Dominic Sanchez-Cabello
Yes! I know it’s a shit title. Leave me alone.
Tonight we play Chelsea at the Emirates and in some ways it is a prelude to the critical November we have coming up. We know that they take this competition seriously and the wealth of a former Soviet Republic lines their bench. But I suspect we will play a strong team, as in this tricky section of the season, confidence and momentum can be everything.
On the surface of it, a loss in the Carling Cup wouldn’t be a terrible thing; it’s what might lurk beneath – the psychological effects of losing at home to a rival. Does the mental weariness recover in time for Liverpool? Does it linger further?
Mourinho is a nuisance, but he has a point about the fixture schedule. The City game was tiresome enough sitting in my front room. So god knows how the players must have felt after playing in a game with six different defensive mids. City seemed blunted from their trip to Moscow and Chelsea took an early lead. The second half was more entertaining: the game opened up, Aguero equalised and Hart blundered horrendously at the end.
In short our game was less draining and a day earlier.
Our team isn’t easy to predict, though it could look something like this:
Fabianski
Jenkinson Per Vermaelen Monreal
Hayden Wilshere
Ramsey/Rosicky
Gnabry Bendtner Rosicky/Ryo
What has happened to Frimpong? Has he disappeared off the face of the earth? Or does Wenger think he is crap? The latter would be a shame, not just as the former is unlikely, but also as he had talent.
But, alas, what’s talent when you can sell t-shirts and amass a twitter following? I’ve seen great players at St Stephens Borough that go down that route. There was Steve with the cracking left foot, could have probably played for Truro, until he got into accounting! Geoff, probably the finest dribbler in the Duchy – he leant his genius to Phones4u!
Anyway, that’s the way it goes sometimes. Talent needs rigour, not Dench and has-been grime artists. Hopefully he can still play a part, and if he doesn’t we’ll fondly recall the time he drilled the ball at Van Der Vaart’s face.
Elsewhere from the weekend?
Hart shouldn’t keep a hipflask behind his goal; Torres may/may not be ‘back to his best’ and United aren’t completely buggered, just yet… so not an awful lot.
It did remind us however, that, with the exception of Gary Neville/a few others, television punditry is in a dire situation. Practically everyone sees it. And to such an extent you wonder who actually turns to Shearer, Owen and the rest… for insight? Still, people must; there must be people that admire Garth Crook’s work or Lawro’s wit. But pretty much everyone you hear from, regardless of who they support, recognise Townsend for a tit, Owen for an exceptional bore and that Shearer can tell you little past how many players should be on the pitch at a time.
BT had the chance to offer something different… yet, managed to offer the exact same thing… but worse!
Impressive really.
P.S. – On a different note, read Gary Lineker’s article in the New Statesman. Bit of practice, he could write for Untold.
Frimpong was injured, wasnt he??…And Mr Wenger, has revealed that he not yet match fit. May be he’ll be involved in December or may be a loan again…….
For some reason I wouldn’t consider it a disaster if we would go out of this competition.
If you look at the winners of the league cup in the last years most of them then went off the boil in the league. We all remember our last final and how cruel we lost it. But the winner of the day was the long term loser dropping to the championship at the end of the season. And long may they stay there.
Other examples show the same thing happening (but not that extreme maybe)
Also we have to consider that playing those extra games might have a negative effect on the PL games. Liverpool for example who have no european games and since they went out in the last round have a whole week time to prepare each game this season. And that is a reason why we should keep an eye on them.
So my mind is saying that neglecting this competition might be a smart move in the long term.
But I can assure you that when the first ball is kicked in the game…I just want us to win it…
With good playing and luck, the lads could win, but i hope it is settled within 90 min either way, as we have Liverpool weekend and this is a more important game, at least to me.
I want to beat Liverpool.
Wish good luck tonight lads, whoever is playing.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see Eisfled given a run out.
Meanwhile the main question for me is, have they cleared the railway line between Northampton and Euston. Apparently it was covered in trees after the Great Storm on 2013.
The web site says it is all clear. Just hope I don’t get as wet as last week.
Good luck to whoever is playing for us tonight .Am hoping for a narrow win -2-1 .And since the tickets are the cheapest (?)
for the game , hope the crowd really get behind the guys .
Up the Gunners !
Nice article and link DSC . And here’s a link the should be titled ,”Commentators ( players , managers and pundits ) say the darnest things ‘ ! Enjoy – there are some real gems here !
http://web.orange.co.uk/sports/gallery/1443/funny-football-quotes/1
And …..
http://www.ave-it.net/funny_commentators_quotes.htm
Tony,
Alas Eisfeld has a back problem according to Wenger.
A pity that Eisfeld and Zelalem are not yet available for this game. I certainly would have loved to see them out there.
@Brickfields Gunners
October 29, 2013 at 2:06 pm
Took a look at your link at this post and this says it all at number 16
“As positive as Arsenal were, I thought they were quite negative.”
Peter Reid
You couldn’t report that, because you would not be believed.
It sums up the media attitude to Arsenal be negative no matter what.
