A bit of a nothing game against Southampton today. It’s at home, where we’re unbeaten in 22 games against them. They are also very deep in a relegation battle.
That said, Arsenal are having big problems focusing when games don’t matter. Burnley are right up our backsides again, with just 2 points in it (they have played one more games than us), so if we don’t want further humiliation, it’d make sense for us to try and create some daylight.
The Southampton story is an interesting one this year. They’ve relied heavily on their neverending supply of talented kids, along with their keen eye for scouting to see them through absolutely brutal summers. That strategy isn’t a long-term one, and this year, it initially seemed like they’d hired poorly, but now it just looks like they sold too many players and recruited badly. Puel went to Leicester and they’re having a solid season (despite losing to Newcastle yesterday), whilst the Saints flirt hard with relegation.
The game also carries a pointless milestone for us… if we win, it’d take our win total at the Emirates to 150. What a moment, bust me out a party popper and let’s celebrate with an expensive pint of Carlsberg.
Injury news is Mikki will not be making it, due to an injury on Thursday. Ospina wouldn’t be making it anyway, but he’s also injured. Southampton are missing Lemina, a player linked with us last year.
I’m hoping to see another rampaging Aaron Ramsey game. His season is looking like a fine one. As much as I love watching him devastate shite teams, I really think we should be looking to sell him in the summer at top whack. Replace him with someone who can maintain fitness all the time. I know that’s not a popular opinion, but I do think the fanbase are desperate to grab onto anything, and I’m just not quite sure I’m a believer.
No doubt in a smarter system, we’d get to see his true potential. If the Welshman has any sense, he’ll flee Arsenal if Wenger is offered a new deal. There is no excuse for wasting your prime years under the failing Frenchman, unless of course no one else will give you the money you want… then you’re not really in it for the right reasons. So whatever.
Right, that’s me done. Enjoy the game, we’ll be recording a podcast for your ears on Monday morning.
SEE YOU IN THE COMMENTS.
1st
2nd
3rd
Trophy
Take the 5
Sixto!
7
Oacho
Nine
Ginormous 10!
Top 10
Levin
12
Drat…No Thirdeen!
Coffeecakes for Everyone!
Hah – Your Comment Here
Must say, I’m very disappointed that Southampton have declined so poorly. Would fery much like for them to stay up, but its not looking good going to the end for them. Well analyzed, Pedro.
11th for you today, Waldo!
So it is true afterall, Bankz does sleep!!!
Stop!!!!
Good to see that Waldo stopped it before things got too crazy. DM’s record could have been in jeopardy.
Thumbs up to Frankie!
One thing that I’ve missed this season are Saturday kick-offs. I don’t remember the last time we had a 9am in the US/15:00 match? The Europa League run has been fun, however I miss watching Arsenal on Saturdays.
I would think more of Aaron Ramsey as professional footballer if he a) has the brains to realize Granny Wenger is finished and b) the guts to act on this and move to a club where he can fulfill his potential. If he signs a contract and stays on easy street under Wenger for his whole career, that’s a real cowardly move. Kudos to Ox for jumping ship for the sake of his career. Good on him.
Thanks Boom!
I was going to stop at 15 to be honest. Some records are not meant to be broken! LOL
@MW – I have a feeling that Ramsey is going to wait to see what happens at AFC in the next year to decide what his future looks like. I cant fathom many wanting to stick around if Wenger sticks around. Quite frankly, he’s a career killer and now has become box office poison.
Very sad day in Canada as a junior hockey team from Humboldt, Saskatchewan was on its way by bus to a playoff game. The bus was hit from the side by a large truck and of the 29 passengers, 15 did not make it – ages of the youngsters were between 18 and 21. A tragic loss of young lives and a devastating blow to a tight knit community. As someone who grew up playing hockey and took many a team bus to games, this one hits home very hard. My sincerest prayers and hopes to the families, truly a… Read more »
@frankie 100% agree. It says a lot about the ambition of the individual when they commit their peak years to Wenger when they could still force a move elsewhere. Baffled by Aubamayang and Ozil signing up for precisely this. Their priorities are obviously not to hit the big time. Just to pick up the paycheck, have fun at training and soak up the plaudits when they turn in a worldie performance against dross like CSKA. Ox scoring that screamer in CL knockout versus a Guardiola side says it all really. Surely someone like Ramsey looks at that and wants some… Read more »
MW
Everything you’ve said about Ramsey/Ozil/Auba is correct.
The Ox had that ambition but, more significantly, knew that if he stayed at Arsenal, he would stagnate.
PS: All the players at AFC know that Wenger is finished!
