West Ham Preview: no Diaby – no Diame, Frimpong & Jack reunited, Ox & Pod to start, Theo or OG?

206 thoughts on “West Ham Preview: no Diaby – no Diame, Frimpong & Jack reunited, Ox & Pod to start, Theo or OG?”

• Good report TA and I was interested in you picking Frimpong. Many feel he is not good enough for Arsenal but I feel it is too early to say. He was for me the best player on the pitch last season against Liverpool before getting sent off. He focussed on his defensive job but would try and move us forwards when he was able. If we could harness his natural aggression but temper it slightly to reduce the rash challenges then we may still have the powerful defensive midfielder we are looking for. Having said that AW seems to have indicated that he feels we are short in this department so it may be he feels we need recruitment. If so, I don’t know who is the better option from say Diame, Wanyama, Mvilla or others. What did you mean TA about not being sure that Diame would be the type of character AW would want in his camp?

• Hi GoonerB,

  Good call on the Liverpool game last season.

  Frimpong is a promising talent but he was not included in the Great Brit Sign-on event last month, and it might mean Arsene does not believe he is going to make it. However, this is his chance, as I reckon Wenger will not play Wilshere as our deepest midfielder and Ramsey next to him, although this is still a possibility. If he does the latter, it will tell us how he feels about Frimmers.

  I don’t think Arsene likes troublemakers at the club, and that is the main reason he decided not to sign M’Villa in the summer (after his shenanigans with the French National Team). Diame’s threat of reporting the club to FIFA is the sort of action I expect Arsene to frown upon. It is just a gut-feeling though.

• Thanks for the pre-match, Total, the madness of King Arsene rages on.
  Three points are an absolute must tonight.
  So we can’t do the Championship, but we can do the F.A Cup!!!
  The madness of VCC rages on.
  Clearly too much power corrupts and is an increasingly corrosive force.

• Arsenal have been riding their lucky just lately, and with West Hams physical presence the Hammers will begin to rally up some away wins..Prediction Hammers 2.1 Arsenal

• TA.. If Diame really off.. then it’s a very goodnews for us..
  We can beat them more easily.. hehehe..

  I don’t think Frimpong will play.. If not Diaby than Ramsey will start..
  And we still have Eisfeld.. why go for Frimpong..??
  Attack more.. gives goals more.. hehehehe..

• Hi Herb.

  When we started I had the Premiership and Championship. Then Henry came on board and requested only the Premiership. I thought it only fair to abide by his wishes and only include the Premiership as he said its an unfair advantage as we/us know the Championship a darn site more.

  I feel he has a point, as its just for fun (not me, I want to win, hehehe)

  Arse Red ??????? can you submit 5 entries for Red Arse. (If that’s you GLiCCy, I shoot you, and so will Red Arse, cos your crap at predictions, 😉 )

• Going to see Les Mis chaps. Back latterz.

  Cheers PPP and Oz for links.

• 23Jan(Wed) vs West Ham (home)(league)
  26Jan(Sat) vs Brighton(away)(FA Cup)
  30Jan(Wed) vs Liverpool (home)(league)
  02Feb(Sat) vs Stoke City (home)(league)

  2 to 3 days in between for the next 4 matches. Keeping fingers crossed that we would scrap through with wins and lesser injured players.

  I would play with 3xCBs in this match against West Ham in a 3-4-1-2.

  Szczesny(GK), Koscielny(CB), Mertesacker(SW/CB), Vermaelen(CB), Gibbs(LWB),
  Sagna(RWB), Wilshere(CM), Diaby(CM), Cazorla(AM), Walcott(CF), Giroud(CF)

  Subs: Mannone, Santos, Frimpong, AoC, Podolski, Ramsey, Jenkinson

  AoC, Podolski and Ramsey to come off the bench to get their minutes during the match.

  Frimpong & Jenkinson to get their chances to start against Brighton this weekend.

• TA, I see what you mean about Diame and the reporting to UEFA. I suppose the thing is that if Diame knows he has an interested party being a big club you can understand his desire to take that opportunity. If West Ham are being deliberately obstructive on this and legally they have no right to be doing so, then you can also understand why he may feel the need to act swiftly before the opportunity passes him by. I don’t get the feeling that Sullivan is the easiest of characters to deal with. Furthermore what if it is us that have let him know we want him. If WH are being deliberately, and illegally, obstructive then that would affect us also. In this instance him taking this course of action may well be with AW’s blessing to get things done before the window shuts and may not be a reflection of his overall character. If I was a conspiracy theorist I might even think the delay is to stop a valuable former player from being able to immediately play against them. Now which club could that refer to?

• Thanks Total for the PM and usual tactical nous. 🙂

  Nice odds Vics, If they come through, I will pay for the Boy`s from the Oz Stuff to come over for a game !.

  As for tonight, I would rest all the players and play our “Invincible” ladies lezzer team as we need to win the FA Cup !. Lets face it, a load of butch lezzers will always beat a team of camp ” Iron Hoofters ” !. hahaha

• Hi Paul F, yes we were very lucky with those refereeing decision against the Norhtern Oilers and the Chavs lately!

  Well, we have to be careful against the Hammers tonight, but I tell you one thing: if Arsenal score an early goal and the crowd get fully fired up we might give you a Gunnering tonight! 🙂

• Hi Herb and Henry 🙂

  Henry, Eisfeld is not a defensively minded midfielder, so we won’t see him instead of Coquelin or Diaby. Ramsey is a better call but offers also very little defensively (did he win a single one to one against the Chavs in his thirty minutes cameo?). So I reckon it will be Frimmers and Jack – would make total sense to me. But then that does not mean anything, really: does it?! 😛

• Hi JM, nice formation and players, but Arsene will never start with 3 CB’s. However, If so, I’ll buy you a nice bottle of vino! 🙂

• Not me Vics !.

