Saddened by Putin’s unprovoked war on the lovely country of Ukraine, I will keep this short. 💙💛💙💛
Arsenal face the high-flying Wolves again and once more we will need to bring them down. It’s another six-pointer, making it a twelve-pointer this month. We know that Wolves play compact, good passing football and we continuously have to be wary of turnarounds and counter attacks. So, once again, Granit and Thomas will play a key role and will be under considerable pressure. My Xhaka red card bet with the saintly Stuart will be tested tonight.
We need to play compact and with patience. I don’t expect many goals, and this may well become a 1-0 to the Arsenal once again. Let’s hope so. Odegaard to score the winner.
Lineup:
Ramsdale
Tomi-Ben-Gab-Kier
Wall of Part & Granit
Buka-Ode-Emile
Laca(60m)/Marti(40m)
Come On You Rip Roaring Gunners!!
By TotalArsenal
Bergkampesque 
I expect the game tonight to be a tough one. Wolves will be fired up by a desire to avenge our win at their place and our celebrations there. Mikel said that the race for the top 4 will be a rollercoaster and the Spuds have provided a good demonstration of that over their last two games. We cannot afford to relax.
I can’t argue with your starting 11 TA but, I wouldn’t be too upset if Cedric starts, if Tomi isn’t 100%. Cedric has played well on his return. It was interesting that Marti picked out Cedric in his interview with The Athletic saying, “We talk a lot between ourselves as players. I speak with Cedric Soares and I tell him where to put the ball and I ask him where he thinks he should put it. I think we have a good understanding.”
Hoping to do better this week!
Brentford v Newcastle A
Brighton v Aston Villa A
Crystal Palace v Burnley * 1-1
Everton v Manchester City A
West Ham v Wolves * 1-1
Liverpool Ladies v Arsenal Ladies * 0-4
Yes OX10, a start for Soares is also OK. I am a big fan of him and Tomi might be rusty.
Brentford v Newcastle D
Brighton v Aston Villa H
Crystal Palace v Burnley * H (2-1)
Everton v Manchester City A
West Ham v Wolves * H (1-0)
Liverpool Ladies v Arsenal Ladies * A (1-2)
Brentford v Newcastle… Away
Brighton v Aston Villa…. Home
C.Palace v Burnley…….. Home (3-0)
Everton v Man City…….. Away
West Ham v Wolves…… Home (2-1)
Liverpool L v Arsenal L.. Away (1-3)
We’re living through some quite historical and rather worrying times Total and blogging on football seems a tad unimportant whilst The Dictator of Russia is attempting to subjugate his neighbour to the south.
I lived through the Cuban missile crisis and whilst I was very young at time I can still vividly remember the anxiety of my parents and relief they both felt when the Russian ships turned around.
As with any dictator they only understand and respect strength and resolve so NATO has to be strong and we have to show a united front.
I wonder how the events of the last few hours will affect the atmosphere tonight, hopefully the home fans will take the opportunity to let off steam a cheer the Gunners to victory. Hopefully our Gunners will remain the only gunners in action from these islands for the foreseeable future…
Victoria Concordia Crescit
Kev agree with you. The so called leaders have always failed the common man. We are treated as ants to be crushed as per thier whimsical behaviour. We in india have faced this during imperial rule. The lines drawn by these leaders with cigar and scotch in cosy comforts of thier palaces has wreaked havoc on common people living together. Societies have been ripped apart and their emotions trampled routinely. Yet again this is being done on to a world which is yet to recover from a devastating pandemic with millions suffering untold misery. Surely the so called leaders would have kept this in mind. Tragic tragic state of affairs.
Apart from the direct impacts of conflict, there is going to be collateral damage on the economy which is still trying to limp to normalcy after the pandemic. The global supply chains are not back to normal , gas prices are going to go up which in turn will increase inflation. More people will be pushed towards poverty. What a mess. Hope there is no escalation of the conflict.
Yes Madhu, I get where your coming from, I wonder if China will begin to flex its muscles in your neighbourhood with everyone’s attention focused on Ukraine?
3 of 17.
T, I’m using your method of thinking about the complicated table and fixtures. When I enjoy watching our rivals drop points, I just see that as a bonus. But your way, we can just focus on what’s in front of us each week.
Some people on Twitter keep saying our games in hand are Liverpool, spurs,, and Chelsea, whatever it actually is… but every game we can take 3 points from lower teams, makes those games in hand less urgent.
For tonight I worry whether Tomi can do 90, and would love to see him worked in later, but we may not have that luxury, because even when Wolves lose, it’s rarely by more than a goal.
