Mario Götze the key to Robin signing on – Has the penny dropped for Wenger – Spurs… you gotta laugh!

by & filed under News Review.

Stoke and Chris Foy were in the festive mood yesterday, both combined to rob our North London neighbours of three points in hilarious, controversial and unfair circumstances. What a great late gift! I happened to watch the game, hoping for a minor Christmas miracle and boy did we get one. Spurs gave Stoke two first half goals that both started from those nasty throw ins plus one which was helped along by a Petert Crouch handball.

In the second half, Spurs upped the tempo, they won a penalty, which Ade scored. From there on in, I thought there was no way Stoke would hold out, our North London neighbours were relentless. However, with a little bit of luck, an onside goal ruled offside, three nailed on Stoke handballs in the box, some fantastic Sorensen saves, a Kaboul sending off and god damn terrible refereeing, Stoke held out for a beautiful win!

Amazing. That still puts us 2 points away from them with Spurs having a game in hand, but we’re in touching distance of the top 4. We just have to keep playing the underdog, keep sneaking those wins and keep climbing the table. Regardless of the form we’re showing, top four would still be massive and it still looks like it’ll be really tough. My gut feeling this year is that Chelsea are going to have a struggle on their hands with Spurs and us for that final Champions League place. I might be totally wrong there, but they have big problems. Picking on Gary Neville for telling the truth shows just how much pressure Villa-Boas is under. Keep it up Neville, it makes a change to hear an actual opinion from a pundit.

I read in The Sunday Times that Manchester United are a team on the decline and the writer intimated that Wayne Roooney was right to question the clubs ambition last season. Unbelievable! It basically stated the in the mess they’re in (I know, United in a mess) because they don’t have the spending power of the clubs around them. Interesting how quick the knives sharpen, especially after the success they had last year and how over the topic lavish the praise for them was at the start of the year. ‘Team of a generation’ being replaced by ‘club that fails to attract top talent’ is very laughable.

Still, that’s not our concern. What we need to concentrate on is our match up against the blue half of City next Sunday. They’re not quite on a different planet at the moment. One man is, David Silva. They’re playing great football, but we saw Napoli teach them a lesson in the quick passing game twice. We’re in the right sort of form to play football against them, really, the game couldn’t have come at a better time. If we can stretch them up top and maintain a disciplined game at the back, we’ve got every chance of nicking some points there. My biggest concern is at right back. Mancini is a tactical master, he’ll know that JD isn’t very mobile and he’ll be keen to exploit that side of the pitch with pace and trickery. I’d imagine Adam Johnson will get the nod and I’d imagine they’ll focus plenty of energy in exploiting that side of the pitch.

Alex Song and Mikel Arteta will have a hugely important role to play. How do you contain David Silva? The player of no fixed abode. Well, if training with Cesc for 5 years doesn’t give you a bit of practice, then I’m not sure what will! Arteta is an experienced head and I’m sure he’ll be keen to boss a game against the leagues team of the moment. Ultimate concentration will be the theme of the day and making the correct decision about whether to maraud forward or sit will be the difference. You don’t want to fear City to the point of containing the teams game, but at the same time, City don’t need a second invite and they’ll kill you if you give them the chance.

It’s interesting in the assist chart that Songinho has popped up with 5 this season. That’s one less than Gervinho who was the assist machine we bought from Lille. People calling for Song to be promoted to chief creator are mad in my opinion. He’s a good defensive player. Having a good defensive midfielder who can help out with the creative side is a pretty powerful asset. When Jack comes back, we’ll have a potent midfield full of bite and aggression as well as pretty tasty attacking set up.

I have a good vibe about the game. I fear playing United more than I do City. Maybe that’s misplaced, I just don’t think the year can be that cut and shut for nouveau riche of Manchester.

In other news, Arsene Wenger has ruled out moves for Thierry Henry and Nic Anelka…

“As for Nicolas Anelka and Thierry Henry, I would say ‘No’.

“I am told Anelka has signed for a club in Shanghai and Henry goes to a training camp with New York Red Bulls on 15th January.

“We will lose players like Marouane Chamakh and Gervinho to the Africa Cup of Nations, but we have players like Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Andrey Arshavin and Ju Young Park to come in.’