  I thought it might be Redders mirror image, like me , he can be very mischievous !. 🙂

• Hahahaha GoonerB – I like your scheming a lot. Hope it is true! 🙂

• Glic at 11.50 very stereotypical of you. Leave our ladies alone! 😛

• I’m certain we’re gooner win the game tonight. There’s a lot of doubt lately 4rm the fans,even within the team,but i’m backing Theo to get at least 2 goals tonight. And oh,silly Arsene, better not let Diame leave that stadium!

• That is the spirit Ray!! 🙂

• Nicked from ‘JUSTARSENAL.COM’ – a very disturbing read which should cause deep concern among the Arsenal faithful.
  “As a diehard fan of another team that Silent Stan owns (The Colorado Avalanche), know that I feel the same pain you do. I have been following the Arsenal story since he became the majority shareholder and it’s nothing but unfortunate for all of you wonderful fans – and unfortunately not all that surprising to me.
  The Avalanche won the Stanley Cup in 2001 when Kroenke owned the team, but it was with players that were there long before Kroenke was the owner. Since then the team has consistently gone downhill and is one of the lowest spending teams year-in and year-out, and traded away many of their top players..
  Because he owns St Louis Rams, he has since given control of the Avalanche to his son, Josh Kroenke, who is just as bad. Just last year Josh Kroenke remarked that Avalanche fans were ‘spoiled’ when the team was moved to Colorado in 1995. Strange choice of words coming from a little boy who was given two sports teams (he is also in charge of the Denver Nuggets now), by his daddy. I sincerely hope he does not gain control of your stadium as well, as he has done here in Colorado. The ticket prices at the Pepsi Center (Avalanche and Nuggets arena) are over-priced and the atmosphere at games is dreadful. He also owns the television station that broadcasts both teams’ games, and the broadcasters are basically forbidden from saying anything critical of the teams.
  If you ask me, Stan Kroenke is the absolute worst owner in all of sports, and I wish for nothing more than him to sell the teams he owns to people who are actually passionate about sports. It saddens me to see Arsenal going the route of my dear Avalanche, and I wish Kroenke would retire to his ranch instead of taking out what I can only guess is his apparent disdain for sports and being picked last for everything at school on sports fans by purchasing teams and running them into the ground.”

• Hi Total and good afternoon BK’rs, hope you are all well 🙂

  Great pre-match Total,
  Is our Morrocan superstar eligible to play today?
  I find your inclusion of Frimpong both interesting and if he does play…a little worrying. I say worrying because we would be playing the youngster out of necessity rather than, just like in seasons past, giving him a 10min run out to get experience with some wiser heads. To me it seems that long gone are the days that the youngsters had players to look up to and learn from. Cesc had PV4, Van Judas had Henry and Bergkamp etc This squad looks to have the experience on paper and in age, but seem to be ‘learning on the job’ with plaenty of errors along the way, which we just cannot afford at the moment.

  In saying that, i dont believe Frimpong will start. Im sure you agree that playing the anchor role and shading our back four is a very important role, and in turn could make or break us. Well, maybe not this game as i expect the midfield battle to be obsolete with the Hammers choosing to play ‘hoofball’ instead of on ground. Therefore, imo if i was choosing the team today and under the circumstances i couldnt think of a better opportunity to experiment with TV5 and start him as our DM. Im sure he would be up to the task and any headers lost could be swept up by one of Per or Kozzer, but thats just me.

  I find it very disturbing that at this stage of the season we have not settled on a favourite starting 11 or formation, and if we have its not working. Granted, its another transitional year but we bring the transition on ourselves. If selling Van Judas was a mistake than selling Song could turn out to be an even bigger mistake if we dont replace him in this window. Worrying times 😦

  Im also worried that Jack will not get protection tonight. I fear that he will be targeted by Sams men and Jack may try to hard in getting his beloved guns over the line. I also fear that our whole midfield is on the verge of ‘the red zone’. Where has the rotation been? Its non exsistant unless forced upon through injury eg Arteta, Poldi. Im certain we cant afford to lose Diaby or Jack again (knock on wood).

  As you can see, i have let the negativity out of the bag and its unlike me. What will hurt the most if we dont succeed in getting a CL place is that through all the constraints and obstacles taht we have had to deal with over the last few years, Wenger has achieved a few miracles! but now as the shackles are starting to be released and with some light, at the end of the tunnel (finally) i fear we may miss out on Europe (Wednesday proper) and that would be a disaster in my book.

  Anyway, really hoping we turn up tonight and that we can clinch 3 valuable points…steal them even and after that i really hope Arsene gets active in the last 8 days. Its a must!

  COYG!!

  Right, off for a snooze until kick off otherwise i wont last. Laters muvverz

  @VCC, my odds would be_?_-1

• VCC. Predictions as follows:

  Arsenal…win of course
  Pool + Chavs…also a win
  Leeds vs Totts…draw
  Everton…chalk that down to a win also

• TA

  news of your blog has traveled far and wide across the galaxies to my universe. It’s a big hit! Here it’s called ‘Bergklogesque’ after the great Dennis Bergklog! I too feel Frimpong should start.

  Here’s to Arsenal winning comfortably in your universe and in mine.

  Until next time…live long and prosper

• Hi PPP 🙂

  All fair points and your comment could easily have turned into a post.

  Like you, I would like to see TV tried as a DM, but this is very unlikely to happen. It is just not a Wenger thing to do. Frimpong next to Jack at home could really work out well. The alternative is to play Jack and Rambo, but that would force Jack into the DM role: it could work too.

