Giroud boosts his confidence, Koz gives pen away, Mert scores but sees horror show

TotalArsenal

Image

A ‘quick and dirty’ update of tonight’s World Cup qualifiers with Arsenal player involvement:

Spain – France

Giroud only came on two minutes before the end, and scored an excellent goal from a cross by Ribery in the very last minute of the game, to hold the Spanish to a draw. This will do his confidence a world of good, and it is just what he, and Arsenal, needed. Very pleased with that and I expect him to play with full confidence against Norwich on Saturday – where his physicality will be surely needed.

Koscielny started the game but gave away a penalty when he fouled Pedro. Luckily for him Fabregas missed it. Santi started on the bench but had to come on after ten minutes due to injury to David Silva.

Germany – Sweden

Per Mertesacker also scored for Germany: their third goal, with a volley!! However, things turned very sour for Big Per after that, who played the full game for Germany. Giving an incredible 4-0 lead away at home by drawing 4-4 in the end, is the stuff of nightmares. Let’s hope this does not affect the BFG too much and that he will be fully ready for the game at and against Norwich (where he also had a bit of a defensive nightmare last season).

Podolski came on as a sub in the 87th minute. So he should be fresh for the Norwich game.

Belgium – Scotland

I watched the Belgium – Scotland game live, and Vermaelen had a really easy game: probably one of the easiest games in his career. Belgium played large parts of the game in the Scottish half, and Vermaelen and Kompany stayed mainly behind to provide enough defensive cover. Thomas was very focussed and disciplined and must have been told by his manager Wilmots to not venture forward too much. On the evidence of tonight’s game, Vermaelen can indeed follow instructions!

Johan Djourou started for Switzerland in a 2-0 away win against Iceland.

Other than Giroud’s fine equaliser for the French, the best news I can give you is that there will be no more interlulls till 22 March 2013! Hallelujah!!

Total Arsenal.

49 thoughts on “Giroud boosts his confidence, Koz gives pen away, Mert scores but sees horror show”

  • God they were playing all over them, how on earth did that happen?!

    You know who annoys me…Borussia Dortmund! Not only do they have players like hummels, subotic, goetze, and lewandowski. They sell a promising young star in Kagawa, but that’s okay because they buy Marco Reus. It’s not bloody fair, he looks like an absolute gem of a player! Klopp is pretty good too

  • Ah the infamous red-zone. I agree 100% Arsene is no good at rotating players. We have greater depth now so hopefully he can trust the squad players to produce when needed. It doesn’t have to be liverpool-like changes with 5 rotations a game. One game Arteta has a rest -> in comes Coquelin. Next game gibbs -> for santos ect ect. A let the youngsters have a go in the cups.
    I like the idea of the under 21 competition but i would be good to have a reserves league so they can get regular games.

    The Australia cricket team used to do a A + B squad and play off against each other and other teams around the world. It got canned though as the A side was getting pissed off that the B side knocked them off, and the supporters cheered the B side as they were new, fresh and brought something different.

    What a squad we have though. My Aussie rules team doesn’t have the best of depth but we have a brilliant physio (nicknamed the ‘groin guru’) who has worked wonders with soft tissue injuries and rehab. To the point where we nearly went the whole season without a soft tissue injury (unheard of). The only problem there was the fringe players were stuck in the reserves and weren’t given a chance. Now the trade period is open and ~7 players are looking to leave for more game time and opportunities. The point of the story is with such a strong depth these players will expect game time and a fair go. It is a luxury that Arsenal has at the moment but it most likely won’t last long as we don’t have man city money to offer them massive wages to sit on their arse.

    If Arsene utilizes his rotations we can see a happier squad whilst also limiting injuries and a drop in starting 11 performances.

    @ GLIC

    good news on the little one.

  • Hugo Lloris is the man we need for GK..
    Such a pity we lost him for the last minute to Spurs..

    Anybody watching Holland games?
    Lens and Narsingh is the kind of winger we need most if Walcott gone..

    I love Giroud scores..
    It’s like us beating barca.. hehe..
    And I love the moment Cozorla and Giroud had a big hug.. hehe..

