Pheeeeeewwwwwwww!
Did Arsenal need that win yesterday!
WBA made 11 changes. They rolled with kids. BUT WHO CARES.
6 goals was the medicine to the illness of the last two weeks.
Bukayo Saka dominating the game with his special talents.
Martin Odegaard showing that, actually, he’s pretty decent.
AUBA SHOWING UP LIKE A F*CKING KING.
Scoring 6 goals after barely threatening for two games was a huge, huge relief.
West Brom away in the league cup 2nd round is exactly the sort of game bigger players don’t want to play and can quite often tank in. The side they rolled out was particularly weak, so there was never really a chance they were going to do that… but be honest with me, you would NOT have been shocked going off the reaction of the last two games.
So what did we like?
Auba turned up like a captain with a point to prove and it made me feel footballistically frisky. I don’t care who knows it either. We have not seen that energy in a while. He played through the middle, he chased down lost causes, he made speculative runs… and he finished like a demon. I liked all his goals.
Is he going to do that against City? Probably not. It’s an entirely different game, but if he gets two chances in that game, I wouldn’t be shocked to see him score one of them.
Bukayo Saka looked the sharpest physically he has all season. He was relentless with his runs, his passing was sharp, and the goal he scored when Martin Odegaard backheeled a ball into his path was PEAK Arsenal. That’s what we need to see more of in the league this season.
Can I have a little shout-out for the away fans? You could hear them over the other side of the pond. I thought the home fans were excellent at the weekend, but the away fans for a midweek game were exceptional. I’m so happy about that.
Martin Odegaard looked fit and raring to go. He has a great connection with Saka, he controls the ball under pressure really well, and when he’s ready to make a lethal pass, it’s usually a good one. He’s the missing finesse we’ve been waiting for in the final third. He doesn’t have the all-action hero vibes of ESR, but he compliments what he has with a devastating final pass vision. I am VERY happy we signed him for a relative pittance.
Can we touch on a negative? What the hell was Arteta thinking with Kola as centre-back? We’ve been trying to kick him out of the club for months, now he’s taking minutes in defence? Felt a little bit nuts, I have to say. It was either some galaxy brain aberration, or it was a weird cryptic statement. The only way I could accept this is if Cal Chambers is right back for the City game at the weekend.
We also might want to have a little conversation about Nicolas Pepe. Have we regressed again? He’s just not the full ticket. His decision-making, even against kids, was very off-key. I can’t work it out, he’s either about to explode… or this is just him, hot and cold, all the time.
Aaron Ramsdale looked really solid. His kicking was strong, he’s brave from crosses, and his shot-stopping was pretty sharp. Early days, but he looks like a character.
Great pic.
Despite all the negativity from our fans and the media, there really is a togetherness amongst our players. pic.twitter.com/ahjRC8in3d— Martin Wengrow (@MartinWengrow) August 26, 2021
Also… I love this picture. Cleansheet on his debut. Great stuff.
Ainsley made an appearance. He set the ball rolling in midfield for one of the goals and his speed helped bail Mo out of another loss of position in midfield. I’d love him to just accept he’s a right back. It seems such a waste of talent to watch him piss his career down the toilet over a preference when he could be one of the best right-backs in the league.
So what did we learn? Well, more senior players in the starting 11 will generally make Arsenal better in any game. We will still get beaten by City on Sunday, we likely have to accept that fate, but after the break, when everyone is back, there’s no reason we can’t go on a run of games and catch up. I totally get that there are problems at Arsenal, but the reaction to two defeats has been absurd considering the number of players we’ve missed, and the circumstances we lost them in. A 6-0 win against WBA kids doesn’t prove anything… but that feeling you got after it shows that if Arteta gets it right after the break, he can start to win some hearts and minds… something he really, really needs to do. It’s still a big lift, but let’s maybe hold back the #ArtetaOut banners until we’ve seen what the football looks like with our best players.
One final thing. There’s not a lot of it, but there’s a bit to merit comment. If your first thought after a 6-0 loss is how to frame other fans joy as an issue, you’re lost. You either don’t understand fan culture, or something is broken. Football is about joy. If you cannot enjoy your team scoring 6 goals and keeping a clean sheet, why bother? Being unhappy with a mauling isn’t standards, it’s a misunderstanding of fan culture. It’s such a shame that there’s traction for that sort of carry-on, because if you went to a pub after a game with that sort of reaction, you’d be laughed out the door. I’ve no time for that. Weird that some people do. What a sad footballing existence.