  Hard to tell what is going to happen tonight, but I feel comfortable in saying that I might have picked the same midfield as Arsene tonight.

• Cheers Arse Red, the universe is our oyster! 🙂

• Thanks for the mini-article, Herb.

  I don’t know anything about Kroenke’s American teams so cannot comment. Clearly, he allowed too many good players to leave in recent seasons, and if this trend is not reversed we should indeed worry. It looks like Arsenal have now signed everybody up on long-term deals and therefore we should see more stability/continuity.

• TA,

  Frimpong would not be included in the British youngsters signing contracts, because he is Ghanaian, and has elected to play for them in Internationals.

  Loved the Post!

  Back later! 🙂

• Arse Red,

  Spoken like an ……………………………. Arseyfarianoomedong!

  You will,of course self immolate if you bugger up my UMF predictions. I have sent snow rage down to Cornwall, and it hit Devon, so if you see a snowman with a bright red conk — no – a conk – it is really a naked Glic with a cheeky split-arsed grin!

• Haha Red Arse! 🙂 Are you saying that had Frimmers not opted to play for Ghana but England he would now be in possession of a long-term contract? 😛

• Yep! 😛

• Hi Total, I don’t follow American sports either, the article just looked very worrying from an Arsenal perspective. But the lack of communication and clarity concerning the club’s objectives/direction is something we’ve mentioned before, and continues to be a major source of irritation.
  Hi Redders, hope all is well with your good self 🙂

• Hi Redders 🙂

  He would probably say………” Is that an Icicle or are you glad to see me ! ”

  I cant see as far to the next universe Arse Red, but I can see as far as Uranus ! ( I will never tire of the Uranus gag ! hahaha )

• Hi Herb 🙂

  Like you, I find that article disturbing, so let it be a warning to us, dont trust those septics !.
  They are over sexed, over paid and over here, but as long as they love Arsenal it`s fine !……………………..Hold on a sec`……….thats an APB of Redders !……………right !……………….” Hello……FBI…….CIA………The Muvvers somewhere in Hertfordshire……. disguised as a Library……book him Danno ! “.

• Hi GliC, you’re in sparkling form as always. If only Arsenal were as consistent as you, we’d be flying 🙂

• Here`s one Zimmerdine !.

  http://coolsport.tv/schedule.html

• Is it computer-safe, GliC?

• Herbs

  I have already put my application form in for when Arsene leaves and the regular BKers will be my back room staff !. I`ll have Redders and Stretch fiddling…cooking….I mean doing the accounts. Oz will be Pre- Match reporter with Prince as his raspberry beret !. Total will have his own boot room and make award winning Adidas Clogs !. TG will be video manager and scout other players wifes other than the one`s I have secretly taped, like Sagna`s missus !. Vicky , will be stuffed and left in the away teams changing room to put them off !. Henry will be just outside the away teams door and just laugh insanely ! and you can be my liason officer with Ivan the Terrible and Stanley……you will of course have the glic seal of approval to assasinate Stans syrup or crap in it……whatever takes your fancy !.

  The Ghoullies in my pants are stirring !

• Herb.
  Some streams seem ok and on some occations my protection system has said ” Whoa, dont go there ! “.
  I`m not a computer geek , so is it safe, I dont know, but my system warns me !.

• GliC 😆
  Is that link a safe one? I only ask because Kelsey said something about regulators clamping down on people watching free football via the internet, and leaving malicious hard-ware on the guilty party’s computer that only an expert PC mechanic could remove, and that it would cost a fortune.

• Afternoon all, been trying to sleep but that hasnt worked out for me.

  @Herb, nevermind what Kelsey has said, that happened on one site that i can recall and it was monitored by the FBI and taken down.

  Go to wiziwig.com and download sopcast. It is safe and take you 2 minutes. Then i hour before kick off go to the football section and check out which channels are showing our game. (sopcast is top quality as opposed to flash player) and in English commentary. I put Oz onto wiziwig start of last season as we were not getting FA Cup games here and i tell you now we have never had problems and i promise you will not search elsewhere.

  Anyway, ill have a quick smoke, and try catch a few more zzzzz’Z, though i doubt it. London derby here we go!!!

• Raspberry beret!

  Exsqueeze me, i baking powder?

• Nice one PPP. Here’s hoping we hammer the Hammers and put Fat Sam in his place.

• * 1 hour before kick off (channels become available) sometimes a Russian channel is quicker than say, a streaming with English commentary. But than again, its up to you whether you would rather listen to Stewart Robson or Igor Sukmehoff 😆

• Hi Guys, again! 🙂

  I’m fine thanks, but hanging around in hospital waiting rooms trying to be patient is probably worse than the treatment! 😀

• Quietly confident Herb, but i dont want to get ahead of myself. It has hurt me alot this season.
  I can live with losing but only if we show 100% effort, fight and determination. The rest as they say is up to Dennis.

• Hi TA,

  Fantastic match preview and we’ll definitely need Giroud’s height and physicality to help break up WHU’s set pieces along with holding up the ball in front of their back four. As you state, Theo is a must given his outstanding scoring pace this season and he was extremely effective vs. WHU on his last trot out. Podolski starting makes sense to me as he should be well rested and is probably itching to get out there (not like glic itching his todger every time isco’s name is mentioned hahaha).

  I read up on that Diame rumour last night and was really hoping that we’d lodge a bid so he wouldn’t play vs. us tonight, but it’s looking likely that today’s match will be a final audition for AW. Pierre Dreossi, GM of Rennes, has claimed that another unnamed EPL club has submitted a formal bid for Yann M’Vila. Also, there have been widespread reports in the Croatian and Montenegrin media that Arsenal have lodged a bid of £23 million for the talented and versatile Stevan Jovetic. Interesting news for sure, getting excited about the TW when I probably shouldn’t be!