  • @ Henry

    He is a good keeper but we have szcz so it would have been a complete waste of money. If we were to bring in someone it’d be an older experienced keeper with a few years left in him while he szcz develops. Yes lloris saved a penalty, but szcz at anfield trumps that easily

  • Sorry OZ..
    I don’t think Czesny is good enough for Arsenal..
    His compatriot Tyton (PSV Eindhoven) is better than him..

    I do agree with TA that GK is a must buying for January..
    I missed a solid GK like Seaman and Lehmann in our team..
    Must we search another ….man for GK.. hehehe..

    Last season we worried so much about our defender.. Now they geetting better..
    But GK still worried us week by week..
    Just a wild though if only we have solid GK.. than we already beat Chelsea that day..

    Go Gunners..

  • Good morning Nigel (previous post), Oz and Henry,

    Thanks for some good comments last night! 🙂

    Must do school run first, but get back to you later.

  • Morning to all you guys. 🙂

    Brilliant headed goal by our man Giroud. 🙂

    Henry, I think you could be right about the Chelsea goals, although the whole defence was at fault too.

    Sczezney has not been too good since last March when he played in games for us and Poland. I hope when he returns so will his form. 🙂

  • It was a lovely header RA, how he directed it with power is beyond me.

    @ Henry

    Mark Schwarzer fits the bill nicely. I bought him on Fifa for $50 000. Considering that’s where i get all my valuable information from I say that’s a steal and sign him up!

  • Morning Oz 🙂

    Yep, Schwarzer would be fine. Someone with loads of PL experience who can do a job if and when Szczesny is injured or needs, for whatever reason, a break. Like somebody else said a few days ago, we missed out on Shay Given: he would have been perfect as well.

    Morning RA, enemy of the calculator! 😆

    I reckon Szczesny will be fine again once he gets going. I feel he really benefits from his working relationship with TV and especially BFG and they just need a run of games together (without losing any…).

  • Ozzy, all agreed re Dortmund, but don’t we do the same? We sold Nasty Sami and got back the Ox and Gervinho for the money. We sold Fabregas – against our will – but got back Santi and Arteta for the same money.

    In an ideal world, it is the footie & management systems that determine the quality and success rate of a club, not (the necessity to keep) the players. Van Gaal is a master at it, Klopp seems the biggest rising star in team management at the moment, but our French collector of footballing gems ain’t that bad either. For that reason alone, Arsene is worth his alleged £6m salary. 🙂

  • Hi again Oz,

    Fine comment @01.59.

    You are highlighting some of the big difficulties a manager faces when he needs to decide who should play and who should be given a rest. It really seems to be a fine art to rotate effectively.

    ‘The Groin Guru’ brilliant name. Maybe a good job for GLiC! 😆

  • hehehe.. I like your joke..
    The nearest one for Seaman is Simon Mignolet.. (the sound of names)
    And for Lehmann is Man-uel Neur.. (Germany).. hehehe..

  • Henry, what about Stekelenburg – his physique and style of goal keeping reminds me a bit of Seaman 🙂

    Re earlier comment, I like the look of Narsingh and you are right: he could do well at the Arsenal, but it is a bit too early to say.

    Has the rainy season started yet in Indonesia, or did it get stuck in Poland?! Muhahahaha 😛

  • Morning and thanks for video, Glicster. 🙂

    Good to see a bit of fraternite again in the French team. Early days but Deschamps seems to be doing an incredible job for the French.

  • Yes Total, they certainly looked happy when Olly popped that one in, it will also do him the world of good !. 🙂

  • So true, the Glic.

    There are many negatives about the international games but when a player gets such a boost of confidence in a big game like Spain vs France, we basicly get an upgraded player back. This is just what le docteur ordered!

  • Hi Glic, 🙂

    I saw your message and thought — oh, oh, Glic’s going to be in trouble with Mrs TA — but the sentiment “they certainly looked happy when Olly popped that one in” was actually a fair comment. 😆

  • If he scores the winner at Norwich on Saturday, then I think he will take off !.
    Are you going to the game Total ?. Do you live that far away from the ground ?

