or shortlist, maybe next year Abou?
Sad eyes...
Szczesny should be our no.2 – Fabianski is gaining confidence after these few very good games and dropping him would be a massive cockup IMO…
but if we get at least a point at Shakhtar, Szczesny should be given a runout in CL to get as many games as possible and see what he is really made of!
Yeah the save from Smith was superb, and the free kick one was good, although if someone was following up they would’ve had a tap in, not sure if that’s a technique issue.
Neither of those saves were as good as Fabianski’s wonder save in the first minute from Silva, nor his save later on from the toe punt, not to mention the save from Ade’s header that was then judged offside.
Szczesny made four good saves, but he spent most of the time watching what was going on up the other end, with our dominating possession, and territorally
And why is everyone hating bendtner, he always scores when he starts. No striker can do everyting right. His shot,headers,passing ,work rate are topclass, his technique is quality and he is big! What do you want more of him??! Some ppl do not forgive players when they were bad but are good now.
This argument is pointless. No way in hell wenger is gonna drop Fabianski to play a 19/20 year old as our #1.
Fabianski has had good games in recent weeks and has come up against top quality adversaries in the form of Chelsea and Man City and has performed well in what will be two of the toughest games in the PL this season.
He is a long way away from being a top keeper in the world but he is moving in the right direction.
I just hope he doesn’t follow Manuel. A couple months back he thought he got himself out of the firing line until he dropped yet another clanger ‘injuring’ his shoulder.
Come on David everybody can see that the last few weeks Fabianski has been impressing and getting better with each game. Almunia at 32/33 is done, Fabianski at 25/26 and getting a decent run in the side is dare I say finally showing he can be number one. Sczceney on the other hand is showing he can be our Casilles
A,
quite frankly, it’s a plus that he was able to stay focused after having zip to do for such long time, no?
Szczesny will probably get a couple of CL games if we qualify early.
Press Conf, AW said it is either kick [days] or twist [weeks]
yeah it was SUGA, and a very promising performance, hope he’ll be our league cup and maybe fa cup keeper for the rest of the season, and lead us to both trophies!
Whisper it quietly we may just have goalkeeping options.
dutchman go to bed.you are killing this thread with pure shite
A,
I’ll give you the Silva save. That was incredible. Great reaction to get down and save it. I think it had something to do with how Drogba put the ball past him and saw Silva doing the same thing?
You cant take away that Save from Chesney on the freekick, I could argue that Flappy had dropped the ball again on trying to get on the end of a corner but clichy was on hand to clear, and he dropped it again but picked up his own spill.
Once again,
Ade’s header was straight at him.
West spam and Villa go through.
Bang on Zeus let’s hope Fabianski can keep it up (whey!), keeping him confident it would seem is key. Loving Bendtner too cause he knows he’ll need to impress whenever he plays cause Chamakh has been so impressive and Van Persie isn’t too far away. Gotta say this is the best squad of players we’ve had for a few years, got real strength in debt.
Well the good thing is we have a selection dilemma all around, and that’s good. Szczesny is still better for us on the long run, he has what Fabianski can offer PLUS Height and command of box.
If a ball goes straight at you after you’ve reacted incredibly quickly to anticipate where it’s going to go then it’s an amazing save, which it was.
Just as Szczesny spreading himself at the end was a very good save, despite the fact that the ball was “straight at him”
Wenger has certainly been true to his word about fielding a strong team. I’m sure I’m not the only one who wondered if he meant what he said?
Correct me if I’m wrong, but aren’t we only 4 games away from a trophy? Anybody here who wouldn’t be over the moon to grab the cup, even if it’s only the CC?
Delighted the bruisers of Stoke are out cause knowing our luck we would of gotten them away in the next round and they’d try to do one of our youngsters
Theo Theo Theo Theo Theo Theo Theo Theo Theo Theo!
Anyway I’m off and really delighted too. I love you all night
three games Erichero, and yes – i certainly wouldn’t be over the moon if we won the league cup. I’d be happy, it’d be good, but it’d mean less than beating chelsea or utd in a league game for me. we HAVE to win the league or champs league this season, or at least get very close to one or the other
He’s right A the semi final is over two legs. Night all
Went to guitar class. looks like i missed more than i learnt today! Damn! should have watched the game!! Good job Gunners!
But what’s this nasty thing that i heard on the press conference bout Gibbs?? Is he badly injured???
No 4 games, 1/4 final, 2 legged semi-final and final.
