After Arsenal’s excellent unbeaten run of 22 games, including a draw against Liverpool and the great win over Tottenham, everyone thought Arsenal were back in the game and ready to challenge for a Top Four place. But our recent form has gone completely downhill and our makeshift defence has been awful, although it wasn’t that good before as evidenced by only having two clean sheets in the first half of the season.
But now we have to face Liverpool up at Anfield, and Jurgen Klopp’s team has gone from strength to strength and are amazingly still unbeaten so far in the League. We should be worried, and the Arsenal legend Emmanuel Petit seems certain that his old team is going to be taken apart by Liverpool tomorrow. ‘In defence they are weak, they’re average,” Petit said in the Mirror. “They make individual and collective errors. Sometimes you have to laugh. Their injuries are not an excuse, most of the players who stepped in are internationals.”
‘The quality they had been showing vanished (at Brighton) and it became obvious what their weakest link was – the defence. ‘I don’t know what’s going on with some of these players. During the long unbeaten run you thought Arsenal are back on track.
‘They need to raise their game mentally on Saturday. I’ve seen glimpses of improvement compared to previous years but you can’t perform for just half an hour against Liverpool. You need to be fully switched on for 90 minutes, especially away from home.
‘If Arsenal go to Anfield thinking they can just keep plodding away the way they have been, it’s over – they’ll leave the stadium with three or four goals against them.’
That doesn’t sound very promising, but if I remember rightly, it was predicted that Liverpool would destroy us at the Emirates (Hi Mr Merson!) but they were proved wrong. The Gunners raised their game and managed to come back and get a draw, and Merson had to apolgise afterwards.
Let’s hope that Petit is also proved wrong tomorrow!
Admin
Sorry OT but Reyes is back at Arsenal……..
Can’t open that DailyStar news, don’t know why
But I doubt it is a real news though
Well we will see eh, and I don’t read the star…
Don’t know where you got that, in fact I’ve not gotanidea on earth where you got that…..
Reported by a Spanish paper on twitter but apparently it is the Spanish equivalent to April fools day today…make of that what you will.
No, as long as the players are motivated enough and they use 3-4-1-2 with Aubameyang/ Lacazette playing wide
This three back system will reduce our attacking efficiency.Our players in truth cannot play this system effectively and is just another unsustainable formation.I dont even get why Emery keeps using it when it hasn’t worked out and won’t work out in the long run.Only Kolasinac who is a WB is very good in this system and even he leaves a lot to be desired defensively.Our best formation is 4-2-3-1 with Ozil at No. 10 and not at the wings.I’d have liked to see a 4-3-3 with Torreira,Ramsey and Niles in the middle but it’s unlikely to happen.Unless Emery is trying to go defensive against Liverpool he should not use it and we are going to be dominated in midfield too because the defensive contributions of Guendouzi and Xhaka are not good enough if they start with Torreira.
I think they would get used to 3-4-1-2 if they play with it more often. Instead of using two AMs in 3-4-2-1, Arsenal would have two wide attackers (Aubameyang and Lacazette) that could dominate in the air against the opponent’s fullbacks
4-2-3-1 with Ozil as no 10 is good for attacking at home, but vulnerable to quick counter-attacks at away. Wenger had been trying to accommodate Ozil at tough away matches, but the result was usually not good
I bet Emery would use a three CB formation again to be more defensive at Anfield, but I hope it is not the old 3-4-2-1
Please stop mentioning Ozil, l am feeling nauseating now, who do you think we are playing, my friend, it is Liverpool, fast flowing, energy sapping game it will definitely be, Ozil will be minus one on the field. I don’t want to see him in this kind of game
Well, Goodnews Ozil critics, I couldn’t find him in any training pictures and I just read an article saying he has been sidelined for tomorrow’s game.. Not surprising, only thing that will be surprising is if Aaron Ramsey doesn’t start in his place tomorrow.. Well Kev, brace for impact, we’ll be having 7 defensive minded players on the field tomorrow again???
That’ll please a hell of a lot of people then Eddie!
Lol I swear down Sue nothing pleases arsenal fans this season than seeing Ozil out of a match day squad
I’m even more depressed now…. might as well turn that coach round & drive back to London… with Iwobi no doubt taking his place… we’re screwed big time
On the Arsenal.com site Mesut is training with the team, unless someone else is wearing #10.