I can see why he’d rule out Nic Anelka, the guy is a massive sulk and he’s hardly been putting in a shift at Chelsea, however, I can’t see why he wouldn’t take a punt on Henry? He still took us a part in preseason and he’s still ripping it up in training according to Keown and we know full well he’s a better player at 34 than Park or Chamakh will ever be. The Moroccan reckons he’ll weigh up his options at the end of the season. I do hope if the worst happens and Robin goes, that doesn’t persuade Wenger to hold in to him!

Madrid are causing us problems. According to the John Cross, Yann M’Villa is interesting them at £30million. They only have about 8 defensive midfielders, so obviously they need one interesting us. They’re also sniffing around Robin. Mourinho tried to sign the Dutchman when he was at Chelsea and he came back in for him when he was at Inter. Hopefully he won’t get him this time. If he does come in for him, I’d be very tempted to ask them for Higauin or Benezema in exchange. You can’t keep those three happy in the same squad.

The article was tempered by saying Robin might be tempted to stay if Wenger goes out and bolsters in the January and in the summer. Could the penny finally have dropped for Wenger?

1) If you don’t give top class players top class team mates they go.

2) Experienced players bring you an edge even the best kids can’t

3) Buying in top quality works

If Wenger has learnt and he goes out and brings in a top class striker, a defender and a creator like Gotze, we’re very close to having a seriously competitive mix of players. It’s a big if though… seeing is believing, not long to go before we’ll know!

It was interesting to read Wenger citing maturity for Robin’s ascendancy into world-class this season. I’d say it’s more down to staying fit, something he’s rarely managed during his sizable stay. Let’s hope he can continue his healthy run for the rest of the year!

That’s me done for Monday, have a ripping day and do let me know if you need my home address for Christmas donations.

Follow @LeGrove

P.S. It’s the AST Christmas do tonight, it’s in the WM Club, so I can afford a glass of tapwater and a bread roll before I m0ve on. I hope to see a few of you down there, I’ll report all the goss in the morning!

502 Responses to “Mario Götze the key to Robin signing on – Has the penny dropped for Wenger – Spurs… you gotta laugh!”

Jump to comment form ↓

  7. Josip Skoblar

    I saw Nic Anelka on TV tonight: he was in China with his new club. The Chinese will have no patience with his sulking…

  20. DrMaadh

    This week could really turn out to be very fruitful.

    Celebrated our birthday with a wonder goal.

    Cut the deficit on Spuds to just 5 points.

    Best of all likely to have the 4th spot trophy in our own hands.

    If the next match is the key then,the next transfer window is the master key. If none of our favorite wet dream players, Gotze,Hazard,Vertongohen,M’villa,Podolski make it to the Grove(likely), i would be happy if we put in a serious bid to get Adebeyor back. Granted he showed absolutely shameful antics at city. But He has apologized to the fans and id like to think he still has a spot for arsenal.

    Either way that would massively weaken the Tots and improve us.

    I say improvement for us as i rate the current league strikers as follows

    1.Van (the Man) Persie
    2.Aguero
    3.Balotelli
    4.Rooney
    5.Dzeko
    6.ADEBAYOR
    7.Sturridge
    8.
    9.
    10.
    .
    .
    .
    60.Chamack

  21. choy

    Looks like the FA will be looking at Yaya after the game and he’s probably going to pick up a red and miss the game against us!

  22. AC Gooner

    I want to have an enforcer in the squad – someone who is going to put the hit on an opponent if they fuck with any of our boys. But a fucking bastard like Yaya, no.

    Frimp is a good boy, but he will enforce if we need it.

  29. SUGA3

    AC,

    I don’t give a flying fuck if my midfield enforcer breaks the little adorable bunnies’ necks for a laugh, you don’t win anything being nice…

  39. GUNNER786

    F: Arsenal FC (ENG)
    Can play: Napoli, CSKA, Basel, Lyon, Leverkusen, Zenit, Milan

    Guys who do you want in the next round?

  43. demon

    lets face it we arnt goin to win the tittle i rather it be shitty than manure an also if shitty win tonight it heaps pressure on chelsea and there demise and keeps us ahead of them.

    wenger really needs to capitalise on this and bring some fresh quality blood and get rid of the dead wood

  54. frenchie

    pedro tweets that he has been talking with gazidis and twitter explodes with “and?” i think he was discussing his number options when he takes over at left back.

  57. Kushagra India

    Lurch hahhahaaaaa my hometown…..the quality of teams is getting worse…gr8 chance if we make a move in Jan..(which my heart says we wont.)

  69. ardentgooner

    that means kolarov against US YEAHHHHHH!!!!