Happy that we have managed to keep pace and set the pace up to this point. If we can keep the bastards fit through January and if there is an inevitable long(ish) term injury to happen again let it be between january and march so we have our boys for the run in.
Nasri is playing so well its hard to leave him out, also this season Walcott has stepped up, so a frontline of Chamakh, Walcott and Nasri?
nite Marko!
A,
I would love if we won the CC to get into the winning habit – going all the way would certainly give us quite a boost, bigger than being nearly there in the ‘bigger’ competitions…
A – Why do we HAVE to win the EPL or CL, what do you think will happen if we dont?
lol good point, i was thinking three rounds!
Nasri Chamakh and Theo are having good starts to the season for sure. Play them and drop Rosicky and Arshavin, not a bad bench at all.
erichrico
i will grab the cc cup with all my body soul and spirit.
I f we don’t win a trophy it will be the end of life as we know it.
it’ll have been a bad season goonerT1m, and the league cup will make fuck all difference to that imo
A,
look, I would not consider not winning the league or CL a ‘bad season’ – I won’t mind if we get eliminated from the CL as long as we will not get humiliated like we were last season and the season before that: Chavs, Real and Barca are considerably stronger, not that we can’t beat them, but it’s still a tall order IMO…
as far as the league is concerned, I will consider close second satisfactory…
sure, I will be over the moon if we win one of major ones, but we are not favourites in either of these two comps, are we?
Don’t know about you lot, but winning the Carling Cup means alot to these players right now. Not winning anything for 5 years?? It’s a start, and it breeds confidence, It is also a cup competition that ends early enough to allow them go for the league and FA cups while trying to get through to the highest level in CL, hopefully we get a lucky draw till we get to the finals, have everyone fit, and meet some beatable team like Porto met Monaco.
Good Performance there tonight.
Sczeney looked good. Occaisional dodgy moment but given his experience, he made some cracking saves.
Theo superb, great finishes. Who says he cant play through the middle. Nic looked good.
Thought after a dodgy start Djourou grew into the game.
Shame for Gibbs, you have to feel for the lad, I hope he can get over these niggles.
no SUGA we’re not favourites, but we have to be striving to compete at the very top, so we need to get very close if not winning one of either the league or the champs league for this season to be considered a success imo
pat theo can’t play in the middle, he scored both the goals because he was playing on the right, giving him the space and opportunity to run into the middle from outside….
agree about the rest, and same with gibbs, hope he’s ok – knee looked bad when it happened
I wouldnt say we have goalkeeping ‘options’ – we have one very good young talent behind 2 clowns.
If we sign a top class GK in Jan, and make Szczesny number 2, then we’ll have options.
A,
my point exactly – I want us to get as close as possible, but winning a trophy will mean a lot to this team as well as to the fans…
say what you will, but I am still kicking myself for missing the FA Cup presentation these few years ago
Im sorry but we cant afford to lose Cesc.
We need to sign him up to a new contract and give him Rooney wages.
The guy makes a 30 min cameo, and bags 2 assists.
Wenger is offering AA23 his usual 1 year extension….why??? This is why Chavs win things, they value the older players and keep em together, in our case, there will be no one to teach Wellington Silva, Vela, JET and co.
I agree with that A.
The true measure of the season will be about maintaining a challenge if not winning the PL and getting far in the CL.
However if you offered me 2nd in the PL, runners up in the CL and nothing in the cups
or
3rd/4th in the PL, nowhere in the CL but a Visit to Wembley and a Cup success,
Then I would take the cup success.
Excuse my french, but FUCK the CL for now, CC, FA Cup and EPL beats CL in our priorities now. CL is for teams that have the luck of draw, and with our luck, i’d hate to be embarrassed by Barca or Real. I’d gladly win the carling cup out of the way, get the monkey of our backs first.
we’ll win two torphies this season.
the mickey mouse and the league!
Guys, it is multiple trophies or bust this year. First CC then either PL or CL at minimum. The quadruple is still possible!
Evening, missed the match because of fucking work. I know we won 4-0 with Theo, Bendtner and Krul scoring but how was the match? Or are there highlights available?
Evening, missed the matcvh, how was it?
Lime no jokes!
we have the best player in the league in cesc, he can win us games out of nothing and still isn’t even match fit
look at nasri too, what a player. wilshere gives us and extra work rate and steal
kozzer is fucking fantastic , we all know TV and squill is solid.
if fabianski keeps the good run going who knows how far we can go .
i didn’t even mention RvP, chamakh, arshavin, theoooooo, bendy, rambo.
cheer up we have a top players, and i feel confident enough atm
Stu
it was fantastic
theo got a double and bendy scored a cracking goal
Whose joking, Gooby! Just having ambition for my beloved club!!!
