Derby day awaits

by .

Late-breaking post today because I feel… err… a bit warm… and I… have a… k… kind of…cough.

SHUT UP IT’S NOT THAT YOU DRAMA QUEEN.

Quick post regardless.

LT has broken his ankle. We’re really in a bit of a rut when it comes to injuries. Some unlucky, some fatigue looking, some that are just the aftermath of people feeling sad that we really gave Emery 18 months. Yes, it’s a fact that sort of shit can play HAVOC with the muscles. The manager had this to say.

We don’t know! I could not tell you with points. For sure since I joined, the amount of things that happened is enormous, but we just have to try to adapt. It’s part of football. It doesn’t only happen to us, unfortunately it also happens to many other teams. So we cannot be crying about that. It is what it is. Sometimes it’s bad luck, sometimes it’s part of the game we play and sometimes things that we can avoid and do better as well – the coaches or fitness coaches – but it is what it is.

The only silver lining with LT is that he seemed to be fairly out of favour. I think he’ll be shifted back to Italy in the summer if we can find a buyer. We need someone that’s more athletic and about 6 inches taller. Super basic, but I do think this team needs more power in midfield. I think a profile like Denis Zakaria (6’2) would fit really well for us, though I’m sure he’ll have sexier suitors than us this summer… maybe we go younger and a little more inexperienced.

Arteta wouldn’t be drawn on whether he thinks the top 4 is a possibility this season, probably a smart move, the team is very up and down and we’re a bit all over the place.

Beat West Ham on Saturday and we are closer. That’s all I am thinking because a few weeks ago it looked impossible and if we beat West Ham it will look more likely. So that’s the only aim. If game-by-game we go and start grabbing three points and three points and three points, and then we’ll have a chance in the last three or four games of the season.

He won’t say it, but I will. We should be making a very good go of the next 6 games. We need to, at the very least, be in with a shot of top 5 by the time we roll into our stick run of Wolves, Spurs and Leicester. By that time, it’s with the gods, but if our next 6 see 5 wins and a draw, I’ll be very pleased.

One thing is for sure, the remaining fixtures are going to be about the kids and blooding them.

I have to manage the resources that I have at the moment, and they are a big resource at the moment. It’s not just because they are young and they can be good because they are already very good. Some of them can be phenomenal. But they can only be phenomenal or very good if they play in a consistent way and we get them surrounded with good coaching, with good club culture and also with good players around them. We have to support them. I’m ready to support them and they responded.

If we don’t make the Champions League this season, it’s going to be all about the youth next season and we’re going to have to rebuild like Dortmund are. I’d be happy with that, expectations would lower, fans would get behind the team, and we’d probably like the team a lot more than we have during the expensive years.

… but, it would be nice to make the big trophy.

Right, that’s me done. BIG GAME, really need us to be delivering an aggressive win.

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Guns of SF

Nelson for who?
I hope Ozil

Useroz

Mike dean sitting behind VAR??

We also need Martinelli not just Nelson.

Laca was a bad sub

raptora

Paulinho. When will Arteta play his top class CF in the CF role? Till then don’t come with the player poverty bs. I guess Sheffield United have better team than ours.

Aussie Gooner

5 Arsenal ‘defenders’ around 1 Westham player and he still gets a shot on target!

Dissenter

This game is actually built for a protagonist like Martinelli
Arteta didn’t see him playing when he was 14 years old so he won’t ever be the manager’s boy.

Guns of SF

Dani is playing kinda good in spurts..
His passing is off but he is trying to make something happen

Paulinho

Struggling today – versus West Ham – is beside the point.

Are we playing shit football?

Yes we are. Playing West Ham or not is irrelevant.

Useroz

Just hope Nelson is consistent enough for two consecutive games !

Gonsterous

Weird sub. Pepe has been doing well. Don’t understand the in game management of the saucy one.

Useroz

Fucking commentators so fucking one sided!

Nelson

Auba’s touch is so bad.

reality check

Pepe!!! Hes taking off pepe!!!????? Well that confirms it. Arteta has favourites. He wants no smoke from the seniors. shook

Useroz

Fucking diver. Replay shows no contact from Ozil.

Useroz

Luiz hurt

raptora

Martinelli has been the 5th choice attacker. Behind Auba, Pepe, Laca, Nelson. And behind Willock as well. If we need a goal Arteta has played Willock and Nelson but not Nketiah. I swear something doesn’t fit?!?!?!?

Dissenter

Why can’t he just play Auba in there center and put either of Pepe, Nelson or Martinelli around him.
Player poverty can’t be used to excuse some of the shoddy management decisions that we have been seeing.

Samesong

Hammers look more likely to score.

raptora

Arteta definitely has favourites. He wouldn’t touch Ozil for what? 10 games in a row or more?

gazzap

we’re really struggling today to get anything going. Game calls for Martinelli.

Useroz

Martinelli has scored 10 fucking goals hasn’t he?

Yes something doesn’t add up.

Atkinson is another fucker.

Guns of SF

something about Arteta and Gaby..
This entire protecting the young man is such fucking bullshit.
Protect from what????
He is fit and can play… why keep him on the bench because he is young? can get hurt???

Makes no sense… we need him and Arteta is stupid not to play him

TR7

Well you guys have your favorites too. Pepe was really ineffective and was rightly subbed off.

raptora

If someone can explain to me how is Martinelli benched and unused in another game we have to score?!?

Spanishdave

Noble is a diver he knows the ref is weak

Dissenter

Noble is just diving every time
English players have bridged that diving gap

Guns of SF

what is that horrible noise… US viewers??? some sort of vuvuzela??

Habesha Gooner

yeah arteta has his favourites. He isn’t playing anyone due to form. he is just playing his favourites.

