Speaking of Mustafi Mr Wenger said, “He’s reading the game well, strong in the challenge, and he likes to talk as well, so that’s an important quality in that part of the pitch. On both sides of him, we have Koscielny and Monreal who are quick, so that looks well-balanced.
“Communication is very, very important. In the organisation, it’s very important that you talk early, and sometimes you have to be very vocal because the crowd is shouting.”
Elsewhere, Jack is available, but I suspect he will only play once a week, Ozil is fit again, and the Xhaka / Ramsey control centre in the middle of the pitch really seems to be getting its act together and Ramsey has been improving all the time, in my view. I fancy another goal from him this evening.
This could be the moment when we see the dream attacking line up with Ozil and Alexis feeding Lacazette in the middle, with Bellerin and Kolasinac as the wing backs.
So, here we go with
Cech
Koscielny Mustafi Monreal
Bellerin Kolasinac
Ramsey Xhaka
Ozil Lacazette Alexis
Making sandcastles on the beach, we will have some or more or less of
Ospina, Holding, Mertesacker, Elneny, Wilshere, Walcott, Iwobi, Giroud
Now you will have noticed if paying attention that this is indeed eight, so maybe Jack might be left to rest to have him completely ready for the flight to the long-off lands of Europa. (And when we come to think Europa, let us not forget that Arsenal’s total of 75 points last season was the most for a team finishing fifth ever in the Premier League era.
Staying with the statistics department, they have been at it with their abacuses (or is that abacii?) and point out that we have won seven PL games in succession at home, which is approaching the rather find nine game run from December 2014 to April 2015.
And it seems that if Lacazette not only starts but also scores he would be the first Arsenal man to score in his three opening league games since the always enthusiastic Brian Marwood in September 1988.
Plus we know that Alexis has started 99 Premier League matches. Gilberto Silva is the only man from South America to have played 100 or more games in the PL for Arsenal.
Here’s a few more…
We have scored at least three goals in the last three home matches, so a continuation of that sequence would be particularly welcome, not least because we have conceded nil in five of the last six home games against the wobbleyous – who have won only one of their last 11 away games in the PL.
So that is more or less it. We’re off to meet up at the pub as usual in London before venturing forth into the game. Hopefully we’ll have no more of this “match delayed” malarky, and will all make it safely back to continue the debate tomorrow.
bostin
brilliant; fantastic; excellent; derived from the Anglo-Saxon ‘bosten’, meaning ‘something to boast about’ and now used almost exclusively in the Greater Birmingham area of the UK
Good job with the lineup Bulldog, almost perfect! Elneny taking Ozil’s place, so moving Ramsey forward.
Well, LiveScore has this for the lineup
Cech
Mustafi Koscielny Monreal
Bellerin Xhaka Elneny Kolasinac
Ramsey Alexis
Lacazette
Beach: Mertesacker, Wilshere, Ozil, Giroud, Ospina, Walcott, Maitland-Niles
And those pretend journalists are reporting that many Arsenal supporters are pissed with the selection. Many being more than 1? So, a drunk journalist at the bar noted that two people claiming to be Arsenal supporters (probably wearing jerseys from some team in Spain) were angry with the team selection. And all three people were probably so drunk they couldn’t stand up.
COYG!
Wonder why Pulis gets paid. It’s clear he doesn’t prepare for the game all week….
View from the east stand
Helping hand from the referee, the post and Robson Kanu. All in the space of 5 seconds. Sanchez unlucky with a free kick. Foster already wasting time.
Lacazette
Yyyyyyyyyyyyeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrhhhhhhhhhhhh.
Lakazeah
Good run Nacho
Is that a penalty???….
According to the Daily Mail, the only referee-ing mistake so far, is that WBA should have been given a penalty.
Guardian seems to feel the same way.
COYG!
Another penalty ???
Oh no Gord…….
If they were fair, referee has been poor. But we should’ve had 2 penalties. And they 1.
Wtf is this ref doing?? No penalty on Sanchez and a potential leg breaking tackle on Lafayette?
Ooooooo super nacho
Lacazette.. damn autocorrect
Montreal, take a bow
Cooooommmmeeeee ooooooonnnnn ARSENAL.
Gord the guardian is saying all 3 penalties could have been given.