  Finally, I was very happy to wake up and read that Wenger has the full support of Arsenal legend Bobby Pires and he backs Giroud as well. Interesting that professionals (not ones trying to promote their radio shows) who are much closer to the sport and understand the situation at Arsenal better than any of us are in full support of the club and their direction, yet the “average” fan is not. I’m happy that past players are speaking out in support of Arsene and we should all be taking a page out of their books.

  COYG!!!

• George Graham and Tony Adams weren’t so complimentary, Gooner.

• I usually have several screens open on my computer at any one time for different things.

  Never been a problem to switch from Google Chrome to Opera or whatever instantly but this is the second time in a couple of days that I have responded to a BK comment stream onto AA!

  I usually wear an aluminum foil tri-cornered head piece to keep out all the loony rays, just like Glic told me too. I will have to use the super strength one in future, shaped like a buccaneers hat, which will at least keep my buckin ears warm!

  Anyway, viz a vis streams:-

  Many fans, in the past, have watched Arsenal games on a site called Liveonlinefooty until it suddenly shut down. This might be why.

  — “I read an article in a newspaper, allegedly, saying that the UK ‘owner’ of liveonlinefooty, and his mate were arrested, found guilty and are due to be sentenced next week for showing premiership games streamed live from a giant satellite dish in his garden, using an Albania decoder?

  Anyone got an uptodate on that?

  I said “allegedly” because the name was similar but it may have been livefootyonline, or a similar combination, but someone has definitely been caught naughtily streaming games for money.

  The authorities are definitely getting antsy about pirating!

• Glic, if you were manager of Arsenal, you’d probably be the most colourful and interesting manager in the game! Your interviews would be instant hits on youtube hahaha

• Herb, hasn’t Tony Adams been pining for a coaching/managing position at Arsenal for a while now? I feel like there’s a bitterness involved that is unrelated to the current on-field product, just my opinion though. Of course there will always be those in opposition of what goes on at Arsenal, but this would happen regardless even if we were winning.

• Hi Redders,

  I remember when i first started posting on AA i used to watch live streaming on a site (which i cannot recall the name right now) and have since deleted from my favourites file and switched to wiziwg.com. Anyway, i recall going onto the site one day when a big display came up saying “WARNING” with something along the lines of FBI taking control.

  IrishGunner, at the time had informed me that there was a crackdown on that particular site but nothing to be worried about as new sites in that line of work will always become available. Needless to say, the old “seek and you shall find” led me to wiziwig.com and its been great for all sports viewing. Anyhoo, thats my 2 cents and i hope i didnt let you down with my predictions last round. 😉

• Hi Herb, all agreed on the lack of communication, and it really does not seem to be that difficult…. 😦

• Total, where is Nigel de Jong plying his trade nowdays?

• AC Milan from what I remember

• UMF League Predictions (hopefully my predictions are excused since I’ve always been going for the homer picks):

  Arsenal away win
  Chel$ea away win
  Spuds away win
  Poo(l) away win
  Man $hitty away win
  Manure home win

• I think you’re right about Tony Adams, Gooner. But both he and Fabregas said Mr Wenger doesn’t do tactics, or work out how to stop the opposition.
  Looks like Sagna wants out 😦

• Cheers TG.
  Is he getting game time? At the time i thought he would have been a great ‘stop gap’ signing until the likes of le Coq and PingPong developed.

• Hi PPP he is wearing the red and white stripes of Milan nowadays, keeping Flamini on the bench, I reckon. 🙂

• PPP, he’s been getting quite a fair amount of playing time. He’s only been an unused substitute in 5 of Milan’s games this year, has 27 starts across all leagues and 2 substitute appearances. He’s also been surprisingly disciplined in all his matches this year, only receiving 6 yellows and 0 reds.

• Red and white?
  They used to wear red and black when i was watching them back in the Van Basten, Boban era. 😉

• Fully agreed on the usefulness of De Jong: he is a beast alright and can pass a simple ball as well. He probably was too expensive in terms of salary, though.

• While hanging around the waiting room, I mulled over the health related things I had read in newspapers and consumer TV programmes warning of this and that.

  No wonder my mind is straying and making me do strange! 🙂

  — I can no longer open a bathroom door without using a paper towel,
  nor let the waitress put lemon slices in my ice water without worrying about the bacteria from her hand getting on the lemon peel.

  I have trouble shaking hands with someone who has been driving (like Glic) because the number one pastime for anyone driving alone is picking one’s nose.

  Terry, don’t nick your female assailant’s handbag for fear she has placed it on the floor of a public toilet.

  I am especially thankful for the warning about rat poo in the glue on envelopes, because I now have to use a wet sponge with every envelope that needs sealing.

  ALSO, now I have to scrub the top of every can I open for the same reason.

  I can’t have a drink in a bar because I fear I’ll wake up in a bathtub full of ice with my kidneys gone.

  I can’t eat a chicken burger because the chickens are actually horrible mutant freaks with no eyes, feet or feathers.

  I can’t use cancer-causing deodorants even though I smell like a water buffalo on a hot day.

  Thanks to you lot sending me emails warning that only get my prayers answered if I forward an e-mail to seven of my friends and make a wish within five minutes.

  I no longer drink Coca-Cola because it can remove toilet stains and pee-ing in the bowl makes strange patterns. What? I don’t have time for bathroom cleaning.