Eddie, When adding up all the anti Ozil posts and the pro ones I can now see that the majority want him left out or sold. This is a fairly recent tipping point, and entirely his own fault . MANY FANS LOATHE ANY PLAYER WHO DOES NOT OR WILL NOT GIVE THEIR ALL. I still say he will be gone by next season. Emery has not – thank God – Wengers tolerance of non tryers and fans see this more clearly as each week passes.
Jon-we very rarely disagree but this is just one issue that I believe you are wrong.To say Mesut Ozil is a “LAZY” player is wrong.Stats have shown that His workrate is as good as most of his teammates so the word I would use is “Ineffective”.
I love an inform Ozil and when he is playing well then there are very few playmakers who can rival him.Sadly for both the player AND the team Ozil is struggling to adapt to Emery’s system and no matter what formation he seems to have around him he is not having the impact on the game that his talent should have.
He is still our most talented player.Of that there is no doubt.But even I now feel that his time at the Club is likely to end sooner than his contract.The performance he produced at Brighton was unacceptable for a player of his standards.At 1-0 up he should have grabbed that game by the scruff of its neck and dominated for us.He didn’t and was hooked.BUT.It was no coincidence that as soon as Ozil was replaced by the hapless Iwobi our attack ran out of ideas.We were pegged back in that second half by a side who could not believe their good fortune in having Iwobi on the pitch and not Ozil.Would it have made a difference if Ozil had remained on for the full 90 minutes?We will never know.But cast your mind back to Chelsea away earlier this season.Ozil was very tightly marked for 65 minutes before he was taken off.As soon as he was replaced Chelsea opened up more and ended up winning a game they had hardly looked like doing.Coincidence?I think not.
Emery obviously feels the team benefits more with Ozil not in the side.I disagree but that’s what he gets paid for and the results will ultimately show whether he is proved to be correct.
What I can say is that something is not right somewhere if one of the worlds most proven and gifted playmakers is found to be surplus to requirements at our Club with NOBODY of that calibre to step into his boots within the existing quad.
What a waste and what a shame
Phil, agree with the sentiments but not the outcome.
Emery knows what transfer kitty he has for January and for sure it won’t be enough to go and buy a player of Ozils calibre.
With Ramsey on his way and a defensive crisis that needs money to sort out, I don’t see any other players moving on other than Aaron and the very unfortunate Danny Welbeck from the current first team squad.
Agree with both Phil and Ken1945 analysis. Against Brighton Ozil made countless runs into space to receive a pass from midfield who tended to pass it sideways and backwards ignoring him. In this Emery system he cannot get on the ball and do what he does best. Another manager or another system there will be a different outcome from a creativity point of view. A pity because I love watching him play but agree that we may be seeing the last of him at the club.
Sorry Phil ,but unlike you and many others too, I regard stats with suspicion . Yes they show you distance covered but they do not show intensity. Even sprints which they DO show, is not the same thing as INTENSITY which ALL midfielders throughout our history are rightly expected to do, when needed. Ozil rarely does and is merely going through the motions mostly with no real intent to win the ball or prevent a pass. I just don’t buy the theory that gifted creative players should not work harder, track back and not show intensity. More importantly and rightly in my view, nor does Emery. THIS is precisely the reason that to me it is obvious that the club now has a manager who cannot get our most gifted creative player to properely function. He has tried hard to make him work but has clearly failed. I have no doubt Emery wants Ozil out – all the suss minor injuries don’t say much for his character either- – MAINLY to stop us financially bleeding to death with that obscenely unearned salary that is preventing us bringing in hungrier players to the club. Emery , as you and I both have many times said, is the total opposite from Wenger . He is hungry, impatient and will not stand or sit idly by”zipping up his bl…y coat” while the team stagnates. He has been unluckily hit by a sudden tsunami of defensive(mostly ) injuries, which have caused unwanted positional changes and having to play the worst defenders instead of slightly better ones. Scrooge allowed this fine pedigree new manager a mere pittance and so he had to shop in the Lichs level (on a free) rather than the Maquire level. Some fans are now already blaming him for mistakes despite his averaging – and with that APPALLING Wenger left behind “defence” – two points per game so far. I call that a near miracle and you and I know how many away thumpings we would already have received since August had WENGER STAYED(ghastly thought!!!) I urge you to rethink your OZIL position as I consider you are hankering after something that is no longer capable and grossly unwilling too and which was only ever there in occasional spells and glimpses in our shirt. His wage is killing us and I am certain Emery and the regime will find a way to stem the bleeding. And soon. VERY SOON!