Hahhahahaha!!!!….howz that a foul by kolasinac
Afraid the ref has kind of lost his way as this half progressed. Sorry but this is shambolic officiating.
SheWore
My comment covers the beginning part of the game. I think the Guardian statements were made after I submitted.
COYG!
Such crap refereeing….. This will injure someone.
In terms of effective offence, WBA has reduced Arsenal to about what they can produce. Both teams with about 5 shots. WBA seems to be growing into the game, but they really get very little ball. Is doubling very little, significant?
Alexis is getting annoyed at being fouled a lot?
Shots on target 2:1
_off target 3:4
Corners 2:2
Fouls 4:7
Yellow 1:1
Goal Kicks 5:4
%Arsenal possession
_5 90
10 81
15 81
20 82
25 82
30 77
35 78
40 76
45 69
45+ 69
COYG!
Am no expert but pretty sure the ref made at least 6 wrong & important calls in the first half alone. Such gross incompetence, how do these guys fail at their jobs like this and manage to keep them?
Ref did all he could to give wba set pieces around our box. So much for ‘fair officiating’
But you know…..referees have got 99.9% of their decisions right…..
Woah, we managed 28 passes culminating in a glancing header by Ramsey going just over the bar..
Need a second goal quick, this ref makes me nervous. West Bromwich should have had a penalty, and so should we, maybe 2 for us even.
Oh, the 45+ should have indicated 2 minutes of time added on.
Actually 13, they do have something like 99.9% of their decisions correct. All of the officials manage to put the left foot in front of the right foot, or the right foot in front of the left foot; when they are moving. Hence, every step they take, is a decision.
COYG!
Some more rotational fouling on Alexis.
COYG!
How what still have 11 men on the pitch I’ll never know
Gunners, a goal or two would be nice.
COYG!
What=wba
What position is Monreal playing? Immense from him..
A bit more than 15 minutes into second half, no shots on target seem to be registered yet for either team.
COYG!
Hahhahahaha Gord,
Hahhahahaha finally.
Nyom Should be booked for challenge on Alexis.
Hey, I can’t see what is happening, what else am I going to do? But no shots in the second half on target to ether team.
Maybe someone can take a shot at the ref?
COYG!
About bloody time.
is it really a penalty? just asking
As I understand the (poor) commentary, it was a shoulder charge on the goal line. Nyom has to be within playing distance of the ball to make the shoulder charge, but the commentary says that he was behind Ramsey.
COYG!
It’s not a penalty I think….BUT, if it makes Pulis miserable…….let’s have more of it.
Bye – bye Nyom. Enjoy your shower.
COYG!
OptaJoe had a piece of trivia.
> 100 – Alexandre Lacazette has scored Arsenal’s 100th penalty in the premier league. Converted.
COYG!
I’m going to guess that ManU got their 100th penalty in the EPL about 10 years ago.
COYG!
Might as well barge into Alexis from behind, the ref probably won’t card anyone for it now.
COYG!
Come on Ozil and Giroud, lets get some more goals.
COYG!
Giroud…. noooooooooooooooooo ssshhhooooootttt.
I wonder if Walter is finished his report yet? 🙂
Three minutes to be added on.
COYG!
Arsenal did more for the offensives stats in the second half, and WBA did more for the defensive/hacking stats. I will guess that Ramsey being subbed off was to give the home crowd the oppotunity to applaud him. From what I seen of commentary, Gibbs had a good game for WBA.
Shots on target 6:2
_off target 8:4
Corners 7:4
Fouls 8:17
Yellow 1:4
Goal Kicks 6:9
%Arsenal possession
50 67
55 69
60 68
65 68
70 69
75 68
80 67
85 68
90 69
90+4 70
COYG!
Thought I’d check the conspiracies and you lot haven’t let me down.Poor referee? Who for? Gord is following the delusional ramblings of Attwood about drunk reporters, pathetic, and can’t wait for Menace and the gun tooting Canadian. Reasonable performance and good to see Pullis ranting and spitting feathers.
Just want to say, Monreal was immense tonight.
If Ramsey wasn’t being pencilled in for Captain I would think Monreal would have a shout. His Attitude is absolutely first rate. Love him.
On the match.
