MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL – THE MOST IMPORTANT 3 POINTS OF THE SEASON

by .

Let’s have a little pep talk before we get into this blog.

You… yes YOU need to pick yourself up off of the ground.

All this crying on the internet that you think we’re going have a bad day is weak sauce. It’s low-fat mayonnaise on a plant-based-meat alternative kebab. It’s asking the Doner Operator to box it up so you can have it for lunch tomorrow.

I will not tolerate this type of meekness today.

Arsenal are in control of top 4 with two games to go. It doesn’t matter that Spurs have taken points off big teams, it doesn’t matter that the mainstream media are slobbering over Antonio Conte, no one gives a fuck what G.Nev thinks.

The simple arithmetic is this: We need to beat two sides we have outperformed all season then top 4 is ours.

We are better than Newcastle.

We are better than Everton.

The players aren’t going into this game having a mental breakdown, so I don’t expect you to misbehave on a big night like this.

Channel your inner winnertivity. Go into that Group Chat clutching your cojones (real or metaporical) and shout YES, GLORY TO ARSENAL! TONIGHT WE TASTE VICTORY! PRAISE TO SAKA! PRAISE TO ODEGAARD! PRAISE TO BIG MO!

Now go to your boss’s oak drinks cabinet. Open a bottle of something expensively aged. Pour yourself a stiff one, crush it (no faces), then head back to your desk. If they ask who sent you, tell them Pedro, it’ll be fine with HR, I promise.

Are you set? Good, now let’s talk football.

Arsenal look set to have a pretty decent team to choose from. Gabriel and Ben White went to Newcastle, I would take that news as meaning it is highly likely our defence will have 4 of our 5 starters. That is absolutely massive considering the occasion.

We need huge games from all of them. Aaron Ramsdale needs to exude his early-season confidence, Ben White and Gabriel need to do their jobs with confidence and calm, and Tomi just needs to be Tomi. I don’t know what the fullback choice will be, but having the Lord of Chaos at left-back is probably a worse option than Tomi there with Cedric on the right. Both options are less than ideal, let’s be honest.

In midfield, it’ll be Xhaka and Mo Elneny, they just have to play with discipline and heart. Newcastle don’t have a great defence, the biggest job of the evening is going to be what we can do in their box. Our midfield needs to give a platform to the youngsters in the final 3rd to do some damage.

I don’t know how Arteta is going to mix it up in the final third, but whoever is there needs to take their chances.

Newcastle play out the back, perfect for Eddie to sniff our opportunities, the press is going to be important.

Trippier is on his second game of the season, the perfect chance to run an older player ragged.

Targett on the other side is there to be got at.

Our reality is fans is that we are going to have to watch Arsenal suffer for chunks of the game. West Ham had basically nothing to play for and they went two up against City and should have scored two more. When we were gunning for the league in 1999, we went on an outrageous tear post losing to Villa on December 13th, we didn’t lose a single game, we were looking really good for the league, then we went to Leeds, who had nothing to play for sitting comfortably in 4th, and we lost to a Jimmy Floyd Hasselbank late goal.

Newcastle have nothing to play for outside the joy of being really fucking irritating to our end-of-season run. They are under the lights in front of their rabid fanbase, they’ll want to exit the season with a scalp, Arsenal would be a pretty good one.

They’ll come at us at 100mph. We have to ride out that energy. We have to kill the moment. We might have to take the game into the last 20 minutes to win it.

Prepare to suffer, but be positive about the game, these boys have shown deep character all season.

Spurs was an aberration.

The job to be done is clear. So let’s do it. No excuses. We can taste that Champions League music in the air.

Right, on that note, see you in the comments. x

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DM

Afternoon all

Leftside

2nd

DM

2 huge games go to. Bigger than cup finals really

Leftside

3rd

Bankz

Bankz is here for the tr4phy again

Leftside

Tro4phy

DM

Leftside ruined it for me but on the plus side you also ruined it for Bankz so we’re good 😉

Leftside

Sorry fellas lol saw a chance and thought let me swoop in!

On another note, cannot believe it was to this exact day in 1998 that we beat Newcastle in the FA Cup final 2-0. Remember that day very well. Hopefully we put in another good performance for what will be a very important result!

Wardo

Sorry Pedro
Shitting it bout tonight I feel sick

Topside Northbank

Actually looking forward to the game in the sense how we approach it and fingers crossed we have a decent back four in front of Ramsdale.

About time we had a clean sheet none since Villa.