Sanchez 2 assist and a pre assist against city. the only big game player we had. still mad at the mismanagement from wenger…
Michael24
The Ox’s father, who is also his agent, has a lot do with the Ox leaving the club. I’ve got a hunch that the Wenger Out protests must have somewhst opened their eyes to what was going on at the club, among other things.
The Ox’s goal is to emulate his father and be as (more) succesful than he was.
Looks like Pedro posted around tea time today. We had coffee cupcakes ad nauseum on offer.
Cant see Ramsey wanting to stay under current Arsenal leadership…
left side
Don’t see it too. Let’s hope his love for money, values and stability don’t curtail his career.
Since Arsenal board don’t want to pull the trigger on Wenger they will have to make do with having to replace our better players every season or pay over the boards to keep the ones foolish enough to stay
MW
Good point
Imagine if the entire squad slapped in transfer requests en mass. That would shock the board so hard they might even spill their brandy
Don’t see it too. Let’s hope his love for money, values and stability don’t curtail his career.
Seriously? He absolutely signs on it’s his love of all things money and being unaccountable that means he stays. Being at Arsenal is the pinnacle for players like him and Wilshere they’re not going to go to even bigger clubs and play there. Best case scenario for either one of them is they stay here picking up a big wage with inconsistent performances throughout or they join teams like Newcastle or Everton
Man City’s season has suddenly imploded.
Can they turn it around against Liverpool on Tuesday? Possible, but based on their last two performances, unlikely.
If Aguero/Sane/Silva/KDB are on fire and City’s defence is solid, they may be able to pull it off.
Trouble is, Liverpool will score and if that happens, City would have to score five.
Whatever happens, it’s going to be an interesting night at the Etihad.
I’m not sure it’s imploded. Liverpool are capable of beating anyone on their day and City are still going to win the title about 10 points ahead of second. Two trophies isn’t bad
“Man City’s season has suddenly imploded.”
I would give anything to see again Arsenal explode like this one day.
*explode/implode, whatever…
My kids team done an Arsenal today beat the top and second team in consecutive weeks and lose to a lower team.
Ok, maybe “imploded” is too strong a word.
Wenger; “’Sanchez was at the end of his contract, [Ramsey] has a year and four month left”
This deceitful man won’t stop lying. Sanchez wasn’t always at the end of his contract. He purposely took it to the end to engage in brinksmanship. Wenger knows that yet he won’t stop making up stuff.
Ramsey is playing the same game because we set a precedent with Ozil. Hismagents will be daft not to use the clock running out to strong-arm us.
***His agents ***
City have been playing brilliant attacking football for 8mths now. they’ll finish the season with close to 100pts. how can anyone say they’re imploding after one bad result, and another where they switched off trying to conserve energy for a more important game?
Wallace he already took the word back
“Seriously? He absolutely signs on it’s his love of all things money and being unaccountable that means he stays. Being at Arsenal is the pinnacle for players like him and Wilshere they’re not going to go to even bigger clubs and play there. Best case scenario for either one of them is they stay here picking up a big wage with inconsistent performances throughout or they join teams like Newcastle or Everton”
Spot on Marko.
mystic
I’ve read a couple of articles laying into Pep since last Wednesday night. find it genuinely baffling. I can’t think of a PL winning side that has played at their level over such a long period of time.
Quite hilarious reading the green eyed jealousy on BBC sport today…. all of a sudden guardiola is clueless and city have lost the plot ! Really ???!
Seems Stan’s Colorado Avalanche hockey team has made the NHL Playoffs. Looks like his Arsenal team appears to be his shittiest team right now. Who would have saw that one coming? Everyone!!!
Wallace, you Guardiola fanboys are ridiculous. Get it in your head, not everyone thinks the Sun shines out of his backside.
Not everyone finds it impressive a coach winning the PL after buying a billion pound team.
Not everyone agrees with the conferred title ‘Best coach in the whole wide Universe’ to a guy who has done nothing of note in the CL ever since he left Barca and Messi.
The list of managers that Arsenal has passed on over the last few years is actually as impressive as the list of quality footballers that Wenger has passed on over the years. The longer the board waits, the worse this will get, and for a longer term.
Seven changes today – Nelson starts.
Cech, Bellerin, Mustafi, Chambers, Kolasinac, Elneny, Xhaka, Nelson, Welbeck, Iwobi, Aubameyang
Subs: Macey, Lacazette, Wilshere, Ozil, Holding, Monreal, Nketiah.
Not confident with the lineup.
Who is going to create?
“Who is going to create?”
Iwobi !!!!!!!
The second you see Welbeck and Iwobi together in attack you know its going to be a turgid watch
Dinny Welchunk and Alex Iwontbe to the rescue today!