@ colorio – Wanted to highlight the ‘Arsenal ‘quotes but didn’t want to spoil the fun for those who dared to venture!
Mine would be this priceless ‘gem ‘from Andy Gray at number 7 ” If you gave Arsene Wenger 11 players and told him to pick his team ,this would be it !”
Tony , re your comments 1:59pm , this seems apt !
It is no use to grumble and complain; It’s just as cheap and easy to rejoice; When God sorts out the weather and sends rain – Why, rain’s my choice.
James Whitcomb Riley
Regarding the quality of MOTD punditry,
It is excrutiating to admit this but Michael Owen made “Big Tache” Lawro good on Sunday night- that’s just illustrates how bad the comparitive quality punditry is now.
PS. & I can’t fucking stand “Big Tache” Lawro!!!
Tony, I’m on a Virgin train from Manchester at the moment due in at Euston about three, we are going to be a few minutes late only so your train journey should be OK. Met office forecast for tonight is clear and dry so you should be OK
I just read a prediction of starting lineups from a USA website that normally follows the Eagles, Phillies, Flyers and Sixers. No youth players on either team.
COYG
I got the link below from one of the commenters on the Gary Lineker article:
http://footballcoaching.wordpress.com/2013/03/17/fa-video-kids-perspective-on-pitch-sizes/
It is most surprising that it has taken this long for the FA to realise this and start taking action. But it’s great that they finally are doing something about it.
I will sit there watching, nerves jangling, feeling sick. As is my want, as time ticks by I shall be pacing the room restlessly. At 3 up with a minute to go I might relax, I might even sit back down. Blow your f***ing whistle !!!!
If we win I will be ecstatic. I will ‘buzz’ on it for days.
If we lose I will be gutted. But I can take it. We lost, so what, there always the next game. Thats what love is isn’t it ?
But what gets me, what makes my blood boil, worse, what makes me sad, is the shit we will get in the media.
And what upsets me even more is the shit Wenger will get.
There will be no credit for blooding young talent.
There will be consession that we was playing a squad that, over time, has been assembled at a cost of over a Billion quid.
He will get slaughtered.
And that is what gets me. Not the lose. It’s the totally unjustified abuse thrown at Arsenal and Arsene imparticular every time we lose a game, and even when we win more often than not. Isn’t that right MOTD, Talkshite tec.
Honestly words cannot describe the contempt I feel for our gutter dwelling media and the way they treat us and our boss.
So come on lads, do it for the proffesor.
Brickfields Gunners
October 29, 2013 at 2:39 pm
Hi your number 7 is funny and there are others that are funny.
However I don’t think Peter Reid’s comment is funny. I find it insulting. I understand that Peter Reid is a very decent human being and has been badly treated by some clubs but this comment (If he did say it? The source is not given) belittles him.
Apparently Ryan Giggs was asked what he thought would be the result of the match he was to play in and replied.
‘Oh I never make predictions and I never will.’
BBC commentator on Ryan Giggs:
‘I am telling you he is not another George Best. He is another Ryan Giggs!’
I always did think there was something strange about him!
“As positive as Arsenal were, I thought they were quite negative.”
Peter Reid
I am looking to be entertained tonight but don’t put much stock in the result for good or ill. Chelsea will play their bench because they were only given 2 days to prepare and we shall play ours because of injuries and well…it is the league cup after all.
In other news…The AST commissioned Sporting Intelligence hoping they would crucify Arsene Wenger…but it didn’t turn out that way.
http://www.sportingintelligence.com/2013/10/24/arsene-wenger-what-is-he-good-for-251001/
A Quick ref Preview.
The new slimline Phil Dowd is in charge tonight.
2 Chelsea games last year – Chelsea v Newc (2-0) 61% overall score and bias 60% in favour of Chelsea and Chelsea v Villa (8-0) 88% overall, of the few decisions that were wrong all favoured Chelsea including one key decision (penalty in 88th minute wrongly given – no goal scored).
3 Arsenal games last year – Ars v Fulham (3-3) 71% overall, bias 78% against Arsenal; 2 key decisions wrong – Berbatov goal should have been ruled out for foul on Sagna, Sidwell should have been sent off in minute 59; Arsenal penalty in 93rd minute not correct, penalty missed; Ars v United (1-1) 75% overall no overall bias one key decision wrong (Theo’s goal should have been ruled out for offside) and W Ham v Ars (1-3) 76% overall, all wrong decisions were against Arsenal including 3 key – Diame should have been sent off in minute 26 for second yellow card, Vaz Te should have had a straight red for vhallenge on Manone and in minute 71 Arsenal should have had penalty for foul on Ramsey.
So no favours to be expected, usual sorts of nonsense allowed against Arsenal players, penalties not given etc, but a United game where we were given an offside goal in a game with no bias at all. Chelsea generally had more in their favour, but that was in the league – in a one-off cup match things might be different.
At least this year he should be better able to keep up in a fast paced game as he has lost in the region of two stone. Lets hope it has helped him get back to where he was the previous year at the top of the pile.
COYG
Ozil & AW make the list for Ballond’Or & Coach of the Year.