NEXT CONTENT PLEASE:
We did an On The Whistle last night. Johnny was back after ditching us for BBC 5 LIVE. We talk about the goals, the psychology of an audience, what fan opinion is all about, and some of the new signings.
P.S. Can I just say, I am VERY thankful for the people that support our live streams, videos, and podcasts. It’s been a bit of a slog building an audience, but it’s blown up over the last 6 months and I am VERY thankful for the support. x
i have to say i thought pepe was excellent (again) last night. that front three of auba/saka/pepe seemed to link up together very well. pepe was involved in most of the good things we did and was unlucky not to get a couple more goals himself. from where i am standing, he just needs to have a bit more belief in himself and run at players as soon as he gets it instead of checking back and passing inside as he does so often. when he does that, he is very very hard to stop. he’s a very good finisher… Read more »
Bob Unless Auba is razor sharp it has to be Laca everyday of the week. Genuinely believe the following is the ‘best’ quartet we can field up top on most occasions: ———Laca ESR—Ode—Saka Subs: Auba, Pepe, Eddie, Martinelli, Willian. Which causes me to question what we’re doing with Willian/Eddie leaning out. I’m all for that, but without an incoming seems a bit odd. Balogun doesn’t look close to the level, and that’s not even touching Laca in his final 12 months. It’s very messy. My ideal world sees Willian, Laca, Eddie depart, Balogun get a loan, and us recruiting a… Read more »
Benny, great to see you back!
Thanks! Great to be back!
Ornstein interview w/ Wilshire very good, poor guy looking somewhat broken with zero offers.
Sid, you were never gone, but it’s good to see you here regardless
My bad, its you who was gone after the Brentford debacle looool,
Missed you though!
Arsenal win and le grove comments don’t make it past the first page. This site really is a stress reliever for most fans
We got to thank pedro for chugging out them posts. Long may it continue. I don’t know why but I had convinced myself pedro had long hair and looked Spanish till I saw him on his video.
Anyway looking British never goes out of style.
What does everyone think of the qatari royal family tweet that had our logo and 7 months
They are looking to acquire a prem team hopefully it’s us
Gonsterous 😂
Is Benny the same poster as ‘Sid”
Dissenter keep up.
Encouraging signs after finding the bottom, hoping we carry some kind of performance into City regardless of outcome.
The Ode – Saka train rolling heavy.
S.Asoa thanks for that link. A very balanced article. Depressing but predictable that Conte wont come. All the rest sounds too true. Painful to read the truth, Arsenal are a big club only in name these days. I guess we have to hope the Kroenke’s get sick of ploughing money into a lost cause.
I’m 60, so I definitely don’t need anyone to tell me when I should or should not get excited about my team. “You don’t understand fan culture or something is broken” Really Pedro? After more than fifty years following my beloved Arsenal, I don’t understand fan culture. Freezing my balls off going to games in the seventies and eighties , standing on the terraces watching the likes of Bob Wilson, Charlie George, Liam Brady, Frank Stapleton, Tony Adams, Ian Wright. Travelling all around the country, as well as abroad and I don’t understand fan culture. I’m pleased we won last… Read more »
Serge
If it meant a Chelsea type board who sack their manager every year unless one of the two major trophies are won, then I never thought I’d hear myself saying it but yes I’m up for it although there are probably loads of reasons why not
Actually we could have that under any regime if the will was there instead of this never ending long term project we seem to have been on ever since 2006
Graham62 – snap! We were probably sharing many a cold terrace together back then!
Talking of which has brought back memories of the North Bank in the winter when there was ice on the terraces
You had to stand on the bloody stuff for nearly
3 hours and it always gave me a massive headache
Graham, if you are whining after a 6-0 win, telling fans they have low standards for enjoying a result, you’ve lost your way. I will always, always, always tell someone that behaviour like that is bang out of line, and if you have been mixing it up with match day fans, you absolutely know you’d get booed out of a pub if you came with a negative attitude like that after a game.
one of the only things i could think of watching Tavares play yesterday was if he came to Arsenal to turn into a left winger and follow saka’s lead…That guy has the raw electricity we need in new recruits.
Ode is back and i think his style unlocks a lot of our attack. seeing auba warming back up for a long brutal season was killer, would love to see him score on saturday even if we lose. hopefully we can play a reasonably solid game without cracking after 15 mins come sat.
baby steps
and no kdb on sat looks like. big help
loving this ramsdale quote
“Yeah, [it was] special. I wasn’t expecting the reception I got, so a big thanks to the fans for that. A packed away end on a Wednesday night in the second round of the Carabao Cup shows the passion that the supports have and we put on a good performance for them. As debuts go, it’s one of the better ones.”