  After watching those bloody ‘killer’ films, I no longer buy fuel without taking someone along to watch the car, just to make sure a serial killer doesn’t crawl into the back seat when I’m filling up.

  I no longer go to the cinema because I could be pricked with a needle infected with AIDS when I sit down.

  I can’t use anyone’s toilet but my own, because a big black snake could be lurking under the seat and cause me instant death when it bites my duff.

  And there is no way I can ever pick up a dime coin dropped in the car park, because it was probably placed there by a sex molester waiting to grab me as I bend over.

  If you don’t send an email about this to at least 144,000 people in the next 10 minutes, a large dove with diarrhea will land on your head just before the game tonight and the
  fleas from 120 camels will infest your back, causing you to grow a hairy hump. (not you Glic – you’ve already got one).
  I know this will occur because it actually happened to a friend of my next door neighbor’s ex mother-in-law’s second husband’s cousin’s best friend’s hairdresser! True!

  Oh, and by the way…

  A German scientist from Argentina , after a lengthy study, has discovered that people lacking a sex drive read their blogs with their hand on their mouse or keyboards.

  Don’t bother taking it off now, it’s too late.

  P. S. I now keep my toothbrush in the living room, because I read that flushing the bog splashes water etc over 6 ft from the bowl!

  I am so worried — and now I have you lot to join me!! 😛

• Red and black it is PPP – of course. You just cannot take Arsenal out of the boy! 🙂

• Thanks TG, correct me if im wrong but his transfer fee was only 6mil ??

  I think we missed a trick with him, but then again hindsight is a beautiful thing.

• Total 😀 i know what you mean sir

• Herb, not sure if you read my comment yesterday, but I contrasted Wenger with Mourinho and stated how the two were complete opposites. I fully recognize that Wenger was never big on tactics and has allowed freedom for his players to express themselves, which has seemingly backfired on us in the past few years. I narrowed the ineffectiveness more to the player personnel we currently have, as it’s evident we need more than one (Jack) fearless, vocal leader to inspire the team when we’re not playing up to par.

  Mourinho, on the other hand, is all about players fitting into defined categories, is a tactical genius and is obsessed with analyzing and dissecting the opposition before he faces them. However, with Mourinho, you sacrifice beautiful, flowing football, he’s often emotionally removed and a twat to his players and he’s not as good at developing and nurturing burgeoning talents.

  From my perspective, it’s not that Wenger doesn’t want to work on tactics or dissect the opposition’s strategy, it’s just that it’s not his strength. If we had more commanding presences in our squad (Invincibles had plenty in Vieira, Henry, Campbell and Bergkamp), we’d be able to overcome the tactical weakness of Wenger and have players taking charge and holding others accountable of the on-field performances.

• PPP, the transfer fee was only £3 million from what I recall (unless there were add-ons). It was likely his salary and AW’s insistence on playing Arteta in the holding midfield position that led him to not bid for De Jong. Also, Mancini likely wouldn’t have sold the player to a rival in the EPL.

• Hi TG, thanks for keeping us up to date on the transfer rumours. 🙂

• RA, since we have a puppy, all worries about hygiene went out of the window. Life is a dirty business, and best is to let it all happen 😛

• I didn’t see it Gooner because I didn’t want to bore people further. I know Total puts a lot of time and effort into the site – for which I’m grateful – but we are at opposite ends on our views regarding Mr Wenger, so I stayed away.
  I get the point you’re making about Mourinho, but I seem to remember when he was at Chelsea the players loved playing for him, and they were a very close unit.

• Herb, despite some of the players that enjoyed playing for him at Chel$ea, there were plenty of others who were unhappy. It’s easier to please Chel$ea fans because he actually accomplished winning there and continually sacrifices beautiful football for it. In Madrid, where fans are more educated and used to seeing a pleasing style of football, he’s been largely whistled at (booed) and there are plenty of players who are unhappy with his first-team choices lately. He has decent rapport with players and those who he holds in higher regard will always stand by his side (as would they with any manager who has unwavering faith in them).

• Hi Herb,

  Mourhino was allegedly very close to certain players at Chelsea – Terry, Lampard and so on, and they formed a clique which caused dressing room unrest.

  After Mourhino got the sack, this same players’ clique caused the dismissal of at least two other managers, as well as AVB, and because they were at their peak Abramovich was powerless to resist them.

  Mourhino may be a very good manager, but he has a poisonous and vindictive personality, and I would never want to sell the club’s soul and have him as our manager.

• Hi Redders,
  I don’t think it will be an issue, he hasn’t got enough class to manage Arsenal.

• Besides, David Dein and Lady Nina Bracewell-Smith have already sold the club’s soul.

• I cant stand Mourinho, but credit where its due. At Inter milan his players were ready to go to war for him and they did. He kept big ego’s in check with the likes of sniejder, materazzi, milito and eto all willing to run non stop and defend at all costs. Without that unity and desire they never would have gotten past Barcelona. Never. This was also a team that had previously won both the league and cup doubles with Mancini so the motivation skills must have been there.
  Madrid is a different kettle of fish. The ego of the president is as big as Mourinho himself but i believe the player unrests have more to do with the new tax system being implemented in Spain…. just saying.

  Did i mention i cant stand Mourinho, his style is the total opposite of Arsenals football philosophy.

• Oz + PPP , your too kind guys. Oz, as I’m ancient (as you put it0 could you please put a link up just before KO please. Hopefully I wont need it as I’ve sourced a pub that is showing foreign tv and Arsenal v West Ham are on the bill, so fingers crossed I will see it there. If it goes tits up I will be home to watch it on a stream. Cheers again guys.

  PPP 0dds = 5-1
  Red Arse = 16-1
  TheGooner = 9-1

  I am still waiting for Rocky, Oz, Herb,Alex and the Yellow Jesey wearer.