Marko

Another drab performance from Ozil as well. Still gonna complete 90 mins though

Useroz

C’mon Antonio! Time wasting. Isn’t this what commentators say 50/50?

Danish Gooner

It is horrible football full of simple basic flaws a Real embarressment

raptora

Ozil with another failed try to assist. Keep him another 90 mins.

MuddyGooner

Shoot you mother f*ckers

Danish Gooner

Our retreat when losing the Ball is woeful.

Dissenter

“Well you guys have your favorites too. Pepe was really ineffective and was rightly subbed off.’

So says the manager’s parrot
Yo were happy with us just having good performances and results didn’t matter.
Now we can’t even perform well but you still keep up with the excuses.

Useroz

Ozil sums up what’s wrong with this team.

Don’t shoot from 15 yards and made yet another stupid pass and West Ham has a counter!!

Guns of SF

Ozil should have shot

gunnerman

Goddamn Ozil was through

MidwestGun

Guns.. no.. just some azzhat fan screaming in the microphone. I think they mike up the away fan section purposely louder to promote the idea of rivalry.

gazzap

why doesn’t Ozil shoot there??!! FFS

Dissenter

Guns of SF
It was a fan behind the microphone

Spanishdave

We are crap
Midfield and attack difunctional
Arteta not doing it we’ve gone back to type

Samesong

That’s the problem with this team no one bloody shoots.

Useroz

Who’s going to be able to reach that ffs. Xhara.

MuddyGooner

Ceballos the only one that turned up today

Zacharse

Really disappointed w ozil.

reality check

We have our favourites but we are not PAID to produce the best team possible to win the game. Pepe was more effective and impactful than most of the players still on the pitch. That sub doesn’t have ARSENALS best interests at heart. That sub was a man avoiding problems for himself. Over doing whats best for Arsenal. How can you justify a professional manager choosing favourites over choosing the best man for the job? Ridiculous statement from you, mate.

Useroz

Fucking offside?? Really??

Ishola70

Xhaka did well there defensively.

raptora

Goal LETS GO

Spanishdave

Laca you fick

PieAFC

Arteta has to try and play two wingers either side of Auba through the middle.

Neither Laca or Eddie. Just Auba centrally. Martinelli/Nelson/Saka/Pepe

Either side. Let the goalscorer do what he does. Leave him where hes most effective.

Useroz

Who’s offside?? Not from replay.

raptora

OBVIOUS GOAL LETS GOOOOOOO

Dissenter

It’s not offside

MidwestGun

Fuck sake.

Useroz

Go to court if this isn’t a goal

Paulinho

Get in.

Dissenter

Freaking goal

Guns of SF

ozil onside

raptora

Auba created this with his failed shot.

Useroz

Mike dean calling mike Riley???

gunnerman

Why can’t Ozil just shoot ffs?

Dissenter

Why is taking so long

MuddyGooner

VAR is embarrassing
Should be a goal

TR7

Dissenter

Can you find one comment of mine making excuses for Arteta or is it you making up stuff as per ? Pepe was ineffective, Laca has done.more.in 10 mins.

Dissenter

This is corruption

gazzap

that’s a goal – that is NOT offside. that has to stand. MUST stand.

Useroz

VAR is Mike Riley’s corrupt tool.

gunnerman

First VAR call going our way

Guns of SF

goal@

Spanishdave

It’s a goal and they are trying their hardest to disallow it

MuddyGooner

Gooooaalllll

Danish Gooner

Var fuckers.

Paulinho

They were desperate to not give that goal.

Moray

Good subs…

MuddyGooner

Common sense prevails at last

TheLegendaryDB10

10 hours later….

MidwestGun

Finally… my God.

Dissenter

TR7
Laca stepped into the Nkettiah role
Nothing to do with Pepe

Try to keep up

gazzap

still waiting. VAR is a total farce. who the fuck is in control of this??!!

Guns of SF

Please do not concede now….

raptora

Super fkin obvious they didn’t want to give this goal away. Fkin hell. As obvious as it gets.

MuddyGooner

Watch us concede now 🤨

TheLegendaryDB10

It was so obvious that it was a goal!!!

Come on The Arsenal!!!

Unbelievable. An actual VAR decision went our way!

Dissenter

Paulinho
:”They were desperate to not give that goal.’

Precisely the point
They should be favoring the attacker.It’s all about protecting the referee’s blushes.

Useroz

FFS. You can tell on TV VAR in 3 seconds

Fucking Mike Riley clowns hiding behind the VAR took ages!!

Destroy the PL as a global product. Corruption at play for sure.

PieAFC

We needed that. Fuck me. VAR – that’s crazy to see how long that took to do that.

The money in football, had that been disallowed with no VAR. Wed all hate it.

The wait sucks. But that’s the fine margin from being in the CL to not.

Fans have to deal with it.

TheLegendaryDB10

Un

Absolutely.

The cunts

Dissenter

He will give a penalty Forna Mark Noble dive

gazzap

fucking VAR desperate not to allow that goal. Wankers! was a mile onside.

Guns of SF

Oh shit

Useroz

Keep attack going. Don’t think only defending for the remaking 8 mins.

Asking for trouble already.

Dissenter

We haven’t been good tbh
The scoreline is against the run of play

Guns of SF

Leno again

Leftside

That silly lineswoman and var are a joke

Marko

Really need to win this

TR7

‘Laca stepped into the Nkettiah role
Nothing to do with PepeTry to keep up’

No the point is not abt who replaced whom. It’s abt how you judge effective contribution. Pepe wasn’t that good today. Laca has come in and made a difference, that’s effectiveness.

Pierre

Leno done very well today …

Samesong

Auba is getting me mad today wtf is he doing.

MuddyGooner

We can’t stop crosses and can’t defend
Leno to the rescue …. again