Pedro
Chill out bro
We beat the B-team of a championship team, need to put the win in perspective.
You’re missing the point Graham, of course you are entitled to feel how you like after any Arsenal match but if we’ve just had a resounding win regardless of circumstances, why post-match would anybody,who is enjoying the moment, want to be brought down by a misery guts?
Don’t be a buzz killer, I guess is the message!
If felt like the pre-season offensive play since Saka and Ode weren’t around for the proper preseason.
Glad for Auba though. Good to see him flash those gnashers
Again Dissenter, why be a buzz killer?
We all know what the opposition was like. This season has been two weeks of shit being a Gooner so when we get our first win ( and goals) for the season, can’t we just enjoy it for say 24 hours before we face up to PL reality again?
Belotti for 20m? maybe laca still headed out the door? belotti seems closer to a laca type player…
wouldnt mind seeing a new striker in the door
Pedro Why the attitude? I was telling you something from the heart, is that “whining “? Did I say anything about belittling other fans? No I didn’t. Jesus, you’ve become a different person since Arteta arrived at the club. Are you the same Pedro that pushed for change and progession towards the end of AW’s reign? Maybe you should allow Arsenal fans to have their own opinion on things rather than try and force your own highly questionable perceptions on them. I think you need to review the affect your own take on things has on others and just accept… Read more »
Thank fuck Dissenter is here to hammer home the irrelevance of an emphatic Arsenal win.
Agree with you Graham62.
Happy we won but over the moon as some expect us to be. I’ll prefer winning my first two games of the season than winning a cup game against a WBA fringe side..
Arsenal is the only club in living memory to have a building project that never gets completed yet changes materials at will.
Bob N16
Ok, your not a lawyer but do you have anytime to do with mediation?
Appreciate your feedback but I don’t need anyone to tell me how I should feel after we’ve just beaten a team who probably wouldn’t hack it in Division 3 or Division 4. It was a training session.
Hopefully positives can come out of it.
*but not over the moon
you’re not
Graham, you’re conflating two separate issues, Pedro’s ‘support of Arteta’ and not welcoming misery directly after an Arsenal win
Everybody, Pedro, you, me etc are fully entitled to have an opinion; what a boring state of affairs if we all had exactly the same opinion though. Pedro, to use my words, suggested being a buzz killer straight after an Arsenal game is not welcome. Why do you then go all ‘ big picture’?
Graham, I’ m not telling you how you should feel, of course I have no right to do that. I’ m just agreeing with Pedro that there is time and a place for cold reality but not after a resounding Arsenal win.
Kay, who wouldn’t have been happier to win our first two PL games over an EFL win against Chamionship opposition?
Bob, Bob, Bob……. let others say it as it is and stop trying to balance things out all the time. You are “the deflector” of LG.
Maybe once in a while you should pass an honest opinion on something.
It’ll do you good.
I think this weekend, I would like to see us perform at a much better level. I want to see improvements. This will be telling. I know its gonna be a loss, but how we go out, tactics, formations, etc will show whether we are moving up or not.
because everyone who is happy about arsenal winning and showing some style is actually being dishonest?
beep beep boop boop
robot man types keys on the keyboard
Graham52 is as tough as they get, the less said about SpongeBob the better
Graham quite right it’s about perspective. A lot on here are still infatuated with Arteta and are desperate for him to succeed. Why ?who knows . There are many experienced managers out there so why let a rookie beginner use our club to learn? We are drifting down the ladder and every year that passes the cost to get back up gets greater. Sponsors drop off and we go down to the second tier. If we use a game like last night to measure his ability then god help us. He put out almost the first team so he’s given… Read more »
Spanishdave
Be a bit odd if you were’t desperate for Arteta to succeed surely? He’s Arsenal manager.
Arteta is useless, we will not get anywhere with him.
Graham62
I’m 60,
——
If you were born in 1962 then how can you be 60?!
At least in worst case scenario we will win the Championship next year.
Graham, I’ m not sure where I’ve been dishonest?
Seedy, never heard of Graham52, bit of a hard man is he? Being hard is your thing of course.
SpanishDave, there are very few posters supporting Arteta’s continued employment. I would love Arteta to succeed, doesn’t mean I think he will. Why wouldn’t you like him to succeed, if he succeeds, Arsenal would have to be succesful too?
Lithuaniangooner, worst case scenario is that a f*cking enormous asteroid hits, much more likely than Arsenal getting relegated!
We are the one clu/the Qataris would love to get their hands on but convincing the krankies will be diff unless they get an offer they can’t refuse.IMO I.e 2.5/3 billion.would make them start to twitch.