Jon, you’ve honestly added up all the anti and pro Ozil posts, can you tell me when you started this analysis and provide figures please, when did we actually reach the tipping point? it must have taken a huge amount of your valuable time, sounds fascinating.
No, All I did was to look at the most recent Ozil topics and see how many were pro or anti him staying. I thought there were SLIGHTLY, only slightly more, who thought we would be better without him. Not many of those who were in my camp though, thought he would not be here by next August. I do and said so. In life and with myself, more than with others, I am ruthlessly honest; with my faults, with my strengths and with my straight to the point life philosophy. i REFUSE TO FOOL MYSELF AND THAT IS HOW I AM MADE. Without my intention, this is alien to certain people who just don’t like things said straight out- such as Ozil being lazy, which is how I see it and how I call it. Honesty will not let me dress up this laziness as a deceitful” he needs to play only centraly” OR “he needs so and so with him” OR “he can’t be expected to track back as it is not his style”. Well, I subscribe to the view that says if you are willing to accept the huge wage he(and all Prem players get) then you are duty bound to sweat blood and work your socks off for the team and for the supporters whose love, devotion and whose MONEY (indirectly) pays for your huge salary. I see no way to avoid this truth and I say so. As I ought and as duty to the club I love makes me do, albeit willingly! Would you rather I was dishonest to myself, as many of his fan club are to themselves, IMO?
Just asked a simple question I’ll try and work out the answer from this extremely long winded response, I presume I’ll need to sift the usual repeats ?
I think we might do well against Liverpool. Even if they beat us, it will not be the goal fest that so many people predict here. I have said it before that we seem to play better against teams that actually set up to play football against us this season. Remember Spurs, Liverpool, Fulham, we even could have won the game against Chelsea on another day. Our pressing game works better against such teams and we are usually more defensively cautious as well as conscious in those games. It is against teams who sit back to hit us on the break us that we have struggled.
You are right, Arsenal do well when playing against team, that is why am not scared of Liverpool. We will destroy their unbeaten record they are trying to set
We will get at least a point. I feel strongly that we will win this game
Dropping those two points really put a damper on this one. I would’ve looked forward to just watching for any progress made, but now it is doubtful that I’ll even watch it. I didn’t watch to the first Tott game neither, so hopefully I will be scrambling for the full match replay again.
Liv have the meanest defence this season. I was under the impression that they lost a bit of what they had last year. And thought they’ve been lucky, it looks like they’ve actually improved due to not playing so expansive as last season. They still carry a huge threat, esp at home. Klopp is doing well in getting a good blend going.
Imagine, if we fans had all gotten right behind Wenger, and the players, Liv wouldn’t have had that CL run last season, they were lucky to pip us at a time of turmoil. They would maybe have made this seasons CL, maybe, so their progress would’ve been slower. They’d be likely trying to cement a top four place right now, similar to the stage we are at. I still think it was right to give another manager a shot. Wenger had more than enough chances, and I’m eager to see how things are gonna turn out with Emery at the helm. Wenger’s cups were appreciated, his consistency too, not the best a fan can hope for, but it does show us that the man, in question, had some very strong abilities.
Klopp is a good coach as he’s maximised the efficiency of his first eleven players.A midfield of Henderson,Milner and Wijnaldum wouldve been termed by most fans and coaches as jot being able to win the league or make it to the CL final which to me they can do again.If you ask me all things being equal the Liverpool team should not be the ones winning the league so he’s doing well.
Wenger was done long ago and a real shame he didn’t leave earlier as I hoped he will so as to not taint his legacy to a high extent.I for one very much believe should he go to top teams like Bayern or Real Madrid he will surely win something major just like many other coaches who were average in a team but did well in others.
We always do better at home though…we’ve not been victorious up there since 2012…. all the odds are stacked against us….. IF we were to come away with something I will be absolutely gobsmacked… I’m bottling out on this one – I cannot stomach another thrashing by them, so I’m going to the cinema!! I can’t sit through that – listening to bloody you’ll never walk alone… then listening to the crowd boo every time we have the ball…then the crowd singing their Salah song which really does my head in!! I can’t stand it!!!
I’m expecting the worst ( sorry that’s the pessimist in me) anything else is a bonus COYG
We will not be thrashed and as I told you before the home game keep the faith in moments of adversity.All I hope is that the mistake of a three back formation is not used against Liv in which case the match would’ve already been lost before it started.I expect us to go and fully attack them.Their defense is strong and we must not allow them score first.At our home they were a bit overwhelmed by pressure from the Arsenal fans and the way we keep a high intensity during the match.The stakes may change as we are away so we must have a go at them but we will not be thrashed.If for nothing you should’ve realized luck is on our side this season and has already prevented some thrashing even from small teams.