Martinelli seems to always perform well against Newcastle but I wouldn’t be against ESR starting either. The media seem dead set we won’t win tonight so it’s a chance to prove people wrong.

Last 18 games 17 Arsenal wins 1 Newcastle win, won’t be easy but if we play well a great chance tonight.

DUIFG

My white flag is up, 98 percent certain we will lose tonight or draw. Not really to prove an agenda but really think that’s where we are. Real lack of goal threat is a consistent theme. If they score 1 we are screwed.

Guns of Brixton

Still feel nervous af

I hope the players are not. Good god I wish we had won of those games we lost

Mulerise14

That’s the spirit….. let’s have at them

To Newcastle in the words of Ivan Drago “You Will Lose”

Chrispy

Was really confident for the Spuds game and look at how that played out. For tonight i’m frazzled.

Positive pete

DUIFG. As Pedro points out .Keep it tight(if we don’t score early )for the first 30 mins.Keep them quiet.The longer it goes on more in our favour.Just like Moysey Howe won’t be able to resist playing to the audience & will risk Trippier & Wilson .Saka needs to be on it & destroy them.Cheif tactic will be cross,cross,cross for the likes of Burn & jolinton.
First goal crucial as always.They struggle to score more often than not.
Would be great to shell shock them early for a change.

Topside Northbank

But Ivan Drago lost to Balboa!

Shame what happened to Apollo Creed he was by far the best pure boxer in the Rocky series.

Rocky Balboa, Clubber Lang, Ivan Drago all sluggers Creed could to it all.

DUIFG

Even if we go up 2 goals we will sit back and wait though, sta James is worth 1 goal min, we can get pegged back. Unless we are flawless at the back I can’t see how we can win this game

Naija+soccer

Which Arsenal are we going to see today ? Is it Eminem or Slim shady ?

TT

Not confident at all for to night 🙁

Double Double

Cmon you Gooners, let’s stuff that fog on the Tyne right where the sun don’t shine. Nervous, but we’ve got to win!!!!

sly

lol nice post pedro
i think we can do it. Arteta and the team have been very good at coming back from setbacks and yes we are better than newcastle, everton and f…ing spurs
i’m guessing the team will be mad after the spurs loss and bring scorched earth for the rest of the season
Are Ben and Gabi back for defence tho?

Naija+soccer

Are we going to bounce back right away or do we go the usual lose 2-3 games in a row ? Either way I shall be refusing to let the result trash up my day, like Thursday.

Positive pete

Indeed Naja.Will the real Arsenal stand up.?The ones who went to wolves,A.Villa,,Leicester ,Chelsea & w.Ham.All banana skins.Or the bottle jobs of Everton,manure & Southampton?
In truth you could toss a coin.🤞

Naija+soccer

Out of those 17 cup finals, we ve played 15 ,won 10 lost 5.

Would be nice if we win the last 2.

Ernest Reed

Realistically Arteta needs to get his tactics right as his defensive options are very limited. If you come in with an appropriate game plan that suits your selections, it won’t matter the limitations. This is the one area where Arteta is often found over-thinking and over-tinkering.

Newcastle are a lousy team and Arsenal should handle them with comfort. It’s on the manager to ensure this one gets done and dusted.

DivineSherlock

There is a knot in my chest that will only be relieved once the season ends and I am up for it , just be careful lads . For once lets just bury them in the first half itself please . I want to see the faces of Conte and co as they slowly realise that CL football is not up for grabs .

Ash79

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/may/15/mikel-arteta-denies-creating-them-against-us-culture-at-arsenal

So fuckin what if he is!?

Any other manager or club and it would be lauded!

The Bard

We need to score early to settle the nerves. The longer it goes on the more anxious we will become.

Danny

I’ve got a good feeling for this evening, it’ll be much easier than the Spurs game, I reckon a comfortable 2 nil win.

stubertio

Best thing we can do about the Spuds game is show it didn’t matter in the end. Go positively and end positively tonight. When given a chance most of the side that should be there have proven they can play and come back from bad moments, eg Wolves. They can do it tonight (while I sweat a stone off)… COYG

Spanishdave

We will loose our attack is not reliable, Eddy ffs up front.
and our defense is a mess right now.

Le Sauce

Martin Ødegaard has now played the same number of Premier League games as Thomas Partey – 48

Make of that what you will!

S23

I feel quite positive about this one,just put the Spurs video on at the hotel and let it sink in.
We are still in control of the 4th spot,and we cant give it up to them.