• Not overly confident about tonight’s game chaps. West Ham will be strong and up for it. Although, they are much like us and can blow hot and cold, maybe not as bad, but you never know what West Ham will turn up.

  RedArse, hope all went well today Amigo.

• Just noticed on newsnow that Shakira and Gerard Pique have announced the birth of my 4th child !.

• glic, will you be watching from behind the sofa tonight?
  Whats your prediction?

• I still don’t get it, VCC. If Henry doesn’t know about any club outside of the PL, why are you including the FA Cup? We didn’t do it in the last round, so why now? The rules change almost every week!

• Herb, just use it to your advantage. We all know you really want to be the number 1 UMF 🙂

• #afc team: Szczesny, Sagna, Mertesacker, Vermaelen, Gibbs; Ramsey, Wilshere; Walcott, Cazorla, Podolski; Giroud.

• Evening Herb…..I really don’t mind having a week off you wish. It’s just I got a few responses about having a prediction this week so I thought it might be general consensus that we run with it. If you would prefer to have a week off just say, its not a problem. Henry has already entered, so I think he is happy. I think you will find as we are getting towards the sharp end of the FA Cup there are quite a few fixtures that appear on paper to be straightforward. There will be lots of similar line ups that’s for sure as most games stick out.

  If after reading the responses and people would prefer a break I will not include this week end.

  I need feed back guys.

  BTW Herb, your getting too close for comfort.

• Yes Vics, the sofa is ready !. hahaha

  I expect an Arsenal victory, but also expect another bamboozling performance !.
  Gone are the days when I expect Arsenal to win and they do it easily !, but I expect those days to return . Patience !. 🙂

• I dont get it, Jenks was doing so well before Sagna returned (prematurely imo) and now he cant get a look in. What happens when he is called for duty and his form has gone out the window.Do we write him off like Santos, Chamack, Arshavin etc ?

• Make sure Sagna plays a full game, as I`m at home with he`s missus. As for tactics, unlike me it doesn`t look like Jack will be playing in the hole !.

• I don’t get why Ramsey is starting, who’s our DM? He is awful too, though he hasn’t been as poor in his last few goes out. He should really get loaned out then sold, I’m tired of his uselessness on the pitch and he’s taking a squad spot that should really belong to someone more capable.

• No sweat, VCC, you’ll have my selections before kick-off on Saturday. I do find it a bit suspicious that the founder of our league is also the leader!

• All depends what Jenk`s wife/girlfriend looks like Prince !. If she`s a stunner, then he can have 90 mins !, otherwise Bacs plays !.

• PPP Good point. I thought it was wrong to drop Jenks as soon as Sagna was fit again, What does that do for his confidence.

  Wenger is playing guys into the ground and not resting them, thats why we get so many bad/long term injuries.

  We have a squad, and he bought them, so USE t hem

  Latterz muvvers. Off to the boozer. COYG

• Think your right there Herb. There will be a stewards inquiry at the end on the season with a points deduction, possible ban and reposesssion of the Zimmerframe !.

• VCC, enjoy the game

  Glic, enjoy my sloppy seconds, sharing is caring amigo 😆

• We can now call VCC…. Lance 😀

• This was already bad enough to watch the first time, watch it happen again.

• The UMF is 80% about fun and 20% about pride. During these dark and cold weeks, it is great to do something like UMF to keep us company, and have a bit of fun.

  So, I am all for doing the UMF this weekend and I am grateful that Vickers is happy to organise and administer if for us. 🙂

• hear hear Total. I still demand 1oo% focus and mental strength from myself 😉

• TG, I am with you re Ramsey. We need to see how it goes. I reckon Jack will play in the Arteta role and Ramsey in the box-to-box/lynchpin role. A big ask for the Welshman.

  Unless of course we play 4-4-2 with Ramsey and Pod on the mid-wings….

• hahaha PPP, now that does not come as a surprise to me! Although, I am zen-like calm about the UMF, it does not mean I will not pack a punch this season. 😛

• 5 draws each week, and i can see your tactics very well. It should put you in good stead Total, but if and WHEN you fail you will fail badly. que sera sera 🙂

  Enjoy the game Gooners

  COYRRGUNNERS!!!!!!!

• Failure is my best motivator, PPP! 😀

• Marriner??

  We have a 60% success rate with him blowing the whistle

• great minds mate, great minds….

• Cheers for the pre-match TA, very good read and perfect before this important match!

  Game time bring it on!!!

  @ VCC

  not old…just experienced! Keep up the great work with the UMF league, I like the idea of doing it this weekend because easy points are on offer!

  @ RA

  I hope all is well.
  I too have read an article on fecal matter flying out of the bowl when you flush. Different bacteria travels at different length. I read if about 4 years ago and because of it I still put the toilet seat down before I flush. In the same article they published results on the most bacteria infested items around the place. The surprising one for me was shopping trolley handles (never really thought about it to honest). They found a lot of urine and fecal particles and said it’s alarming just how many people do not wash their hands after they go to the loo!

• Oh no, please be ok Jack

• Frantic pace atm

• oh dear

• PURRRRRRRRRRRRRRFECT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

• BANG!!!!! that’s why he should be playing centrally!!!

• the omens are good. Arsenes’ zipper is working 😆

• Just an incredible shot, we need him to do that more often!