I envy you Sue. Oh what I wouldn’t give for a chance to watch my dear Arsenal live ??
I haven’t been since the Wolves game… was hoping to go to the Chelsea game but couldn’t get tickets!
We can’t even beat Brighton , to tell the truth I’m worried
I expect us to put up a fight, I don’t think anything will be easy, I think Liverpool will also be wary of pur attack as much as we are early of theirs..that is if Emery uses our best attacking players.
On to another topic, I saw the article on Ozil getting sold and how a few people applauded the notion he should be sold. I’ve alwaysade it clear that Ozil is done at Arsenal and needs to leave but let’s make one thing clear folks, if you’re to be honest to yourselves, Jon Fox you ain’t excluded in this bro because I know your stand on Ozil. If we are to put the interest of the club at heart then you’ll bring yourself to accepted that even though Ozil needs to be sold, he should be sold BUT UNTIL WE ARE CERTAIN WE ARE GETTING A BETTER REPLACEMENT, UNTIL WE GET SOMEONE BETTER, LIKE IT OR NOT OZIL WILL BE NEEDED FOR THIS SEASON BECAUSE HE’S OBVIOUSLY THE BETTER CREATIVE PLAYER YOU HAVE IN YOUR TEAM.
Folks let’s not forget we don’t have wingers, like Barca, City, and Liverpool, PSG and the rest that gotanidea uses as examples for teams who play without no 10, WE DON’T HAVE THE WINGERS TO DO THE JOB, until we get whatever players we need, Ozil is important to the team, take away your dislike of the player and Hus attitude and see the hidden truth.
Are we going to sell him come January without getting a world class replacement, which is gonna be hard by the way. Then if we sell him and fail to get a replacement, are we to rely on Iwobi and Mhiki for the rest of the season?? Hell no, I know I ain’t doing that, Lacazette and Aubameyang are meant to rely on Iwobi and Mhiki for the rest of the season? No doubt they’ll help the team thus campaign, so will Ozil! Nobody’s saying he shouldn’t be sold, the point most people keep making on here is if we sell him and we don’t get someone better, we are stuck with Iwobi and Mhiki!!!! I am not even gon pretend like the attack won’t lack creativity, and since you Jon Fox you clearly know how the “Scrooge” is, I hope you don’t believe Stan will fork out a large sum of money to get a creative midfielder this Jan?
Eddie, To make my Ozil position quite clear to all and also to you as you are not quite right, though close to the truth , as I see it. My plain view, as anyone who read my long campaign posts to get the lazy, frail, Walcott out of our club is this: I am firm that ALL PLAYERS WHO DO NOT OR WILL NOT GIVE 100% – quite irrespective of their degree of natural talent – are POISON in a team sport. I have been entirely and boringly consistent in loudly saying this on here and other Arsenal sites. I regard it as the duty of all real fans to mount what pressure we can to rid our club of these parasites. That is my view and all are free to disagree. But please do not hope to stop me saying it, as I WILL NOT. More and more GOONERS EACH WEEK ARE NOW SEEING THE AWFUL TRUTH ABOUT OZIL’S IDLENESS AND FRAILTY AND SAYING SO. For that I am very thankful. I AM CONVINCED HE WILL BE GONE BY THE START OF NEXT SEASON AND HAVE BACKED MY VIEW WITH MONEY, SO SURE AM I. I believe this, quite irrespective of whether or not Scrooge sanctions sufficient money to bring in a new, dynamic, creative central attacking midfielder, which we vitally need. As he is, Ozil is useless to us and just bleeding us financially to death.
I know we are not be thrashed and am sure we will even score 2 goals but our defense will surely concede goals so am going for a 3:2 score line,I don’t care about the tactics i just want any formation that we will use to include laca and auba playing the full 90minutes,we need al the attacking we can get,I hope mustafi plays this is his match,ooh why some sees a thrashing I see what will be an entertaining game of football.
One thing you can put your house on, Liverpool will score.
@grandad ,one thing I can put my house on too is that arsenal will score,you actually believe arsenal will go to anfield without scoring, bro that’s not possible
I am so sad we lost two points at Brighton, almost all 3. We are obviously falling behind 4th spot. Players looked very tired and lost. I hope we will give a good fight against Liverpool. Nothing else matters at this point of season.
although If we play with full energy like against 5pur2 then Emery have to start shouting in english or even better ask Kolasinac to teach him some bosnian nice words! 😉
@eddie,I just want to ask ,when we were on 22 matches unbeaten,were you saying arsenal need ozil then,just want the know.