The nightmare scenario would be the spuds.Enough said.🙈
Azeez off to Portsmouth on loan, same manager that took ESR to Huddersfield. Be nice to see him come back next season ready to stake a claim.
And in other news Benjamin Mandy has been arrested, suspended by City, and will almost certainly be seeing his contract terminated.
‘What a day’ – Harvey Price.
I’m just trying to be positive,
Danny
Ok, I’ll be sixty in midJanuary.
Feel 60!
CC, just seen that… grim stuff.
Pedro
City will be gleefully terminating that contract, what a bum for 50m. But really grim in reality, some weird stuff happening up north lately.
You see Azeez going out for his ESR baptism under Dan Cowley? Be great to see him breakout and come back hungry. Anything to expedite Elneny’s exit.
https://www.football.london/arsenal-fc/transfer-news/miguel-azeez-arsenal-portsmouth-loan-21410576
Pepe is not a winger. He’s an inside forward hence why he s at his best facing the goal post, hence all the goals and assists. He can dribble and definitely beat a guy or 2. But have him in a half 10/ inside forward position and watch him go.
Also if he must be played on the left wing, have him combining with a no 10, a Smith rowe or Odegaard. Stop isolating the guy.
Graham, no attitude at all, you seem to think that comment in the post was directed at you.
Criticise, of course.
Talk about getting to a better Arsenal, of course
Fly your Arteta out banner over the stadium, of course
But shitting on fans after a 6-0 win is beyond embarrassing and simply wouldn’t be accepted anywhere else bar the internet. If you want to accuse fans of having low standards for enjoying a mauling, you are doing football wrong. That’s not an opinion, it’s a fact.
CC, very excited about that. Think he’s got some talent. Glad he’s taking an English loan as well. I read that Patino will not go out on loan, wonder if that’s because he’s so good, or he’s staying to bulk a bit?
Champagne CharlieAugust 26, 2021 16:28:58
SpanishdaveBe a bit odd if you were’t desperate for Arteta to succeed surely? He’s Arsenal manager
This is correct I want him to succeed by default
He won’t but I want him to as I support the team
Pedro Patino looks 12-18 months off it physically, but hear they’re very keen to fast track him into the first team which is interesting. Maybe going to take the Foden approach with him and just keep him about the seniors until his body can hack the minutes. The yute is showing signs of life which is fantastic, just need to see a bit of an assault on the senior members to really shift the needle. Hopeful that we pull the Aouar move late in the day with a loan to buy, he’s got some x-factor about him. Laca staying grates… Read more »
I would like the qataris to buy out Stan why can’t we be oil rich ?
Imagine if the bought spurs 🤮🤮🤮
Good game to get some confidence into the players and for auba to remember where the net is. The opposition was very very poor and at times we made them look like they could take us which is worrying. Arteta needs to take a page out of wengers book and stfu and sit down and watch the game instead of giving directions none of the players actually see. It’s just distracting the players and I believe that’s the biggest issue right now. He needs to tell his players what to do and let them do it ffs. If something is… Read more »
Please tell me if city sign Ronaldo that he’ll be ineligible to play Saturday. That fucker loves scoring against us
just had to be a fall guy huh, Nico’s turn is it smh.
Lads take it easy on Woodro and Bobster,
Heavens knows they’re not gonna get a lot of opportunities. Most of the season would probably be awol from the Comments section 😉
Bloody hell Graham – fancy claiming you’re 60 well before you’re even there! I nearly asked the same thing as Danny but assumed 62 stood for something else (although can’t think what)
I was hanging on to 59 until the dying minutes !
One word of advice – try to avoid the Victor Meldrew school of thought along the way mate ! 😆
CC, wild that Lyon turned down 50m for Auoar last season, now they can’t even entice a loan or a fanciful bid.
Pedro My first thought after our 6-0 win was based on reality and, importantly, to go to the shop before they closed to get some bread and milk. We had just beaten a lower level team in the EFL Cup 6-0 and, when I mean lower level, I mean a WBA second and third XI. Was I happy? To a degree, yes I was but, putting everything into perspective, I certainly wasn’t going to shout out from the roof tops “We’ve just beaten WBA ‘B’ team 6-0” We found the net. Aubameyang got a hat trick, Saka and Odegaard looked… Read more »
Pedro
Very weird, suggests lots of baggage. But you wonder what sort of baggage we’re talking, because at some point his talent must be worth the risk. Unless it’s suggested he’s Taraabt/Balotelli levels of wasteman?
Northbanker
We all feel and act differently.
House number.