Decent 1st half but fortunate to come out of it ahead. 2nd half much better. Total domination and could of, should of, won by more. Onwards and upwards.
COYG
Well done boys. Everyone put in a great shift. Motm: Ramsey, Lacazette, Elneny, Monreal….Good to see Özil back in the team. We should keep our team discipline and build on from here.
Some clueless chaps say Arsene Wenger couldn’t setup his team to nullify the opponent. They should bury their stinking heads in the sand.
This is to another great team performance and win on Thursday.
COYG!
Fair result to a pretty unmemorable match. I didn’t hear of the supporters complaints (mentioned earlier) about team selection, but I suspect it was something to do with bringing a more defensive Elneny into central defence & putting Ramsey in the wide right spot where Ozil might have played.
They both played well enough, and rotation (with Thursday in mind) was a requirement.
So no complaints from me.
This referee is far too ‘matey’ with the players. The “call me Bobby’ stuff doesn’t really make him any friends, they will just take the piss.
Bloggs – Arsenal win a match and one of the first things you think to do is come on here and try to insult fellow Arsenal supporters (if that is what you consider yourself)? That is pathetic and petty on so many levels, it is truly mind-boggling. What a sad individual, you are.
I hope Pulis gets a fine for that chewing-gum wrapper that he chucked on the floor at the beginning of the second half. Or do rules like that no apply when you reach a certain level of wealth?
Elneny into central midfield (not defence).
All 3 points,a clean sheet and good workmanlike performance. COYG
On the ref
Not the best performance I have ever seen.
But as I have said many times, I can live with a substandard performance, what I cant live with is being screwed by the man in Black, and in all honesty I think it is stretching it a bit to suggest anything like that happened tonight.
There penalty shout was an absolute nailed on penalty and could of changed the course of the game, the fact he never gave it, when he could easily of done so, suggests to me he was not out to do us.
Our 2 1st half shouts were both penalties but much harder to see, especially the 1st. The 2nd should of been seen by the lino.
Apart from not sending off the WBA player (sorry forget his name) late on for a blatant 2nd yellow I thought he was equally inconsistent for both teams.
So as I say, not the greatest refereeing performance of all time, but on the plus side, equally bad for both teams, which I can live with.
Wow every Harry and dick is talking about the would be penalty and how many have we got since I don’t know when? Let’s enjoy when we still have our luck wonder what the AAA have got to say about that? Morons
The game was about getting a result we did , worry about the performance later personnel and positional changes a good result
COYG
West Broms legitimate penalty claim has warranted at least 20 minutes analysis on Sky. Arsenals two legitimate claims in the first half for the manhandling of Monreal and Sanchez have not even been mentioned.
Kampala Gun
We all know how the media will play this. We had the same with the 2 hand balls in the Leicester City match. It was as if the one we should of had didn’t even happen. It has been that way with them for along time and it is a disgrace.
But for me personally, and I think for UA in general, it is important for us to not lower ourselves to there level.
To maintain our integrity, if we get away with one, as we did in that first half, it is important we put the same emphasis on it, no more, no less, the same, as we would of, had it gone against us.
Well, that has us into 7th. Sixth is easily doable. Now to make that 4th or better.
Bloggs, I’ve got no guns. But I am Canadian. I come from where the Alaska Highway begins.
Mick Hazel.
Didn’t listen to a word of the build up, a word of the HT analysis, or a word of the post match analysis.
They are as predictable as Night follows day my friend.
The ref was just blundering throughout, more incompetence than cheating tbh, and that’s how I called it earlier.
Strange there are people who “wait” to see if we’re going to “moan” about refs, without any acknowledgement of how the team played or congratulations… just criticism. Strange reasoning. Everyone who watched that match would agree there should have been at least three penalties; 1 for wba and 2 for us. 3 important errors and we shouldn’t comment? Add to that some of the consistent fouling on Sanchez and the stamp on Lacazette, a foul given against Kolasinac when he was pushed into the ground (Sanchez even got a yellow protesting the decision against what the other team had been allowed to get away with)… and one can see the ref didn’t have a very good outing, particularly in first half. But like I said during the match he just appeared to lose his way and incompetence seemed to take over, rather than the obvious malice we have seen from the likes of Dean or Atkinson.