Bob N16

Spanishdave, what sort of response are you hoping far with that post?

Buckagh

Spanishdave

Fuck off

Vintage Gun

I’m rattled. Can’t focus my mind on anything other than the match. Feeling hot and cold at the same time. I can’t remember the last time I’ve felt like this. Maybe the CL final VS Barca.

I’m legitimately scared.

I’m going for a 2=1 win for us!!!

Jonko

I really hope Lacazette starts ahead of Nkiteah. I’m still not convinced by him. Just seems too casual to me even in tense matches.

andy1886

Motivation shouldn’t be difficult – tell the players if they lose they’ll be sold to Newcastle to live with Jimmy Five Bellies and the Fat Slags.

Ben D

Spanish Dave is a real old cunt!!! Take your negativity somewhere else! The same players you shitting upon have us far ahead of Newcastle in the league table.

Nervous as hell, but hopefully the boys do it tonight. Fingers crossed

GAZZA

We can win tonight if we have 11 players on the pitch & not playin 12 men unlike Thursday

Nigel Tufnel

The thing that weighs on my mind is….

It’s not 2 cup finals.
If tonight was a cup final, if we get in trouble, we’d just need to draw even and we’d have have extra time and penalties.

There would be a winner, and a chance until the very end.

But if we’re only even at the final whistle, we really have lost.

So it will be painful watching if we don’t score early, and desperate if they score first.

Spanishdave

Typical responses from imbeciles, I am entitled to my options.
Grow up and get a mind of your own.

David Smith

Martinelli, it is your time

TheLegendaryDB10

What a positive post from Pedro!!

As much as I am equally nervous, it’s not an imposs8ble task if we remain focused and do not get realed in by any Newcastle antics.

It will be tight but we can do it!

Spanishdave

Ben use the English language there’s no need to use the gutter swear words is there?

Chris

Examining Newcastle’s home results, since January they have only lost once at home, to Liverpool, winning all the others.

Adding to that the carnival atmosphere of their last home game and we have our work cut out for us tonight. It’s for the players and away fans going up there to be loud, brash and confident, I know they will be.

Sorry but I’m going to be sitting at home watching biting my nails all night. Such a huge game and it will likely be a very hard night, but I desperately want us to come through it.

MLC

Hope i can see all my internal medicine patients today before the game

Masterstroke

Tomi will need to be at his best to contain Saint-Maximin, but I doubt if Newcastle have other players to hurt us. Having said that, if Tomi is pushed into the centre of defence to compensate for missing players then I don’t fancy our chances so much.

Chris

“I can’t remember the last time I’ve felt like this. Maybe the CL final VS Barca”

I still remember I had the week off work for that one. I didn’t get anything done because I didn’t know what to do with myself.

The day of the game I started drinking about 10am because I was shitting it. In the end the game was something of a blur to me as you can imagine. Can remember the major incidents plus Henry being clear through at 1-0. Couldn’t pick ouit any small details though.

G

Liverpool had to go there to win and was a close game so not sure why a few think we’re going to win comfortably ..may be its to slag Arteta off if we don’t do it..

Leftside

I’m going for 2-1 to the Arsenal today. Just want the game to hurry up & come now.

Greg

Should be a very simple message from Arteta. Are we winners? Imagine how great will it feel to play in Champions league. Imagine how disappointing it will be watch Conte and Harry Kane play on Tues and Wed, while we slog it out in the backwaters vs Never Heard of it FC on Thurs.

Positive pete

Andy lol😂😂😂

Leftside

I’ve not seen anyone say it will be a comfy victory. Liverpool dominated that game against Newcastle but were surprisingly wasteful with their shooting, a lot of it straight at Dubravka.

They also benched Salah, Thiago, Fabinho, Konate and TAA.

It won’t be a simple game but we can get the job done.

The Real Vieira Lynn

if as Pedro suggests, that White and Gabs are good to go for tonight, that could be just enough to embolden us with the requisite amount of confidence to push for an early tally and force Newcastle into opening up a bit, thereby providing us with ample opportunities to double-up on them…from a historical perspective, I do worry that our risk-adverse manager will try to turn this into a sideways passing squeaky bum affair, which I think would be a tactical mistake…this doesn’t mean that I need MA to deploy a reckless full court press from the offing, but I… Read more »

Jim+Furnell

Are we getting a spud soft pen gift from PGMOL tonight, let’s see Atkinson? Dean? Oliver? Fat Boy Moss? Whoever they stiff us with I’m sure Martinelli, Saka, could be felled like trees and we will get fuck all. Still – WE CAN WIN THIS

The BFB

Everyone appears to be getting excited about tonight’s game and whether or not we can finish 4th but do worthy Champion’s League teams lose 12 games and score a mere 56 goals with 2 matches left to play. Regardless of where we finish, next season will be extremely difficult and will make or break Arteta.