    Clichy is quick and keep up with theo…Kolarov is slowwwwwwwwwwwww comme on

  94. jack

    i dont see how chelski winning really helps us to be honest, i was happy with 1-1. but at least unbeaten record will go. with citeh out of CL, they only have PL to play for. lets hope this result dents there confidence instead of a backlash from them

  107. frenchie

    think i would prefer miquel on the left, tv5/mert in the center and koz on the right against city. not that i trust miquel, i believe djourou will get lost.

  109. Doo Woop

    yaya toure is another cunt

    if I was mata I would get his head and embedded into the tunnel, far from the cameras for his cuntiness

  112. Ja_Gunner

    I wanted us to end the unbeaten run…not the stinking Chelsea…..

    Anyway I just hope that Manure will drop some points as well…. I hate them much more than Manc City and Chelsea combined…..

  114. Hitman

    Did anyone else notice Aguero limping off? This could work out nicely for the weekend.

    Mind you we still have no full backs.

  116. DB10

    Now thats what I call the BEST weekend, us winning, Spuds losing, our invincible record INTACT!!!! Well done Clichy, now let them find out what a pain in the ass U were, how much U fucked us off in similar game changing manner!!! How many important points we lost because of U, thats why we NEVER will miss u!!

  120. kwik fit

    Someone just tweeted that Nasri got an injury while wanking on the bench. Don’t know if its true . I’ll let you know if I get any further information on the injury :)

  122. ardentgooner

    City will be without Yaya and Kolo in January.. Have to make it count… a win next sunday and we are bang in the title race!

  123. Arsene's Nurse

    Any result was good for us tonight:

    Citeh win = chavs lose and we are ahead in the league.
    Draw = points “dropped” for both so we benefit.
    Chav win = Citeh are beatable so psychologically we can beat them.

    Plus they will have less time to recover.

    Considering tonight’s result then I expect a fiery encounter at the weekend with all to play for.

  133. frenchie

    with zabaleta filling in at left back it is crucial for arsenal to have service for walcott on the right…djourou is not capable of playing the type of balls forward necessary to set lose walcott. i think this was a big issue with the everton match; djourou hesitated and waited and hesitated and waited before making any pass.

  137. DaleDaGooner

    So Glitchy made sure our Invincibility is intact, good boy that, he was always a liability. Now to fuck them on Sunday, Aguero, I hope is limping althrough the week, and “Why always me” I hope he gets an early shower for fouling Song. I would have loved a Chavski loss, but a AbuChavi going unbeaten was at stake.

    So the Lesbian is a bench warmer these days, and The pill popper Toure instructed Glitchy to ensure his Invincibility is intact…loving this.

  138. Goon from BD

    RvP needs to be sharp. There are lots of holes in their central midfield and defence. I think we keep the ball better than Chelsea so we HAVE to make every chance count!!!!

  140. Keyser

    frenchie – The big issue against Everton was us having 3-4 breaks where we were clean through and we couldn’t finish.

    Djourou’s played well he’s just not Sagna and when we’ve got no-one on the other side either it’st wice as resonant.

  145. DaleDaGooner

    Hey, did anyone look at the 125th celebration pics on the website, Howard fucking Webb, i puked in my mouth seeing his bold cuntish face on the pictures! They fucked up with that.

  146. Keyser

    Weird match tonight, at one point with 15-20 minutes to go it looked like Chelsea had nothing and Citeh were happy with the point, our early 2000 teams rarely settled.

    We’ve built up momentum slowly but we’re losing key parts of the defence all over the place, hopefully if we’re as solid at the back we can take the one or two chances we create with Van Persie up front.

    I don’t think we’ll be as resolute if we concede as early as Chelsea did though.

  147. frenchie

    keyser-

    you are right regarding the major issue with everton, but for the majority of the match walcott was ineffective; i consider that an issue due to lack of service. the 3-4 breaks without finishing came from through balls by the midfielders.

    my major complaint about djourou is his indecision. that will cost us against an active city side. silva, balotelli and aguero all could take the ball from him with their eyes blindfolded given the time he spends on the ball, considering the available options. not ideal.

  149. Lurch

    agreed Frenchie,

    Verm plays a load of possession out through Kozer when he’s RB for Theo, not really the sensible thing when Silva & Yaya are poised for mistakes and turnovers in our half with Aguero running the channels.

    Fielding JD is like fielding 10 men.

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