I’m kind of over Lacazette. I used to point out that Aubameyang hadn’t lost so much in physical ability, for whatever reason he was failing, but it’s starting to look like Laca is slowing down and running out of gas.
Some people are saying Emile wasn’t in training, so that might mean Martinelli returns to the left.
J, indeed, we can only influence our own games. That’s our reality. We are in a long tunnel with seventeen stations to get through, and we just have to try and gain maximum points every time.
Laca just works the defence so Welland creates spa e and time for others. I love him for that. A start for Martinelli is fine with me too, bur I expect Laca and Emile to start.
Kev, china has intruded into eastern part of.our country already. They have been inching in from the past 2 years. They will be emboldened to further thier interest in Taiwan, Hongkong and South China sea. I feel Russia and China will try to further thier hegemony in Asia.
Not feeling too “saintly” this morning, Total. Putin and his demonically inspired elite deserve everything the Ukrainian spokesman Sergiy Kyslytsya stated, “There is no purgatory for war criminals, they go straight to hell”.
From your reference to “whiskey and cigars” Madhu, I take it you are referring to the British stint in India. What of the Arabs, the Turks and the Mongols before them? Your beautiful country, like so many others has been ravaged and savaged since the fall of man.
As Dylan sings, “Will I ever learn that there’ll be no peace, that the wars won’t cease, until He returns…” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6LP56VDKWM
Come, Lord Jesus.
ESR not even on Bench. Worrying
Soares keeps his place and Martinelli starts. Emile not even on the bench. Rest as per post. 🙂
Yes guys difficult days. 😌
Raul Himenez, I hope you don’t score, but welcome back, mate.
Nice touch, Stuart
Heard that ESR may be sick, not China virus though. Tomiyasu not available is worrisome.
An awful goal to concede but since then we’ve got back into the game, I’ve turned the amazon prime commentary down, it’s nauseating, typical northern bias.
No cutting edge up front, I hope we can get to half time without anymore calamities but I’m not sure what else Arteta can do as our bench is bereft of anyone who can change a game.
Stuart the men in Cigar and scotch are now replaced by our own so called leaders parading like kings and lording over the subjects. Nothing changes but I personally disappointed with Indias tepid response to the attack. Yes we have historically been close to USSR but there is something known as morality of the Nation
Nicholas Pepe is on the bench and so is Tavares (he would be rusty by now, reason I thought he should have been given minutes in the game vs Brentford). Both can bring guile and power on both flanks.
It was a rather tentative start by the boys, and on our turf but, it happens; we are wary of the passing ability of the visitors and it was most unwanted to concede from an error like that. Ben White should be doing better for that goal; the moment Gabriel seemed in trouble, he should be looking to block off the goal scorer just to give Ramsdale more time to deal with the miscues back pass.
Some of our boys seem to need too much time on the ball thus allowing the opposition defenders time to recover. Take the Saka chance which allowed Saiss come back for the block. Laca also had moments where he could have been sharper with his shot. My concern now is with how we come out in the second half. We need to press them better, win the 50-50s and just be patient with decision making. We cannot allow them make us rush things.
Laca is doing well, working hard and being a handful. The disappointment for me has been Martinelli, not doing enough to force errors (I need the gung-ho Martinelli now). If he doesn’t step it up in the next 15 minutes, bring on Tavares or Pepe. What do we have to lose?
Xhaka is playing like someone trying to avoid getting a card. We must not be nervous or panic. Go for it!!
Eris that’s been driving me crazy for years, too many touches, if the shot is on take it early – but they don’t…
I don’t know the veracity of this but in 19 games that we’ve been losing at half time, we’ve drawn 4 and lost 15…
Under Arteta
Playing really well and that goal should come. Just horrible to playing with this goal down
Eddie is the man
Nicholas is the man 😉
He took that like a centre-forward…. the clues in the title centre-forward Mikel? 🤔
Sumptuous goal.
The Ode close to the winner. We can do this.
We do not care how it comes. A win is a win.
What a club
Let’s see what they say about our celebration this time. 6 points out of the six pointer! Sweet.
Battle 3/17 – Victory
This is the way to get a win. Nerve wracking stuff. Not very many sides score 2 against this Wolves side. The subs have earned their pips tonight. So has the manager.
Wolves know how to defend. They were impressive but the subs made the difference.
So proud of the boys
Yes Eris, very nervy. Pffffff
Oh God it’s going to be a long season. Many more stuff like this . Phew a game and half. Great win . Off to bed now. Good night fellow gooners.
I’m not gonna lie, I thought we were done in this game but Pepe made a big difference when he came on and the winner, well on a TV they’re saying it’s an own goal which is cruel on Lacazette as he earned that but I don’t suppose he’ll care.