Congratulations to both of them!
I don’t read/listen to talksport, but a scouse nutter(well, a friend if we’re not talking football) sent me a link with a headline saying ‘Chelsea, Liverpool, United & spurs stats put Arsenal to shame’. Curiosity got the better of me and I opened it and read the first paragraph only. Basically it was an attempt to show how we have featured 11 times in the CC but never won it, while sides like spurs and Chelsea won it once. Stooping to these low levels of journalism is beyond the pale honestly. One could be excused to think Arsenal were a team from the Russian league playing in the premiership the way they treat us.
Walter 1:26pm
I couldn’t agree more with what you said there. This cup can be a nuisance and I’d rather we’re out of it sooner. It just leads to fixtures pile up around January/February if we’re still in it and usually affects our progress. A club that is usually still in this cup around that time(we have progressed furthest in this cup more than anyone else) usually suffers in other competitions esp if you happen to be in the champions league as well as the FA cup,and chasing the league as well, which we always seem to do every year. It could also be argued even the teams that may not be in other competitions but go further in this cup tend to suffer; wigan, Birmingham spring to mind. In short, it’s like a cursed cup, and apart from the psychological damage of losing to Chelsea I couldn’t care less if we lose. Think the FA should scrap it or increase the rewards of actually winning it, or bring the final of this cup forward to December(boxing day?) or something.
Winning Capital One Cup can be a good start for silverware, and breaking our jinx of going to finals 3 times and not winning it.
GoingGoingGooner
October 29, 2013 at 6:05 pm
Instead of doing what I should have been doing I read through your link. Thank you for it.
I was left wondering: ‘And the point is?’
It is an interesting read but I find it difficult to believe it is a comprehensive review of Arsene’s time at at Arsenal
@colario
What I found interesting is that the result could not have been what the AST was looking for. Much of their (AST’s) criticsm has been that M. Wenger has not spent enough money or that he has not spent it well. The author (despite being commissioned by the AST) seems to disagree.
@AL
So was your friend (when you’re not talking football)
A) Pointing out how crap we are. Thereby lapping up the usual anti Arsenal media shit no matter how ridiculous it might be.
or
B) Pointing out to what level of idiocy talkshite had yet again sunk to. Thereby dispelling my fear that people will believe any old crap as long as it’s any old anti Arsenal crap !!
I’m taking a wild guess it was ‘A’
GoingGoingGooner
October 29, 2013 at 7:16 pm
You have a point there.
Much of what he has written is common knowledge now that we have the internet.
I don’t get it what has the AST got against Arsene?
RE: Talkshite talking shite……..again !!!!!
If I’ve asked this once I’ve asked it a dozen times:
How is a national broadcaster allowed to persue an overtly biased anti Arsenal agenda.
Surely a National broadcaster has to comply with some kind of impartiality guidelines.
This kind of targeted abuse with the sole aim of discrediting one party would not be allowed in any other field.
Try getting away with this kind of thing with targets such as say, Tesco, Virgin or Apple etc. etc.
You’d be in the dock quicker than you could blink.
I don’t get it, how is it allowed to go on?
Jambug.
Talkshite don’t care, they know that there are millions of Gooners out there to wind-up.
They do it to get high ratings.
please boycott their sponsors, that’s the only way to hurt them.
If there are ads on, tell those companies you won’t buy their stuff.
BBC are no better, and we can’t even complain to their sponsors.
jambug
You guessed it mate, it was A:)
The media propaganda against us is sickening; just tuned into Sky to watch the match and the first thing they splashed on the screen was Drogba scoring and celebrating in the last CC we met them. FFS Drogba has changed clubs two more times now. I promptly switched back to the channel I was watching, and will rejoin them at kickoff with the mute button on. It’s all I can do to stay sane.
@AL
How does your friend (when you’re not talking football)
Explain away the Millions Liverpool have wasted in there fruitless, and lets be honest, embarrasing pursuit of another title.
Now that is shameful.
jambug
If he wasn’t a complete idiot (when talking football) I’d perhaps ask him but I know there is not even the remotest chance he’d be able to give me a comprehensible answer.
@ AL
To be fair thats exactly why the likes of Talkshite get away with it.
They make these ludicrours statements and thats it. It’s not up for debate. They would never allow anyone on air to ‘debate’ it. Thats not what it’s about. They just state it as fact, and the likes of your friend (when your not talking football) just take it as fact. I doubt he even stops for one nano second to consider if theres any substance or logic behind it, he just loves it coz it’s having a pop at arsenal.
jambug
Your last sentence there described him perfectly, as if you have known him all these years:) Yeah, sadly that’s what you get from the constant bashing we get from talkshyte; imbeciles like this friend of mine(when not talking football:))
Well, there was some good news out of the BBC today.
> 2053: GOAL- Leicester 3-1 Fulham – Ignasi Miquel (53 mins)
> The Foxes have breathing space. Ignasi Miquel is unmarked in the box and powers home a bullet header from a Danny Drinkwater cross.
Ignasi didn’t seem to be getting much playing time, to get a game and score was nice to see.