By Bulldog Drummond
Although all attention will be on the referee’s assistants back in the PGMO Bunker there is also a football match on tomorrow – the first leg of the league cup semifinal.
My guess is that having put the kiddies out in front of Nottingham Forest Mr Wenger will return to the mainstream.
In terms of the punditary Charlie Nicholas has called Arsenal “broken defensively” and sees disaster ahead in the League Cup game with Chelsea. Mind you he also said that Chelsea would win the FA Cup last summer – which of course the FA believe they did.
In terms of injuries it is suggested that Xhaka and Mustafi could be back from injury, although Mr Wenger has said that no one is coming back for the Chelsea match. Koscielny is certainly a doubt still. Monreal is still out as are Giroud and Ramsey. But it is possible that we will still put out a very strong team – indeed it could be the sort of team we would put out if it were a league match. The word (other than Mr Wenger’s word) on Xhaka and Mustafi is that they are having tests today.
Away from home Arsenal are still only a mid-table team
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manchester City | 11 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 25 | 5 | 20 | 31 |
| 2 | Chelsea | 11 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 20 | 9 | 11 | 21 |
| 3 | Manchester United | 11 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 21 | 11 | 10 | 21 |
| 4 | Liverpool | 11 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 29 | 21 | 8 | 21 |
| 5 | Tottenham Hotspur | 11 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 20 | 12 | 8 | 19 |
| 6 | Burnley | 11 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 11 | 11 | 0 | 17 |
| 7 | Leicester City | 11 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 18 | 18 | 0 | 13 |
| 8 | Watford | 11 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 17 | 17 | 0 | 13 |
| 9 | Arsenal | 11 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 13 | 16 | -3 | 13 |
| 10 | Newcastle United | 11 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 11 | 17 | -6 | 11 |
Three wins, four draws and four defeats, and with a goal difference of minus three.
Chelsea at home are a strong proposition, pretty much as Arsenal are on their own turf.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manchester City | 11 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 39 | 8 | 31 | 31 |
| 2 | Manchester United | 11 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 24 | 5 | 19 | 26 |
| 3 | Arsenal | 11 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 27 | 12 | 15 | 26 |
| 4 | Chelsea | 11 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 21 | 7 | 14 | 25 |
| 5 | Liverpool | 11 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 21 | 4 | 17 | 23 |
Since the defeat by West Ham, Chelsea have been in positive form…
| Date | Game | Res | Score | Competition |
| 09 Dec 2017 | West Ham United v Chelsea | L | 1-0 | Premier League |
| 12 Dec 2017 | Huddersfield Town v Chelsea | W | 1-3 | Premier League |
| 16 Dec 2017 | Chelsea v Southampton | W | 1-0 | Premier League |
| 20 Dec 2017 | Chelsea v AFC Bournemouth | W | 2-1 | League Cup |
| 23 Dec 2017 | Everton v Chelsea | D | 0-0 | Premier League |
| 26 Dec 2017 | Chelsea v Brighton and Hove | W | 2-0 | Premier League |
| 30 Dec 2017 | Chelsea v Stoke City | W | 5-0 | Premier League |
| 03 Jan 2018 | Arsenal v Chelsea | D | 2-2 | Premier League |
| 06 Jan 2018 | Norwich City v Chelsea | D | 0-0 | FA Cup |
That’s an impressive run of five wins and three draws after the defeat, although that last game against Norwich wasn’t that impressive, although more impressive than our result against Nottingham Olympiakos.
Arsenal’s run in the last nine looks like this
| Date | Match | Res | Score | Competition |
| 10 Dec 2017 | Southampton v Arsenal | D | 1-1 | Premier League |
| 13 Dec 2017 | West Ham United v Arsenal | D | 0-0 | Premier League |
| 16 Dec 2017 | Arsenal v Newcastle United | W | 1-0 | Premier League |
| 19 Dec 2017 | Arsenal v West Ham United | W | 1-0 | League Cup |
| 22 Dec 2017 | Arsenal v Liverpool | D | 3-3 | Premier League |
| 28 Dec 2017 | Crystal Palace v Arsenal | W | 2-3 | Premier League |
| 31 Dec 2017 | West Bromwich Albion v Arsenal | D | 1-1 | Premier League |
| 03 Jan 2018 | Arsenal v Chelsea | D | 2-2 | Premier League |
| 07 Jan 2018 | Nottingham Forest v Arsenal | L | 4-2 | FA Cup |
Three wins, five draws, and one defeat – and those draws have been disappointing, particularly where the referee has been involved.
So we might now wonder what impact the video ref will have. Certainly given that the video equipment, like the referee, will be under the control of PGMO, so the results situation might not be too promising.
In terms of the old men in the pub having a gossip the Sun screamingly screams at us that Alex Iwobi was pictured and caught on video partying until 3am on Saturday. Apparently this happened just “hours” before the dismal 4-2 loss against Forest on Sunday.
Not sure what Mr Wenger thinks about all this, if it is true.
But we also have another old-timer story on the run now – a major “exodus” of players hardly leaving anyone behind to play for the club. Except that this is what was predicted last summer, when the entire team was tipped to leave, and the summer before when, oh, look, the entire team was tipped to leave.
One other bit of news: Amazon are preparing a bid for Premier League rights on TV. That could make the Sky and BT Sprouts think twice.
Chelsea v Arsenal Carabao Cup Semi-Final 1st leg Wed 10 January – Dawn of a new PGMO era?
Referees will be over 100% accurate in matches with VAR according to PGMO figures
Just wondering… When was the last time an Arsenal GK saved a penalty? We give away lots of penalties, and I can’t remember a recent instance when we saved one!
Cech has now faced 15 penalties in his Gunners career and failed to save any of them, even diving the wrong way on 12 occasions.
Nice positive comments from Sammy the Snake as usual.
He must spend hours thinking them up.
This is fcuked up implementation of VAR, this is so clearly implemented with one thing in mind ….. How to Cheat
No wonder the usual posters who criticize would not comment on this
I don’t see how Amazon can help here if league itself is preventing TV companies from commenting on referring and what to show on TV
@ Pat, I’m really not a negative person and in fact support the team no matter what. However, I was genuinely wondering and later googled it. It’s a bit of a problem which I think the team needs to look in to.
Which usual are you referring to? I’ve written articles on Untold supporting AW and the team (look it up). I have nothing but respect for the Boss. But I also don’t treat him like God. 😉
Actually Sammy I think his record at Chelsea was 41 kicks 8 of whichdid not score. Unfortunately records don’t show saves per se. I think he would be better off standing upright instead of diving early to a corner. The taker sees his movement a reacts accordingly. It must be in the coaching somewhere because Ospina did it too . It was Martinez that saved spot kicks but then being 6 foot 7″ or so probably helps.
VAR in one semi final none in the other, four teams playing by different rules in the same competition.
No wonder it’s devalued.
Excellent article from charlie Nicholas:
http://www.skysports.com/football/news/12090/11201428/charlie-nicholas-questions-arsenals-ambition-as-contract-sagas-continue
Sums it up very well for me.
I also agree that when Chelsea get a penalty today, and, of course it is when, not if, the keeper should pretend he is moving and then stand his ground as the last 4 penalties all went straight.
I’m predicting 3 penalties awarded to Chelsea today.
In other news we’ve sold Coquelin. How he can’t get a game and Xhaka can… Xhaka can… oh Xhaka can let me rock you… let me rock you…
Wow is Mike Dean the video ref?