Lenohappy yes I said that, ans when we were on that 22 game run I always questioned why Ozil wasnt getting game time? I was among the few folks on here who stressed we needed Ozil.. The game before first NLD derby I was among the folks who stressed Ozil would get back into the team as we needed him in such games, I even went on to say Mhiki would play the Europa league and Sit for Ozil against Spurs… Meanwhile Mhiki played the EL game and played the Spurs game, so bro I’m not among the folks who’s saying we need Ozil just because we’ve lost a few games without him.. While on that 22 unbeaten run I normally stressed it, It was easy for me to see, seeing how much most of games during that run were mostly to luck and we rode that luck till the end…I don’t know if anyone else remembers I stressed on how we’ll need Ozil.. So I have answered your question
Yes 22 games against pretty much teams we were expected to beat and we struggled in most of them to get any result.for me I would keep ozil till end of season then see if he’s still struggling or the manager wants him gone but till then we have no1 who comes close to him in his position,Miki injured and do you want to see iwobi threading them delicious balls through that he does so well every game till season ends
I agree! As inconsistent as Ozil may be, he is the best in his position. Ramsey does absolutely nothing as a no. 10 and Mkhitaryan is out. Iwobi won’t do anything as well. Ozil is who I’d pick. Guys say he’s lazy but I disagree, he covers a lot of ground. What I’d say is he is weak, gets knocked off the ball by everyone all the time. If he’d stop being such a wimp I believe he’d be a force in midfield. The problem with our midfield is infact Guendozi. For all the running around he does he creates very little. We should Pair Torreira with Xhaka or Ramsey and put Ozil infront of them. Guendozi should stay on the bench. Such an overrated youngster.
I agree, I just can’t see where the creativity is going to come from without Ozil or Ramsey. Mhikataryan has been misfiring with respect to his good relationship with Aubameyang and is now out injured. Iwobi has regressed and Guendouzi can’t play a forward pass to find his man. AMN is not trusted in midfield and Smith-Rowe is out injured.
Where are goals from Aubameyang and Lacazette going to come from with no midfield service against a stingy Liverpool defense?
QD, completely agree with all your comments in this post, you are spot on.
Admin Arsenal has three clean sheets not two.
Everton, Watford and Huddersfield
Yes I think I remember when you said mhki should be dropped for ozil against the spurs,but do during those periods do you “when we were riding our luck”do you really believe that ozil would have done a better job both offensively and defensively than the likes of Ramsey who was not even starting but have 4 assists in the premier league alone or iwobi who was man of the match 4 times this season before going back to iwobi of last season,or even mhki who always comes off the bench to either score the winning goals or assists the winning goal or maybe guondozi who is better defensively than ozil,bro my answer to all this is no ozil wouldn’t have done a better job than them,ozil was part of the reason we lost against man city and Chelsea,ozil gave souampton the winning goal,we almost went behind against burnley when Ozil lost the ball inside our own box in the first half,if not because of elneny who cleared the ball,I believe the real reason behind our form Lately is because of the injuries to our key players especially mhki bellerin and welbeck not because of ozil.though welbeck is average but he offers us something different off the bench which is pace and mobility he can outrun the defender and unlike our other strikers he can use his head to score goals,i like ozil as a person but he’s finished as a footballer
really even I believe we need to sell but the you guys always seem to talk about him and blame him for anything that happens to the team is amusing….
“ozil was part of the reason we lost against man city and Chelsea,ozil gave souampton the winning goal,” Lmao… That’s a new one, I give up bro, I quit, you guys are something else… Ozil is the reason we lost those games?? Ozil is the reason we lost to Soton by 3 goals while the defense was school boy.. I give up bro… You amuse me with that statement
Eddie my man, please don’t give up biko! ???
You better start watching the game and leave sentiment apart, Ozil was actually the reason we lost those games, let me refresh your brain, the ball was played to Ozil half way, instead of Ozil to make contact with the ball, he dodged the ball by running away from that tackle, opponent picked the ball,launched it back to his player, this time around, all our defense were already in attacking mood, followed by the ball crossed to wonderful header, then goal, score line 3-2(loss)
Ozil is done, lazy,weak at $350,000 per week, this is robbery
@xxnofx,Am still trying to remember the last time ozil threads those delicious through balls,see the reason why I don’t debate with you most time is because you are always sentimental in your post,always trying to mention iwobi at every post of yours even though I said he’s average and shouldn’t start for arsenal,I really think you have something against iwobi as a person not just football wise,and to be clear am not Nigerian before you begin with your Nigeria fans stuff.