Naija+soccer

PP

Just don’t know which Arsenal we ll see.

Greg

Arteta should use Vince Vaughn’s pep talk for inspiration from the classic film Swingers: “I don’t want you to be the guy in the PG-13 movie everyone’s *really* hoping makes it happen. I want you to be like the guy in the rated R movie, you know, the guy you’re not sure whether or not you like yet. You’re not sure where he’s coming from. Okay? You’re a bad man. You’re a bad man, Mikey. You’re a bad man, bad man.”

Tom

Pretty good pep talk Pedro, the only thing I’m not sure about is the idea Newcastle have nothing to play for.
Technically yes, but considering their ownership I’d say 90% of their players are playing for their Newcastle future and that probably includes the manager too.

Still, we should have enough to get the better of them.

Positive pete

As someone once pointed out.You usually can tell what kind of a performance you’re going to get in the first 5/10 mins from Arsenal.Whether it’s going to be all weak & tentative or aggressive & tenacious.On the front foot.We just hope……

Bob N16

Spanishdave of course you’re entitled to your opinions but you should hardly be surprised that the tone of your post was met with a less than positive response. Did you really expect posters to respond with ‘Yes SpanishDave our attack is shit, our defence is shit. Thanks for that insightful post’.

Mr Serge

Let’s do this tonight let our positivity reach out to the players

bacaryisgod

Damn, Pedro’s even going after the vegan crowd now. Not sure I like all this lashing out but I know he’s just trying to get everyone pumped up. Of course, it’s unlikely a vegan would have a plant-based kebab and add non-vegan mayonnaise (it would have to be vegenaise of course).

I

bacaryisgod

As for Newcastle, Podcast Pedro is at war with Blogger Pedro. He was dismissing Newcastle as basically on vacation on the pod and has been all over the map on Le Grove. I’m leaning towards a highly motivated Newcastle today. Final home game of the season and the fans are usually pretty rabid even at the worst of times. To get a chance to be spoilers against a team that has consistently beaten up on them over the years will be too good an opportunity to let waste. We still have the quality in the squad to overcome them but… Read more »

LoveSausage

I’m going with 2-1 for the good guys.

It’ll be a tough game but we have the players to get it done. For all the talk about “the youngest team”, those young players have been much more consistent and reliable than the old guard. They’ll get it done. I’m just keeping my fingers crossed that Arteta will play ESR. Enough with the huffing and puffing – we need output.

bacaryisgod

Also on the plus side, both Willock and Hayden ruled out so there’ll be no former player breaking our hearts. Shelvey is out too. He’s an unpredictable player but when he’s motivated and on form, he’s a tough opponent.

One thing for sure is that we can get at their defence but can’t afford to expose our weakened defence to pacy counter-attacks.

Chris

“Damn, Pedro’s even going after the vegan crowd now. ”

I thought Pedro was vegan? Oat milk and all?

Markymark

Spanish Dave could be kicking back with a glass of Rioja . Maybe a Fino Sherry with some glorious Tapas. A gentle retirement people watching , taking on an old forgotten hobby or carrying out something creative he’s always wanted to do.
But no he comes on here every bleeding day saying we’re shit and then getting all quivering and upset when he gets both barrels back

DigitalBob

I know I shouldn’t but I’m feeling confident about this one guys, I think we’ll have too much for them and will win it by a couple goals, they may score but as long as its not first I think we’ll be alright. I actually think it’s the Everton game that will be problematic.

That opening paragraph is also top notch Pedro, LOL, I love it.

FB

Great stuff Pedro

Really up for it

Bob N16 you are a. very polite man 🙂

Vintage Gun

“Everyone appears to be getting excited about tonight’s game and whether or not we can finish 4th but do worthy Champion’s League teams lose 12 games and score a mere 56 goals with 2 matches left to play. Regardless of where we finish, next season will be extremely difficult and will make or break Arteta.”

Who gives a shite as long as we finish above spurs???

karim

Come on Arsenal, do it for us !