What’s embarrassing is anyone over the age of sixteen getting excited about beating up lower division sides in the Carling cup.
It is sad that Arsenal is no more involved in UEFA activity.
Villarreal is in group one. Ha!
CC,
After dealing with Guendozi, I’m guessing Tets wants nothing to do with Aouar especially when compared to Odegaard….who seems no drama at all
Ben Mendy just charged w rape in manchester.
Aouar have a heart condition or something that we’re not privy to? Or degenerative knees? Bizarre that nobody is in for him at such a snip.
Good win and more importantly performance last night against an admittedly 2nd string Championship side but still, a confidence boosting hat-rick for a bang out of form Aubameyang is always welcome.
Wouldnt be surprised if we, or someone, took him on loan a little closer to deadline day eagle
Toniboy
I can get that, especially with the age of our current squad and them needing a level of direction from more senior players. Much easier to absorb a talented fucking idiot in an uber talented squad of seasoned elites.
But, Aouar has ridiculous ability and there will be a side out there weighing it up surely.
Some fucked up shit happening lately between what Sigurdsson and Mendy now have been charged/accused of.
4 counts of r*ape, christ.
Chelsea won the CL but the best defender goes to Dias.
Not to be too cynical but i wouldnt mind seeing the man city dressing room a little shaky come saturday because of this. Take what you can get. As for the rest of it, no one likes to see it
Nelson maybe they should have given the award to rudiger for his amazing defending in the final
Noise that Arsenal and Palace are getting closer to a fee for Eddie.
12 mil plus 3 in add ons, including a sell on clause, the latest being considered.
It’s a bank hol weekend so getting last minute business is going to be very tight as only tomorrow and Tuesday in reality
Aouar is like an eBay bid – everyone is hanging back until the dying seconds
CC
Thats good damn news. Hopefully the rumours of a bid for belotti are on
Nbank
Could be a case of many clubs wanting him on loan and them wanting a sale…
Aouar is simply a level of quality that you take a punt on, barring something disturbing in the medical or his private life.
Zacharse
HAven’t seen those rumours? Bit agricultural isnt he? And a midget. Suppose I could see the sense if he’s a relentless mover, not ball tingling though.
PSG amd MC in same group.
CC
I dont know about agricultural, hes been bangin them in at torino for a while and looked strong if a bit green during the euros. Looks like a more epl physical version of laca. Not short more avg
”And a midget.”
Lol, he is the same height as Ben White.
Guess Mendy won’t be playing on Saturday. Charged with four counts of rape.
Not mad on Belotti really, no he’s not a slick mover or particularly gifted with the ball at his feet.
Good marskman though and physical as Zacharse says.
Kante won best midfielder.
Belottis goal stats arent amazing. Is he a step up on eddie? Big time. Balogun is too rough to be relied on right now
Zacharse
He’s 28 in December, hoping you mean literally green or he’s sounding a bit like Pepe II. He’s not a midget at all I take that back, maybe just his shocking posture that gave me that impression.
I’ve not seen lots of him, but strikes me as a Jamie Vardy sort of player that runs and runs. Not sure he’d excite me any, but maybe he’d fit in nicely and provide more athleticism than Laca brings.
Nothing like Vardy, bit slow if anything. He’s a hold up/headers/battering ram kind of ST even though he isn’t quite 6 foot.
Think a slightly more mobile and less technically refined Olivier Giroud.
Cc
Ya thats what most of us are thinking. Looking green when u come on for italy in the euros isnt necessarily a sign of youth, just saying style wise hes a worker not a natural stud. I think if hes got the fire that national team had during the euros id be happy to take him. Wouldnt want another passenger-type player at 27 w english as a 2nd language tho
Mendy not playing is actually a bummer as Zinchenko is much, much the better player
Id be wary of condemning any celebrity being charged with rape nowadays it a growing industry for these 304s trying to make quick hay. Walk out of a man`s house in the morning smiling, then head straight to the police station.
“His shocking posture”
Had to do a double take on this
🤣
Villareal in the CL while Arsenal are languishing in the sidelines waiting for the sauce o kick in…….Any minute now
Ronaldo to City will be interesting ..all in all a pointless transfer for Juve, didn’t move the needle in the UCL like they hoped, of course Pirlo didn’t help
I can see the super fans are calling people plastic after beating a West Brom side their manager said were sent out for fitness and assessment, we came in with the big guns, good for us. Once upon a time this football club spanked sides in the league cup with exciting reserves side, not out of sorts confidence seeking first team stars and mangers
Aouar giving me.the Ravel Morrisons!!!! Still take him.