I have nothing against him at all I just think he’s sh1t ,it as nothing to do with what country he’s from and the only reason he’s got as far as he as is to do with his uncle ,and please remind me when he was man of the match 4times this season let alone his whole time he’s been at arsenal
Because I remember watching him when he was 15 and I can honestly say he as not changed in the last 7-8years and the last time ozil threaded a delicious ball through was last week if I remember,I’m not even a ozil fan tbh so you have no argument where that’s concerned,if you think he’s good enough to play for Arsenal that’s on you and you obviously don’t want what’s best for the team but don’t try and say I hate a player ,because that’s one word I can’t stand and you should try and look back on any thread where I have used the word hate
truth is neither Ozil or Iwobi are good enough for Arsenal. Iwobi dribbles into nothingness and you have to get on your knees and beg for Ozil to do something useful. espescially in an away match. Inconsistent players that are shocking 90% of the time, and need moving on. Iwobi at least won’t become a ghost I’ll say.
Lenohappy, how quickly you forgot his pass to Kolasinac leading to the goal by Aubameyang against Burnley.
Xxnofx theres a fine line between criticizing and hating. YOU my friend has crossed it. You now join an exclusive list of Iwobi haters. Sit back, relax and enjoy the Iwobi show. Its 5 years baby.. 5 YEARS!! ???
I have to say Th14 you do make me laugh, you have an answer for everything!!
Ands there’s a fine line calling someone a hater which youve just done , where in my posts do I say I hate him ?thats the problem with having an opinion on here when certain groups don’t like something that’s said about certain players the hate card comes out ,just grow up will you ,it’s to do with football nothing else and it’s not personal,why is it when there something said about an English player ,it’s always their overrated and this and that but you don’t see me bring out the hate card when this is bought up ,I don’t class you as an arsenal fan because by the looks of it you and a few others on here are happy just as long as one of your country men is in the team ,i for one support arsenal not a certain player .
I wanted Ramsey gone last season and I’ve been proved right seeing he’s off ,did you see any welsh fans say I hated him ?no so leave the hate card for someone else for you to drop on because my focus is what’s best for the team and I’m afraid your country man is not it
Th14, you seem to have an enormous chip on your shoulder that is bringing your thoughts down into the gutter.
This is not a hate site, but a debating site for gooners.
In five years time you will be a teenager, so your thoughts will hopefully have matured and your horizons will have expanded to encompass the team rather than an individual.
Well I hope our players (especially the older ones ie Koscielny, Lichtsteiner, Kolsanic, Cech ) are getting twice a daily massages
They will need as much as they can get
Hey!! Kolasinac is 25!!!
Oops sorry, must have been thinking of Monreal who is doubtful with thigh injury
Sue’s at the front of the queue to massage Kolasinac.
? ?
Kolasinac is barely 25 years old
Dare i sa it, beat by 3? Hope not.
Let’s not kid ourselves if we get anything tomorrow it would be the best result of the season so far. Do I think we will get anything, not a chance but for me I don’t really care because when we play iwobi,ozil, and some of the other over paid dross and the board/management decide to give away Ramsey for nothing that sums up where we are now. Average at best 6th place at best
Oops sorry, must have been thinking of Monreal who is doubtful with thigh injury
Hey calm down guys am sure we’ll raise our game tomorrow I can Dare say we’ll be 2 nil up by half time ? lol let’s do this gunners… One thing 4 sure is I will be screeming my heart out for 90 mins…just show me the response from the awful boxing day
I believe the game might be won or lost for Arsenal by the defence.
Our attack is only marginally less potent compared to theirs. 43 goals for them, 41 for us. As far as attack is concerned, we are up there with them. They will mess with our strikers at their peril.
Their defence is the meanest, most miserly in the league so far. They have let in only 7 goals so far. We have gifted 25 to the opposition. Why are we not competing with them for the top spot? Quite easily displayed.
How the result pans out tomorrow may not follow the above logic. Trust me, in football, sometimes, sh*t happens. I just hope it happens to them tomorrow.
Sue better not miss the game u will end up regretting mmmmh.. how about u go and silence the coop…????
Haha! Can’t do it, the cinema it is!