• god they blow the whistle far too often. They worry about technology slowing down the game, how about stopping with the ticky touch free kicks

• i would love someone in our team to damage Carlton Cole, that would be the job 50% done

• Walcott needs to play his position, which is wide right in a front three, and that means tracking back when hes not interchanging with Giroud. Arshavin got slaughtered for that and it would help if Walcott helped out

• it’s apart of his new deal PPP, he no longer feels the need too. Very selfish

• Guess Theo heard you PPP

• its not good Oz, because we than have Santi coming back deep on the right to help Sagna along with Ramsey. If we than lose the ball, we are all out of position. We seem scattered when retreating. I think Song is a huge loss in slowing momentum and breaking up play.

• Hi guys, had plans to watch game in pub, but have puppy-sitting duties instead. Watched the game on a stop-start stream, so no idea how we played. Good to read your comments though! 🙂

• Total,
  Put your puppy (Henry) in the laundry with a radio and a bowl of water. It used to work for me when i did the pub crawl. To this day, my puppy (Ollie) will only ever do the ‘business’ on the grass outside or on laundry tiles if desperate. Then i just hose it all away on my return.

• hahaha PPP – you are a beast! 😛

• Giroud!!!! that a boy

• Just what the doctor ordered!!!

  YEAH BABY

• What a goal by Giroud!!!

• I was about to say before, I’d like to see our set piece/corner conversion for this season because i bet it’s woeful. Especially with verm not scoring anymore

• @ PPP

  I did the same, bit of wood in the sliding door runner so it’d only open sightly. Everyone’s a winner! 🙂

• ….and the mrs is none the wiser. hahah. shhh thats my secret 😀

• giroud with another brilliant flick!

• IM DELIRIOUS, the suburbs of sydney are in full swing.

  WOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOO

• Where has this been all year?!

• ‘this is the real arsenal’ bloody well said. just what the doctor ordered!

• Breathtaking! Purrfect! Proud!

• Fecking brilliant!!! 😛

• im nearly in tears this is that good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

• WOOOOOO

• and the plastic bowl has found its voice!

  Who says Wenger cant motivate? Look out Bayern Munchen, we are a wounded animal

  👿

• Oz, love the exclamation marks 😉

• haha thought you might 🙂

• god in all the hysteria i didnt even see verm go off. hope his ankle is okay amd it was just precautionary

• diame and santi getting friendly…new team mates????

• my stream was so bad, mainly due to rubbish, old, second laptop, that I have not seen any of the goals properly. Luckily SkySports will do a summary after the Chavs game!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

• in country=no good
  in oz=perfect

  it mystifies me how that happens!!!

• I thought that was Diarra no? I believe Diame is not playing and was benched.

• Confirmed, Diame has not featured in this match. Santi was talking to either Demel or Diarra.

• Diame came on at the 70th minute for Vaz Te

  sort it out TG 🙂

• Swans v Chelski 0-0 80min

  so that is – out of Europe, out of Carling cup?, almost out of contention for EPL, and a wage and transfer bill that could feed the third world for years to come. #just saying

• Oh right, I forgot Vaz Te came off. Thanks oz

• Diame came on in 70th minute according bbc stats

• great news PPP

  M’vila most likely gone to Rubin Kazan after agreeing a fee and having a medical

• Hazard red carded for kicking a ballboy at Swansea.

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAa_yepafIs

  hahaha that is great!

• I would ban him for 6 months. That sort of frustration/retaliation is no better than Zidane, Cantona or any other mug who thinks that they are Gods gift. FA need to set an example

• someone forgot to tell GLIC that its safe to come out.

  Glic- you can come out now….come out of the closet Glic 😆

• I would too. I always wanted him at Arsenal but even since his move to Chelsea you can see how much of a big head he really is. That interview showed it all. Thinks he is untouchable!
  Good to see him on the end of some acting for once! He would of stayed down longer then the ball boy though

• Hazard is an idiot

• blocked. he’s another

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtLLqCbkKP0

• Ratings will be high once again! Fantastic game!

• i havnt been Ramseys biggest fan since his comeback, but today he led with his pressing and desire. Faultless in that department. Obviously had the game panned out differently than every performance would have varied, so today Ramsey gets two thumbs up from me.

  This Aussie boy is a very happy and very proud gooner.!

• PPP, his rating is good and I was pleasantly surprised 🙂

• Blocked again Oz.

  My motm is easy- Prince Poldi

• GET IN!!! 😆
  Eden Hazard should be serving a prison sentence.

• Always had faith in Ramsey, I think the kid will be a very good play. He has the mental side of it all sorted, just needs the rest to come together nicely.

  damn copyright junk, it’s probably hazard in the locker room blocking them!!!

• I wonder what Arsene puts in the half time refreshments?
  Today he put in a double dose….

• A good win to build on! Looking fwd to your report TG! 🙂

• Is it safe to come out ?

• So basically, If we could come in at half-time not losing, we would win the league !.

• The first 15-20 minutes of the second half was superb, we blitzed them and Fat Sam got what he and his brand of football deserves.

• * Hazard Warning ! *

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pl1D0QDG7xU

• Glic, depending on where you live, in some places it’s still not safe to “come out”

• TG 🙂

• If we just play on our instinct, take the hand brake off, ditch the zonal marking and buy a solid defensive minded player for rotation and to release our attacking nous i dont see why we cant go all the way in the cups this season and all comps next season. Its all pretty simple in my mind.

  I have to admit i was in totally different frame of mind hours before the game. #fickle

• TG
  I live in Cornwall and dont venture out after dark, it`s not safe with the inbreds locals !. Think of the “Walking Dead” without the need of the make-up !.

• Three assists and a goal by the Pod – WOW!!

• Totes
  He might win me over if he keeps it up !.