Woohoo! Nothing like football to bring us some relief from the world. MO10 and Granite were excellent, and what a cameo from Pepe. Great sight of Raul with the Arsenal fans at the end of the game.
Kev, Laca already said he didn’t care as long as the goal counted. He insisted he’d keep working for the team and promised to score goals. We cannot over-emphasize what was riding on this game which is a place in Europe and potentially top 4 and Champions league football. Wolves were always going to make it difficult and they have a couple of tricky players, along with a few battle hardened players. We had our work cut out for us and as it turned out, we have come through with flying colours.
Still buzzing, to be honest.
Wow I was too emotional to type at the end. So proud of the boys.
Pepe I’ve been crying to see at cf, or even a slightly inverted winger, if that’s the correct term(T?) Anything to get him closer to the goal and away from the touchline. He’s lethal with his left and scores with his right too. I know he can do the job. I always tell my gooner friends we have goals and assists sitting on our bench in him. He’d produce with starts.
Everyone was great, but he changed the game today, made the difference.
Eris, we’re not going to get many more difficult games than this evenings but the team stayed strong and showed a certain maturity, it’s as if they’re growing in front of our eyes.
I think that the Wolves manager is a very talented Coach and he won’t be at Wolves for long if he continues in the same vein, 6 points against them is massive as we were so close to losing both games against them. Winning those types of games is a great habit to have even if it’s stretches your nerves.
Johnny Big Apple, yeah it was great to see Pepe more central, he’s not a goal threat on the touch line but get him on the edge of the penalty area and he’s different gravy, we need all the goal threat we can muster over the next 14 cup ties so let’s see him where he’s most dangerous.
Also kudos to Eddie, tbh I’ve been a bit underwhelmed by him recently but he did a great job when he came on, more of the same will do nicely. Right I’m off to the bomb shelter… Night all
Kev and I on the same page as usual.. this time about Pepe.
One more stat.. Ødegaard ran 12km today. The most by any Arsenal player all season. And he was in on everything we were creating.
What a steal he was. I didn’t want the loan last year! What an idiot I am! But only because I never thought Madrid would let him go completely. When I saw his highlight videos when researching… the talent was so obvious. Madridistas bought him and forgot the reason for it. Lucky us, but Arteta must have impressed him.
Great comments over night.
To help us calm down, here is Beethoven’s brilliant Opus 20, a septet. You can decide for yourself who represents Xhaka, Partey, Odegaard, Martinelli, Saka, Laca and Pepe 😳🙂
Great and satisfying win to equalize in the last 10 mins and score the winner at the second last min especially that Wolves are very solid and organized defensively. It required the keen vision and sharpness of Odegaard to create both goals – he is proving to be one of our best if not best player. What an underrated player by some! Our substitutes, Nketiah and Pepe played with much urgency and skill. Apart from the silly mistake, there are many positives – the obvious unity, the fighting spirit and the inventiveness of Partey and Xhaka besides Odegaard. Arteta got all his substitutes spot on.
Just incredible scenes.
They are such a hard team to break down, especially when protecting a lead. It is like they had 12 men every time we attacked, so well organised. They are all comfortable on he ball and work hard off the ball. Lots of credit to Bruno for the job he has done at wolves in such a short amount of time.
And then along came pepe and undid all the good work and time wasting by the black and gold lads. Really impressed with the way we kept going and did nor let our heads drop. Great subs by the manager at the right time. As roberto martinez said in the studio it should have been arteta man of the match for that. If auba was leading the line instead of laca we would have lost that game for sure. Laca is infectious in all the ways auba was not.
Fine comments, Elisha and Wedge, and all agreed.
Wedge, I totally agree. Laca is proving to be a brilliant leader on the field and, at times, chief orchestra of the crowd too. I loved that performance last night and it is a real shame that the second goal won’t be attributed to him, he thoroughly deserved it.
Although was brilliant for us until last year he was never a leader and his sub-par performances seemed to bring the whole team down. I wish him well but it is a little galling that he has refound his form so quickly after leaving us. When you see how happy and motivated the whole squad seems to be at present it makes you wonder what has been going on in Auba’s head since we gave him a bumper pay rise.
TA, thanks for sharing the Beethoven. I wasn’t familiar with the piece but, I’m enjoying listening to it. Not only is it helping to mellow my mood at the moment, but it might also prove useful to me. I’m directing an outdoor production of a Jane Austen spoof this summer. Beethoven actually features in the play so I’ve added Op. 20 to my list of music that might be used.
New Post 🙂
Glad you like it, OX10. It was Beethoven’s first big commercial success back then. Please keep me posted whether and you’ll use it. Sounds like a great play you are directing.