A wise decesion. Don’t entertain the false hope, only pain and humiliation awaits us at Anfield. There is a silver lining though, the purse strings shall be opened after this embarrassing destruction.
I dread this fixture every bloody season QD
We all do, games at Anfield just like Old Trafford, have turned into another monkey on our back. Can never seem to get anything in those places.
Frustrates me so much when people say you can’t use injuries as an “excuse”. We have four centre backs either out injured or just returning from long term injury. This is not an excuse, this is reality.
Our starting LB and RB are injured. Thats not making an excuse, its stating reality.
Because of this we have to overplay certain players in the busiest part of the seaon. This is not using it as an excuse, it is simply stating reality.
Six of our top defenders either injured or just returning after long injuries. Because of these injuries, we have to play players out of position. This is not an excuse, it’s reality.
Now for sure we can debate whether the decisions Emery is making (or not making in terms of playing young players) and whether the performances that the players are putting in during this injury crisis are good enough. But let’s not pretend that the injuries don’t matter. That’s not an excuse, that’s reality.
Rant over.
Here’s a nail and here comes Trudeau with the hammer. BANG! BANG!! BANG!!! hits the nail on the head, drops mic! ✌✌
Spot on, Trudeau. This is the reality of Arsenal’s current situation.
Wonderful reality. How I love the plain truth plainly spoken. Take a bow sir!
@Trudeau. I say aye… Very good point. Nobody knows what our position on the log would be by now if we do not have as many injuries.
With a full strength defence, we were still suspect. But who knows if we would have improved enough if we had all the guys available? Am sure it would have helped.
But that is wishful thinking. This is reality.
Gunnerphilic, you are right; an important issue is that the injuries have caused chopping and changing of positions in defense. Consequently there has been disruption to the development of defensive teamwork, confidence and reliance in each other.
We cant keep a clean sheet so already we have to score at least twice against the best defense in the league/best defense in Europe. But, this is football and crazier things have happened.
If we defend like we have recently then yes we will get embarrassed but I’m going to be optimistic and say we can have a positive game and maybe steal a point at the very most, I don’t think we can win though not with our ever increasing injury list! Not getting into tactics and formations like some on here as I’m not a coach nor manager.. not looking forward to watching this one but I’m going to in hope we end the pools unbeaten run! Please please don’t let them go unbeaten this season ?
?
It’s unlikely Ozil will start. And with Mkhitaryan, Rowe, and others all out we are limited in attack
and defense.
I think probably:
Leno;
Lichtsteiner, Sokratis, Koscielny, Kolasinac;
Xhaka, Torreira, Guendouzi;
Ramsey, Iwobi,
Aubameyang, or Lacazette
Ozil hasn’t even travelled ?
If Ozil hasn’t travelled for this one Sue I think he’s finished at Arsenal on a better note I hear we’re closing in on Ever Banega pleased if it’s true I’m a fan of his
He has a knee injury! This is doing my head in!! So now Iwobi will play & pirouette headless chicken style all over the pitch! Gutted already John! I just saw that too… not long till the 1st now, I hope we get a few new players – we need them!
Mustafi & Mavropanos are back in training.. ?
Haha knee injury, back spasms, flu what next an STI ? I’ve given up on Ozil it’s time he walked towards that exit door although probably get injured on the way! I like the look of the young Greek it’ll be good to have him back even mustafi as Koscielny is finished! Hopefully 2 or 3 players in January Sue make us stronger for the Europa League ?
Quite frankly John, I think this Ozil business is a mess. He shouldn’t be on that crazy wage (no player should be) seems strange that he’s injured so often. Emery should just come out & say he’s not part of our future, we’re not playing him as we’re going to sell him, or whatever the case may be. I just don’t think we can afford for that 300+k a week to go down the pan… we have to play him.. I just don’t get it.. I really don’t… same with Ramsey… I really hope Sven has some gems lined up as that’ll be a lot of our creativity out the door!
Haha like the ‘he’ll get injured on the way’ ? very good!
I honestly think his wages was partly the reason we had restricted funds last summer if that’s the case then yes he needs to go asap arsenal aren’t known for paying those type of wages, although I don’t think he would have got that new contract if it weren’t for Sanchez and that piano business ? we might as well offload Ramsey next month as he’s not getting any game time and even if we get a 10 mil offer they should accept rather than walking on a free! A winger, central midfielder and defender should be priority this January Sue or its gonna be a rocky road until May. I hear Liverpool closing in on Pulisic we really should have gone all out to get him as I rate him very highly!