Where is Diaby? Is he injured?
OOps–that is: Who is joking?
Our depth now is absolutely frightening. Can’t wait to face Man United. We should give them an absolute hiding. HAHAHAHHA—> come the fuck on you red blooded gooners.
Man, Wenger said he was still not pain free from the ankle injury. So perhaps he is still injured. I don’t think we missed him today or over the weekend, though.
Good, already knew the scorers, i’ll have to wait for the highlights on bbc2. Why the fuck is it on so late!
Limestone,
as much as I consider him a player with heaps of talent, I have to say we did not miss him at all, quite the opposite: if anything, he slows us down…
hate to say it but I think vela did more than walcott
Lime, I see…no we haven’t missed him so far. We should be an unbeatable outfit later in the season when all our injured players starting getting into form.
Morrison you must be on a wind up
Stu,
Check it out.
http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11661_6471169,00.html?
forget fabianski – szczesny is our number one. you’d have to be blind not to see that!
i was saying i am not joking, i really think we can go and win the league.
next few weeks will be very interesting, few tough games for the chavs, the lads have to get 9 points from the next 3 games and we’ll be fine and maybe top of the league in a few weeks
oh and barton should get back to prison, what a fucking thug.
Wouldn’t count our eggs yet. Traditionally, November is our worst month.
Eboue played quite well at left back today
Where is Jaguar???
The Moroccan forward, who has risen to number 64 in the Castrol Rankings, has admitted that whilst the physical demands of the Premier League are tough, it is a price worth paying for the “club of my life”.
“For others, it’s Real or Barca. For me, it was always Arsenal,” Chamakh was quoted as saying in the Daily Star.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPW9BAl4E40
Dale
i find it priceless to have players that love our club, true gunners.
i have immense respect for chamakh he works his arse off and he is the kind of player that please us fans to watch.
that comment is legendary!
So it now looks like we have the two best keepers in the world. Wenger was right all along lol,maybe I’m getting a bit carried away……
Man
We definitely saw flashes of Lionel Eboue. The finishing was not there…maybe it all got to his head too quickly
who will buy the spanish waiter?
He finished like Lionel Richie
harsh, fair but harsh!
Yup! But i had to smirk when he said he wanted to follow int he foot steps of Henry and Adebayor…I’m like you were doing ok till you mentioned Adebayor..
fuck adebayor, the cunt is getting his far cheque for warming the bench, what a stupid cunt
fat
Pedro, “Wenger gushes over the kids”.
Was that deliberate?
Fuck, I love being a gooner on nights like tonight.
when do we find out who we play in the quarter final?
Re-watched the game just now. We looked good I must say. Glad to see us taking this seriously.
Reading through bit of the comments late on, I see some are pissing themselves at the prospect at playing Real Madrid. I wouldn’t makes such pronouncements just yet. They look good yes, but we can take them.
I’ve seen all their league games and until about 3 weeks ago they’ve looked distinctly average. The floodgates have opened in the last 3 weeks but they haven’t really been challenged as yet.
Lets see what happens in El Classico. Ozil whie looking good is not a patch on Cesc and Higuain who I rate highly has a few off days in him. Even when on form I don’t fear him.
We have previous with CR7, we know what to expect from him. Wouldn’t mind facing them. But its an alldomestic focus for me, League and the 2 domestic cups.
We are scoring more than the rest…
Arsenal 42 goals in 14 games
Chelsea 37 goals in 14 games
Manure 33 goals in 15 games
Ja,
about a year ago we were on course to scoring 100+ goals in the league, no?
besides, we are still shipping quite a lot of them too!
2 clean sheets in a row away from home up north against more than decent opposition is pretty fucking good innit.
it certainly is…
but to be honest, a team with serious ambition should aspire to consider that a norm, no?
Chezza shows great potential in the game!
look at how he commanded in box, i cna only feel exciting about him!
2 clean sheets in the last 2 games, JD is still making a few mistakes but is looking like a proper defender, kos also looks good, what with the squid and TV coming back we should be strong defensively for the 1st time in ages!!…A needs to stop waffling again, lets get the CC and see what else we can get, as suga says we aint really favs to win epl and pl, winning the CC might just give the feckers the belief they need!
NEW POST!