Mysticleaves

If we start anyway less than we started against spurs then we will most likely not win. This match is when that tactic is needed. We have to swarm them early and sustain pressure till we get 1 goal. Hopefully within 15 mins. Then we will be good.

I feel good about this evening. We should win. Not comfortably but not really an impossible feat.

Andy

the ref tonight, darren england, has only ever reffed 26 EPL games and has never reffed an arsenal game in his career. https://www.whoscored.com/Referees/132/Show/Darren-England i’m quietly confident on the next two games. this team is more than capable of taking 6 points from these fixtures. the only concern will be can we handle the pressure. hopefully we have learned the lesson from the spurs game that we need to stay calm and focus on controlling the game, as we did so well though the middle of the season. even if we balls it up i am not going to be too… Read more »

David

Just need the ref to behave is all I’m asking

Bob N16

FB, honestly can’t remember anyone calling me polite before, I’ll take it, thanks. I feel pretty good about tonight – not quite sure why. Maybe because I have almost resigned myself to us finishing 5th so if we don’t win, I’ll go to the last home game with no real stress and just take it as an afternoon with mates which will end up in the pub! If we win tonight, Sunday will be far more stressful, it’s the hope that kills as the old cliche goes. Right now I’m happy for the season to be ending, to have an… Read more »

Dissenter

Daren England books players a lot so we have to be careful not to get a yellow card too early in the game.

AFC Forever

It will be noisy and intimidating tonight so we must stay calm under pressure. Ben White will help with that, unlike Holding he is very composed. No coincidence that since we lost White we conceded our first two goals of the season from a set-piece. Can’t see how he is 100% fit but we shall see. Tomiyasu will have to watch Saint Maximin, he’s quicker than a tour of the Spuds trophy room. Tough place to go St James Park, I’ve been there. Visit Newcastle and even the penguins in the zoo wear Newcastle shirts. Well, it looked like that… Read more »

Graham62

No red cards please.

That’s all I ask.

London gunner

God hate it when people say we will win or they are confident I’m a superstitious cunnt and can’t help think you are tempting fate

I Personally think tonight is an utter toss up this could be a standard win a hard though victory or it could be another Brighton where we just don’t turn up under the pressure

Leftside

Bob
If we win tonight we have to hope Everton can beat Palace, and even if not they will less have preparation time and fresh legs. I hope to go to the Emirates with everything on the line on Sunday.

Before then, huge game tonight. Lets take care of business!!

Leftside

*have less

Karsa

3 points please. COYG!!!

Nelson

Arsenal XI: Ramsdale, Tomiyasu, Gabriel, White, Tavares, Elneny, Xhaka, Odegaard, Smith Rowe, Saka, Nketiah.

Rich

..……….Ramsdale
……..White Gabriel
Tomiyasu…….Tavares
……..Elneny Xhaka
Saka Odegaard Smith Rowe
…………..Nketiah

Leftside

Good team. Hopefully ESR is central where he can do his best work. COYG

Nelson

Subs: Leno, Lacazette, Pepe, Sambi Lokonga, Swanson, Patino, Cedric, Martinelli, Salah-Eddine

Nelson

Newcastle:Dubravka, Krafth, Burn, Schar, Targett, Longstaff, Guimaraes, Joelinton, Almiron, Wilson, Saint-Maximin

Mr Serge

Strong side Gabriel and white make it esr starts

DUIFG

Much more balanced team.

Finally, keep it simple you plonker.

Feel a bit better about tonight with esr in that team.

Rich

Tavares frightens me defensively, positionally he’s all over the place.

Offensively he causes our opponents issues by showing up in positions he has no business being.

Newcastle will target our left side, need Tavares playing on the front foot, not the back foot.

Jonko

Good thing Shelvey isn’t playing. He’s the one that picks out the openings.

Northbanker

Ok let’s do this

Tavares – time to show your power

Nigel Tufnel

Our Bench is paper thin.

Rich

I hate Sky, Gary Neville is such a twat

sly

Offensively he causes our opponents issues by showing up in positions he has no business being.

hahaha spot on analysis Rich
i always wonder what he’s doing in central midfield and the 9 position
hopefully he’ll be more disciplined and retain ball posseddion more effectively today

MidwestGun

Looks like we are going with the Lord of Chaos.. The positive thing is.. when he starts we tend to win.. Granted it is usually a rollercoaster ride. So strap in.

Left Testicle

Wouldn’t be surprised to see a back three of Tomiyasu, Gabriel and White with Saka and Tavares as wing backs.

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