I do agree with the penalty awarded to Ramsey though; Nyom had no chance of winning the ball & just barged Aaron off the ball sending him tumbling. Why some may be tempted to think otherwise could be because he had let more obvious ones go in the first half, but it was a penalty nonetheless.
I feel we are all getting desensitized to bad refereeing that when there is 2 or so bad calls we think that’s ok. It’s not, and shouldn’t be. Particularly when they are not that difficult to spot. Guys like Colligna would go for several games without making a single error of note, can’t see why our refs have to average five or more per game.
We should continue calling this ineptness out whenever we see it; win lose or draw. A few may know I’m not a big fan of trump from my previous posts; and the media is guilty of this same issue of normalising bad things. The guy is always running his mouth in a way unbefitting a president, and the odd day he reads from a teleprompter the media are quick to label him presidential, only for him to revert back the second you take the teleprompter away. Our standard of officiating is appalling, and we need to keep talking about it or it’ll become the norm. Was ther any cheating today? No. Incompetence? Hell yeah.
Just to add that some wba players were a little heavy handed with their tackling.. possibly as a result of what they had seen the ref let go.
Al
Good analysis.
On your point about “getting desensitized to bad refereeing” I think you have a point.
For me it’s more a case of being so relieved when we get an even handed referee that I hardly care about the overall standard.
How sad is it that it’s come to that.
Mick Hazel
“West Broms legitimate penalty claim has warranted at least 20 minutes analysis on Sky. Arsenals two legitimate claims in the first half for the manhandling of Monreal and Sanchez have not even been mentioned.”
And we still have people coming on here in complete denial that there is any analytical media bias against us in any way shape or form.
I will not read or hear a thing tomorrow as I’m away, but I will state here and now that tomorrow the media will blow the non award of a penalty for WBA into the crime of the century, whilst almost completely ignoring our shouts.
Well, going back to the language, I think tonight was Bostin!
Nitram
True, that’s what happens when we get used being screwed by bad calls time and time again.
And regards the media focusing on the non-pen for wba.. just had a fan of another team text me saying we were handed that victory on a platter by the ref.. so damage already being done by the media.
We shouldn’t be surprised if we are made to pay for this in our next match. Let’s hope the ref doesn’t get punished for this by the pgmol, that’s how they usually turn them against us; recall Mason not sending Coq off, was slaughtered by the media & got demoted, he’s never been the same again for us.
Well, going back to the language, I think tonight was Bostin!
According to the Mirror, Arsenal presented Gareth Barry a signed shirt on the occasion of him beating Ryan Gigg’s appearance record.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/arsenal-present-gareth-barry-signed-11236586
Bostin!
—
In other news, Pulis thinks Alexis is a cheat.
Blaaaaaaaah!
—
Tonight was Bostin!
Good win, clean sheet, momentum. And what of Nacho Unreal! Seo and Laccazette did well, Alexis never stopped trying, Rambo was popping up everywhere, and Bellerin really grew into this game as we dominated the second half.
There were a few empty seats, but nothing like the emptiness predicted by the malcontents. And I thought the fans in the stadium really got behind the team.
West Brom had their moments, Rodriguez was a handful, but we took control in the second half. The usual suspects, including the usual forums are bemoaning their bad luck over the pen they didn’t get, and yes, it did look like a penalty, but so did the pull on Alexis from where I was sitting, that one not getting so many mentions, ok I haven’t seen TV replays, just relaying what I saw at the ground.
West Brom played some good stuff in a spell in the first, but they also used rotational fouling, and had a nasty and dangerous tactic of leaving legs and feet in, they were very lucky to finish with all players on the pitch, penalty or not, no sympathy from this observer.
Oops, forgot to delete the first line of the old message. 🙂
—
Commentary from a few sources had brought up the idea, that the referee was possibly playing advantage, and let the WBA player continue with play once he got past Mustafi. And he put his shot on the post, and another WBA player failed to put in the rebound.
I suppose a person could give the benefit of the doubt that the referee was in fact playing advantage (did he have his arm up in the air to signal advantage?). I think it is more likely he was just playing 😈 Mike Riley rules, and ignoring FIFA, IFAB and EPL rules.