• Glic, just be glad you aren’t choosing to come out in some areas of Africa and South Central Europe, you’d be met with the death penalty there 😉

• TA, I believe glic misunderstood my initial response hahaha 🙂

• Glic, I think the rest has done him good. Remember all the German players get a long winterbreak each year, so it was needed to rest the Pod for at least a couple of games. Last year, Mertesacker got badly injured around this time, after he had been overplayed too much by Arsene.

• I just remembered !………..poor old Vicky has been watching the game in a pub in Hammers territory !. He`s probably having the Zimmerframe removed from his rectum in A&E as we speak !.

• TG

  Would that be ……….” The Closet ” !. hahaha

• Im sure that ‘POD’ could fit on his todger. Think about it, he would be moving with the times…
  Glic and his ‘ i-pod ‘ hahaha

• TG – I reckon you are right! 😛

• Totes

  I thought they normally had a winter break to invade Poland !.

• hahaha Glic – good point. 🙂

  Just imagine though, they break up around 20 December and do not play till 20 January! Do they not realise they excist to entertain, and the bitter winter months should have constant footie?! 🙄

• I-Pod 🙂

• Glic 😉 glad you caught on hahaha

• At least I would get a carriage to myself on the train if I insert my ear plugs into my One eyed I- Pod !.

• 😆

• So lads, should I take a break from digging tomorrow and watch the match on ArsenalPlayer ?. Will I enjoy it ?. 😀

• Right, off to the beach. Have a good night muvverz. It has been a pleasure.

• Now let’s take this form to The Seagulls and gun them into a cloud of feathers! 🙂

• Yes you will Glicxster! 🙂

  Enjoy your day on the beach, PPP – v jealous!

• Beach ?. It`s f**king dark outside and minus 1 !!!

• Just a tiny gripe, I know Walcott took his goal well, but I thought he was rather wasteful.
  Apparently, the ball-boy is the son of one of Swansea’s main investors. I was listening to it whilst simultaneously watching Arsenal, and when Sam Matterface initially reported it, I thought the boy was about 11, but there’s no excuse for thuggish behaviour.
  I hope Dan Potts recovers.

• Before I nod off ( I want to be up early so I can watch the game ! ), this is a new comment on Arsenal . com after tonight`s game.
  AW on potential signing`s……….” No ( I have nothing to tell you ). That is why I have to shorten the press conference – I have to do some work ! “.

  What do you make of that ?

• Chew it over !. Night BKers. 🙂

• Hazard acted stupidly, but the ball boys were apparently holding on to the ball long every time, which would have annoyed any of us if it was our team. The ball boy did not want to give the ball to Hazard and either accidentally fell on top of the ball, or purposefully decided to lay on the ball. If the latter is the case than that would be very annoying, but a player should always keep his calm and kicking out at the ball, whilst also kicking the boy in his back is totally unacceptbale.

  I have said it a few times, but Hazard has not impressed me yet. For me, he is a modern Joe Cole sort of player: sometimes genius but mostly goes missing. He is getting found out very quickly by defenders and he will have to work hard to justify his salary and previous hype.

• Herb 19:11. ……..I have a spread sheet with all predictions and results since we started the UMF 1 League.

  I can send you a copy, so you can check it out, if you want.

  Your quote “I do find it a bit suspicious that the founder of our league is also the leader”

  ARE YOU SERIOUS?

• I think it was tongue in cheek, Vickers! 🙂

• I said it tongue-in-cheek, VCC, I would never question your integrity.

• Snap, Total 🙂

• As I had such a rubbish stream, I watched with one eye the Swansea-Chavs game, and the Southern Oilers looked pretty clueless and harmless throughout the game. In fact, Swansea had the best chances to win the game.

  Such a shame we went two behind against them before the break on Sunday. Let’s hope the boys are learning rapidly from these sort of unnecessary defeats.

• Snap indeed, Herb! 🙂

• glic 22:23…..you must have been a fly on the wall. yes we were well out numbered, but we held our own.

  Was a bit scary at first, but I think what made them mild was the way their team performed. #they could not argue that we were the better side.

• Right, off to bed. Catch you all tomorrow morning. As you might have read, TG is doing a match report + player ratings, which I hope to issue early in the morning.

• Herb 23:20….Sorry Herb, it came across very different in print.

  I always remember what my dear old Dad said to me many years ago. “I would sooner a thief than a liar”

  Cos, you always know where you are with a thief. That’s the philosophy I’ve taught my Children.

  I try and run the UMF 1 League the best I can, and thoroughly enjoy the work it involves and the friendly banter it brings to the table. I would never attempt to cheat or manufacture a falsehood, knowingly.

  I have visited many Arsenal web site forums, and without doubt, IMO Bergkampesque and ArsenalArsenal are far and away, above the rest of the field. They are both enhanced with side “Elements” such as the UMF 1 League, especially in times when the team are not performing ideally.

  On that note……the UMF 1 League WILL go ahead this week end, as long as I receive all entries.

  COYG.

• And a very fine job you are doing too, VCC. There’s nothing wrong with healthy competition and friendly banter to keep us on our toes and help us through a long season.

• I was quite relieved that we did not make a bid for M’Vila. I think he’s still got some maturing to do and it’d look bad if yet another player rejected us. Fortunately, it appears the Spuds were the other EPL team that bid for him and were turned down.

• Morning All. Feels better being a Gooner this morning. We’ve only won a battle though and not the War. Plenty of work to do yet if we are to reach fourth spot.

  Herb, as you say, nothing like a good old piece of football banter.

  The Gooner…I’m with you on M’Vila. Did not like the look of him, I much preferred MBwia. Any more transfer rumours kicking around?

• New Post – New Post!!! 🙂

  Prepare yourself for a tour de force; an all-encompassing match report + player ratings by our Canadian Expert, The Gooner!