Jesus who will Pulisic replace? They don’t need anymore signings the greedy gits!!
I hope in the next few days we’ll have a clearer idea of what’s going on, as all this speculation is driving me crazy!!
Jesus why isn’t anything straight forward hey?!!
I know that’s what I thought if they get him they will have a scary forward line! Tbh Sue Arsenal are where they are through bad management throughout the club, we moved to the Emirates to compete with the big boys but instead we’ve gone backwards! There’s no excuse for Tottenham and Liverpool overtaking us as we’re much more financially sound than those two clubs, Man City and maybe Utd the exception! Poor recruitment, poor management and lack of ambition is exactly what happened to the club no one is gonna tell me any different.. maybe we’re on the road to recovery but even that’s still hard to believe with Kroenke in charge as his only ambition is to get richer
Yes with Silent Stan at the helm, god knows where we’ll end up! I’m glad Gazidis has gone though, never liked him..
Time will tell John…
Couldn’t stand him either Sue with you on that ? I doubt many Arsenal fans will sleep soundly tonight anticipating a thrashing tomorrow ? I’m gonna watch Signs now and forget about the game until tomorrow! It’s gonna be torture lol
Who knows TH14 either way he’s a top player. Can’t say I know much about Pepe, don’t watch much french football and I don’t trust YouTube vids for players they made Gervinho look like Pele ?
Actually John, Chelsea has already agreed a €50m deal with Dortmund for a summer move. I think he is meant to be harzard replacement. Not our problem anyway. Just wish we’d snap up Pepe. He is the next big thing.
Sue, He has what is described as “a slight knee injury”. In other words just enough to keep him out until he WANTS to play again, which will be at home against the next lowly club he prefers to choose to play against. I now regard this man as effectively the enemy of the club WE ALL LOVE and whose huge wage is holding the club WE ALL LOVE to ransom and holding us back, financially, from bringing in younger, hungrier and more effective players. Ones with balls IN FACT! Rethink your support of this man Sue. He is harming us each week he stays. He has just ONE top performance all season Against Leicester! If THAT is worth his huge wage then whoever finally sanctioned it should be let nowhere near Arsenals money ever again! It is like barking at the moon to believe this lazy, frail man will ever change, as he won’t and at his age with THAT huge wage, has no motivation ever to do so either.
Jon… I’m really gutted about it all…
And they are wearing that bloody Mint Green Kit again!
Oh no you’re joking????? Oh FFS…. another 8-2 thrashing incoming…….
YES 30 YEARS OLD Banega , that’s what we want , another finished player who will cost us 20 million that we can spend on a winger !!!!!!!! We should get rid of Emery as soon as possible.
Ever Banega is far from finished he’s got experience and hes a tough player just what you need in the premier League with Ramsey on his way we need a replacement maybe not long term but 30 doesn’t mean over the hill look at James Milner at Liverpool he’s been one of their best signings in a long time still very very efficient
Harry Kane MBE ?
The week gets worse ?
WTF for? He’s won absolutely diddly squat…………….ever!
At least Alastair Cook has been recognised for his massive contribution to English Cricket.
That’s exactly what I was thinking Stubill… Southgate is getting one too… or an obe I forget which!! Bloody world’s gone mad!!
Having thought about it, his MBE was probably awarded to someone else, but he ran up and claimed it, swearing on his daughters life it was his.
??? brilliant ?
Looking forward to the match and some would speak on here as if they are the invincibles, they are not, it’s our job to ensure they do not become the invincible dominate the midfield and the game will be ours for the taking.
This Ozil thing is like repeat, repeat and repeat back and forth conversations, that each party has said over and over. It has become boring.
Let us focus on our match and 3 points to win
I agree. The Ozil/Iwobi hate train needs to stop at Mkhitaryanville! Time to turn up the heat on yet another big earner scamming the club. Btw it’s not that I enjoy hounding out our own players but I feel Mkhitaryan deserves just as much if not more criticism than Ozil.
Why do i see old timers been targeted for Arsenals..wasnt the coach hired for he know how and nuturing skills of youth.? Not brave enough
We don’t pay a player 350k to shine against small teams like burnley and become invisible against the teams who are at the top half of the table.Just compare the impact fabregas use to have on our game to that of ozil’s impact.Ozil must be sold we are paying high money but he is not giving us the output
I have got a good feeling about this much. The worst will be a draw.
We are going to surprise everyone again.
Come On You The Arsenal.
Yep, time to break looserpool home record
??