Wenger obviously wants to give Southampton a leg up in their relegation fight.
The team selection is damn wrong. The game is going to be difficult to watch.
It just shows how bad the squad has become. We are even light weight for the Europa league level.
How does a Europa league team give out wages of 300-350k weekly?
Rambo Ramsey
“Not everyone finds it impressive a coach winning the PL after buying a billion pound team.”
we’ve got probably the best collection of managers at the top teams the PL has ever seen and he’s f*ckin’ strolled it. they’ve smashed everyone.
We won’t of course mention the ridiculous wages being paid at Arsenal for their stellar performances, will we Rambo?
Fuck a duck, barring nelson, this is one of the worst “midfield” selections I’ve seen in an Arsenal team…. for a Prem league match of course
Really pleased Reiss Nielsen given a chance in an attacking role, think he has a chance to impress.
Iwobi gets so much stick…sure he needs to improve but always shows for the ball and combines really well. Would give me a lot of pleasure if he does well today. Certain people would say it’s only Southampton. Personally I have a lot of goodwill to players who come through our academy.
Anyway, better head of to the game, nasty weather will be the excuse for thousands not turning up today!
Quite frankly I’m surprised that Wenger hasn’t trudged out Mertesacker to play. Oh yeah thats right, Merts too weak kneed to play any longer. FFS!
Thank goodness Arsenal aren’t playing Notts County with a lineup like this one. Might have lost by a goal instead!
Seems Stan’s Colorado Avalanche hockey team has made the NHL Playoffs. Looks like his Arsenal team appears to be his shittiest team right now. Who would have saw that one coming? Everyone!!!
I’ll have to remind Alexander of this.
Also I find it quite funny a Ramsey fanboy giving a Guardiola fanboy abuse.
There are lots of empty seats.
I wonder what Wenger will say now.
3 minutes in and Welbeck is shite and Tadic is a cunt. Who knew
Would have made sense to try laca and auba as front 2 today.
Wonder what Wengers excuse will be this time for the lack of attendance. The whole stadium should be empty though. Those who still attend are disgraceful.
This is a dreadful starting XI.
@steve
Wenger is shameless. He will act as if it was in some other stadium in italy.
Would have made sense to try laca and auba as front 2 today.
And if Lacazette who just returned from injury picked up a knock what then
Mustafi is such a joke for such an expensive defender. Holy shet!
Cech has started recirculating the ball back to the opposition.
Defence and midfield is still shocking
Iwobi is gash. A new manager would clear him out; Wenger would persist with him for another decade.
Anyone surprised ?
Mustafi blunder. Easy to predict.
There you go Burnley
Classic Cech and Mustafi
Cech isn’t covered in glory either.
He should be communicating with his defenders as well. Mustafi should have handled it.
This XI has absolutely no idea what to do with the ball in the final third. Passing it around and around without purpose.
Not that Cech is clean. But Mustafi should have closed the gap between him and the ball absolutely no matter what. Shitty defender.
Mustafi – £35m worth of pavement poo.
Shane Long is a pond scum striker bog standard completely shocking as a forward he’s scored one goal in his last 47 games and lo and behold against Arsene FC he gets a goal. Absolutely shocking defence and midfield and I’m afraid that one example is why Mustafi absolutely has to be binned in the summer. Fucking dogshite he is
Mustafi I want to see he’ s work permit?
Because he’s not a footballer.
Terrible from Mustafi. Poor positioning, terrible decision making. Yikes.
You honestly couldn’t make this shit up ! That goal was ALL on mustafi, you’re a defender, fucking defend you cunt.
Reiss Nelson is supposed to be a dribbler. Why doesn’t he ever try to beat his man. He’s been sucked into the lateral passing nonsense.
Ramsey rested again, pathetic.
Is Welbeck still playing?
@Marko
Can substitute him after we score a goal or 2. We can say the same for anyone for that matter
The graveyard called…they want their corpses back!
Fuck me…paint is watching Arsenal dry.
Keep in mind as well that Elneny and Xhaka are the midfielders today. A defensive shield if you will…I kid you not. Worst group of midfielders we’ve seen in 20 years none of them should be offered new deals.
Not as many empty seats this week. Shame.
We keep trying to pass through the middle? Pathetic Wengerism.
In this sea of averageness a Ramsey takes the ball and tries a possitive play. A Sanchez does the same.
The ones playing at the moment, prefer to move the ball to the left and then to the right. Then a back pass, then to the left, then a back pass again. We have to get rid of so many players holy shit…
Why wont he pay Eddie Nkettia ahead oil Donkey Welbeck?