Don’t think the ref was cheating, but he missed a lot, let a lot go, and bottled one or two decisions, sending Dawson off being one of them. Really thought he was itching to send Alexis off, he did call over our skipper, but failed to do so with some of their more underhand tactics, at least from what I could see.
Oh well. That’s probably it for us getting penalties for a while.
Credit to Rodriguez though, he actually tried to do the job of a forward and score rather than put on the theatrics
I gather Arsenal U23 were in action tonight against Everton?
http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/everton-u23s-triumph-thriller-against-13673803
I gather Arsenal opened the scoring and eventually lost the game. But there was an Everton player seriously injured at about the 1 hour mark.
Don’t think he was playing advantage. No out spread arms. Just missed it.
He must of thought the WBA slipped.
Similarly he missed the 2 pulls on Alexis and Nacho.
Not great, but the net result was we were down a penalty, yet the media will still make like WBA were robbed.
Well there’s a surprise.
Just got home from the game & as much as I try to avoid getting mad at the PGMOL, they just put their fingers on the button.
The number of times Alexis was tackled from behind in a Pulis serial methodand ignored by the Riley dog. It took several kicks & a talking to before the eventual card came out. The booking of Alexis was an absolute abuse of officialdom. Kola was fouled right in front of the Assistants nose but he only saw a foul by Kola. Alexis was incensed & remonstrated with the official giving the cheat with the whistle an opportunity to show off. The time wasted by West Brom was miniscule compared to that wasted by the referee.
The referee bottled the second yellow to send off Dawson & had a chat instead. Another £50k plus per week employee in the sport of football being told about the Laws of the Game. The penalty was right in front of where I sit & I was surprised that it was given. There were a lot worse fouls that were not called so surprise is not the wrong term.
Arsenal played well but wasted several good chances. We were fortunate not to concede any goals because our defence lost concentration a few times. The momentum of forward movement seems to take an age & the long cross field pass seems to have lost its use.
On another day we could have been facing a baying aaa crowd or the likes of bloggs with his wet nappies.
Even Arsenal.com mis-spells Nacho Monreal’s last name incorrectly. They have a “t” to make it like the city on Quebec, Canada.
The (current) link to the Match Video shows Ramsey versus Gibbs at Arsenal.com.
In an ideal world, neither player has his hands on the other.
But, both Gibbs and Ramsey only have open hands in contact with each other. No grabbing of shirts or things like that. Something that most other players in the EPL probably would not do, or situations that they would not find themselves in. Typically one or both would be grabbing the other.
Did not see the match but heard a win. Good on you lads.
WOO HOO , HOO ! By the sound of things here , the boys did their stuff and stuffed the Albion.
Have yet to watch the games , the highlights and the goals. Did our usually moaning ex-players/pundits enjoy the show too ?
Up the Gunners !
Mandy
You are allowed to be kicked and pushed all over the pitch but please do not complain and talk to an official because you are questioning his integrity which you know is in doubt anyway
Please, where is Walter’s match report?
Very true Steve
Sorry guys as my Fa gave me a match around the same time as Arsenal played I couldn’t do my usual match report. It seems that they are doing all they kan to stop me from watching matches live so far this season.
Oh and work will prevent me from watching next match on Thursday evening….
Sorry folks….
But glad with the win! 🙂
@ Nitrim – Scrolling through Goonernews this morning and it is filled with articles about Pulis calling Sanchez a cheat, how WBA were denied a clear penalty (literally no mention of our 2) and how terrible Xhaka was/is. It’s so painfully predictable.. The way we get treated in the media, it really is no wonder that we have one of the worst fan-bases in England. The aaa/WOB don’t even realise how easily they are being manipulated and they have the cheek to come on here and call us deluded? You couldn’t make this up..
Sorry, Nitram, not Nitrim!
Jammy J
Thanks for that. As I say I haven’t seen or heard a thing, but as you said it is so painfully predictable.
It would be great if all those calling us deluded would actually show us why we are.
Problem is they’re all like that poster Para who comes on here telling us how wicked we are for calling Wright out for the hypocritical charlatan he is then when presented with page after page of Wrights critical ramblings he disappears without a trace.
That is of course until a few days later when he’ll be back spouting the same rubbish.