  • hahaha Redders, I have to be carefull when I write stuff, sometimes I dont even know I`m writing innuendo`s ! hahaha

  • Haha RA 🙂

    My first job in the UK, in the early nineties, was wine waiter. I did not know a thing about wine, but spoke with an interesting accent and was still gullible. Every time I uncorked a bottle, I would say: ‘ahh, that was a nice plop’, not being aware it should be ‘pop’. No wonder my guests would laugh at me every time. I only found out months after I started the job that plop is the word you use if and when your bottom drops something in the toilet. 😛

    Glic, I was too late for away-tickets. They sold out in no time. I live about 20 minutes walk away from the stadium.

  • hehehe..
    It’s just a joke TA..
    I said before.. I missed Seaman and Lehmann.. Our two great GK alltime..
    Than I said.. should we go for another …man.
    Than I propose Simon (a close sound of Seaman..) or Man-uel..
    Yes Stekelenburg is good.. the best Holland GK..

    No.. It’s still hot here in Indonesia.. Don’t really know what happen with the climate..
    Usually rainy season start in the middle Sept till March..

    Let’s see who will play as Poland GK tomorrow again England..
    I choose Tyton.. And I Hope Jenkinson, AOC, and Gibbs play..

    And agains Norwich we must rest some of our regular player..
    Santi Cozorla seem tired.. Arshavin and Wilshere should play..
    Jekinson and Gibbs also.. Sagna and Santos will be fine..
    Go Gunners..

  • Henry, do you miss the rainy season in a way? I would miss the autumn here in England/Europe, if the summer would continue all the way to October.

    I reckon it is too early to play Jack but agree that Santi must be close to needing a rest… Ramsey and Arteta did not play during the week, so they will probably play. Maybe Coquelin will get a chance again with Ramsey or Arteta in the hole position. Santi could start on the bench, in case we need him.

  • It is also only a rumour ( told to me by Mrs Plopadopolous ) that his missus calls him Mr Flopadopolous. Curiously, I`m not sure if that is the pet name for the syrup or something else !.

  • TA/Glic,

    I am embarrassed to be sitting here on my own, giggling my head off at you both.

    If anyone saw me they would think I am loony. —— (Don’t you dare Monsieur Glicster!) 🙂

  • Thanks TA

    I too watched the Belgium Scotland game. Very impressed with the Belgies, not very impressed with the Scots

    The German result just made me think of the Newcastle game. Thats enough to make any one a bit Floppydopoly. hahaha

  • The person I feel most sorry for……………. was me !…………stuck in the wardrobe filming !. hahaha

  • How are we kidz? 🙂

    Been very busy lately, ive left my timber flooring business (on hold at the moment) and started up in the field of transport and logistics, working for a company that distributes all over Oz for McDonalds..Its great stuff, as my manager is British and understands the need to take a night off so as to watch the mighty Arsenal play..Even though hes a manC scum supporter he aint a half bad bloke..

    GEE-ROOS winner (may as well have been) or equaliser was great stuff and i particularly enjoyed hearing Arsene giggle on French TV or Radio..But his goal did cost me what could have been a nice 4 thousand quid…damn

    So Total, why the breakaway? Not that im complaining! You know i love your style and especially enjoy the fact that i probably wont get harrassed into writing something myself..Thank Dennis for that

  • Glic, i hate to bring up the past but this is a must!

    In a previous post on AA by Chas, you got me down as number 14 (i think) in the distorted picture guessing game..It was actually Ping Pong..

    Whatever made you think i was black?

    Even though my missus will verify that i am black from the waist down 😉

    too much?..should i get my coat

  • Hi 3xP,

    Good to hear about your new job/ direction, and all the best with it! 🙂

    I did not break away, but have just been busy to set up Bergkampesque. I will remain an active blogger and occasional blog writer on AA, as there are a great bunch of people over there. 🙂

  • Its a fantastic site Total, as is AA, and the community on both..When it comes to writing and view points, your on the top shelf mate 🙂

    I also see that you have recruited well, i see that GLIC wants the role of video king..

    Is Bergkampesque on ‘news now’ ?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *